o . Tr>i ^ PRINCETON, N. J. Collection of Puritan Literature. Division * s *>^/ tei — ^ ^-Z*^ Section Number CHRISTS COVNSELL FOR ENDING LAW CASES. AS IT HATH BEENE DELI- VERED IN TWO SERMONS vpon the fiue and twentieth verfe of tht fifth of CMatthetv. 4 BylpHN Pr id EAvx>Dodor of Divinity, Regius Profeffor^ and Re&or • of Exeter Ce Hedge. M att H.J.p. "Blefied are the Peace-makers. OXF ORD t Imprinted by Leonard Lichfield AnnoSalutis, 16 $ 6. I TO THE WORSHIPFVLL MY VERY WORTHY KinfmanEDMVND Prideavx £fquire y Cotinfellor at Law, &M ris Maby Pride avx his vertuom and relp* gidHS Wife. H E many kindneffes I haue heretofore receiued from you bothjjaue long fit hence requi- red a fuller acknowledgement^ then yet I could ever meete with opportunity to exprejj'e, howfoever I much deftred it. In which rejpecl being over- intreatedby fome friends, to publijh thefe sermons, J made bold to pafjethem vnderyoumames^a(fured by former inc our agements^ of your lotting acceptance, They were my fir [I afTaics in this kinde 5 which riper iudgements willfoonedifcern^bothinfundry defers, andfitperflnities. But my defire to doe good to the meancft, [hall in part (I tru(l)excufe me to all. For we are all debtors (with blejfed S.Paul) both to the wife, and vnwife. And as it mufibeour wif- dome especially jlo winne foules, fo it behooueth all ! John Gods children to receive from vs with meekneiTe, A 2 his Rom, 1. 14. Pfov.11.30. 1. IX, -.: Dcut.4- 6, ThcEpiftk Dedicatory. his Statutes and judgements. For this is your wif- dome,andyourvnderftanding,in the fight of the nations, which fhallheare all thefe ftatutcs, and fay, furely this is a wife and vnderftanding peo- ple. Tour exemplary practice herein* ( which your Neighbours and Country can well tcsltfj)myfelfe t$ my great comfort \Jbaue often o£ferved,ioth in pri- vate prayers, dstdy continued in your well-ordered family, and pub like efteeme of the Word, and its true ProfefTors. Tewhichifthufma/lMitc of mine may aide the leaji life^or 'increafej hatte attained my purj>ofe- f i* which IreH From Exeter Colledge in Oxford.O<5toberi2. Yours ever in Chriittobedifpofed, IoiinPridbavx GHRISTS GOVN. SELL FOR ENDING LAW CASES. M AT TH. 5. 2^ Agree with thine adverfary quickly , while ft thou art in the way with him ; left thine Adversary deli- ver thee to the ladge 5 and the Judge deliuer thee to the Sergeant \andthou be c aft into prifon. Hefe words ( Worfhip- full and Beloued ) are a part of that large and heavenly Sermon , which our Saviour made in the CMount to his Difciples , and a great multitude , as appeareth in the firft verfe of this Chapter. A learned man calls it,the key oft he whole Bible 5 becaufe by it is opened the fummeofthe old and New Teftament- and in that fenfc my Text may be tearmed ,the chiefeft ward of this key ; as being that which firft difclo- feth the corrupt Gloftes of the Pharifees , and wherevpon our Saviour especially infifteth: Who having fhewed before 5 that the Jixth Commandc* A3 ment y Perkins in his expofition of Cbrifis Ser- mon in thi Mount, Qhrifts Counfeil Verf. zz. wra^not onely forbiddeth alluall murder , ( as the I Pharifees would groffely haue it ) but alfo raj ling \ Mupi p*K$ > words, difcontented geHures^ rafh anger 5 ( as the fe jgpf/fs*®- vcrall punifliments declare , to which theft W Annet.ib* Ver.z^. a 4 , Jnhunc hctu Vid. Tboma team-. In jMath, ,i things are liable ) inferreth therevpon aneffetfu- tall exhottation,to concord^ loue^nd charttie , and I * firft with their Brethren , in the two verfes going immediatly before, if then thou bring thy gift vn- i to the altar ^and there remembreftjhat thy brother j hath ought againH thec-Jeaue there thine offering be- fore the altar 7 andgoe thy way , fir si bee reconciled to thy brother. And fecondly with their Adverfa- \ *7w,which is a higher fteppe to perfe&ion , in the words I haue read vnto you : Agree with thine ad- verfary quickly , whilesi thou art in the way with him &c. 2 The Learned leeme not to agree altogether about the fenfe and fcopc of thefe words. Saint Chryfoftome takes only the letter 5 and extends it a- ■ lone to fuch contentions , as happen betweene party and party , here in this world , before a civill UMagiftrate^m&oi lh\s minde alio are Theophy- lac7jin& Euthymius,.* imong the ancient ; Brentius y Pellican^nd Kemmti us, vmh fome others, among: the latter writers. But Cyprian , Hilar ie y Ambrofe 3 Hierome , and Augufline , with the reft of the Fa- thers and iV/W/etfJ^expound parabolically , the wayjhis life, the Judge, 0ms~tf he Sergeant, the An- gels , the prifon^ Hell. Both fenfes are true (faith Abulenfis) but the latter more principal! ; whofe opinion I the rather embrace, becaufe it tendeth to agrecmentjfor which I labour. To omit there. fore for ending LawQafes. fore the curious difculfing of the point , how, and by what reafons,both interpretations may ftand, as fitter for the fchooles,then this place : 1 take the words to be vttered by way of a fimilitude,whofe fubflance,oi latter part,commonIy called *r-Mtti*t is her e omitted,as eafie to be gathered 5 by the fha- do\v 9 veh*at y ov former part expreffed^ it being v- fuall in Scripture 5 and common talke $ and in this particular enlarged ,may carry this fenialfa credi- ditor ofthintjo whom thou artfalne in band,fhould thereupon put thee infuittfhe law is open, the Judge mufi doe right ,the penalty is imprifenment : were it not wifdome, therefore for thee to haft en , and agree, iefore it come to a triallfhatfo by drawing the Court thou might ft withdraw thy felfefrom danger f The like is thy cafe here in this world , for brotherly re- conciliation^ whether thou be wronged,or haue wron- ged^ feeke peace, and enfue it^and that now^ in the ac ceptable time speedily without demur res. For thou art way- laid by death, and know eft not how foone thou jhalt bee arefted. If thou come out of charity before Cods tribunallfeat-fhe Angels are his Sergeants, hell huprifon^ Biuels his hangmen 5 fire and bnmjlone his racke^ iudgement must pafe , and execution fhalL follow, and thento defirea compofitio willbetooUte. So that here you fee( Beloued) what both opini- ons yeeld, to furthered perfwade thisGhriftian- like agreement: the fir ft from the words, in regard oitempor all damage^ xhzfecond from the meanings to avoid eternallvnJoing. -> Thefumme is an earn eft motiue to Brotherly rcconciliationwith all men* and Chrifts counfeU I i.A Precept. Agree with thine dd- aud confifteth verfary quickly , whilft thou art in as it plainciy the way with htm. appeareth ,of J 2. A reafon thereof \ in the words thefe two parts : The Precept (whereof only atthisprefent,by God$af- fiftance & yourChriftia^ patience I intende to en- treat ) containeth in it thefe foure circumftances, the enfuing,/*# thine adverfary deliuer thee to theludge,and the Iudge deli- ver thee to the Sergeant, ^c. r i Matter whereof. Agree. 2 Party with whom. Thine adverfary. 3 Time when. Quick- ly. 4 The place where. Whiles thou art in the way with him. Agree with thine adverfary quickly wbilefi thow art in the way with him* Agree, as becommetha man y with thine Adver- fary 5 as it behooucth zChriflian, Quickly >io fhewe thy willingnes,&&hilejl thou art in the way, to ex- prefle thy careful! providence. For by Agreeing, thou imitated thy Saviour , with thine adverfarie, thou excelled the Scribes and Phari fees y quickly y thou out-ftrippefl: the fluggard , and while [ft thou art in the way , thou prevented the danger that is to come. And therefore giue me lcaue once more to inculcate , atid repeate againe Agree , to faue thy felfe,whb thy Adverfary, to winne thy brother^ quickly y to redeeme the t tmt y , andwhilefl thou art in the way , to fpeed the better at thy jourmes titli 4. Agree for ending Law cafes, a Agree; Thcoviginall hath it in two words idtjuwfr' Which traitflatiK contend, whofhould cxprefle mod: fignihcantly. The vulgar Latine*\- vcth it this fenfe. a Confent or thinkc the fame things with thine adverfary. Erafmus , b Bear -e him good will. CaJlalionf Ccmfotwd.Vatablus* See thou come to an agreement. The Syriack , e Bee defirous of his fciendflnp. An old Tranflation which Saint- Att- gu/line feemeth to approuc , f accord, compound, or make a full atonement: which is alio liked by Be\a , and in cffc<5t is the fame with his : S bee friends, let there be a per fell reconciliation , fee there be an end of all brabbles betwixt you. For wee arenotonely j advifed (faith ht)to wifh well to our adverfary^ and | . there let it reft 5 but to goe to him , talke with him^ conclude with him,md as Saint Luke hath it , Cha- 1 pter 12.58. Deliuer our felues from any thing hee hath again ft vs. All which is included in this one word y4g;Y*cd fratres in E I remo. i.Tim.2.8. Iain. 1. ax. Mat.it. ix. 1.C01.13. downcfall of "this way , wherein thou pofteft. Shall thy God bee called the Author of peace, and wilt thou continue zmaintainer of distention ? {hall he receaue thee, who reje&cft thy Brother ? or fuppofe thou wilt agree with him , who quar- rellett with his^nd thine owne fellow members ? No,no, ( Beloued ) heehath taught vs otherwife. ur trefpafles are forgiuen vs , but with this con- dition^ weeforgiue them tfjatsrejpajfeagainftvs. Where is thine adverfary ( faith hee ) whofe inju- ries like the blood of Abel cry vnto mee for ven- geance? never looke mee in the face,except your brother bee with you. So true is that which Pel- lican hath on this place obferued : Nonexperieris Deum tibipropitiu,nifi proximus fentiet tefibi pla- catum: Thou fhalt not finde that God is pleafed with thee, before thy neighbour pert ewe , thou art reconcu ledvnto him. For A the tongues of men & Ange Is, \ud the gift of prophe- fie ,knowe(l l all fecrePs jxntt remoue mcutaines ,giueft thy goods to the poor^^andthy body to bee burned j all this is but founding brafe , and tinkling Cymbals. Vaunt of no fuch offerings at the Lords Altar, before for ending Law cafes, n \ before thou go, arid be reconciled** thy brother. Go j ( I fayjnot expert when he will come vnto thcc,nor ! tarry tilt thou happen to meet him; but feekc ! him out of purpofc, enquire for him 3 commune with him. And where thy prefence cannot , thy defire of peace ( faith Gregory) mud performe that j office. Satisfie him in thought, whom thy thoughts hauc wronged- in words make amends, for thy injurious fpeeches 5 as alio for thy deeds, let thy deeds rccompcnce. For why fhould our ftubbornneffefofarre overmaster vs, as to make our bed fervices vnacceptable to our King and Matter? S * &yt$i-ml&i O the admirable benignity, j and vnfpeakable goodnefle of God ^faith that | golden-mouthed Father Chryfoflome on this j place!,) Hee defpifeth his ownc worjhip, to main- tain thy chanty, he will not be found of thee, till thou haft fought this reconciliation. Never pray, come not atSermons,wor(hipme not at all ("faith our Lord God)rvhat haue 1 1$ doe with your ap- pointed fea&s^andfolcmne ajfemblies? my foulc ha- ! teth the oblations of fuch as fofter , or bring with | them hatred in their foules. Wherefore (Belo- , ^brethren) let vsftudy to agree, that wee may : be'beloucd, and feeke peace here, that wee may ' cnioyit in heaven.The very grafhoppers can goe forth quietly altogether by bands ( as the wifemtrn telleth vs) and the hngdorne of Satan is not de- videdagainflitfelfe. Now, if you will farther know the party with whom wee are thus to agree,, itfolloweth.- Thy adverfary'] which is the fecond wcumjtante I before propofed, and Vialogt,*. Prou. 30. 17. H Qhrifls counfell gat.c.j. V'ulBuccafen. Enarrat-in. Beuxam. Harmon.E- uang.T.om.,1. pag.zo.z.Lib, i.deferm. TJom.m mont. cap. xi. and commcth here in order to bee likewife hand- led. 7 Agreewith thine Adverfary."} The word ! di7ij\t)t& in the originall is not fo largely taken, as adverftrius in the Latine, which may fignify any kinde of enemy: but rather as wee terme in Eng- lijh in our Law matters, the plaint if e, in regard of the defendant^ or the defendant , in refpeft of the plaintife^o bee^an adverfary. Adverfarim litis (faith ie/^m/^inapaffagevpon this place ) non iniurUiixi Adverfary, not fo much for an injury I offered, as in a triall to be had; and therefore may ! not "fo properly bee expounded an enemy ^ as a friend or neighbour of ours,with whom wee haue a cafe in controverfy. What is anfwerable to this in the fimilitude, divers are of divers opini- ons. Some would haue this Adverfary to bee the Dwells Origen, Euthymius^ TheophylaB , with whom weareto agree, (as S.Hierome expounds it) by renouncing him wholy, as our promifc was in baptifme, and fo fhaking him off, that hereafter before the Iudge of heauen, hee may haue no adli- onagainflvs. But Calvtn confutes thismainely: following herein Saint Augustine^ whofe argu- ment is from the Grceke word Imvwv> be friends 3 ox z well wilier: butbetweene the Devill and vs there fhould be no fuch commerce, or familiari- ty. Others by adverfary vnderftand the flefb. This alfolikcthnotSaint^/^//y?//^, neither Saint Hie- m^whothinkeithard, that the fpirit fhould a- ,grcc with the flefh , whichever lufteth, and re- belleth againft it. Saint Ambrofe would haue this for ending Law cafes. this adverfaryto bcc finnc. But what peace or compofitionfhouldbewith that, which wee are bound by all mcanes,to root out, andcxtinguifh? Others therefore come neerer the truth, as Atha- nafiu*, Augufline^Gregory, and Beda, who would hauethisadverfarytobe either God, or his law^ or ourowne conferences .And furely thebeft way k isforvs to curry favour withthefe ; whiles op. portunity and time is granted vs. Yet I take the expofition of Hilar y,Anfelme, and Saint Hierome, to bee more naturall for this place ; who goe no farther then thclettcr,but by Adverfary vnderftand Dominu litu^quodeft commune nomenvtrique parti litigant i^(aom,in mont.l.u Heft. 1. 1 9. King his mafter was refolucd to make war on the Romans , tooke occafiontodifcourfewithhim in this fort: It is reported (OKing) (faith hee) that vhc Romans y zvc great Warners, and haue lar^ command of puiffant nations 5 put cafe wee over- come them , what benefit fliall wee get thereby ? PjUT/^anfwercdj Thatisaqueftion, which few wife men would aske:why then,all//4/y & Greece are ftraight at our command. Cyneas pawfing a while, replied: But when wee hnue Italy and Greece,\\hat (hall wee doe then r Fyrrhus not finding his mcaning^/V;/) (faith he) thou know- eft is hard adjoyningto vs, and very well may be our next conqucft. But hauing that (quoth Cyneas) fhall our warres be ended? That were a ._ B I cft Plutarch, in Vyrrh. If Qhrifts Counfell Ffcov. 13. 10, Ttiftordiafi- lia inanis glo- ria, Gng. Mor.lik.iS'C. id. 24447. art, 2. Eph. 4.16. jeftfquoth Pyrrhut )£ot who would not thento Af- fricke^nd foto Carthagei the paffageis not dange- rous,theviftory allured. True indeed (faith Cyne- 4*) but when we haue all in our hands, what (hall wee doe in the end? Then Pyrrhm breakes out a laughing. We will then,good Cyneas (quoth hec) be quiet ,and take our eafe>andmakefeafts every day, and be as merry one with another as wee can poftbly* Then Cyneas hzuing that hee would, thus clofeth with him, and what letteth vs now (my Lord) to be \ merry t and quiet together, fith wee entoy that pre-\ fent without farther travelled* trouble which we are j mvfi a fee king with fuch bloudjhed and danger ■• and I yet we knew not whether ever wee flail attaine vnto it, after that wee hauefuffered 9 and caused others to frjfer infinite forrowes and calamities? The appli- cation is fo manifeft, that I need not ftand vpon it. For aske but ou r contentious wranglers what they aimcat by their going to Law., and their vexing one another: their anfwerecan bee no other but to right themfelnes y that at length they may Hue quietly. Hut quiet thy bofome-euemics at home (whofoeverthou art^ andthycaufcfhall bee en- ded, beforethe action bee entred. For through pride man makethcotentionsfixov. 13.10. Couldft thou but once take order with this malitious af- fe&ion, 'twere eafy to compound with thy grea~ teftadverfaryr* But thou canft not bee fo bafe as to yeeld vnto him; and yet wilt thou befo bafe as to-yeeld vnto -the Divellf Harken to the bleffed Apofik\ Let; not thefnnnegot downe vpon thy wrath, Eph.4..2.ftjandit immediatly followeth, Neither I giue] I — for ending Law Qafes. \jt giue place vnto the DeviU. But thine adverfary pro- vokes thee to Jlrife, and thou canft not endure it? But thy Saviour commands thee to agree, and wilt not obey him? But fliould 1 lofe mine owne,to buy his favour? But wouldft thou wreake thy anger 5 to lofe a Kingdome? Louefuffereth all things^ it belee- ueth all things \it hopeth all things , it endureth all things \H feeketh not its otvne but the things that are of God. If thy caufe be good 5 and thy conscience vn- fpotted,thou haft an Advocate with the Father, Ie- fa Chrift the right ecu s.Jhis was the Kings At tor - /*j,that Davidretainedjleadthou my caufe(OLord) with them that flriue with me , and fight thou againft them that fight against me. But wee muft haue writ vpon8>r/Y,and^7/>«vpon Affion, to vndoe our feJues,thatwcmay vex our brethren: Efeck, and Maf[ah y & Meribahjhc waters ef ' fir ife and conten- tion,arethofewedelighttodrinke of, the gentle Shiloah runneth too foftly for our turbulent hu- mours: whofe counfell doe we follow in this (Be- Ioved)but his,who was a liar and a murtherer from the very beginning? Are we Sheepe of the Lords pa- fturejmd yet like Dogs,and Switie will be barking and biting one another? and fliall that fervaunt fpeed well at his matters comming, who is taken molefting zndfmiting his fcllorv-fervants? Hence therefore let Tale-bearers 5 and thole Attournies lcarne,whofet neighbours together by the eares, and egge them onward to contentions, whofe Ap- paritours and Agents they bee. For if blefled bee the Peace-makersfoithey /ball be called the children of God then curfedbe fuchBrawle-makcrs^ for they B 2 fliall i.Cor.xj7, r John. i.i,!, Plains, jf.i. Gen. 16.10, Exod.17.*. Efa % 8.6. Palm, x so. Mit.i4.x^. Luk.11.4j. Ma&5.9« 20 Mac, 5. 9. Prov.17.l4. i.Cor.6,5. TW z Cor. 6, 2. Cbritts counfell fliall be called the Children of the Divett. Bat of I you (deare Chriftian brethren,) I am perfwaded better things ; you haue learned of the Wife man, Prov. 17. i^.tbat the beginning of ftrife u as the opening of waters, which will quickely drowne, if they bee not flopped. Take vp therefore iuch contentions, as now , or at any time (hall arifc a- mongftyou^conferre together, layafide ail ma- lice, vfe the helpe of your neighbours, and all o- ther goodlawfull meanes. What ? is it fo , that there is not a wife man among jou? No not one that caniudgebetweene his brethren? But a brother goeth to law with a brother (as the Apofllc complaineth of 'the Corinthians:) and Imayadde, mod com- monly for a matter of fmall moment, Rather make a friendoi thy adverfary, to ioyne with thee in league againft thy fpirituall enemies, and that ejfe. crudity 5 and that quickly, without any farther pro- longing;which is th€ third circuwftance I obferved in the precept, & will quickly here,by Gods grace, &your Chriftia paticnce,indevour to run it over. I© Agree with thine adverfary quickly~\Matur}, faith Caflalion: cito, fay the other interpreters : all comethto one,feafon-ably, or prefently, the prcfent being ever moft feafonable. Becaufe in actions of this nature ,the contrary to our common proverbe is found moft true, the more baft, the better fieed: whence I gather,that delay in any Chriftian duty is alvcaies dagerottsJXo die well(faics onc)is a long art of a Jh or t life, and ajpeedy beginning, is the jlorteft cut to this longeft art. Behold (faith the blcffcd A- $oftle)now isthe^ccepediimejbeholdnowthcday of falvation, for ending Law cafes. falvAtion } znd to day ifyee will be Arc his voice , har- den not your be Arts , but exhort one Another d At ly^ while it is tailed to ^,Hcb.3 .13. There is a oium&f' or a rOV to dAy , or now , in all the mandats almoft of the King of heaven. So the Prophet Efitiah's feArchJLfai.5 t 5.6.oux$AvioursWAtch.Mzz.i$.$']. xhzWifemAns memento , Ecclefiaft. 12. 1. con- taine no other thing , then that wife fonne of Sy- rach fo much bcateh vpon, Ecclefiaft. 5 q.CMake no longtArryingtoturnevntothc Lord , and put it not off' from day to dAy ; All excufes are refufals , and delay es are denialsyWhcn our Saviour faith vn- to vs,Come and follow mee. For though his mercy afford vs of ten-times many yceres to repent ; yet his/«y?/Vrpermitsvsnotone houretoj/*. Peccan- ticraflinurnnon promt /if (faith Gregory:) hepromi- feth not to morrow to the offender , who is al- waies ready to forgiue the penitent. And there- fore Matthew was no fooner called, Mat.9.9. but prcfently hee arofe and followed. Hafiily came Za- t/;Y£ , zndreceAuedom Sa- viour toy fully , when notice was oncegiuen,that hee would bee his gheft that day : and no foonet had he looked backe vpon Peter 5 Matthew 2^.75, but hee went out ( faith the Text ) and wept bit- terly. 1 1 I will not ftand longer, for the proofe of a point fo evident , but come to apply it to our felues. Thefe things Arewrittenforourinflruttion, to admonifli vs to be\varc,how wee deferre our re- pentance. It is ftrange to obferue our fhifts here- in, how cunningly wee can cozen our felues ,and B 3 abufe Hcb.Mj. Mar. 13.37 Ecdus.j.7. Mar.9.^. Luk. 19.6. M.it. 2,6. 7 f, 12 Qkrifls CounfeO Frov z.i 7, abuie Gods longfuffering, for our longer finning. But had wee but the grace to conlider what true convcrfion is , and the manifold difficulties that alwaies croffe it ; moft evidently it would ap- peare, that all thefe are augmented , and ftieng. thened by delay ,and that by this deceit, more doc peri(h,thenby all the guiles and fubtiltics of Sa- tan befides. For better confidereth that old Ser- pent,thcnwedoe,howthat0#*/?;w* draweth on a- not her 3 how he that u not fit to day, will be lefj'efit to morrow ,how that cuflomegroweth into nature , and old difeafes are hardly cured. He knoweth, the lon- ger we perfift in finne,the more God pluckcth his graceand afliftance from vs. Our good inclinati- ons are the weaker 3 our vnderftandingthe more darkned,our will the more perverted , our appe- tite the more difordercd , all our inferiour parts and paffions , the more ftrengthened, and ftirrcd vpagainftthe rule of rcafon- whereby his footing is the ftrongcr , and our cafe the mo: e defpe- rate. Laftofall,hee isprivieto the vncertainetie\ and ^w/.? ofour life, to the dangers that may be- fall vs y to the impediments that will alwaies croflc vs: io that if once he winne vs to delay a little , hee doubteth not but to £**>?£ our whole time from vs, Now nail we/tYthis net) and yet bee entangled t Kno we this guile of this old writhing ferpcnr 5 and yetneuer endeauour to prevent it i Moft com- monly there is no man io yron-hearted, but hee hath % purpofe in time to amend his life. And when hee {ceth another toliue religioufly, and hcaietii the commendation of the Saints of God ; he for ending LavQafes. he rvsjhet bin his heart he werealfo luch a onc,and groneth oft-times in conference, that hee hath ne- ver endeauou red fo to bee. Bat alas ( my good Chriftian brother ) what letteth at this inftant, thatthiscourfe fhould not bee taken f What in- convenience would follow, if prefently this were pra&ifcd, which for euer fhould doe vsgoodc Thoufliouldeftpteuenttljem//^/, which fud- denly may over* take thee ithou fliouldeft haue thy lamp ready ,whenfoeuer theUridegromepa/Jeth by thee: thou ftm\\\&t{ibQfurnifhedo£3.x9cdiinggar^ ment^ when the M after oi xhefeaft commethto take notice of thee. The outward pleafures which thou feemeft here to abridge, fhould bee recom- penced in this life, with the peace of confeience, and hereafter with eternall felicitie. And if for the prcfent by fuch meanes , thy gaine bee negle- <5lcd , thou flialt furely findethe increafe another where. Now, can there bee awaightier matter then thy faluation? Seefl thou not by others rti- ines^ the vnccrtaintie of thine owne eftate ? And arc not thefe things true, which out of Gods fa- ded Word I haueproued vntoyour* Whatfenfe- Icfneffeisitthcnforvs (Beloued) to make that the taske of our old age , which fhould bee the practice of all our life , and to fettle our cuerla- Jltng t owx cnly^ourfuretimaking or marring, vpon fo tottering, and finking, and fandy a foundati- on f We fee, and knoweby expcrience,thatayi//>, the longer it leaketh, the harder it is to be emptied: ahoufe , the longer it goeth to decay, the worfe it is to repaire : or a nayle , the farther it is driuenin, B 4 the Num. xj.xo. H Cbrifls counfeU tIoh.ii.?, the harder it is to plucke out ngaine. And can wee perfwade our felues, that the trembling ioynts, the daaeled eyes, the fainting heart , thckyling legs , of vnweildy , drouping , and indifciplinable old age , may empty , rcpayre , plucke out the leakes, and mines, and nayles of fo many yecres, flowing,hyling 5 and fattening? Butfuppofe wee came to that age, (whi^h is an extraordinary blef- fingof God , and not granted to many ) and re- taineinitthat vigour, which happeneth to very few,and enjoy that grace of God, which now and heretofore wee fooften haue defpifed: Imagine (I fay) the beft that may bee hoped for, that thou mayefthaue time hereafter to- repent , and ability to viethix time ,nn&defireiovk that ability 5 and grace to yxofytxthdtde fire: whereby thoumayeft vzncpxtfh Satan at the ftrongeft y when thou thy felfe art at the weakeft- yet eonfider herein thy foolifhneffe 5 which in matters of leffc moment, thou wouldeft bee loath to commit • each day thou knittcfi knots y \Mhioh once thou mud vndoe a- gainejthou heapeft that together, which once thou muft */$«•/£ againej -thou eat eft and drinkefl that hourely, which oncethou mud vomit vp againe^ to omit thy vngratefull dealing with thy Lord and Matter Chriftlefns , whom thou ferueft thus at length with the Divels leauings y and then ( for footfyweewillturneto bee religious, whentime will fcarce permit vs to bee wicked any longer. We fee therefore (beioued brethren) the waight, and importance o$ this one word quickly. Though there be twelve houtes in the day y wherein men way ivalke for ending Law cafes. \ * rvalke,no wifdomcicis for vs,to port oucr our re- pentance to the laftcaft. Nonfempermanet in foro fAter families (faith Saint Augustine: ) The Lord of the vineyard is not alwaics in the Market, to let thee4-iwr/^:andnomaruaile (faith Saint Grego- ry) \£ tttbe last gafpe he forget bimfetfe ,who in all his life neglected to remember God. Let vs attend therefore to of en , when it pleafeth him to knocke. And not (as Felix did Paul ) fo anfvver his mcflen- gcrs- Goethy way for this time >and when I haue con- venient time, 1 will call for thee againe : but rather with David to be ready, when hee faith, C< or**™ fn*3&wt W) which all tranflate } whiles thou art in the way with him. Alluding perchance, to countrymen ( [itixhl/lyricu* ) who came fome difbneefor judgement, from their houfes into the city , in which they had fit opportunity bc- twecne themfclues to difcuffe and take vp all matters. But citizens ( in my opinion ) haue no IcfTe, they dwell ncere together, and may more conveniently meete , and daics of heaving come not fo faft,. but fpace , and place may bee had [ lo compofe in good fort fuch bufineile. but figivra- tiucly Ser.i tfis. defan- A&. 14,16. Pfalm.40.7. IPfiim.17.8. lS.mvj.io. %6 Pfcim.23.3 Gen,6.n. Pfalm.i.6. Iolh.23.14- I. Qbrifts counfeil . w tiuely in Scripture, this word Tf r ^ hath three efpe ciall fignifications. Firft , it is taken for dodlrine, asPfalm.2j.3.^w me thy waies y O Lord,andteach me thy paths. Which Hebraifrae the Schoolemen haue taken from the Arabians , when they put viam Tbom£ y ot viam Scott , for Thomas 5 or icetus\ do&rine* Secondly, it fignifieth the manner of| liuingfounfels behaviour \ or endeavours of men: fo GetL&x2. All fie jb had corrupted his way : that is, their manners : and the Lord knoweth the way oft he righteous,Vidlm.i.6. that is, the counsels ,affions 3 oiendevours of the righteous 5 or wicked. Laftly,it istakenforaw^w/zY^asIofhua 25.14. This day l enter into the way of all the worlds and fo in this ptectjvhilesthou art in the way with him : that is, in the day es of this thy pilgrimage , whiles thou art aline. Which direð vs cfpecially to this conclufion,that After this life there remaineth no place for repen- tance } or reconciliation. 1 2 For alia eft (faith CMufculus on this place) pr£fentis,aliafutur£vit and remaine with is now and evermore: Amen, n CHRISTS COVNU SELL FOR ENDING LAW CASES. THE SECOND SERMON. M A T T M. 5« 25. Leap thine Adverfary de titter thee to the Judge , and the hedge deliver thee to the Sergeant, and the* becafiintoprifon, Vch is the fervile difpofiti- on of the fonnes of Adam, that in the ordinary para- ges of this life , feare more availcth then loue, to worke a confederation of their owne L cftates: according to that of the Prophet, Pfalm. 119. Before I was troubled, I went wrong, hut now haue I keft thy Word. The reafon I take to bee, the fliarpenejje of our fenfes, and dulneffe of our vn- derftanding ; this being more apprehenfiuc of hitter jhen that of fweete. In regard whereof, an iniury moregalleth,thenai or m6- ny prevaile, or pitie fometimes hinder a juftpro- Iccution- and therefore in regard of men, a per. haps may hauc his place: but in reference to that greateft , and laft account , Ne forte 5 is as much as alias jnhich \z in the Hebrew^and tf ^Vi in the $y- riack tranflation, may very wellalfo beare ; as , C 3 though Inhunc locu. In textum. Verfj. Vcrf.6. j!_1 Qhrifts Counfell Vid.Buccafen &Beauxam. a Horn. 3$. in Lucam. blncap.n. c Lib- defer/n. t Dem. in mon- te Bellar.l.i* de purgat. cap -7- Vbi fupra, In hunc beam &H> Ecclus.iJ.it though the whole had beene thus connected : Agree with thine Adverfary quickly ± whiles thou art in the way with him : other wife , or if thou neg- lect to doe it, thy Adverfary will deliuer thee to the Iudge y &c. Secondly , by Adverfary I vnderftand, not the divel with Tertullian , a Origen , and b The- Eccleiiaftieus 35. 15. and from thence goevp into htauent Solohn 5.45. UMofesis hidtoacevfe : | and for ending Law Qafes. 19 Hilar. and Saint Hi Uric on this place 5 CManens incafi. mult at is ira arguet. The hatred fb all accufe that re- mains vnpacifed. W h ichif the cafe fo ftand that thou canft not perfonallyappeafe,byreafon of his death with whom thou (houldeft 4gr*f • true repen- tance ( hiih Abulenjis) may obtaine fomuch of God,whoacceptcth,in fuch ncceflitics , the mil for the performance. Which anfwereth fully Saint Augufltnes latter objedion , and giueth cleere pad fage to this doclrinall proportion, that the breaking of Gods Law, by any finnewbatfoeuer, maketh vs lia- ble to et email damnation. 4 For if the la ft jarre with our Adverfary will bearefuchanadtion, what breach of Gods Com- mandement can bee exempted P Marke but the na- ture of the mod petty fault that ever was commit- ted, and wee (hall finde it high treafon againft an infinite Majeftie. For whether fmne bee a word, or decd^ov thought againft the et email Law, as Saint va\A\ Augufline\ or a revolting from our alleagiance z 4' 71% to Godsedift, is Saint Ambrofe^ or zftraggling j from a prefcribed courfe to a due end, againfi nature, reafon^ov gods Wordyis Thomas 5 and the Schooles define it it; ever it includeth a rebellious contempt, which by breaking the lead commandement , fet- tcth vp fas it were J a Flagge of defiance againft the Commander himfelfe. Faile but in one point of the Law, lam. 2. 1 o. and thou an guilty of all. Though non quoad converfionem ad creatures , ( as the Schoolemen reftrainc it) yet quoad averftonem a rib^kedlmpt. T)eo>, (as Zanchius helpes them out ) qui tarn con- Ub.ucap. %.ad temnitur in vno prtccpto , quam in ceteris omnibus. Th ^ z - C 4 Where I uiiui. ar.6. A<{uin t.z.q 4<> .Pfal.91.6. Chritts counfell Wherefore rhe wrat h of God is revested from Hea- ven again fi all vngodlwefie , Rom. 1.18 .bee aufie finch a one hath Hi 'etched out his band again ft God, and made htmfielfie flrong again ft the Almighties. lob. 15.25. This will further appeare, by con- ferring but the backe farts of Gods CMaicfiie, with mans vnworthinefise , and the feveritic ot the Iudge, with the rejpecllefife prefiumption of the of- fender . For feeing that, every, fuine is to bee c- fteemed , according. to the worth of the panic againft whom it is committed , ( as the fame injurie offered to a pefant and a Prince ftan- deth not in the fame degree ) hence it follow- etb, that the difobeying of an infinite Comman- der , is an infinite offence , and confequcntly de- ferueth a cprrefpondent puniihment. And how- foeuer , an, vnwifie man doth not well consider this, and a/00// doth not vnderflandit: yetcer- taiaely that is moft true, which is obferued by one, out of. Saint Augufiine , that in every finne weecommit, as alio in all othqr elections , there is ballanccd ( as it were ) in the fcales of our rea- fon 5 here , an Omnipotent Lord , commanding , for our et email good, and there a deadly enemic, aljuring to our vtter defirucJion. Where notwith- . fending.* fuch is our damnable ingratitude, and n; wee will fully reject the Lord ofilifie^nd preferre a murderer, Hauejee no regard, all ye that pajfie this way y behold and fee 5 whom yced.ayiy picrce,and then tell mee, what difgracc mry bee.vilej: then this , or puniflimcnt tooiieavy for fuch a contempt. Theincomprehenfible Anci- ent for ending Law cafes \ 4t ent of dates ^ Almighty lehovah , who made all things. of nothing , by his Word , and by the fame can reduce them to rvorfe then nothing againe : whofe looke drieth vp the Decpes, and whofe wrath,, maketh the Mountaines to melt 3 the Earth to tremble ,the Rocks to r^/; 3 the Heavens to flitter, Divels and Angels to ^W^ before him. Before whom all A7/*gi- are as Grafhoppers , all Monarchs^ as Molehils^ all beauty , baft, allftrength 3 feeble, all knowlcdge,vaine 5 all light, dimme, allgood- neiTe,impcrfc& ; in fuch a cafe , with fuch an oppo- fitejoy fuch a creature , as man is 3 fo extraordina- rily £w^/ by him, to bee weighed as B el fla^Jar, in the ballance, and found too light. This is that, which vrgeth his awrj , andkindleth his Roy alt indignation^ Sometimes ( as it were ) paffionately to export u late , What tniqwtie haue your Fathers found in me ? Or haue I beene a wilder neffe vnto if rad > or a land of darknefe? Then to exclaime, Heare^O heauens y and hearken y O earth \ for the Lord hathfaid, I haue brought vp children-, and they haue rebelled againjl me. And goe to the lies ofchittim^ and behold, and (end to Kedar^hath any nation chan- ged their gods , which yet are no Gods i But my peo- ple hath changed their glory^for that which hath no profit. Laft of all , if a man will not turne^hce will rvhet his [word rnhVI 3*\r\ S^ftCas Ezchielmge- minateth) A fa or d, a fword,both jharp^&c four bi fled. and the firings of his Bow make ready againft the face of the rebellious. Thus faith the LordGodot HoftSjthe mighty one of ifrael^Ah, /will eafe me of ImineadverfarieSyfjr avenge me of mine enemies, All which Dan. 5.17, Ier.1.31. Efay.1.2. Ter.z.to.i 1. Ch.1p.xi 9. Pfal.2i.xi. E.aiah.1.14, 42 Qhrifts counfeB pfai.5.1.4. Mat.10.30. which doth iujtifie god in his faying , and clear e him when Keu iudged. For as his Providence numbreth cur hairesfo doth his luftice our Jinnes s whereof as none is fo waighty, (without hnzllimpenitency) that may not beforgiuen: So none CoJlight y (if hee once enter into judgement ) that waigheth not downetohell. 5 This may beacaveat for vs,(Bekued)fir{i to beware of the leauen of the Romijh Synagogue^who frame indulgences for gods Uwfii come wit hpeace^ peace ,when death it in the pot. Which that we may the more vnderftandingly deeme of, itfhall not be amifife to touch a little on the poftt ions, of their chkkft patrons* In which I intend to bee excee- ding breefe,as ay ming rather atourowne reconci- ling with God, then quarrelling with fuch obflU nate adverfaries. Bellarmine de amifiione gratinont^+ menabeo a- *vertunt,& facili negptio expiantu?, Lib.i.de A-~ mijjton.grat. Cr jfatu pec- Ubi.c.i.L£- tbalia4we ho minem planS avertmt d Veo. venialia | which hee onely ftandeth vpon throughout that wholebooke.0///w( faith hee) fomc are deadly , and divert a man rvholy ft om God ^ others , veniall y which hinder him onely a little ; and thofe hee tear- methnotfo , abeventu^ {With Saint Ambrofe, and Augustine) becaufeit pleafcth God in mercy, vpon repentance th rough chrifi , to pardon them (as Wicklijfe^Luther & Calvin moft ftrongly ever maintained againft the Sc hoolemen: ) buiexna- turafua & ratione peccati ,bcing fuch ., as crofTc not charity foin their natuve^vtfvellet Bens non con- donare, (histhe very vpfhot of the booke before cited) thatifGodrvoAldnotptrdonthem, but (as it were) for ending Law cafes. werej iniufticcdochis word, hcc could punifh them no further, then with temporal afflictions, They ftand with perfect charity, iaith a Scot us: Re- mitted they may be without any infufion of grace, asGregorius deValentia the Iefuite peremptorily defineth}they make vs not fpotty^or odious, in the ; fight of God , according to the gentle c cenfureof the Divines ofCollaine,Sc therefore deferuc not he I but Purgatory tf& Aquinas may be beleeued. And to make it yet more plaine, how bold they can bee with Cods lufiice ! Wee need not repent for them, faith Andradius,whh Bonaventurefm his fife book oft he defence of the Councel of Trent ; neither fay to God, Forgiuevs our trejpajjes , as the Rhemijts would father on Saint AuguHine , at the 8. verfe of the y.chapter of the Epiftle of Saint Paulto the Romans. When God had giuen a Command to Adam,Gen.2.ij.OftheTree0f knowledge of good ejr evill, thou fib alt not eat e: for in the day thou eatefl thereof, thou [halt die the death • the Serpent comes with a coiitermand } Yeejhal2 not dye at allizs though Gods meaning, and his words , had becne cleane contradictory. And is not this the dealing of our Adverfaries in this prefent controverfic ? For if every one be accurfed, that fu [fillet knot all the Commandements,L,cvk. 26. 14, all his ordinances, Deut. 28. i^whatfoeuer iswritten^al. 3. io.ifhee violate the fir ft , and gre*te(l Commandcment , Mac. 2 2.3 7. wholouethnot God ,with all his heart, and wit hall his foule ^and with all his minde. And a Afj&iiA \wna.?oiH&> i. Ioh. 3.4. every ,the moft tn- fenfible flaggering , (as Calvine foundly vrgeth ) commeth 41 Pxno.72 tem~ poralemtan- tum y non aw tem fempiter- ranexigzrt pojfit. a In 4 fent, di{t.i7- ( b row.4. j ccenfura Co- j d In quartum Cap.j.4 44 I.Kings 12.6 Lib. i.de A- mijf.grat.tsr flam pec cat. cap. x i. Chrijlscounfell Quamvisptc- cata venialia fi cum morta liba'confe- rantur.non funt perfefte peccata>abfo- lute tamen peccata nomi- naripojfunt, ^re,rather then to pr4#//* ; and take vp all new fajhionsjnothingarb and complement, except that newneffe of life, which our S^z/z^rcommendeth. But I tellthee(my good Chriftian brother) thefe leakes are not fo little, but thev may quicklyy/#££ thee^thc very touch of this pick isfumcientto de- fileiand thou tread but on the egges of this wily coc- katricc, thou {halt prefently perceiue that there lurketh aferpent. Were the Angels punifhed eter- nally for finning once, and thinkeft thou to Hand out iniudgement witi fo many tranfgreflions? muft our thoughts be fcaned,& (hall our words efcape ? or our words bee condemned, and yet our ani- ons pardoned? Bee not deceiued, God is not mocked. Inclinations, motions, intentions , our moft fe- cret, and lighted finnes, are as Elis (onnes , the/ will hreake our neckes, if wee breake not off them . GodslVord is a two edged ftvord, which muft kill our/a«/fj,orvs;anditwe (tumble and dafh againft the Corner ftonejt will fall vpon vs, and grinde vs to powder. For as one fparke of fire may burne a whole City, and one naked place in an armed man (faith S. Chryfoflomc) giue way to a deadly wound : fo the lead graine of finne vnrepented, may draw fuch mountaincs of miferies vpon vs, which all that wee can doc,or fay, ( without Gods infinite mercy) fhallnever bceabletoremoue. O that for ending Law Qcifes. that we would therefore deale with thefe vanities, as lofeph did with his Miftris, and breake out at the firftaftault, into this or the like contemplation: Thttsand thtu hath the Lord done for me^ he brought me into this World,to overcome this world, that by contemning this, I might enioy abetter. Doe not all creatures ferue me, that ijhouldferue him? and haue I ought of mine otvne, but only by his bounty? how thenjhouldldoeany wickednejfe, and finne againjl him, rvho beholdeth my leafi back fli dings , and will furely punijh them? Bewared not the naturall bran, ches, and jhall 1 haue an indulgence? hath his Sonne fufferedtoredeeme his enemies, and jh all his enemies efcapethat contemne his Sonne? No certainely (Be- loued) hceis juft ? as well as mercifull : if thou turnefrom his/?4//^/ 5 thou fhalt bee overturned. Inadaythatthou loo keji not for , and in an heure that thou art not aware of, the fnares of death jhall overtake thee, and paines of Hell (hall compaffe thee round about. Thine A dv erj ary (hall not one- ly deliver thee to the Judge , but the Judge deliver thee to the Sergeant: which is the fecond circum- flancelbdore propofcd,& followeth to lead fur- thcr your judicious confederations. 7 The Judge jhall dcliuer thee to the Sergeant. This Iudge all confent vpon to bee Chrtft , to whom the father hath committed all Judgement. roh. 5 .22. For though the Apofiles are faid alfo to iudge, Luk.22.30.and x\\z men oi N inivehJAith. 12.4 i. yet this is but by way of ajfefion, or appro- bation, as the Schoolemen expound the former < or exemplar ily, as produced to convince others, who D haue 4? Math.14. Pfal.x8. *o. Jquin. fiip- plem.q.Sy,- art. I. Lomb.hb.7, C.I8. JO Jn u.Mat. Luk. ii. 58. VilBelUib. l.dePurg.s. 7. ivi i Inhumlocu- j. Cor.Xf.ii. ChriSls counfell hauelcfle profited by greater meanes (as Beza and Fifcator intimate of the, latter ) none hauing ab- solute authority , but, he to \yhom all power ve us given Math, 2 8.1 8 .Next,what this word vv*fa s fhould fignify (Tor which, Saint Luke hath ^**wp, theS^- r iack^wz^ the Remi ft s and our \d& Tranflacion, Officer, D. Fuike, Minifitx^ome old tranilations, Doomcfman y and we here Sergeant) there is fome fraall difference. S.Ambrofe & S.Auguftine would haueit to be the good Angels , becaufe thcte are faid, to minifter to our Saviour, in the former Chap. at the 1 1 . verfe-f come with him ^chap.i 6.2j.toga- therthetareSyChap.13.30. But Chryfo ftom e, Grego- ry i Theophylaci , Hugo ^.nd Abulenfis, together with the Or dinar yglofie, doethinkq it rather the Divels office. For thefeare the curfed lay lers of the dam- ned y which mull: accompany them eternally in ever lofting fire 7Math.25.41. Both opinions are probable (faith Eellarmine.) Fifcator joynesthem together: and Buccajen^s (hewes the rcafon. The Goates (faith he) are delivered to the good Angels^ to be fepar4ted 'from the fheepe 5 and from thence to the evi II, to bee tortured forever. Whence I gather in ftead of many, this one gencr.all obfer- vatton:. That t her ejhall be a Judgement hereafter ^herein every man jhallreceiue according to hisworkes. 8. 1 need not to bscurious in prouing this point; which isreceiuedas a principle , in the Articles ofourfaith.ThatSadduce, which denies it, de- nies alfo G^andfljallfooner ^ek it , then haue time to prevent it. In a moment 9 in the, twinkling of for ending Law cafes V Math. 14. j< Rev.ii.f. t.Pet.$,«o. of an eye, at the terrible found of the lafi Trumpet, the fonne ofmanjhall come in the clouds of heauen, with all his holy Angels in power and great glory: when thcSunne (hall be blacke as fackcloth oj c haire^ the Moonelikcbloud^hc Starres fall vntothe^r/£ 3 asafigtreecajletbherle4ues y thcieauens depart as afcrollroled, and every mount aine and tit moue out of their places^ when the earth melteth , the /£* roarethy the elements diffoluc, nations howle, all the world flafheth with the terrible and all-con- fuming/dw^, mentioned by the blefTed Apoftle S./Vrerjthen (hdWweall appear e before the Judge- ment feat of ChriJiyRom.i^.io.thzt every ma may receiue according at be hath done,z.Cov. 5 .10. And here (beloued) in a matter of fo fcrious impor- tance^ (hould be idle for me, to breake out into the mazes, and vagariesofthe Schoole-men: as to determine with the majler of the Sentences , that this lajl firefhall, as thefirslfoud^iCc iuft fifteene cubits aboue the tops o\ the highest mount aines; or with Nicholas de Orbellis,that the materiall Crojfe, whereon our Saviour was crucified, fhould bee car- ried fas a Mace) before him, when lice cometh to Judgement, or with Aquinasani the reft of that fide, that the place of this Judgement (hall bee in the ayre, right againft mount Oliuet, over the valley of Iehofhaphat. Wcllfai>h Artemidorus in his Onei ?ocrit:qucs,No dreames oj a private manmay haue a pub/ike interpretation. For what fhould wefpeake in fuch obfeuntics, that the Lord putteth not into our mouthes? That which Lombard hath of the 4«f^m^of^^/;inthisbufineffc, Puto hoc non. Him ^ m D z 4rte\ ^.SentMft. JnfuppUm.q 88.4174- Qbrifts Counfell Vbi/upra ([* 8 8.«rf. 5. ante fciri^quam videatur. I thinkc it cannot bcc knownejottorc it be feene, or at lead revealed- and S l Augufline fomewhere otoriginall finne^ Never be fo inqttifitiue, how thou hadftit from thy pa- rents Jout labour to be cleared of it by the merits of thy Saviour • may feme vs heere , to curbe our J curiofity. Let it not bee thy care to conceiuej where and when ,znd with what circumstances , this judgement is to be holden, but there, and then^ and by good afurances 5 to bee deliuered from the horrible dammages thereof. Two kindes of Judgements the Scripture mentioncth 5 on which wee may fafely build. The firft a particular , the fecond a generall. This for the foule alone , at every mans feverall departure, as that of Dives and Lazarus Jj&e.i 6. 22. 23-Thatforthe foule & body, and all men together ,2tthc la ft day y after the vniverfall refurreclio , Heb.p. 2 7. The firft refpc&- eth vs ("faith Aquinas )as private perfonsfhc fecond as parts of mankind: neither fhallthat be recalled,, or mitigated in the fecond, which was determi- ned in the firft: but rather puilijhed, what there was j privately pafled , and what was in the particular begun , in the generall fhall bee confummated, by reuniting the foule and body everlaftingly to- gether. $> In both which, could we but thinkc of with deliberation > themoftftrid, and fevere proceed- ing of Gods vnmoveable iutfice y it would coole our courages, and take downe the preemption, that now iolauimly runs on in the fcore of Gods mercy. For though in this life, his cares bee open to for ending Law cafes. to the petitions of the penitent , yet hereafter when hereturnethto execute Judgement, hec acknow- ledged that be is a hard man, reaping where hee ne- ver fowed,& gathering joker e he hr owed not. Who for offending a little one , will inflift a heauier pu- nifliment vpon the guilty , then the cafling him in. to the fea,\vitha mil/tone about his neck, and for de- fc<5i alone of a wedding garment 5 vvil adjudge an in- vited ^/^tox'/ttr^^j. And now [my bel^^^ brethren) was Adam fo hardly cenfured , C as it is thought)for one Apple f The Angels torzthought: Mofes and Aaron for once doubting rail ffraelfor Achans taking one wedge of Gold : the whole Tribe of Eeniaminfov forcing of one woman : & fliall wee thinl'vin,Bucer i a^CSslufcaUis. , with divers others of good note, Qx^oii^lthvxt Ifrael of God jliom.i i.25.(thc onely pi4cathar.ir)tiinatcs fuch a matter ) either allegori- tally, r ohtycfaulfu/I , or.of fomc p.erfons., to bee converted'in all ages of the leivift; Nation-: All fal- ling at length on Origens vnccrtainty in this poinr. Quit for ending Law cafes 57 gnis autem fit iftc omnis lfrael : what all that Ifra~ I el is,that (hall be faucd,Hee only knoweth^and his Sonne that faucth them. Small hope may there- fore be grounded on fuch ambiguities. To thcic if wee further adde the Prophcfie of Rabbi Elias, notdifliked by moft of the Ancients , and the Ca- balaofXabbilfaaconthc{\xft.vcYfe of Genefts , re- lated by Genebrard,Chronol Jib. 19, which aLdriue at the period of. ooo yeares. By the Septuagints^ Iofephu^ ^Eu fehim y Augu fines ^lftdores^.x\^Alphon- if us. the Aftronomers account 5 this date is out al- j ready* And according to the truer flipputation I ofthofe that folLovve the Hebrew text, not far from | finifhing^thc times for the E lefts fake being to bee ! fhortned. What is left therefore (BJ for vs, but to rvatcb^ and be ready ( as our Saviour counfellcth, ) left our M after come, and the Bridcgroome paJJ'e , & this day ad a jh.ee fe overtake vs,\\hcic wee are leaft prouided of it ? S. Hierome profefieth , that rvtje- ther he eate or drinke , or did any other thing , this voice did alwaics ftcmc to trumpet in his eares, Siagite mortui,& venite ad iudicii^ an ft you dead^ and come to judgement. And nothing can better vsmore, then the remembrance of this likefcn- tence D vttercd by our Saviour : Come , giue an ac> count of thy •Stewardjhipfor thou mayeU be no longer Steward. Certainely there can be£ in this cafe but two kindes of- deliuerings^.thc fir ft -ft om our finnes y to a better eflate^ the fecondfor cur ftnnes , to an iri- cenfed Iudge. If the firft befall thec 5 nohappr- neffc can be greater then thine; but ifthefecond, without rcdrefle thou fhalt bee- caff into prifon: which 5 8 Chrifls counfell which is thelaft circumftance I before propofed, and will haften by reafon of the time briefly to conclude. Andthoube caft into prifon. KVOK )Ma, i 10 faith the $yriack 7 domum vin^forum^to wit, by the Sergeant 9 to whom the ludge deliuered thee. That which breeds here a fcruple, is what this word prifon {hould fignifie. Convenient fimiliter omnes (faith Belhrmine lib.i JePurgatorio y capq .) All In- terpreters concurre in this , that by this prifonis meant hell : and thus farre he fpeaketh ingenioujly,. But marke the poorefhifts of fo great afcholler, to fetvp his Dagonagainz, that hath fo often faine, before the ^fo0/(W$hee is faine to rake Hell it felfe , to finde out Purgatory . For this hee goeth onward , In quo tamen mult^funt manfionjes • aliJl pro damnatts,alt£pro hts quipurgantur. In this hell notwithftanding are many manfions, fomefo'r the I damned,othevs for them which are to bee purged. I But a more ample mappe of this place , wee haue in \ his fecondbooke of Purgatory ,and Chap. 6. where I hauingreje&ed j. opinions 3 concerning thisfub- j terranean Geography, the eighth he borro weth fro \theScho$lemen,zndlQcmcth to approuc, that this J infer mm, or hell, is a place within the bofome , or ! bowels of 'the ear /^divided ( as the higher regions) into foure parts , whereof the lovveft finke , or coale-houfe is ^//- nextaboue that, Purgatory ,then Limbm infantum , where children goe , that dye vnbapttzed', aboue all, Limbm Patrum , where the Patriarkes were faine to lodge 5 before ChriHs Papon \ but then were remoued , and the place left for ending Law cafes. 59 lcit empty. This fcamling of time will not per- mit mccro examine all particulars, how our ad - vcrfarics could come to fo peifeft notice of all thefe places, as alfo fo di(linc7ly to vndcrftand,' what perfws are there to bee purged, and for what ! finnes • how vrieuotu the punilhment is there in- , fli&cd, by */* that arriued in the Ha- venae Athens : fo wherefoeuer there is fire doubt- fully mentioned of in Scripture, our Adverfaries ftraightconvey it , to heate Purgatory kit chin. Se- condly , I anfvvere in particular , to the words of my Text 3 which he efpecially buildeth vpon. Firft, that they zxtfymbolicall ( as himfelfe confefleth ) and therefore according to Aquinas and their owne Schooles^proue nothing. Secondly , whereas this particlet«^or vntill , may feeme to enforce a deliuerance from this prifon , and fo by fome flie w of confequence,f^w Purgatory , the argument be- ing thus framed: Thou Jhalt not come out, vntill thou haft paid t he vttermoB farthing -^therefore, af- terward thou may si come out. Saint Auguftine ( as he acknowledged) inftanceth againft this, both by that place of the Pfalmift , Sit thou on my right hand,vntill I makethine enemies thy foot -floole^as alfo in that of the Evangelijljofeph knerve not Ma- ry y vntill jbee had brought forth her frft begotten. Where the firft implyeth not , that after ChriHs enemies were fubdued , hce fliould fit on Gods right hand no longer -nor the latter helpeth thc/*- ference of Heluidius, thataf cctbrir Saviours l>irth # lofepbknewe his wife. Saint Auguftine therefore concludcth, that Aonec in this place fignrfieth >non fnem poena fed continuationem mi feria : not an end of paine^hwt the continuance of mifery ; Semper foL ues (faith Hugo out o^Remigius ) ejr nunquamper- folucs. for ending Law cafes. f blues. Thoufiuh ever bepaying y yet never fat if fie. Which expofition Calvin^ and Bucer , and CMufcultu doe not only embrace: but Anfelme, and Beda, Thomas, and Gorram, Ammonia* , and Avendano^Maldonate, and lanfcnim^ with I know not how many of their owne conforts. Bnt Bel- larmtne vrgeth this f arther,and therefore we mud farther follow him. ExemplaB. Auguftini non fa- tisfaciunt(Cahh hee )S.Auguftines examples, or in. (lances farisfy not . Tor in the fifft; Sit thou on my right handy vntill I make thy enemies thy faotHoole y although I cannot inferre , therefore afterward Chrift fliall not fit on Gods right hand; yet this is anecefiary confequence y therefore there fliall a time come, when Chritts enemies fliall bee made hisfootftoole. So inthefecond y he knew her not, vntillfhe had brought forth. Though I cannot ga- ther, therefore he knew her afterward, yet this I may argue, therefore (he was to bring forth. And no other is the confequent in this place, thou Jhalt not come out, vntill thou haft paid the vtmost far- thing. Therefore there jhalt be a time, when the ut- most farthing (hall bee paid. But to this vtmofl RraineotBellar mines fophiftrie 3 ameane Logician maycafily anfwer; that all this concludcth but a a necefity of the thing to be done, not a pofibility of the party to be able to doe it. oftendtt debitum fohendum(\v\\\ch\tdke to be the meaning of Pif- catorsanCwer) non debitore folvendo: If it argue the debt to bepaid-itinrichethnot the debtor to bee able to pay it. So that by equipollency it fallcth to be [ucha conncxiuc proportion: if thou pay the vt- vioft it Vfifupra, cap.Mitb. 6z CbriJlscounfeO 4*setitJift. 4f- Lib.de peccat. Merit, et Re- rnitf- cap. *8. ftd.Tabutam Mercat. vni- verf. moH farthing, then thou maifi be deliuered-^which I deny any man can ever pay (hairing, by offending an infinite (?0*/,deferved an infinite punifbmentyand therefore muftalwaiesly by it. For if fome fames may fatisfie Gods Iuftice in Purgatory, for a fmall offence- fliouid not greater paines proportiona- bly in k//,doe the like for a greater offence, andfo by confequence,theafei//7j' themfelues ( which was 0r/gmr errour)in time might be freedf The Fa- thers father not (howfoever Re liar mine mat (hall them)this£ lowing 7 and locall Purgatory-, but right- ly vnderftood,are as farre from k as it from truth. For they make it not a hot-houfe for the foules of theeleft, farmed by the Pope to the Devill at a yeerely racke rent.- but abditaquadam rice pt acuta fas Lombdrd hath rightly delivered out of ancient karning)cQvmne vnknotvnc places of rtpofe, where purged at their dijjblutionfrom the bedy^ by vertue of Chriftspaftonfhzy reft from their labours in ex- pedance of the complement of that joy, which they ftiall receiue together with the body, at the reuniting againe, in the general! refurreEiion\\ wherefore Saint Augujline concludeth, Nonefi\ vllus vlli locus medim,vt poffit effe nifi cum diabo- lo,quinoneB cumChrifto. Iuft therefore as forr- Geographers, for proouingof a blacke rocke ma- ny hundred miles about , diredly vnder the North pole yCcndvs to Gyraldus Cambrenfis^ hee to zPrieflol Norway^ the Prieflto an Oxford ^Ma- gician, who was carried thitherto ice it by the Z>^///,ifwee will beleeuethe narration; So the beftproofes of our ad r uerfaries for their Subterra- nean for ending Law cafes. i * nean Purgatory, come by many deductions, from the fame Author-, as k appeareth by the divers ap- paritions they fo confidently alleage for ir. Bar we taking parabolically this prifan, for no better place then Hell, mayrefolue without difficulty- on -this pofition, That the wicked flail be turned vnto Hell, and all the people that forget God. 1 1 I take it in the words of the Prop/set, PfaL 7. 1 9, to cut off all occafion of farther proofe. The vfe is a terrour to caielefle worldlings, that runne the tread way fpokcnof by our Saviour ,and never markenvhere itleadcth.Comc on therefore, thon inconsiderate and retchlcffe Cbriftian, and looke before thou leapeft, . and if thou wilt needs to this prifon 5 fecthy entertainment. Horrible (out of doubt) was that flow* of fre and brim f one t which confumed Sodome, and the Citries of the Plaine. And fearefullwas that feventh- plague of Egypt , Thunder, and Haile,, and Lightning run- w?£vponthe ground. And inferiour to neither, was that prodigious death of Corah , Dathan^ and Abi ram, when the earth opened her iawes, and fwallowed them aliue into the pit with all their \ goods and families; butthefe are but a preface , a ! (parke, a drop, a nothing to the everlafting tor- tures of Gods extremeft vengeance. Never eye hath feene, nor eare bath heard, nor heart of man hath conceiued the infinite bitterneffe of thefe lafl vials of wrath.. A bott.omleffe dungeon , a lake of Gods wrath ^xpoole of fre and brim (lone fi gaftly V\*W *c/W> (lDodor of Divinity, Regius Pro feffor, and Re<3or ot Exeter CoUedge. OXF O RD y Imprinted by Leonard Lichfield Anno SalutU, 163 6. CHRISTIANS FREE-WILL OFFERING, AS IT WAS DELIVERED IN A SERMON ON Chriftmaflc day , at Chrift- Church in Oxford. PsALMB HO.ji In the day of thy Power fha/l the people offer thee free-will Offerings with an holy worfiip; the dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the Morning. His Pfalme is an evident pro- phecy of our Saviour Chrift, our Sauiourhimfelfefo inter- preting it, Mat. 22, Marke 12. and Luke 20. Some Ievves would make it to bee Eliezers gratulation for his matter Abrahams vi&ory a- gainft the fiue Kings, Gen. 14. Others, Davids thankefgiuing for his efcapingS4///,& fetling in the kingdome.Butthewifer Rabbins referreit no o- therwife then we doe,to the Me fiat alone, fas Lyra H 2 on « ■■ I ■ ■ — • — " A Chrift tans free-will offering. on this Pfalme noteth:) and that Calvin ever went about to wreft,or apply it to David, is a malicious Dander of Hunniut and Gefner 9 as Tar em fheweth at large , in his fecond booke Calvini orthodoxi, cap. 4 i* Now this Prophecy fore-defcribeth, firft, th&callingoixhz Chief im to the office of the Mediatorfhip, both Kingly and Prieftly , in thefoute firft verfes: and fecondly , the admini- ftration of his K ingly officein the three following verfes to theend of the Pfalme. His calling to this Kingly office, is folemnized firft by a €em- ^//j?/'^: Secondly j by a promt fe. The Commifion graceth him firft with 'Title, my Lord- fecondly, with Peace, Sit thou on my right band. The Pro- wife affiireth Him firft of the crufhing and trampling of his enemies vnderfoot in the refi- due ofthe.firft verfe.Then,of thegenerall fpread- ing of the Gofpellfrom whence, and among whom; verfe 2. Laftly, of thecondition of the beleeuers^who fhould be wi/Iingm their ojfrings, holy in their worjhip, innumerable for their mul- titude,\ak^. The Prieftly Office fucceedeth, confirmed, firft, by an oath , The Lord hath frvorne: and farther illuftrated by the type of iH offer ihg. Head to raigne,after he had pafled the brooke of all tribulations and crojfes, with refolute expedition. according to his Fathers appointment, verfdthe laft. Thus we haue the generall view of the whole Pfalme,which (according to fafiiodore) istheab- folutzfumme and comprifall of the Mefiias doings 8cfuffrings,manik&ed at large in the Old & New Teftamentjfo that this third verfefallethouttobe a particular toucbtf. the Beleeuers application ; the former exhibiting the Kings Duejhis the Subiecls Duty: Ohhc time, ) In the day ofthj P(fwer. I. Devotion,"] The people (hall offer 2. of the In which may . it pleafe you 1 toobferuethe circumftan ces* Perfons ] amplified* by their thee -free-mil offerings with an holy Worjhip. 2. Hidden increafe and innumerable mul- titude , The dew of thy Birth is of the Wombe of the Morning. Thcfirfl: may bee referred to thefolemnity of this Time .• the lecond may minde vs of our du ties in celebrating this Tims folemnttj. The third may reft as a comfort to the affli&ed Church 3 whofe lot though it fometimes fall as a Lilly among Thornes , or as a Lodge ma Garden of Cucumbers , or zsz befieged City : Yet it will prooue at length to bee a goodly heritage, through the good will of hirtuhat <&?*// in the Bufb, who fhall water her Furrowes with the dew Hj ofl Totum hie fummatim di- citur, fuic- quid invtro£ Tefismento continetur . Efay i.t. A Ckriflians free-will offering. of hcauen , & lead her forth by the rivers of com- fort. The points therefore I amtofUndvpon, may be reduced The lnc&Wrtionef ChriSL to thefe three heads, T)r Giiwin the Reverend t Deant of Cbrifi- CbuHhc I 2. JhcdutyofCkriftians.* 1 I 5. Thzhiddfhartd fruit fad pro- pagation of the Church cfChr/Jl. Which may bee connefted thus for our better memory r and more ready pra&ice. The Sonne of God ( as vpon this day of his Power ) manifefted himfelfeinourJ?<#for our Redemption .• there- fore let vs ofter vnto him freewill-offerings with an holy worfhip 5 that foamongftvs the multitude ofrhc fait hfu /I may increafc, as the numberlefte droppesoidew from the mornings wombe. Of which high myftcries if my difcourfe come fhort (as needsit muft)of your expectation ,1 truft , my knownediftra&ions in another kinde, and fmaJl time allotted for a bufinefle of thisconfequence maybeinfteadofanapologie. That which (hall be now defeftiuc in mee, may be made vp hereaf- ter ( when Godihallgiue leaue ) by *him whofe ftfjwinacafeofneceffityl now fupply. For the prefent, I {hall bee forced from my wonted me- thod of Doffrines and Vfesj.opropofc what Ihauc to fay by way of explication and applieation^which experience will reach a man to bee the readied courfe , though both in effed come to one. Firft then 5 of the Jficarnation of Chrift manifefted to the A Qbrittians free-mi offering. the world ,ef penally vpon this djj , and here fore- told ingcnerail imhefc words of my Text , In the day of thy power ^ 2. The exception that may here bee taken to the reading ( which is according to the moft common Tranflation of our Church Socket , ) will prooue vponfeanning to bee nothing material!. The original 1 indeed hath it in this order, as our UJlTranJlationfetsit : Thy people fhaUbee willing in the day efthy Power. But no man CI truft) wil be foCriticall, to put any great difference betwixt, In the day of thy power [hall thy people offer thee free will offrings ; and The people jhall bee willing in the day of thy Power. In the day of 'thy ftrength, faith the vulgar: of thy force and valour , fay Tremellius and Junius : O f the Afemblies , fty they o( Gene- va: of the Armies ( faith UMunfier^ ) atfuch times as thou (halt bring thy bands and joy ne battell, as Vatablus^CaftaliOy and the Chaldy Paraphrafe haue it. All which the originall *|^h UWamay beare without any ftrayning. Now the better to ga- ther the meaning , wee are to confider , that • Divines doe mention a fourcfold camming of ChnB: the firft in the flc (h • And the Word was made fltfh,Iobn.i . 1 4.The fecond , into the hearts ofthefaithfull ; Behold , I ft and at the door e and knocke j if any heare my voice and open the do ore , / will come in to him andfuppe with him, Revel. 3.20 The third , at the houre of every mans death : Watch yeetherefore^foryce know not when the Ma. fter oft he houfe comcthNw* 13.35. The fourth, Qt the vniverfall and dreadfull day of ludgement: For _____ H 4 then In die virtu- ttSy foftitlldt- nit^xtrcitu:. ml Pclbart. Rot. Theolop. lib.;. Altenftaig. ver. Advitn?. Hofpinianum debrigTefior rum chriffi*. /><*.!$ 1. A CbYiftians free-will offering. Legendaaurea inprincipio 1 1 hen Jhallyee fee the Sonne of man come in a cloud, e*n m4- !■% *\ ***** mm. * mm J mm. mm M m 4- *m I Stmt ml T ■ i 1, <% V mm a* T f ^ VoiaoDn •"• *1 The Church read it for one of the Pfalms appointed for Evening prat- er for tbiiday i.$etf*d.i. with power and great glory 5 Luk.2i. 2 7. In reference tot;hefefourecommings of Chrift $thcC/;//n;£by a laudable cuftome, hath anciently celebrated the foure Sunday es , immediatly going before the fcaft of the Nativity ^by the name of Advent Sun- day cs^ that prepared beforehand , with the due meditation of fo ineftimable abenefit , wee might folemnize the Nativity -.with the greater triumph. Which here to bee meant certainely ( though not cwely) by the day ofptlwer^ may be eafily gathered by the former verfe : For when began the root of Jejfe apparantly to fprout b prthe rod of power to hefent from S/^arriong the middeft of the Ge&. tiles ^fihrifls enemies \ but-at-the breaking dovvne of the partition wall ^ publifhed firft in Ierufaiem y and from thereto all the world, by the Apofiles preaching f All which notwithftanding ( faith Lumbar d) had grounde and beginning from the. comming of our Saviour in the flefh. Whence wee are to conceauefome what more to bee meant hyjJke day tfchrifls power, then by power in it felfe^confidered without this ad jun<3 of day. His power- indeed from the beginning was ever fqffi- a Gen J4,' *Dcut.i8] flofh.5.13. e Chap. 7, /Chap. j. 8.i 7. aendy manifefted by the Croatian of the world, prsfervingof the Churchy converging with the Pat/iAtfa} 5 entring into league with Abraham andjfi^ wreftling with la\cob^ leading his people thresh the Wilderncfle , ( hee being a Mouses h gKSLLJPr*pbit, c loftta's Captain of the Hoft of the Idprd^Ub\s A ^tfa 5 e Efayes Immanuel, * Zacharie's lofbuafiBtnid: Eafaoni .ps here Davids win to whom A Cbri SHans free -will firing. whom all the Types and Sacrifices of the Law had reference 5 and therefore in lury muft needs be wcl knowne, vvhofe name was fo great in Ifrael : ) Yet to vs, to vs (I fay) the gentiles that fate in darke- nefle,and in the fhadowe ot death, the manifefta- rion of this power never appeared , before this fulnefjeoi time, this acceptable yeere , this day of Cbritts power fpringing from on high had vifi- ted vs,as it is fully.,though fhortly here fet downe (hithCajjiodore)in the do&rine of the Incarna- tion* 5. Jn which, for the farther enlarging of our meditations, as this time occafioneth, wee may obferue firft,the conception, fecondly , the nativity of our Saviour^ his conception fhewes him to bee the Sonne oi God ; his Nativity the Sonne of man 5 another manner of concerning could not haue beenevoydoffinne, another kinde of birth had called his Manhood in queftion. In this con- ception wee fhallmoft profitably enquire, Firft, tt^fltooke our nature vpon him: Secondly, how ■: Thirdly , by rvJxit efficient it was immediately brought to pafTe. Who I the fecond perfon in the Trintty, lohn. 1. 14. The Word was made fiejh and iwtlt among vs. That the Incarnation was moft agreeable to the fecond perfon in the Trinity , the ^Schoolemen labour to (hew : Fiift,outofthe/f0- perties attributed to> him in Scripture 5 ( and if I may fo tranflatc their terme appropriata^ Second- ly, out of his approprieties. The properties ate foure. Firft, heeis called the £mmk .-andwhofo fit as the Heir.t to fetch home the loft Prodigals, and Pleni & he- vitir delncar- natiojie. hln 1. sent. 4.1. I ■ ,11 — I — — ■ J A Cbriftians freewill offering. Heb. i. Turre^rema. Vom.i.Ad- \ and make them coheires with him, Secondly,hei$ termed the Word , as readied at all aflayes to de- clare his Fathers will 3 preach his Law,Pfalm. *.& raanifeft his name: Ioh.17. Thirdly , in that hee is the exprefeimageot his Fat hen perfon^who could more conveniently reftore the image of God which was decayed in vs. Laftly,theMediatour- fhip, beft forted with the middle perfon in the Trinity , to take our nature , and to become a mcane for reconciling vs with God. The Approprieties which arc alfo foure , Wifedome, Stre»gth y EPulchritudeJlobkrued by Saint KAuguftine and Hilary to bee attributed to the Sonne,) doe further cleare the conveniency of his Incarnation. Ihe Wifedome ot God was fit- ted to reftore the things that were made in Wife- <&***, Pfalm. 104. Theftrengthofhisarme, to triumph over Hell and Death: True Equality , to redhfie them who ambitioufly had lofl them- feluesby affe&ingtobee as Gods : and beauty to couer their deformities , whofegayeft flouri/n is but as a menfiruous garment* The Father could not fo conveniently haue affumed mans nature, by reafon of his internall attribute oiinnafcibility: and leaft there fhouid haue beene two Sonnes in the Trinitie. Neither could this haue becne perfor- med by the Holy Ghoft , without the communi- cating of the name of the Sonne ( faith Lumbar d) to moe perfons then one. Thus the Schoolemen had leafuretocontraft that which the Fathers by fubtill fearch in this point had hammered out a- gainfttheoldJ/^f/j/w, who now beginning to reviue A Qbriftians free-wiD offering. vigilid mint. reviucagaine in our new Arrians and Samofatcni* am , it ftands vs vpon to bee catechized mthefe (otherwife necdktte)fubtilties , that fome may al- wayes ftand in the gappe , and the truth bee not wronged by our flight and negligent maintaining of it* 4* It appeareth by that which hath beenc briefly touched , who tooke our nature vpon him. It will be harder to exprefie that which f olloweth, the manner , how ? for who fhall declare his gene* ration ( Efay jj. In the ajptmption of ourikfh u ^ (faith Bernard) three mixtures , the omnipotent Natalu t>o- Ma jeftie of God made fo Admirably fingular , and Angularly admirable , that the like were neuer done, or ever (hall bee vpon the earth. For there wercmarried,asit were ,and linked together Dew & homo 5 Virgo & LMdter , Fides & cor humanum? God and Man ; a Mayde and a Mother ; Faith and mans heart: every word in this point invol- ving amyftery >• and noveltte , or mi (placing of a /^r*/nnthejcaloufieofcarefnll Amicfuitie^ hath beene cenfured for an here fie. For they ever wa- rily affirmed the humane nature to be ajj'xmcd, but the Divine to bee vnited. They conftantly main- tained the diftin&ion and integrity of both na- tures againft Eutyches confxfton •, vnited notwith- standing in one and the fame perfon , againft Nejloriwdiftrafiion. This perfon the Schoolemen more nicely pronounce to bee one , not by that in- comprehenfible vnitie which excludeth all mul- titude or multiflicitie : for that belongeth onely to the perfins irAhc Deity :butby an vnionwhieh requires AlcxabHa- les*Sum.Tbe- ro.uarr.t. ta A Qhriftiansfree-mU Ojfring, *Lib,&ca> 10. in i.sentj. *. vequires a compofitionpot twins ex his, (as Durand Mfpeaketh) but huius ad hoc ^ not a framing of a third thing out of divers parts vnited ; for fo the GodhetdandzhzmM hood muft not bee faid to con- cern as parts for the making vp of this per fen , but fuchan adjoyning of the things vnited the one vnto the other , that the natures remayning & ftinff(as* Agatho rightly teacheth) and all their properties and operations , thtfubfiflencc notwith. (landing is but one, and in this cafe ( according to Athanafiu*)ovie 9 notbytheconverfion of the God- head into fiefh , but by taking the manhood into God. The Fathers haue much laboured to ex-' preflethis popularly. h luftinecMartyr and C A. thanajius bring the fimilitude of the Soule and body.Szint^Augu(line and c Scotus of two acci. dent all formes in one fubieii^ as of the fame man, who is both a Lawyer and Phyfitian. * Origen , g Baftl^nd h Damajcene of a piece of glowing Iron to which the fire is incorporated : and this is beft approued by Brentius&vA Kemnitim. l Damafcene againe and k Bernard compare the myftery of the Incarnation with that of the Trinitie ; that as there webeleeue three perfons in one nature : fo here we fhould acknowledge three natures , of ■flejh , Soule , and Deitie (as Saint * Augufline fpea. kcth) in one perfon. But the moft expreflme is that of a tree and a Siens ingraffed to it , which becommeth one with the ftocke , yet rctaineth it's owne nature andfruite. Thus « Aquinas, Bo. naventure ,and with them moft of our orthodox^ writers: all which notwithftanding ( as BeHarminc in blib.de ntfa fidei Confejf. c In Symbol. dEf.99> tjnijin.i.\. iFeriAnbon. lib. a. cap. 6. %0 rat. in Na- twit, h Ortho.fid. lib.$. cap. u. ilbidl.l>c.$, k In vigil. Natal- (emit WeTrinitat. t.tl.cap*i7- mlni.fent, dift.u Lib.i.detn- c»Mt. cap.%. A Chriftians free-will offering* u in this point truly fhewcth) come fliort of thei thing. Wherein our Lutherans arefarheft out, 1 ' by grounding the hypoftaticall Vnion on the transfujionof improprieties from one nature into mother 5 and notf as they ought to doe) on the communication of ihtfubfifttnce from the Deity to the CM anhood. This only is Sufficient to make good thcfe harder fpeeches in appearance. God hath purchased the Church with his ctvne bloody ! A<3s2o.2i. And where the Sonne of man being: vpon earth, is affirmed to be in Heaven, Ioh.3. 13 , \ for fubie&s of a loofer composition afford in a j manner the like Synechdochicatl predications in the ; concrete(to fpeake with Logicians)not the abstract m \ So a Philosopher dyeth (faith Saint Augufline) but not PhiUfepfr)} in his 89. Epiftle, The jv/^ Chrift is every where, but not the manhood-, and with theft generalities wee reft informed of the manner of this conception. The efficient fucceed- eth, which is the Holy Glwfl^ Matthew 1.20. Muchremainethtobefpoken, and the time wear- eth: I can but touch therefore^ matters 5 and fo away. The action of the Incarnation being ^^/w!^fr^,orexternall 5 belongeth(as you know by a receiued rule in Divinity) to all the three pertains in the Trinity, though it bee terminatiuely in the Sonne fas the Schooles fpeake) and appropri- *ta/hcretotheHoly Ghofix To the Holy Ghost (faith Saint Augufline)by reafon he is the convei- er anddiftributer ofalltheboundleffc graces and mercies, that flow to vs from the Deity , among "which^a greater then this of the Incarnation can- not Vid.Tuw- cremjn ou. 12 A Cbriflians free-will offering. Luke though wrought by all three. But in fuch profundities it is dangerous ventring farther then the text inlightens vs. This 1 we haueexpreffed by an ^^//concerning the fe- cret of this conception: The Holy Ghoft (hall come vponthee^ as for aworkethat goeth beyond all fubftitutionof any created Excellency. * And the power oft he mo ft high flail ovcrfhadotp thee"] either as a (belter to free the facred Embrio^ from origi- nal! infedion, to which Adam's fleili was liable, and a ffuate itinthewombe by an vnconceiveablc operation^ or as a cloud to 0^r/Ww it from our ambitious prying (as Calvin and Stella take it) who negle&jng and loathing rhat wee are bound to learne, will endanger our felues with the Bethjhe^ i mites to looke too farreinto the Arke. 5 Thus f arre of the Conception of our Savi- our, being the dawning 'fas it were,) of the day of his/wnw,which hath brought vs to the Nativity, wherein this Sunne of Righteoufnejfe appeares a- bouethei/^m^.Herethenatiuity muft bee faid to be (with Damafcene and Aquinas) ofthepcrfon, and not of the humane nature, as fome will fpcake vnadvifedly. For the humane nature is onely the termeof thisaftion , the Perfon the fubicB : who was borne of a Virginfkax yet ever remained a Fir. A QkriSlians free-will offering. a rirgin, (howfoevcr Helvidius dream't the con- trary-,) and that by opening the wombe, not v- tero Jaufo, as the Papifts imagine, to make way for their poeticall tran/ubfiantiation: ( for not the bea- r/^ofachilde 3 but the knowing before of a man is oppofite onely to virginity) as true philofophy and fence might teach them. Now in this blefled Nativity of this Virgins fonne, wee are briefly to take notice ofthefe toure circ umjtances- the time theplace, the manner j the manifefiation. For the time we need not trouble our felues with the dif- ferences ofCbronologers, Hebrew and Greek fireeke and Latine^oldandnerv, wherein, two fcarce meet in ooey^koning, either for the yeere or moneth, mu^^Hb for the day , as divers haue laborioufly flievvR^DUt reft our felues on the gcnerall cer- tainties which the Scripture affords vs. When the Scepter therefore was departed from ludah ("according to Iacobs prophecie, Gen. 49.) when thefrji Templewas deftroyed and the Jeoond was yetftanding,foretoldby ZacharienvidAggai, vn- der the loft Monarchy in the laft of Daniel's weeker, which fome would haue to end precifely at Chrijlspafiwi others, at the overthrow of Ierufa- lcm by Titus and Fejpafian-, Origen^ Driedo^ lanfe- ntus^nd Melantthon^ at his Nativity ^when the Romanes out of their Sy bills, Herod fro the lewes, the lewes out of their Prophets jhzEaftcrlings from Balaam' stoxrCiVseiQ fopoflefled with expectati- on of fucli a King to be borne, that it was not the qucftion of the lewes alone, but theinquifition a|- moftofall the world, JF^m^/*/* Art thott E- liat? Mart a virgo ante par rum, inpartu,pofi partum crat portaclaufa. Aupu.cx £- Turrecrem. in vigil, nat. Vid.steidan. de 4 Imper* lib, 1. --Gene" brard.l.i. Chronology Hig.1.7. Vid.mUit in '■Darfiel pag. 295. lohn.x. H A Qbriftians free-will offering. Gai.4.4. Mich.f. ^ ^ Hieronym. in i.Matth. Lukeic PfaUi.6. /*W? Art thou that Prophet? Art thou, het that fhonldcome, or doe wee looke for another? Then in this fulneffe of time appeared the morning of the day of His power , wherein the feede of the Woman advanced forward to breake the ferpents head. The place which Hee honoured with His birth, was not ruling Rome, or glorious lerufalem , but little BethLem > little mcomparifon of many thou, fandsofludab. There was another BethleminGa- like ,neere Nazareth, where lofeph and the BlefTed Virgin great with childe then dwelt, but all the world muftbee taxed by Auguftus that ruled all, to occafion a removall of this holy couple, that fo prophecies might be accomplished by Ga^ fecrct hand, that guideth the proie&s of the gppiteft, and Statesmen vnwittingly bring to pafle wnat he had before determined. Thztwhkhpolitique Au- 1 gufius and cruell Herod never dreamt of, and the proud Scribes and Pharifees would haue held madnefle to haue noted poore lofeph and Nary for, KingD^/Wforefawinthc Spirit, and trucly gaue notice ofit:Pfal. 133. Loe , we hiueheard of it at Ephrata, and found it in the fields of the wood. And where could this bread of life bee more con- veniently borne (faith Gregory) then at Bethlem^ which is by interpretation thchoufe of bread? in a little to wne and hovelljLQ flie w the vanity o f po m- pous and luxurious buildings : as a pilgrim in an /#;*£ and #*£/£, to miodevs of our condition in this lifc,from whence hecame to reduce vs to the many mansions of his Father. Thirdly, the manner of his birth was fomcanej that the Scripture . might A Qbri&ians free-will offering. *5 might be fulfilled, that from the bottome of hu- mility, hee might the moreglorioufly afcend to the top of power •• that the great ones of this world may bee hence leflbned not to frvell in fuch outward vanities , and difdaine their poore bre- thren. That the difference might bee the more confpicuous and apparent betwixt his Firjl and his Second comvcun^zvid to teach vs to expecfi our portions and dividends ,not here, where he had no- thing, but hereafter, where in all abundance hee hathprovidedforvs.Laftofall, the manifeftation oft his glortoufly-meane Nativity, was fo difpofed of by the Fathers providence, that though the moft negledted it, all notwithftanding had that notice, which might leaue them vnexcufable. The Shepheardsinthe fields, and the wife- men of the Eafi, lews and Gentiles, Herod and all Ierufalem were troubled at ir, King and Subiects ; Bethlem and all thofe coafts were filled by the relation of the Shepheards,7owneand fiuntreyln the Temple aged Simeon and Anna fpake to all that looked for redemption in lerufdem , men and women. And it is worth the noting, to confider how it pleafedGodto vary the manner of this manife- ftation, and to fit it according to mens divers conditions and capacities. The Eajlerne Atfro- nomcrs fhall haue dire&ions from a Starre, Herod a fir anger from grangers, the Priefls and Scribes from the Prophets wherein they were beft ftudied, holy Simeon and Anna in the middeft of their devotions, h^Az Revelation from the holy GhoH, which beft fitted them. But the ruder shepbards I had Luke 2. A Ckriftiansfree-mR offering* had .the plained meffage both by word and to- kens, as being vnfitteft to belecue\ or to bee bs- ktvecl without vncontroleable evidence. 6 I need to hold you no longer in the point of the Incarnation, fo wonderfully foretold^ fo prc- cifely ejfe&edfo plainely manifefled in this day of the Lords power ^ which here our Prophet fpeak- eth of: the application now fliould follow of all thexircumftances 5 if I thought your godly me- ditations in this behalfe had not prevented mec And yet (I know not how) Knowledge and Be. uotion are fometimes {o farre fundred and eftran- ged, that the farther wee wade in the one ( with- out the efpeciall operation of Gods Spirit ) the leflewee refped; the other. A man would haue thought the Iewes had had faire warnings e- ; nough of this day of this power 3 to haue daunted. | them at leaft from fuch violent cppofitions , and \ pcrfecuu&js- and we are hot vpon tkz Scribes and ; Phanfes , as they were vpon their Anceftours, [Math. 23. If wee had beene in their daies , and J cafe ? we would haue haftened with the- Sbepbeards, j fallowed the Starre with the Wife-men 3 beene at l.Retblem ^ fient our dearest bloud , to convey the I Cbilde with his Mother from Herods tyranny- I told the Scribes and Priefts to their teeth , that i they were Serpents and Vtpers. Thus wee crae- [| kle what wee would haue done, in a wandring kindc of [peculation 5 but from performing at home what wc fliould doe, the very hmetempt.u hindrcth vs , which then ,-eigled , and overthrew the Strikes and Pkarifes. S l Augu- jltnt A Chriftians free-will offering. flint, in his tench booke de Civitate Dei, and ig. chapter, indevouring to exprefle the caufe why Porfhyne and the reft of the Platoniques , fhould be foaverfe from Christianity, feeing they belee- ved in their owne Philofiophy , things of as great impefiibdity , falleth at length vpon this ifluc; Huic fc7^temporall Kingdomc^ and the Dificiples 1 2 after! if i.e. A Chriftians free-will offering. after the Rqfurreftion ., were cafting about fome fuch matter: Lord, wilt thou at this time rejlorc the Kingdome to 1 'fruit, So naturall a thing it is for flefnandbloudto-plot for fomewhat, efpccially ^owto.bccome^re^.hetCjhowfoevcr k.lofe by the bargaine hereafter. Thus we can obferue, f B.J and rcproo.ue in others, but yet goc oaro pradiifc it our felues,as though our eftate and cafe were of a different nature; .otherwise why cannot a little content vs., who fhew our felues in the managing of that wikwf, to be worthy of nothing* or why fliould a meane eftate bee thelubieft.of fecrne, fithenceourS*iww choyce hath thus graced it in the day of his power, hut that (as Saint Augustine hath it) He was humble^ but we art proud I Should knot make vs tremble, to cloath our ■felues with the Fleece^ and not feed the F locket make it dainty to trouble our felues with winning foulcs, which Chrifthath purchafed with his deareft blond .^ plot more for a poore preferment here, then for a Kingdome hereafter? take the purple robe vpon vs, iutrturne off the GrofTe, to be vndergone by any Zimtno£Cyrens y whom wee happen vpon in the P4#i but tbati&s S.Aufiin hath hit the right veine) our pidde looks afcue vpon our M afters humility i It is xivt} fl ate line ffe that makes vs vnlike our Saviour ^ and a>L his true Difciples, that haue followed hini^andgone before vs. For to fpeake nothing of the Fatfcrs^ and thofemen (as it were) of ano- ther \vprld> whatisthe reafon wee come fo farrc ihoxtitiharnwgjgifts^znA %eale of our Reformers, and Matters y \\"no haue gone (as it were; butyc- fterday A Qkrittians free-will offering. fter day before? Why is there fuch a [en fib I e de- cay of Doftrine, and Difciplmc 5 among the beft 5 but for that we vye , who fhould beegr^- willoffriffgs with an holy worfhip . which is the du- ty of the taithfull , and fecond member of my text, that folioweth now in order briefely to becconfi- dered. 7 Thy pcople^T^y, impiyetha/>^r/ Angells, much leiTc their jhrines. Our Prophet feemes not to bee acquainted with any fuch do&rine. They fhall offer thee free-mil offrings] This is thcinward ground which Heeef- pecially here refpedeth, that giueth to will and to doe , and onely fearcheth the hearts and reynes. With a holy rvor/^Jcompofcd of imvardfynceri- tie and outward decency , according to the frft and fecond Commandement. Thus I paraphrafe the words as they lye in my tranflation. Thofe 1 3 that *? %o In bunt cum. to*- A Chrittiansfree-mU Offring. that read it otherwtfe , may frame fbme other de- dutticns , but in lubftance not much different. The vulgar Latine is here wholly wide from the original! \ in rcndring it Tecum principum, which the Scboolc-boyes or Dotvay (for their chil- difhtranflation out of the Latine 5 credits them no further ) conftrue ^Withthce y the beginning. Theerrour (as it fhould feemej of the Greekegaue fome way to this ,^ Q* n lw> which divers of the Ancients afterward tooke for a ground to proue the Eternitieof the Sonne of God : but by a mcerc miftake 5 both in the pointing ot the Hebrew , and then reading yap rvitbtbee~\ for yay thy people-'] and next^m , which may fignifie , principality, notbeginning (as the vulgar ) for f1*y*i , devotio- num^faithPagnine , and Mont anus \ffontanearum volmt 4f /^according to Ze , and therefore in ftead oftrn? vvyiV^des tm>? *>YVi:i inthemoun- taines of holineffe , all which our laft tranflation very well comprifeth , In the beauties of holineffe. To faften then vpon fomc certaintie : Two thing* may be hence gathered , as the graces and lufler of all chriflian tvorfiifrChearefulncfJeivi the vnderta- kingj&fyncenty in the performance. Both which, as they concerne a fetled Chunk or congregation^ muft be fet forth vnto the world in regard of the place,the 7V;w/>/* appointed for that purpofe,for the more folemmty. In refpeft of the admimfira- tion^xn veflures or gejlures, ox fome tnarke of dijfe- rence^hlch fhall be thought fitteft, for decency & edification,betweenethe Prieft and people. There may be a holineffe without external! bcautie\ and there is extemallpotnpe enough, not grounded vp- on inward holineffe. But fiich vnlawfull divorces Ihould notdifmay vs,from a ready, and voluntary ftriuing,for regaining, and maintaining, this blef- Ced match of beauty and holinefe. This was Gods owne precept,three times repeated in one chapter, Deut. 1 2 .'The free-will off rings , and the reft of that nature , muft not bee huddled vp in private^but brought to the place, which the Lord had cho- fcn,and there muft they eate before the Lord , and they muft reioycein all that they put their handvn- to f hey, and their houjholds, verf.7. which is againe repeated to the like purpof e,verf. 1 2 . And y ct fhal! retoyce before the Lord your Cod, you, and y our fons, I 4 and %z . \ A Ch'riftians free-will .offering. land y our daughters , and your men fcrvants , and \yowxvci&j&fervants , and the Levite that is within your gates. « And the third time at the 1 8 . verfe 3 andthou [halt reioyce before the Lord^m all that thou puttefithy hand vnto. Surely , dulnejje, oxmurmn* ringyOX coldneffe^ox externall formalities aiming ra- 1 ther ;to plcafe the world, or flop v&z&scmfuringsA then proceeding oiinward willingnefe , is fo farre from acceptation^ the hands of God, that hee pronounceth it worthy of all reproch and pum fo- ment. What a vo/ley of cvrfes are there ,.: hundred I forth, Deut. 28. but when or for,what offences^ 1 are they especially inflUted vpon Ifratl? The caufeisplaineinthe47. verfe, Becaufethouferuefi not thy Lord with ioyfulnefe and gUdnefe of heart for the abundance of all things r Agreeable tothis> was dying D avids exhortation to his heire appa- rent $al#mon,i. Chron.2$*9*> And thou , Salomon myfonne^know thou the Godofthy Fat hers, & fertte him with a per feci heart 9 and with a willing minde. The reafon he addeth,is prefTiue,! 7 ^ theLcrdfear- shethall hearts ,and vnderjlwdeih all the imagina- tions. of the thouglrts££ thou feekhim,be will be fovd oft heehv&if thou for fake him 5 hccwillcajl thee off fepjeuer. And what need wee in this point-goefur- tfcqr, then thi$ our kingly Prophets royallprac- ti;cef Good Cod,ho\v extaticall in this kind are the flafyescihis devotions? Sometimes,in cheating vp his ovync djilwfcJVhy artfo, vexed, O my foule y and why arifod^fqujetedinnu * Sometimes, in exci- ting othcjrs^O cUpyour hands together, blow vp the trumpet in tfa new wc one, in ourfolemne ajfemblies y bring A Chriftians free -mil offering. bring hither the lute and ha? pe. The Church could never meet with the like invitations as his, O come let vs fing vnto the Lord 5 let vs heartily reioyce in theflrength ofourfaluaiion : Let vs come before his pre fence with thankfgiuing.and fhew our [elites glad in him with Pfalmes. And, O bee ioyfullin the L&rd t all yee lands, feme the Lord with gladnefle , and come before his prefence with a fong. In the virgin purity of the Primitiue Churches devotion, ( when plaine Honejlje was held the befi policie , and formalitie without fmceritjy as borrowed too fcandaloufly from theyfy^was denied institution and induction into the Church. of Godjthen thefe things were as re- ligioufly applied y as now they are often repeated. But the world is altred , though Cod^ Heauen, and the way to it 5 remaine continually the fame. The more too blame are thofe humorous fchifmatiques } that fnarle at this 3 andthelike/ a word never heard of. Which I mention nor for any difgrace to that learned Fa- ther y who hath fo well defcrued of the Church.- but that it may appearc, how much wee are behol- ding to thofe Linguist , that haue fpent their la- bours.,to make thefe fountaines moreclearc for vs. For vpon thefe diversities of readings grewdiuers ^v/>/?/,fome 5 referring it to the per fin of Chrift, others,tohis/w*/w£*/\f. In regard of the perfon of ChriR,TertulIianznd tuftine Martyr^ vnderftand it of his Incarnations if by themomb of the mornings were meant the Firginswomb therein Chrift was Gonceiued without the helpe of man , and borne in the night before the rifing of the day~Jlarre. M'e- lan&hon and Gualter miflike notthis r but deduce it Lib.^.adverf Marriott. Ttialog.cum Tripbon, VtiMMa. z6 VarUx.q. it- art, i. at ft. A Chrifthns free-will offering. it in another manner. Atbanafitu, Hilary^Ambrofe, | Augufline^ with moftof the Ancients who follow them,interpret this onely of Chrifts etematt gene- rationed BeUarmine with Gefner , ftriues to make it available againft the old Heretiques. In which cafe I fay no more , butweehauenoneedtode-j pend vpon fach deductions , but that Aquino his rule is good(which Calvin of fotne hath been tax- ed for following ) Cum qui* ad probandam fdem Chrijlianamadducit rationes qu& nonjunt cogemrs> ceditin irriftonem infdelium^credunt enim quod huiufmodi rationibm innitamur^ & propter eas ere dimm. Such arguments therefore are better fpa red , inachoyce of divers more vrgent. In re I gard whereof , I take this, with the current of our later writers, to bee rather vnderftood ofthe/w- pagation ofthe C bur ebby the feede of the Word. Ofwhich /t*>0 things ,2xt here intimated, firft,their fecretincreafe , as the Cblomingdcarv , which is found vponthe grafTe -though no vapour or cloud appeares from whence it hath difcended 5 andy?- condly , their multitude , which as the morning drops, ineueryagemoremultiply,thcn man can take notice of. TheSpiiit of God therefore ne- ver ceafeth from the propagating C hriHs Church, though men negleft their duties^ and all the world ■eppofe it. And here I might takeoccafion to dif- courfe how the Church is fometimes invi[ible y andy etever fruitfull: fometimes, perfomted by Hypocrites , and yet fpringing ftill as the Come a- mongthe Weeds, in perfecution flouri(hing,in<&ot)fe 3$& £t>fe ftT^fe £$fe e7$fc &&5 ^^tf^&fe^^cTfe HIGGAION ET SELAH. Ps-AlMIi p. l5. TheLordisknowneby the ludgement which hee exccuteth: thewickedis friar ed in the worke of his owne hands. Biggaion.SeUh. Here is no man that com- pares the words of my text with the occafion of this dayes afTembly D but will ftraight-way acknowledge the fitnefle of this acknow- ledgement, as at all times never to bee forgotten, fo efpecially vpon this day and occafion ? with an Higgaion and Selah to be remembrcd , The Lord is knowne by the iudgement which hee executeth, the wicked tsfnared in the worke of his owne hands. This perchance will rcceiue the more life, when it fnall appeare P that David in this whole Pfalme may well bee made our fpokef-man, ascompofing it i for a celebration of fome extraordinary cMttrt* ' ranee, and leauing it to the church as a patterne for Higgaion iff Selah: a In hunc locum. for imitation. And fo much may bee collected from the title it felfe.that in the originall is nn^ \& tYtt&y* which ourlafl: Tranjlators (as you may fee) frame to the chief cMufician, and hisin- ftrumcnt- Iunius 7 to the tune oi treble, or counter^ tenor^n excellent applying offuch/^a/^/^which now moft commonly wcabufed. But others either by difioyntzngihcwords^or Jlraining the poynts, br taking v&rtagcofinverfion of letters ^nd divers fignif cations ofthe fame rooters * M oiler and Lo- rinusix large informe ) bring it about eithet to beathankefgiuingfor Pharaoh* s deft rudion , and thejirjl bor ne of Egypt, or Goliah's overthrow, or Nabals fall, or Hanun's difcomfiture, for abufing Davids mefengers^ or according to Saint Hie- rome^wd Jqutn ifitplealeto haue in one word, and conceitas an arra'tgnement, the awe of the Indge, will commaund attention , who firft takes his difcouery of the Powder -plot his place to execute his authority, in thefe words : 3 jheLordisinowne by the iudgement which heexecuteth^The wonderfull events which thcig- norant attribute to fortune , the faperftitiou* , to Saints and /doles, the politicians, to their plots, fome y to their orvne worth ^mojl y totht meanes y and the extraordinary concurrence of fecond caufet, the Penmen of the Holy Ghojl afcribe ever vnto* the Lord: they held it the beft Analytiques , to refolue all fucheffc&s into their frtf principle. In defcribingof the like matters among other wri- ters, you (hall finde Alexander did this , or Ca- /irthusbchauedhimfelfe, Nejlorg^c this coun- fell, and fuch effe&s enfued vpon it.- But when CMofes and Iofhuah handle their weapons more valiantly , then any of thefe i Abiah and his fonne Afa y overthrew greater forces , then ever any of the feincountred : Chufai, for counfell, and Salomon for wifedome y had never their paralels among any of the nations; The text mod com- monly thus expreffeth it: The Lord delivered Sihon and Og into the hands of ifrael. ifrael overcame, becaufe the Lord fought for Jfracl.The Lord fmote that huge army of a thou find thoufand Ethiopians, before Ifrael and Iudah. And howfoever Chu^ai playd his part, yet the Lord is faydto defeat the counfell of Achitophel: and Salomons famous decifion betweene the two harlots, is faid to be the rvtfdome of God. Such prevention is vfed againft felfe-conceit, and vaine-glorj, and fimplicity , in referring honour to it's proper obied: , that wee 02 fhould Deuci. z, and 3. I0lh.xo.4a. j *.Chro.i4. IX. i.Sam.i7 # 14. 1. Kings j. 18, Higgaiontf S dab, for the (houldnotaffumcto our felues, that which be- longstohim that madevs, but in all fuch blef- fings, and favours , endeavour with, all alacrity, that the Lord may ever be knowne to bee the firft mouer 5 andpfmcipalfeffe£tor. Now as the Lord is knownctobe omnipotent by hu tvorkes oj creatiw. mercifuliva our redemption, inflnit e, wife, and pro- vident , in compofing and difpofing all to his owne glory,andthegoodof his Church; So his Iuflice can be never more eonfpicuous, then by the iudgement that he executeth^ Men may be ofte wronged by their carelejfe fecurity , or preven- ted by ceUrity \\ or miftaken in xhi carriage ^ox overtaken through ignorance j^x (educed^ by flatte- ry y ox deluded y by equivocation, or perchance abti- fed^by credulity^ or outfaced^by bravery, or terrU fyed^forfeareofawovie inconvenience: But when the Lord arjfeth to execute ludg ement, and when hh glory fhall appeared he fierceneffeofman Jla/l tnrne to his prayfe, and the flercenejfe of them ft all be re- fiayne. The drowning of the old world, the bur- ning of Sodom, the rooting out of fo many nati- m&£§ plant his chofen IJrael, Efficiently makes fc^the execution, that many things which efcape, in thi^Ufe.ymans controule 5 finde at length a Iudge, tb-at v^mIU bee knowne* in their puni/hment.If Ph^MVilllinot know the Lord y at the mouth of his fev vasts, hee fhall feele him atlengthto his cpiUiubcbattome of the rvater.znd if Herod fo forger y p\% : Cpitwtpo*^ as to rob God of his ho- nour 9 .£uchdn lodgement may prefently feife on him, as, u> jxiajce hjs r chiefeft flatterers to loath fi him. difcoloery oft he Towder-plot. him.Alltheworldalmoftisa mat>pe of inftances in this kinde ; it were but following ofa common place to repeat them, and to cloy your Chuftian attention with that you know. 4. Bonaventnrt diftinguifheth oftwd forts of judgements, the firft,in this World, which hee calls indicium P(pnitentid,in&i£ted efpecially to drawe all to repentance : the fecond , in that to come, from which there is no declining. My Text dea- leth onely with the frfi , not as it properly figni- fieth the diftinS? apprehenftbn of an obiett^ or a true ttw/tfy/^fromcertainepremifes* or a defnitiue fentence according to law , ortheauthoriticof the Judge to determine , or power , to execute , or the caufe> that comes in queftion , or a cujtome y that hath gathered ftrength by long acceptance, or the Text of Scripture , that giueth dire&iort how to judge.- vpon which diuers fignifications, Scotvs and llliricHs plentifully inlargethemfelues$ but by a metonymie fovthepunifhmentythatisinfli- <3ed vpon juft grounds. For herein iheexecution manifefteth the iudgement , and by this iudgement efpecially,/^ Lord is knowne. The caufes of it, are ftn h the fubie ^notorious offenders ^theeffe&.s^ gc- nexaWy ^amazement Specially, comfort to the inno- cent, and horrour to their adversaries. This the Z^takethvponhimfelfeto execute y as often as his Minifters>either for want of power y or courage, or information^ are driucn to a ftandrand for thefe purpofes efpecially , thatthe church might hauea breathing in her continuall combates, and her per. fecutours, a tafte of the anger that is to come. Ac- 1 O 3 cording 7 x.SentJ.i$. s Higgaion isf Selab^for the Rev. i8„ carding to the fentencc of this Iudgement, Corah's confpiracie was plagued by the earths opening, Absalom hanged by the hayre, Senacherib had a hookeput into his noftrills 5 Jeroboam's , Ahab's, and Baafia's families , were grubbed vpby the rootes, for their treafons ,and idolatrie. And as old Babylon's ttztdy Palaces were turned to dif- confoIatehabitations 5 forZ#w and Ohim: fo new Babylon's redoubled abominations muft lookc for no better iffue: For though fhee haue a long timerayfed mifts, to dazle the eyes of her fol- lowers , the Scriptures haue beene lockt vp in an vnknowne t onguc>ldo Is ,and heathenifh ceremonies, obtruded inftead oi preaching, implicite faith, for playne catechising, Princes, terrified with the bug-beares of briefes ,and bulls and excommunica- tions , tray tours , honoured with martyr dome , all viUanies juftified , vnder the maske of zeale, and ignorance commended, as the mother of devotion: Yet the Lord will ever be knowneby theiudgements which he executeth, when Jhee commeth in remem- brance be fort God> togiue her the cup of the wine of theferceneJJ'eofhis wrath*, as a miUflone throwne into the hot tome of the fe a, fo /ball (heejinke downe int^ the pit of deflfuBion. ]n an houre (hall her Judgement come vpon her, the Kings of the earth., and with way- hng 'and alaffe , and theSaints with a double Halle- luiah^ whiles her fmokt arifeth vp for ever and ever. 5. This do&rineof Godsiudgements , foplain- ly deliuered in his Word, fo cffe&uallyvrged : and difcovery oft he 'Towder-pht. and fo often rcpeated,vpon any notable occafion, as it fhould ft r ike a t err our into the wicked , not to kicke againft prickesfo fhould it animate the god- ly in all extremities , with the allured depen- dence vpon a happy iflue. But alaffe (Beloucd; thefe things ftickc with vs mod commonly , no longer then they are in a&ing. Three impediments maybeobferuedaboue the reft, which fruftrate in diuersthe good vfe of this do&rine , Contempt, negktt , and mif interpretation by foothing our felues in our owne courfes , and turning the ftreame of Godsiudgements another way. Of the firft humour arc thofe, which our Prophet defcri- beth in the next Pfal.TA* ungodly tsfo proud, that he caret h not for Godjietheris Gob in alhis thoughts, Htsrvaiesare alrvaies grievous , thy judgements are far above out of bis fight \& therefore he pujfes at all his enemies tf y ou vrge vnto him the like iudgmets, executed vpon others for the fame offences, his contemptuous anfweris ready ,Thus ijhallnever be caft dorvne y therefhall no harme happen vnto mee. This is the refolution of Antichrift and his fol- lowers, as moft Interpreters with Saint Jerome, and Saint Auguftine note vpon that place. Iudge^ wm/ never foknowne, Executions never fo evi- dent 5 (hall no way deterrethem from their dam- nable proje&s. But this is the gvcateRiudgtment ofall,(as Saint Cyprian well obferueth ) Non in- telligere delifta,ne fequatur poenitentia^not to take notice of our faults 9 left repentance Jltouldtherevpon follow. Secondly, the neglecl of Gods judgements appeareth in thole men , whoaretruelyaffe&ed O 4 ^^ at Epifi.11. TO Higgawn £? Selahjbr the *De CiutiJDeii f at the/?r/, but, as a pang ,'tis quickly paft oucr, and as nerves, it foone growes out of date. Pharaoh was no fooner quitted from one plague , but pre- fentiy his heart was hardned^o drawe on another: and the Ifrae lites that were fo much affrighted at the horrible end oi Corah, D at ban, and AbiranK even the morrow after fell vpon CMofes and Aa- ron,?*, vpbrayded them for killing oft he people of GW;fuch fmall imprepon is left on vs by the fir ipes of others. Birds and other brute beafts 3 moft commonly avoid that place where they are fenfi- blebya token that their fellowcs haue mifcarrL ed: but we looke on others iudgements, as f urnifti- ed with a fuperfedeas from all arrefis , and argue from their punishments how well they haue de- ferued, without the leaftreflexe vpon our ownc mutable condition. A third fort play with fuch examples ^ and fliift off the application from themielues.Thefe will rather afcribe Noahs flood, to an extraordinary afpe& or concourfe of watry />/4/^.f,or the drowning of Pharaoh's ho/}, to the inconfiderate venturing vpon an high tide , ra- ther then to Gods wrath for finne, who fendeth fuch iudgements on fome , to make all the reft a- frayde.So our Italianated ] fugitiue$ paffe ouer the powder-plot , by terming it onely the rajk attempt of a few ^ooxtvnfortunate Gentlemen>hy meanes whereof, their profeljtes are hardened to the like courfes^ whereas fuch terrible iudgements fhould teach them to knowe the Lord: and executions make them Jenfible, how defperately they are fe- duced. But perdidifiis vttlitatem calamitatu ( as Saint difcouery of the powder -plot. u Saint Augufline juftly vpbraydcth the Pagans) mifertfacli ettis , ejr pefiimi permanfiftis . Where- fore fhou Id yce be fmitten any more f The whole headisficke, and the heart is faint. Thofc that con- tendc fo much for a Iudge of the controverfies bctvveene them and vs^why obferue they not out of Gods iudgements , which fide the Lordh- vouieth? Haue any of their damnable projeds by Summeruile 3 Parry 5 Babington, and his com- plices, Lope^and his abettours , Campian, Parfons, and rhcir adherents, taken any expected fuccefle? Haue the Popes Bulls and curfes wrought any ftrange cffe&s < Haue Watfon and the Powder- miners attained to the ende they fought after i If God then haue euer defeated fuch malicious defignes ,and fhewed by his Judgements vpon the adours 3 how much heedetefteth fuch practices 5 they might well gather , that their courfes are not warrantable, or that (asfome of them in indig- nation haue blundred out) the Iudge ofallthe World is become a Lutbtrane. For what vertue haue they ever found in their Agnus Dei's, Medals or fuperjiitious reliques , to make their plots fuc- ccuefull? or truth, in the promifes of their ghoftly Fathers i May they not eafily perceaue them- fdues to bee made the miferable inflruments of Antichrists ambition,v*ho/e/j xhefetiles ofmen,to buy himfelfe reputation i If we are luch damnable her ett quests they would makevs, how comes it about that the Lord To takes our part? Isitpoffi- ble,theirdo<5irine,thatis foCatholique , orthofe Catholiqucs , that are guided by an infallible head, fliould Apoc.^. II ' *.;>: ; •;-- " HiggMiK tf SeU'hfor the :re,anc Co litde ? pro- fd£ioch/^^*£fj(,andbefo often deceatfed? If mci wete ax drunke with the wine otSodeme 3 or nuned wirfathc blctdoi Dragons , or fteeped in the gdoibitttrzeffc, fuch piip^bie tokens of Gods tnunts fo directly againft their proceedings, | fo mainly in favour of their oppofites,might breed j at kafi a Ihfpitioa that fomething is amifle , and retuine them to a ierious examination , to knowe where thofaulrrcfteih. But Leonards change not xhekgots^Uafe Adders hcare no charming. Trum- pets may be founded out agvnfi them , and viails po w red out vpon them, yet their Idols Cm:. % OtUftfX>iKht\xfor*erusj hefts, ox former: ions a- bandoned. Being fcorcbed with the Sonne- fl of G* <& #W, in ftead of repentance, they turne to blafphtme: and when Egyptian darknef no- terioufly invironed xhefeat of the £**/?, they will rather £/*alLjeetkatkindU a fire { faith the Lord ^e Prophet Ifaiab) fr that compajjeyturfelues about with frarkesi rvalke in the light ofjou tnthefparkestbat yeehaue kindled-. bi\i t b isjh all jee h&ueofmj hand^iee fhafl lye dawne in for r on : fnarethat yeelaid for others, (ball intrappe your felues, which is the fucceffe of the wicked, and comes in the next place to be confide* ed. 6. The wicked ufnaredtn the rvorkes of his cwne hands.'] As before,the /«/?/*£ of God appeared in rheexeciirioriofhis tudgements^ (ohisJVifedame | here may bee obferued in the manner of punish- ment. difcouery of the Ttrvder-; . - n : . The wicked 3 not firaplv it&*m . r ST" ■£q: £^r ?:z\Lypeccd?tr afixrcr or an r - c vulg* rtbnt J W " *fw* J**pr*1nv, i t*s y trsgm - ^11 will be vngddi's Jiwdsnrbaltnt 5 wsuaing , irrtiigitm to- war^ n c i s > wfl g ft fc in the -imoo- wealthy v*/ Sjch » runnesir the I : 4 -p?e:ers a- ri§h::::/. .:, Be :.::: pre rfelfeis Mm i .v: --.;.- : : , fa : h ey are plagued , fo they ::c:i; ~>. Arc:: 5 a a r/^aw^;. a mdtter cip&wc , and chtrgt , and ;wr vato :- 5 notbegi:- tedbyoi ::.-.- mmthmds. A fee- mentofGodtoinr ,';:>• doir.ecifpc: the n-A- c : them i n £b , and make others ^U«jucv.C: ,::5 :: :::::£-: plaid the PthttiM.:? z **;> Duzzin^: : andfe, K ic iw#j/. Soic the Scripcme Aicnihiztk confeflcth , ftm 2*rf &ittu ,**£ 1 thumbts mut :>:■::* p H 'f^, r nfrr PtjuHk- z m : I arc «-/•:.- . \k*tbf((f*:tcd?n, der farther Higgaion & Selahfor the and was requited at length with the death ot his •jirji-borne. Hamans ga/lowes fetvp to hang l^f^- dk^feruedfor his owne ftrangling. Herod itew the infants oiBethlem, and was punifhed in the end,by murdering of his owne children, When Hildebrand had fuborned a villaine to provide a great ftone,to let fall on the head of the Emperour Frederkke,z$hecamc to doe his devotions, ac- cording to his accuftomed manner in the Church of Saint xJMaryoi mount Aventine, the fellowe making more hafte ,then good Jpeed, tumbled down with the ftonehimfelfe^ and there was broken in pieces by the fameengine, wherewith he rreache- 1 roufly would hauecruihed his Soveraigne. The| ftory is diftin&ly fet downe by Benno the Cardinal in the life of Gregory the feventh. And who reads not , how Alexander the fixt was poyfoned with the fame liquor hce had prouided to make a- way fomeofhisCW/W/ ? This meafurehad A- 1-Sam.15.13. g a gby Samuel^ As thy frvord hath macie women J childlejfe,fo(hallthy mother be childleffe among wo- Pfal.137. J w^.Itwaswifliedtoold Babylon, Happy jh all he\ bee that rewardeth thee as thou haflferuedvs : And muRbcfzllthc new^Reward her as Jhee hath rewar- ded you, and double vnto her double 5 ace of ding to her works : in the cupthat jhc hath filled^fillto her double. How much jhe hath glorified her felfe and li- orrow giue her. ainer termes % veddelitiouflyjomuch torment and fori This cannot bee exprcfled in plai then our Prophet hath it in the jy.Pfalme: The vngedly hath drawne out the fword , and bent their bowjocaft down the poor e and needy, andtojlayfuch as difco~t>ery oftheTowder-plot. »5 as be of a right conver fat ion. But their fword [hall got thorowthetr otvne heartland their bow Jha/l be bro- ken. Which before, more dire&ly to our pur- pofe , wee may finde fet downe in the feuenth Pialme, Thevngodly hath graven and digged a ptt 9 and is fa I ne into the deft ruff ion that he made for o- ther. for hu travel! [hall come vpon his otvne head^ and his wickednef e fhall fall vpon his otvne pate. And did not this fhowrc of fnares, to the amazement of themielues, and their adherents , by the iuft iudgement of God ftrangely accompany the workc oi oux powder-plotters! VVho knowes not Catef by ,Rookwood y o.nd Grant^Cthe principall aftors in that hcllifh defignej as they were drying pow- der at Holbeck in JfV£*/?*r- //>/>*, were diffigured, and maimed, by the firing of the fame powder? and not long after,how the fame Catesby, and Per- cy defperatly wereflaine atone jhotte, proceeding itompo-wderi So iuftly they were fnared in the workeof their ovpne hands ^ that themfelues vpon their knees were forced to confeffe it. This is regiftred by the hand of a King 9 whohadbeft mcanesto know it ,. and greateft reafon to relate it, to thetertour and fhamc of all fuch divellsjh A/fafi nates. Now let their Apologifts returne from beyond the fcds y grin like a dog^nd put on the im- pudency to -Another ic, 7 They will-tell vsthat thutCatholique Doft- rine in nofortcountenancethit; and the faults of lomcmalecontentSy are ever to bee diftinguiftKfd from :he equity of the cauje. But this is but a gil- ded pill, compounded onely for thofe of their owne i6 ?ag.il9. Higgaion iff Selabfor the Apboriftverbo CUricwi. lnfiit.tit.il. 5. ii. Z>e summo pont-lib.1' cap.7> Devifib.mo- nar.l.i.capA. owne comple&ion, a fophifme, afhift, an after- reckonings which is as foone difcouered, as their bookes are opened. We are not fuch dafUrds (faith Gretfer in his vejpertilio haretico-politicus) that we feare openly to afjirme, that the Pope of Rome may (if necefity (0 require) free ht* Catholique fubietts fro their oath of fidelity ^if their Soveraigne handle the tyrannically:8c farther he adsjf it be donedtfereet- ly and warily jx. is a meritorious ivorkeJbut fay now, that /«£/*#/ fhould proceed to execution , vpon fuch way made by the Pope, fhould they not (thinkeyou) therefore be iuftly punifredas tray- tours? No 5 faith Emanuel Sa, efpecially if they be of the Clergy : for the rebellion of a Clarke againft a Kingjs no treafonjn as much as he ts notjubieff vn- to him .Then perchance the Laity is left only to the flake, as hauing no fuch warrant to exempt them from King-killing. Simancha will helpe that too: Asfoone as a ChrtfliaKing becomes heretic all, forth. \ with his fubieffs are freed from his government over themJThis is fhort worke indeed. But may heenot then be left to Gods Judgement, vntill it fhal! pleafe him in mercy to free the people from that yoaker* No fure ('faith Beflarmine)c{pcc\al\y it he goe about to infett hisfubieBs\ Then they arc bound ( ads San- ders) as fooneas may be, to fet another in his place. They ought to expellhim (faith Philopater)a$ thee- nemy ofchriftjrom hauing authority over Chriftian ^/>/s.Andthisheaffirmesto bee the vndoubted do6lrine among the learned^ and agreeable to Apo- folic all truth. Here is Apoftolicall truth \v\xh a wit- nefle. But fuppofe the Popes Apoftolicatl tranfeen- dency difcovery oft be Powder-plot. 17 dene j, either in pitty, or policic, hold fuch a King fit for a pie to be fpared 5 1 truft then, good Cat ho- liqueSubiecfs may not venture to ftirre. Yes but they may ( faith Bannes ) Etiamfi Pontifex tolera- ret Regem Apoflatam^tame Refpub m Chriftianapofit illupellere e regno, quonia Pontifex fine ratione per- mitt it ilium impumtum. Though the Pope himfelfe fhould be never fo indulgent y t he people ^ if they lijl y may vnMngbim, becaufethe Ptye vnreafonably is jlacke in his office. Well then, no remedy is left a- mong thefe m e for Proteflat Kings Jout down they muft. If their holy i^/^rmakefcrupletocorreft thc,thcir own vajfals may take them in hand. Per- chance this will work with the to be reconciled to the Church,& the it is likely they (hall be reftorcd to their eftates . Simancha will tell them alfo in that cafc.,whcreunto they (hall truft: Nee ins hoc recupe- rabut ('faith he Jquavis pofleareconcilietur Ecelefta. Once gone,& t or ever discarded. Nay their childre, though innocet or ^Wlt'ijtiiuft bepunifhed for their fathers errours, & be excluded for ever from fucccfTionjio giue way to whom the Pope pleafeth. 8 I haue gleaned thefe kwfeatterings by the way,(Beloued) to make it appeare tothofe that would willingly be better perfwaded of their do- drinc, thatthe^c?r/»^it felfcdirecJly warrantcth treafon,ktthc tray tours be what they will, and that none can bee an abfolute Papifl, but (if hee throughly vnderftand himfelfe, and liue vnder a Chriftian Prince that hath renounced the Popes \duthoritj) muft needs, being put vnto it, bee an abfolute ttaytour. The Popes infallibility hee aflii- lnfccuntkm fecund*, 1*1. i8 Higgaionisf Selah->for the peiufia thorite 411- aflumeth tomzVzhcretiques, and punifhthemby 1 vertueofhis Sup remade: The exemption of his Clergy , to a<5fc chcir owne defignes; the inter- esting thcpeople, in the right of making of a King (whom they define, with Apoftate William Rei- n olds, in fcorne, H be but a creature of mans ere at to) howcanitftandwith loy all obedience, that God and nature haueprefcribedr* And now (Beloued) ifthefe were fpeculations only in their fchoolcs, or fome few w^overla(hing,in an emulation to vphold their owne hierarchies orfome doubt full deductions , onely taken by ourmenattheworft, their doctrine were the more excu fable, and their followers more to be borne without when practice fhall follow vpon fuch divelifh />0jfr/ King of France, by that defperate vil- laine lames Clement , with the fadt of lit Jit h 9 and conclude it to be a little leflfemyftery then Chrifts Incarnations For defending of the fame fad, though lohn Guiniard a Iefuite were executed: yet Richeome in his apology excufeth him- CUrus Bonarfcius in hisT heat rum ho nor is ,extolls him to the skies. Such tokens rheie Ignatians leaue to Princes, of their fabmiffion and fidelity. What fhould I fpeake of Francis Verona Conftantintu, who difcovery of tie Towder-plot. 19 who wrote an apology for lohn Caftile , to jufti- fy his (tabbing, and hurting of Henry the Great f Wherein hce concludes , that notw'nh- \ ft and 1 tig the decree of the C ounce 11 o/Conftance, it is ! law fall for any private man to murder Kings and Princes ^ condemned of herefy and tyranny. And to come home neerer vnto our fclues: Stanlies trea- cherous giving vp of Deventrey, had knot Cardi- nall A lien to defend it? Had not Oneile before, and Tyrone afterwards the determination of the Vniveifityof Salamancha to animate them on. ward in their rebellion? What marvell is it then that Garnet^ and the powder trcafon, had Eud&- mon- Johannes his apologyiClaudiw Aquavivas ap- probation, Be/larminesexcnk, Hamond the Iefii- itcsabfolution y as Barrier in France had thclefuitc Varrad's^ to confirme him in his purpofe > to pre- vent Ravilliac? Nobetter fruit is to be looked for vpon fuch wild figtrees, who care not what they fay or doe, and turne offall fuch prodigies with afleight or fcornc. Bccaufe the Scythians (lew their King Scyle, for favouring the ft range rites of Eacchus^Simancha infers that I ure and Mcr it ojuch Princes arc to be made away, as rcceiue any kind of dodrine differing from the papisltca/l. Mariana accounts it a moderate courfe, to poyfona chayre or garment for the killing of a King : but marke hiswaighty rcafonforit; Becanfe (iaith he) / yzW the Kings of the Moores haue often v fed it . Wherc- vpon Hojf'e us the Iefuite was wont to (ay (a%Hafen- mullcr y wholiucdamongft them reports it) that they dragg'd any Luther an they could find,ftraight- P way AnnO.ltfj, Inft.Catb.i}, fer.n.i}. T>e reg.inftit. lib. 1. cap, j. Hi/tor. lefuit. ccp.6. 20 Higgaion <&Selah>for the way to the fire, vt fiicanima eius in curru igneo ad infe, osferatur^ that fo his foule in a fiery chariot might bee hurried to hell. Worfe then all this.- they -hold it a cafie of Confidence ^ not to (pare their ownc fide, to doe ours a mifchiefe. Garnet the Pro- vinc sail being queftioned by Catesby ,\vhcther with afafe confidence^ they might proceed in their pow- der»proie£i, feeing in the blowing vp of the King^ and Proteflants , divers alfo of the Papifts muft neceffarilygoethe fame way/* replies very pro- foundly,that no doubt it might well be done, fee- ingitfhould redoundetothe good of the Cstho- lique Church. And this Eudtmon defends with great earncftnefle. Which puts mee inminde ofa ftory related by Flatina in the life of John the foureand twentieth, when one F acinus Cams was hired by the Gibellines^ to fuppreffe their contrary fadions of the Gwclphes^ in the city of Papia^ and thecovenant was, that hee fhouid haue the goods of the Gxvelphes for his pay. Hee obtaining the vi&ory, falls a rifling ofthe Gibellines alio, with- out diftindion: and being accufed therefore, as notftandingtohispromife, replies. That them- felues indeed were Gibellines ,and fhouid be fafe^ but thik goods were Gxvelphes y and muft goe to wrack, as well asthofeof their ad verfaries. So nfTure your felues ( Beloued) if Italians and Spaniards fhouid once come, (which God of his infinite mercy forbid,) to compofe the differences be- tweenevs^our home-bred Recufants , howfoeuer our Wo**/ fhouid pay forit, yet their efiates might perhaps be confifcated, as infe&ed by our herefiy. Garnets difcovery of the ^Powder-plot Garnets dccifion would be of force-, fuch matters muft notbe flood vpon, when the good of the Ca- t holt que czuk is thereby advanced. Othat religi- on fhouldeverbemadeadoakefor fuch atbeifti- ca/lpraclifesl What hard meafure had beene offe- red by our King and State , that thefe traytours fhould bee fo cxafperared? Were they hurried to the^rr,as in Queene Maries daies? or was there a new Inquifition ereScd, in imitation of that of Spaine, with tortures and racks to re<3ify them/* Nay, were they not tolerated at a fmall rate , or none at all, to enioy their pofefiions and liberty , graced with titles of Honour , admitted to be about His CMaieflyjmA haue the protection of his lawes, without any violence offered? From whence then came theporvder-plot,but from thedevi/lhim- felfe 3 & the malice of the whore of Babylon fuhich delighteth to caroufe in blood? But God hath fnared the wicked in the worke of his owne hands, the fnar eis broken ^& we are delivered. Come down therefore & fit in the duft, fit on the ground , fit fi- lentj) daughter of*Babylon.Is not thy nakedncs vn- covered,thyfhamefeener'art thou not taken in the crafty rvilineffe that thou haft imaginedK) that our poore befotted recufants would but be brought to an ingenuous examination of thefe things, whe- ther it were likely/^ would lead them to heauen, whodevifeand allow of fuch foxvder.slratagems from Hell? Whether true Religion hath beene euer advanced by fuch blondj and treacherous fnares and engines ?Then would they furely afford their Higgaion & Selah to celebrate with vs this day, P 2 this 21 ifaih.47. tz Higgaionkf Selah^forihe Verf.vlc. Verf. 3 . this thrice-happy Deliverance . Which is the duty •left for vs in the laft place to conclude with. 9 Higgaion,Selah2 Few words, and obfeure; yet importing more matter, then could be well expreflfed in any other tongue. And therefore, las they arc omitted in the Greeke and. vulgar La- tine, asalfoin our Chftrch-booke transition, by •reafon of their obfeureneffe, and remocenefTe jfrom popular capacities 5 efpecially in a continuate reading without interpretation: lb are they faith- fully reftored by our laft Tranflatours, as inte- Igrall parts of the text , which are not to bee left [out, though the grcateft skill of the Learned may be ftagger'd at their meaning. Needelefle therefore was the exception of fome Cr it ikes , to parChurch-Booke, for not reading commonly! thofe words to the people, feeing they hauc them j otherwife in a more exad tranjlation , and refer- j ved to the expofition of a learned Preacher. Some there bethat (light both the words as interiedi- ons, expreffing only a ludden paflion , vnder an imperfed fenfe. But others diue deeper, whom we haue good reafon to follow. Higgaion is but twife, befides in this place 5 found in the Scripture^ and thatoncly in the Pfalmes^ once in the ip. PfalmeiLet the words of my mouth ejr *>^h> *( Yttn the meditation of my heart be alwaies acceptable in thy fight^O Lord, my flrength and my redeemer , And a- gaineinthep2. It is agoodthingto gi net hank es vntot/je Lord^andto fmgfrayfes to thy name^O thou mofihigh: To /hew forth thy louing kindnes in the mormngt&thy fait hfulnes every nighty "y^^-^y V31 »w mnw.il difccrperyofthe Towder-plot. Va*05 fWSI *b? h&fr*bpS Vpon an instrument of tenne Brings , and vpon the P fait eric > vpon the Harpwithafolemne found. The word Seiah wee haue22.times,butH/&£0 to tread dorvnc,to mikcplaine. To the fame purpofe, Avcnariut fayes , thatin all the Commentaries of the Rabbines , he could obferue no certaincfignification of this word: and Bux- torfius is of the minde,that it fignifieth nothing but onely a tone peculiar to the tMufitians of thofe dayes. It were endleflfe to heapevpalli/4rto/>/ 3 which either word breedeth among the learned. Immm makes both joy ned in thisplace,tofignifie, rem meditandam fummh>2L matter to beeefpceially thought on. Vatablut, with the Rabbines 5 and the Chalday Paraphrafe extend it to an ever lading ^Meditation, They that reftraine it tofong, or in. flruments^ differ not in a manner from them vpon the point,for that which theformer obferue in the fttbief? jhey afford vsintbetune. All concurre in this 3 Thatthc grcateft deliuerances , arete bee cele- brated with the greateB thankfgiuing : no cheere- P 3 fullnefle *5 24 \ Higgaion iff Se lab for the f ulnefle muft be wanting,no laudable lolemnity of mufickq : aflembling , feafting , congratulation negle&ed 3 in performing fuch religious duties. Private 5 and daily, or ordinary bleflings may bee privately, anddaily, or ordinarily recounted,at leaft wkhafingle£*/^ 5 a ftirring, orchearingvp of our particular devotions : but for fuch delive- rances as that of Eighty eightjand this publike and extraordinary 'freeing of the Chunk , the whole State ? thx preferuation ofthcKwgiQueene^Prince, al! the Nobles ^\[ the Judges , the Reverend Clergy, and Lawyers 5 the Worthies of all our Country and Corporations, vpon the point to be blovvne vp ? and difmembred by the Divels engine 5 together with the vtter defoiation of fo flourishing aKingdome^ here a Higgaion &£*/.*/& muft be joy ncdtogether 5 Halleluiah added vnto it; Trumpets andShalmes muft be winded aloud, Jfaptisandledtthun's muft fhew their skill ^new fongs^newcantica canticorum^ whole new fets of caticles^Micthamsfii Mifmor's^ Neginottis and Mahaloth's^Tehillah's andfephil. lah's muft be framed by the Learned. Let every thing that hath breath,praife the Lord. 10. And here if the matter it felfe rowze not your meditations ? little helpecan bee expe&ed from any vncompofed ftratnes. You that haue read of fo many heatheni(h tyrannies , and Turkijh cruelties^ you that haue had occafion to travell a- mongftapy barbarous nations 5 or fauage Cannibals-^ you that haue heard of the mod prodigious trea- sons and rnajfacres that euer were attempted , or thpught on vnder the Sunnc-, haue you ever re&d^ or ■ ■ ' m ' difcduery ofthepomder-plot. I oxfeeneyOx heard of any monftrous immanity y com- parable to this of the Powder-Treafon ? Haueever Turkes^ov Tartars ^ay Nero'es or Caligula's made vfeofpoivder, orfuch engines of furie , toruinc whole States zx. one blow i Nay, to blow vp their orvne darlings, theirowne Patrons , theirowfle in- noeentkinred that never offended f hem ; butoncly the fe Jpuria vitulamina, thefe baflard imps of the H^ore of Babylon I If the ruine of your /#'*/*£ Country menludno way affe&ed you, what had the monuments of the deaddeferued , that fo many fepulchres of ancient Kings muft be laid on heapes, and vttei ly defaced < what fault was in the dumbe ftones^nd RatdyEdifees of your forefathers,that they fhould be left as fpe&acles of your merciles cruelties But now perchance they repent it, and areafhamedof the Adois , and their courfes. O no -that feat let Harlot hath not learned to bliifh. They are pi&ured for fonfejjours and Marty res, their z,eale is commended , the State condemned for punifbing their Ring-leaders vniuflly ,and their Profelytes here amongft vs ( which Igrieueto fpeake of) follow zhc fame doclrine that led them vntoit,andareanimatedtothelikeattempts,when ! theirabilityjha/l grow fuffcient. For marke but 1 thefe few words of Bannes a SpanifhSchooleman, (whom a man would take tobe none of the worft, efpecially in companion of the Iefuiles ) Angli (faith he; funt excufandiy quia nonfe eximunt a Su- periornm pdteHate 5 nee helium contra cos gerunt, \ quia non fuppetunt illis vires ad confequentiapericu- I la: In i.i.Aquin.q. i z.art. 2. The Englifh Catho- V likes %6 Vtkes _ . — , ,, — . Higgaion tfSelabifor the are tobeexcufed for not taking armes again/t their Superiours,becaufethey wantfufficient power to got through with the bufinejft. Tolerate them then but to grow to a headend to make their par- ty good 3 and their natural bond to Prince or Coun- try fl\o\i\d little difmay them 5 from venturing vp- on the like Powder-plots. Where be then our Hig- gaions ejr Sclah's (Beloued) for the flopping of this brood of vipers ,ihzt their force fhould not bee an- fvvcrable to their malice r As the Ifraelites had their Pafchaznd Purimjlolyddxcs fct apart for the acknowledgement of their grand deliuerance fro Pharaoh,znd Hamans treafbn: why fhould not this dayes folemnity bee continued witheverlafting thankfuInefTe,forthc miraculous difcouery of the Powder-plot< Let the people learne from our Put- pitsjwith what kinde of Salt-peter their C*tholi- r//«»eispowdred;letour children vnderfhnd in ouxftreets,the barbaroufnefie of theplot 5 the pro- fefton of the aftours 9 the danger that would haue falne on their innocent heads ^ If the Lord m Judge- ment to the enginers, and in mercy to vs , had not prevented it^znd fnared the wicked in the worke of their own hands. At the mentioning of our Church or King y at the beholding,or remembrance of our Parliaments y and chiefe places of Iuftice,let the villany of the Powder-proiecl bee never forgotten. In the celeb rating of the holy Bucharifi , let our th^nkfulneffe for this deliuerance bee an efpeciall part ofourSacrifice: Finally,letvs joyntly conclude as our Prophet here beginneth this Pfalme.- Wee mUfrayfcthcifi Lordjvith our whole heart y we ml Jhew difcoyery qftkeTowder-plot, flew forth all thy xvonderons Workes. Wee will bee gladandreioyceinthee y rvee m/lftngprayfetothy Name,0 thou mo ft High. For our enemies are tur- ned back e, they haue falne and perifhed at thy f re- fence • for thou haft maintained our right and our eaufe y thoufttteftinthe 7 krone judging right. Now to this God the Father,God the Sonne , and God the Holy Ghoft,three Perfons and one Lord,who isknowncbythe ludgement which he executeth, and hath fnarcd the wicked m the worke of his owne hands, bz afcribed with Hig- gaion and Se lab allpraifes > power y zndglory from this time forth for evermore. AMEN. 17 „ -~- IOHN 6. 14. Then theft men when they had feene the miracle thatl e s v s dtd^Said ,This is of a truth that Prophet that fhould come into the world. Y Text forts with the time, wherein we celebrate xht^Ad- vent of the Prophet which the people here proclaymed, was come into the world , and the courfeofthe qofyells appoin- ted to be yearely read on Sun- daiesinour Church Liturgie, isclofcd with the very fame words of the com- ming of this Prophet. The miracle of feeding fiue thoufandmen, befides women and children in a defart place, with flue barlyloues only , and two little Fiflies,which drew from the peoplethis ac- knowlcdgment of thecomming of this Prophet, is regiftredby the three other Evangelifts, Math. 14. Marke 6. Luke 9 .with fome little variation of 'bmecircumftanccs: But this notable confeflion and profeflion of the multitude was referued ( as it fhouldfeemc by the holy GhoftJ for that Evange- Z lifts \ The 1 ?. Sun- day after Tri- nity, Iohn.1.14. The great ^Prophets A dvent. lifts relation,who had difcouered before from his Matters bofome, That the word was made fiejh, and dwelt among vs ,and we beheld his glory ,as the glory of the only begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth. In a difpute in the former Chapter, with the Iewes of Ierufalem ( whotooke vpon them to be extraordinary zealous for their Sabbaths , and Mofes Law) with what invincible arguments doth our Saviour make good, That he was He e that fhould come,and that they were not to looke for any other? Hee proues it by the teftimony of his Father^ proclayming it fromheaucninhisBap- tifme, and his manifeft joynt working with him, He proues it by John Baptift, whom they held for aProphet,andtowhomthey had fent toknowc, and what could bee fuller then lohnBaptittstt&u mony? He that comes after me, is before mee.- And beholdtheLambeofGodthat taketh away the finnes of the world. Hee proues it by the Serif tures ,their ownegrounds 5 and thofehe vrgeth them to [ear ch^ and fee whether they did not tejlife of him or no. Hee further addcth CM ofes toproueit, in whom theytruftcd$andifyee beleeued him ( faith hej you would haue beleeuedmejiox he wrote of me. Laft of all befides all this , if an vnqueftionable miracle might be more prevalent-, fuch a miracle they had alfo,in the cure of the man at the poole of Be- the/da 5 who had lay ne there for remedy eight and thirty yeares. But what willfatisfie perverfe pra?- judice,and obdurate malice ? Profeflbrs of religi- gion for their owne glory and gaine , will hardly be brought toyeeld, though never fo plainly con- vinced, The great Trophets Advent. vinccd. For how canyee beleette(fakh our Saviour ver.44.) which receaue honour one of another , and feeke not the honour that commeth from Cjodonely. That loucthepraife of men^morc then the praifeo/ God. This was the rot that had then infcfted the le rvi/h Synagogue, and happy had it beene for Chri- ftians'tfit had there flayed. Let a miracle of our Saviours be never fo important, they wil perfecute and feeke tojlay him , becaufc hee did it on the Sab- bath day. One calumny or other they rauft needes findeout 3 tofet a colour vpon their owne procee- dings,& caft afperfions vpon his a&ions , and do- dirine. But rauft Chrift then haue no Church, be- caufc fome of thofe chiefeftChurch-men were op- pofitetohim? Itappeares hereto beeotherwife. Him whom thofe leaders forfake in pollicy , the Inferioursinfimplicky follow. They follow him from the Townes and Villages , ftriuing who fliould be the formoft,they follow him with their wiues and children , little regarding the incum- brances. They follow him into a defartplace,not thinking what wants and hazards they might meet with 5 and this they finde at the hands of the boun- tifull Maftei*they followed.Hc compaponats them cisShecpewithout a Sheapheard^ezchingthem ma- ny things,makes them a miraculous feaft to fend them away with content , beyond all exception or expectation. And then thefe men when they had feene the Miracle that] e s v s did^faid, This is of atruth that Prophet that Jhould come into thes Wcrld. 2. The words then are an Acknowledgement of\ Z 2 the Chap, 1 1.4 j, Clup,f.v.i6. Math. 14. Mark.6, 4 tp ew- &fO>7K>i] The great ^Prophets Ach>ent. Wherein may it the multitude that the promifed Prophet was come into theworld } and that I esvs who did that mira- I cle was He. Due observation, Then thofe men when they hadfeene the pleafe you to take miracle that iefiis did, faid, notice of thefe two\ 2 . True inference a This 'is of a Generals^ truth that Prophet that I jbould come into the world. To inferre without precedent obfervation is rafhnefle,and to obfeme and make nothing of it. Idle peculation. Vimy are very curious, and cenfo- 1 rious in the frfl,\u ho fall fhort in the latter ^ and o- thersare {q precipitant in the latter ^ that they con- clude often times without theprtmiffes ohhefrft. The practice therefore ofthclcfimple people, \iq.iq- inappeareth more rationall, then the haftineflc ofi many greater ScbtlUrs, Thefe would fee before ! they faid, & would not lay of a truth 5 before they j were throughly allured that there could bee no \ falflwod in it. Which falleth vpon the firft part ,the due obfervation, and in that order as the Text lea- ded} commeth firfttobedifcuiTed. 3>. Then thefe men when they had feene the mi- r&clethqt leftte did:$aid ; 1 .The Obfer vers, Thefe wen] 2. The manner of their oblcr- vation 5 T/^p«;] j.The thing cblcrued, The miracle which iefus did. j What thefe men were it cafily appeares by that In this obfervation* we may well take noticeof which goes here before, and the Collation of the three The great ^Prophets Advent. three other Evangeltfls. They were not Scribes and pkuifccs (for oughtthat we finde) nor of He- rods Court, much leiTe any of PiUts followers, for thofe ' it is likely) as Gallto in the A£ts,caredfir nofuch matter s^wt inferior per f on s 7 that admired our Swiours do&rine 5 converfation, and miracles, fuchasliuedabroadinthetownes 7 andvillages 5 & were willingto heare & fee fomething ? that might giue them further fatis faction. They knewe that by following Chrift , they were like to haue fmall countenance of the Scribes and Pharifees . They vnder flood that LohnBaptiftwzs butchered but a little before by Herod.and therefore from the He- rodims they had caufe to feare f ome danger. Nor could they be fo ignorant as to expeft any world- ly benefit from Chrift, who had not as much as a Foxjx Fowle- y a hole , or a nefl to put his head in, yet t bey with fome of their wiues and children, would needs venture to runne after him , into a defarr, and to paffe through thicke and thin (come of it what would ) fo they might enjoy his compa- ny. In charity a man would hence gather, that fome divine motion,more then ordinary befides a popular curiofity , wrought fo many to bee of one mindc. Otherwifc how could they haue beene fo refolutc.? Let vs fee now how our Saviour takes it,and entertaines them, He that fillet b the hungry wit b good t hings t zxi& fendeth away the rich empty 3 hath companion on their travell and wants,would notconfent to his Difciples advice, to difmiife them without fome re?ll and memorable token of his acccptance,and therefore examines them^vhat Z j provifion A3. 18.17. M3t.8.io. a The great cither the The great Trophets Advent, the givers or the takers* 3. With what conveni- ence every fingle Apoftle could minifterby com- putation of fome, to aboue eight hundred t 4. Whether every Apoftle had his feverall basket , for the fragments, and how thefe Baskets came there, with this and the like ttuffc , itisa peeceof nofmall learning with fome, to furbifh vp great volumes. But there is no great maftery in fuch mi- ft cries, which are more profitably dipt over, then mentioned. Yet to giue no vantage to the fcrupu- lous Sceptique or Scoptique, 1. For the drinke there needed not running to wells or neighbouring Rivers (as Salmeron tho. lefuite conietlttres) feeing the virtue that multiplied the food might make it feme both for drinke as well as me Ate. 2. The mult if lying is to be thought to haue begun, fir ft in the hands of oui Saviour (as S. Augufline notes with S. Hierome) then to hauecontinued vnder the! hands of the Affiles fas Chryfoftomc) and laftly to ! haue its complement in the hands and mouthes of the eaters, as S.Amb/ofe concludes with S. Hilary. 3. The order of their placing, made them the ea- Cicnobc ferved , neither the contrary appeares, but that one might helpe another in thediftribu- tion-4.What matterisit from whence thefe Baf kets came, feeing it is manifeft they were there,and rcccavedtheyr*£W£tf/j only, not whole loaues , to put it out of queftion that the foode there found wasmulttplyed^andnotcthQrjbifted in by crafty conveyance. Two things might be more profitably thought vpon of vs for our mftrudion. The fir ft taken from the quality, and aft ot thefc men. How Z 4 ready 8 The great ^Prophets Advent, Luke 13.18, Math, j 1. ill ready are thofe U aWpamo/, common people , not worthy the naming to follow our Saviour, rety- ring from them? Amongft vs thofe of better ranke fcarce giue him admittance, whenhee feekesthem out by his Ambaffadours, to doe them good*. The danger of the times could not keepe thefe backe, but many happy, fecure, and alluring invitations hardly bring vs on. Tfoele followed our Saviour into the defart, but what (hall I lay .• Wee fly from him coming home vnto vs in his word, Sacraments and benefits. Thefe things well thought vpon (B.) by the best, would make them better , and confide- red often by the (lacker make them afhamed of] theiringratitude.lt is a cutting fpeech o{ out Sa- viour to his rebellious countrimen , there fhall bee weeping andgnajhing of teeth, whenyee fhall fee A- braham, lfaac 7 andlacob,ancL all the Prophets in the Kingdomeof God, and you your felues thru ft out-^ and when Publicans and harlots ,and the meaneft of the people that beleene and are penitent, and follow Chnft, (hall be let at the right hand with the fheepe, and the G randy es of this world turn'd over to the left hand amongft the goates. Thisfhould put the greatefttoaprefent resolution, for altering their dangerous courfes, & for preventing the dager that is to come. Now to direct this refolution to the moft wifhed effect 5 here wc haue ( in the fecond place) our •S , ^/0#r/ownepra/7/ ^«, wan., dring *jf w 5 wanton e^ w,envious 91 w, proud eyes, covetous eyes, flattering eyes,pva>m£ov7*< fand blind, hypocriticall winking eyes, ftaring one way , and fquinting another, or the like. And it were to be wiflied, and it is to bee religioufly endeavoured, that no fuch eyes may bee found amongft vs: He that opened fo many eyes of the blinde, invites vs to come to him for eye falut. I counfellthee to buy ofmeegoldtryedin the fire that thou maieft be tich,andwhite rayment that thou maislbe cloxthed, that the frame oft hynakednefe doe not appear e, and \ annoint thy eyes with eye falne that thou mat ft fee. \ Thereafonof this is giuen by the beft Oculift, | The light of the body is the eye. It therefore thy eye \ hefingle, thy whole body Jhal/ be full of light, but if j thine eye be evill y thy body jhall bee fullofdarknefe. \ The eye therefore muft be conftantly dire&ed to J thefcopeweoughttoaimeat, it muft not glance j afidetobetoo^/^intothings that belong not ; to vs 5 or with watermen to looke one way and row j another 3 for this will bring in the end darkne(fe,dif- j content ,8c confuiion.Thefe />/<«#£ menizsh lhould j feeme) regarded nottolookeaftcratthat timeany j other thing then was before them, but fixed their eyes wholy on that , and that was the Miracle which — ^^_ -. The great Prophets Advent* it which Iefta did ^ the thing obfcrued in the third place. 6 Miracles are vnvfuall events wrought a- boue thecourfe of nature ('faith Salmeron.) To bring in all what the Schoolemen, and latter popifli writers haue heaped vpon this point, would be too tcdious,I fhall take therefore only that my text here occafioncth, and fopafle along. S. Auguftint puts a difference betwixt Miracula & CMiranda, Miracles and Wonders. Things that we wonder at, arc often performed by Mve/ls, Magicians y and />»^//tfrf,becaufc,notona fudden wee conceiue the caufes of them, and in true miracles there is a reafon giuen by Aquinas of their divers appellati- ons; they are termed Miracles in regard they ex- ceede the bounds of nature; Signes, becaufe fome- whatelfeisfignified,befideswhat is done- Prodi- gies for their excellency; Portenta for intimating fomewhat to come; T/Wtf w, becaufe Gods power is feene in them extraordinarily. This wee haue here is called ropou, a ftgne. Afigne to be feene, to rmnifctt the omnipotency of him that did it, and the truth of his teaching. Two other ends of fuch fignes are eminent in Scripture; The one to con- vtnee perverfe, and obdurate men with whom no reafon is prevalent:fo Mofes convinced hard-hear- ted Pharaoh with his Cftiagitians , and brought them at laft to tHs acknowledgement, 'This is the finger of God. Elia* drone the Baalites to the like confeflion: by obtaining fire from hcauen to con- fume not only the Sacrifice, and wood , but the ftones,duft , and water about it. The Lord is the Cod, Salmer. Tern, 6. Tr<* in a Miracle of the like nature to this-, when he fed a hundred men with twenty loams , and fome fulleares ofcorne. (7/#e the peGple that they may eate (kith he) For thw faith the Lord- They fhall eateandjhallleaue t her eof:So S.Peter curcsaAuneaSy lefus chrift maketh the whole. But our Saviour comes in a higher ftraine to the dead Damfe/l, I (ay vntothee ari fcto the Jlvrmy winds, and feas, peace, and he Bill^ to the raging dive 11 in the poffeffed, hold thy peace and come out of the man- y as here make the people fit downe y and no more adoe, He bleffethjhey r^,and the little pittance ferved them, with an o- verplusof fragments voided,morethcn the whole was at .-firth 7. . The Dive!! finding it his beft plea to be Gods tpeiw every thing he may haue H*reticos non potuife extorquere miracula, ne^ a Deo, ne% a Dia- bolo^ad confirmandam redem prafentjam. The He- ret i que s could never tvreft miracles, either from god or the Divetl, to conjirmethe reall prefence, and his fecond^ames Gretfer theiefuiteis yet more open, and gcnerall in his defence of the 2. Chapter of hisfirft booked verbo Dei, Diabolum nedignari ejre. TheDtvell himfclfe y U as it were, afhtmed, to covfrme the dottrine of Luther by miracles.lt is well then that Luther s and Calvines doctrine a- gzinttpopery, makes the DiveW a fhamed, whom I had thought had beenepaft fhame asfarre as any lefuitc. But what doe thefemenmeanein blurting outfuch inconfiderate fpeeches ? Doe they take pride,thatthe Dwell is foathand to advance their caufe by Miracles^nd fofhamefacedand backward tadoevs any favour in that behalf e ? If this be the iffuebetvveene vs^we fhall reft content,and be con- fident vponfuch Miracles as our Saviour wrought here. Tamenimfle- rilk 0* de- ferta eft Lit- rherana & C ah interna fefta vt du- bolxs ne dig- netur quidem per earn ali- quid faliaci- um, & vm- braralium prodigiorum "ggreJi ; fal- tm frequen- ter, & pa- lam; verity opinor,neom- nibxs ludtbrio exponatur. \6 Capgrauc in eimvita. I.iif.533. The great Prophets Advent here, and his Apoftles after for the firjl propagati- on oftheGofpell, and when we bring in arty new dottrine ,oradde any fuperftitions diuenting from this 5 then we will be venturous to caft about (as the Iefuits doe) for new miracles to confirme it. 9 And here a man would thinke that in this height oflearning^nd diligent inquiry into all fuch fuperflitious bufweffes , they would haue left off at length for fhame, to vphold their frittered ftt- per(lttions,vrith fuchknownedelufionsr'For how childiflily ftupid, and ridiculous, are their Legend , Miracles ? As that S c Brandon with his Monkes ihould keept three Eafters vpon the great fifh Iaf- con's backeinthemidftoftheSea.That S. Fran- cis fliould fwallow a fpider in the Challicejmd haue it out afterwards at hisfhinne boane. That our S. Dunfiane (houldtake thcDivellby the Nofe, with histonges, and S.Domimckmdkzhim hold the candle, till he burnt his fingers. That S. Patricke fhould raife out of a Sepulcher one Glaffe in Ire- landKing Lagers hoghearJ, who wasan hundred foote long, and baptize him after he was dead that he might returne no more to hell. Of thefe and the like miraculous ftorics wee haue the cenfure of MelchiorCanu5{\ thinke as learned a P!rofefIor 3 and Bifhop as moft of that C\dc)Dole^ter hoc dicojotius quam contumeliosi^ I (peak e it out of griefe rather then to difparage anj^ That Diogenes Lacrtius a- mongft the Gteekes, and Suetonius amongft the Latines , haue more fyncerely and ferioufly fet downe the hues, and aftsof the Philofophers and Emperours: then Catholiques haue Chronicled the doings ' The great ^Prophets Advent < doings of their Martyrs, Virgins ,Satnts, and Con- ftfjors. By this we might hope offome plainer dealing, and that Miracles ihould bee no more fo palpably forged to infatuate the credulous, but a- laffe we finde it otherwife. Printing and curious fainting are now hired to expreffc thefe Pageant *, with the more grace, fo that thofe who haue no o- ther helpes of learning may haue the miracles at life in the pictures. In this fafhion not much aboue twenty yeares fince, the ^Miracles of the Rofary were fee forth at Antwerp*, and dedicated by the Dominican Fritrs to the Infanta ofSpaine: There in the eight pi&ure you fhall finde a head of a no. ble r/>£/>* called Alexandra , devoted in her life totheii^r^afcendingfromthebottome of a pit into which it hadbeenebarbaroufly throwne^and making AuricularconfeiTion to a Dominican Fry- tr % and thereby preventing her damnation , 150 daies after it had beene cur off from the body. In the i2.theblefied Virgin is fetched from heauen tobcaMidw;fetoaSpaniP),Lady y and our Savi- our himfelfe to be Chaplaine for the Cbrifining of the child, and afterwards to fay CMaff'e at the Churching, where S.Anne and S.Magdalen alfo attended in the manner otgofiips. It would be tea- dious to your patience, but to haue a lift of the new Saints in their Miracles, S.lfodorc, S.Tenfa, S. Francis Xaverius and the like, who are fcarce yetwarmein the Calender. Only S. Ignatius the I efuits founder may be a little taken notice of, his pi&ure wee haue in a peculiar table, fet forth by Francis Villamena, and dedicated to the Duke of A a v Bavaria \7 The great ^Prophets Acbent. Bavaria, on the top of it, is prefixed this Motto, fit for him and his, that haue beene the firebrands of fomanycombuftions./g#«#'itf#i mittere in ter. ram,&qmdvolo nifi accendatur'. I came to fet fire on the earth y and what will I bat that it be kindled 1 ; About this piin this pageant of the lefuits. But thefearc but the \hncksofpeevijh painters ,1 may fome man fay; 1 4 not I The great 'Tropbets Advent. I 19 notany way countenanced by the pi/Jars of that Churchy I would willingly hauc it lb too,and wifh with all my heart, there were that fyncere dealing amongftthem that nothing could bee faid againft them that might not be as foone anfvvered. But it falls out othcrwife, for hauc weenotvnder hand & feale of this Pope now being Vrbane the 8 . in the Bulloi thcCanom^ations of Ignatius Loyola jx Ca- talogue of the like miracles in the curing of divers not only by pray er to him,butby applying his Image to the parts moft defperatly affe£tedr ) A coppy of which£«//istobe feenein our publique Library in Oxford, It:u& his ho line (Je will not father fan- cies.But I fhould dwell here too long, if Iperfued more particulars. Centra Mirabularios iflos cautum me fecit 10 InUhan. Traff.i. Math, z4.11. V.z 4 .if. Deus mens, (faith S . Augufline.) Againfl fuch mi r&cle-mongers 3 God hath armed me te take heed* Where he faith w the lafl times many falfe Pro- phets fha/l rife, and fhalljhew great fignes and won- ders, info much that if it were pofible, they fhall de- ceiuethevery eleci: Behold I hatte told you before, and the vfc is there added to this doctrine, where- fore if they fl) a II fay vntoyou behold, he is in the dc- fart.goe not forth, behold he is in the fecrct Cham- bers,u TtutioK (faith the originall ) it will bcare in al v;x,ox fccringboxeby Tranfubjlantiation, beleeuej it not. The Apoflles fecond this. S. Paul tells vs that that man tffinne, that Jonnc of perdition , that wicked one fhall come after the woiking ok Satan, with i\\ power and fignes, and lying wonders , and u j\ with all deccivableneffe of 'vnrighteoufneffe, and! I0 A a 2 there- \ io Revel, 1 3 . Open's Imper- IfM. Mom. 4$. The great Tropbets Advent \ \ Farif. apud \ AlldKt2U7)l 3 Tatvum-iz 8M557. j T>e Xotis Ec therefore we are to take heed and to ftand faft: S. lohn foretells vs of a great beafl, that fhould doe great wonders^nd deceiue thofethat dwell in the earth by meanes of 'thofe Miracles • and addes this, If any haue an eare to he are let him heare. There were then fignes (faith an ancient author vpon the 24. of CMathew, which vfuallyhath gone vnder the name of ■ S. Chrifojlome) whereby heretofore true Chriftians might be differenced from their oppofites-i^'r/ discipline, then Miracles, thirdly good life. But after the abomination of defolation once fits in the holy place, the Idolaters fhall haue Churchy Scriptures, Bijhops, Sacraments ,in a more pompous manner then the right bcleeuers. They fhall ftand vpon Miracles, make a fhew of a grea- tzr/lnffnej/e of life,thcnany of the true profeffbrs, and that- with fo high a hand, that then there will be left nothing to know who are in the right, Nifi tantummodo (faith he) per Script uras, but only by the Scriptures. But this whole palfage in one Edition is left out, for fome reafons the Factors for Popery befrknow. Now for thedifcerning of true mira- cles from falfe,\vt needgoe no farther then tan- tummodo per Scripturas, here in the text. Bellar- mint'm refutation of a fond dotage of CMahumtt (that he fet the OMoone together, when it was cut ^^andreftoredittoheauenj thinkes it fuffici- ent to reply , Neminemfuijfe qui videret hoc mira- culum? whofaw this miracle be fides him that is [aid to work* it* And may not wee likewife demand who hath feene thefe Indian CMiracles and others,, that they fa much vaunt of p This miracle here was The great Tropbets Advent, was not done by candle light in a corner , to bee (eencthrougha^r^ata^//?^^, but at bright day. It wzsfu/lyfeene not by one, but many, not of one fort, but of divers conditions , not ingaged in a faction , but indifferent. Thefe plaine honeft men are indifferent trialls, betvveene realities and forgeries, and therefore the people vpon fuch evi- dence inferred as followes, This is of a truth that Prophet that Jhould come into the World, my laft part left to conclude with. "o*to- s#r &\n$*< o eofn^l where firft wee 21 II hauc their afuranct^ of a truth*. 2 . the thing affu red, This is that Prophet that fhould come into the World. This afurance of this multitude, no other- wife qualified, may feemc fomewhat peremptory > zndquejlionable^ox how could they preiume on the truth of a conclufion, that had never learned logique,orfate perchance at the feet of 'any Gamali- el 1 : Better it might hauebefeemed them to haue confulted firft with their great Rabbines, what to thinke, then to haue prefently proclaimed this to be the promifed Prophet. But here wee are to take notice by the way,that consequences are of two forts, fome immediatly flowing from the premiffes, o- thers farther remote: The firft arc obvious to any that haue but common fence, and vfe of reafon , as when our Saviour would ptoue to his affrighted difciples, that he was no (pirit. Handle me and fee (faithhe) for aSpirit hath not fie fh and bones, as ye\ fee mee haue. A (firit hath notflefh and bones, but I haue fieflt and bones, therefore I am not a Jpirit. Naturall reafon in an Infidell will approue of A a j fuch Luk.24.39. XI Luk. 2.0.37. Aa.17.1x, The great Tropbets Advent, fuch a conclufion which faith ever prefuppo- feth not oppofeth , non tellit fed extollit ("faith one)it is fo far re from taking reafon away, or a- bating it, that it raifeth it to a higher pitch. In deductions more remote from principles ? there willbeneedotaguidjto point out the intervene ent dependances , how one truth followeth vpon another. So in that of Our Saviour againft the Sa- duces^lamthe God of Abraham J he Godoflfaack>& the God of Jacob , there is required much skill (that every man hath not) to make good the mfe- rence,thcvQfovcthe dead fhali rife. In fuch difficul- ties God hath appointed Bi/J)ops y Doctors^ and Pa- ftours'm his Church,to dire& the more vnskilfull, and to minde 3 and exhort them to apply all,to their edification,in faith ,and manners. They ordinarily by their calling,are to interpreter, the hearers to attend vnto,and examine thtixlnterpretation^hs;- theritbeeconfonant to the rule, giuen by God in Scripture 3 which cannot deceaue. Let Saint Paul therefore vrgetheScripture never fo ftrongiy that Chrift was the promt fed Prophet that wo* to come y yet the noble Bereans (hall be commended for ex- amining it by the r»/ir,whether it wercfo or not. k istheT^A-^courfe to eftablifh CAiahumetifme r hyxhzfword^ the Popes ^0 vphold fuperfttion by fire find powder-plots 5 and where that cannot get ground,by other proiecls > and forgeries • the A- nabaptifis by Enthufiafmes, and the like. But the Orthodoxe Chrifhan contents himfelfe wholy with the Canon that is giuen. Any conclusion evi- dently drawne from that 3 fliall fway him • out of , that The great Tropbets Advent, *3 ^,hchimfclfe may profitably colled*, whatfo- ever he finds there, is warranted, according to that he will cenfure, whatfoeucr others teach him bcfore,hewill fubmirhis/i//A 5 reafon 5 and confei. ence to follow them. This too much admiring of particular CM after s& by a faith implicit e, (which the Papitts magnifie) pinning (as it were ) religion vpon other mensjleeues ; when thofe Mafters dif /eramongfl themfelues , muft needs breed great diftradions,and thofe can no otherwifc bczfolde- red then by repairing to that one rule which fhould keepe vsall in vnity. Our Saviour appeales to no other Iudge(in this controverfiebetviecncWim 9 and the Scribes and Pharifees , whether hee were the Prophet that was to come or no , Luke 1 2. ) then to the people that were his Auditors . When you fee a cloud rife out of the Weft (faith he )ftraightway yee fay there commeth aftorme^andfo it is 5 and when yee fee the South winde blowe,yeefay there will be heat^ and it commeth to paffe^yee Hypocrites 5 yee can dif cerne the face oft he heauen^andof the earth >but how is it that yee doe not difcerne this time t Yea, and why ofyourfelues iudge you not what ts right i Ne- czfaxy \s\t\hdx offences come ^ and Herefies will ever be on foot, for the triallof the faithfull : wee can but propofe vnto you our grounds jind inferen- ces for the maintenance ot the truth , and that by way of perfwafton . Itisleftto you to difcerne by Scriptme^whe goes the right way , to try whether yet are in the fait h } io proue thejpirits whether they are of God , not by the deceitfull waights of mens inventions, but bytheballance of the Santfuary, Aa 4 . thatj v. 14. 24 Hi T KOffftQ** The great Tropbets Advent. thatthe holy Ghoft hathfet before vs. Our Savi- our here aflfbrdeth a true Miracle , but the people a& their owne part in making a due inference. Of a m^£.3Thisfubvertethat once two maynepoints oiPopery. Thereof their Infallible Interpreters, yet flood for by all.The other wherein fome com- ply with thcSoeinians, taken vp of late by Cardi- nall Perone^Fer one, and other French Iefuits ^who will tye vs to the -ntf-ny the bare words of the Scri- pture onely 5 without admitting any conference. Thefe things will hardly ftand together 5 for if con- fequences may not be admitted, what need any In- terpret*rai'&\x.Q> dired: them Infallibly $ And if there be fuch an infallible Interpreter , what is left to the iudgement of the Auditory i Might nor our Saviour with S r Peter and S c Paul, when they fend vs to fear ch the Scripture 5 put vs into a furer way, by directing vs vnto Chriffs Vicar , and S. Peters fucceffour? I may not ftand longer to make plaine the poorenejj'e of either of thde plots. Let it be our fyncereftudy(Beloued)to make vfe of that wee read^i hcare from any,& not to fuffer good 'things toflyde away without due application. This was the peoples aflurance here^and the thing allured is this.T^tf is that Prophet that fhould come into the world. The laft circumftance left to difmiffe your patience. 12, That Prophet that jhould come into the world. This is the pithoiaW that went before, & which my Meditations moft aymed after 3 but I perceiue the time hath furprifedmee, and Imuft comply. Two things heie would haue fallen di- ftintf- The great 'Trophets Advent. *y ftin&ly tobeconfidcrcd of. The frfireceiued by Inttrtittion, this people had heard before , that there was fuch a Prophet by them to be expe&ed. The Second conceived by the prefent CMtracU wrought,* hat this tva* He. They had often read & heard in the Law, and the Prophets : that the feed } of the woman fhouldbruifc the Serpents head: that when the Scepter fliould depart from Tudah , and a Law-giuer from between his feet,that then Shiloh fliould come. They cxpe&ed according to vn- doubted Prophecies , the Virgins fonne of the root of '/effect he branch of Iufticejhc eminent Shepheard, the Gouernourjhe King ofSionjhe defireofAll Na~ ttcns^Scc. But the fpcciall promife they feeme to take notice of here , was 3 that of their Law-giuer iV//^f, and therefore mif- fed tvhereto find him, orthoughtit fit though hee knew all this, vulpinare cum vulpibus, hith A La. pide the lefuite^ which may be rendred not amiffe, to play the lefuite with his oppofites: or that which isworfc of his fellow Lorinus^ he knew his per- fon,and placetobeoflittleregard,thathad fo ty- rannically abufed his place and perfon , for this trenches deeper into dangerous and defperate ap^ preaches vpon CMagitfrates , if their perfons , and place iliould bey?/£/tf^,becaufc fome actions of theirs (perchance) may be iuftly excepted againft* That which CMaldonate notes on the 34. v. of the 2. of Luke, nefcio anfacilior hie locus fuiffet, fi ne- mo eum expofui/fet, may be well here applyed to hisfellowes- this place (out of doubtj would haue beenc clearer, if no fuch comments had gone about to cleare it. We muft take therefore the text along with vs, if we will not be milled by the commen- tators.Now in this,why fliould the Apoftle frame an excnfejxhcYQ no offence had beerre committed, orgiuc dircition for amendment where nothing was amiffe before. This kindeof deniall then in ourEnglifhtranffotion, Itvijtnot, whereby *%*hif in theoriginall jry> K^>in the Syriack (which S. Paul then fpake) hath more pith in it, then all the former intricate difputes- for thisfignifies not, / knew not abfolutely (as the Rhemifis out of the vulgar render it) but,I considered not: I heeded 'not: Bb 1 The 8 "Reverence to Rulers, Ad. p. 1 7. The /#/0>7 offered made mee fo ovzx-fhcote my felfe,that Itookenotfufficientwf/Ve how he was the high Prieft ^and therefore in my haft termed him rv hit ed wall) which terme ( I confeffc ) might hauebeene welljpared^not becaufe it was falfe, but becaufc it was not/fr, nor confonant to that which is written, lacknorvledge therefore herein my o- ver fight and willnotftandto defend it. Which ex- pofition Erafmuswxth S.Cyprian in fome fort ju- ftify. Behold here a plaine hearted Nathaniel in whom there was neither gall nor guile ^ pride nor pcrtinacy, no fooner was he minded of his fault % but presently heamendethit. There was no want ofn^Mnhim,buttt^tomaintaine what he had let f all y neither was it a hard taske for him, that had beenefo throughly cured 5 and catechifed by rhegood Ananias jo make good, that this great A- nanias was as bad as might be. But he chofe rather to confeflTe his owne , then to aggravate others fault s^ leaning an eminent patterne of holy ingenui- ty for all good Christians to follow. 4 / Wift not brethren that hee was the high Frieft.~]¥oY in that regard had he vfed me worie, it was a fault in me to right my felfe in vnfeemely tetmes. Here wee falhhen vpon a virtue,which all the heathen Philofophers never tooke fufficient no- tice of 3 but true Chriftianshzuz alwaies entertai- ned vnder the title offinglenefte of hearty and inge- niousftmplicity .This cxcludcth all double dealing in all our anions, by hypocrify , circumventions ' f fraude ^coufenage ffty inftnuations, forged pretences y clofe whijperings yfophiftica/l delations y equivo- cating Reference to Rulers eating delufions , crafty conveyances and the like. ThcScboo/emenafiigncit to tr ut £,asan attendant to kcepeit from oxer-lajbing^or minewg^ccordmg to that iudicious oath admimftrcd to fuch as by Jaw giue evidence fhzymntf (peake the truth ^without re - fufalljhe whole truth without dtminifiring, and no- thing hut the truth, without additio t\\xou$i favour - fearCyOvaffeclion. Notwithftanding all this 5 in [im- plicit*] it felfe,theremay be doubling ,8c mingenui- (7,witmay fomctimesproue n?/7y or wanton. There is afimplicity y \which the Scripture taxeth for want of duccircumjpecJion & discretion. In theftreets & gates, & chiefe places of concourfe, Wifdome cries againft h,How long willy ee fimple ones louefimplici- ^?that is never ftriue to better your knowledge in things thatmay doe you moft good,but fuffcr your lelues to be abufed in that,which will ouerthrowe, and fliame you. Through a cafement a little after, theliVt fimpleyouth is difcouered , void of vnder- ftanding^ palling to a light womans houfe,as an Oxe to the (laughter ,or zfoole to the Hocks , till a dart fti ike through his liuer. Such S'implicians the He- £mvmerme ^f\& fro nftfc a root, which fignifies to be won, or carried every way without^/? or reafon. Every flattering fpeechihzMdrawc them to doe any thing. Every forged tale 9 ov miracle , /hall make them change their religion . Every confi. dent calumniationfet them at oddes with their heft friends. But that fitnpli city , which Scripture here approueth , is true meaning in our thoughts, plaine truth in our words ,faithfull dealing in our acJions, Religious conflancy in our Prof eft ons, an innocent B b 4 and 109. Prov. t.21. C.7. IO Gcn.20.Y.4. %0ereme to Rulers, i. Cor. 1. xi. and harmleffe intent, even in thokflipps of ours, wherein we may be often overtaken, This Abiwe- /^findshisbeft plea before God, when hee was threatned death for the rape of Sarah , Gen. 20. Lord wilt thou flay alfo a righteous nation ? In fim- plicity of my heart t andinnocency of my hands haue I done this ,v .5 .C3ft w*tt>aplawe & vpright man, is the chiefeft title of honour gi'uen to lacob^ & iob y Gen. 2 5. and lob thei. David one of the fame />™/^/0# ? is a Suitor to the King of heauen , for fuch mens pardon, and preferment , Lord doe well \ ( faith he) vnto them that aretrue of heart 5 let not \ thefimple goe away afbamed. And what is the raea- 1 ningofour Saviour , when hzzprofeffeth that the kingdome of God belongeth vnto fuch, as rcfemble beft 5 little^/7^/^//>^ofpurpofe,todoe amifchiefe , but be- ing offended is eafie to be reconciled , is a jOhialifi- cation fit for thofe that fhall haue acccfle vnto em- blemed S^^^and be his Favorites. So theCo- rinthians,which went for the wits of thofe dates ^ NtmcnivU homini , &c. our Apoftle affront eth with thi$fimplicity. Our rejoycing(faith he)is this, the tcftimonie of our confcience: That in Simplicity andgodlyfyncerity^not with flejbly wife dome, but by thegrrt^0/(7&* *V *Ji*v&fi an Ocbel cartzo ( as the Sy riac hath it) a Spreader of calumnies, vpon which hee feeds. But luftm frier eft accufator fui : A juft inge- nious man,will fooner acknowledge his faulc,then his eager Adverfary {hall take notice of it, Prov. i8a7.0rifthatrendring of the vulgar be excep- ted againft, (as I thinke it may juftly ) I am fu re our Saviours rule will not fayle. Thou Hypocrite fir ft cofl out the beameef thine owne eye , and then (halt thou fee cleerelj to caft out the mote of thy brothers eye. Eft quidem huius dulcedo vitij ( faith Calvin ) vt neminemferi non titillet cupidittisjn aliena w- tia inquirenda. Mod men ( as it were ) make a pra- <5Hfe,and take a pleafure in it, to finde a h?le in an- other mans coat , but our beft way is to judge our felues^as our Church booke exhorts vs ) that we be not iudged of the Lord. So David , I faid it was mine otvne infirmity , {ofooltjh was / 5 and as it were, a be aft before thee y l faid in my haft t allt%en are lyers . Which haftineffe our Apoftle here excufeth not in himfelfe,butexpofeshisr^#f4J/0/z to the cenfure ofthofe,which tooke exceptions againfthim,that God might be glorified , and men, though his eni- mies,rcceaue meet fatisfaftion. Where his humili- ty is moft eminent in the fecond circumftance. It is a noted humour,efpecially amongft Scbollers, that q*i Reference to Rulers. qui vult ingtnio cedere, nu Hut erit, to bcc taxed for loyteringsouetoufnej]eJuxurie,fride^ambition y dif- fembling , faction , intrufion into matters that be. long not vnto vs,or the likc 5 arc £#*// ,amongft the nioft of vs,cafily to be fwallowed,or bruflit away with thefe put offs, or the like : 'tis the fafiion of the worlds our betters doe it, and 'twere pride, or Stoictfme in vs 3 to be lingular .• But when once our farts^dtfcrttioriyOx learning fhall bee called in que- ftion,whenour/£/w4;w is laid open before vs, and mi flakes ^ and err ours rauft come to bee recan- ted, how loath are wee with S. Auguftine to wxitt retraciatios^ox to be brought to this our Apoftle's, I mfl not Brethren.] Nay wee fhall hardly terme them Brethren,that preffe vs to any fuch exigent. The more therefore is ro bee marked the third pecceofour Apoftles ingenuitte. Thereisakinde of Chriftian and winning complement, which in- fenfibly makes much for the abating of exajperati. ons amongft enemies , and the eftablifhing oftfic Saints Commnmon^mongd Chriftian focieties .For it is not Cour tjbip one Iy , but Christianity to giue faire language to all men in their places 5 provided alwaies,that a heart ? and a heart ,by double dealings doe not marre the harmome. So Lot called the So- domites ^brethren , when they came to force his houfe^nd abufe his guefls. Our Saviour vouchsa- fed Iudas the Traytor , the title ok friend. A fof t anfwere ( faith the wile man ) turneth away wrath, but gricuous words ftirvp anger. What an excel- lent vfe doth Abraham make of this one word Brethren ? hac vied by our Apoftle , Let there bee no Gen.19. . Mat,z6. Prov. 1 5.1 1 H Reference to Rulers, i.Cor.tf, 5 no ft rife (tilth he) to Lot ^J pray thee, betweenethee and me, and bet weene thy herdfmen ? and my herdf- men, for we an Brethren. Surely Abrahams Lo- gicke,(a Father of learning, as well as of the faith- full) would here haue fay led him, ifthisargument might not haue pafled f orcurrant , Brethren mu ft haue no ft rife bet weene them, Wee are Brethren, ergothcttjhouldbenoftrife betweenevs. To put a period to fome vfuall and fcandalous Ianglings, that much diflra&ed the new converted Corinthi- ans y our Apoftle takes vp the fame medium 5 with a kinde of indignation. lfteake this to your fhame is it fo, that there is not a wife man amongft y$u* not one that fh all be able toiudge bet weene his brethren i but a brother goeth to law with a brother? Now thereforethere is utterly a fault Amongft you, why doe you not rather take wrong ? why doe you not ra- ther fnffer your felues to be defrauded \i Nay you doe wrong and defraud, and that your Brethren. Thefe are all the Apoftles words,and his pra&ife here fe- conds it in the fourth place. He knew well enough that there might be a queftion , whether that this Ananias 5 were tiucly high Prieft or no ? lofefhm leaues it wonderful/ ambiguous 5 and others plainelj deny it: but S . Pa///found him here in the place , & he knewe whatfoeuer the per f on were , the dignity was not to bee vilified. Jt was not then a time to difpute the *7£^,but to giue example of fyncere o- bedience dueto Superiors. 6. Thishe did then 5 and this now all inferi- ours fhould doe. But alasfBeloucd,) /r0/£#againft their tyranny and fuperftitions, the pee.vifl?nejfe of the Puritans, that cry all pro- phane that forteth not with their fingularity^ the rafhnefleof fome Protejl^ntsthatraileon allthofe, who in any point diflcne from their tenents , or Mafters, haue bcene cenfured by the deliberately w0^-4/£ 5 tohcthegrc2tcf1: hinder ance of thewi- fazdvnion of zlltxuc Chrtjlians. But what fhould we fay in the multitude of fuch diftra&ions^But, Helpe Lord 5 for there be few godly men left , plaine dealing is minified from amongfl the children of memxhey talke of vanity , everyone with his neighbour, they doc but flatter wifh their ///>/ , and dtflemble with their ^//£/f heart. The happier then are thcy,and more to be honoured and prayed f or,that keepe thcmfelucs clofeft , to our ApofHes ingenious J 5 \6 Reverence to Rulers. ingenious moderation. This barres them not from lawfull vantages ,to faue themfelues harmelefTe, where the right would beare it, For when theCap- taine would haue fcourged our Apoftle, he pleads the priviledge of a Roman. When the Pbarifees, & Saduces were combined to condemne him , he fets them at oddcsjjy catting in,a vexed point amongft them,about the reftwetfion. When hope was part foriufticefromthe Roman Deputic y hceappeales vntoC he Ruler of "thy people .Which ishisfrwe infimclion , and fecond member of my Text, that now followes in order,to lead on your Chriftian attentions. is one of the 367 places, oras others reckon 370, which are'eited out of the old Teftament, in the New. It is taken from the 22. ofExod. verfe,28. 72 thus giuc it 5 0e« * wMhoyrxtHu and the vulgar La- tine, D jf j non detrahes , which our laft tranflation to the word exprefleth thus; Thou (halt not revile the Cods, nor non meliorem,non verio- remfermmem. For exceptions might be taken by Infidels againft the trasfiguration y zs> lyable to fome fujptcionolimpofture , which could haue no/hew againft that 3 which was before fo long time writ- yen. 8. It would makeaman wonder, to obferue how fat re thofe that pretend themfelues to be S. Peters fucce (fours , and S.Pauls fc hollers 5 ftart back both from S.Peter and S. i^ff/,inthisbehalfc. But well they vnderftand 5 thatif this ground of fcrip. turn e(i ftand- their Antichrifiian hierarchy , and fuperftition muft needs fall to the ground. It was themaineft ayme therefore 5 of the Counce/lot Trent y before they ventered further, vpon any con* trovtrted point s , to take order , that no cnemie fhouldbeleftat their backe , nor this fcriptum eft, doe them any prejudice. Remaine it (hou Id'm /hew, (fo* it was beyond any humane folicie , and Iwpu- dency Reverence to Rulers. 21 dency totakc it quite offthe 6k) but remained ft\o\i\dy\v\thfx\chclogges , and qualifications ,that they might prefjeit , when in fliew it wakes for them, or quaft it , when it is mainly againft them. I will inftancc no further then in Bellarmines foure bookcs,Z>£ vetbo Deifcripto, & nonferipto, which hecontriuedofpurpofe,to juftifie that Councell. In theftrft of which becaufc the receiued \ and vn- queftioned Canon,WQ\\\d make clearely (as they all fawj for the fcriptum eft of the Prote Hants , the A- pocrypbamuft. be taken in , to peece out the matter, and goe for as good proofe, as any Canonic all 'fsrip- turn eft whatfoeuer. Secondly , becaufe fdme van- tages might be taken from the faulty tranflation of the vulgar edition . this edition in the next place, with all it's/Wtt,muftbe as currant, as the fcrip- tum eft, of the OriginalLNzy according to the con- struing of moft of their St hooks , and Prof eft ours, who are leflTc pracJifedin the tongues, be preferred beforeit. Thirdly, leaftall this fhould fayle ,the I Pope is brought in,in his third booke, as an infalli- ble ludge^nd interpreter , where let thcText,bee ! what it may, the fenfc mufl bee had from his vner- rable Holincflc. But what and there bee not any thelcaft fhew of any fcriptum e/?,whevpon any in- terpretation may be grounded?( as they are driuen to confefle in diuers controversies bet weene them | and vs ) Willthey then be content that out fcrip- tum efl ftiall carry it?No,by no meanes.Then their | Traditum eft, is pluckt out at the laft caft , in his fourth book, wheve vmvrittenTraditionsmuMuip- ply the defeft of fcriptum eft. And fo follow them Cc 2 ncuer 22, %eT>erence to Rulers. neuer fo clo(c , they haueconfulted of a farting hole. And thus in this chiefeft ground forfetling Religion 3 the Church of Rome ( you fee ) aflumes nokfTe4tf/7;ytoitfelfe, then Godhimfelfe. If he giue vsa Canon y ovrule,they will make Apocry- phaoi asfirmeW/W/fjiasthat. Ifheafford vs the original! , their dijfenting tranjlation (hall bee no \z& authentic all then that. And yet then, when all the reft faylcs ? the P^^i infallibility 5 wich a Statui- mus^decernimus ,and an Anathemato him,that in a- ny fort withftands it, (hall bring in vnrvritten tra. ditions to decide all the controuerfies. For what their. full meaning is,in this bchAk^Cardinal BeL larmwe ( vpon occafion) blurts out,in his fecond booked ejfecJu Sacramentorum^ the 25 .Chap. S/ tollamm^ Auihoritatempr^fentis Bcclefia^ & pr&~ fentis ' ConcilijTridentini. If we take away the an* thority (faith he J of this prefent church of Rome , & that prefent Councill of Trent , what then f why then all the decrees of all former Councills , ( hee adds) rjr tot a fides Chrifliana , and all Chriftian re- %/^maybecaird in queftion. But what can S. Pauls, or our Sauioursfcriptum e ft Jiand Chrifians in Jlead,iC the Popes profcriptum eft > may foeafily cancdliz? Is this found ftuffe thinkc you, to hold vppietie in Church , or policy in a Common- wealth ? Bcloued, wee muft not quit our old grounds receaued from God, to entertainefuch new protects, devifedby partiall ?nen , whoareall fortheirovvne^^ 5 though all end at length to their owrrefliameandconfufion. But though If rael play the harlot Jet not ludah imitate her. Let it be Reverence to Rulers bealwaiestheinfamieof the Babylonifh {trumpet, to fow [editions ,countenance Rebellions , blow the Coalesincombujlions^make Saints of Traytours , & Tray tours of fuch Cmvptefoules as (hall be ruled by them . But let vs in the meane time hold conjlantly clofcto that which is written , as here our Apoftle leads vs along, 9 . It t6 written thoujhalt notjpeake evillofthe Ruler of thy People. There is zSefloflatcPfalofi- phers % who hauing taken vpon them to vindicate Arts and fciences^from CMonkiJl) dunctry^ infift efpecially vpon thefe three rules, out o$ Ariftotle^ *? xuv1&>wVJvTi& ^9'ok«tp«W. Thefirft they fay is lex veritatujhc law of truth , and that mud bee generalljNithout exception. The fecond, Lexlufli- ti£ i Thelaw0ffuflice > d.nd by that we may not fly out,but kcepe our felues to the point. The third is, Lexfapienti* 3 Thelaw ofWifdome^ this rangeth the truth 5 and right ofthe former in their due pla- ces and order. An intimation at leaft of all thefe wc'haueinthis«»/0etf* pofttion^citcd here by our Apoftle. 7#*//,whofoeuer 3 whether high,or low, vich,or poore 5 in favour,or di(grace 5 thisis *p w7o* agQHeralltruth) without exception . Thoujhalt not fpeake cvilljn publike or private,of thine owne ac- cord 3 orexafpentcd,thisis^*VJ$, to the point, the Apoftle was taken vpon. Again f: the Ruler of thy people , Prinee,or Prieft, Supreame 3 orfubordi- nate Magiftrate^thisis ^G'oak^p^tdk, the rule of wifdome that fcts all in their due places. You fee what a matt of matter yet remaincth to be difcuf- fcd 3 if it needed in this place, and thetimc would *3 Ccj giuc 24 i Math.<.2i. Reverence to Rulers, giuefcope. For any onethatcan (peake til , may haue enough to fay againft ill [peaking: and ill (pea- king againft Rulers , when Rulers are in prefence, fhovA&receaue blowes rather to punifh, then words toreproue. Againft this virulent humour whole volumes haue been written. And out of mod of the Pf times of David^out of Solomons Proverbs 3 and Ecdeftaftes^ out ofleffr the fonne of Sjrach ( who | hath amafTed together the receaued moralitre of 1 the Church,as then it flood,) how many p*ff*ges to thispurpofe might bee produced t But J am to gleane only , & therefore I vrge no more but this. Thisillfpeakingagainft 6W,is bUJpemie, againft our Gmernours ,fcandalum CMagnatum, a fcinde of treafon^zgamft. our fellow brethren , vncharitable- nejj'e • and by our Saviours interpreting thefixth CommzndQm(:m^ degree of murder. M'^ih.^ % Co- cerning the fii ft finne that ever was commuted,the Fathers ^Schoolemen , and later Divines , haue di- vers conieltures fomc lay famsjPttir* others , rrtfi- delitie^ others ^ingratitude • I thinke 'twas all thefe together,and therefore quarrellwith noneofthc. But for this I haue zfcriptum eft , that the firft fin \ndevdfcriptumeft 5 wasa «*£ttf#fe againft God the fupreme Ruler of vs all. For confider but that fetch ofSatanf'm thethird of Genefis, Yea hath God faid+that yee [ballnot eat of every tree ofthegardeni It was tcplyedjes he hathfaid it,that wejhouldnot eat ofitjiorfo much as touch it, and a penalty is ad- ded Jeaftyeedye. What followeth f And the^r- pent faid vnto the woman, Teefhallnotfurely dye, for God doth knowe that in the day thatyee eat there- Reference to 'Rulers. *y of, your eyesjballbe opened,you flail be as Gods, know- \ ing good and evill: you arc fimplc 5 and miftakc the injundion,for the tree is notnamed the tree of life and death, bux. the tree 0$ knowledge of good & evil- \ therefore by eating of it there's no feare of death, ; but affurance ot the knowledge oi good and evill, \ which would make you ItkeGod himfelfe,mdthaz i hthloathto afford you. This is iht-ditt fault and I /*//4 and rebellions Jpirits i The execution was prefently vpon it , ( as David repeats it^ The earth opened, and fwallowed vp Dathan 7 and covered the com- pany of Abiram. But thefe men ( may fome j mterpofejwent too grojly to worke.Come we then 1 to Ahitophel^ who wanted not wit; nor crafty con- veyance.Vs/hofeCounfellin thofe dayes (faith the Textjwas^ if a man had enquired of the orach of God, But what came all this deepe policy to at laft, when it was pernitioufly bent againft the Ruler wA Gods people! I need fay no more then fcriptum esl$ \ Htfadled his Affejmd arofe^nd get him home to Iris I houfe^his Cttty 5 that his neighbours , and tenants ; might take notice of it 5 and/>#/ his houfe in order, & j hanged himjelfe. And fo let all thine enemies perifh \ (O God) which thinke ///,or fpeake /// , or much ; more 3 plot /// , or a•/>#>•/, are not to be ill fpoken of, what apologies can thefe filly dreamers pretend, (they are the words of Saint Iude) that defpife dominions, and fpeake evill of Dignities. If tjMichael the Arch- angel/ durft not bring againfttheD/w// himfelfe, in a difputation,a railing accufation^darcd thou (as it weve)m cold bloodjo vphraid Rulers, not Rulers only of others, but Rulers of thy people? Laft of all ifNebuchodonozor mnft he prayed for ,and Baljha- far his fonnc, who(asweall knowj heavily oppref fed the people of God, what fupplications and prayers, interceftonsmd giuing ofthankes y (that I may end with our Apoftles exhortation, as I began with his precept) are to be rend red to God, from vs of this Land, that our raoft gratiom Ruler of his people, Reference to Rulers people, his Roy all Quecne, their hopefull Progeny 5 and all that be in authority vndcr him 5 may line a quiet, and peaceable life 5 in all Godlineflc and Honejly, tothepunifhmcntofwickednefleandvice, and to the maintenance of Gods true religion and vertue, afflong as the Sunne and ATw/^indureth? This grant O Kivgoi Kings, for thy Sonne Chrijl lefts fakc,to whom,with thee and the holy Ghoft, bee all honour and glory world without end. Amen. *9 * s '• ' • T H E DRAVGHT OF THB BROOKE A SERMON PREACHED AT THECOVRT. [ohn Prideavxj Re&or of Excetcr Colkdge^ ^Maiestie's Pro* fejfor in Divinity in the Vniverfityof Oxford, OXF RD, Imprinted by Leonard Lichfibld AnnoSalutis, 163 6. PsALMB HO. 7. Hee fiall drinkeofthe brooke in the way , there- fore jhall he lift vphe Head. He author of this Pfalme is Davie/, as the title ilieweth, but the fubieft Christ, as ap- peareth by the application in the new Teftamcnt- where eight times at leaft, we finde it repeated. 1 To proue our $4- -viour more then a man , and greater then David, Matt h. 22. Mar. 12. and Luk. 20. 2. To confirme the excellency of his nature, and place to fiirmount the Angells^ and his Prieft. hood^Aarons, Heb t i.j.$.cap.3. To iufiifyhisre- fur recti on ^ and afeention, Aff.2.4. And loft of all, toafTutevsofhis^/i?/^ conqueft,m& everlafting dominion^ i.Cor.i r } . Vpon thefe grounds the Aun- cients (by Caftiodervs collection J terme it the fumme of our faith, the tooking-glajfe of heauenly fccrets,the treafureofholy wnt^verbi* brevis,fen- fu infinitum , (iaith Auguftine) fliort in words but in fenfc infinite. Theodoret notes how it is connected with The Draught of the Brook with the Pfalme going before, ( which is notvfu- al.) There ('faith he) webaue his croffe and fuffe- rings ,here his conqueft and trophjes. Forfirfthe cometh forth as the beire apparent of the Almigh- ty, the brightnefie of his glory /and the exprefle Image of his perfon, graced whhtitle,i.My Lord'} z.Place,Sit thouon my right hand.} 3. Power, vntill I make thyne enemies thy foot- fioole.} v. firft. The fecond verf limiteth out the beginning of his king- dome, S/0#.] The«tf«tf,the midji of his enemies.} Amongft whom his Prophetical! office ihall worke fuch an alteration, that as the drops of dew are num- berlefie, which pearlc from the wombe , of the teeming morning: So his volunteers lhall be, that at the (hiking vp of the Gofpells alarum, fhall re- paire to the enfignes of his holy worfhip, verf. 3 . Thok,his Prieftly office , warrantable for callings fir me for continuance, free from fuccefion, fhall ex- piate, refine, and offer vpas acceptable facrifices to God the Father, v. 4. Their oppofites whether Kwgs, or heads of Nat ions, (hall feele the waight of hisftrokes, and /fy»/ofhis/«wv/-t(>their vtter o- verthrow and confufion, v.j .6. And yet notwith- ftanding all this, this Prophet, this Priefl,this King, he, to whom fo vnfpeakable honour affigned, 16 many trophies fore.prophecied, fo may triumphes decreed, muft be content to travell before befit at eafe puffer before hee enioy • obey before hee rule-, ftoop, and bend, & bow,to drink e of the troubled breoke of this worlds calamities 9 bcfoxehc lift #- feafonabL\ efpecially now, when we celebrate his firft Advent or comming in the Flefh-: xhefirflde- grec of 'his Humiliation, and ///? member, of my text. 3 He jhall drinkeof the brooke in the way. The words are fguratiue, in a high fir awe far palling all humane Rhetorique, and carry a Prophetique Maie- fty y m a rety red profoundneJfe,eafier to bee adored then expreJfed.YJhcre obfeurityhaxh bred variety 3 and variety great difficulty to tra& Interpreters. Wideft from themarke,isthe ChaldyParaphrafe of R.IofephCcecus, who without the lcaft warrant from the words, thus blindly renders \t: from the mouth »f 4 Prophet, in the way, hejhall receiue know- ledge. Attributing that pervcrfely here, either to Abraham^ox David, or E^ecbiah, and fo mif- guidesthe latter Rabbins. Which lonathm in his Targum The Draught of the Brooke. Targum of Ierufalem^ CMidra* , Tehilltw, and the ancients afcribc(as wc doe) only to the CMefiias. \ Of lefle importance is the difference in an old Englijh translation, commonly called Wickliffs ! P falter, Of the s~lrond,in the way he dranke^ where j the putting of 'the prefer perfect tenfe for the future, j intimates rather a thing pafi , then a prophecy of fomew hat to come. But to paffe by fuch criticall cobwebs, which may hide rather then hold. The words being obvious in themfelues , and with- out difficulty nt\w* TTV3 bnva , knowne to all by their rootes ; yet in this place may be inforced with that Advantage of circumfiance, that thofc that feeme moft to diff'ent, cannot be de- ftitute of their feverall reafons. Diverfe,in relation to the JIaughter, mentioned in the two former ver- fes,continue the allegory in this , by helping the text with a word,Ofthe Torrent ofbloud(fay they J this Conquereur (hall drinke : confonant to that, hefba/lrvafh hisfeotfteps in the bloudof the vngodly -P/4/.5 8. And that thy foot e may bee dipped in the bloud ofthy enemies , and that the tongue of the dog may be red through the fame. PfaL 68. Which Phrafes are well knowne,in [acred Rhetorique to fignify a victory, (as that of lfrael againft Pharaoh) to the vtter ruine of the conquered. In which fence the [word is faid to be drunken with bhud'm the day of the Lords vengeance, ler. 46. and the horfes to wade vp to the bridles in bloud, where the mne- preffe of Gods wrath is trodden Apocaljp, 14. This expofition howfoever followed by fome later writers of good note, (relying too much vpon R. Dd 2 lehudi The Draught of the Brooke. Iehudi^znd Kimchi the firft authors of itjwill hard- ly not\vithftanding,be fitted to this place in regard the lifting vp oftheheadt\\2i\.fohwes^d\x^okxh an immediate humiliation goeing be fere, which the brandijhing of a conquering fwordyZftdxhthloud of Mafjacred Mifcreants , doe not fo naturally repre- fent. Calvin thinkes the fimilitudc dravvne from the valiant leaders, who in chafe of their rovvted e~ nemieSy turne notafide ( as at other times ) to re- frefli thcmfelues, with ordinary provifion, but catch ata venture. as-they paffe (like Gideons lap- ping fonldiers)at the water of a brookejlm thwarts them, lean delay giue vantage of a (lip, and hinder the purfuite of their conquefl. This lunim and di- vers others, take for good. It was Trivet s^n old Minorite Friers long before, as appearesin an old manufcript vpon this place; and therefore CMal- donate might hauefpared to lafh Cdvin for it ; if his aime had not beene rather, at the perfon, then the opinion. More ingenious is that of M oiler. That to drinke^ and efpecially oifuchabrooke^ zxzphrafes that in Scripture defigne extraordinary afflictions. SoHr. 49. concerning Ed$ms doome , thou Jhalp. K0goevnpunijhe.dj thou flyalt furely drinke. Can yz drinke of the Cup that I flrall drinke of? ( faith ou,r Sauiour) (peaking of his fuflferings to Zebedees children. Jk/4rA. 2 o . 2 2 Jf drinking then in this place m,iy.apy way refemble the /><*/? of a faptaine-^ the potior will proue, more fttlfome then the draught refreming* 4 : I.pafTe over other by.expoftions 4 of the bzooJte.oftheldtv^thebrookeofEaptifme, and the like, The Draught of the Brooke, like, which Ztfr/tf/^buficthhimfelfe to repeat ,and cenfure. That which ChrjfoHome, Baft I, Theodoret, andthcCreeke Fathers, fcverally reftrainc to our Saviours ftri&cmverfation, in watching, f aH in? y lodging, travelling^preaching, praying , doing ail manner of good,withoutintermiffion or rcmi/IL on; The Latines, with greater reafon 5 extendto all the degrees of his Humiliation, and Offerings -^o his Incarnation, tohispoverty, to his dangers, to his death. The brooke of Gods <*#grr for finnes, the Divels stratagems, the Iewes defyight , the nw/,// contumelies 5 and difgraces, not only dafbea againft him 3 buL^^r^^i/f»/«vntohis foule .#£47^ />. dignation lay AWvpon him, and hee was vexed with alltheHormes. Thefe ftormes oveitooke him in this dfe^£ «?4jf, this dangerous way, which he met with here in this vale of mifery, when hetookevp- on him theprogrefe to deliver CM an , and did not abhorre the Virgins wombe. And with this fall' in the expositions of moft of the Ancients, and mo- dcrne y he dranke of the brooke, i . of mortality by his Incarnation, 2 . of ftridneflfe, and hardneffe in all his pafiage, by his voluntary wants , and poverty, 3. of the ft rong potion of the Law, by his exa<5t obedience 5 and fubieffion, 4. of the Z?nw malice, by their continuall/W/gtftf/£.f 5 5. ot the flouds of Belial, by apparent ,&cvnknowne tentations, 6. of the heavieft wrath, of his Father by his vnfteakea- ble agony, and bloudy fweat in the garden. And Mofall,ofdeathit felfeon the CroflTe, by his /Wand extreameft paflion. 5 Haueyenoregard,aUyethat pafiebythtsway? Dd 3 See 8 John Luke The Draught of the Brooke. See to whiz f lunges thy Saviour was putto,forthy fake, in this brooke of vnconceiveable miferies % how he drencbeth himtelfe in the middett, to faue thee from drowning, how hee ftruggles among the weeds , and my re , to land thee fafe on the farther bankes.Hee'] that King, that Prieft, that Prophet, muft be liable fas we lee) to his Fathers eternall Iniuntfion. Shall^ as a man defignedwith Socra- tes to bee made away by vngratefull Citizens. Brinke"] not by meafure of a cup only, but 2 trooke of forrowes, and that in an vncouth way, de- ftitute of any Ferryman,to helpe him over, or ford to giue him hope ofeaficr paffage, ox Inn* for bct- ter provision, or Companionsto helpe him if need required, and all this for vs wretched Rebels , that defired no fuchkindnejfe. Now three Torrents in this difmallfow/*,put him efpcciallyto his plun. ges: i. Thevngratefulneffe of his ownc. 2. The Rage of 'the powers of darkneffe: but moft of all at thclaflcaji. $. The dijpleafure of his heavenly Fa- ther for our finnes, which he had vndertaken to expiate. Ifhouldhere in a manner make apafton Sermon , but to repeat only Bethlehem bathed in bloudof Innocents vpon the firft rumour of his Nativity: his preaching, vilijiedby his reputed Fa- thers bafenefTe : his mtracles attributed to a corn- pad with Bel^ebub^thc Pharifes charge him with treafon^ even his owne kindred, with madnefe. Sometimesthey ruffle about him to wake him a iT/^-andanon they hurry him 10 the brow of a hill, to breake his neck from the toppe. Thofe that vpon a fit,cry Hofanna tothe Sonne of Davtd, prefently in The Draught of the Brooke, in a fury, change their note into crucify him, era- cifyhim. His Dtfaples , that vowed to (land out with him to the laft, forfakc him prefently like cowards, atthc frfl onfet. He is bought and fold as a flaue, cryeddowne as more intolerable then a fedt - tious murderer^ and hanged at length like a damned y^gy^jbetweenetwo notorious theeues: Such bil- Iovhs of humane malice the frfl Torrent fometh a- gainft him. The fecondboykth yet more gaftly, from the finke of infernall fury . Never irnagin that Satansfoyle in the rvildernefe, ftaved him off from farther proietts^ No, after he enters into ludas, and w$rkes him moftdefperatly to betray his mafter,he guided and guardedthat cur fed rabble, which moft barbaroufly in the garden, laid violent hands on hisfacredperfon. And well may wee thinke that his confefting of his Deity at other times, and the dreame, and intercefion of Pilatt wife, were but extorted tefiimonies, byafuperior command, or difguifed/>/0f j , by telling fome truth ,to gaine cre- dit, to deceiuevponfome other advantage. Laft j of all, in the deepeft Torrent of his Fathers indtg- | nation, a vaile muft be drarvne over that, which cannot be exprefed. Devotion here feekes no far- ther, then the Evangeltfts plaine Narration. Hec | that fliall but confider him 3 in that difconfolate night, in the gar den,B laft ed(as it were) from heaven | with an amafing thunder-clap^ fweating, fighing, fobbing, praying, groveling, fweating greatdrops 1 ofbloud) that trickled downe to the ground, pray- ing ence and againe, and the third time, groveling as eft en^ and intreatingtheafliftance of thofe drow- I Dd 4 fy lO The Draught of the Brooke. fy comforters all that while,which (as though no- thing were a doing) flept fccurely by him , muft needs conclude with himfelfe, that it was not the rafcall regiment , which he knew on the way for his appre hen fi on, nor the Ocean of difgraces, which heexpe&ed from the venome of his enemies, or fittings, ox mockings, or bufferings, or railings ,ox terrourofthe/^w£*,orf^>w.?, or racke of the crojfe, oxnailes, oxjpeare, (a brooke full to the brim of^//and^/#^r)thatfoftrangely amazed hin^ But that heart breaking anguifh , which wrung from him this loud cry, My G$d, my god, why hap thon forfaken met That,thatj was the Torrent, and whirlepoole, fowler then- the Iemfl) Jpittle; tarter then the vineger 5 bitterer then illegally (harper thcnthethowes,otnailes,ox (peare • I dare fay, as terrible, and vrfupportable, as the lake of fre and brims! one \tfelfe. That I fay,wa*the mod dagerous brooke and deluge, he dranke of for our fakes . For our fakes 9 (Beloued) to make the way pafTable for vs,his followers, who otherwife had funke into e~ t email perdition. 6 There be perchance, that would frame here ^poetic all refemb lance ,'m the combat e of Hercules 7 with the river \^dchelous,ox Hippomedon, with If menus ,01* the ftriuing of Achilles ,by fwimming 5 to maftcr theftreames of the ftickle River Sper chins, but Ileauefuch fancies to their admirers. Three v- fes are here obvious to thofe, that defire to profit. The firft a direction to know whether we are in the right way toHeavenox no. Thefecondan Advifc how to provide our felues for the iourney. And the third, The Draught of the Brooke. i II tbirda comfort to chcarc vs vp, whatfoeuer in the progre[Je may befall vs. The way toheauen( Bc- loued jis by a br 00 ke,toffed with outward troubles, & inward vexations , froathing with eroding tides and vnexpeded winds fit. ftormes. To pafle ic with- out great hazar d,hzth ever beene vnvfuall,andto fliunncit,by finding out a fafer cut, by land, is al- together vnpoftble . If therefore it haue never thwarted thee yet in all thy courfes , it may bee fufpcdedjthatthouhaft wandred from the nar- row gate, or haft newly fet out, and haft the further way to goe . Noah met withitinthevniuerfall Deluge, when all flefh had corrupted his way, and he alone with his family ,floated vpon the waters, la- cobat his paflage over the brooke Iabok, to meet with his brother Efau. Mofes at the waters of Ma- rah,and CMeribah. The whole Church notorious- ly, in Captivity es by Forrennors,OppxefC\ons , by home-bred Tyrants, Infeclions, by herefres,defec7i~ on j, by hy pocrit icall Profe (fours. Whatfhalll fpeakc of vials, and plagues, and a fucceflion olBeafts, and Sea-monster suiting one after another, in the Apo- calyps, to vex her with reftleffc perplexities ? Let her be drifted into the wtlderneffe neuer ib fpeedi- ly,and the Clouds reftraine their bottles, for the ex- pedition of this paffage, the Dragon will empty his owne gorge,to raife zfloudio ftop her, wherein die fliould finely be overwhelmed, if diec efcaped not bymiiaculous/>m£c7/0#.O how often in this cafe, diall every good Chnflian bee forced to cry out with this our Prophet, in another place? Sane mee O God,for the waters are come in, even vnto myfoult ! / 11 The Draught of the Brooke. I flickefafi in the deepe myre, where no ground is , / am comeinto the deep waters ft that theJlouJs runnt overme .Orwiththe Difciplts vpon:he point of drownings Lordfaue vs y orMafterfauevs ,weepe- rijl). This is the dangerous pafrage of thofe poore Pilgrims ^ that travaile here from tAlgypt to the Celefiia/lCdnaan^hou^h the red Sea fometimesin their favour be dryed vp, and lor dan beedriuen back, to make way vnto them by the Lords ap- pointment : yet this brooke will not be fo quitted withouta drinking. The Servant is not greater then the Mafter , nor the Souldier then his Leader. if he then ftoop'd fo lot for vs, (hall we take fcorne by hisexample,to bow for our owne advancement? The way would be too p leaf ant, \£ this brooke crof- fed it not,and allure vs to ered tabernacles here, & forget the new Ierufalem^ which our Saviour hath purchafed and provided for vs, by no lefle pricethen his deareft blood. He that ihall but refled his thoughrs,totakea view how the primi- tiue Cmfeffors , and ancient Martyrs , in a zealotu kinde of emulation , iuftled ( as it were ) one the o- ther,tohauetherr^//of firB cntring this brooke, and to enioy the glory of the further fide , will bee afhamedofourfearefull houering , and diffolute coafting, or gad&ing by it ; who profeffe our fclues to be their Followers 5 and yet tremble to touch the Foord^ they fo couragioufly hzucwaded^ov fivam through. Every man is for the lifting vp of the head,by worldly ,and finifler Advancements : but moft fhun,by z\\ flights poffibly the Brooke, which wearetoftoope downe todrinke of. Thus wee fmatch I The Draught of the Brooke, match and fmooth our felues to bee the worlds Minions , and neglect the valour and refoUtion^ which our Leader requircth in his traynedfouldi- crs. Wee will chufc with Cad , *± Rub en Sz\ fa- ilures for omjheepe^nd cattle , cMmsfide theifr- <^r,but are loath to venture before our brethren to conduct them otier to the land of Promt fe. Wee thinkeby our Policy ,to efcape better then ourfbre- fathers 5 and make bridges , or hyre vs boats y or skijftSy or wherries -, though thoufands before our eyes that haue ventured in them ,haue mifcarried. But thou that rcfolueft to tread in thy CMafters ftepSjhowfoeuertherv^be crojjed , thou that art content 5 and confident, to venture by his example, fare as he fared Jr inkers he began the health , en- dure ashe prefcribctb as fane , ashy hisgrace, and ready afijla/rce , tboufhaltbce pur ro, and enabled; Take this comfort by the way , which SMierome affordeth on this pafftge ; conccrning this rvay, it is but a brooke that croffeth thee,not ajpring of water for perpetuity 5 it is collected by afuddenjlorme, without any other headend therefore cannot be of any long continuance^ italwaics rotvleth , and roa- ret ha\on°jhe valley ,and inreafon cannot harme thee 5 as fooneas thou haft rccoueied afty footing on the higher ground. Let not then a momentary di- ftaft for the prefent , divert thee from the -purftiit oianeverlafting content. Thy Ti lot hath fwamme before thee 5 thou mu(\ kecpejiroke to follow, Hee ftandeth to Uft vp thy head , neuer to bec indange- j red againe on the farther fhore. Which \nhc bauenA and heaven in \hefecond^\, $t^ wee haue struggled] ail! H pfal.50. Revel. 3.21. The Draught of the BrooYe all this while to attaine vnto. 7. Therefore frail he lift vp the head."] Heavi- nefTemay endure for anight ,but ioy commeth in the morning •' flK^ toJiim that overcommeth ( faith hee 5 thatwallJBPamong the Candle/licks) will I giue toy?* with me in my Throne , even as I alfo overcame ^nd am/it b?/jA my Father in his throne. All Antiquity generally paralleleth this place, with that of the fecond to the Fhilippians y He hum- bled him feife^nd became obedient vnto death , even the death oft he CrojJ'e therefore God alfo hath high* ly exalted him. This is 7**-«ro?poCiW x> & <™awp« &'* ^fcr®->^xipcA©- (faith S.ChryjoBome) ihefrttit and gaine ot humility 9 andz ftvift conversation* Wee haue here then (Beloued)not only Chrift's £*<*/- f^/W in generall , which was firft manifefted in the Re fur region , but alfo the caufe of it, in the word Therefore ] and Manner ',expreflTed in the ///- tingvp the head. The original) p-^jp ^Therefore, rendred in Greeke by J>* w* , and amongft all the Latinesby/w/>mY4,is a note either of necejfary connec7ion,ox caufaltty ^nd therefore juftly cafteth vs,vponthe confideration of that controverted dif- ficulty 5 Whether the glory , or lifting vp of the head, here attained by our Saviour, vpon his pre- cedent fuferings^or drinking of the brooke^wcre conferred on him only,as a r/£^,belonging to the perfon y orzs wages by way of merit , proportiona- 1 I ble to the Offerings of the humane nature} The' \ Sch$olemen make a great pudder herein , on the I third of the Sentences jnd 1 8 th dtfiinffion^As alfo onthethirdpartof^«/>^jthcp.queft,&4.^^. whofe The Draught of the Brooke. i5 whofeexorbitances,becaufe Calvin hathfomwhat freely difplaied t in the fcuenteenth of the fecond of his Injlitutions ^Bellarmine takes their part , and flyes vpon him in his 5 . booke , and 9. Chapter,^ ChriftoCMediatore. And Gretfer \\isfecondJ\\s&- gainc,to fetch oftthe Cardinall ,from the judicious replies of Daneus 5 andlxniix. FalentiaaKo, and Suarcz,Qovc\c'm with their fupplies in their Q»- 7w^/i vpon their Matter Aquinas , but with much confufion^nd perplexed prolixities 3 and ebfeurity. The truth is , the difference vpon the W4/W 3 feemes not to be of that confequence^ to keepc men at ods, who othervvife^arerv////'^ to agree, as Junius and themoft of our fide ingenioufly acknowledge. In regard whereof , Zanchim herein takes liberty to vary from our common tenent, and being thereof; admonifhed , to defend it , in the^iY/irt afterward prefixed 10 his confefton of faith , and in a private Epiftle^o William Stuckim oiZurick^ wherein he ; affiniics 5 thatC/?/7#,not only merited for vs-, but alfo for himfclfe , as the Schoolemen would inftrre^ out of thc^Fathers. For the taking vp of this dif ference, ( not to trouble you with more then may concerne the point ,or befeeme this place ) It is Hrft agreed on 3 on all hands 5 that inthequeftion of Chrisis merit, the Divine nature being priviledged from the lcaft touch of dijfaragement 5 the taske will wholylycon the (boulders of the man-hood. j Now that this, in the fee ond place foould be of that , worth, to merit the hypoftaticall vmon , or xhegra- cesfo/lorving thevefrom , none of the Adversaries'. ( i'ot ought I finde )euer affirmed >3 or yvhatfocuer he 1 6 Patud.in ;< ftnt.d.%9. The Draught of the Brooke. he did^i fuffered in the humane nature 3 became not meritorious for vs,through the infinite dignity of that vnion^none of our men on the other fide e- ver denyed. The lefuits therefore, wrong Calvin, when they mifconftrue, that he f pakey,which the fcripture no where count cnanceth. Vega faith the fame by Zuarez, own confefion, Hu- go de S.riftorewas maine in the point long before S^//^ 5 with5/>//,andtheir/i^mfr/ , who i>rg* foprecifely Gods acceptance , and the dfo/jr . of the vndertcker^o make fat isfaff ion meritorious , that Z«^r^perceaues,& intimates it may marre */>«> martof merits rfitbtviot fcenetoo,thebetter,and by him find his/ir/Wei,fitted to their prcfent nego- tiations. Hale's accekratiue^nd interpret atiue, will as little Beed them , who exaft the byre they wrought for 5 as merited due. debt, and will be /^fA to (land to Gods curtefte, either for acceptance , or dijpatcb. For in ftri# mw* (Beloued) how can a- ny Creature merit of his Creator, feeing the vtmoft of endeavours comes vnder the title of duty ? For to The Draught of the Brooke, 17 to a merit ( we all knowe) there belong thefe foure conditions , i. That the worke bee entirely thevn- \jert4kcrs. 2. Hut it be altogether free, not of due. debt. j. Tint itbe 2. benefit, or kindnejfe to him of whom, the Worker contends to meritt. 4. And laft of all,that itbc proportionable tothe reward in co- mutatiue luttice. In all which , the humane nature in the ^/rafyvil fall //wf of infinite reward. And therefore our men rightly afcribe, all the merit to the /w/i»,confifting of both natures, where the hv~ martens advanced to that pitch of dignity , by acquirere,obtinere 3 adipifci, to get, toreceaue, to obtainejio take pojjefton.ln which fenfe the moft Advifed Divines ,ever vndcrftood their Predccef- fbrs . But this contents not our moderne CMerit- m&ngers. CM erit is the Popes Mint , and therefore muftbealway kept going. The merit of ChrisJs humanity, and the merit of bleficd Angels, between the injlant of their creation , and poffefton of eter- nall/^/?/^//> 5 muftbefo ftri&ly vrged, to make way for cfrlonkifh merited fill their own Church Treafure with vvorkes of fnperrarogation. Other- wife 1 8 The Draught of the Brooke, wife,thedo there is an exalt auit, oftentimes a lif- ting vp oft he head to preferment, without a propter quod, 10 S0£#4 , and Haman , and Sanballat , with others The Draught of the Brook e . others of the like merit , avefometimes exalted, but no man can gueffe, or imagine why , ox wherefore. But with God it is alwaies othcrwife : Propterea, muftgoe before exaltavit : the rdce before the meedfhc therefore ^before the lifting vp of the head^ labouring in t y he viney ard , before the distribution of the penny fat hfulnef ein a little before the rule over much. The Come muft firft dye before it blof fome out the blade or ear e , and wee ^e,before wee rife find drtnke our part of the brooke^ before the ^4^ be lifted vp. Which fallethon the manner of our Saviours exalt at ion find the matter I intend to conclude with. 9 . Shall he lift vp the head."] The lifting vp of the head moft commonly fignifieth in fcripture^ the Advancement from an inferieur condition to a £ff/fr. So Evilmerodach lifted vp the head of Ie- hoiakimhisCaptiue,toafreereftatc. 2. Kings and the laft. Thou art my worfhip , and the lifter vp of myhead,Pfahn.3.Inthe52.of Ifaiah 5 wee haue three words in the fame verfe , which note in this kinde the three degrees of comparison OYV and K^i,&rDa. Behold my fervant Q\M deale pru- dently ,he (hall be exalted, and extollcd^nd be v*- rjf highjj. 1 3 .Which the ancient Rabbins, with the Chalday Paraphraj ir 5 expound exprefly of the aftjft /?<**. Howfoeuerthe /4f**r , contradi&itiforasin j his humiliation fi\\ were amazed,at his vtfage man- gled find marredmove then any w*/f /: fo in his *#- altdtion , they admire the vnexpecled change , and Kings )£** their mouthes,at the hearing and feeing of thofe *£/'#£* they thought incredible : as it fol- E e loweth »P rtwi carp -wo run 20 Ifai,53 The Draught of the Brooke. lo weth there immediatly tq> the'nd of the Chapter. Ail this is here comprized: Hee'] not another, faith S.Ierome frut the perfon that was abafed, in the In- carnation and PafiioniShaU~]by his owne/>4#ta£*occafionaUyta£*# 5 but by an abfo- lute decree , fet downe from eternity : Zj/jr i^ */&* £&«?] to fpoyle principalities by his triumphing over the powers of darknefe : to trample the wrti vnder his /£ that hath made away The Draught of the Brooke. XI away poovc Naboth^to poflefiTc his vineyard f Or ludas that hath betrayed his M after? Ox Simon\ Magus that is in xhegallofbittemefteiox Ananias & : Srf/^/>4,who goc about to cofenihe holy fpirit of; God* With what face can that head bee lifted vp y [ which is drorvfie with drunkennefe , or difiratfed with idle orpernitious^// , or whirled about witht/4/^^/5r^ 5 or/>^/^ftiIJ on ffliiCk ^through \ covetoufnefe^ox looking askew through envie y znd \ implacable malice. Awake thou therefore that fleepeft,and lift vp thy head, and he that beholdeth j ' thy tofings will ever keepe it aboue water , neuer j feare of drownings longas he diredleth 5 and fuch I a Pilot hath thee in his charge. If thou finking cry ! out,with Peter , his A***/ will bee quickly ftretcht out tofauethee , andfet thee at laftin thefureft landing. Regino reports in xhefrfl of his Chroni- cles pag. ip. that Guntranne , a German King Slee- ping on a time by a brooke^ there came a little thing 1 out of his mout £,which fought a paflage ouer > but \darednox to venture. Wherevpon his Attendant ' that watched by him,lay 'd athwart his frvord 3 the little creature went over ^entred at a holeina moun- • taine^on the othery?^ 5 returned the fame n^ , got into the ^/»gj mouth againe , who prefently awa- ' king,faidhc had dreamt of a treafure in that moun- taine,and vpon triall found it to be fo indeed. How \truexh\sftory may be,l pajfe not jDUtvtge the ans~ ' logie: If the broeke here mentioned in the Text (Be- loucdjbc too tempeftioiis ^ and vn$ affable , to thy poor e and trembling foule, there fhall not want thy Saviours conquering frvord ,to make thee a bridge Ee to 11 The Draught oft he Brooke. to paffe. For his Incarnation^ is our incouragementy His Refurretfion y ouirayfingi His Deaths our Life^ His Afcention,our triumphed entring inro Gods holy mountaine, in which will beedifcouered ine- ftimable trcafures. O thou therefore that once lif- ted vp> haft promifed to draw a/l men vntothee, drawe vs after thee (we befeech thee ) that we may fo/lowjhat prefling through brookes, and bogges^ whatfoeuer befall vs in the way , we may at length lift vp our heads , to be crowned with thy et email glory. To whom with the Father , and the blejfed Spirit J>e all Honour, Traife, Power \and Dominion, both now and evermore,. Amen. DAVIDS REIO YCING F 0% Chrifts Refurre&ion. A SERMON PREACHED ONEASTERDAY,ATSt P e t h r s in the Eaft, /» O X F O R D. By Iohn Prideavx> Redtor of Exceter Colledge, His Maibstie's Pro- fejfor in Divinity in the Vniverfttj ef Oxford. OXFO RD t Imprinted by Leonard Lichfield Anno Salutis, 1636. P$AL. 16. 10. II. Wherefore my heart was glad , and my glory reioy- ced,myflefh alfo (hall reft in hope. For why t 'Thou [halt not leauemyfoule in H ell, nei- ther (halt thou fujfer thy holy one to fee Corrup- tion. Hat which Saint Hierome fometimes fpake of ifaiab , thathefeemeth rather, to bee an Evangelist then a Prophet, in regard of his cleare recor- ding of future Events , as though they had beenepaft al- ready : may as truly bee affir- med of the Author of this Pfalme. Theauthority of which (faith S l AuguBine) isof greater confe- c]uence 5 then the wit of CM an can comprehend . A new writer fayes , It jhineth efpecially with three pretious Bones, the red Ruby eofChriftspapon ,the greene Emerald of his Re furrecli on ,zt)d the vnmaL leable Adamant of his Ever lofting kingdome. The Refurreclion muft bee my principall theame as fit- ted for this dayes folemnity. The title of it is Ee 4 CDtvtta Vrtfat. m Ifaiam. Maior efl ba- rn Scrip tur* autheritas, iudm totius bumani inge- nit capacitas. T>aniel Cra- metUAyinptho* laPropbetua. p.ij8. Davids reiqycing Hyjf.de Tfal mor: infer ipt. Traff.i.c.6. & i$. vide Mollerum & \ Lorinum. Ifa.5.3. Verf.34. ~i*ftb ttFWQ which the Greeks expreffc by m//7tt/jfof Scripture,abo\ieall other writings-, Vt vno evdemfo fermone, dum narrat ge- ftum, prodat myfierium, faith Gregory ^xhzx. as the letter is verified in the hilfory , lb the hiftory it fclfe, mall be a token of things to come. When Jo- nathan told his boy, that the an owes he was fent to fetch, were beyond him, i.Sam. 20. the ladde found it fo indeede-,but there was a farther meaning in the matter, that Saul was vnappeafable , and David muft fluff fot hi mft If e.R\ghtfo in an other pa/age, a bone of himfluillnot be broken > the truth appear- cth.immediatly,in the Pafchall Lamb of the leaves^ but principally, in that Lamb of God, who taketh a- way the fnnes of the World, loh. 19+36. For a pro- phecy, (as Maldonste well obferueth J may be (aid tobe fulfilled in a fou refold fenlc. Either when the tiling (imply commeth to pafie, in the fame manner it w a< 'foretold: As that or //4mI/ behold a Virgin fball conceiue &cbeareafonne,Mash, 1. 2 3. or when it is paralel'dwiththelike-^yee Hypocrites (faith our *f*V/f »r) well did £/*/<# Prophecy ofyou.ii/rff. 1 5 .7. That is in reproiung the difiimuh'tion of his rime MoraLLio. c. 1. InMath.z. v.15. Davids reioycin? Cap. l r 8. Cap. 1 3. 14. time, he hit right v^on their manners. Tn a Third fenfe,the Scripture is faid to be fulfilled by Abra- hams beleeuing in God, not when his faith began, but when it was more manifefiedmd ftrengthened^ /4wfdrf 4 <&/w>£,his tongue a talk- ing , his very jfr/ft and bones in an extaticall rap- ture. 2 Wherefore my heart tva* glad. ] The words you fee containcanYVflbor EwU*or, that fong of ffaiab, and Hofea,prickt outagainc, by the blcflcd ApoffiU 1 . £V. 1 5 . by the/* > allowing vp of death in vittory for Chrifts fyfurreftion. victory^ and without {training yceld vs, Si A Triumphing defcant, in the i o .v. Wherefore my heart w as glad (frc. parts, *)2 The Eajfe^ot ground thereof in the £ ii. For why,thouft)alt not leaue^ejrc This triumph,Ci G ladneffe, of 'the heart. is here expref- j '. * :. •> ; fed by threeV **"!**& °f thef ^gue. circumftanccsX^ Atft> and hope of the flejh. Vy here fore my heart was glad, and my glory reiaj- ced, myflefh alfo frail refi in hope ,2 The ground or hafe is fetled on thefe 1 i Davids Refer rcclion , through Chrift. For why ? thou wilt not isvo dininn ^emyfouleinHeliJ ProDs * 2 Chrijts victory over the Graue and ' Hell, to make way to his refurre- clion. Neither jl)alt thou fuffer thy k. Holy one t o fee corruption. What happineffe may a Chrift tan defire D but here to be merry, and hereafter to bzfecure? In this life toinioy the true (I comfort , and from death to bee freed by aioyfu/lrefurrecJion? All which is clolely couched in thefe words J intend to ftand vpon. For here wee hauc faith in the heart , charity in the tongue, hope in the fie fh , all thefe three Theological! virtues, withgladnefe, toy, and reft ^ their feverall attributes. Thefe depend vpon that, which is to be expeded hereafter-^ freedome from the grane , and he 'II, by Christs refurreUion and vitt orj . Behold thepath of life, by the gates of death, beginning at mans heart, and ending with the fulnejje of i&j, in ■^Davids reioycing DCUC.I0.I2. in the prefence of God. Happy Prophet/ that could kennehfofarreojf, and leauefo fiirea trace, for allposlerity to follow. He wifhcd before,buc at the endot the 14. Pfal. that the falvatton of Ifracl were come out of S ion. But here in a deepe Jpeculati- on, he meets with it, returning with the fpoyles of heU.And therefore his heart was glad^ which is the firftcircumftance that appeares, in fetting forth out Prophets triumph, and therefore in his due place, may be firft confidered. I Wherefore mj heart was glad.'] the voice- of /^and^/^^, is not only in the tents 9 but in the hearts of the righteous-, where as the toy of the wtcM, is but from the teeth outwards: n^ii? pV ^b] every word hath his waight. Therefore'] as a to/**, looketh forward and backward. Becaufe God was at his right hand, to vphold him, and his holy one, on the other ftde,to free him from Hells captivity. Therefore (faith he) notano^w,who can not diue fo deepe ,but mine owne Jingle heart] is glad as it was, and was heretofore,^ it is, f the word bearing both Significations, and the difference of of the Translations, being not materiall.)Xhok de- fir es,paf ions, Speculations, and defignes,which P^/- lofophers leaue fwimming in the ^r^jr^^ , or Jinking in fomc inferiot faculty of the foule, Divinity re- callethtothe^wrr.The /;*4?t feeketh , the AJ,vnder the title of />y and gladneffe, but falas) they come not neerethe £*v/rr, or if they fret fodeepe, it is but to ft up? fy, and rot it. The F /;///- ^//tt made themfelues jj^rf at Sampfons mifcryJ and ! Mark. 6. 10, Dayids reioycing Prov. ij.i?, and Hamans glad heart, would breake, if it vented not it fclfeto his w/y*,and friends ? butruine foone crujhed the one, zndfirangling fet a period to the o- ther. What comfort fhould then a/wr£ A^r* finde, in Dives foeet meats, and \\is fowrefauce? Or £?/- fha^ar's car ouJing,md his fad reckoning t A man may bee exceeding glad with Herod, at /0^/iV Preaching, and at the y?g£f 0/ Chrijl, and yet ! through £y-r fomeokhe#^/w.f Brittnejje , in daring the worlds vanities, or refolutenefe of 0- f ^r/, to purchafe fame by their bravery , or the cot dialls their CMaJhers haue given them , f £^r£ them vp,Scarme them againft all common mifhapsj the 010ft of them haue bcene appalled , at the ap- proach of , and the £ ngA* j^/ft/, they were fare, that his Holy one had cleered their pajfage for them, that the^r£#ofthe£^«e,and##.But where may that obiecl be found in this world, which (hall giuc the heart fatisfacJton? The Preacher was wife enough , to haue fattened on it, if this life had afforded it- but his long experience brought him to this fliort iffue, that riches ^ and glory, and healthy and beauty , and knowledge, and applaufe of all the world , are but Co many pageants 9f flitting vanities, which are at- tained moft commonly, with much travaile,zt\d griefe, and lofe y before the heart cantakca fuller. vey of them. O w'nata difference may there bee difccrned,betweenemf>77