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EIGHT SERMONS DEDICATED TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HIS GRACE The Lord Duke of Ormond, AND To the moſt Honourable of Ladies, the Dutcheſs of Ormond her Grace.
Moſt of them preached before his Grace, and the Parliament, in Dublin.
By the Right Reverend Father in God, Griffith, Lord Biſhop of Oſſory.
The Contents and particulars whereof are ſet down in the next Page.
LONDON, Printed for the Author, Anno Dom. 1664.
Imprimatur.
THE DESCRIPTION AND THE PRACTICE Of the four moſt admirable BEASTS; Explained in four SERMONS, Upon REVEL. 4.8.
Whereof the firſt three were preached before the Right Honourable, JAMES Duke of ORMOND, And Lord Lieutenant of IRELAND his Grace, And the two Houſes of Parliament, and others, very Honourable Perſons.
By the Right Reverend Father in God, Gr. Lord Biſhop of OSSORY.
London, Printed by Tho. Roycroft, for Philemon Stephens, and are to be ſold at the Golden Lion in St. Pauls Church-Yard. 1663.
THe deſcription and the practice of the four moſt admirable Beaſts, upon Revel. 4.8. In four Sermons.
The only Way to the Kingdom of Heaven, upon Matth. 6.33. In one Sermon.
The Saving Serpent, upon John 3. In one Sermon.
The only Way to preſerve Life, upon Amos 5.6. In one Sermon.
The ejection, or deſtruction, of Devils, upon Mat. 17.21. In one Sermon, but prevented to be finiſhed.
Whereunto is added, The perſecution and opOſſory.
Oſſory out of their Liſt, as a man that
Oſſory, and to add four hundred pounds per annum for his augmentation, to the perpetual Obligation of the preſent and ſucceeding Biſhops of that See, to your Grace, and to all your ſucceeding Family.
But what your Grace hath then ſo graciouſly begun, I humbly beg your Grace would be pleaſed, as graciouſly now to finiſh and perfect that pious work which you have ſo religiouſly begun; not ſo much in regard of my ſelf, who, (after I was caſt down to the duſt, and there lay wallowing a long while, and was at laſt, beyond my deſert, and any certainty of expectation, lifted up again to mine Office, and reſtored to mine Honour and DigCharles the Firſt, under the Standard of the Beaſt, to carry away, and injoy any part of the inheritance of the Church of Chriſt for his reward, for that tranſcendent wickedneſs.
And therefore I ſpent already about four hunKing Charles the Firſt: And I do profeſs, that having food and rayment, and to defray my neceſſary occaſions, I weigh not one ſtraw, either of mine augmentation, or of any other ſupportation that I have:El Shaddai, a God all-ſuficient for me, as he hath been hitherto.
But I beg this of your Grace, in reſpect of the poor See of Oſſory, and the ſucceeding Biſhops, that perhaps ſhall not paſs through ſo many ſtorms as I have done, and therefore ſhall not be ſo well
And I doubt not, but as your Grace hath al
And therefore, craving pardon for my preſump
Orator, that formerly hath written Books and Epiſtles to mighty Kings and moſt honourable
leave to dedicate theſe enSermons unto your Graces view. I know many Schowanting to expreſs the noble Acts, unparaleld Fidelity, and moſt juſtly deſerved Honours and Praiſes of the thrice honourable your dear HuſDuke of Ormond's Grace; but my age bids me exdiſſolution, and not worldly promotion: and therepatronage or deany thing that I have ſaid therein; (for what is good will juſtifie it ſelf, and what is amiſs, let it be juſtly blamed, I will never protect it) but to ſhew unto the world how highly I do honour your Grace, and would needs finde out, by what wayes I ſhould propaWorth, Piety, and Vertue to
remembrance of all your Off-ſpring, for their glory and the glory of all their Poſterities, for their example throughout all the remainGorgonia, nor Traſilla, nor any other of thoſe glorious Stars, that in their times ſhined in the Firmament of the Church, and which are regiſtred to Poſterities for their everlaſting praiſe by Saint
Nazianzen, Saint Jerome, and other Fathers of the Church were comparably ſo bleſſed in the choiceſt of the bleſsings of this life,Id eſt, in their Huspatient in their afflictions, ſo pious in their converſation, ſo humble and ſo meeke in their demeanour towards the worthieſt of Gods Miniſters, as your Grace hath alwayes ſhewed your ſelf to be unto all even the meaneſt of Gods ſervants, and eſpevery mean condition, I came to wait
Donmore, before the King came into the Kingdome; and I muſt paſſe owiſe, diſcreet, and moſt prudent carriage of great affairs, and in ſuch deſperate times, to the benefit and preſervation of many good men and faithful Subjects to his Majeſty, in the midſt of a froward, ſubtle, and perverſe Geſweetly and ſo commendably as your Grace hath ſhewed, to the full meaſure of your deſervings: but though mine ability reacheth not to expreſs your worth, yet this my devotion ſhall nedeſires with the beſt of my prayfaculties of my ſoul, to be your Orator unto God, and to make your name and
memorial in the World, like the remembrance of Joſias, fair as the Lilly, and ſweet as the pretious oyntment that is made by the art of the Apothe
onely aim and deſire hath always been, to promote the glory of God, the honour of my King, the benefit of the Church of Chriſt, and the good of all my Neighbours: To thoſe ends I have laboured, I have preached, I have printed many books. And the beſt way, that I conceived to do good unto my Neighbours, was, to teach them to obſerve, and never to depart from the ſociety and practice of Juſtice, Obedience, and Charity; Juſtice among themſelves, and towards all men; Obedience to their King; and to all their ſuperiour Governours; and Charity or
poor and oppreſſed. Theſe were the main marks I always ſhot at; and to further theſe exerciſes, I thought my ſelf obliged to do it with all my might, without eifear or flattery. And therefore let neiKings, Princes, nor Magiſtrates frown at me, when I reprove them, if they be unjuſt; for the great men doe the more uſually, as beable, commit the acts of injuſtice: and let not the rebellious Subjects, nor the ſeditious Sectaries rail at me for painting out the ugly ſhapes and loathſome viſages of their Treaſons and Wickedneſſes againſt their Kings and Governours, whom God hath ſet over them, and commanded them to obey: neither let the rich, covetous, and wretched worldlings, whoſe hearts are as hard as ſtones from yieldleaſt drop of relief unto the poor and needy, and thoſe that are ready to ſtarve in the ſtreets, blame me, if for theſe unmerciful cruelties, and cruel neglect of mercies, I ſhall thunder out God's judgements, and pour forth the vials of God's wrath, that are preNehemiah ſaid, when his friends perſwaded him to fly away
deſtroy him, Is it fit that ſuch a man as I ſhould fly?
Neh. 6.11.not fit, that ſuch a man as I, (that am a Biſhop, and an aged man, ready for my diſſolution, and no other tranſlation, but to be tranſlated unto my fathers) ſhould now flatter any perſon, or be afraid to ſpeak the truth, or to reprove ſins, worthy to be reproved, for fear of the frowns, threats, or malice of any man. And therefore, as the Poet ſaith,
Me, me, adſum qui feci, in me convertite ferrum.
And as I ſaid with Pilat, in the firſt Sermon that ever I printed, what I have written, I have written, Nec poterit abolere vetuſtas.
REVEL. 4.8.And the four Beaſts had each of them ſix wings about him, and they were full of eyes within, and they reſt not day and night, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
long ago; and let no man marvel, that I intend by Gods help to proſecute the exthis Text ſeems to me, like the Ocean ſea, ſo large, that it cannot be meaſured, and ſo deep, that it cannot be fathomed by any humane wit; the ſame being omnia in omnibus, all in all: For.
Firſt, Here is God the Creator of all things, and all that is knowable or may be known concerning God; as that ineffable
Trinity, or three perſons in the one onely Eſſence of the Deity; and therefore appointed to be read for the Epiſtle on Trinity Sunday; and all the chiefeſt Attributes of God, as
1. His Purity and ſanctity in the words three perſons of the Deity, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt.
2. His Power, authority and dominion, in the word ſingular number, to ſhew the
Ʋ
nity of the God-head.
3. His Wiſedome, knowledge and providence, in the word ſeeth all things, and all things are patent to his eyes, & attingit a fine uſque ad finem, & diſponit omnia ſuaviter.
4. His Omnipotency, in the word quia voluntas ejus poteſtas ejus, becauſe he can do whatſoever he would do, he needs but ſay the word and it is done.
5. His Eternity, in the words, crowneth all the reſt of Gods Attributes, that otherwiſe would be of no ſuch value, if it were not for this Eternity, that makes him to be whatſoever he is for ever.
Secondly, Here are the creatures of God, and the chief of all Gods creatures; as
1. The Lion, which is the King of all the Beaſts of the field.
2. The Calf or the Oxe, which is the moſt painful and moſt uſeful creature for the ſervice of man, and the moſt acceptable in the ſacrifices of God.
3. The Eagle which is the Lord and Maſter of all the Fowles of the Air; and,
4. Man which is the Prince and Ruler of all thoſe, and of all the Beaſts of the field, the Fowles of the air, the Fiſhes of the ſea, and whatſoever walketh through the pathes of the ſeas.
Thirdly, Here is Religion, and the beſt of all Religions, the Chriſtian Religion, moſt amply, though enigmatically and myſtically, ſet forth unto us; for,
natures and the offices of Chriſt, and the chiefeſt things that he did, and that we are to underſtand and believe for our ſalvation; they are all here ex
1. His divine nature, under the notion of the Eagle and her lofty flight.
2. His humane nature is noted unto us, by him that had the face and appearance of a man.
And as his natures and the quality of his perſon are here thus myſtically expreſt; ſo his offices, that he was to diſcharge, are here likewiſe in the ſame manner, of the Egyptian Hiero
1. His Regal and Kingly office, whereby he was to rule and govern his Church, is here to be underſtood by the Lion, which is the King of all the Beaſts.
2. His Prieſtly office, whereby he was to teach and to inſacrifice unto God, to appeaſe his wrath and ſo to take away the ſin of the world, is here moſt aptly expreſt by the Oxe or Calfe, that was deemed the moſt acceptable ſacrifice, that could be offered unto God:Balaam.
And, as his natures and his offices are here thus to be underchiefeſt things that he was to do, and the chiefeſt points that we are to believe, are likewiſe here fairly exfour Beaſts; as,
Incarnation, by him that had the face of a man.
Paſſion, by the Oxe, or Calf.Reſurrection, by the Lion.
Aſcenſion, by the flying Eagles.
Fourthly and laſtly, not onely the foreſaid particulars concerning Chriſt and theſe main points of Chriſtian Rewhole duty of man, and the chiefeſt points that every Chriſtian ought to diſcharge, if he looks for eternal happineſs, are here expreſt unto us, under the qualities, conditions, deſcription, and practice of theſe Beaſts, as hereafter I ſhall more fully declare unto you.
And ſo you ſee, here is ſententia brevis, a ſhort ſpeech, but materia uberrima, an Ocean of matter to ſail over. And do you think that I can paſſe through ſuch a world of moſt weighty points within the compaſſe of one inch of time, leſſe then one little houre? that cannot be, by a far better head then mine.
Therefore I muſt crave leave onely to go as far as I can, untill I ſhall have your Grace and this honourable audience leave to proceed at ſome other time unto the reſt of theſe points.
And for our more orderly proceeding at this time, I ſhall humbly deſire you to obſerve theſe three points:
number of theſe Beaſts.
deſcription of theſe Beaſts.
practice of theſe Beaſts.
1. The num31.7.
number, it is ſaid they were four Beaſts. And you muſt remember, that ſometimes a certain number is put for an uncertain, as when Jacob ſaid unto Laban, Thou haſt changed my wages ten times; that is, ſeveral times. But here I take this number to be as it is ſet down, to ſignifie four Beaſts, and neither more nor leſs.
deſcription of theſe Beaſts is two-fold;
particular deſcription: we are to con
1. Who and what they are that are thus expreſt by theſe Beaſts.
2. Why each one of them is ſo expreſt, as they are here de
8. c. 3.
truly ſay with St. Aug. Alii atque alii aliud atque aliud opinati ſunt, ſeveral men have had their ſeveral
four expoſitions of them to be moſt of all reſpected,
Papiſts.
Puritans.
latter Writers of the Proteſtants.
Ancient Fathers.
1. The Papiſts, interpreting this viſion of the Militant Church, do underſtand the ſame by Heaven; and by the ſeat that was ſet therein, they underſtand the authority of the Church of Rome: by the Lamb or him that ſate on the ſeat, their univerſal Biſhop the Pope: and by theſe four Beaſts, they would have us to underſtand the 4. Patriarchſhips,
Which have always had the Antioch.
Epheſus.
Jeruſalem.
Alexandria.
greateſt power and cheifeſt authoChurch of Rome. And by the 24. Elders, that ſate upon the 24. ſeats, they underſtand the ſix Arch-Biſhops that were in every Patriarchſhip, as 1. in Antioch. The Arch-Biſhop, 1. of Meſopotamia, 2. of Ninivee, 3. of Babylon, 4. of Aſſyria, 5. of Parthia, 6. of Media.
2. In Epheſus. The Arch-Biſhop, 1. of Smyrna, 2. of Pergamus, 3. of Thyatira, 4. of Philadelphia, 5. of Sardis, 6. of Laodicea.
And ſo the reſt of Jeruſalem and of Alexandria. But this expoſition ſeemeth furtheſt from the truth.
I. Becauſe they interpret it of the Prieſt-hood, Church and Government thereof, altogether externally. Whereas inKingdom and Prieſt-hood of Chriſt is altogether ſpiritual,
82. in c. 18. Johan.Non quod hoc etiam temporaliter non poſſideat ſed quod in coelis habeat imperium, as St. Chryſoſt. ſaith.
Rome was not as then Empreſſe and cheif Lady of all other Churches, nor afterwards, till the time of the Emperour Phocas,
Gregory Biſhop of Rome unto the Emperour Mauritius.
III. Becauſe that if this expoſition were true, the Arch-Biſhopricks of Italy, Spain, France, Britany, Germany, and the like, ſhould be excluded, which were too great a wrong from this viſion; or they could not tell under which Patri
Expoſition.
Expoſition is of Brightman and his followers, that ſay, theſe four Beaſts do ſignifie the four-fold ſtate, quality, and condition of the Miniſters of the Church of Chriſt, from the time of our Saviours Aſcenſion to his coming to judgment. As,
infancy of the Church they were bold and ſtout like Lions to preach the Goſpel of Chriſt, ſo that although, as Euſebius ſaith, Alii flammis exuſti, alii ferro perempti, alii patibulo cruciati,
8. c. 11 & 12.
& alii flagris verberati, Some were burn'd to aſhes, ſome ſlain with the ſword, Some hanged, and others whipped to death; yet they ceaſed not to publiſh the truth of Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe they knew, that as S. Bern. ſaith, Vere tuta pro Chriſto & cum Chriſto pugna, in qua nec vulneratus, nec occiſus fraudaberis à victoria; To fight for Chriſt and with Chriſt is very ſafe, when neither wounded nor killed, we ſhould not be deprived of the victory.
next age of the Church, after Conſtant. the Great, that cloſed up the dayes of Perſecution, the Miniſters of Chriſt were as painfull and laborious in their vocation of Preaching the Goſpel of God, as the Oxen are in tilling our ground or treading out the Corn for us. And ſo their voluminous works and pious devotions left behind them, do ſuffipains they took: ſo much, that it made the Emperour Maximinus to wonder, to ſee how ſedulous they were in doing good, and propagating the Goſpel of God.
third age of the Church,Century of years, they are ſaid to have faces like men, becauſe that now ſince the time of Wiclef, Luther, Melancton, and the reſt of our proteſtant Writers, the people, and divers of the Prieſts that formerly (by reaſon of the Latine Liturgy) underſtood no more what they prayed, or what was ſaid unto them, then Balaams Aſſe underſtood her own voice, were now made to become like men, ſo rational, that they underſtand both the Sermons and the Service of the Church.
4. In the laſt age of the Church,Miniſters of the fifth Monarchy ſo much dreamed of by the Phanatick Sectaries of our time, are expounded by them to be here underſtood by this flying Eagle; becauſe that by reaſon of their ſwift, exundigeſted ſudden Meditations and Sermons; they will moſt ſpeedily pour out their words into all Lands, as Lucilius did his Verſes, Horat. Serm. l. 1. p. 212. And ſend forth their voices to the ends of the World for the converdiſperſed Jewes, and all other Pagans and worldScythia into Palestina; which is eaſier ſaid then done, and is far enough from the meaning of the Holy Ghoſt in this place, as I have fully and amply ſhewed the vanity of this fiction in the ſixth Book of my true Church. Therefore to proceed,Expoſition.
third expoſition to be of ſome of the beſt Proteſtant writers, whereof notwithſtanding each ſeveral one hath his ſeveral expoſition: as ſome interpret them to ſignifour Elements, others, the four ſpecial faculties of the ſoul; others, as Bullinger interprets them, to ſignifie the four great Monarchies of the world; and others,Baconthorp and Albertus apud Balaum, by theſe foure Beaſts, do underſtand the foure great Prophets, Eſay, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
But Aretius and Maier do with Rupertus interpret them to ſignifie the four greateſt Myſteries of our Chriſtian Reli
I. The Incarnation. II. The Paſſion. III.Reſurrection. And IV. The Aſcenſion of our Saviour Chriſt: and
theſe things are thereby ſig
I, His Incarnation which is the aſſuming of the nature of man unto the perſon of God, and that, as Nazianzen ſpeakFermanendo quod erat, & aſſumendo quod non erat, by ſtill remaining what he was, and taking upon him what he was not, is here underſtood by him that had his face like a man.
Paſſion is ſignified by the Calf; becauſe all the Sacrifices, that were offered unto God, were either
And the firſt ſort was of Zebach, which they properly termed Sacrifices, or,Mincha, which they called Oblations.
living Creatures, and the ſecond ſort was of dead things, as the firſt fruits of Corn, Wine, Oyl, and the like.
And the firſt ſort alſo, was either
Heards, or,Flocks.
And of the Herds were offered,
and of theſe, The Oxen.
Cows.
Calves.
Calves were moſt uſually offered, both among the Jews and Gentiles;
Heb. 9.19. Virgil. Eclog. 3.Moſes took the bloud of calves and ſprinkled both the book and the people: and Virgil ſaith,
Cum faciam vitula pro frugibus ipſe venito.
And therefore Chriſt, being to offer up himſelf a ſweet-ſmelling Sacrifice for our ſins, his Death and Paſſion could not be better ſignified by any thing, then by the Calf.
Reſurrection is underſtood by the Lion; beQui agnus extiterat in paſſione,
Bern. De reſurfactus eſt leo in reſurrectione. For though by Eſay's Propheſie, he ſhould be led as a ſheep to the ſlaughter; yet by Jacob's Propheſie, he ſhould come from the spoil like a Lions whelp, and ſo demightily to be the ſon of God by his reſurrection from the dead.
Rom. 1.4.
IV, His Aſcenſion is underſtood by the flying Eagle,
on high; according as the Prophet ſaith of Chriſt, Thou art gon up on high, thou haſt led Captivity captive, and received gifts for men.
The fourth Expoſition is of the ancient Fathers, as Irenaeus,
Expoſition.
Venerable Bede, St. Hierome, St. Auguſtine, St. Gregory, Lyra, and almoſt all of them did agree,l. 3. c. 1.four Beaſts are underſtood the four Evangelists, St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John.
Beda in hunc loc.
But to reconcile all or moſt of theſe Interpreters, I ſay, that,
1.Primarily we may and ought to underſtand the four Evangeliſts by theſe four Beaſts.
2. All the Magiſtrates of the Common-wealth, and all the Ministers of the Church and Preachers of God's word.
3. And laſtly, All Chriſtians whatſoever they be, ought to be like unto theſe four Beaſts, both in their deſcription and in their practice.
Firſt then, I ſay, that by theſe four Beaſts we are to underfour Evangeliſts.
1. Saint Matthew by the Lion, though Saint Gregory would have Saint Mark underſtood by it.
2. Saint Luke by the Calf.
3. Saint Mark by him that had the face of a man.
4. Saint John by the flying Eagle. For,
I finde two special things that may well confirm and make good this Expoſition; as firſt, the manner of their deſcription; and ſecondly, the general practice of the four. For if you mark it, they are deſcribed two manner of wayes.
Generally.
Particularly.
And firſt in their general and common deſcription, they are all alike; for they had all ſix wings about them, and they were all full of eyes. And ſecondly in their Practice, they all ſung the ſame ſong, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, which is, and which is to come.
But in their particular or proper deſcription, each one of them differeth from the other, as you ſee. The firſt was like a lion, the ſecond like a calf, &c.
So the four Evangeliſts in general aimed at the ſame thing, to ſet forth the life and death of the Meſſiah, and to bring us all to believe, that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, the Saviour of the world; and that in believing on him, we ſhall have eternal life.
But if we look into their more special end and aim, we ſhall finde, that each one of them differeth very much from the others. For,
Matthew proves Chriſt to be a King.Matthew ſeemeth principally to aim at the declaraChriſt, and to prove him to be that Lion of Judah which the Jews long expected for to come to be their King, to ſit upon the Throne of David, and to govern the people of God: and this he proveth by many Arguments. As,
Argument from his Pedein Luc. 3.A Froſapia, from his Progenitors; for he deriveth him lineally from King David, and he reckoneth fourteen Kings in his Pedegree: and after that, he brings him from Zorobabel in the bloud royal unto Joſeph. Whereupon Saint Ambroſe ſaith, that St. Matthew deriving his generation by and from Solomon, and St. Luke by Nathan, they ſeem to ſhew, Alteram regalem, alteram ſacerdotalem Chriſti familiam, the one family to be from the Kings, and the other from the Prieſts; Quia fuit verè & ſecundum carnem regalis & ſacerdotalis familiae, becauſe he was both of the Royal
Prieſtly family: Et ſic Rex ex Regibus, & Sacerdos ex Sacerdotibus, and ſo both a King and a Prieſt.
2.Argument from the doMagi. Numb. 24.Matthew proves him to be a King ab adoratione Magorum, from the doings of the Wiſe-men; for the Star of the Meſſias being propheſied of by Balaam, and left as a Tradition among the Gentiles by Zorcaſtres King of the Bactrians, (that was excellent in all learning) that it ſhould apbirth of this King of Kings; though Virgil flatteringly and falſly applyed it to Auguſtus, ſaying,
Ecce
Yet theſe Dionaei praceſſit Caeſaris aſtrum.Magi being, as St. Chryſoſtom writeth, upon the Mountain Victorialis, worſhipping their God, a Star did aplittle childe,
Fulgent. fol. 657. in ſerm. de Epiphan.Fulgentius ſaith, Puer natus, novam ſtellam fabricavit, the long-expected childe beborn, did create this fore-propheſied ſtar, to teſtifie his birth unto the world; and therefore they did forthwith begin their journey to Jeruſalem.
And how they came ſo great a journey in thirteen dayes after his nativity, Rhemigius anſwereth, Puer,
Magi came ſo ſpeediJeruſalem.
ad quem properaverunt, potuit eos in tam brevi ſpatio temporis ad ſe adducere, The child, to whom they haſtned, was able to help them in ſo ſhort a ſpace to come unto him: and St. Auguſtine ſaith, that Tres Magi iter unius anni in tredecim diebus peregerunt, They performed in thirteen days the journey that might well require a whole year to finiſh it; eſpecially if you conMagi were Kings themſelves,Cypr. in ſerm. de Baptiſmo. Chryſoſt. hom. 6. in Matth. 2. Pſ 72.10.
Cyprian delivereth from the tradition of the Church, and St. Chryſoſt, diſſenteth not much from his opinion: when as the Prophet David ſaith to intimate the ſame thing, The Kings of Araand Saba ſhall bring gifts
And now, when theſe Magi, theſe three Kings, had found out this King, they fell down and worſhipped him; for though, as St. Chryſoſt. ſaith, Viderunt puerum hominem, They ſaw this
a man; yet Agnoverunt redemptorem, they acRedeemer.
Magi did.In gremio pauperis matris poſitus, & pannis vilibus involutus, & nullum regiae dignitatis humanae ſignum habens, lying in the lap of his poor mother, and wrapped in vile clouts, and withſign of royal Majeſty; yet, as both Chryſoſtom and Fulgentius ſay, Ex ſtella didicerunt eum eſse regem, They were taught by the Star, to underſtand that he was a King: and therefore they did homage to him as to the king of kings, and they offered to him gold, myrrhe, and frankincenſe, the gold, to ſhew his regal dignity, the frankincenſe, his deity, quia thus ad honorem divinum concrematur, and myrrhe, to ſhew his mortality, becauſe they uſe to put myrrhe to the bodies of the dead.
And ſo by this their action, they ſhewed,
1. Their humility, quia preciderunt, becauſe they fell down.
2. Their Faith, quia adoraverunt, becauſe they worſhip
3. Their Charity, quia munera obtulerunt, becauſe they offered theſe their gifts unto him.
Magi do negHerod and adore Chriſt.quod volunt adorare regem nuper natum, & infantem lactantem, & non adorant regem ante annos aliquot ordinatum & populos imperantem? That they will worſhip the King newly born, and an infant ſucking on his mothers breaſts, and worſhip not the King that was ordained long before, and was ruling and commanding all the people? What is this, quod ille natus in palatio contemnitur, & iſte natus in diverſorio quaritur? that he which is born in the palace, and laid in a bed of ſilver is neglected, and he that is born in the ſtable, and laid in the manger is enquired after and adored?
It is anſwered, becauſe that this child which is but parvus in praeſepio eſt immenſus in caelo, ſmal in the cratch is great and immeaſurable in heaven; and he whom theſe Magi call King of the Jews, is the Lord and Creator of the Angels. And ſo you ſee how Saint Matthew by the teſtimony of theſe Magi, and the worſhip that they doe unto him, doth prove him to be a King.
The third Argument that he uſeth to prove him to be a King is drawn ab Herodis timore, from the fear of Herod;
Herod.
Magi came near unto Hieruſalem, abſcondita eſt ſtella, ſaith Saint Chryſoſtom, & quod ante apparuit, rarſus diſparuit, and that which appeared before was vaniſhed again, ſaith Saint Baſil. And that for three ſpeciall reaſons.
1. That the Star being hid, they ſhould be forced to enquire concerning Chriſt: that as they were firſt moved to ſeek him by a celeſtial ſign, ſo ſecondly, they ſhould be confirmed by the prophetical ſaying, and the anſwer of the Hebrew Doctors, ſaith Saint Chryſostom.
138.
2. That the teſtimonies of Chriſts enemies might be, longe praeſtantiora fideque digniora, ſaith Saint Baſil, received with
3. That they, (that is, the Magi enquiring after him, that they might firſt honour him) the Jews ſhould be juſtly conqui illum cruci affixerunt, quem alieni adoraverunt. Strange that his own Countrymen ſhould crucifie him, when theſe ſtrangers came to adore him. Therefore the Star was obſcured, and they enquired, where is he that is born King of the Jews?
Whereupon Herod, though it ſhould have moved him to caſt his Crown at his feet, yet was he vexed with grief at the heart, and troubled with horrible fear which the Magi brought to this King of the Jews, by their enquiring after another late-born King of the Jews. And therefore being full of fear, leaſt this ſpiritual King ſhould take away his temporal Kingdom, as he had formerly ſlain Hyrcanus,
15. c. 9. & 11.
Ariſtobulus and his three Sons in his furious rage: ſo now, being more incenſed with ire, through this Frantique fear, he put to death his own wiſe Mariamne, his mother Alexandra, and fourty of his chiefeſt noble men of the tribe of Juda, and he ſlew all the great Sanhed
that is, the 72 Senators of the Jews, and fourteen thouſand infants in and about Bethlehem (as ſome do think) and among the reſt he ſlew his own infant born of a Jewiſh woman, as Philo writeth, which made Auguſtus ſay,pig then his ſon; And all this he did
royal bloud of Juda, leaſt this King and Lion of Juda ſhould deprive him of his Kingdom. And what inſanable, incurable madneſs is this? and how vain is the thought? For this King, which is now born,652.
Fulgentius, reges pugnando ſuperare, ſed moriendo mirabiliter ſubjugare, not to overcome them by fighting, but wonderfully to ſubdue them by dying; and thereut tibi ſuccedat, ſed ut in eum mundus fideliter credat, That he ſhould ſucceed thee, but that thou and all the World ſhould believe in him, and ſo be ſaved by him.
And therefore it was but a vain thing for Herod to fear where no fear was, and to foſter fear where he ſhould have faith: but this fire of anger and this fear of heart, doth ſuffiHerod knew the Meſſias ſhould be a King, though he underſtood not what manner of King he ſhould be, and ſo Saint Matthew ſetteth down this his fear and cruelty for the third argument, to prove the kingrick office of Chriſt, and Chriſt to be a King.
Hieruſalem upon the aſſe.Matthew uſeth to prove Chriſt to be a King is, from his riding to Hieruſalem upon an aſse; and he tells us plainly, that Chriſt did this, to ſhew that he was the King of the Jews; for he ſaith, that all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was ſpoken by the ProTell yee the daughter of Sion, behold thy King cometh unto thee meek and ſitting upon an aſſe,
21.4, 5. Chryſoſt. hom. 67. in Matt.Jews, ſaith Saint Chryſoſtom, quis na
Hieroſointravit, which of all their Kings entred Hieruſalem upon an aſſe, and they ſhall never be able to name any other beſides Chriſt. For the other Kings rode in Chariots, to ſhew their pompe, and this King onely rode upon an aſse, to ſhew his humility,
5. in Luc.neque amittit divinitatem, nec regiam dignitatem, cum nos docet humilitatem, by teaching us humility, he neither looſeth his divinity, nor abateth any thing of his royal dignity: when as clemency and humility in Majeſty do ſhine like a precious diamond well ſet in the pureſt gold. And Saint Ambroſe ſaith, that when Chriſt rode to Hieruſalem
aſs, the people that followed him,
Deity, in ſaying, Hoſanna, Salvum fac: ſave Lord.Son of David.
And all was to ſhew, that this meek and humble King was the promiſed Meſſias, the glory of Iſrael, and the expectation of the Gentiles.
The fifth Argument that Saint Matthew uſeth to prove Chriſt to be a King is from the marriage of the kings ſon;Matth. 22.1, 2. From the marBede demandeth who is the Kings ſon, but he, of whom the Prophet ſpeaketh, homo eſt & quis cognoſcit eum? And the marriage of this ſon is the union, and joyning togeGod-head with our humane nature in uno ſuppoſito, in one perſon. The ſervants that he ſent to invite the gueſts, were the Prophets and Preachers of the Goſpel:4.
firſt invited were the Jews: the three ſorts of refuſers are.
I. Rich Worldlings that ſay villam emi,
World better then the things of God.
II. Senſual men, that have 5 yoke of Oxen, and doe follow the luſts of their 5 Senſes: the luſts of the eyes and pride of life.
III. Laſcivious wanton men, that cry uxorem duxi, and are led away with carnal pleaſures
Or as Saint Ambroſe ſaith, we may underſtand.
I. The Gentiles, by him that ſaid villam emi, I bought a farme.
II. The Jews, by him that ſaid, I bought 5 yoke of Oxen, becauſe they were under the heavy yoke of the Law, and the 5 books of Moſes, that were ſuch a yoke as that neither they nor their fathers could bear it; and therefore they cryed
Pſal. 2.dirumpamus vincula, let us break theſe bonds aſunder, and caſt away theſe cords from us. And
III. The Heretiques, Schiſmaticks, and the like Fanatique Sectaries, that are wedded to their own obſtinate and fooliſh opinions, which like Eva tempteth them, and as another Dalilah deſtroyeth them, may be underſtood by him that had married a wife, and therefore neither could nor would obey the truth, and ſo come unto the marriage of this King, which is h re ſhewed unto us by the Evangeliſt, but tell us flatly, they neither can nor will do it: their wife (which is their obſtinate opinion) will not ſuffer them.
The ſixth Argument that Saint Matthew produceth to prove Chriſt to be a King,inſcription of Pilate, Jeſus of Nazareth,
King of the Jews. Whereupon Beda ſaith, that becauſe he was both King and Prieſt together, when he offered up that invaluable ſacrifice of his fleſh upon the Altar of his croſs unto God his Father, he fitly challenged (and it was rightly given unto him) the title of his royalty, which did belong and was ſo due unto him, and that title was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latine, which were and are the three moſt ſpecial languages of the World, that all the World might read it, and believe it, that Chriſt by his croſs non perdiderat ſed potius confirmavit & corroboravit imperium, hath not loſt, but rather ſtrengthened his right unto his kingdome: So that although God ſuffered them to take away his life, yet they could not take away his kingdom from him, but when he was dead upon the croſs, yet ſtill the title remained, that he was Jeſus of Nazareth king of the Jews. And it was written in Hebrew in reſpect of the Jews, that gloryed in their Law, and in Greek, in reſpect of the Gentiles, that boaſted of their wiſLatine in reſpect of the Romans, which then ruled and domineered over moſt and almoſt all the Nations of the World; that the Jews, will they, nill they, may ſee, that omne mundi regnum, omnis mundana ſapientia, & omnia divinae legis ſacramenta teſtantur, quia Jeſus eſt Rex, every kingwiſdom of the World, and all the ſacraments of the divine law, do bear witneſs, that Chriſt is
this Lion here ſpoken of in this Text. And the difference betwixt this Lion and all other Lions, is, that, as Franciſcus Valleſius de ſacra Philoſophia, c. 55. ſaith, Mos Leonis eſt ſibi tantum pradam capere, & non Leaenae; but Chriſt took the prey for his Church, and not for himſelf.
And we finde that his kingdome by three ſpecial prerogatives excelleth all other kingdomes of the world; that is,
Eternity;
Purity;
Largity;
1. The Prophet ſaith, thy Throne, O God,
Pſal. 110.is for ever and ever, and thy Dominion ſhall endure throughout all Ages: but tranſibit gloria mundi, all other Kings within ſo many years ſhall not govern, and after ſo many dayes they ſhall not be; for death ſpareth none, but ſceptra ligonibus aequat. And as Nazianzen ſaith, Conſtantinus Imperator & famulus meus, oſſa Agamemnonis & Thyrſitis, death makes no difference beAgamemnon and baſe Thyrſites, the Emperour Conſtantine and my ſervant; but when their race is run and their glaſs is out, we may ſay of each of them, as Horace ſaith of his Friend Torquatus.
Non Torquategenus, non te facundia, non teHorat. Reſtituet pietas. —
But this King hath a prerogative above them all, for he was, Rex à ſeculo, a King from everlaſting, and he ſhall be a King in ſecula ſeculorum world without end;Luke 1.33.Gabriel teſtifieth, that of his kingdome there ſhall be no end.
And this ſhould batter down the pride of Tyrants, that ſay with Nebuchadnezzar, Is not this great Babel that I have built? For mene, mene, tekel, peres, their glory is but as the graſs of the field; or otherwiſe, if they were immortal, they were intolerable. And this ſhould teach us to labour, to beSubjects of this King, in whoſe kingdome there
Aug. l. 1 c. 10. de TrinitaAuguſtine ſaith, requies ſempiterna, & gaudium quod nunquam anferetur à nobis, An everlaſting reſt, and joy that ſhall never be taken from us.
preheminence of his kingdome is purity; for of this King the Prophet ſpeaketh, thou haſt loved righteouſneſs and hated iniquity, and the ſcepter of thy kingdome is a ſcepter of righteouſneſs. For this King is not like Ahab, that would take away Naboths Vineyard, nor like Rehoboam, that would oppreſs his Subjects with over-grievous Taxes, but he is a righteous King, and a moſt juſt Judge, far unlike ſome Judges of former dayes, that for a word have made a man a tranſgreſſour, and for a ſyllable or one letter, have quite overthrown a mans cauſe and right, and ſo have made the Laws a noſe of wax, to bend and turn as they pleaſed, and to be rete Vulcanium, like Vulcans iron net, to catch the poor and friendtela aranea, like the ſpiders web, ſo eaſie for the rich and powerful to paſſe through it. But bleſſed be God for it, we have few ſuch now, and we hope we ſhall not provoke God ſo far, as to ſend ſuch amongſt us for if you ſuffer oppreſſion and wrongs, when as the Poet ſaith,
Menſuraque juris vis erit.
Then ſurely, peaceable men ſhall not be able to live in the Common-wealth. But the equity and juſtice of this King ſhould perſwade all other Kings to follow his Example, and as the wiſe man ſaith,Sep. 1.1.to love righteouſneſs, all they that are Judges of the earth.
preheminence of his kingdome is, that God anointed this King with the oyle of gladneſs in all things above his fellows; for their time hath an end, their dominion a limitation, but his time is not limited, and his rule hath no marches: but exivit in omnem terram, it hath gone forth into all Lands, becauſe he is the King of all the earth: and when as all other Kings are but Reges Gentium, Kings of ſome few Nations, he is Rex Regum, & Dominus Dominantium, the King of all o
And therefore Euſebius ſaith, that the diſtinction or difference betwixt this true Chriſt and the other imaginary Chriſts, that were anointed Kings before him, may truely and very eaſily be diſcerned;Euſeb. l. 1. c. 1. Eccl. Hiſtor.quia illi priores Chriſti nulli penè niſi genti propriae cogniti ſunt, thoſe former Kings were ſcarce known to any, but to their own proper people: but not onely the name, but alſo the rule, power and kingdome of this true King is extended over all Nations, & per univerſum orbem terrae, and through the compaſſe of the round world.
And though, when the Jewes would have crowned him King, Rex fieri noluit, he refuſed the ſame; yet to ſhew that this Dominus Angelorum, was alſo Rex Judaeorum,
l. 5. in c. 19. Luc.
Beda ſpeaketh, when he rid to Jeruſalem upon the Aſſe, he willingly permitted the people to cry Hoſanna, and to intitle him King of the Jewes, and he confeſſed as much himſelf unto Pilat, that he was a King.
And what meaneth this, ſaith the Venerable Bede, that he now willingly embraceth, quod prius fugicudo declinavit? that which before he declined, and fled from it; and the kingdome, that while as yet he lived in the world, he would not accept, he now denieth not to take it, when he is by and by ready to go out of the world.
He anſwereth, that he formerly refuſed it,Beda l. 3. in c. 11. S. Mar.groſs imagination of the Jewes, that conceited him to be a temporal King like unto others; but he doth now accept it, to ſhew, quod non temporalis & terreni, ſed aeterni in coelis Rex eſſet imperii; that his kingdome was not of this world, as himPilate, but as the King of Heaven he ruled all the world.
Well then,Matthew doth by ſo many inana King, and that he is a perpetual, univerſal and principal King, and here exLion in this Text, we may collect and draw matter both of comfort and fear, both of joy and of grief. For
1. Seeing Chriſt is King, then, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith,Pſal. 97.1.exultet terra, let the earth rejoyce; for if we will obey him, and
Viceroyes and under-rulers, that will lead us, ſicut oves, gently and lovingly, like ſheep, as he did the Iſraelites by the hands of Moſes and Aaron. And
Pſal. 99.1.King, then as the ſame Prophet ſaith, contremiſcat populus, let the people tremble; for if they fall to be unruly, as we were of late, let them be never ſo impatient, this King can as eaſily gather unto himſelfe the ſpirit of his under-Princes, as we can ſlip a cluſter of Grapes from a Vine, and he can ſend them a Rehoboam without Wiſedome, or a Jeroboam without Religion, or Aſhur a Stranger, an
Ʋſurper, as we have had, to be our King, or nullum Regem, no King at all, but a diſordered Anarchy, which is the worſt of all;Pſal. 10.4.quia non timuerunt Jehovam, becauſe they cared not for God, neither was God in all their thoughts.
But to end this Point, ſeeing Chriſt our King is this Lion here mentioned, we need not fear our ſpiritual enemies; for though he be a Lion, and a roaring Lion, that is againſt us; yet you ſee we have a Lion with us; and as Saint John ſaith, he that is in us is greater then he that is in the world,
John 4.ſtrong man armed, and able, as the Apoſtle ſaith,Rom. 16.20. Vide the afol. 26. & 27.to tread and bruiſe Satan under our feet; and therefore we ought to ſtand faſt in the Lord without fear, becauſe as Saint Chryſoſtome well ſaith, non debet timere hoſtem fortem, qui habet Regem fortiorem, he need not fear the ſtrongeſt enemy that hath a ſtronger King: as our King is, bleſſed be God for it.
Luke is underſtod by the Calf.Matthew is here underſtood by the Lion, (quia ſolet res quae ſignificat ejus rei nomine quam ſignificat nuncupari, as the bread, that ſignifieth the body of Chriſt, is termed the body of Chriſt) becauſe he proveth Chriſt to be the King of the Jews, and that Lion of Juda, which was ſo long exLuke is here to be underſtood by the Calf, becauſe he principally aimed to prove Chriſt, that is ſignified by the Calf, to be that Prieſt, of whom the Lord ſware, thou art a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck.
For I told you before, that of all the ſacrifices of the four footed Beaſts of the Herds, which the Hebrews called bakar, that is, majores hoſtias, the greater ſacrifices, the Calf was moſt acceptable unto God, as the Prophet ſheweth,Pſal. 51.19. Heb. 9.19. Exod. 24 8. Eſay. 11.6, 7.when they offered yong bullocks, id eſt, goodly Calfs upon his altar. And the reaſon is, becauſe the Calf is meeker and more gentle then either of the reſt; in regard of which meekneſs, the quiet and peaceable man is metaphorically called a Calf.
And therefore by the Calf is here ſignified the Prieſtly office of Chriſt, whereby he offered up himſelf as a meek and immaculate Calf unto God, that by the blood of this Calf, we might be ſprinkled and purged from all our ſins; becauſe that without ſhedding of bloud there is no remiſſion,
Heb. 9.22.
And of all the reſt of the Evangeliſts, Saint Luke onely doth moſt ſpecially aime to prove Chriſt to be a Prieſt, and to ſhew his Prieſtly office; for both the Alpha and Omega of his GoTemple and the ſacrifices thereof, when as he beginneth the ſame with the Prieſthood of Zacharias and his ſacrifice of incenſe, and endeth the ſame with the ſacrifice of the Chriſtians that were continually in the Temple prayLuc. 24.53,
For though that before the birth of this Prieſt, the other Prieſts were to burn incenſe in the Temple of the Lord, as Zacharias did; yet this Prieſt being now born, and aſcended up to heaven, the ſacrifice that the Chriſtians are to offer unprayſing and landing God in the Temple, as Saint Luke ſaith the Apoſtles did. For the true propitiatory ſacrifice being exhibited, the Types and Figures thereof muſt now ceaſe and be aboliſhed, and in the place thereof, the gratulatory ſacrifice muſt be eſtabliſhed. And therefore Saint Luke beginneth his Goſpel with the propitiatory ſacrifice of Za
becauſe Chriſt was not as yet inJohn 1.endeth the ſame with the gratulatory ſacrifice of the Apoſtles, becauſe that now the word was made fleſh, and Chriſt had aſcended into Heaven.
Luke provChriſt to be a Prieſt by 3 ſpecial ArguChriſt to be a Prieſt, he proceedeth to prove him to be that Prieſt which was after the order of Melchiſedech, by three other ſpecial Arguments.
A Proſapia, from his Pedegree.
qualities and properties of a Prieſt.
duties and office of a Prieſt.
Luke deriveth his Genealogy by Nathan, S. Ambroſe ſaith, it was to ſhew his Prieſtly office; and VeneBede ſaith, that becauſe Saint Matthew intended to ſhew the Regal office of Chriſt, and St. Luke his Prieſtly office, therefore St. Matthew derives his perſon from King Solomon,
Beda l. 1. in c. 3. Luc.Luke from Nathan: and ſo, ſaith he, in the Chariot of the Cherubims, the Lion which is the ſtrongeſt of all Beaſts, deſigns his Kingly office; and the Calf, which was the ſacrifice of the Prieſt, denotates his Prieſtly function: and ſaith he, Eandem uterque ſui operis intentionem in genealogia quoque ſalvatoris texenda obſervavit, And both the Evangeliſts in like manner obſerved the ſame intention of their work in ſetting down the genealogy of our Saviour. And then immediatly he addeth two excellent Obſervations to confirm the ſame point. As,
manner of ſetting down his genealogie S. Matthew deſcended from Abraham to Joſeph,
ibid.
Kingly office, and to ſhew that he partaked with us of our mortality: but S. Luke by aſcending from Joſeph unto Adam, and ſo to God, doth rather deſign his Prieſtly office in expiaimmortality. And thereMatthew, the taking upon Chriſt our ſins is ſignified; but in the aſcending geneaLuke, the abolition of our ſins is noted unto us. For ſo the Apoſtle ſaith, God ſent his Son in the ſimilitude of ſinful fleſh, there is the acception and the taking of our ſins
and for ſin, or by the ſacrifice for ſin,Rom. 8.3.condemned ſin in the fleſh; there is the expiation of our ſins. And,
2. To the ſame purpoſe he obſerveth,Matthew in his genealogie deſcended from David by Solomon, with whoſe mother David ſinned: but S. Luke aſcended by Nathan unDavid, by a Prophet of which name God abſolved him from his ſin.
The ſecond Argument,
Pſ. 72.1.Luke proveth Chriſt to be a Prieſt, is from the quality of a Prieſt, what manner of man he ſhould be; and that is, to be endued with knowledge and uprightneſs, or judgement and righteouſneſs: for which cauſe the Prophet prayeth, Give the King thy judgement, O God, and thy righteouſneſs unto the Kings ſon: For who is this King, and this Kings ſon, but this Prieſt, the Meſſias of the world? And ſo Moſes prayeth in like manner, Let thy Ʋrim and thy Thummim be with thy holy One,
Deut. 33.8.upon the man of thy mercie: for who is this holy One, or this man of his mercy, but this our true high Prieſt, called the man of his mercy,
1. Becauſe he is the man that is full of mercy.
2. Becauſe that God out of his meer mercy did give this man unto us.
3. Becauſe by this man onely and none elſe, we obtain mercy.
And according to theſe two mens prayer for thoſe two things to be given unto the high Prieſt, God gave them moſt amp
without meaſure, unto the Meſſias, that is,Eſay. 42.1. Jer. 23.5.high Prieſt: For, I have put my Spirit upon him, ſaith the Lord, there is knowledge; and he ſhall bring forth judgement unto the Gentiles, there is uprightneſs.
And S. Luke ſheweth, that Chriſt had
Ʋrim and Thummim,
Chriſt his knowledge. Luke 11.49.without meaſure. For,
In regard of the firſt, he plainly calleth him, the wiſdome of God. And his wiſdome appeared,
1. In his wiſe, unreprovable and unrepliable anſwers to
Satan, that ſubtil Serpent; to the Herodians, that feigned themſelves to be juſt men, and were ſent to intrap him in his ſpeech; and to the chiefeſt Doctours of the Jews, to whom he did ſo wiſely anſwer,Luke 20.7.ask him any thing at all: and if he asked them any queſtion, they anſwered, They could not tell how to anſwer him.
2. In his heavenly teaching of his followers, ſo truly exprofoundly ſpeakplainly delivering the Law unto them, and ſo ſweetly comforting all that came unto him, that the eyes of all were faſtened upon him,
Luke 4.20, 22.at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. And,
Mark 7.37. 1 Pet. 2.22.uprightneſs, S. Mark ſaith, that the people teſtified he did all things well. And S. Peter ſaith, There was no guile found in his mouth. And S. Luke confirmeth the ſame throughout his whole Goſpel.
Argument whereby S. Luke proveth Chriſt to be a Prieſt, is from the duty and office of a Prieſt, which is ſpecial
expound the Law.pray for the people.ſacrifice for their ſins.
1. The Prophet Malachy ſaith, The Prieſts lips ſhould keep knowledge,
Mal. 2.7.the people ſhould ſeek the law at his mouth. And S. Hierom ſaith, It is the duty of the Prieſt, to anſwer all that ask him concerning the Law; and therefore if he be the Prieſt of the Lord,Hieron. ſuper Hagg.know the law of the Lord: or if he be ignorant of the law, he is no Prieſt of the Lord.
And therefore S. Luke ſheweth, That Chriſt taught the people moſt diligently, expounded the Law moſt truly, and anreadily. And,
Luke 22.32.prayed for S. Peter, that his faith ſhould not fail: And S. John ſheweth, how he prayed for all
father gave him; and for all them alſo, which ſhould believe on him through the word. And,
3. How, as a Priest, he offered ſacrifice for the ſins of the people (which he did both in the Garden and upon the Croſs.) S. Luke ſheweth it more amply then any of all the EvangeMatthew and S. Mark do tell us that he was in heavineſs, or exceeding ſorrowful,Ariſtotle ſect: 11. probl. 30. et Baſil. in c. 17. Iſaia.
Luke expreſſeth the matter more fully and more lively then both of them: for he faith, that he fell into a ſweating agony, that is, a perplexed fear of one that is entring into a greivous conflict, as both Ariſtotle and Saint Baſil teacceptable Sacrifice in the ſight of God, as the Prophet ſaith,The Sacrifice of God is a troubled ſpirit, a broken and a contrite heart O God ſhalt thou not deſpiſe; and ſuch a broken heart was the heart of this Priest at this time, for here is both troubled Spirit and a freſh bleeding Sacrifice,
1.Leo Serm. 7. de paſſ. The quality of Chriſt his prayer. Brevis oratio penetrat coelum.
ſoul while he was in the Garden in a fervent Prayer to God, and that Prayer, ſaith Pope Leo, was in omnibus perfecta, in all things perfect, and for all men. And it conſiſted like a faithfull Prayer plus gemitibus quam ſermonibus, rather in ſighs then in words; for it was ſaith Saint Auguſtine, very ſhort, but very pithy, few words but full of ferearneſt, for he went a ſtones caſt from his Diſciples; his love was great, for he often ingeminated, Father, Father; his faith was ſtedfaſt, for he ſaid my father; his affection was vehement, for he cryed, O my father; his humility was unfaigned, for he kneeled down, and with great reverence he fell groveling upon his face, as Saint Matth. witneſſeth; his conſtancie was apparent, for he praythree times; his obedience was unreprovable, for he ſaid, Not my will but thy will be fulfilled; and his fervency was admirable, for every word drew drops of blood: and therefore this prayer was directed as an incenſe in the ſight of his father, and the lifting up of his hands as an evening ſacrifice.
Bernard demandeth, Quid oras domine, quid ſudas, and quid ſitis? for what doſt thou pray O Lord, and why doſt thou ſweat? Saint Hilary anſwereth,10. de lPro nobis oratio, pro nobis ſudor eſt, his prayer and his ſweat, and his thirſt and all, was for us, and he obtained all for us. And then,
2. As he thus offered up his ſoul in a fervent prayer for us; ſo,to bruiſe him, as the Prophet ſaith, he offered up his bloud in a ſweating fervour, and his body to be broken for our ſins;whoſe name was ſecret, kindled the fire upon the Altar, and at length the flame increaſing, himſelf alſo aſcended in the ſame: ſo here in this agony of Chriſt, our Saviour kindled the fire of his love, and then as a faithfull high Prieſt he offered up himſelf, as a ſweet ſmelling ſacrifice unto God. And ſeeing bloud muſt make an attonement for the ſoul, and as the Apoſtle ſaith, without ſhedding of bloud there is no remiſſion; therefore this our Prieſt ſhed his own bloud, to procure the forgiveneſs of our ſins: the bloud of his head when he was crowned with thornes, the bloud of his heart when he was pierced with a ſpeare, the bloud of all parts when he was whipped, and the bloud of his whole body when he ſweat the drops of bloud, not a watry dew, but nimbus ſanguinis, a bloudy ſhowre, when as totus ſudore defluit, it paſſed through and through his gartrickled down to the ground,
Luke teſtifieth; that there might be, as the Pſalm. ſaith, plenteous redemption. And as Eleazar the high Prieſt was to take the bloud of the heyfer with his finger, and ſprinkle of her bloud directly beſeven times;
Prieſt ſhed his bloud ſeven times to purge away our ſins.
1. In his Circumciſion, 2. In the Garden, 3. When he was crowned with thornes, 4. When he was whipped, 5.nailed, 6 When his feet were faſtCroſs, 7. When his ſide was pierced with a ſpeare. And then as the ſin of man was maledictio terrae, the curſe of the earth; ſo this bloud of Chriſt is medicina terra, the mebloud of Chriſt ſpeaketh better things then the bloud of Abel; for by the ſhedding of Abels bloud, Gods wrath was kindled, but by the ſhedding of Chriſts bloud, Gods wrath was appeaſed; the bloud of Abel gave life onely to himſelf, but the bloud of Chriſt gives life to all beleivers; the bloud of Abel cryed for vengeance againſt his brother, but the bloud of Chriſt cryeth for mercy unto his enemies, and the bloud of Abel cryed a while, and then ceaſed, and then it was no more availeable, but the bloud of Chriſt ſtill cryeth and never ceaſeth, and is available for us for ever.
And ſo you ſee how Saint Luke proveth Chriſt to be the Prieſt, which is to be the Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedeck, and therefore he is here underſtood by the calf, that was the chiefeſt ſacrifice of the Prieſts.
3. By him that had the face of a man,
Mark is underſtood by him that had the face of a man. Mark. 6.3. John 10.33.Mark, becauſe his principal aime was to ſhew that Chriſt was a true and perfect man, the ſon of a poor Carpenter, and in all things like unto us, ſin onely excepted. And this truth was ſo manifeſt that his very enemies confeſt it, and would have ſtoned him becauſe that he being a man made hima God: for their eyes ſaw that he had fleſh and bloud like other men, and that he did hunger and thirſt and was weary, and touched with all the blameleſſe paſſions and affections of oMark is very ſhort in his Goſpel, not above ſixteen Chapters in all; becauſe he needreadily confeſs it.
4.John underſtood by the flying Eagle.flying Eagle all the old Interpreters do underJohn, becauſe that when Ebion and Cerinthus, two Jewiſh Proſelites, denied the Deity of Chriſt, he purpoſely wrote his Goſpel for that main end, to confute that damnable errour, as Euſebius and others teſtifie; and therefore in the very Frontiſpiece of his work, he mounteth up like an Eagle, and ſaith, in the beginning was the word,
and the word was with God, and the word was God: and ſo throughout his whole Goſpel you may eaſily perceive his chiefest aime is to prove
Mary is the ſon of the eternal God, coeternal and coequal with his father, and eſpecially becauſe he proveth him,
1. To be the Creator of all things, c. 1.
2. To be c. 2.25.
3. To be the worker of ſuch miracles, as the raiſing up of L
and the like, which none could do but God
And it was requiſite that the mediator betwixt God and man, ſhould be God and man; Man, becauſe man had ſinned, and therefore meet that man ſhould make ſatisfaction, and not Ziba make the fault, and Mephiboſheth bear the puniſhGod, becauſe our nature ſhould, but could not bear the burthen which was the weight of Gods wrath for our ſins. But God, as God, could, but ought not; and therefore, ſeeing the one ought but could not, and the other could but ought not, God and man muſt be joyned together in one perſon, that man might do what he ought to do, and ſuffer what he ought to ſuffer; and ſo goe thorough the work of our redemption.
And therefore, as Saint Mark had proved Chriſt to be a man: ſo Saint John proveth him to be the true and eternal God. And ſo you ſee that by theſe four Beaſts we are primarily to underſtand the four Evangelists.
Joſ. 1.7.four Evangeliſts are in the firſt place to be underſtood by theſe four Beaſts, for the reaſons before ſhewed; ſo likewiſe all Magiſtrates and all Miniſters ought to be like theſe four Beaſt. As,
1. Like the Lion for courage, without fear, Confidens ut leo abſque terrore; for ſo the Lord commanded Joſhua to be ſtrong and of a good courage, ſaying, Onely be thou ſtrong and of a most valiant courage: and ſo Jethro tells Moſes, That his Judges ſhould be men of courage and undaunted, Quia timiditas Judicis eſt calamitas innocentis. So when the Jews told Pilat, if thou letteſt this man go, Thou art none of Caeſar's friend, he was afraid; and through that fear he condemned the Son of God. And ſo doth fear cauſe many oInnocents. And therefore to you that are the Judges, to ſettle the diſturbed Eſtates of this Kingmany, and many great men will frett and chafe, and be diſcontented at your doings, though you do never ſo juſtly: but it is your duty to do that which is juſt; and in doubtful caſes, when evidences on both ſides are in aequilibrio, to encline to that which tendeth to the ſervice of God's Church, and the honour of the King's MaSap. 1.1.always to remember what the Wiſeman ſaith, Love righteouſneſs yee that be Judges of the Earth; for righteouſneſs exalteth a Nation.
righteouſneſs you cannot preſerve, unleſs you be like Lions, without fear, either of threatnings or of dangers.
And as the Magiſtrates, ſo the Miniſters and Preachers of God's word ſhould be like Lions, to do their duties withfear; for ſo the Lord ſaith unto Ezechiel, I ſend thee to a rebellious Nation, but thou ſon of man,Ezech. 2.6.be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, nor diſmayed at their looks, Quia timiditas Predicantis eſt calamitas Audientis, Becauſe the fear of the Preacher is the calamity of the Hearer, when the fear of reproving mens ſins hardeneth them in their ſins, and encourageth them to ſin more and more. And therefore I ſay, that we ſhould remember what the Lord commandeth us, Cry aloud, and ſpare not,
Eſay 57.1.lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and ſhew my people their tranſgreſſion, and the houſe of Jacob their ſins. And if the great men of the world threaten us to rob us of our lands, or deprive us of our liberties, let us look what the Lord ſaith, I,
Eſay 51.12, 13.even I am he that comforteth you; and who art thou, that thou ſhouldeſt be afraid of a man that ſhall dye, and of the ſon of man which ſhall be made as graſs, and forgetteſt the Lord thy maker, that hath ſtretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and haſt feared continually every day, becauſe of the fury of the oppreſſor, as if he were ready to deſtroy?
And it is well that he ſaith, I, even I am he that comforteth you, ſeeing it is with us as it was with Ezechiel,
Ezech. 2.3, 4.Bryars and thorns are with us, and we dwell among ſcorpions, a rebellious
Nation, that are impudent and ſtiff-hearted; for I muſt humbly crave leave to tell you a ſtory of truth and no fiction. When I came firſt to lie in the Biſhops houſe in Kilkeny, I dreamed, that the Biſhops Court was full of people, Citizens, Souldiers, and Gentlemen, with Drumms, Swords and Muſaffrighted with the ſight of them, before they had entred the houſe, or done any hurt, I preſently awaked, and looking out at the window for them, I ſaw none: then for many dayes I often muſed, what this meant, at laſt I ſound that the Citizens of Kilkeny on the one ſide, the Souldiers on the other ſide, and the Knights and Gentlemen round about, came about me like Bees, to rob God of his honour, and the Church of her right, by dividing her Revenues aSouldiers did the Garments of Chriſt. And I neither fear nor care what any man thinks of what I ſay, my duty telling me what I ſhould ſay.
But though they threaten to be my ruine, and to cauſe me to ſpend what I intended to the repair of the flat-fallen Church, to preſerve the Revenues of the Biſhoprick, yet ſeeing the Lord ſaith, I, even I am he that comforteth thee, and that have delivered thee from ſo many dangers, and ſo many times from the hands of moſt mercyleſs Rebels, and bids me not to fear, I muſt not be diſmayed; but as Elias told Ahab, and J. Baptiſt told Herod of their faults without fear: ſo I, and all others, that are God's Miniſters, ought to be bold as Lions, to reprove the ſins of the people, and eſpecially thoſe ſins, that are moſt frequently committed, and are moſt prejudicial to the ſervice of God, and moſt pernicious to their ſouls; leaſt as Lucian ſaith, ſmoak of mans anger we ſhall fall into the fire of God's fury, when we fear men more then God. And theredear brethren, I had rather you ſhould blame me for my boldneſs, then that God ſhould puniſh me for my fearfulneſs; and I know, that as the Drunkard cannot endure to be told of his drunkeneſs, or the proud man of his pride, or the Rebel of his rebellion: ſo no more can theſe ſacrilegious perſons abide to hear of their ſacriledge. And muſt we therefear of their ſayings, jeeres, or threats? By no means.
2. As we ſhould be bold as Lions without fear; ſo we ſhould be diligent and painful in our places, like the Oxen, without lazineſs, to pray continually, and to preach conſtantly, and as the Apoſtle ſaith, in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon; that is, not ſo frequently, as our late Fanatiques would have us, to preach Sermons full of words without ſubſtance: but as St. Auguſtine expounds it, Volentibus & nolentibus, For to the willing hearers it comes in ſeaſon, and to the unwilling it comes out of ſeaſon, whenſoever it cometh.
And when we do this, then,Ox that treadeth out the corn ſhould not be muzzled, ſo ought not we to be moleſted, nor detained and held with vexatious ſuits, to hinder us, to diſcharge our neceſſary duties: leſt the puniſhment of our neglect ſhould fall upon the heads of them that cauſe it. For we are ſure, that our God is ſo juſt, that he will not puniſh any one for not doing that, which he is not ſuffered to doe; as, for not going into his Church, when the wayes are ſo ſtopt, that he cannot poſſibly paſs it,
3. We ſhould be, not like the horſe and mule,
whoſe mouths muſt be holden with bitt and bridle, leſt they fall upon thee; but we ſhould be endued with reaſon, like unto rational men, that, as Cicero ſaith, Agere quicquam nunquam debent, cujus non poſſunt rationem probabilem reddere, ought never to do any thing, whereof they could not yield a very probable reaſon. And God knows, how many things we do, for which we can yield no reaſon at all. For what reaſon had we to wax weary of our peace and of our happineſs, and to rebel againſt a moſt gracious King to deſtroy our ſelves? And what reaſon have we to expect God's bleſſing, and yet to continue ſacrilegious to rob God of his dues? Or is there any reaſon, that any Common-wealth ſhould keep Souldiers to protect them, and not regard them, nor countenance them, nor pay them their wages? Surely they are very neceſſary to preſerve our peace, and they ought not to be ſlighted; and John Baptiſt ſaith, They ſhould be
content with their wages: but they ſhould therefore have their wages: and how ſhould they have their wages if the Superiour officers defraud the inferiour Souldiers, or the cloſe-handed people detain their taxes? I know not where the fault is, if there be any; but I know his Majesty and his Immediate Governours, would have all things done with uprightneſs, and according to the Dictate of right reaſon.
But to leave theſe and the like unreaſonable men, that do theſe and the like things without reaſon.
flying Eagle, and the chiefeſt properties of the Eagle are,
And both theſe are expreſſed in the Book of the ſharp ſight.
lofty flight.
Righteous,
Job. 39.32.Job, Doth the Eagle mount up at thy command, and make her neſt on high? She dwelleth and abideth en the Rock,
upon the crag of the Rock and the ſtrong place, there is her lofty flight; then he proceedeth, and ſaith, From thence ſhe ſeeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off, there is her ſharp ſight: and of this ſharpneſs of ſight, Saint Auguſtine ſaith,Sub frutice leporem, & ſub fluctibus piſcem, Under the ſhrubs an hare, and under the waves a fiſh.
Even ſo ſhould we that profeſs Religion, eſpecially we that are the Miniſters of God, ſhould have Eagles eyes, to ſee the Majeſty of God in a bramble-buſh,
Exod. 3.2.Moſes; to diſcern the preſence of Chriſt with us in the fiery furnace,
Dan. 3.25.Abednego; to behold an Army of Angels ready to defend us in our ſtraighteſt ſiege,
Reg. 6.17.Elizaus; and to conſider the aſſiſtance of God to help us when we are molested and compaſſed with the greateſt heaps of afflictions,
Rom. 8.18.Paul.
Generation cannot doe; for though the underſtanding of the worldly man, which Nazianzen calleth, the eyes and lamp of reaſon, be pi
and cunning enough to make a large
ſhekel and a ſmall Epha;
Amos 8.5. Luke 12.56.well able to diſcern the alterations of the skyes, as our Saviour witneſſeth; yea, and to enter, like Ariſtotle, into the ſecrets of nature, and the deepneſs of Satan, to finde out the plots and practices of his craftyeſt inſtruments: yet being but a meer natural man, he cannot perceive the things that be of God,Cor. 2.14.any further then ſuch things, as may be manifeſted by demonſtration, as St. Clement ſaith. For,
If you talk of Chriſt's conception in the wombe of a pure Virgin, without the help of a man, then the Heathen,
Sarah, laugheth at it; and the wiſe Philoſopher, as being in darkneſs, ſtumbleth at it, and cannot conceive how this thing can be. If you talk of Chriſt's death, and ſay, that our God ſhould dye, and by his death procure to us eternal life, then the Jews will ſtorm at our folly, and the Grecians count it a meer madneſs, and a great reproach to our Religion. And if you talk of his glory and power, that being dead and buryed, he ſhould raiſe himſelf again, and now reign as a King of Kings in Heaven, then the children of infidelity deem it a feigned thing.
reaſon thereof is rendred by St. Auguſtine, that as the eye of man, if it be either blinde or purblinde, cannot thereby diſcern the cleareſt object; even ſo ſaith he, animus pollutus, aut mens turbata, a ſoul defiled with ſin, or a minde diſturbed with worldly cares, can neiſee God, that is preſent with him, nor underſtand the things of God, that belong unto him.
Yet the spiritual man, that hath the Eagles eyes,
Philo calleth fidem oculatam, faith enlightened by Gods ſpirit, can diſcern all the deep things of God, even the moſt excellent myſtery of godlineſs, which is, as the Apoſtle ſaith, God manifeſted in the fleſh, juſtified in the ſpirit, ſeen of Angels,
Tim. 3.16.preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. For in the unſpeakable birth of Chriſt the Eagles eye doth behold a divine miracle, in his accurſed death it ſeeth a glorious victory, and in his return from death it conceiveth an aſſured hope of everlaſting life.
next Property of the Eagle is her lofty flight, for the Poets feign, that the Eagle fled up to Heaven, and laid there her eggs in Jupiter's lap; and the Prophet Eſay alludeth to her lofty flight, when he ſaith, that thoſe which wait upon God ſhall renew their ſtrength,
40. ult.and ſhall lift up their wings as the Eagles;
Jerem. 49.16.Jeremiah goeth on further and ſaith, that the Eagles do build their neſts on high: and yet Ezechiel goeth bethe great Eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had diverſe colours, came unto Lebanon,
Ezech. 17.3.and took the higheſt branch of the Cedar, where you ſee, ſhe takes firſt the higheſt tree, and then the higheſt branch of that tree. I know it was a Viſion that ſhewed the ſtate of Jeruſalem; but yet you may ſee thereby the lofty flight of the Eagle. So St. John flew as high as Heaven to beconſidere debemus in coelis, ought to have our mindes ſet, not on the fooleries and vanities of this world,Epheſ. 2.6.heavenly things and heavenly places, that,Eſay 58.14.ſuper altitudines terrae, above all the high places of the earth, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, we may beall the things of this world to be tanquam muſcas, but as gnats and flyes; or like the ſpiders web, that though it be never ſo curiouſly woven, yet will it make no garment for us; and ſo all the titles of honour to be, but folia venti, the windy blaſts of a fleſhly pair of bellows, too weak an air to carry up a noble Eagle;
lilia agri, like the lilies of the field, that are more delectable in ſhew then durable for continuance, and all the allectives under heaven to be but vanity of vanities, and altogether vanities. For thus by a contemplation and continual conſideration of heavenly things, it would appear unto us, quam abjecta ſunt, que jam alta videntur, how baſe are all the things of this world, in our judgements rightly informed, which now ſeem ſo precious in our imaginations, being corrupted.
noble Eagles, mountMoſes builded his tent without the hoſte, and far from the hoſte: ſo ſhould we build our habitation out of this world, and far above the world; and as Elias when
flying up in a whirlwinde, beſtript himſelf of his mantle, and threw it down to the earth, leſt the weight of it ſhould preſſe him downward, and ſo hinder his aſcent to Heaven: even ſo, if we deſire to aſcend to Heaven, we muſt beſtrip our ſelves of all worldly impediments, that are as heavy as a talent of lead, and do not onely hinder us from aſcending upwards, but do preſs many men down to the bottomleſs pit. And as the Prophet David, in all diſtreſſes, comforted himſelf with that pious meditation, ſaying. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and what is there on earth that I deſire in compariſon of thee? ſo do all thoſe, that make their unum neceſſarium, their chiefChriſt to have an everlaſting houſe and lands, ſatisfie themſelves with the hope of obtain
And this is the reaſon, that ſeeing God hath given them all that they have, they weigh not a ſtraw if they be driven to ſpend all that they have, for the benefit and good of the Church of Chriſt, and to promote the ſervice of God. And if the wiſe men of the world laugh at our folly, and ſay, we ſhall ſpend ten times more then we ſhall ever get. We may anloſſes and expences they are but as feathers, and that ſhall never trouble us; but our hope is, that we ſhall attain unto our deſire, which is, to mount up with the reſt of God's Eagles unto the Kingdom of Heaven, and that will countervail all our loſſes. And ſo much for the peculiar and proper Deſcription of theſe Beaſts.
REVEL. 4.8.And the four Beaſts had each of them ſix wings about him,
&c.
2. general and common deſcription,they had each one of them ſix wings about him, and they were all full of eyes. Touch
1. Some things about their wings.
2. Some things about their eyes. And,
wings. Theſe two things are to be no
are theſe ſix wings.end they had theſe wings, or what uſe they made of them.
Rupertus and others ſay, theſe ſix wings are the ſix works of mercy, viſito, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo fratres, that is, as our Saviour ſets them down, to give meat unto the h
Matth. 25.35.thirſty, lodging to the ſtranger, cloathe to the naked, and to viſit the ſick, and thoſe that are in priſon: others underſtand hereby the ſix ſpiritual works of piety and mercy, which are to correct the offendor, to inſtruct and conſell the ignorant, to comfort the afflicted, to bear patiently all injuries, to forgive all treſpaſſes, and to pray for our enemies and perſecutors: but Balaeus and Lambert ſay, that theſe ſix wings are faith, h
and truth; and I think they come neareſt unto the truth, for by thoſe ſix we ſhall be able to ſhun and flie away from all the miſcheifs of the world; and theſe ſix wings are able to mount us up unto our father in Heaven. And they that have not theſe ſix wings are rightly ſaid to be like the Oſtrich, which often ſpreads her wings but ſeldome flieth.
But they that have theſe ſix wings are moſt happy, and need not fear the greateſt dangers, nor the malice of their greateſt enemies. For,
1. Faith is radix omnium virtutum, the root of all virtues; and you know what mightie things Saint Paul ſetteth down, to have been done through faith.
2. Spes alit afflictos, hope preſerveth the afflicted, and maketh not aſhamed, ſaith the Apoſtle.
3. Charity covereth a multitude of ſins; and of all the three divine graces, charity
4. Juſtice is ſuch a cardinal virtue that Theognis a Heathen ſaith, all virtues.
5. Our Saviour ſaith, bleſſed are the mercifull, for that they are ſure to obtain mercy. And,
6. Truth as Zorob. proveth, is ſo great, that it will preall oppoſitions, for though that by the tricks and delayes of ſutle heads, it may be clouded for a time, yet at laſt it will bud forth and appear.
But I fear the Lord hath a controverſie with the Inhabitants of this Land, becauſe as the Prophet ſaith, there is no truth, nor mercy, I may add, nor juſtice, nor knowledge of God in the Land; or if theſe be, then I am ſure you will not build up Zion with bloud, and Jeruſalem with iniquity, becauſe the Lord loves neither Houſe nor Lands that are unjuſtly obtainexamine it, or to handle the particulars that might be ſaid concerning theſe ſix points; for that might require ſix houres to do it at leaſt: but I will proceed and ſay,
2. If you would know to what end they had theſe wings,uſe they made of them, the Prophet Eſay tells you in the practice of the Seraphims, that it was for theſe three ſpecial ends: That is,
For he ſaith, that faces.
feet.
flie about.with two of their wings they cover'd their faces, and with two they covered their feet,
Eſay. 6.2.and with two they did flie.
And this they did for theſe three ends: That is,
curioſity.
miſery.
induſtry.
1. It is the nature, and the fooliſh diſpoſition of man to be alwayes prying and ſearching into every thing, the ſecrets of God, the myſteries of ſtate, and the obſcurities of nature. And yet the Seraphims that ſtand in the preſence of God are fain to cover their faces, not to hide their ſins which they had not, but becauſe they are not able to behold the brightneſs of Gods glorious Majeſty; and if the Angels hid their faces from the brightneſs of Gods Glory, how dares ſinfull man prie into it? becauſe, as the Apoſtle ſaith, he dwels in the light
light that no man can attain unto it,
Tim. 6.16. Exod. 34.20.no man could ſee his face and live; for though we walk in the chearfull light of the Sun, yet we are not able fully and directly to look upon the Sun when he ſhineth in his full strength and brightneſs, but it will dazle our eyes, and make them to ſee a thouſand colours. And as a pure chryſtal glaſs cannot indure the ſtrong working of the fire, but it will break all to pieces; even ſo the weakneſs of mans mortal nature, though it liveth by the enjoying of Gods preſence, yet it cannot bear, nor comprehend the glory and brightneſs of Gods Majeſty; but that, in looking upon ſo clear an object, the eyes of his underſtanding ſhall be dazled, and he ſhall fall and be ſwallowed up into a thouſand errours. For ſeeing, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, our knowledge of God in this life is but in part,
Cor. 13.12.ſuddenly paſſing by us, when we can look upon nothing but onely his back parts, it is impoſſible for any man in this mortality to know perfectly and exactly the being and wayes of the moſt higheſt.
And therefore this checketh the curioſity, and reproveth the boldneſs of thoſe men that like Phaeton will flie and mount up too high to ſearch into the Heavenly myſteries: for as the wiſe man ſaith, who can number the ſand of the ſea, the drops of rain,
Ecclaſ. 1.2.and the dayes of time? who can meaſure the height of Heaven, the breadth of the Earth, and the depth of the Sea? Who can find out the wiſdome of God which hath been before all things? For if we conſider either the nature and eſſence of God, or if we look into the counſels and works of God, we ſhall eaſily perceive that they are all incomprehenſible.
Et ſi quid facit Deus naturae nobis aſſuetae repugnans, nihil tamen facit rationi repugnans, And if God doth any thing that ſeemeth repugnant to our accuſtomed nature; yet we may be ſure he doth nothing that is repugnant to reaſon. And though all that God doth be exceeding good, yet we cannot always perceive many of them to be good; and yet this makes them not to be unjuſt,
9.
Gregory ſaith, Qui in factis Dei rationem non videt, He that
reaſon of Gods doings, let him conſider his own infirmity and blindneſs, & rationem videat cur non videt, and he ſhall ſoon ſee the reaſon, why he ſeeth it not: and if we ſeek to know more then we are able to underſtand, we ſhall underſtand leſs then we do: And therefore Solomon gives good counſell to theſe Gnoſticks, ſaying,Eccleſ. 7.18be not thou juſt overmuch, neither make thy ſelf over-wiſe. For the myſtery of the Lords commanding Adam, that he ſhould not eat of the tree of knowledge, was very great, becauſe the knowledge that he ſhould get thereby, would not onely cauſe his preſent fall,
Gen. 3.5. V. 7.him and all his ſons for evermore to fall.
And therefore the ſubtle Serpent that aymed at the readieſt way to deſtroy them, promiſed unto Eva (and he kept his promiſe) that if they would eat of the tree of knowledge, their eyes ſhould be opened and they ſhould be as Gods, knowing good and evil, and ſo it was; for the text ſaith, that their eyes were opened, and they had the knowledge both of good and evil, the good that they had loſt, and the evil that they had fallen into; for they knew that they were naked.
And ſo this knowledge did but direct them a way to run away from God, and teach them the art to ſowe fig-leaves together, to cover their ſhame, and to hide their wickedneſs and themſelves from the ſight of God, which they could never do: And therefore happy Adam hadſt thou been if thou never hadſt had this knowledge, for this knowledge made thee to full; and ſo the Prophet Eſay ſaith of Babylon,
Eſay 47.10.thy wiſdom and thy knowledge have cauſed thee to rebel, or to turn away; and ſo Ovid ſaith of himſelf.
Ingenio perii qui miſer ipſe meo.
My wit and my knowledge hath undone me. And I fear that many other men will cry out, that their too greedy a deinconceſſae ſcientiae, of unlawful knowledge, and prying too far into hidden myſteries hath hurried them into moſt deſperate concluſions; for though it be very true, that no other creature upon earth hath reaſon and underſtanding but onely man: yet
ſo far from reaſon as man alone. And therefore I do not ſay, happy are the beaſts that want reaſon; but I ſay unhappy is that man, qui cum ratione inſanit, that runneth mad with the reaſon that God hath given him, and by aſpiring to get unlawful knowledge, doth fall into unavoidable miſchief.
And therefore the Devil could wiſh that all his ſervants were as knowing as Berengarius, and as ſubtle as Dun
becauſe he hath more excellent execrable ſervice from one of them, then he can have from a thouſand others: for it is a true ſaying, That inferiour conceits have inferiour ſins, & non niſi ex magnis ingeniis magni errores, and the great ergreat wits, ſuch as Arius, Pelagius, and the reſt of the great Hereticks had. And as it was the Giants and Lucifer that highly rebelled and warred againſt God, and as it was the Princes and the Kings of the earth, that ſtood up and took counſel againſt the Lord and againſt his Anointed; So it is the great Lords that were the great rebels, and the mean men that were infirmiores in exercitu, are but as the tayle of the Dragon which the great men drew after them. And ſo it is the curious wits, the pryers and ſearchers after unſearchable knowledge and ſecret myſteries, that hatch the cockatrice eggs, and produce the moſt desperate errours.
And therefore, ſeeing the ambitious deſires of attaining more knowledge then beſeemeth us, and the knowledge of thoſe ſecret things,Deut, 29, 29.Moſes ſaith belong unto the Lord our God, are the Devil's ſplendida peccata, his gliſtering ſins, & generoſa ſcelera, his noble projects, his jewels, and moſt honourable ſtratagems which have cauſed many men not onePresbyterians, the moſt danrun away from God, we ought to take the counſel of Saint Auguſtin, Magis metuere cum in intellectu habitat diabolus quaem cum in affectionibus, to fear more when the Devil dwelleth in the underſtanding then when he corrupteth our affections, when as a Peſtilent Heretique, or a Seminary Prieſt, or a Fanatique Non-conformiſt, doth more miſchief then either a diſſolute drunkard, or a covetous merMajeſty of
that none can attain unto it: ſo when we can not underſtand his ways, nor dive into the depth of his counſels, and his decrees of election and reprobation and the like, we ſhould ſay with the Prophet David,
Pſ. 77.19.thy way is in the ſea, thy patches in the great waters, and thy foot steps are not known. And ſo when we can not ſee the reaſon of his judgproſpereth, and that man is puniſhed, and as Homer ſaith
Why he giveth this thing, and denyeth that thing, why he raiſeth this man, throweth down that man, we ſhould cry out with the Apoſtle, O the deepneſs of the riches both of the wiſdom and knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his judgements, and his way
And therefore, leaſt (as they ſay) Pliny burnt himſelf in Mount Aetna by ſearching too far into the cauſe of its conAriſtotle drowned himſelf in the ſea of Oſeria, by diving too deep into the cauſes of its extraordinary flowing; So our eyes ſhould be dazled wi h the brightneſs of Gods preſence, and our ſelves ſwallowed up in his bottomtoo fully upon ſo glorious a Majeſty, we ſhould not dive too far into the depth of thoſe bottomleſs myſteries: but, as theſe heavenly beaſts, and the holy Cherubims did cover their faces with two of their wings, So ſhould we; becauſe we are no ways able to dive into the depth of them.
But as the Poet can ſay to every boy
Mitte arcana Dei caelumque inquirere quid ſit;
So you muſt know, that beſides arcana Dei, there are alſo mysteria imperii, ſecrets of State, which we muſt not ſearch into but with theſe beaſts cover our faces with two of our
no government both in the Church and Common-wealth, but Anarchy, and as the Poet ſaith
We were in a worſe condition then the bruit beaſts. For they are governed by the law of ſtrength, when the weakeſt muſt yield and obey the ſtronger, as all the beaſts unto the Lion, the fowles unto the Eagle, and the fiſhes unto the Whale: But God ordered that men, indeed with reaſon ſhould be guided and governed by Lawes, not onely thoſe that he delivered himſelf, but alſo thoſe that are made by the wiſeſt of men, as Moſes, Solon, Lycurgus, and the like, Kings and Princes; and their under-Magiſtrates to rule and to govern the people according to their Lawes: and this government is a matter of great weight and moment. And therefore the Prophet ſaith, that Chriſt his government is upon his ſhoulders,
Eſay 9.6.his hand, or at the armes end, but upon his ſhoulders, which are the bearing members of all heavy things: and government reſtrength and ſtrong ſhoulders to bear it, but alſo wiſdome, and a good head, to guide it; becauſe it is ars artium gubernare populum, it is one of the hardeſt things in the World, and the chiefeſt of all arts, to govern the people, eſpecially when turba begins to be turbata multitudo, that is, wayward and froward. And therefore the Prophet David compareth the government of the unruly people, to the apraging ſeas, ſaying unto God, Thou ſtilleſt the rage of the ſea,
and the noyſe of his waves, and the madneſs of the people.
And this madneſs of the people requires grave Judges, and wiſe Lawyers, that can truly interpret the Lawes, and judg all differences according to Law, which otherwiſe would be made like a noſe of wax, to be turned which way you will.
And leaſt their madneſs ſhould ſtop the current both of the Law and Religion too, and ſo deſtroy both the learned Lawright, and without whom we were not able to live in the Common-wealth; and the Preachers of the
Goſpel that maintain Religion, without with we were moſt miſerable (as of late years they intended to do) The Kings and Princes that are the governours of the people, muſt mainſoldiers and Captaines to ſuppreſs their madneſs, and to peace and religion both in the Church and Common-wealth. And therefore the ſoldiers as I ſhewed not long ſince, are not to be ſlighted, but to be cheriſhed and ſatisfyed for their wages, that, as John Baptiſt ſaith, they may be conoppreſs the people.
And ſeeing all theſe things and abundance more of like ſort, that are requiſite for the government of the people, can not be done without a great deale of counſel, and wiſedome, and pollicy, and ſtrength, and power, and the like; it is not for the common vulgars to ſteale fire out of Heaven, to ſearch out the reaſons, and to prie into the cauſes and all the actions of their Superiours: but as the maxime of all wiſe men is, curabit praelia Conon, let the ſecrets of the Prince be to the Prince; and as the Medes ſaid to Deioces, whthou wilt about the government of us; both in war and peace, and we will obey thy commands and follow our husbandry, our trades, and our occaſions;Joſh. 1.16.Jewes likewiſe ſaid to Joſhua, All that thou commandeſt as we will do, and wh
ſo ſhould we and all other people, ſtudy to be quiet, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, and to follow their vocation, and to learn obedience, which is better then ſacrifice, and never to be ſo curious and cenſorious, as to prie into the ſecrets, and to condemn the actions of their Governours, but rather with the Cherubims, and theſe Beaſts to cover their faces with two of their wings.
And as they ought to do this about the ſecrets of State,
Aaron and the Prieſts.like about the Church affairs, which they ſhould leave to Aaron and the Prieſts to diſpoſe of; and not with the men of Beth-ſhemeſh to prie into the Arke
of the Lord:
Sam. 6.19.fifty thouſand, threeſcore and ten men for their curioſity in prying into the ſecrets of the Church. For what have Lay-men to do with the ordering of holy things, that the Lord God hath committed unto the Prieſts? Ne Sutor ultra crepidam. ſaid Apelles
And will they order things in the thigh
high,
Church of God, that have ſo much diſorder in their own houſe, and can not tell how to mend it: therefore they ought rather to hide their faces with two of their wings, then to prie into the Government of the Church.
For as I told you even now, that the Government of the Common-wealth was a matter of great moment, and to be borne upon the ſhoulders, which are the beſt able to bear it: ſo the Arke of God, wherein all the Government of the Church was included,Chron. 15.15.upon the ſhoulders of the Levites, 1 Chron. 15.15. To ſhew that this Government of the Church is no wayes of leſs moment,
Chron. 13, 10.civil State.
Therefore when this Arke was put, not upon the ſhoulders of the Prieſts,
Numbers 4.15.new cart, the Lord made a breach upon his peo
Ʋzza that he died; and ſo they may well fear the anger of the Lord will be kindled againſt thoſe that take this Arke of God from the ſhoulders of the Prieſt
and put it, as it was of late, into the hands of thoſe that had nothing to do with it.
Secondly, As the Cherubims and theſe Beaſts did cover their faces with two of their wings,curioſity, beable, and therefore ought not to prie into ſecret myſteries: ſo they covered their feet with two of their wings, to ſhew our miſery, becauſe we have defiled our ſelves and fouled our feet by our walking in the wicked wayes and the dirty pathes of ſin and iniquity. And ſo we are no
juſtifie our ſelves in the ſight of God: for we are all become abominable, and there is none that doth good, no not one, But in all men there is corruption, in the beſt men there is defection,
unfaithfulneſs hath been found.
And therefore God hath ſhut up all in unbelief, that every mouth ſhould be ſtopped, and all the world culpable before God; for if you looke into the beſt of all our actions, and the choiceſt wayes that we walk in, you ſhall find that the righteouſneſs which we have by nature, is but juſtitia Gentilium, splendida peccata, as Saint Auguſtine calls them: or the wiſedome of the fleſh, not ſanctified by faith, as Saint Paul calls it. The righteouſneſs that we have by the Law is but juſtitia Phariſaeorum, which as Saint Chryſoſtome ſaith, was in oſtentatione non in rectitudine intentionis, in locutione non in opere, in corporis afflictione non in mandatorum obſervatione, and ſo it was but ſceria obducta, ſin guilded and unprofitable, becauſe never perfectly performed, no not by the ſtricteſt Phariſee. And the righteouſneſs which we have by grace, is but juſticia viatorum, inchoated and imperfect, and at the beſt but as menſtruous cloaths full of ſtaines; but Jehova juſtitia noſtra, the Lord is that righteouſneſs which muſt ſave us.
And therefore we ſhould never exalt our ſelves with high conceits of our own worth, like the proud Phariſee; but rahumble Publican, and ſay, Lord be merciful unto me a ſinner: and to cry out with the Prodigal Child, we have ſinned againſt Heaven and againſt thee, and we are no more worthy to be called thy Sons. For if God ſhould enter into judgement, and be extream to mark what we do amiſs, O Lord, who could abide it? For no fleſh living could be juſtified.
juſtifie our ſelves and our wayes before God, but rather with theſe Beaſts and thoſe holy Cherubims to cover our feet with two of their wings.
But by this cov
of our feet, we muſt not underſtand the hiding and covering of our ſins, as moſt of us uſe to do; for Solomon tells you plainly that he which hideth his ſins ſhall
not proſper,
Prov. 28.13.confeſſeth and forſaketh them ſhall have mercy; and Saint John ſaith if we ſay we have no ſin we deceive our ſelves and the truth is not in us:
Iohn 1.8.we confeſſe our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to clenſe us from all unrighteouſneſs.
And therefore though we ought to cover our feet, that is, not to juſtifie our wayes before God: yet we muſt not cover our ſins, but confeſs them with an humble, lowly, penitent and obedient heart, if ever we look to obtain forgiveneſs of the ſame.
feet with two of their wings, ſo with the other two wings they did flie; and that was to ſhew the readineſs of their obedience to do the ſervice of God, and to teach all others to be induſtrious and diligent to do their duCherubims, and theſe holy Evangeliſts do not onely go or run, but flie very ſwiftly to do the work of God, and to execute his will; and therefore the Prophet ſaith,he rode upon Cherub and did flie, he came flying upon the wings of the winde, that is, his Meſſengers, that he ſent to perform his commands, were as ready and as ſwift as the winde. He needed no more but ſay to this man go and he goeth, and to another come and he cometh, and ſaith, in me mora non erit ulla,
1.
Curio ſaid unto Caeſar.
So we ſhould all be ſwift to hear, and diligent to do our duties; not lazily to go about them, like the Snaile, of whom the Poets fain, that when Jupiter invited his Creatures unAlciat.
—Sectanda gradu convivia tardo,
To come ſlowly to revellings and pleaſures, but to the Lords Table, and to other holy exerciſes we ſhould not be like the Snail, or the ſluggard that crieth, yet a little ſleep, a little ſlumber, a little folding of the hands to ſleep, but we ſhould go nimbly like thoſe that have wings to flie to do their buſineſs, becauſe as Saint Chryſoſtome ſaith, ſicut in unoquoque mater
eſt diligentia, ita univerſae doctrinae & diſciplinae noverca eſt negligentia: diligence is the mother of every good act, and ſloth or negligence is the ſtep-mother or fetters that entangle and choak all learning and diſcipline.
And as we ought to uſe diligence in all that we take in hand;Cantic. 8.14.ſervice of God, and to go to our Saviour Chriſt, that bids his Church and every member of his Church to make haſt, or to flie away, as the original word imports, and to be like to a Roe, or to a young Hart upon the mountaines of ſpices, where ſhe runneth and skippeth for very haſte to get away: ſo Abraham made haſte to make proviſion for the Angels that came unto him; and ſo David ſaith, O God, th
and ſo the women that ſought Chriſt came early, while it was yet dark, unto the Sepulchre.
And ſo all worldlings are diligent enough, and have wings like Pegaſus to flie about the affairs of this world,
— Currit mercator ad Indos:
The Merchant runs to get Commodities unto the Indians and the Oppreſſours are moſt greedy to rob both God and man, and the malicious man hath his feet ſwift to ſhed bloud, and the Fanatick ſchiſmatick flieth about, and compaſſeth Sea and Land to make a Proſelyte; and yet we that profeſſe to journey towards Heaven, do walk as it were upon leaden feet.
For you may ſee the Citizens of this World, how diligent they are and ſpare no coſt to repair and beautifie their own houſes in the faireſt manner; and how ſlow they are, and how backward to do any thing to ſet up the houſes of God upon their feet. But are like the Dog in the manger, that will neither eate hay himſelf, nor ſuffer the Oxe to eate it; ſo they will neither raiſe the Church themſelves,Chron. 29.1, 2, 3.ſuffer thoſe that would, to injoy the Revenues of the Church to raiſe the ſame.
But you know how heavily the Lord complaineth of thoſe that dwell in ſieled houſes themſelves,Hag. 1.4.houſe of
God to lie waſte; and that uſe their wings to flie about their own worldly affairs, and have ſcarce any feet to walk in Gods wayes.
wiſer in their generation then the children of light; becauſe they omit no opportunity to gain their wicked ends; and we neglect all the furtherances that may help us forward to the Kingdome of Heaven.
For ſo you ſee how Judas watched and walked unto the High Prieſts, and from the High Prieſts to the Garden, and from the Garden to the High Prieſts again, and from the High-Prieſts to the gallowes, and moſt of this while Saint Peter and the reſt of the Diſciples ſlumbered and ſlept.
But the reaſon why we are ſo ſlow in our flight towards heaven, is, becauſe our wings that ſhould carry us, are birdlim'd and entangled with abundance of cares about worldly wealth, or drowned in the vain delights of ſinful pleaſures, or preſſed down with the weight of thoſe vanities, whereof the leaſt is heavy enough to ſink a ſhip; that being burdened with ſuch hinderances, and hindered with ſuch burdens, we cannot ſerve God with that readineſs as we ought to do. For is it not ſtrange to conſider, how many mens hearts are filled with the cares of this World, and their heads loaded with a world of vanities? and how ſhould they fly about Gods ſervice, that are thus fettered with ſuch obſtacles?
birds that flie, will carry no more weight upon their backs, but what neceſſity doth reheavy burdens; ſo we being to flie up to Heaven, and to run our race towards the ſpiritual Canaan, ſhould caſt away both deliciarum putredinem & curarum magnitudinem, our worldly cares and our ſinful delights, and all other things that may hinder us to run readily to do the Lords ſervice, and to flie with the Cherubims and theſe Beaſts, about the Lords affairs.
Which if we do, we ſhall be crowned not with a garland of flowers, as the Romans uſed, but with a crown of eternal
glory, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. And if this cannot allure us to be ready and diligent in Gods ſervice, but ſtill to load our ſelves with the garbages of the earth; then I muſt turn from the Apoſtles promiſe to the Prophets threatning, and ſay,Jerem. 48.10.Curſed ſhall all thoſe be that do the work of the Lord negligently: curſed in this life, and curſed in the life to come, curſed for a time, and curſed for ever.
And therefore if we deſire to avoid this curſe, let us with theſe beaſts uſe two of our wings to flie about the ſervice of God with all readineſs, and rather ſtrive to be the firſt in the Church of God then the laſt; for ſo we ſhall gain the bleſsbeaſts, and the uſe that they made of them.
2.
For ſo it is in the 6. v. that they were full of eyes before and behind, and here in this verſe, that they were full of eyes within.
Firſt then you ſee, that they were full of eyes, which ſheweth their illumination, that they could ſee like Argos every way; and our Saviour ſaith, that the light of the body is the eye; and thoſe beaſts being full of eyes,
Matth. 6, 22 c. 5.14.rightly ſaid to be the light of the World.
And here I might Philoſophically dilate unto you the nature, quality, and excellency of this little part of the body, which is, the eye, and the ineſtimable benefit of our ſight, which is the chiefeſt of all the five ſences, but to explain all theſe, my time will not permit me.
And therefore I will onely ſay, that as theſe beaſts were full of eyes, to ſee all things and to enlighten all others: ſo ſhould all Chriſtians be like unto them, full of eyes; and eſpecially,
Magiſtrates.
Miniſters.
Magiſtrates and all the Judges of the earth ſhould be full of eyes; becauſe they are not onely to look unto themſelves, and to ſee to their own ways, but they are alſo to guide and to lead many others. And if they be blind, & yet unlead the blind, the blind Magiſtrates to lead the blind people, they both ſhall fall into the ditch, as of late atheir eyes, and ſo both were blind, and he is blind, ſaith Saint Chryſoſtom, that hath not both his eyes in his head.
And theſe two eyes in a Magiſtrate and a Judge are,
And for the firſt point,Knowledge and underſtanding of the Law, and of all caſes and cauſes that ſhall come before them.doing juſtice and executing judgement according to the truth and merit of every cauſe.underſtanding of all things aright, one eye will ſcarce ſerve the turn; but they muſt be like theſe beaſts full of eyes: one eye to look to the Complainants charge, another to mark the Defendants anſwer, and another to obpatience, and a great deal of circumſpection; for as Seneca ſaith. Qui parte judicat inaudita altera, aequum licet ſtatuerit, ipſe haud aequas eſt.
And therefore though the crie of Sodom and Gomorrha was
grievous; yet the Lord would not deſtroy them, but he ſaith, I will go down now and ſee whether they have done according to the cry of it: and if not, I will know.
Gen. 18.21.poor men ſtop the current of juſtice. It were well to do as God did, to ſee whether it be altogether according to the cry of it; for you may be ſure, that priviledge is accurſed, and woe be to that power that maintains wrong, and ſtops juſtice: and it will be a great deal more for your honour to lay aſide that power, and to ſuppreſs ſuch a priviledge then to ſupport it. And I think few but ſuch as never were in power afore would uſe it.
So when the report came, that the men of any City became Idolatrous and the ſeducers of the people to idolatry, as now our Anabaptiſts and Quakers withdraw their neighbours to their faction and rebellion, the Lord ſaith,Deut. 13.14.then ſhalt thou enquire, and make ſearch, ask diligently and behold if it be truth, and the thing certain, that ſuch abomination is wrought: Then for the ſecond point, If thou findeſt it true,
V. 15,that thou ſeeſt they have done it, thou ſhalt ſurely ſmite the inhabitants of that City with the edge of the ſword, and deſtroy it utterly. For,Epiſt. 182. ad Bonifac.
2 when with theſe eyes they do ſee the offence, they ſhould not let the offender eſcape, quia impunitas delicti inuitat homines ad malignandum, becauſe the leaving of ſin unpuniſhed is the chiefeſt encouragement to invite other men to ſin; for by favouring one, you hearten many: and as Saint Auguſtine ſaith, Illicita non prohibere conſenſus erroris eſt, not to reſtrain ſin when you ſee it, is to maintain ſin in them that do it; and he that ſuffereth it, which ſhould hinder it, is as culpable as he that commits it. And Solomon ſaith, He that juſtifieth the wicked, or ſaith unto him, thou art righteous, and ſo let him go unpuniſhed, and quaſheth all that ſhall be proved againſt him, him ſhall the people curſe, and Nations ſhall abhor him; and ſuch a Judge deſerveth very well to be accurſed.Prov. 24.24.
And it is moſt certain, that the ſuffering of oppreſſors, inunpuniſhed,
curſe of God upon any Nation, and eſpecially upon them that ſhould hinder it and will not do it. For, nil doctores niſi ductores, the Miniſters of mercy can do no good though we preach never ſo well, except the Miniſters of Juſtice will maintain that good, becauſe we can but forbid the corheart, and they muſt prohibit the wickedneſs of the hand; when as we onely have the words of exhortation, and they onely have the ſword of correction.
And therefore ſeeing the eye of Juſtice ſhould not wink, and connive with the tranſgreſſors, the falſe-hearted ſubjects and traytors, the oppreſſours and plunderers of their brethren, be they of what Nation you will, Jew or Gentile, and of what condition you will, high or low, which might think it favour enough to have their wickedneſs pardoned, though they be not honoured and magnified, when the ſame deſerves rather to be ſeverely puniſhed, then any wages to be connived at; but I will paſs from this point, that is too hot to be held long in my hand. And yet I muſt tell you that this ſhould no ways countenance the condemning of any man that is innocent; for the Scripture is very plain, that juſtum & innocentem non condemnabis, neither is it any juſtice to puniſh Mephiboſheth for Ziba's fault, but as every horſe ſhould bear his own burthen, ſo ſhould every man ſuffer for his own faults: ſo let the re
2. I ſay, that as the Magistrates and Judges ſhould be like theſe Beaſts, full of eyes; ſo ſhould the Miniſters and Preachers of Gods word be likewiſe full of eyes: For otherno purpoſe either for the Judge and the Magiſtrate, or for the Preacher and Miniſter to be like Lions, full of courage, unleſs they were alſo full of eyes, and their eyes ſhould be ſharp and quick-ſighted like the Eagles eyes: for the blind Lion may ſoon fall into the ſnare or ditch, and then his ſtrength and courage will availe him nothing. And thereMiniſter as the Magiſtrate ſhould be like unfull of eyes, and eſpecially to have two eyes at the leaſt.
famous learning and knowledg. And,blameleſs life and converſation.
And if the Miniſter wanteth either of theſe, he is but monoculus, an one-ey'd Prieſt, not fit by the Law of God to ſerve at Gods Altar, that would have his Prieſts without blemiſh.
1. The Prieſts lips ſhould preſerve knowledge;
and the eye by the idiome and cuſtomary phraſe of the Hebrewes is often put for the whole minde and underſtanding of a man, quia oculi ſunt pracipui mentis indices, becauſe the eye is the moſt principal index and declarer of the minde; ſo impudicus ocolus impudici cordis eſt nuntius, an unchaſt eye is the witneſs of an unchaſt heart, ſaith St. Hierom, and a pitifull eye is the temercifull man.
Therefore the eye put for the minde and ſignifying the underſtanding, the Miniſters that ought to be full of eyes, ought to be full of knowledge and underſtanding; for if they want knowledge, how ſhall the people get the knowledge of Gods Lawes from them that know nothing themſelves? The people muſt needs periſh, and they ſhall be liable for their deſtructiI will require their bloud at the Preachers hand, ſaith the Lord.Ezech. 3.20.Miniſters that have taken upon them the charge of ſouls, and do either want the eye of learning and the light of underſtanding, or elſe keep it in themſelves like the fire that is in the flint ſtone, and warmes no man, or the candle that is put under a buſhel, and lights no part of the houſe, are in a fearfull caſe, becauſe that as our Saviour ſaith,Matth. 5.13.when the ſalt hath loſt his ſavour, it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be caſt out and to be trodden under foot;
voice by being choaked with junkates, and the watcheyes by too much ſweating after worldly wealth, and the Miniſter cannot preach either through ignorance or negligence, they are thenceforth good for nothing but to be caſt out and thrown into the bottomleſs pit. But,
2.quick ſighted
eye of learning and knowledge, ſo they ſhould have the clear eye of a blameleſs life and converſation; otherwiſe as Penelope to delude her woers, is ſaid to untwiſt in the night what ſhe ſpun in the day: ſo by the darkneſs of their evil life, they pull down all that they built by the light of their preach
The Lord ſaith, that the Prieſt ſhall not go up by ſteps unto his Altar,
Exod. 20.26.his nakedneſs be not diſcovered thereon: and Saint Bernard ſaith, there are four things neceſſary for every Prieſt ne quid nuditatis appareat, that his nakedneſs may not appear. And they are,
1. Capiti velamentum, a vaile for his head; and that is prudent diſcretion which covereth all his folly and imbecillity,virtue but the guider and moderatrix of all vertues.
2. Corpori veſtimentum, a garment for the body; and that is fervent devotion, becauſe it is the office and duty of the Minifor all;
good men, that they may continue good and not fall.evil men, that they may riſe from their fall. And prayer without devotion, is like the body without a ſoul.
3. Manibus munimentum, a covering for the hands, and that is good works; becauſe that as our works are ſtrengthned through our prayers,3.
prayers are available through our works, ſaith Saint Jerome.
4. Pedibus fulcimentum, propps and ſhoes or ſandals for the feet; and that is a pure and an upright life and converſation, becauſe bad Miniſters do not diſpenſare but diſſipare bona Domini, and rather diſhonour then honour their Lord and Maſter Chriſt: And therefore the Heathen Prieſts at their ſacrifical ſolemnities, were wont to ſay,
And as the Magiſtrates and Miniſters ſhould be full of eyes,
Chriſtians in like manner ſhould be full of eyes, to look unto themſelves and to their wayes; for though, as the Athey were once darkneſs, while God winked at the time of their ignorance: yet now they are light in the Lord, even as the Prophet ſhewed they ſhould be, The people that walked in darkneſs have ſeen great light,
Eſay. 9.2and they that dwell in the Land of the ſhadow of death, upon them hath the light ſhined, becauſe it cannot be denied but that as Daniel ſaith, knowledge is increaſed, and as our Saviour ſaith, light is come into the world.
And therefore the people ſhould take heed that they love not darkneſs more then light, or that they be not like the fool Harpaſte that was as blind as a beetle, and yet would not be perſwaded, as Seneca ſaith, that ſhe was blinde but that the room was dark. For I fear that we have too many men that think they want no eyes, but that the houſe of God is dark and wants light; but that is becauſe they are bleere-ey'd like L
and look a ſquint and cannot ſee the truth.
There be many others that are full of eyes,
oculi nequam evil eyes, ſuch as Saint Peter ſpeaks of; and ofar worſe. My time will not give me leave to diſcover them.
But if the Lord ſhould ſay unto me, as he ſaid to his ProAmos, what ſeeſt thou: I muſt anſwer,Amos. 8.2.Lions become as fearfull as the Hares, that run away from the noiſe of the Hounds? Have I not often delivered thee as I did Eliſha after he had delivered his meſſage unto Jehu, when he preſently ſhut the door and fled?
Reg. 9.3 & v.
Why then, if thou commandeſt me, I muſt tell; and I muſt ſay with the Prophet, that I have ſeen unrighteouſneſs and
ſtrife in the City; moreover I ſaw the place of judgment, and wickedn
Eccleſ 3 16.righteouſneſs, and iniqui-qu
and I ſaw the tears of ſuch as were oppreſſed, and they had no comfort becauſe power was on the ſide of their oppreſſours.
c. 4. 1.Menenius Agrippa, when all the members conſpired againſt the ſtomach, I have ſeen a monſtrous ill-ſhap'd body cutting off his own moſt excellent and unreprovable head; and the worst Parliament that ever England ſaw, rebelling and warring, and doing far worſe to the beſt King that ever England had. And I have ſeen the Commons-houſe of that Parliament encroaching by little and little upon the rights and priviledges of the Lords, as the Plebeians did upon the nobility of Rome, till at laſt they had quite ſupplanted them: felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum, I hope, O Lord, that I ſhall never ſee the like again.
Yet I ſee one thing more that troubles me much, many men that ſay (excepting the conſcience of their religion, that ſhould not undo them) they are innocent from any offence done either againſt their King or againſt their neighbors, and yet to be drirebels & to have fought againſt their King to enjoy their Lands and Livings, and to become great men, and to hold in their fingers the Lands of Innocents, of the King, of the Church, and of God himſelf, which can as hardly be pluck'd out of their fingers, as it was to pluck the club out of Hercules's hands; for they have got poſſeſſion of them, and poſſeſſion being as they ſay eleven points of the Law, twelve Juries candiſpoſſeſs them.
But for the trial of the truth hereof, his Majeſty hath moſt graciouſly appointed, and his Grace here doth moſt favourably countenance theſe wiſe and religious men that ſhall justly and religiouſly determine theſe things. And I am confident that being wiſe men as they are, they will ſhew themſelves men of courage, bold as the Lion to do justly, and to ſtand for the right Intereſt, be it of the Jew or of the Gentile, without fear of the greateſt, and not caring what the meaneſt or the vulgar ſay of them; quia nec meliores ſi laudaverint, nec
deteriores ſi vituperaverint, becauſe their praiſe makes them never a whit the better if they do unjuſtly, nor their diſpraiſe one jot the worſe when they do right, which is the onely thing that all men ought to do without fear. And by their juſt and unpartial dealing betwixt party and party, I doubt not but they will as they have hitherto, ſhew themſelves to be full of eyes to ſee to every thing, to ſearch into every ca
and to find out the truth of every matter and every cha ge that ſhall be brought before them.
REVEL. 4.8.And the four Beaſts had each of them ſix wings a
bout them, and they were full of eyes within, &c.
2. full of eyes,
particularly that they were full of eyes within; and in the precedent 6.v. 6.v. it is ſaid, that they were full of eyes before and behinde, ſo they were
Full of eyes,
Within.
Before.
Behinde.
1. They were full of eyes within,
Jer. 17.9.own hearts and conſciences, for the heart of man is deceitfull
above all things: It is but a little member, vix ad unius milvi refectionem ſufficere poſſit, ſcarce ſufficient to ſerve one Kite for his break-faſt; and yet as Hugo ſaith, magna cupit,
3. de anima.& totus mundus ei non ſufficit, it affecteth great things, and as Juvenal ſaith of Alexander, the whole World will not ſufPellaean youth.
And it is very true, that In omni creatura, quae ſub ſole vanit
In all the creature which under the ſun is occupied in theſe worldly vanities, there is nothing more ſublime then mans heart, nothing more noble, and nothing more like to God himſelf; and therefore God requireth nothing of thee but thy heart, when he ſaith, My ſon,
Pro. 23.26.give me thy heart.
But then the heart muſt be pure and ſincere, free from all vanities, and void of all iniquity; for otherwiſe, qui de ſuo partem faciunt Deo, & partem diabolo, iratus Deus quia ſit ibi pars diab
They that give part of their hearts to God, and part to the Devil, God being angry that any part is left for the Devil, departeth and leaveth all unto the Devil,5.8.
Auguſtine ſpeaketh.
And therefore the Scripture ſaith, bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God; quia Deus non exterioribus oculis ſed puro corde videtur, ſaith Saint Auguſtine, becauſe God is not ſeen with our outward eyes, but with a pure and upright heart. But Vae duplici corde, woe to him that hath a double heart,
5. de conſiderat.one thing with his tongue, and thinks otherwiſe in his heart; and woe to him that hath a wicked heart, which ſpeaketh friendly unto his neighbour, but meaneth miſchief in his heart; and woe to him indeed, which hath a hard heart, which as St Bernard ſaith, nec compunctione ſcin
which is neither broken with compunction, nor mollified with piety, nor moved with prayers, nor terrified with threatnings, nor yet yielding with any judgements: but is unthankfull for all benefits, recounſell, and ſenſeleſs of all dangers, and ſo
worſe and worſe, untill like Pharaoh, he be quite deſtroyed.
And yet how many men have we that are double hearted and falſe hearted, and more deceitfull then the wilie Greeks that lurked in the belly of the Trojan Horſe, or the ſubtle Serpent that beguiled Eve? And that which is worſt of all, which do deceive and betray their own ſouls? For as of all murfelo de ſe is moſt impardonable, ſo of all deceits, he that deceives his own ſoul is moſt deſperate, and in the moſt wofull condition. And yet as Apollodorus the tyrant dreamed that he was taken and flead by the Scythians, and his heart thrown into a boyling Caldron, ſhould ſay unto him, I am the cauſe of all this my ſelf, becauſe I have deceived thee in all thy wayes, and in all thy plots and projects: ſo how many ſimwicked plots and practices, and in all their covetous deſigns and mercyleſs oppreſſions of the poor,John, 16.2.themſelves and betray their ſouls unto the Devil? When, as our Saviour ſaith, they ſhall put his ſervants out of the Synagogues, out of their places and offices, as they have done of late, and out of their means and maintenance, as you do ſtill amongſt us, and ſhall kill them and put them to death, and think that they doe God good ſervice, and believe that they have the Eagles wiPegaſus the broad way to Hell.
And therefore, ſeeing the heart of man is ſo deceitful, as many times to perſwade him he holds God by the hand, when the Devil hath him faſt fettered by the heeles, it is requiſite that we ſhould be like theſe Beaſts full of eyes within, to look into our own hearts, that they do not deceive us, and to exown wayes, that we be not miſtaken in them; leſt, while we aim to go to Jeruſalem the City of God, we ſhall with the Army of the King of Syria, that he ſent to Dotham to fetch Eliſha,
Reg. 6.19.Samaria, the City of our greateſt Enemy; for ſo the Prophet David ſaith, he did commune with his own heart,
Pſ. 77.5.his ſpirit
made a diligent ſearch, that is, into his actions, leſt his own heart ſhould deceive him: and ſo he adviſeth us to doe the like,Pſ. 4.4.Stand in awe and ſin not, commune with your own heart, that is, to examine diligently, whether the things that you doe be ſins or not: and do not truſt the ſuggeſtions and ſuppoſitions of your hearts, until you make a ſearch, and a diligent inquiſition into the true nature of them, becauſe many men do think, they doe not ſin at all, when they doe moſt highly offend the Lord.
reaſon is, becauſe they have no eyes within, to look into their own hearts, and to examine their own actions; but they are onely full of eyes without, to pry into the doings, and to cenſure all the acts of all others, which is the humour of them, that take delight to ſpy out the leaſt mote that they ſee in the eyes of others, but never look into the beam that is in their own eyes, thoſe horrible ſins that lurk in their own hearts.
And this multiplicity of eyes without, and the want of all eyes within, when thoſe that ſhould be within are turned out, is the cauſe that there are ſo many reformers of our Church, and cenſurers of our State, Etiam opifices quorum res fidesque in manibus ſitae ſunt, Yea, that even meer Mechanicks, Handicrafts-men, and Ploughmen, whoſe credit, wealth, and wit lyes in their hands, as Saluſt ſpeaks of the ſeditious Plebeians of Rome, do ſo impudently prate and cenſure the Government both of the Church and Common-wealth.
But as our Saviour ſaid to St. Peter, when he would needs know what ſhould become of St. John, Quid ad te? What is that to thee? Do thou follow me: ſo I ſay to theſe men, Quid ad vos? What have you to doe with the myſteries of State, or the matters of the Church? It becomes you to doe as the Apoſtle adviſeth you, To ſtudy to be quiet, and to meddle with your own buſineſs;
Theſ. 4.11.full of eyes with
to look unto your own actions, and not immittere falcem in alienam meſſem, and to do as many Gentlemen uſe to do, that is, to travel over France, Italy, and Spain, to underſtand the cuſtoms and faſhions of other Countryes,
ignorant of the Lawes, cuſtoms, and con
2. Theſe Beaſts are not onely ſaid to be full of eyes within,
before and behinde. And that was to this end.
1. They were full of eyes behinde, to look backward, and to behold the times and things that are paſt.
2. They were full of eyes before.
And Moſes, the man of God, that was faithful in all God's houſe, thought that this threefold ſight and conſideration of the times paſt, preſent, and to come, would ſurely make the children of Iſrael to fear the Lord their God, and to walk in his wayes; or if theſe things would not do it, he knew nolaſt farewell, and in the chiefeſt and moſt affectionate Sermon that ever be made unto this people, this is the chiefeſt wiſh that ever I found expreſt therein, O utinam ſaperent & intelligerent, ac noviſſima providerent!
Deut, 32.29.wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end! that is,
Ʋtinam ſaperent praeterita, intelligerent praeſentia, & providerent futura, I would to God, that this people did remember and call to minde the things that are paſt, that they underſtood the things that are preſent, and that they would conſider the things that are to come, and ſhall inevitably fall upon them.
And as Moſes, ſo do I wiſh to Almighty God, that all and every one that heareth me this day, would do as Moſes here deſireth, and would be, as theſe Beaſts are here deſcribed, that they might do what is here required. And that is,
1. To be full of eyes behinde, to behold the times, and to conſider the things that are paſt; for the want of this ſight and conſideration is a main cauſe of ſo much wickedneſs among
ignorance and impudency in our late Fanatique Leaders of their ſeduced followers: for if they would have done,Deut. 32.Moſes adviſeth us, To remember the dayes of old, and read the Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtories, Councils, and Canons of the Church, and other Hiſtories, the Records of time, both of the Greeks and Latines, I perſwade my ſelf they would never have been ſo diſloyal and rebellious againſt their Civil Governours, and ſo averſe and refractory to the Prelates of our Church, Quia ignorantia mater inobedientiae.
And therefore with Moſes, we have great reaſon to wiſh that our men were, like theſe Beaſts, full of eyes behinde them, to behold the times and things that are paſt; and e
dealing towards man.requital unto God.
1. It is a true ſaying of St. Auguſtine, Antequam conditi eſſemus, nihil boni merebamur, Before man was made he could deſerve no good, he could merit no favour; and yet if ſinful man had any eyes behinde him, to ſee what great things God hath done for him, he ſhould finde cauſe enough to cry out with the Pſalmist,
Adam in Paradiſe.O God, what is man that thou art ſo mindefull of him, and ſo exceeding gracious unto him? for thou madeſt him a man, when thou mighteſt have made him a beaſt: and he made him in his own image, and after his own likeneſs, in righteouſneſs and true holineſs, and he placed him in Paradiſe, the ſweeteſt place of all the world, in a garden of God's own making, and an orchard of his own planting, that brought all manner of fruits, and all kinde of pleaſant flowers, at all times of the year: and he made him Lord and Maſter over all his creatures, the beaſts of the field, the fowles of the air, the fiſhes of the ſea, and whatſoever walketh through the pathes of the ſeas: and theſe he needed not to run after them, and take pains to tame them as we do, but they were to come unto him, and to be obedient to him of their own accord. And
an helper fit for him, a Lady more excellent then Helen, whom he loved, and delighted in her at firſt ſight.
And were not theſe, Beneficia nimis copioſa, multa & magna, privata & poſitiva? Bleſſings and benefits, for number beyond number, and for excellency beyond expreſſion; for as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Who can expreſs the noble works of the Lord, and ſhew forth all his prayſe?
But how did man requite all theſe benefits?Adam requited God.unum breve, leve, & utile mandatum, one ſhort, eaſie, and moſt profitable Precept if he had obſerved it; no poſitive injunction of any hard work, but that which is far eaſier to be kept, a negative inhibition, that he ſhould not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, this was all, and no great matter, how eaſily might he have done it? Yet this man ſold his God, that had done ſuch great things for him, and brake his Commandment for an Apple.
Adam and Evah to offend God? Ambition.
moved him to doe this, but that which moveth all his children ever ſince, to deſtroy themſelves and all the Kingdoms of the earth, Ambition? That he might be as Lucifer deſired to be before him, ſimilis Altiſſimo, like Gods, knowing good and evil.
And this infernal weed, that firſt took life in Lucifer's breaſt, hath poyſoned all his Poſterity ever ſince, and eſpecigreat men of this world, that deſire to be greater, and affect and contend for honour and greatneſs above meaEudoxus the Philoſopher deſired of the Gods, that he might behold the Sun very near, to comprehend the forme, greatneſs, and beauty thereof, and afterwards be burnt of it, as the Poets ſay Phaeton was: ſo Ambition is the boldeſt and the moſt diſorderly paſſion of all thoſe deſires, which trouble mens mindes, and fills their heads with an unſatiable greedineſs of obtaining thoſe things, which they ſhould no wayes deſire; and by that means, as Adam did, they undoe themſelves and many thouſands more: for ſo Mar. Craſſus, the richeſt man in Rome,
ambition and an exceſſive deſire of new triumphs, preſumed at
Arſaces, King of the Parthians, and therein his whole Army was diſcomhimſelf miſerably ſlain, twenty thouſand of his men killed,ten thouſand taken Priſoners: So Caius Marius weakened with old age, but ſtrengthened by Ambition to continue in ſovereign authority, would undertake the warr againſt Mithridates King of Pontus; and thereby he was the cauſe of his own utter overthrow, and of that great ſlaughter, which imbrued all Italy and Spain with the deluge of bloud, that Sylla, by his extreme cruelty, brought upon them.
5.
Spurius Melius the Roman SeMarc. Manlius, of Henry the Fifth, whoſe ambition deprived his own father from the Empire, and cauſed him to dye miſerably in Priſon; and indeed of thoſe threeſcore and thirteen Emperours, that, within the ſpace of one hunambition of the Triumvirate Octav. Antonius, and Lepidus, had wellRoman Empire;pag. 223.
Peter de la Primauday ſaith, that the ambition of the Dukes of Orleans and Burgundy had almoſt utterly conſumed the Kingdom of France, and was the occaſion, that more then four thouſand men were ſlain within Paris in one day: and ſo I may ſay, that this wilde plant and bitter root of Ambition, that firſt ſprang up in Paradiſe, and afterwards grew worſe and worſe in the accurſed earth, was the cauſe that moved the late
Ʋſurper, and many others of thoſe Traytors and Rebels that followed him, to bring all the calamities, that we have both ſeen and felt in theſe Do
And therefore we ought to deteſt this curſed Plant, that brought forth ſuch bitter fruits of undutifulneſs, unthankfulneſs, and rebellion to be rendred unto God for all the great good that he had done for man.
But now, after that man had fallen, and thus diſloyally ſinned againſt God, Non dignus eſt peccator panc quo veſcitur, nec lumine coeli quo illuminatur, The ſinner, even the beſt of us all that are Adam's ſeed, is not worthy of the bread that
good; how much evil doth he now deſerve, when he hath ſo fouly defiled himſelf, and ſo highly offended his God?
And yet,
Ʋtinam ſaperent,
Adam, after he had ſinned.behinde us, to behold and ſee the goodneſs of God, and what wonders he hath done for the children of men; for he pittyed Adam when he was naked, and made them coats of skin to hide and cover their nakedneſs, and to preſerve their bodies from the ſtorms of winter, and the ſcorching heat of ſummer. And when all the World had corrupted their wayes before God, he ſaved Noah and his family,Adam.
deſtroyed all other fleſh: and afterward he ſnatched away Abraham out of the very flames of Idolatry, that was begun to be kindled in his father Terah's houſe, and then he delivered him out of Egypt, and preſerved him out of all his troubles: And for the ſeed of Abraham,
Iſrael, Moſes tells you what God hath done for them; for, when he divided to the Nations their inheritance,
Deut. 32.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.he took Jacob for the lot of his own inheritance; and though he found him in a deſart land, and in the waste howling wilderneſs, yet he led him about, he inſtructed him, and kept him as the apple of his eye, and he made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the encreaſe of the fields, and he made him to ſuck honey out of the rock, and oyl out of the flinty rock, butter of kinc, and milk of ſheep, fat of lambs, and ramms of the breed of Baand goats with the fat of kidneys, of wheat, and to drink the pure bloud of the grape.
And the Prophet Ezekiel doth amplifie the great goodneſs of God towards this people more at large, ſaying, that their birth and their nativity was of the land of Canaan, their father was an Amorite and their mother an Hittite, (i. e.) an accurſed people; and in the day that thou waſt born, thy navel was not cut, neither waſt thou waſhed in water, nor ſalted, nor ſwadled at all, no eye pittyed thee to have compaſſion upon thee; but thou waſt caſt out in the open field to the loathing of thy perſon: and when I ſaw thee polluted in thine own bloud,
I ſaid unto thee, live; and I waſhed thee with water, and anointed thee with oyl, I cloathed thee alſo with broydered work, and ſhod thee with badgers skin, and I girded thee about with fine linnen, and I covered thee with ſilk, I decked thee alſo with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thine hands, and a chain on thy neck, even as our fine Ladyes have in theſe dayes, and I have put a jewel on the forehead, and ear-rings in thine eares, and a beautiful Crown upon thy head, and thou didst eat fine flower,
Ezech. 16.3. ad v. 15.and honey, and oyl, and thou becameſt exceeding beautiful and perfect through my comlineſs which I had put upon thee, ſaith the Lord God.
reward did this people render unto God, and what requital have they made unto him for all theſe great benefits, that this good God had done unto them? Firſt Moſes tells you, They waxed fat, and then they kicked, as we lately did, and forſook God that made them, and lightly eſteemed the rock of their ſalvation; They provoked him to jealouſie with ſtrange Gods, and moved him to anger with their abominations: They ſacrificed to Devils and not to God, to Gods that they knew not, that came newly up, whom their fathers feared not, which was and is the fruit of every new Religion, as of late dayes we have fully ſeen amongſt us.
And then, as they forſook God that formed them, ſo preſently they rebelled againſt his ſervants, they muttered and murmured and rejected all their Governours; and as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, They angred Moſes in their tents, and Aaron the Saint of the Lord: for theſe two, to forſake God, and to rebel againſt their Governours, do always go together. And if you look into the foreſaid ſixteenth Chapter of Ezekiel, you ſhall ſee how the Prophet ſheweth their wickedneſs, and how they have multiplied their abominations above meaſure, and as many of us, over-wickedly and unjuſtly ſeeking to make our children great in this world, do bring them unto the Devil in the world to come;
Ezech. 16.21.Pſalmiſt ſaith,Pſ. 106.37,They offered their ſons and their daughters unto Devils: and the Lord himſelf aſſureth us, that Sodom had not done
Ezek. 16.48.51.Samaria had not com
And what an intolerable ingratitude was this? The moſt monſtrous thing that ever was; not poſſibly to be deſcribed, quia dixeris maledicta cuncta, cum ingratum hominem dixeris; becauſe thou ſayeſt all the evils that can be ſaid, when thou nameſt an ungrateful man; eſpecially to God, that hath done ſuch great things for us.
For we read of many bruit beaſts, that for ſmall benefits, have been very thankful unto men, as of the Dog, that for a peice of bread, will follow and be ready to die for his Maſter, and the Lion that for pulling a thorn out of his foot, preſerved the ſlave that did it, from all the beaſts of the forreſt, and afRome; and Primauday tells us of an Arabian infidel, that, being taken priſoner, and afterwards ſet at liberty by Baldwin King of Jeruſalem, in token of his thankfulneſs for that favour,40. p. 431.
night, into a Town where he was retired, after he had loſt the field, and declared to him the purpoſe of his companions, and conducted him, until he had brought him out of all danger.
And when bruit beaſts and Pagans are thus thankful unto us, ſhall man be unthankful unto God? No, no: He ſhould be truly thankful.
And Seneca ſaith there be four ſpecial conditions of true thankfulneſs.
Grate accipere; to receive it thankfully.Nunquam obliviſci; Never to forget it, for he can never be thankful that hath forgotten the benefit.Ingenue fateri per quem profecerimus:
Pro virili retribuere: to requite the benefit rebeſt manner that we are able.
But this people ſcarce obſerved any one of them, I am ſure
David tells us plainly, that after the Lord had ſhewed his tokens among them, and his wonders in the land of Ham, and had brought forth his people with joy, and his choſen with gladneſs, and had given them the lands of the Heathen,Iſ. 105.42, 43,Pſ. 106.13.forget his works, and would not abide his counſel:
V. 21.they forgat God their Saviour, which had done ſo great things in Egypt, wondrous things in the land of Ham, and fearful things by the Red-ſea.
But to let this people paſs, that were deſtroyed for their unthankfulneſs, let us look unto our ſelves and have our eyes behind us, to behold and ſee.
What God hath done for us. And,Amos 3.2,What we have done for the honour and ſervice of God. And,
Firſt, As the Lord ſaid of the Jews, You onely have I choſen of all the families of the earth: ſo I believe the Lord may juſtly ſay of our Kings dominions, that he ſhewed more love and favour unto them, then he did to any other Kingdom of the World; for whatſoever good he did to others, he did the ſame to us. And he ſhewed two more ſignal favours to us, then he did to any other Kingdome of all Chriſten
I. He raiſed the good Emperour Conſtantine, the Son of Helen out of Britaine, to cloſe up the days of perſecution, and ſhut the doors of the Idol-Temples.
II. When the myſts of ignorance, and errors, and ſuperſtialmoſt all the Church of Chriſt, God ſent ſucceſſively no leſs then five ſuch excellent Proteſtant Princes, King Edward the ſixth, Queen Elizabeth, King James, and King Charles the I. and II. (as no other Kingdom had the like) to proteſt againſt all the Popiſh errours and ſuperſtition, and to make ſuch a perfect reformation
theſe Churches of our Kings dominions are; ſuch love and ſuch mercies of God to us, as exceeded all the bleſs
And what reward, I pray you,rendred unSteven told the Jews, though I ſhould fare as Saint Steven did, that as they were a ſtiff-necked people, that have always reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt, and perſecuted the Prophets, and been the traytors and murderers of Christ: ſo have the major part of us ſhewed themſelves a rebellious Nation, that confederated to aſſiſt the Devil, to requite Gods extraordinary ſignal favour to us, with extraordinary ſignal contempt of Gods ſervice, and ſignal malice to all his ſervants above any other nation of the World, by raiſing out of us, and bringing in amongſt us, the great Anti-Chriſt, that is, the great enemies of Chriſt, you know whom,Cohors Magiſtratuum, & Chorus Prophetarum, 1. the beſt and bleſſed King Charles the Firſt, that like a goodLebanon, was cut down with all his boughes and branches of Magiſtracy; and 2. all the Seers, that were the eyes, the light,
Governours of Gods Church: and inſtead of them to bring in the wild-bore out of the wood, the great
Ʋſurper, to deſtroy the vineyard of Chriſt; and Gebal and Ammon, and Amalec, the Philiſtims, with them that dwell at Tyre,
Pſ. 83.7.Presbyterians, Independants, Anabaptiſts, Quakers, and other ſects, which are the falſe Prophet, to devour the revenues of the Church, and to deſtroy all the houſes of God in the land: and ſo to corrupt the whole Service of that good God that had ſo graciouſly done ſuch great things for us, as I have
And if theſe things be a good requital, or a juſt thankfulneſs to God for all the benefits that he hath done unto us, judge you.
Dedit te tibi Deus, He did but onely give thee unto thy ſelf, and thoſe temporal bleſſings that are moDedit ſe tibi Deus, God gave himſelf unto thee, and his onely Son to die for thee, he ſends his ſervants to teach thee, and his Holy Spigood Chriſtian here, that thou maieſt be for ever bleſſed here
Pſ. 124.1, 2.Pſalmiſt ſaith, they would have ſwallowed thee up quick, when they were ſo wrathfully diſpleaſed at thee; yea thine own ſelf many times, by thy deſperate riPeter to preſerve him from ſinking.
And are not theſe things bleſſings worthy to be remembred?
O that we would therefore prayſe the Lord for his good
For as the Prophet David ſaith, I called mine own wayes to remembrance: So ſhould every one doe, call his wayes to remembrance; that, if he findes, he hath been carefull in God's ſervice and a faithful Steward in God's houſe, it may be a comfort unto his Conſcience, Quia immenſa eſt laetitia de memoria tranſactae virtutis, becauſe the reJob ſaith, abhorr himſelf in duſt and aſhes.
But that I may the better and the ſooner perſwade you to fear God, and to ſerve him,Moſes deſire you to redays of old, and conſider the years of many generations, and therein to obſerve but theſe two things.
How God bleſſed thoſe that walked in his wayes.
How he plagued thoſe that neglected his ſervice, and tranſgreſſed his commands.
Enoch walked with God, and God took him to himſelf: Noah was a juſt man, and God preſerved him from the deAbraham, Iſaac, Jacob, Joſeph feared the Lord, and the Lord bleſſed them in all that they took in hand: and the Prophet David generally ſaith,Pſal. 112.1, 2, 3.bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord, that hath great delight in his commandments, his ſeed ſhall be mighty upon earth, riches and plenteouſneſs ſhall be in his houſe,Proverb 10.7. &c. 20.7.his righteouſneſs endureth for ever: and Solomon ſaith the like, that the memorial of the juſt is bleſſed, and his children are bleſſed after him. And therefore if thou loveſt thy children, and wouldeſt have them to grow great and to proſper in the world, be juſt in all that thou doeſt, and neirob God of his right, nor oppreſſe, cozen, or defraud thy poor neighbour; which not done are the chiefeſt, if not the onely things, that will bring the curſe of God upon thee and thy Poſterity. For,
behind thee, and conſider how God plagued the unrighteous Generations; and you ſhall finde, that when the old world corrupted their wayes, the Lord ſwept them all away with the deluge; when the cry of Sodom and Gomorrha came to the eares of God, God deſtroyed them with fire and brimſtone: ſo when the cry of the innocent ſervants of Chriſt ſhall not be heard to have juſtice done unto them, becauſe of the great friends and power of their opPſalmiſt ſaith, The Lord will hear their cry and will help them.
And here to terrifie offenders from their wickedneſs, I could willingly enlarge my diſcourſe, to ſhew the fearful examples of Gods judgement againſt many ſorts of Maleſhort allowance of time will ſcarce permit me to give you the ſight of ſome few judgements againſt and upon theſe four predominant ſins, that are ſo riſe amongſt us, and ſo pernicious unto us.
Rebellion,
Perjury,
Injuſtice,
Sacriledge.
1. For Rebellion, this our laſt Age,apt we are to fall into it, though it be as bad as the ſin of witch-craft, which is the givdreadful vengeance of God for the Rebellion of Corah, Dathan and Abiram againſt their Governours, when the earth opened her mouth and ſwallowed them down quick to Hell, and the heavy judgement of God upon Abſolon for rebelling againſt King David, which followed him hard at the heeles, until he came to the bough where he was hanged, and the ſhameful yet moſt juſtly deſerved death of our late Rebels, and of many more the like Villaines, that I could quote to you out of Hiſtories, ſhould deterre them from this unnatural ſin of Rebellion, and keep them within the bounds of their obedience to their Governours, which is more acceptable in the ſight of God then any ſacrifice that we can offer him: or if this can not do it, then may they look for the like end, as thoſe that committed the like ſins.
2. For Perjury, it is ſo pernitious a ſin, and yet ſo general,
hainouſneſs thereof. But I finde this perjury to be like the three headed Cerberus.
1. Of thoſe Inferiours, that either for bribes and reward,fear of their Land-lords or other great men, will moſt falſly ſwear before Judge or Jury to the taking away of the goods, lands, or life of many innocent men,utter ruine of many men, fatherleſs and widdows.
2. Of Superiours which break their faith and oaths that they make unto their Inferiours. And ſuch a forſworn wretch was Lyſander the Admiral of the Lacedemonians,
Tiſſaphernes that brake his oath which he made with the Grecians,
Cleomenes King of Lacedemon that did the like with the Argians, but he was ſufficiently plagued by the juſt judgement of God for his perfidiouſneſs and perjury, when the women of Argos overthrew the greateſt part of his Army, and he with a knife killed himſelf. And many more Tyrants and Commanders I could name of this kinde, that neither feared God, nor regarded their faith with men; and therefore were plagued by the juſt judgements of God.
other ſort of perjurers are of a middle ſize, and great men, that either through diſcentent or hope to be made greater,Eccleſ. 8.2.faith, and falſifie the oath of God, as Solomon calls it; and ſo prove Rebels and Traytors unto their Kings and Governours.
Neclas ſerved Duringus for his treachery to the Son of
Ʋratiſlas.
reward theſe perfidious and perjured Villaines? And how do moſt wiſe men deeme and deale with them? but as Neclas did with Duringus, who to ſecure Neclas, as he ſaid, in his Throne, falſified his faith to his Prince, and killed the Son of
Ʋratiſlas, that was the next Heir unto the Crown; hoping that for his good ſervice he ſhould be much favoured and well rewarded of Neclas: but the wiſe Prince abhorring ſuch perfidiouſneſs, ſaid unto him, that perjury and treachery could not be mitigated and wiped away by any good turns or after-ſervice; and therefore whereas he expected a reward for his good ſervice done unto him, he ſhould have it according to his merit. For of three things he ſhould chuſe which he would. 1. To kill himſelf with a poinyard;11.
Hang himſelf with an halter; or, 3. Caſt himſelf down from the Rock of Viſgrade: and he hanged himſelf upon an Elder tree, which while it ſtood, was called Duringus tree, as Aenaeas Sylvius writeth.
2. How Selim uſed Ladiſlas, Kerezin. Camerar. Hiſt. Meditat. l 1. pag. 20. c. 7. Johan4. c. 22.
Ladiſlas Kerezin did a very good turn to Selim, in yielding up to him the ſtrong place of Hinla; yet for his perjury and perfidiouſneſs he cauſed him to be brought to a moſt miſerable death, which you may ſee in Camerar. And the ſame Selim did the like to a Jewiſh Phyſititreachery againſt his Father, ſaying, that upon the leaſt diſcontent or hope of reward, he would not ſtick to do to him as he did to his Father; and therefore he had no reaſon to let him live, becauſe commonly Traytors are double Traytors, and as unfaithful to him whom they ſerve, as to him whom they have betrayed And ſo Soliman his Son promiſed his Daughter with a very great dowTraytor for yielding unto him the Iſle of Rhodes; and when he got the Iland,Soliman uſed the Traytor that yielded to him the Ile of Rhodes.
magnifical pompe unto him, and ſaid, thou ſeeſt I am a man of my word; but foraſmuch as you are a Chriſtian, and thy Wife a Mahumetan, and I am loath to have a Son in Law, that is not a Muſulman; therefore it is not ſatisfactory to me, that in hope of favour and gain thou turn thy coat for faſhion ſake:1. c. 7. p. 21.
skin which is bapSolyman uſed the betrayers of Nadaſt that defended the Caſtle of Buda in like manner.
And the King of Henetia having promiſed Marriage to Romilda the Wife of Prince Sigulphus,
Henetia ſerved Romilda the Wife of Sigulphus. Aventinus l. 3. Annal. Bavar.
Potiphars Wife did with Joſeph, ſo ſoon as ſhe delivered unto him the City of Friol, did after her marriage and one nights lodging with her, cauſe her to be ſet, and marſharp ſtake, as a worthy puniſhment of her treachery.
And the Emperour Aurelian did not much better uſe the Traytour Heraclemon, nor Brennus Demonica,
Aurelian ſerved Heraclemon.
Epheſus, as Titus Liv. ſaith the Daughter of Sp. Tarpeius betrayed the City of Rome unto the Sabines, and for her reward loſt her life on the Tarpeian Hill.
But though I could produce to you very many more exMahomet ſerved John Juſtinian.
Mahomet did to John Juſtinian of Genua, who promiſed to deliver Conſtantinople into the Emperours hands, ſo he would make him King of ſuch a place that he deſired. And Mahomet yielded and aſſured him that he would do it; and ſo he did;
39. pag. 423.
Juſtinian had betrayed the
good ſervice which he had done unto him; but for a reward of his treachery to his Lord and Maſter Auguſtulus, he cut off his head within three dayes after.
And ſo all the wiſe men that I have read of, do conceive that no good ſervice done to ſucceeding Kings, can merit the blotting out of the perjury and perfidiouſneſs of Traytors to their former Kings and Maſters; but that after they be rereceive the merit of their perfidiouſneſs to the for
Theodorus in Collect. l. 2. The reaſons why perfidireaſon is rendred by the foreſaid Sages.
1. Becauſe that as Theodoric the Arian ſaid, when he cut off the head of an Orthodox Deacon whom he loved, becauſe he revolted, (to pleaſe Theodoric, as he thought) to Arianiſm, they that keep not their oaths and faith to God, can never be faithful to any mortal man.
Aurelian ſaid, when he ſuffered Heraclemon, which had done him ſo good ſervice, to be ſlain, he could not believe that he which would betray his Countrey, and prove faithleſs to his own Prince, could ever continue faithful unto him; but that upon the like diſcontent or hope of a greater gain, ſuch Traytors as will turn the leaf, and ſaile with every winde, will become as treacherous to their latter benefactors, as they have been unto their former Maſters. And therefore though we ſhould forgive them as Chriſtians; yet it is neither wiſdome nor pollicy to believe them as friends, becauſe not onely the Fable of the Snake, but the Son of Syrach alſo teacheth us, what little credit is to be given to reconciled friends, Eccleſ. 10.12. And the wiſe heathen bids us, ſemper diffidere, to ſuſpect ſuch faithleſs men continually.
But what if the Kings and Princes have promiſed Pardons unto the Traytors for ſome ſpecial ſervice done unto them: Can they afterward puniſh them for their precedent offences unto others?
I anſwer, that as Cicero ſaith,honour of a Prince) to keep his word and promiſes inviolable; though upon ſome exigent neceſſity, he may be conſtrained to make the ſame to his prejudice, and abare word of a Prince ſhould be of as great force as the oath of a private man.
But though Kings and Princes ſhould inviolably obſerve their words in their Pardons granted unto Rebels and TrayPhilip King of Macedon anſwered Laſthenes, that betrayed the City of Olynthum, and Auguſtus Caeſar ſaid to Rymetalces King of Thracia, that had forſaken Antonius, to joyn with him, that he loved the treaſon that did him good, but he could not endure the Traytor that betrayed his Master. And Alexander Severus was of the ſame minde, but that he joyned cruelty with his hatred unto the Traytors; for when he had inticed many Captains of Piſcennius Niger, his Competitor of the Empire, to diſMaſters ſecrets, and had ſerved his turn of them, and ſettled his affairs, he made all thoſe Traytors,
3
Herodian writeth. So the wiſeſt men conceived that they ought not to countenance and favour thoſe that had been Traytors unto other Princes; though they had done good ſervice unto them: and that for theſe three reaſons.
1. For that he which hath turned one leaf can turn another; and he that hath betrayed my Father, may upon the like hopes and ſurmiſes betray me likewiſe; and he that hath been a Rebel, knows the way to become a Rebel.
2. For that this honouring and magnifying of Rebels and Traytors to former Princes, for their good ſervice done to latter Maſters, may prove to be an encouragement for others to become Rebels and Traytors in like manner againſt their Kings. For when amongſt many thouſands of Rebels, they ſee but few puniſhed, the reſt pardoned, and many of them favoured and preferred, why may not the ſeditions think, that
fortune of thoſe few that ſhall be puniſhed, and be magnified like thoſe that they do ſee thus rewarded?
3. For that this favouring and countenancing of thoſe that have been Rebels and falſe, is a great offence and diſcouragement to thoſe that have ever continued faithful and loyal, eſpecially if they ſee themſelves poſtponed and ne
And therefore the Kings and Princes that I told you of, thought it neither wiſdom nor policy to regard and favour thoſe, whom they pardoned for their treachery to their forgood ſervice unfewer Tray
And this appeareth plainly by our new Plotters of Rebellions and Treaſons now amongſt us in this Kingdom of Ireland; for who and what are they that doe thus murmur and mutter aGod and his Anointed, the King and his Lieutenant, the Church and Common-wealth? But thoſe that have been members of the Beaſt, and limbs of the great Anti-Chriſt, the Rebels and Traytors that roſe and warr'd, and ſome no doubt, but had their hands or fingers dipped deep in the bloud of that bleſſed Saint and glorious Martyr, our late moſt gracious King Charles the Firſt: and having eſcaped their juſt deſerved ſhame and death, and being ſo highly rewarded by their Grand Maſters for their great wickedneſs, with the lands of the Iriſh, without diſtinction, whether they were bloudy Murderers and Rebels againſt their King, or innocent Papiſts, that were both loyal unto their King, and ſuccourers of the Proteſtants, and now ſeeing the touchſtone of truth and juſtice, rendring to every one his own, according to his merit, either of nocency or innocency, they ſtamp and ſtare, and being moved with madneſs, like boyes at blinde mantheir Arrows, even bitter words; nay, falſe ſcandalous, rebellious, and treacherous words againſt the King, againſt his Lieutenant, and againſt the peace and happineſs of this whole Kingdom: they care not whom they traduce, ſo
contention, and move the diſcontented to a new Rebellion.
And what wayes do they take for this, but the very ſame which they had learned and practiſed before in England under the Long-Parliament.
1. To tax and to traduce the good King for doing that they know not, nor ever ſhall be able to prove that he did; but the Scots ſay that he did: and ſo they do ſay a thouſand things more then I believe to be true: and they ſhould believe nothing, eknow not, againſt their King, when as all other men, that are both wiſe and honeſt, can ſufficiently anworthy to be of his counſel, and to know the reaſons of his actions; yet could ſhew you very juſt and ſufficient reaſons for every thing that ever I heard his Majeſty did: and I would do it, but that Himſelf and his Council, I know, can juſtifie all his actions, with many far deeper reaſons then I can dive into.
Therefore theſe very firebrands of ſedition, knowing this, would a little excuſe his Majeſty, by laying the faults upon his Counſellors, that ſeduced him. And who are they? They ſpeak in general, & in univerſalibus latet error; ſo did the long Parliament againſt our late King: there they learned their leſſon, and they walk in the ſame paths. But the former Parliaments could name their names, the Duke of Buckingham: ſo can theſe men name the Duke of Ormond. And what hath he done? I obſerve two things that they charge him with.
1. To teſtifie what he knew to be truth, and theſe men conmighty fault! becauſe they had not their eyes open to ſee the truth, his Grace offended to teſtifie the truth.
2. In obeying his Majeſty's gracious goodneſs, by relieving thoſe that were neceſſitous, and perhaps, for ought that they know, had done his Majeſty very good ſervice, and, for ought that we know, had done no injury to any of our men; and this is a ſin unpardonable with theſe uncharitable men. I, but
theſe he lets the Army ſtarve: and I demand, what Subject ever did pawn his own lands, melt his own plate, lay out his own moneys to relieve the King's Armies, and to ſhew himſelf, I will not ſay more faithful, but I ſay, neer ſo faithful to his King, and ſo bountiful a beneto all the King's loyal Subjects, as the Duke of Ormond hath alwayes been? I muſt, and ever will, with all thankfulneſs acknowledge it; when the long Parliament and their whelps had robbed me of all that I had, all the reall the friends in the world, was that bountiful gift, which this noble Duke ſent me by Sir George Lane: And I could name the many many more, to whom his Grace did the like; And are theſe things, faults worthy to be reproved? And I am ſure he hated the Rebellion, and diſowned the Rebels of this Nation as much or more then any man: and would you have him to be an enemy to the poſtnati, and a ſtranger to the innocent? God hath made him a more honourable, and a more gracious man.
I, but we are not yet come to the quick the Engliſh intereſt, by the favour of the Duke unto the Iriſh and the Judges of the Court of Claim, is much ſhaken, and is like to be diſmembred and left inanimate.
But would you have the Engliſh intereſt to continue, be it right or wrong? or would you have it ſo to continue, that God might bleſs it, and it to proſper? If ſo, then let it be rooted in juſtice and eſtabliſhed in truth; or otherwiſe, the breath of the Lord will ſcatter it, and the wrath of God will ſoon deſtroy it; and inſtead of bleſſing, will, as Jacob ſaid, bring the curſe of God upon you and your Poſterity. And you might ſee if you had your eyes open, the great care of my L Duke, and the great pains and diligence of the Court of Claim, to ſearch out the truth of every cauſe, that the innoguilty, nor the nocent carry away the victory. And what more would you have done?
Yet, as I ſaid before, they that have learned the way to be Rebels, do know the way to be rebellious ſtill.
But eſpecially becauſe Rebels and Traytors have had their Preſidents and examples to chalk and tread out the deſperate pathes of treachery and rebellion unto them; becauſe, as the Poet ſaith;
Nullum caruit exemplo nefas,
You cannot eaſily name the wickedneſs, that I can not parallel with the like example, as, If Alexander and Holophernes were drunk, ſo was Noah long before them; If Oedipus commitJocaſta, ſo did Lot commit inceſt with his own daughters, and if Polynices kill'd his own brother Eteocles; ſo did Alexander Caracalla kill his own brother Getha, Romulus killed Remus, and Cain his onely brother Abel.
And ſo the men that became Rebels and Traytors unto their King, and murderers of their Brethren here amongſt us, may alledge, they are not the firſt that rebelled; but they can name enough that murdered their oppreſſors, which they onely intended to do: and they can cite you great Maſſacres, and the rooting out of many Potentates, that Lorded and domineered over the poor people; as the maſſacres in France, the Cicilian Veſpers, the treachery of Mithridates, and the ſubjects of Pontus, that conſpired together, to deſtroy all the Romans, that were diſperſed over all the Kingdom of Pontus; ſo the Saxons became treacherous, and the murderers of all the Britiſh Lords, on Salisburie-plain: and they ſay the Iriſh did the like, to eradicate the Daues out of this Kingdom: and they have done no more unto their Oppreſſours.
But to anſwer theſe ſubtle Pleaders; for the defence, or leſſenſinful miſchief, by the example of others wicked
1. That no example can any ways excuſe wickedneſs, but rather aggravates the ſin; that the ſight of others falling into the ditch, ſhould teach us to beware of the like fall; yea,
follow them; becauſe the Lord tells us plainly, We ought not to follow a multitude to do evil; and it is our duty, not to do what others do, but what God commands us, and all others to do.
2. I ſay, that herein, hîc hîc caruit exemplo nefas, thoſe two fold treachery and rebellion,
can not be Engliſh-Scotizing Rebels, And,Iriſh murderers,
fitted with any Preſidents. nor parallel'd out of any Hiſtories.
I do aſſure you, that I have read as many Engliſh, Greek, and Latin Hiſtories, as well I could; yet in all the Hiſtories that I have read, I do profeſs unto you, I never found ſo much cruel ſubtlety, and ſuch infernal impiety, as I ſaw in the Engliſh Rebels; nor ſo much ingratitude, inhumanity, and cruelty, as we read in Sir John Temples Book, was acted in the Iriſh Inſurrection, if you will afford it no worſer name; for,
1. Touching the Engliſh and Scotiſh Rebellions; firſt for their ſubtlety; the ſubtle ſerpent deviſed not ſo many lies to deimpudently forged to dePious King, and all their Spiritual Fathers; ſo that all the Kings Declarations, all the Proteſtations of his friends and Councel, and all the Preaching of the moſt faithful and Orthodox Preachers, could not undeceive the ſe
2. For their impiety; it is moſt certain, and beyond compagreater wickedneſs commitcrucifying of the Son of God; but beſides the many parallels, betwixt thoſe Jews, and theſe Rebels, exceedmalicious proſecution, and the violent perſecution of theſe rebels againſt our late King, and the helliſh manner of compaſſing his death, and killing him, went beJews. For.
1. The Jews knew him not,
Reſp. Act. 13.27.17.voices of the Prophets, as the Apoſtles teſtifie in many places; and Chriſt himFather forgive them, for they know not what they do: and they knew him not to be their King; for the Romans had long reigned over them, and he had refuſed to be made King; but the long Parliament knew Charles the firſt, and knew him well enough to be their own indubitable, juſt, and lawful King. And therefore they fought for the King and Parliament, ſuch a cheat, and ſuch a riddle as you never read the like; and yet a very true one, as true as Samſons riddle, if you underſtand it right; for they fought for the King to deſtroy him, that iKings deſtruction; and they fought for the Parliament, to make them abſolute Lords, to reign and rule as Kings. The Jews never had ſuch wit.
2.Reſp.
Jews put Chriſt to death more for fear then for hate; for, Venient Romani, was the ſpur that pricked them forChriſt, leſt the Romans ſhould come, and take away their rule, and deſtroy their religion; but not the fear of any ſtrange Nations coming to reign and rule over them; but inveterate malice to the King, and the height of ambition to rule, and to become as Kings themſelves, made the late Rebels to deſtroy the Vice-Roy of Chriſt.
3. The Jews diſmembred not our Saviour; for,Reſp.
not a bone of him was broken, not the leaſt limb of him was taken away; but thoſe Butchers brake, and cut off the head of him, that was their head, and the head of us all; and they did ſo many otragick-acts, that, while I was writing the great
Antichriſt, I often conceived, that if Beelzebub, out of all the choiſeſt Varlets, and moſt tranſcendent Villains, that from the beginning of the World he had collected to be his own cabinet-companions, he had picked out a pack of rebels, and had ſent them unto us, they would have become ſhort of thoſe bloody murderers of our late gracious King: becauſe, that as Satan himſelf, ſo the Inſtruments of Satan, by experience, and the length of time, do grow ſubtler and ſubtler, and are ſtill better and better inabled, to commit the greater wickedneſs.
And how a greater wickedneſs could be committed, then that ſo good, ſo pious, and ſo excellent a Prince as King Charles the firſt, ſhould be withſtood, rebelled againſt, betrayed, deſerted by his Engliſh, Scottiſh, and Iriſh ſubjects, (excepting a few noble Lords, and others) that ſtuck unto him, and ſo cruelly bemangled him to death, it makes me ſilent and dumb, that I know not what to ſay, but to pray to God that this great wickedneſs be not yet laid to our charge.
And Secondly; For the Iriſh Rebellion, it was beyond exingratitude was beyond all parallel; for other Nations, as the ſubjects of the King of Pontus, and the like, that rebelled and murdered all the Romans in their dominions, and thoſe Iriſh that rooted out the Danes, had ſome kind of colour to do the ſame; bealiens, and oppreſſed them beyond meaſure, as the Philiſtins did the Iſraelites, and kept them as ſlaves under them; but the late Iriſh Rebels were Peers, and as the chief Lords of the kingdom, and ſuch interchange of marriages, betwixt the Engliſh, Britiſh, and Iriſh, and ſuch mutual pledges of love, amity, and familiarity beleaſt ſuſpicion of the leaſt diſtaſt amongſt them.
And beſides all this, though there were ſome penal Statutes made againſt them; yet they were for the moſt part ſuffered to lie aſleep, and covered over with many kindneſſes: and they themſelves permitted, as God ſaid of Adam, to become as one of us, and as Q. Dido ſaid of the Trojans,
Tros, Tyriuſque mihi nullo diſcrimine agetur.
We made no difference of any priviledge amongſt us. And therefore,
What a horrible ingratitude was it then for ſuch men to riſe, and to rebel, and ſo maliciouſly to intend, ſo inhumanely, ſo barbarouſly, and ſo cruelly to root out, and to deſtroy their Neighbours, Friends, and Allies?
And eſpecially, to plot ſuch a miſchievous act, as they intended ſo ſubtly, ſo ſecretly, and ſo univerſally as they did? For what created power under heaven is able to diſſolve that villany, and to evade that miſchief, which ſubtlety, power; and cruelty have combined and confederated to bring to paſs? Surely we may moſt juſtly take up the words of the Pſalmiſt, and ſay, If the Lord himſelf had not been on our ſide, now may England ſay,
Pſ. 124.1.If the Lord himſelf had not been on our ſide, when theſe men roſe up againſt us, it had not failed, but that they had ſwallowed us up quick, and we had been utterly deſtroyed, when they were ſo wrathfully diſpleaſed at us.
And this his being on our ſide, is not to be underſtood of an ordinary manner, and common providence, which ruleth and diſpecial providence in an extraordinary manner, and a ſignal favour towards us; which the Lord hath ſhewed three ſpecial times in our days, and to our people, As,
1. In the reveiling of the Gunpowder-plot, when as flos & medulla regni, the King and all his Peers, the flower and maruno ictu, in one twinckling of an eye.
2. In the diſcovery of this Iriſh machination, and deſperate
ends, had not our good God ſet a hook in their noſtrils, and ſaid unto them, as he ſaith unto the Sea, Hitherto ſhalt thou go and no further, here ſhalt thou ſtay thy proud waves; and out of his ſpecial providence, ſent one, in a ſtrange manner, out of themſelves, to diſcover them unto our Governours.
3. In the dividing and ſcattering both of the Engliſh, and the Iriſh Rebels, and the bringing in of our moſt gratious King unto us, ſo peaceably, ſo quietly, and in a manner ſo miraculouſly, ſine ſanguine, ſine ſtrepitu, to the joy and comfort of us all. For theſe things above all the reſt of Gods mercies, are ſpecial acts of Gods providence, and ſuch as any one, that, like theſe Beaſts, hath his eys behind him, might ſee, and ſay, Digitus Dei erat hîc, here,humane art, but the very hand of God brought them all to paſs.
And God brought them thus to paſs, for theſe two ſpecial ends.
1. For the deliverance of his ſervants, and all faithfull people, to incite them for ever, to become thankful unto him, for ſuch unſpeakable and extraordinary favours.
And truly, if God commanded the Iſraelites to obſerve the feaſt of Paſſover in remembrance of their Deliverance from Pharaohs bondage, and their paſſage through the red ſea, and doth ſo exceedingly blame them, that they had ſo ſoon forgot his works, and were not mindfull of his covenant but had forgot God their Saviour, that had wrought ſuch great things in Egypt, wonderous things in the land of Ham, and fearful things by the red-ſea; and if the Jews upon the command of Heſter and Mordechai did, throughout all their generations,
Heſ
Purim, the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the moneth Adar; and Chriſt himſelf obſerved the ſame, in remembrance of their
deliverance from the treachery of Haman, then certainly we have great reaſon to obſerve this twenty third day of October, in remembrance of our great deliverance, and to ſhew our thankefulneſs unto God throughout all generations, for that deliverance from thoſe bloody maſſacres that were intended arejoycing, and of feaſting, and of relieving the poor, as were the days of Purim, and eſpecially, ſeeing it cannot be imagined what miſeries and calamities might have ſucceeded, if they had prevailed.
2. God diſcovered theſe ſecret Plots, and Treacheries of the Rebels, and effected theſe wonderful things, not onely, for our ſakes, or onely to get thanks and praiſe for the deliverance of us his ſervants; but alſo to get honour and glory unto himPharaoh, by the puniſhment and deſtructirootingout of Rebels, and Traytors, might be a preſervative to deterr all others from plotting rebellions, and treaſon againſt their King, or any other miſchief againſt their Neighbours.
And therefore, if men will needs be ſeditious and rebellions, I would they were like theſe beaſts full of eyes behind them, that they might ſee, and ſeriouſly conſider, how the juſt God doth reward, and puniſh, and plague theſe perfidious, and perjured Villains, and how moſt wiſe men deem and deal with them, no otherwiſe, but as Neclas did with Duringus, and the other wiſe Kings and Princes did with thoſe perfidious, and perju
And the reaſon why they did ſo, was, becauſe they found it unanſwerably true, that the beſt way to ſecure their peace, and to eſtabliſh them in their dominions, is to deſtroy, and to root out rebels, and traytors out of their territories.Sam. 6.5. & 19.23. 1 Reg. 1.19.Shimei became a rebel againſt King David, and how King David pardoned him: Yet he bids King Solomon to bring his hoary-head to the grave with blood, and ſaith For thou art a wiſe man, and knoweſt what thou oughteſt to do unto
him; and was not David ſo? Yes, and it was wiſdom and mercy in David, at that time, to ſpare him; but now he tells Solomon, That when time ſerveth, it ſhould be neither wiſdom nor policy in him to ſpare him; but his wiſdom ſhould teach him to deſtroy him; becauſe it is an old Axiom, that, Qui malus eſt, in eodem genere mali, ſemper praeſumitur eſſe malus; and experience hath very often found it to be very true, that an oppreſſor, drunkard, or rebel, can as hardly leave his drunkenneſs, or rebellion, as an Ethiopian can change his black skin, or a leopard his ſpots that are upon his back, as ſaith the ProJeremy.
Therefore Solomon tells him, that whenſoever he goeth out of Jeruſalem, he ſhall die: And at the end of three years, two of his ſervants ran away to Gath, and he, like an aſſe, ſadleth his aſſe, and followeth after them; then Solomon tells him of his wickedneſs againſt King David,
Benaiah the ſon of Jchoiada, which fell upon him that he died.
And the Kingdom was eſtabliſhed in the hand of Solomon. And was it not eſtabliſhed beabſolutely, and ſo ſurely, as now this old rebel is taken away: For though he was the firſt that ſubmitted himſelf to King David, yet it was very likely, or at leaſt ſuſpicious, that his malice and rebellilurked in his heart, as fire under the aſhes, till they found opportunity to break out; and ſo it may be with all others the like rebels whatſoever.
And therefore if men will be rebellious, it is wiſdom and poReg. 2.12.Kingdoms, to keep Soldiers, and Garriſons, to keep them under, in ore gladii, till all the old rebels be quite deſtroyed and extinguiſhed.
And if men complain of burthens and taxes, and impoſitions; let them blame themſelves, and thoſe rebels that cauſed them, and the rebellions diſpoſitions of them, that may be juſtly ſuſobſtacles of peace, and tranquillity.
But if they will needs charge our good King and the Duke's Grace for any fault, let them do it for their being too mercyfull and milde, in ſuffering them and others that are like them, to live, that had ſo juſtly deſerved to dye; and eſpeſuffer them to enjoy the Lands of the Church, and the Poſſeſſions of them that are innocent.
3. The next reigning ſin, that ſpreads it ſelf amongſt men,injuſtice: and I wiſh we would caſt our eyes behinde us, to ſee how God hateth, and hath plagued this monſtrous vice, which bringeth forth ſo many pernicious effects, and deſtroyduties of honeſty. The wiſe Solomon ſaith, That oppreſſion maketh a wiſe man mad;
Prov. 7.7.oppreſſion is but one branch of injuſtice: and therefore injuſtice is far worſe then any oppreſſion. For if juſtice be ſuch a general virtue, as Ariſtotle ſaith, that he which hath it, hath all other virtues; then certainly, he that is unjuſt muſt be filled with an huge heap of vices, when as this is ſuch a cardinal ſin, as never walks alone. And therefore as Juſtice exalteth a Nation; ſo Injuſtice tranſlateth a Kingdom from one Nation to another people, as it did the Monarchy of the Aſſyrians unto the Medes, and that of the Medes and Perſians unto the Grecians. And it pulleth down the wrath and vengeance of God, not onely upon the perſon that is unjuſt, and doth injuſtice; but alſo upall his poſterity: as, for the Injuſtice done to Naboth, God deſtroyed Ahab,
1. Of Ferdinando the fourth King of Caſti
unjuſtly condemn two Knights to death; and one of them cryed, "O thou unjuſt Judge, we do cite thee to appear within thirty dayes before the Tribunal of
And one Jeſus Chriſt, to receive judgement for thine injuſtice; and ſo upon the laſt of thoſe days he dyed, to receive his ſentence according to his ſummons.Lapparel, a Provoſt of Paris,
Chaſtilet, to be executed by giving him the name of a rich man, who being guilty and
juſt judgment of God diſcovered his injuſtice, and bePhilip King of Macedon was killed by Pauſanias a mean Gentleman,Antipater that had wronged him; and Demetrius for throwpetitions of his ſubjects into the River, and denying to do them juſtice they all forſook him, and Pyrrhus took away his Kingdome. And many other men I could name to you, that their injuſtice hath undone them.
And therefore all men ſhould take heed of committing this horrible ſin of injuſtice, either by doing wrong, or denying right unto others.
ſpeak it, though I ſhall not be affraid to write it, how gravely ſome Judges have ſate upon the ſeat of judgment to pronounce unrighteous judgments, and think to cover all their iniquity with the fig-leaves of the formalities of their Lawes to overthrow the reality of juſtice.
Oh beloved, Monſtrum horrendum ingens eſt, it is a moſt horrible thing to have injuſtice done from the ſeat, and from the Miniſters of juſtice; when a man is apparently wronged, oppreſſed, and expulſed out of houſe and home, and ſhall with a deale of travel and a great deale of expences come to a Court of juſtice to be righted, and inſtead of being redreſſed, he ſhall ſee there ſcelus ſceleribus tectum, his former wrongs finely handled and loaded with far greater wrongs. Do you think that this is well pleaſing unto God, or that ſuch injuſtice ſhall eſcape unpuniſhed? no, no; for they ſhall finde that there is a God which judgeth the earth, and that his judgment will be actruth, without partiality, either to Jew or Gentile, which here among men I ſee is not ſo.
But as I read that Diogenes ſeeing ſome petty thieves led to the place of execution laughed exceedingly, and being demandwhy he laughed? he anſwered to ſee the great thieves lead the little thieves to the Gallowes: ſo if he ſhould ſee men forcibly expelled out of their poſſeſsions, and the forcible enlegally acquitted; or if he ſhould ſee the poor Iriſh Catholicks driven out of houſe and home, either becauſe they were Iriſh rebels which juſtly deſerved it, or becauſe they were Romiſh Catholicks, which ſhould not therefore be deſtroyed; and ſhould ſee the great Engliſh Sectaries (that had been greater rebels) countenanced and magnified, and to injoy the others Lands and Livings: would he not laugh at this juſtice? which is juſt like that which we read of in l. 1. of Philip Commines when Charelois loſt the Feild, and his Captains, and their Troopers fled away, he gave the offices and places of them that fled ten leagues to thoſe that had fled twenty leagues beyond them.
Therefore I ſay to you, whom God and the King have made Judges of theſe things for the ſettlement of this Kingride on with your honour and have no reſpect of Perſons, nor of Nation, nor of Religion: but do that which is juſt and righteous in the ſight of God, and as God hath bleſt you and preſerved you hitherto, ſo he will ſtill bleſs you and preſerve you for evermore.
And for the preſervation of better juſtice then I ſee in many places, I ſhall ſpeak more of it in another place, and after another manner; for you may be ſure, that Kingdome ſhall never be happy, where oppreſsion is frequently uſed, and iniquity protected by injuſtice, and eſpecially by the Courts of Juſtice. And therefore to the end that true juſtice might be truly obParliament would make ſome Acts & Lawes againſt many abuſes practiſed by ſome cunning Lawyers in the very Courts of Juſtice;frequent and abuſive quaſhing of Indictments, which is a ſin of no ſlender malignity. poor man far from the fountain is by violence oppreſſed, and he indicts his oppreſſors, then preſently comes a Certiorari and removes it to the Kings Bench, and there the Lawyers are ſo skilfull in the tricks and quiddities of the Law and the Caſes of John A-Nokes and John A-Stiles, that they ſay there can hardly be any indictment framed, but they are able to finde a flaw to quaſh it, which I was told by great Lawyers. And what a wrong is this to his
Majeſty in his fines? what an injury to the poor men that are oppreſſed, and what incouragement to all thoſe wicked men that are ſo ready to offer all violence unto their neighbours which are not able to indict the ſame offendors three or four times over, till they ſhall finde a man able to draw a faultleſs indictment.
And if this be not a greivous greivance worthy to be redreſſed, if you deſire the preſervation of juſtice, judge you. And therefore it were good that ſome better way were deviſed for the framing of Indictments or the not quaſhing of them ſo eaſily and ſo frequently as they are reported to be.
deteſtation of it, and his puniſhments that he poureth out upon the offenders, is ſacriledge, which is the taking away and with-holding of thoſe Revenues which God hath appointed, and godly men have dedicated for the maintenance of Gods ſervice, and the religion of Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo the robbing of God himſelf, both of his honour and ſervice: a ſin ſo general, that the cuſtome of it hath quite taken away the ſenſe of it, and men think it to be no ſin at all.
But I know what ſome may here ſay, that now I plead mine own cauſe.
Sam. 12.3.Samuel did unto the people, and I ſay, that I ſued indeed for the Church right: but I teſtifie before the Lord, and your Grace, and you All, that I did it not to inrich my ſelf; for I thank God I have enough both for my ſelf and my relation, wife, children and friends: but I did it for the right of the Church, and I reſolved and vowed that whatſoever I recovered, I would by the grace of God wholly beſtow it upon the reparation of the Church; ſo that recovering it I ſhould be not one penny the richer, and looſing it, not one penny the poorer. And I deſired nothing but what I conceived to be the right of the Church, becauſe I know God loves not to be honoured with unjuſtly gotten goods.
But now finding that as the Prophet ſaith, I have laboured in vain, and I have ſpent my ſtrength for nought; and ſeeing
partiality and injuſtice of men, I will with patience ſubmit my ſelf to that ſtrength which is beyond my ability to oppoſe, and ſtudy to ſerve my God another way: becauſe I ſee that as David ſaith, the ſons of Zervia are too strong for me, becauſe we that were faithfull to our King were fleec'd and barebeggarly, and they that ſerved the Beaſt and adheared to the long Parliament, and were arrant rebels againſt our late good King, have got all our Lands and our Monies to make friends withall, and to keep us ſtill under hatches: and ſo though nos fuimus Troes, yet now they are the men, and without envy, let then enjoy their proſperity, ſo they forſake their iniquity, and repent them of their former impiety.
And ſo deſiring you to bear with this my juſt defence, I ſhall proceed in this diſcourſe, for none other end but to diſduty, and for the good of your ſouls, to ajuſt wrath of God for a ſin ſo highly diſpleaſing unto God; and to that purpoſe I ſhal deſire you to read the 2 Mac. c. 3. where you ſhall finde how that when Simon the mutinous traitor both to God and his Country, had informed Seleucus King of Aſia, of the riches and the treaſure of the Church of Hieruſalem, and incited him to ſeize upon it, and he had ſent Heliodorus his treaſurer to fetch it, and Heliodorus came like a Fox, pretending it was to viſit and to reform the diſorders of Phoenice and Caeloſyria, but Onias the high Prieſt perceiving that the goods of the Church was his errand, his countenance was quite caſt down, and the people not enduſacriledge, ran ſome to the Temple, ſome to the City Gates, and ſome gadded up and down the ſtreets as frantick men, like Bacchus froes, and all lifted up their hands and eyes and voices unto God for the defence of his Church, and God heard their cry and did help them. For,
Heliodorus was no ſooner entred into the treaſury, to take away the ſpoile, but there appeared to him a terrible man in compleat armour of gold, mounted upon a barbed horſe that ran very fiercely at the Kings Treaſurer, and trampled him unwhipping him ſo, that he was carried out of the place ſpeechleſs, and without any hope of life, untill God reſtored him upon the earneſt prayer of the Prieſt and people.
And to let you ſee how dangerous a ſin is ſacriledge to rob the Church,Act. 5.5.Ananias and Sapphira can bear witneſs; for though their death was the puniſhment of their lying: yet all muſt grant they were drawn to that ſin by the cord of ſacriledge. And if a greedy deſire of with-holding that from the Church which themſelves had given, was ſufficient to open ſuch a window unto the Devil that he came preſently to caſt them as a prey to the Jaws of Hell; how many foule ſins do they commit, and how many greivous plagues may they fear to fall upon their heads, which take away from the Church, that which they never gave?
Gen. 47.22. & v. 26.Egypt in the time of Joſeph felt ſo extreme a famine, that the fift part of the Land was ſold to releive the Land; yet the Patriarch in all the care that he had both of the Country and of the King, to ſuccour the one and to enrich the other, never attempted the ſale of the Lands of the Priests, nor once to diminiſh any jot thereof. And if the holy man in ſo great an extremity, never ventured to take away the poſſeſſions of the Idolatrous Prieſts, though it were to the releif of a whole Kingdome, I wonder with what face dares any man in the world curtal the maintenance of Gods Church, and take away thoſe Lands and houſes that by religious Princes and other pious men have been conſecraFoelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum.
You might be happy, if you would caſt your eyes behinde you, and by the examples of Gods judgments upon other ſacrilegious perſons learn to eſcape the puniſhments of ſacriledge, beinſtruction. And we read that Celce, the Conſtable of Gertrund King of Burgundy, having, under the authority of the King his Maſter, enriched himſelf,
Territories with the Goods and Lands of the Church, and being one day in the Church at his Devotion, and hearing the words of the Prophet, that proclaimed a woe to them that joyn houſe to houſe, and land to land, he ſuddainly ſhricked in the Congregation, and cried out, This is ſpoken to me, and this curſe is upon me and upon my Poſterity; and ſo afterwards died moſt miſerably. And we read in the Annals of France, that although Lewis the Sixt, ſurnGreat, was once the Protectour of the Church, and had cauſed the Count de Claremont, the Lord de Rouſsi and other great men, that had pillaged the Biſhopricks, to reſtore their robbepuniſhed for it, by the ſuddain death of his Eldeſt Son, which was indeed the veurged unto it with extreme neceſſity: They that would ſee more examples of this kinde, let them look into my Declaration againſt Sacriledge, and Doctor Saravia's vindiciae ſacrae, tranſlated into Engliſh by James Martyn.
And if for all this, men will needs have the portion of Gods Church, let them eat it with that ſauce, which God hath prePſal. 83. and which like the Ieproſie of Gehezi, wil ſtick to them and their Poſterity for evermore.
3.full of eyes within and behinde; ſo they were full of eyes before: and ſo ſhould we be. And that is to behold and ſee.
Praeſentia, the things that are preſent.Futura, the things that are to come and muſt come.
1.preſent things I ſhall onely leave to your con
vanities of this life. And,uncertainty of our ſtate.
And touching the firſt, Saint Auguſtine ſaith moſt truly, Si quid arriſiſſet proſperum, taedebat apprehendere; quia priuſquam pene teneretur, avolabat, if any proſperous thing in this world did ſeem to ſmile and offer it ſelf unto me, I was loath to take it, becauſe that before I could ſcarce enjoy it, it was preſently ſnatched from me. For,
1. Friends are like the waters of Tenia ſliding away, and turning as the wheele of your fortune turneth.
2. Riches, ſaith the wiſe man, betake themſelves to their wings as an Eagle, and the ſea can drown it, fire conſume it, ſervants waſte it, and thieves bereave us of it.
Prov. 23.5.Honour is but Vertues ſhadow, a winde that maketh fooles to ſwell, but cannot ſatisfie any wiſe man.
4. Beauty is ſuch a thing, as the Daughters of Vanity can tell you that the Sun will tanne it, a ſcarr will blemiſh it, ſickwaſte it, and age conſume it away, as we read fair Helen wept when ſhe ſaw the wrinckles of her old face, which all your black patches cannot make young.
5. And for our Health, which is the greateſt happineſs in this life, we ſee mans body is ſubject to a thouſand diſeaſes, fraught with frailties within, wrapped in miſeries without, uncertain of life, and ſure of death.
And ſo all the things of this world are but like the Apples of Sodome, pleaſant to the eyes, and provoking to the appetite; but vaniſhing into ſmoak when they are touched with the teeth.
And therefore our whole life is but painted over, as ſome Ladies do their faces, with vain ſemblances of Beauty and Pleaone ſide with whole troopes of ſorrows, ſickneſſes, wants and diſcontents; and on the other ſide with uncertainty of continuance and certainty of diſſolution. And,
Rom. 9.21.ſtate, all is in the hand of God, as the clay is in the hand of the Potter, who can of the ſame lumpe make one veſſel to honour, and another to diſhonour; and the Heathens conceived all was at the diſpoſing of fortune, which they acGod, and ſaid,
When they ſaw that, as the Poet ſaith,
The ſame hand that hath caſt us down can raiſe us up: and the ſame God that raiſed us to honour, can bring us down to the duſt; and can either prolong our dayes, or cut them off at his pleaſure.
And who then would not ſerve ſuch a Maſter, and be afoffend ſuch a Lord, as hath our life, our wealth, and our woe in his own hands and at his own diſpoſing? O conall you that forget God, and think of it, leſt he take you away, and tear you all to pieces: or if this cannot move you to fear God. Then,
2. Caſt your eyes before you,
are to come, and muſt fall upon the world: and they are many, but eſpecially and inevitably theſe four.
Death.
Judgement.
Heaven.
Hell.
And theſe are quatuor noviſsima & terribiliſsima, the four laſt things, and the moſt terrible things that can be to all wicked men to think of them; and they may ſerve as four exPreachers, to diſſwade and terrifie all men from evil, and to call them continually to the ſervice of God. For the Son of Syrach ſaith, Whatſoever thou takeſt in hand,
Eccleſ. 7.36.remember the end, and thou ſhalt never do amiſſe. And,
1. Death makes an end of our life,conſciences. And then every man ſhall ſee his owne ſtate, though he ſeldome or never thought of the ſame before. For,
Revel. 12.12.all his ſins ſet before his face, and Satan will now beſtir himſelf to gain his ſoul; for he knoweth that his turn is ſhort, and therefore he will tell him, that if he would have entred into life,Rom. 2.13.he ſhould have kept the commandments, that not the hearers, but the doers of the Law ſhall be juſtified, that if the juſt ſhall ſcarce be ſaved, where ſhall he, being ſuch a wicked wretch as he is, appear? when as the Apoſtle tells him plainly, that neither adulterer, nor fornicator, nor covetous perſon, nor the like, Traytor, Rebel, PerCor. 6.9, 10.ſhall inherit the kingdome of God: and ſo what the Preachers of God now cannot beat into the thoughts of theſe careleſs men, this damned ſpirit will then irremovably ſettle in their deepeſt conſiderations.
O then what agonies and perplexities will tear the wofull hearts of theſe wicked men? In that day (ſaith the Lord) I will cauſe the Sun to go down at noon,
Amos 8.9, 10.and I will darken the earth in the clear day, I will turn their feaſts into mournings, and their ſongs into lamentations, that is, I will make all thoſe things that were wont moſt ſweetly to delight them, now moſt of all to torment them; for now that pleaſure which they had of ſin, ſhall turn to be as bitter as gall, when they do ſee, that as the Father ſaith, tranſit jucunditas non reditura, & manet anxietas non peritura, and now they muſt die, and live they can no longer; and Satan, whoſe will they did, and whoſe wayes they followed all their life, will not forſake them at their death, but will ſay, Me you have ſerved, and from me you muſt expect your wages.
For ſo we read, that the Devil aſſailed ſome of the beſt Saints, as Saint Martin, Saint Bernard, Ignatius, Euſebius, and others; and if theſe things be done in a green tree, what ſhall be done in a withered, ſaith our Saviour? If he be ſo buſie about the Saints, what will he do to ſinners? And this is the ſtate of a wicked man at his dying day.
2. In the death of the godly it is not ſo; for having ſerved God all his life, he hath hope in his death: and he knoweth not whom he needs to fear,Prov. 14.32. 2 Tim. 1.12.Paul, he deſires to be diſſolved, and he longs for death, that he may be with him which was dead, and is alive, and liveth for evermore: and he is well conten
And therefore, if men would ſeriouſly conſider this before they come to this, then certainly the fear of the moſt fearful death of the wicked, and the love of the moſt comfortable death of the godly, would make them to have ſome care of a Godly life, and to repent them of their wickedneſs. And therefore well did Moſes, and we with Moſes, wiſh, that men would conſider their latter end. And yet this is not the end of all; for after death comes judgement. And ſo,
Secondly,
1. As ſoon as ever the ſoul is parted from the body,Abrahams boſom,Luke 16.22, 23.Dives and Lazarus. And
2 Becauſe the whole world,juſt judgement of God; and that the whole man, both body and ſoul might receive the full reward of their due deſerts, the Lord hath appointed a day, ſaith the Apoſtle, in the which he will judge the world in righteouſnes,
Act. 17 31.Jeſus Chriſt.
And this is that day, which Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and all the faithful preachers of Gods word, would have all men alHierom ſaith, Whatſoever I doe, whether I eat or drink
dolefull voice of the Arch-angel ſounding in mine eares, and ſaying, ſurgite mortui & venite ad judicium, ariſe you dead, and come to judgement, ſaith the Holy Father, I tremble all my body over; and ſo Felix, though he was but a Heathen, tremAct. 24.25.Paul reaſoned of righteouſneſs, temperance, and judgement to come. And ſo indeed, it ſhould make any heart to tremble, that would ſeriouſly conſider but theſe two things.
manner of Chriſt his coming For,terror of his proceeding For,
Firſt in that day, there ſhall be ſigns in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the Stars, The Sun ſhall be darkned, the Moon ſhall not give her light, the Stars ſhall fall from the skies, and all the powers of heaven ſhall be moved, the Elements ſhall be diſſolved with heat, and the earth ſhall be conſumed with fire.
Whereby you may ſee, what a dreadful thing is ſin; for what have theſe ſenſeleſs creatures deſerved, that they ſhould be thus ſeverely puniſhed, and thus travel in ſorrow and pain, but becauſe they roſe not up againſt us, when we roſe up avery heavens unto vanity? And therefore moſt wretched are we, in whom dwelleth nothing elſe but heaps of ſin and iniquity. But to go on.
wither away for fear (ſaith our Saviour) for when deſtruction ſhall be diſpatched as a whirlwind, and God ſhall burn the earth, as Holophernes did the Countrey of Damaſcus, what fears think you, ſhall then affright the hearts of men, and what heapes of perturbations ſhall run upon the damned ſort, when they ſhall ſee all theſe things playing their laſt act upon the fiery ſtage of this world.
And then they ſhall ſee the ſon of man cloathed with the clouds, as with a garment, riding upon the heavens,flying, as upon the wings of the wind, in the glory of his father with his Angels; and what manner of glory is that?
Moſes tells you, that the Lord our God, is a God of Gods,
Deut. 10.a great God, mighty and terrible, that accepteth no perſon, nor taketh reward: and Daniel deſcrithat his garments were as white as ſnow, the haires of his head like the pureſt wool, his throne like the fiery flame, and his wheeles like burning fire:
Dan. 7.9, 10.and there iſſued forth a fiery ſtream and went out from before him; a thouſand thouſands miniſtred unto him, and ten thouſand times ten thouſand ſtood before him. And it is recorded of the Angels, that one of them ſlew all the firſt-born of Egypt in one night, and that another of them made ſuch a havock in the army of the Aſſyrians, that, a hundred foureſcore and five thouſand of them were all ſlain in one night, and were laid on the ground, as corn by a ſickle.
And if one Angel could do ſuch Tragick feates,in the glory of his Father, with ſo many myriads of hea
Euſebius Emyſenus demandeth, Si talis & tantus ſit terror venientis, quis poterit terrorem ſuſtinere judicantis? if his coming be ſuch and ſo terrible, who ſhall be able to endure the terror of his judgement? And if the Iſraelites durſt not abide his Majeſty, when he came to deliver the Law, how ſhall the wicked abide and ſtand before him, when he com
And yet they muſt endure it, And it will be very terrible unto them. For
2. In that day (ſaith our Saviour) He, i. e. God ſhall ſend his Angels with the ſound of Trumpets, and with a mighty cry, to raiſe the dead, and to gather together the Elect from
one end of the world to the other, and to bring all men before the judgment ſeat of Chriſt; for I have ſworn by my ſelf, ſaith the Lord, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteouſneſs,
Eſay. 45.23.and ſhall not return, that every knee ſhall bow unto me, and not one man ſhall be hidden from my preſence. Alas beloved, if all the bodies of one Army did lie naked upon one heap, what a ruthfull ſight would it make? And what a ſpectacle then will that be, when ſo many myriads of men, like the ſand of the Sea, ſhall ſtand quaking and trembling before the face of Chriſt? For,
Then their eyes ſhall be opened; and what ſhall the wicked ſee, but all things crying vengeance againſt them, for above them ſhall be an angry Judge, beneath them Hell like a boyling furnace, ready to receive them, on the right hand their ſins accuſing them,left hand the devils ready to torment them, within them a guilty conſcience like Prometheus vulcontinually gnawing them, without them all damned ſouls bewailing, and on every ſide the world burning.
O good God, what will theſe wicked wretched ſinners do, being thus encloſed with ſuch miſeries? how can their hearts ſuſtain theſe anguiſhes? Our Saviour tells us that they ſhall cry to the Mountains, that they would fall upon them, and ſo hide them from the face of Chriſt, but that cannot be; for then Satan will begin to play his part,Satan will now play his part.bone Deus, O good God, to move him to clemency, but juste Judex, O juſt Judge, to ſharpen him to ſeverity: though theſe wretched men were thine by creation, yet now they are mine by tranſgreſſion, and though thou haſt ſuffered for them, yet I have beguiled them, for they have forſaken ſacramenta tua, thy hoblandimenta mea, my wicked allurements, they would not be perſwaded by thy Preachers, but they would needs follow their own pleaſures.
And therefore, O thou juſt Judge, ſeeing they belong unto me, let them ev'n be condemned with me. So he that before ſeemed to be an Angel of light, is now become a Devil of darkneſs; he that inticed them to all vanities, will now bring
all miſeries; and he that in paradiſe would make them like Gods, doth now prove that he made them like devils: And ſo now he ſheweth himſelf to be a devil indeed, and neſo much a devil as now, or rather he ſeemeth now to bejuſtice.
Then the Lord will look upon them;to endure his looks? for fire is kindled in his wrath, and it ſhall burne to the bottome of Hell; out of his mouth goe lamps, and ſparks of fire leap out; out of his noſtrils cometh ſmoak, as out of a boyling Caldron; his countenance will be ſo grim, his lips ſo burning, and his face ſo full of indignation,
Job. 14.13.very Saints will be afraid of his looks, and holy Job crieth out, who ſhall hide me untill the anger of God paſſeth over? or as our laſt Tranſlation hath it, O that thou wouldſt hide me in the grave, that thou wouldſt keep me ſecret until thy wrath be paſt?
Malach. 3.2.Malachy demandeth, who may abide the day of his coming, and who ſhall ſtand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiners fire which is the quinteſſence of fire, and like a Fullers ſope which ſcoureth all things to the uttermoſt, and leaves no filth behinde it: and therefore how ſhall the wicked abide his looks? and if not his looks, how ſhall they abide his words? For now they ſhall hear that fearfull ſentence pronounced alictor, liga manus, goe Satan thou executioner, binde thoſe Kings in fetters, & thoſe Nobles with links of iron,
Pſ. 149.8.ye all, or depart ye accurſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, and then they ſhall be adjudged to be caſt into utter darkneſs,
Matth. 25.41.weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. This is the doom of the ungodly.
But upon the righteous, and thoſe godly men that ſerved him, he wil look with ſuch an amiable and chearful countenance that the very ſight of it will baniſh away their fear, and repleniſh their hearts with joy and gladneſs; and he will ſay unto them, come ye bleſſed of my father, you have walked in my wayes, you were carefull of my ſervice,
my ſake, and you have relieved and comforted my poor members; therefore be you cloathed in white robes, and reKingdome which was prepared for you before the beginning
of the world. And this is the ſentence of their abſolution,
Well then, if we were like theſe Beaſts full of eyes before, to look, and to conſider of theſe things now, before they come to paſs, would it no whit move us to ſeek for the waies of godlineſs? if not, I would they that regard it not, would look a little further and behold Gehinnon, the place where they ſhall be carried to be tormented. For,
wicked being as I told you before, adjudged by God to receive their doom according to their deſert, they ſhall be forthwith carried by the devils into a Lake or darkmidſt of the earth, and which burnwith fire and brimſtone for evermore. And there in that Lake their muſick ſhall be horrours and howlings, their meat ſhall be balls of fire, their drink ſhall be fountains of tears dialwayes from their eyes, their torments ſhall be intolerable, their time endleſs, and their companions devils: for as Saint Augustine ſaith, In inferno nec tortores deficient, nec torti miſeri morientur,
55.
ſed per millia millia annorum cruciandi, nec tamen in ſecula liberandi, In Hell the tormentors ſhall never fail, nor faint to puniſh, nor the miſerable wretchever die, but for thouſand thouſands of years puniſhed and never to be delivered; quia ibi erit ſemper velle quod nunquam erit,
Iſidorus de ſummo bono, The perpetuiſemper nolle quod nunquam non erit, for there ſhall be a will never ſatisfied, and a nill never gratified; neeaſe they would, and ever ſuffering the pains they would not And if you dive into the depth of that dolefull Tragedy of miſerable Dives, you ſhall ſee this truth more ful
other ſide, if you caſt your eyes on the joyes of Heaven, you ſhall finde that neither eye hath ſeen, nor eare heard, nor heart of man can conceive how ineſtimable and unbodies ſhall be freed from all ſorrowes, and all teares ſhall be wiped away from our eyes: and our mindes ſhall be ſatisfied with all the good that can be deſired; for if thou wouldſt have riches, riches and plenteouſneſs are in his houſe; if thou wouldſt have pleaſure, in his
preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at his right hand there is pleaſure for evermore; if thou wouldſt have life, he giveth thee a long life, even for ever and ever; and in brief, there is a freedome from all evil, and a full fruition of all good things. Moſt happy are they that ſhall be there.
And ſo you have heard of the four things that are before us, and that are ſo imminent, hanging over our heads, that we do not know how ſoon they may fall upon us. And therefore we ſhould be full of eyes before us, that we might alwayes look for the coming of them before they come, that when they come, they may come to our comfort; for either the continual conſideration of theſe things will keep us from the wayes of wickedneſs, or we are paſt all hope of true happineſs, and we may be pitied but not helped.
And therefore let us all moſt earneſtly and humbly pray to God to grant us theſe eyes with theſe beaſts, continually to behold and to conſider all theſe things, that we may eſcape the dreadful doom of the wicked, and attain to everlaſting haponely Saviour, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be aſcribed all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
REVEL. 4.8.And they reſt not,
or,ceaſed not day and night, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Evangeliſt had deſcribed theſe Beaſts, he ſets down their practice, and the exerciſe that they uſed. Touching which, we are to conſider,
The which Conſtancy, They ceaſed not, or reſt not day and night.
Harmony, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, &c.Harmony conſiſteth of ſix ſpecial parts. That is,
Trinity of perſons, in the
Ʋnity or one eſſence of the Deity.
And theſe ſix Points cannot well and fully be explained by any humane wit; they all and every one of them being, as God is, ineffable and incomprehenſible.
And therefore (as Synefius ſaith) as the Geographers uſe to draw the great
Ʋniverſe and Compaſs of the world in a litMap; ſo I can ſpeak and expreſs but very little of theſe great and unſpeakable Attributes of the great God.
1. For their conſtancy in the ſervice of God, it is ſaid, they ceaſed not day nor night to ſing this heavenly harmony, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, &c. and it was not wearicontinually to praiſe his glorious Names, but it was rather their whole joy and felicity to glorifie their God, and to magnifie him for ever; for they are ſo ſatisfied with the ſight of his preſence, the beatical Viſion of God, and ſo raviſhed with the love of his Majeſty, that they can neleave to praiſe him.
And this ſhould teach all the Saints of God to be like theſe beaſts, and to do the like; to be never weary of well doing, but to be like King Therons Horſes, that, as Pindarus ſaith, were never weary of running; ſo ſhould the Servants of God be never weary of ſerving God, but to continue conſtant in the performance of the duties of their profeſſion, night and day without ceaſing; becauſe, as St. Bernard ſaith,129.
Abſque perſeverantia, nec qui pugnat victoriam, nec victores palmam conſequuntur, without perſeverance and continuance in well doing; neither can they that fight obtain the victory,
Victors get the Garland of honour for to triumph: And St. Auguſtine ſaith, He doth not truly believe in Chriſt that doth not continue conſtant in his profeſſion unto the end; Quia credere vere,
106. in Joh.eſt credere inconcuſſe, firme, ſtabiliter, fortiter, ut jam ad propria non redeas & clam relinquas: becauſe that to believe truly is to believe without wavering, firmly and ſtrongly, ſo that you return not to your carnal and worldly deſires, and leave the things of Jeſus Chriſt.
And therefore the Prophet David, deſcribing the bleſſed man,walking in the counſel of the ungodly, and from ſtanding in the way of ſinners, and from ſitting in the ſeat of the ſcornful; but his delight is alſo in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law will he exerciſe himſelf both day and night; and ſo the Lord ſaith unJoſhua, Let not this Book of the Law depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therein both day and night, that thou mayſt obſerve and do all according to that is written there
Whereby you may ſee, that perſeverance and continuance in Gods ſervice, and preferring the duties of our calling, is not to be done by fits, but alwayes, and eſpecially without ceaſing,2. in tract. de apoſtatTemerarius à ſtatu fidei vel religionis receſſus, a ſtarting aſide like a broken bow from that faith, obedience and profeſſion, that we have formerly made.
Ammonius Alexandrinus the Maſter of Origen, that being bred a Chriſtian from his childhood, and applying himſelf wholly to Philoſophy, did quite forſake the orthodoxal Faith. And ſo Ecebelius at the firſt was a zealous Chriſtian, and in the reign of Julian a great per3. c. 13.
Calcate me ſalem inſipidum: O tread upon me as upon unſavoury ſalt.
And how many men have we, that, like Ecebolius, were very loyal and faithful Subjects and good Proteſtants in the time of Charles the firſt: and when they ſaw the power of
increaſing, they became arrant Rebels and Traytors againſt their King, and amphibolous in their Relig
knot, and ſcattered thoſe Rebels like a ſummers Cloud, Who ſeem more faithful to Charles the ſecond then theſe Schollers of Ecebolius, that ever whirled with the ſtrongeſt wind? and yet they do not with Ecebolius fall down to the earth, and cry out with him in true repentance, Calcute nos ſalem inſipidum: but moſt of them jet it up and down in pride, and ſhew themſelves rather like the Boruſſians, that being perſwaded by Boleſlaus Criſpus King of Poland, to imbrace the Chriſtian faith,Boruſ
did Cromerus lib. 6.renounced the ſame, and told their Prince, Se omnia ejus imperata, excepta religione, facturos, they would be obedient to him in all things, but only in the profeſſion of his Religion: for ſo theſe men profeſs themſelves now, to be good Subjects, but they cannot endure our Eccleſiaſtical diſcipline, and our Church ſervice.
And therefore ſeeing many men do relapſe with the Boruſſians from the true profeſſion of faith, or ſerve God by fits, like thoſe that are taken with the fits of an Ague, or be like the Laodiceans, neither hot nor cold: and that we ought to be like theſe beaſts, ſerving God, and diſcharging our duwithout ceaſing; it behoveth us to preach in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, and to do as we are required by the Lord himCry aloud, & ne ceſſes, and give not over, but lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and ſhew my people their tranſgreſſions,
and the houſe of Jacob their ſins; that is, as well the great ſins of the great men, and the nobility of the houſe of Jacob, as the ordinary ſins and tranſgreſsions of the common people.
And becauſe I know no ſins that are greater,Rebellion, Sacriledge, and Injuſtice; for that Rebellion, Turbabit faedera mundi, ſhakes the foundations, and ruinates whole Kingdomes; and Sacriledge is the deſtruction of all Religion: when as the
Job's houſe,Philiſtines alfell; ſo the maintenance of Religion, and the revenues of the Church, being the only outward props and pillars of Religion, Sublatis his religio perit, when you take away theſe, you may ſhake hands with your Religion, and your Churches ſhall be, as they are in moſt places here in Ireland, weeping and wailing for want of roofs, which is the fruit of Sacriledge; of which I may truly ſay, as St. Hierom doth againſt Vigilant. Fatebor dolorem meum, ſacrilegium tantum patienter audire non poſſum, in Epiſt. 53. ad Riparium: And Injuſtice, eſpeAſſyrians was to the Medes and Perſians; that of the Perſians unto the Grecians; that of the Grecians unto the Romans; and that of the Romans unto the Gothes and Vandals, when their Judges became corrupt, and the companions of thieves, as the Prophet Eſay ſpeak
Sion ſake I will not hold my peace; I cannot chooſe, nor ceaſe to cry out againſt all Rebels, and Church-robbers, and unjuſt Judges, until they do ceaſe to commit theſe ſins, or my mouth be filled with duſt; but while I am able to utter forth my voice, or have means to proſecute my purpoſe, I will never deſiſt, but do the uttermoſt of my power to hinder any man that hath been a Rebel, and fought under the great Antichriſt, and the grand Uſurper Cromwell, againſt that gratious King whom they have murdered, to hold the Revenues of the Church, and to obſtruct the Service of Jeſus Chriſt; beday and night. And this phraſe may admit a double expoſition; and that is,
And they that do ſo,Auguſtines judgement is moſt certain, that Melior eſt fidelis ignorantia quam temeraria ſcientia, their zealous ignoGnoſticks, that in the abundance of knowledge do overthrow the Churches, and ſuppreſs the ſervice of God, and withal rob Chriſt of his garment, to give it, you know to whom the Evangeliſt ſaith it fell by lot, I hope we will not do the like.
2. This their not ceaſing to praiſe God day and night,
And there have been alwayes too too many men,Jews followed Chriſt, not becauſe they ſaw his miracles, but becauſe they did eat of the loaves and were filled, ſo do they freely praiſe God, while their Corn, and Wine, and Oyl increaſeth: and, as the Devil falſly ſaid of Job, while God doth make an hedge about them, and about their houſes,
ſerve the Lord; and yet, as the Lord comIn tempore tribulationis recedunt à me, when God putteth forth his hand and toucheth all that they have, to try them, as he tried Abraham; then will they ſtart aſide like a broken bow, deny their faith, and be ready to curſe God to his face.
Apoſtata's in the time of the firſt ten perſecutions, and our Presbyterians in the time of our late King Charles: for while they enjoyed their livings, they were right Epiſcopal men, but when deprivation and perſecution came, they will have none of that, but will rather change both their Coat and their Calling, then ſerve God rightly in that adverſity, and that is to ſerve him and praiſe him in the day of our fulneſs, and not in the night that is full of dan
But all the true Saints of God will with theſe beaſts never ceaſe to ſerve him and praiſe him as well in the night of adverbeſt dayes of their proſperity;wander like thoſe ſpoken of by the Apoin ſheep-skins and Goat-skins, being deſtitute, afflicted and tormented; for they are reſolved, as the ſame Apoſtle ſpeaketh,tribulation, nor diſtreſs, nor perſecution, nor famine, nor nakedneſs, nor peril, nor ſword, nor any other creature, ſhall ſeparate them from the love of Chriſt, or cauſe them to ceaſe from the ſervice of God day or night; and ſuch is the reſolution of all Gods faithful ſervants, which makes them to be as bold as lions, to fear no man and no dan
And ſo much for the firſt part of the practice of theſe beaſts, which is their conſtancy in the ſervice of God day and night.
harmony of theſe beaſts, I told you that it conmyſtery of the Trinity.
Touching which, before I proceed any further, I muſt ſay with St. Auguſtine, Ʋbi trinitas unitatis & unitas trinitatis,
Aug. de Trin. lib. 1. Of the true knowledge of the myſtery of the bleſſed Trinity.Patris, Filii & Spiritus ſancti quaeritur, nec periculoſius alieubi erratur, nec laborioſius aliquid quaeritur, nec fructuoſius aliquid invenitur; we cannot any where erre more dangerouſly, we cannot ſeek for any thing more laboriouſly, neither can we find any thing more profitable then the knowledge of this holy myſtery; and therefore, as he ſaith, Non pigebit me ſicubi haeſito quaerere, nec pigebit me ſicubi erro diſcere, it irketh me not to inquire where I ſtumble, neither will I be aſhamed to retract and to learn where I erre. And ſo to proceed.
The holy Evangeliſt in this harmony of theſe beaſts ſetteth down theſe two principal things.
Trinity of Perſons in the
Ʋnity of Gods Eſ
Ʋnity of Gods Eſſence in the Trinity of Per
For the firſt, To declare the Trinity of perſons, the EvangeHoly, holy, holy, as if they ſhould have ſaid, Holy Father, holy Son, and holy Spirit; and yet they ſay not, holy Gods, but holy God; and to ſhew the ſame truth, the very phraſe and loquution, or the like manner of expreſſing this myſtery, is uſed in divers plaMoſes ſaith, Creavit Elohim coelum et terram, God created the heaven and the earth; where the Verb ſingular creavit, doth manifeſtly declare the unity of Gods Eſſence, and the Noun plural Elohim, doth as plainly ſhew the Trinity of perſons. And again, where he ſaith, Faciamus hominem ad imaginem noſtram, let us make man in our Image; where the Verb plural faci
declaplurality of the Perſons, and the Pronoun ſingular, noſtram ſheweth the unity of the Eſſence: even ſo here, the word ſanctus three times repeated doth manifeſtly declare the Trinity of perſons; and the word Deus, God in the ſinunity of Gods Eſſence
whole ſum of all is,
Quod Deus ſit unus quoad eſſentiam, that God is one,Quod Deus ſit trinus, quoad ſubſiſtentiam, that in the
Ʋnity of that Eſſence there are three Perſons in reſpect of their ſubſiſtence or manner of being.
And this will appear moſt evidently, if you do compare together the 6.Deut. and the 4. ver. and the 28. of St. Matthew and the 19. ver. For in the former place it is ſaid, Dominus Deus tuus Deus unus eſt, the Lord thy God is one God; and in the later place, our Saviour commandeth his Diſciples to go and to baptize all Nations, in the Name (and not in the names) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt; therefore there is a Trinity of perſons, that is, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghoſt in the divine Nature, Et una eſt numero eſsentia, and yet there is but one Eſſence; becauſe no diverſity can be given, whereby theſe perſons differ in regard of the Eſſence.
And therefore in regard of this identity and unity of eſſence in the three Perſons, our Saviour ſaid, Ego ſum in patre, et Pater eſt in me, I am in the Father, and the Father is in me; and yet, as St. Cyril ſaith, Non eſt dicendum, Pater eſt à filio, vel in filio continetur, we may not ſay, the Father is from the Son, or contained in the Son, Nec eſt filius in patre, ut nos in Deo eſſe et vivere dicimur, Neither is the Son in the Father, as we are ſaid to be, and to live in God: Quia de ejus eſſentia nos non ſumus, becauſe we are not of the eſſence of God, but in and by the vertue, grace and power of God.
But here it may be ſome will demand, from whence have we the name of Trinity,
I anſwer, that we have the word three from whence the word Trinity is derived, for St. John ſaith, There be three that bear witneſs in heaven; and therefore as unity is derived,
ab uno, from one, ſo Trinity may as juſtly be derived from three; and the Church of God, Penes quam uſus et forma loquendi, to whom the phraſes and forms of ſpeech are com
Now the difference between eſſence and perſon, is this,eſſence is the nature, which is indiviſible and common to the three Perſons: but a perſon, Eſt ſubſiſtentia in natura divina, as the Schools ſpeak, a ſubſiſtence, or the manner of the per
And the difference betwixt each Perſon is twofold.
1. Internal: and 2. External.
1. The internal difference between the Perſons is and conOpera Trinitatis ad intra ſunt diviſa, The internal operations of the Trinity are ſevered and divided; becauſe, as St. Auguſtine ſaith, Hoc eſt proprium patris quod ſolus eſt pater, et quod ab alio non eſt niſi à ſeipſo, It is proper to the Father, that he only is Father, and that he is not from any other but from himſelf: Et hoc eſt proprium filii, quod do patre genitus eſt, ſolus à ſolo, coaeternus et conſubſtantialis genitori, And it is the property of the Son, that he is begotten of the Father, the Son alone from the Father only, coeterEt proprium eſt Spiritus ſancti, quod nec genitus nec ingenitus eſt, ſed à patre et filio aequaliter procedens, It is proper to the holy Ghoſt, that he is neither begotten nor created, but equally proceeding both from the Father and the Son.
And this difference is not eſſential, becauſe the Eſſence of all three is the ſame and all one, but perſonal, and yet real and incomprehenſible.
2.Mary; and the holy Ghoſt is diſcerned from them both by working that Conception of him in the Virgins Womb, and afterwards by his appearing in form of a Dove,
Opera Trinitatis ad extra ſunt indiviſa; the outward works of the TriAll things were made by him, ſaith the EvanNazianzen, that in theſe operations, Non poſſum unum cogitare, quin trium fulgore confundar, nec tria poſſum diſcernere, quin ſubito ad nuum referar; I cannot think of one of theſe three Perſons, but I am dazled with the brightneſs of all three: neither can I diſcern the three, but preſently I ſhall be referred and carried to one.
Effectorum.
Officiorum.
2. They are diſtinguiſhed by the proprieties of the per
1. By the effects, that is, by the form of ſpeech,
That is, Of whom, as of the beginning of all things; and,A quo, velut à principio rerum omnium, &Ad quem, velut ad finem omnium.
That is, Through whom, as through the Mediator and diſpoPer quem, tanquam per Mediatorem et diſpoſitorem omnium:
In quo, velut in materia, omnia ſunt.
That is, From whom, as from the mover and doer of all things; and, By whom, as by the ſuſtainer, cheriſher, and efficient cauſe of all things: As when Ex quo, tanquam ex motore et agente, &Quo, velut ſuſtinente, fovente, et efficiente rerum omnium cauſa.
Moſes ſaith, That the Spirit of God moved upon the waters, that is, to ſuſtain it, and to preſerve the ſame together.
2. By the Offices of the Perſons, that is, in the work of Creation and Redemption:By the Word all things were
made and without it nothing was made that was made;
Whereby it cometh to paſs, that although there be an unity in the Eſſence of the three Perſons, yet in the works of our reTu es filius meus dilectus, Thou art my well beloved Son, but the Father onely ſaid it; and ſo the Trinity did not overſhadow the bleſſed Virgin, but the Holy Ghoſt alone overſhadowed her.
And yet we muſt obſerve, that, as the Trinity of perſons is infinite and inſeparable, ſo he worketh communiter, that is, both equally,
inſeparably in all the works which are called opera ad extra; and therefore both the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, do the ſame things, ratione effecti operis, in reſpect of the work done, but they do it not eodem modo, after the ſame manner; ſo that here, in their operations, there is a diſtinction, but no diverſity. And ſo much ſhall ſerve for the diſtinction of the Perſons, both in reſpect of their relation, and proprieties. And now,
ad extra, the Trinity, in all and every thing equally and together, alcommunity: and eſpecially having ſet down, for diſtinction ſake, how his own proper operation is aſcribed
Ʋnity of the Eſſence of this bleſſed Trinity, to which I muſt ſay with S. Auguſtine, that, In ſumma Trinitate tantum eſt una, quantum tres ſimul ſunt, in the holy Trinity, one is as much as are all the three Perſons, nec plus aliquid ſunt duae quam una res, & in ſe infinita ſunt; neither are two any thing more then one thing, and in themſelves are infinite; Ita & ſinguli ſunt in ſingulis, & etiam omnia in ſingulis, & ſingula in omnibus, & omnia in omnibus, & unum omnia; and ſo each of them are in each one, and alſo all in each of them, and each of them in all, and all in all of them, and one is all: and again, de verbis Domini, he ſaith, Videmus Solem in Coelo currentem, fulgentem, & calentem, We ſee the Sun in Heaven, running, ſhining, and warming us: and ſo in like manner, the Fire, ſaith he, hath three things in it, motum, lucem, & fervorem, moDivide ergo ſi potes, Arriane, Solem, vel ignem, & tunc divide Trinitatem; and therefore if thou canſt, O thou Arrian, divide the Sun, or the fire, then at length divide the Trinity: And S. Gregory ſaith, Tunc aperte videbimus quomodo & unum indiviſibiliter tria ſunt, & indiviſibiliter tria unum; When we ſhall be ſo happy, as to attain to the kingdom of Heaven, we ſhall then plainly ſee (what we now believe) how the one (that is, Eſſence) is indiviſibly three (that is, Perſons;) and the three (that is, Perſons) is indiviſibly one, that is, Eſſence.
And as for the eternity of theſe three Perſons,before nor after the other, but all are coeternal; for ſeeing the Son is John calls him, the Word and Speech of God, and Wiſdom of God,Luke calleth him; it followeth, that, aut Pater fuit abſque Sapientiâ, aut nunquam fuit abſque Filio; either the Father was ſometimes without his Speech, or without his Wiſdom, or he was never without his Son: and ſeeing the Holy Ghoſt is amor, nexus, & unitas Patris & Filii, the love, connexion, and unity of the Father and the Son; it muſt needs follow, that either the Father and the Son were without love, and unity betwixt them, or elſe they were never without the Holy Ghoſt.
equality of theſe Perſons, there is none greater, nor leſſer then the other; but as they are coeternal, ſo they are co-equal. And therefore they are deceived that think the Father is greater then the Son, ratione nominis, in that he is called the Father, becauſe the name of the Son in the bleſſed Trinity ſignifieth not a ſubjection, but a relation, and not ſuch a relaholy Perſons, that in regard of our weak underſtanding were ſo graciouſly pleaſed, to condeſcend, to make themſeves known unto us by thoſe Names, Titles, and Epithetes as we could beſt underſtand, when as otherwiſe both the Eſſence and the Perſons in themſelves, are every other ways incomprehenſible. And thus much of the Myſterie of the bleſſed Trinity: Now followeth ſome ſpecial Attributes of the divine Eſſence; and here are five of them.
Attributes of God, be
An Attribute is the Propriety of the Divine Nature, which cannot be ſeparated from the ſame, becauſe it is of the Eſſence of God, when as Quicquid in Deo eſt, Deus est, Whatſoever is in God, is God; and therefore the Divines ſay:
1 That we muſt conſider, Eas proprietates, non eſſe qualitates,
ſed ipſam Eſſentiam Dei, Thoſe properties not to be any qualities in God, but the very Eſſence of God; becauſe the nature of God is moſt ſimple, and admitteth nothing of the preadded unto it, nothing can be taken from it: but, as S. James ſaith, With him there is no mutation, no change, nor ſhadow of turning; for in God there is nothing either by way of compoſition, or by way of accident, or by way of matter and form; and therefore God is not called holy, and juſt, as a man is ſo called; for holineſs and juſtice in a man are qualities, but in God they are his Eſſence; from whence it cometh to paſs, that God is holy, juſt, and good, without quality; and he is infinite, and immeaſureEt ſempiternus ſine tempore, and he is everlaſting and eternal, without time, as being from all eternity before all times, and ſo continuing for ever & ever, when there ſhall be no time. He that would ſee more of this point, let him look into S. Bernard, Serm. 80. in Cant. and S. Auguſtin, lib. 5. c. 1. de Trinit.
2. We muſt conſider, that all the proprieties of God are in him moſt perfectly, moſt equally and moſt incommutable:Job and our Saviour ſheweth, when he ſaith, There is none good but God, that is, perfectly, ſimply, and abſothe Angels being not pure in his ſight, Job 15.15.
From hence it cometh to paſs, that theſe proprieties in God cannot ſuſcipere magis aut minus,
Vide S. Aug. Enchirid.
And as theſe proprieties are moſt perfectly in God, ſo they are moſt equally in him; for neither is his mercy greater then his juſtice, nor his juſtice any leſs then his mercy becauſe he maketh not the wicked innocent,
good nor good evil; ſo neither is his wiſdom greater then his power, nor his power any leſs then his wiſdom, becauſe his power can do whatſoever his wiſdom thinks fit and good to be done.
Yet I ſay, that we, by reaſon of our infirmities cannot perceive them to be equally in him; but we perceive his merVery mercifull,
abundant in goodneſs and truth; and again, rich in mercy, rather then in juſtice, onely in regard of us, and not in regard of God him
de obitu Theodoſii. Auguſt. de tempore Ser. 102. James 1.17.Ambroſe ſheweth: becauſe, as St. Auguſtine ſaith Serm. 102. de tempore, There are nothing of thoſe things in the Di
Yet theſe proprieties may be diverſly conſidered quoad nos, in regard of the creatures; becauſe they tend to divers ends: as his mercy tendeth to another end, then his juſtice doth; for,Baſilius Contra Eunomium.Baſil ſaith, among moral virtues, frugality is diffeliberality: for frugality doth honeſtly keep thoſe things that are neceſſary, and doth not waſtfully ſpend them, and liberality doth honeſtly beſtow thoſe things that neniggardly deny them) yet frugality is not contrary to liberality,contraries, the one doth take away and deſtroy the other; as prodigality deſtroyeth frugadeſtroyeth ſobriety, but virtues do preſerve, and mutually keep each other, as frugality giveth place to liproprieties of God are not contraries, though in regard of us they are, as they ſeem, diverſe, and to be diverſly conſidered.
Again, it is manifeſt,two contraries cannot be in the ſelf-ſame ſubject at one and the ſelf-ſame time, but that the one of them will deſtroy the other, as heat will deſtroy the cold, or the cold ſuppreſs the heat; but in the one and the ſelf-ſame good man and his works, both frugality and liberaſelf-ſame God, both Juſtice and Mercie, at one and the ſelf-ſame time, and at all times, are and do ſtand together, without any the leaſt prejudice, of the one to the other; and therefore we do find, that in the ſelf-ſame place, and at the ſelf-ſame time, the ſelf-ſame God is called both, punitor & ſalvator, the puniſher and the ſaviour, for I kill and give life,
I wound and I make whole; and, as Hannah ſpeaketh,he bringeth down to the ground and raiſeth up, he maketh poor and maketh rich, he bringeth low and exalteth:
And therefore, contrary to the opinion and ſentence of Marcion, that affirmed the Juſtice of God to be contrary to Mercy, you ſee, that one propriety of God cannot be con
4.between the Attributes and pronotionis & rationis, in reſpect of notion and our apprehenſion,l. 1. contra Eunomium. 5. Rule and obſervation: Some AttriBaſil teacheth.
5. And laſtly, we are to obſerve that ſome certain of Gods Attributes may be, and are communicated to the creatures, and certain others cannot be communicated to any creature; as in that he is called Holy, Juſt, Merciful and Good, and the like, theſe Attributes are and may, in ſome reſpects, be com-communicated to the creatures; but in that he is ſtyled and ſaid to be Infinite, Eternal, and Almighty, and the like, theſe cannot be communicated to any creature, no not to the very Angels of God.
And here you muſt further note, that theſe Attributes of God, which are communicated to the creatures, are not realNota, that not the very Attrieffects of thoſe Attributes of God, and are wrought in the creatures, by the power and goodneſs of God.
And now to ſpeak of theſe particular Attributes here ex
Holy, and this word Earth, as if it were a ſeparation from all earthly things: and ſo it ſignifieth that which is Pure and Clean, and free from the leaſt ſtain of iniquity, or the leaſt ſhadow of injuſtice. And thus God only is of himſelf, and of his own Nature ſimply and abſolutely Holy; and ſo our Church in her higheſt ſtrain of Devotion, immediately after the receiving of the Bleſſed Sacrament, ſings unto God, Thou only art Holy, that is, ſimply and in all re
And ſo the Bleſſed Virgin, ſpeaking of God, ſaith, Holy is his name; and therefore in that Golden Plate, which was to adorn Aaron's Fore-head, Moſes commanded, there ſhould be Ingraven Septuagint tranſlates it, that is, Sanctitas Jehovae, as Tremelius, or, Sanctum Domino, as the Vulgar Latine hath it; all Holyneſs or Sanctity is to be aſSeraphims, which Eſaias ſaw, and theſe wonBeaſts in my Text, repeat this Attribute three ſeveral times, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which we do not read of any other Attribute of God; the Spirit of God, to whom this Attribute is ſpecially appropriated, by the name of the Holy Ghoſt, having a ſpecial regard to preſerve this Attri
For
1. If he hath created the wicked for the day of wrath,Pharaoh, and hardened his heart to make his power known, and hath from all eternity by his irreſpective Decree, before the Children had done either good or evil, loved Jacob and hated Eſau, and determined the prein him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that ſheweth mercy: and God by his unchangeable purpoſe to paſs by them, and to deny that mercy unto them whereby they ſhould will to anſwer when he calleth, and to lay hold of his Grace when he offereth it: How can he be ſo holy, ſo pure, and ſo free from accepting of perſons, and of being ſome wayes the Author of the damnation of all Reprobates, that, as he ſaith of Pharaoh, both his Juſtice and his power might be known?
To thoſe rigid Presbyterians that make this indirect ObjeJus abſolutum in Creaturas, an abſolute power over all his CreaEven as the Potter hath power over the clay to make a veſſel either to honour or diſhonour, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh: Yet becauſe it ſeemeth to be cruelty, to make a Creature purpoſely for his own pleaPreparare filios ad patibulum;
Preterition is but the juſt puniſhment of our tranſgreſſion: for God, that had decreed our creation, foreſaw our tranſAdams tranſgreſsion, and neither of them could challenge any thing at the hand of God, from whom both of them had alike receded, God ſheweth mercy upon whom he will, and whom he will he leaveth ſtill in that ſtate wherein he was, not created by him, nor intruded by his means, but, moſt miſerably fallen in the loyns of Adam: and this he doth moſt juſtly too, becauſe he foreſeeth, that when he calleth, he will not anſwer: and though he ſhould ſtretch forth his hand all the day long, yet this froward wilful man will not regard it.
And therefore certainly, Culpa non eſt vocantis ſed renuentis, there cannot be laid the leaſt blame on God, that in the election of the one, whom he foreſeeth will anſwer when he calleth, he ſheweth, Indebitam miſericordiam, more then dedebitam juſtitiam, what he moſt juſtly deſerveth.
And whereas the Scripture ſaith, That God hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and that it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth; and that the veſſels of wrath are fitted for deſtruction, and the like: ſome of them are not rightly unPresbyterians to another ſenſe; as thoſe that are fitad captum noſtrum, not properly to be underſtood as they are ſpoken, but in that ſenſe which the holy Ghoſt meanGod ſware in his wrath, when as God ſaith, In me non eſt furor: and he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye, when as God hath neither feet, nor hands, nor eyes: So when it is ſaid, Whom he will he hardeneth, it is not meant, that he
Efficiendo duritiem, by working any hardNon molliendo per gratiam, by not ſoftening it by his Grace, which he juſtly denyeth unto him, when, like Pharaoh, he doth ſtubbornly refuſe to obey his Voice.
And therefore ſeeing that in the proper ſenſe God hardenAs I live, ſaith the Lord, I deſire not the death of a ſinner. And again, Perditio tua ex te, Thy deſtruction is from thy ſelf, and not from me. If men will rob God, kill their Brethren, oppreſs their Neighbours, and ſo damn themſelves; let them thank themſelves, and not lay the blame on God, who is moſt juſt in all his wayes, and holy in all his works.
2. For the unequal diſtributing of his Graces we ſay, that this inequality, as of glory in the Stars, and the Orders of Anataxie, no diſorder, nor injuſtice in Gods doing, nor any wrong done to him that hath but one gift, or to him that hath none at all; Quia non tenetur Creator creaturae, becauſe God is debter to none, and he is not bound to give any thing to any one; and therefore he may lawfully and juſtly do what he will with his own, as our Saviour ſheweth moſt excellently in the Parable of the Labourers,
3. For the remuneration of deſerts we ſay, that in giving unto them, which by continuance in well doing ſeek glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life, he ſheweth himſelf moſt gracious and merciful, in beſtowing upon them what they could not challenge from him; and in rendring vengeance to them that obey not God, and in plaguing them both in this
Eſay, after he had ſet down many of Gods Judgements againſt the wicked, addeth, That the Lord of Hoſts ſhould be exalted in judgment,
and the holy God ſhould be ſanctified in juſtice, that is, that he ſhould be acknowledged by all men to be moſt pure, and holy, and commended for his juſtice, in puniſhing the wicked according to their deſerts. And this doctrine of Gods holineſs and pu
Lord, and he is ſaid to be the lord of any thing, Qui jus, autoritatem, & dominium habet in aliquam rem, which hath right, authority and rule over any thing, and whoſe own proper thing is that, of which he is ſaid to be lord; for 1. c. 17.
Paſor; and the Latine word, Dominus, dicitur à domo, ſaith Zanchius; becauſe the MaLord of it.
And this name Lord, ſaith he, in the Writings of the ApoChriſt, idque millies, about a thouſand times; becauſe he ruleth and governeth, not only the little houſe of his Church,
God is uſually attributed to the Father, and the name of Lord commonly aſcribed to the Son, is twofold.
1. Becauſe the Father is the fountain of the whole Deity, therefore is he uſually termed God: and the Son is termed Lord, becauſe he is appointed of his Father to be Lord of all things,all power is given unto him, over all fleſh.
2. The Father is called God moſt uſually, becauſe that in the myſtery of our redemption, the Father remained ſtill in his Majeſty, and gave his Son only to be our Redeemer; and the Son, though he was in the form of God, yet was he conFather in that equal Majeſty,He made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ſervant; and ſo with the laying down of his Glory, he laid down alſo the Name of God, and by taking unto him the form of a ſerFather, to whom, as a ſervant, be became obedient in all things unto death: and therefore the Father calleth him his Servant, ſaying, Ecce ſervus meus, Behold my ſervant,whom I uphold; which is interpreted of Chriſt.
But in reſpect of us, the Son is ſaid to be our Lord, and ſo he is called every where, becauſe we are given unto him for his inheritance, that we ſhould ſerve him and acknowledge him for our Lord and Maſter; and ſo, as he is made our Lord, the name of Lord is given unto him of his Father.
And therefore, though Chriſt indeed remained alwayes God, and in the form of God, wherein he was from all eterniFather,
God, and took unto himſelf two other names. As
1. The name of a Servant, in regard of his Father, to whom he was made obedient as a ſervant, and for which cauſe he alwayes calleth upon him as a ſervant calleth upon his Maſter, and referreth all things unto him, as to his Lord and Maſter.
2. He took upon him the name of Lord,
ForInheritance.
Redemption.
Wedlock.
Creation.
1. He is the Lord our God,
and we are the people of his paſture,
and the ſheep of his hands; and the Father ſaid unto him,Dabo tibi gentes in haereditatem tuam, I will give the Gentiles for thine inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for thy poſſeſſion: And therefore St. Peter ſaith, Let all the houſe of Iſrael know for certain, or aſſuredly, that God hath made the ſame Jeſus,
whom you have crucified, both Lord and Chriſt.
And in this reſpect alſo he is Lord of the wicked ReproDavid ſaith,Omnia ſubjeciſti ſub pedibus ejus. Thou haſt put all things in ſubjection under his feet; and the Apoſtle ſaith, this was ſpoken of Chriſt: And again, the ſame Prophet ſpeaking of him,Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footſtool: Yea more then this, he is the Lord of all things whatſoever; for Him hath God appointed and made heir of all things,
Hebrews teacheth: and our SaviAll power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth: And again, All things that the Father hath are mine.
Whereby you may ſee, that, Jure haereditario, by right of inheritance, as his Fathers Heir, he is the Lord: 1. Of the Elect. 2. Of the Reprobates: And 3. Of all the things in the world.
You are not your own, becauſe you are bought with a price: And St. Peter ſheweth, what price it was that redeemed us, and was paid for us, No corruptible thing, as ſilver and gold, but the pretious bloud of Jeſus Chriſt: And therefore ſeeing Chriſt hath bought us, and redeemed us out of the hands of our enemies, he may juſtly challenge us to be his ſervants, and himſelf to be our Lord and Maſter: for ſo the men of Iſrael ſaid unto Gideon,
Rule thou over us, and ſo be our Lord, and Governour, for that thou haſt delivered us out of the hand of Midian.
Lord by right of marriage, becauſe he is the Husband of his Church, and the Church is the Spouſe of
I will betroth thee to me in faithfulneſs; and I will betroth thee to me for ever, and the Husband is the head of the Wife, and ſo is Chriſt of his Church, ſaith the Apoſtle: and therefore,Sarah obeyed her Husband, and called him her Lord; ſo Chriſt being our Head, and the Husband of every faithful Soul, we acknow
4. He is our Lord by right of creation,all things were made by him, as St John teſtifieth: And he hath made us, and not we our ſelves, ſaith the Prophet David: and thereLord. And no man can deny it: for the Prophet ſaith, The earth is the Lords and all that therein is,
the whole world, and they that dwell therein And why ſo? He anſwereth immediately, Becauſe he hath founded it upon the ſeas, and eſtabliſhed it upon the floods. And ſo St. Paul ſaith, God that made the world, and all things therein,
he is Lord of heaven and earth.
And this point of doctrine, The former Doctrine teaches us a threefold leſ 1 Leſſon in reſpect of the godly.Lord, and Lord of the godly, and of the wicked, and of all things elſe, it ſhould teach us this threefold Leſſon.
1. In regard of the godly, it ſhould teach them humility, obedience, and comfort. 1. Humility, becauſe they are but ſervants; and the Comique ſaith, Non decet hominem ſervulum eſſe ſuperbum, It is a very unſeemly thing, to ſee a proud ſervant of an humble maſter. 2. Obedience, becauſe the ſervant ought to be obedient to his Lord and Maſter, and to be afraid to offend him; for, A ſon honoureth his father,
and a ſervant his maſter, ſaith the Prophet: If Chriſt then be our Lord and Maſter, where is our reverence, our fear, and our obedience to him? May not he ſay to us as he doth unto the Jews, Why call you me Lord, Lord, and do not what I ſay?
Jews to ſay Hayl King, and ſpit in his face. 3. Comfort, becauſe they ſerve ſuch a gracious Lord, as taketh pleaſure in the proſperiweary and heavy laden,
Moſes came unto Pharaoh in the name of the Lord, he proudly anſwered, Who is the Lord, that I ſhould hear his voice? And Nebuchadnezzar, when the three children were brought before him, did moſt arrogantly demand,Who is that God which can deliver you out of my hands? So now we have too many that in words profeſs to be the ſerſed factis negant but, as the Apoſtle ſaith, they deny him by their deeds, which they ought to be aſhamed to do.
creatures; ſeeing he is Lord of all things, and, as the Apoſtle demandeth, What haſt thou, that thou haſt not received from him?
1. We ought to be thankfull for what we have, and be contented with whatſoever we have, be the ſame little or much: for, Is it not lawfull for him to do what he will with his own, and to diſpoſe of them at his pleaſure, to give what he will, to whom he will, but thine eye muſt be evil, becauſe he is good?
3. We ought to imploy all that we have for the honour and ſervice of this our Lord and Maſter: for we are but his Stewards, and we muſt give an account how we expend our Maſters goods; he allows us food & rayment; and having that, the Apoſtle ſaith, we ſhould be therewith contented. And truly, for mine own part, I do here, on this good Day, and in this holy Place, proſeſs before you all, I am ſufficiently contented, and fully ſatisfied, and very thankfull to this my Lord and Maſter for what I have, having farr more then I deſerve, or could expect; and therefore whatſoever I ſue for to recover from any other, it is not to enrich my ſelf, or any of my relatiChurch; ſo that, reChurch ſhall be the better; and not recovering it, I ſhall not be the poorer, but the Church ſhall want ſo much, as I ſhould reco
3. The next Attribute is The third at Three ſignifiDamaſcen ſaith,I am, as he ſaith unto Moſes, and God; and he giveth three ſpecial ſignifications, or Etymologies, of this word God.
1. Curro, ambio, of running, and compaſWiſe man ſaith, the Wiſdom of God, Attingit à fine uſque ad finem, & diſponit omnia ſuaviter,
Portat omnia verbo virtutis ejus, beareth up all things with his mighty word, or the word of his power, which is Jeſus Chriſt; and in this ſenſe both Proclus and Plato do interpret the word creation, all that he made was exceeding good; ſo in the ordering, diſpoſing, and goAuguſtine, that he would never have ſuffered Sin, or any other evil to be done, unleſs his power and wiſdom were able, as he drew light out of dark
adurere, & accendere, to burn and to kindle and enlighten: and ſo Moſes ſaith, Our God is a conſuming fire, either becauſe of his wrath againſt ſin and ſinners,John ſaith, God is light, in whom there is no darkneſs at all;
Moſes in a flame of fire in the burning buſh, and in his viſion to Ezekiel, he manifeſted himſelf in the appearance of fire, which ſhould make all ſinners to be afraid to offend him, leſt this terrible fire ſhould con
Damaſcen ſaith, that patent and open in his ſight, as the Apoſtle ſheweth, and no Creature, no word, no thought can be hid from him; and therefore the Wiſe man adviſeth all diſcontented perſons, to beware of murmuring, which is nothing worth; becauſe the eare of jealouſie heareth all things, and the noiſe of your mutany word ſo ſecret, that it ſhall go for naught.
Theſe be the Etymologies and ſignifications of Damaſcen giveth, Curro, uro, cerno, to run, to burn, to ſee; and to theſe, the Latine Writers do add another, and ſay that à
fear, becauſe all nations ſhould fear the Lord our God. And ſo the Greeks ſhew us, Qualis ſit Deus, what manLatines ſhew us, Quid ſit noſtri officii, what our duty is, to be afraid to offend this great and glorious God; and ſo the Prophet Jeremiah demandeth, Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? and God himſelf ſaith, Fear ye not me, and will ye not tremble at my preſence, which have placed the ſand for the bound of the Sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot paſs it; that is, which have bridled and tamed that unruly Element, by the ſmall and ſilly Sands, and though the waves
toſs themſelves, yet can they not prevail, though they roar, yet can they not paſs over theſe poor and feeble things.
4. The next Attribute here expreſſed is Almighty, or that can do all things; and he is ſaid to be al
1. Becauſe he can do whatſoever he would do, and he can hinder whatſoever he would not have don: for whatſoever pleaſed the Lord, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the ſea and in all deep places, ſaith the Prophet; and ſo the Creation of the World makes this manifeſt. And Solomon ſaith,many devices are in man's heart, but the counſel of the Lord, that ſhall ſtand, and all their devices, without his counſel, ſhall come to nought: as the Gyants, that thought to build the Tower of Babel to ſcale the Walls of Heaven, were ſoon conSodom thought to preſs upon Lot and the Angels that were with him, but the Lord preſently blind-folded them; ſo Abſolon conceited to make himſelf King, but God brought him to the bough where he was hanged; and ſo our late
Ʋſurpers and Rebells had brave devices and projects in their hearts to deſtroy us all, and to make themſelves Lords over all, but you ſee how eaſily the Lord overwhelmed them, and brought them to ſhame and confuſion.
2. He is ſaid to be Omnipotent,
ſpeak the word and they were made,
he commanded and they ſtood faſt. And he doth all things, either without means, or with the weakeſt means in the world; and ſomeLet there be light and it was ſo:
Moſes and Aaron to bring Iſrael out of Egypt? Or Rams horns to batter down the ſtrong walls of Jericho? or a ſilly woman, to be the death of General Siſera? or Gideon with three hundred men to overthrow the mighty Hoſt and the innumerable ArMidianites? And with what improbable ſtrength hath this Almighty God brought our gracious King to his
And ſo in the Spiritual work of our Redemption, by what weak means hath he looſned and overthrown the work of the Devil,Jehovah, we ſee how his power is made perfect through weakneſs, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh: and how Chriſt that ſeemed a worm and no man, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, in bepoor, hath made us rich, and in becoming a curſe, hath made us the heirs of bleſſing:
Chriſtian Faith? Through the fooliſhneſs of Preaching, ſaith the Apoſtle, of a few poor Fiſher-men, and us that are their ſucceſſors: this is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eye. But it is more marvellous, that he ſhould do what he will, not only without means and by weak means, but alſo contrary to all means;Clay, that is able to make any man blind, to make a blind man to ſee; and with Fire, that burns every thing elſe, to preſerve the three Children in the Fiery Furnace; and to make the raging Sea, that ſwallows down, and drowneth man and beaſt, to be a Wall of defence unto the children of Iſrael.
Omnipotent and Almighty, becauſe he is able to do, what he will not do, that is, more then ever he did, or ever will do; for he is able of theſe ſtones to raiſe up Children unto Abraham.
Peter, Think you, that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he ſhall preſently give me more then twelve legions of Angels,
de Trinitat. l. 15. c. 15.He cannot lie; and aHe cannot denie himſelf; to which St. Auguſtine anſwerMagna eſt Dei potentia, non poſſe mentiri, it is an argugreat power, that he cannot lie, or deny himſelf, becauſe that to lie is the ſign of weakneſs and imbecillity, when the lyer is not able to do what he ſaith, or to perform what he promiſeth. And he that deſireth further ſatisfaction in
Beſt Religion,
Beſt Religion.
So you have ſeen, how, and in what reſpect God is ſaid to be Almighty: and that ſhould teach us a two
ForFear.
Comfort.
1. God threatneth to
and plague wicked ſinners,spare him,blowout his name from under heaven; and again he ſaith,ſtubbornly and contrary unto me. I will alſo walk contrary unto you, and plague you ſeven times more for your offences; and do not you think, that God is able to make good his threatnings? Therefore we ought all of us to humble our ſelves, and to fear the Almighty God, and, as our Saviour ſaith,to fear him who is able to deſtroy both body and ſoul.
2. This Doctrine of the almighty power of God,comfort, againſt the Devil, our affl
and all Tyrants. For when we ſee Satans army and conſtratagems againſt us, we may well cry out with Elizaeus ſervant, Alas, what ſhall we do?
I give to my ſheep eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any pluck them out of my hand,
becauſe my Father which gave them me is greater then all, and none is able to take them out of my fathers hands:
Peter ſaith, the godly that do ſerve the Lord, ſhall be kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation; becauſe he that is in us is greater, and more powerful, then he that is in the world.
5. The laſt Attribute here ſet down is which was, and is and is to come, and this crowneth all the other Attributes of God: for without this, to be Lord, to be a God, and to be Almighty would avail little or nothing: but to be ſo, and to be
Before me there was no God formed, neither ſhall be after me: and the Prophet David ſpeaking to him,Before the mountains were made, and before thou haſt formed the earth or the world, thou art God from everlaſting,
and world without end, and St. Paul calls him, the king of ages, or the everlaſting King: and the author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrews,
Moſes, I am is his name, that is, an Eternal beinhabiteth eternity, and as here theſe Beaſts do ſay which was, that is, Lord God almighty, and therefore the Maker and Creatour of all the things that are,which is that is, Lord God Almighty, and therefore the ruler and governor of all the things that are, and which is to come, that is, to be, as he is, Lord God Almighty; therefore the rewarder of all men as their works ſhall be.
And this Eternal being of God ſhould teach us all to labour for eternity: for that which is vain, and vaniſheth, is of noPraeterit jucunditas non reditura, & manet anxietas non peritura.
And therefore I adviſe you all, and my hearts deſire is, that you would be all like theſe four Beaſts, as I have explained them, in their deſcription and their practice, that ſo with theſe Beaſts you may for ever live with him, which was, and is, and is to come. To whom be all Honour, and Glory, and Praiſe, and Thanks, for ever and ever, Amen.
THE ONLY VVAY TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
A SERMON Preached before the Duke of Ormond's Grace, and the two Houſes of Parliament in Dublin.
By Griffith, Lord Biſhop of Oſſory.
LONDON, Printed for the Author, Anno Dom. 1664.
MATH. 6.33. and LUKE 12.31.But ſeek ye firſt the kingdom of God, and his righteouſneſs, and all theſe things ſhall be ad
ded unto you.
Paul ſaith, Though to us it is troubleQuia labilis memoria hominis, and good things will ſoon ſlip out of our minds. And I ſaid then, that the Angel
Ʋriel tells Eſdras,
chap. 9. ver. 15. he ſaith, That, Sicut fluctus majores ſunt guttis, as the wave is greater then a drop, ſo they are more that ſhall be deſtroyed, then thoſe that ſhall be dechap. 8. ver. 56, & 57. he ſetQuia non voluit Deus hominem diſperdi, For he deſireth not the death of a ſinner, and he would have no man to periſh: But it is, ſaith the Text,
Quia
1. Spreverunt Altiſſimum.2. Dereliquerunt vias ejus.3. Conculcaverunt juſtos.
And left any man ſhould detract from the teſtimony of this Angel, becauſe the book of this man is by many of our men deemed to be apocryphal, that is, obſcure, and not the clear Canon; therefore the Angel of the Covenant, Jeſus Chriſt,
4.1 lib. Eſdr.Tremel. ſaith, is here underſtood by this
Ʋriel, that ſignifieth, Lux & Sapientia Dei, the Light and Wiſdom of God, which Chriſt Jeſus is, as St. Luke teſtifieth, ſaith the
many are called, but few are choſen: and more plainly, he ſaith,That wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be that go in thereat: And ſtrait is the gate,
and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it: And he ſheweth the reaſon hereof to be the very ſame, that Eſdras had ſet down before; for he ſaith to Nicodemus, That this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men love darkneſs more then light, becauſe their deeds are evil; for Chriſt came into the world, not to condemn the world, but to ſave the world; to ſeek the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael, and to teach us the way that would lead us to eter
And therefore, when the young worldling came to Chriſt and ſaid, Maſter, ſpeak to my brother,
that he divide the Inheritance with me: our Saviour grants him not his deſire, that was ſo pernicious to him, but he gives him far better things then he deſired, that if he accepted the ſame, would prove moſt advantagious unto him; for he, like a Citizen of this world, had his mind only ſet to gain his Brothers inheritance; and our Saviour gives him counſel, to think of another world, and to ſeek for that eternal inheritance, that would make him eternally happy: And ſo he takes occaſion from his unjuſt deſire, to ſhew unto us all, what juſtly and chiefly ſhould be deſired. From whence you may obſerve:
1.Obſervat. 1.Chriſt to pray for any thing, he will either give us what we deſire, if our dePompey the Great, and of Titus the Son of Veſpaſian, that was called, Deliciae generis humani, The delights of mankind, that they were ſo courteous to all PeNon oportet quenquam à Caeſaris colloquiae triſtem diſ
it was not fit that any man ſhould go ſad aCaeſars conference: ſo much better may we ſay of Chriſt, who is clemency and bounty it ſelf, and therein ſo far
Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden; and then doth ſo graciouſly promiſe, that he will eaſe us, and not only give us the health of our bodies, which was all that the Leapers deſired, but alſo reſt for our ſouls, which is the beſt thing that can be wiſhed.
Obſervat. Eſay 55.8.Gods wayes are not as our wayes, nor his thoughts as our thoughts; for we commonWe turn the graces of God into wantonneſs; as abuſing wine and ſtrong drink unto drunkenneſs, our riches to oppreſs our neighbours, our wit to deceive one another, and our ſtrength to wound and kill our own brethren, even as Cain, Romulus, and Caracalla have done before us. But God, as he called light out of darkneſs, ſo out of our evil he draweth good: and as in Sampſons Riddle,Out of the eater came meat, and out of the ſtrong came ſweetneſs; ſo out of the death of Chriſt, which was the moſt execrable act, and the moſt horrible murder, that ever was committed, God drew the ſatisfaction for all our ſins, and the ſalvation of all his Saints: and out of inteſtine wars, we ſee how he produceth a happy peace, as he did to Solomon after the dayes of David: And ſo here Chriſt, out of the ill deſire of this undiſcreet man, doth, arripere anſam, take hold of this occaſion, to make this moſt excellent Ser
Janus, looking backward and forward; backward in the diſcretive conjunction, and word but, that noteth unto us what we ſhould not do; and forward in all the other words, that do fully teach us what we ſhould do: anſwerable to the method that the ProDavid propoſeth unto us, ſaying, Eſchew evil, and do good, and dwell for evermore; and which is the method that we ought all to follow.
1. To take notice, and to obſerve,Rome, de purgandis fontibus, of making clean their Wells and Fountains of water; ſo muſt the fountains of our hearts be cleanſed, before we can receive the graces of God Spirit; becauſe, as Solomon ſaith, The holy Spirit of diſcipline flieth from deceit, and dwelleth not in the body that is ſubject unto ſin, and can no more ſtand in one heart, than the Ark of God and the Idol Dagon could ſtand upon one Altar; and then, as S. Chryſoſtom ſaith, If thine hand be full of Counters, thou muſt caſt them out of thine hand, before thou canſt receive it full of Gold: ſo, if thy heart be full of ſins, thou muſt cleanſe the ſame, and caſt thy ſins away, before there can be any room for the graces of God.
Therefore our Saviour firſt of all telleth us, what we ſhould not do; that is, not to be too carefull, and ſolicitous for the things of this world, but to take heed, and beware of covetouſneſs; And to that end he laboureth much, and produceth many reaCovetouſneſs, which, as the Apoſtle ſaith, is the root of all wickedneſs.
And the Summ and ſubſtance of the whole Diſcourſe is this; that of all the wealth and riches of the whole world,John Baptiſt, in Camels hair, may be, and is, as well preſerved from the heat of Summer, and the cold of Winter, and hath his nakedneſs as well covered thereby, which is all the uſe and end of apparel, as they that are clothed in Purple or Scarlet, or fine Linnen.
And this Providence of God, to find competent food and rayment for all men, the poor as well as the rich, our Saviour illuſtrateth by the example of the Fowls of Heaven and the Lillies of the field, whereof the one, i. e. the Fowls, are ſufi. e. the Lillies, are as bravely clad, though they neither weave nor ſpin; And yet Solomon in all his royalties, was not arrayed like one of theſe, nor all the colors in the Court of Spain cannot make ſo glorious a ſhow as theſe fading flowers: and Sardanapalus Diet,Herodian. in vitae HeliogaHeliogabalus fare; that, as Herodian ſaith, feaſted on the rareſt Fiſh, when he was the furtheſt from the Sea, and would have the daintieſt Fleſh and Fowls, that could be gotten, when he was neareſt unto the Sea, could add no more unto their ſtature, then the Ravens carkaſes, or the Horſe his graſs, doth any whit leſſen his full growth: and therefore, ſeeing none can have but food and rayment, S. Paul ſaith, that having food and rayment, we ſhould therewith be contented.
But ſeeing we are all ſo bewitched with the love of this world, that we ſpend moſt of our time, and beſtow moſt la
Solomon tells us,& evaneſcentia tranſeundo, and vaniſhing away by paſſing away, from one to another; as being with one to day, with another to morrow, and gone again from him the next day after; as the Stories tell us, how Cheops, King of Egypt, that built the Pyramides all of Theban Marble, and kept every day above thirty thouſand men afore that work, became ſo poor, that he was fain to proſtitute his Daughter to relieve his neceſſities: And of Croeſus, the rich King of Lydia, the Poet ſaith,
Irus & eſt ſubito, qui modo Croeſus erat:
He ſuddenly became as poor as Irus. And to what end ſhould I tell you of Caius Marius, that was ſeven times Conſul, and yet was brought ſo low, as to hide his head in the Fens of Mynturnes: Or of Marcus Attilius Regulus, that had fettered many a noble Carthaginian, yet at laſt found himCarthage: Or of Beliſarius, that brave Commander, and moſt excellent Souldier, under Juſtinian, and that was more famous then the King of Sweden; and had taken Gilimer and Vitiges, two mighty Kings, his Priſoners; yet came to ſo low an ebb, as to cry, Date obolum Beliſario, quem virtus exaltavit, malitia depreſſit, et fortuna caecavit; O give one half-penny to Beliſarius, whom Vertue advanced, Malice ſuppreſſed, and Fortune hath made now a poor blind Beggar! Or of a thouſand more, that Hiſtories do record, to have been tumbled from the top of all honour, wealth, and dignity, to the loweſt degree of all miſery; when as within theſe few years your own eyes may ſee and obſerve thouſands of wealthy men, and honourable perſons that are brought to the duſt, and to have nothing: and a thouſand of others, that had nothing, to become filled, ſome with the riches of Egypt, and others with the ſpoils of Iſrael: which doth ſufficiently ſhew unto us, how vain and variable a thing is wealth, honour, and all other worldly things, that turn round like a wheel,
Et ut Luna mutantur, And are as changeable as the Moon, and unconſtant like the Wind.
thouſands of rams, and ten thouſand rivers of oyle, will not ſatisfie our God for the ſin of our ſoul: And the ProDavid ſaith, It will coſt more to redeem our ſouls then ſo: And Chriſt himſelf ſaith,What is a man profited, if he ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul? Or what ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoul? As if he had ſaid, All the wealth and all the honour in the world are not ſufficient to redeem one ſoul: The which thing St. Peter meaneth, when he ſaith,we were not redeemed with corruptible things, as ſilver and gold, that could not do it; but with the pretious blood of Jeſus Chriſt.
And as all the riches of the world cannot purchaſe the re
They can neither deliver us from death, nor preſerve us in health, nor yet keep us out of priſon, when God delivereth us into the hands of our enemies: And therefore the wiſe man ſaith, That when the rich mens eyes are opened, they themſelves will cry out,What hath pride profited us? Or, what hath the pomp of riches availed us? Juſt nothing; bewill make no garment for us.
the deceitfulneſs of riches, choak the Work; for rich men, and
David ſaith, The rich men have ſlept their ſleep, and when they awaked they found nothing in their hands: And ſo now they are aſleep and dream that themſelves are the moſt happy men in the world, and the dejected Servants of God to be the moſt miſerable; but when death openeth their eyes, and their ſouls are once out of their bodies, they do ſee that now all worldly things have forſaken them, and they muſt go naked of all wealth, and diſrobed of all honour, before the ſeat of Judgment, to give a ſtrict account of their Stewardſhip, how they have gotten, and how they have imployed all their wealth: and then they will confeſs, as you ſee they do, in the fifth of Wiſdom,
O how were we deceived! for theſe are they, Quos habebamus in riſum, whom we derided, and had in a parable of reproach; we fools thought their life madneſs, and their end without hothey are among the Sons of God, and their lot among the Saints,we have erred from the way of truth, and the light of underſtanding hath not ſhined unto us; Et ſic decipimur ſpecie recti, and thus in all theſe things we do but, as Ixion did, imbrace a Cloud for Juno, and ſo deceive our ſelves with the ſhadow of things.
4. The things of this world, as riches, honours,do fall into temptations, and a ſnare, and into many hurtful and fooliſh luſts,
which drown men in deſtruction and perdition: For as the ViRoman Citizen, who having done nothing againſt the Commonwealth, nor any man elſe, that he knew of; yet being deſirous to ſee the proſcribed, he
Nola, and not any thing that ever he did, had undone him, and cauſed him to be proPlotius Plancus, the brother of Minutius Plancus, Conſul and Cenſor of Rome, was ſo rich, and lived ſo de6. c. 18.
Mulcaſſes, King of Tunis, diſcovered in like manner,47.
Paulus Jovius recordeth: whereupon the Poet ſaith,
And ſo many Women too: For Demonica, a Maid of the City of Epheſus, promiſed to Brennus, that beſieged the ſame City, to deliver up the Town unto him, if for a recompence he would give her all the golden Chains and Bracelets of the Gaules, to which Brennus yielded; and after he got the City, he cauſed all his people to caſt all the golden Jewels they wore about them, into the lap of this covetous Maid; and ſhe beTitus Livius relateth the like ſtory of the daughter of Sp. Tarpeius.
But to ſearch no further for ancient examples to confirm this point, How many men have we ſeen ſearched after, imCantabit vacuus coram latrone viator, The poor traveller that hath never a penny to loſe, never fears the thief, when the rich Merchant oftentimes loſeth both his life and his trea
And Dives the rich Glutton will tell you, that the riches and treaſures of this world do not only prejudice their poſſeſ
And therefore well doth bur Saviour adviſe us, and ſay, Labour not for the food that periſheth, that is,which endureth for ever, and which will bring us to eternal life: And well doth he here perſwade us, not to be too careful for the things of this world, eſpecially becauſe they are all ſo vain, ſo fruitleſs, ſo perfidiWhat we ſhould not do.
2. In the Affirmative part Chriſt ſetteth down,What we ſhould do, that is, Seek the Kingdom of God, &c.
In which words you may obſerve theſe two parts.
Or elſe,
Precept.
Promiſe.
AndWork.
Reward.
1. In the Work or Precept, you have three things to be obſerved.
1. The act injoyned is, Seek ye;
ſeek ye, all men would have readily obeyed
Seekers; but as thoſe ſilly women, whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, That they are ever learning,
never come to the knowledge of the truth: So our Saviour ſaith, That many men will ſeek, but they ſhall not find, becauſe they ſeek amiſs; and that is, Either
Quaerenda pecunia primum; and for the wealth of this world, Currit mercator ad Indos: And ſo the Lawyer ſeeks, the Phy
i. e. the Kingdom of God; and yet they find it not; becauſe that, with thoſe fooliſh Virgins whereof our Saviour ſpeaketh, they ſeek to enter when the door is ſhut;Dives, Qui negavit micas interris, rogavit guttas in poenis, which denied the crums to Lazarus on earth, deſires a drop in hell, but he is denied; and ſo ſhall all they be denied, Qui quaerunt ſalutem in medio Gehennae, quae operata eſt in medio terrae, which ſeek for ſalvation and help in the midſt of Hell, or of Purgatory, which was wrought in the midſt of the earth, and ſhould be ſought after while we live on earth: And therefore the Prophet Eſay biddeth us, To ſeek the Lord while he may be found; and that is now in the Church,now is the time acceptable, now is the day of ſalvation.
Fools, and honeſty among Knaves, and truth among Hereticks, may ſeek long enough, and yet miſs to find them; ſo they that ſeek for the Kingdom of God, and the righteouſneſs of Chriſt in the Dominion of Antichriſt, or aFanatique Conventicles of our upſtart Sectaries, or in any Popiſh and abſolete Traditions of the Church of Rome.
4. Others alſo ſeek the Kingdom of God, and yet find it not,coldly and ſo careleſly as they do; for great things cannot be had without great labour. And thereSolomon ſaith, he that would find Wiſedom, muſt ſearch for it as for Silver,
for hidden Treaſure And you ſee, the worldling cannot get a little wealth without labour, the Lawyer cannot underſtand the Law withſtudy; and do you think, with our fooliſh Enthuſiaſts, that we ſhall underſtand the Holy Scripture without paineſ-taking? Surely,Terence withComment, ſhall never be able to expound the deep MyScripture, and to reconcile the repugnant Texts thereof without Books and without Labour; for, as St. Aug. ſpeaketh, Quidquid eſt, crede mihi, in Scripturis illis, altum & divinum eſt, Whatſoever is in thoſe Scriptures, believe me, it is high and Divine; and though in ſome places it is like a ſhallow Foord, wherein a Lamb may wade, and the meaneſt man may underſtand what he ſhould do, and the main points of his belief; yet in many other places, you ſhall find it like the deep Ocean, wherein the greateſt Elephant may ſwim, and the beſt Wits fail to underſtand it: And if the C
cannot get his Wealth, nor the Scholler his Learning without labour and pains, do you think to find and to attain to the Kingdom of God by a Quia non dormientibus ſed pugnantibus adveniet regnum
Dei, the Kingdom of God falleth not into the Sleepers lap, but they that ſtrive for it, ſhall obtain it; and therefore our Saviour bids us,ſtrive to enter in at the narrow gate; and he ſaith, that the Kingdom of God ſuffereth violence, and the violent take it away.
And ſo you ſee, how we ought to ſeek for any thing that we would find; when, and where, and how it may be found; that is, with ſuch pains and care, as it ought to be ſought. Now,
ſeek, leſt we ſhould miſtake the thing, that we ſhould ſeek, and paſſing by all other things that are ſcarce worth the ſeeking, or much looking after, he ſetteth down that
Ʋnum neceſſarium, and that Pearl of invaluable price, which we ought to ſeek, that is, the Kingdom of God.
And who would not ſeek a Kingdom? Truly if Chriſt had ſaid no more, but ſeek a Kingdom, I think enow would have been ready enough to ſeek it: for, it is ſtrange, ſaith Camerarius,
l. 5. c. 8.inordinate deſire that men have had to reign and to rule as Kings; what Villainies they have committed to become Kings; and what Execrable things they have don to continue Kings;Amurath the Third cauſed five of his younger Brethren to be ſtrangled in his preſence: and Iſmael, the ſecond Son to Techmas King of Perſia, did put to death as many of his Bretheren, as he could find, and all the Princes that he ſuſpected, to have any deſire to his Kingdom; that ſo, they might reign and rule without fear; and Soliman miſtruſting his own Son Muſtapha, when he returned VictoPerſian War, and was received with ſuch geneone God in Heaven, and one Emprour, that is, himſelf, upon Earth: and Camerarius, ſaith that this is a perpetuOttomans and Turkiſh Souldans, to put all that pretend to ſucceſſion unto death. Neither is it only a Turkiſh cuſtom to do ſo; but it is the practice of moſt of them that are bewitched with this inordinate deſire to rule as
Kings to do the like; for Plutarch writeth that Deiotarus, having many Sons, and being deſirous that only one of them ſhould reign, ſlew all the reſt with his own hands; and Juſtin ſaith that Phrahartes, the Son of Horodes, King of the Parthians, killed his own Father; and after that, maſſacred all his BreIſrael, were not free from this fault,Abimelech, the Son of Gedeon, ſlew ſeventy of his Bretheren in one day, and played many other Tragical parts, that he might make himſelf a King; and the furious ambition of Abſolon did let him on to play the Parricide,
And not to go from our own home, did not Henry the Fourth, put by Richard the Second, his own King and Cozen German, that himſelf might be the King? And did not Richard the Third, cauſe the true King and his own Nephews, the Sons of his own Brother Edward the Fourth, to be done to death, that he himſelf might be King? And did not that arch-Rebel and Traytor now of late amongſt our ſelves, play the like Tragical parts, that he might gain the rule of theſe KingKing, Father, Brother, or Friend, to bring themſelves unto advancement, and to be the rulers of the PeoAntoninus Caracalla, who when he had murthered his own Brother Geta in his MoCanonize him among the Heroes and to place him among the Gods, to mitigate the thought of ſo execrable a fact, anſwered like a wretch, ſit divus, modo non ſit vivus, let him be a God among the dead ſo he be not alive among Men;
Camerar. quo ſupra.
Therefore our Saviour doth not ſtop when he had ſaid, ſeek
a Kingdom, which he knew moſt men would be ready enough and ſome too ready to do, without bidding: but he addeth the Kingdom of God; and not the Kingthis world, nor the Kingdom of the Antichriſt, nor of ſin, but the Kingdom of God. And the Kingdom of God, is taken many waies; but eſpecially,
Nature.
Grace.
Glory.
good and bad, are the ſubjects of this his Kingdom; for he is, Rex univerſae terrae, & ſuper omnes nationes mundi, whom he ruleth with his mighty power, and by his wiſedom dievery morning; our King doing herein, as the Husband-man doth with his Oxen, mactandus liber ibit ad paſcua, ſervandus jugo premitur, that which is appointed for the ſlaughter ſhall freepreſerved ſhall be preſſed under the Yoak.
Grace comprehendeth not all creatures nor all men, but the elect only, that is, the good and godly men, in whoſe hearts this King writeth his holy Laws, and ruleth them by his Spirit, that guideth and directeth them to obſerve his Laws.
Glory is that, which the Apoſtle dejoyes paſſeth all underſtanding, whoſe ſubjects are the Saints and Angels, and whoſe King is Jeſus Chriſt, the King of kings.
The firſt of theſe was eſtabliſhed by power, when the Alcreated all things by his powerful Word, or the Word of his power, which is Jeſus Chriſt; but it ſhall be fiweakneſs, when languiſhing Nature, that ſtill groweth weaker and weaker, can hold out no longer.
The ſecond was begun in weakneſs, when Chriſt the Son of
unto God his Father: but,
The third ſhall begin in power, and continue in power without ending: when as the Poet ſaith, Glorioſum Imperium ſiue fine dabit,
— Cui nec metas rerum, nec tempora ponit; God ſhall give us a glorious Kingdom, without ending, and eternal happineſs unto his Saints: where there ſhall be no fight, becauſe they have no enemie; no tears, becauſe they can recieve no hurt; no fear, becauſe there is no danger; and no grief, becauſe there is no evil, but all peace, all joy, all felicity, becauſe God will be all in all.
And of theſe three Kingdoms we ought to ſubmit our ſelves with all contentedneſs unto the firſt, and with all care and diligence to ſeek the ſecond, that ſo to our everlaſting comRomans none came to the Temple of Honour, but by the Temple of Virtue; ſo none ſhall come to the Kingom of glory, but the Subjects of the Kingdom of grace; and therefore we muſt ſeek for that as we ought to do: and that is,
1. Generally, that the Church of Chriſt may be enlarged by the preaching of the Goſpel, and by all other ways that we can to convert men to the faith of Chriſt, and not to pervert them by wicked errours, or the evil examples of an ungodly converſation.
2. Particularly, that the Spirit of God, and not the Spirit of Satan, the grace of Chriſt, and not our fleſhly luſts, or any other ſin might reign in us, and rule our hearts to do all things according to Gods Laws; that ſo we our ſelves might be members of his Church and ſubjects of this kingdom.
And, as I told you before, our ſeeking for this kingdom,
Non mollis eſt via ad aſtra, the way to heaven is not eaſie, nor ſtrewed over with ſweet flowers; but we muſt through many tribulations enter into the kingfacilis deſcenſus averni, the way to hell is very eaſie, and you may ſoone ſlide thither by any ſin; Sed revocare gradus, ſuperaſque evadere ad auras, Hic labor, hoc opus eſt; but to climb up to heaven requires labour and pains, and they that think otherwiſe, do but deceive themſelves; becauſe there are many hindrances, and rubs, and obſtacles in our way to keep us back from this kingdom: as this preſent world, that made Demas careleſs of the world to come;Dalilah lyeth in our boſome, and is more dangerous than the world, and the old Serpent the Devil, that goeth about like a roaring Lion, ſeeking whom he may devour; And therefore, ſeeing it is ſo hard a matter to paſs through the Pikes of theſe enemies, Abjicienda eſt omnis deſidia & ignavia;
Chryſoſt. hom. 3. in Johan.
Chryſoſtom: & quia anguſta via, robuſtâ animâ opus eſt, and becauſe our enemies are ſo mighty, we muſt be ſtrong, and of good courage, that we may overcome the world, ſubdue the fleſh, and reſiſt the Devil, who is Leo inter formicas, a Lion among thoſe that fear him; but formica inter Leones, a coward among Lions, running away like Thyrſites before Achilles;
reſiſt the Devil, he will flie from you, ſaith the Apoſtle.
Solomons Throne was Per ſex gradus, by ſix ſtairs, ſo we have ſix ſpecial ſteps to aſcend to the Throne of grace.
Quia naſcimur ad laborem,
& renaſcimur ad ſalutem, becauſe we are born the children of wrath, to labour and to miſeries; and therefore we muſt be born again, that is, by the waſhing of water, and the workExcept you be born of Water, and of the Spirit,
you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, ſaith our Saviour.
The ſecond is, by Outward profeſſion, that is,Solomon ſaith, by following the ſteps of the fleck unto the tents of the Shepherds; and, as they do, to profeſs the Faith, and never to be aſhamed of the Croſs of Chriſt.
The third is, by Hearing Gods Word,i. e. the truth of the holy Scripture; and not the dreams and traditions of men; for my Sheep hear my voyce, ſaith Chriſt, and if you hear his voyce, your ſouls ſhall live, ſaith the Prophet Iſaiah:
The fourth is by Believing Gods Word,Abraham credidit Deo, believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteouſneſs; for otherwiſe, if we believe not what we hear, our hearing of it will avail us nothing, but rather be a witneſs againſt us; and yet, as the Prophet Iſaiah demands,Who hath believed our report? So, I fear, that of many, which come to hear Gods word, there be but few that believe what we ſay, when as we have too many men like thoſe whereof Tertullian ſpeaketh, Qui credebant Scripturis, ut crederent adverſus Scripturas, i. e. to believe what they pleaſed out of the Scripture; and many more, that do lead their lives ſo lewdly, and ſo diſſo
The fifth is, By continual Prayers,Ask and you ſhall have, ſeek and you ſhall find, knock and it ſhall be opened unto you; and S. Auguſtine ſaith, If any man would find out the truth, agant
orando, et quaerendo, et bene vivendo ut inveniant, Let them pray to God, and ſtudy hard, and live holily, and God will help them to underſtand the truth.
The ſixth and laſt ſtep of this Ladder, that reacheth up to the Kingdom of Heaven, is by doing the will of God, and leadNot the hearers of the Law, but the doers of the Law ſhall be juſtified: And Chriſt ſaith, Not every one that ſaith, Lord,
Lord, ſhall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven: So that to hear Sermons, to underſtand Gods Word, and to pray to God, is all in vain, unleſs we do ſtudy and ſtrive withall to do our beſt endeavours to live according to Gods will: And there
2. Our Saviour, deſirous to ſhew unto us the readieſt way to come to this Kingdom of God,Seek ye the Kingdom of God and his righteouſneſs, that is, the righteouſneſs which is acceptable in his ſight; and that is, as St. Paul ſaith, To follow peace with all men,
and holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord: And you muſt obſerve, that righteouſneſs here is to be referred to God, and not to the Kingdom; becauſe, as Cajetan well obſerveth, ad
The which thing, together with infinite ſuch other doubtCanticles, who watched over others, but kept not their own flock, are but blind Guides of the people, fitter to lead them into the ditch, then to reſolve them of any doubt, or to convince any learned Heretick.
jus Dei, whereby he puniſheth the wicked, and delivereth the innocent, and whereof the Prophet ſaith,Thou art ſet in the throne that judgeſt right: And again, Thou art juſt, O Lord, and righteous is thy judgement.
2. That uprightneſs which is in God, and is oppoſed to iniquity, as where the Prophet ſaith, The Lord is righteous, and loveth righteouſneſs; his face beholdeth the thing that is right.
3. The truth of God, as where himſelf ſaith, I the Lord ſpeak righteouſneſs, that is, nothing but the truth.
4. The mercy of God in Chriſt, and through Chriſt, toDeliver me in thy righteouſneſs: And again,Judge me according to thy righteouſneſs; that is, according to thy mercy and goodneſs ſhewChriſt Jeſus, who is, as the Prophet ſaith,Jehova juſtitiae noſtra, the Lord our righteouſneſs; and ſo the righteHe was made ſin for us; that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him, that is, that we might be freely juſtified before God, through faith in his righteouſneſs.
Yet by the righteouſneſs of God here in this place, we are to underſtand it, ſaith St. Chryſoſtom, in none of the foreſaid ſignifications, but for, Quid odit, et quid amat, What God loAretius ſaith,Fides ſola juſtificat, Faith only juſtifieth us, and we are freely juſtified by our faith in Chriſt, that layeth hold on his righteouſneſs, which is imputed unto us: yet, Fides juſtificans nunquam eſt ſola, aut ſolitaria, The iuſtifying faith is never alone, ſeparated from the works of that righteouſneſs, which is the inſeparable adjunct and concomi
And therefore if you deſire to be Citizens of Heaven, and Inheritors of the Kingdom of God, you muſt be juſt and righteous men; and your righteouſneſs muſt not be like the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, in oſtentation, to deceive the world, but in deed and verity, in the ſight of God; for ſo Chriſt tells you plainly, Except your righteouſneſs, that is, not only the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, which is yours by imputation, and which all men know doth by many thouſand degrees exceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariexceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, you ſhall in no wiſe enter into the kingdom of God.
And truly, the want of this righteouſneſs and juſt dealing among men, is the cauſe of all miſchief, and of all the greateſt miſeries of this world, and of eternal damnation in the world to come; and the performance of this righteouſneſs would make all men happy; both in this life, and in the life to come: For,
Auguſtine, doſt love and deſire peace, which is the Crown of all worldly happineſs, (though now the crown is fallen from our head, woe unto us that we have ſinned) Sed juſtitiam non amabis,
there is no peace to the wicked,
ſaith my God; no peace to them that ſhed innocent blood, no peace for unrighteous dealing, to them that take away a mans right, and hold it ſtill per
But their unrighteouſneſs will deſtroy them, as indeed inCarthage, fuller of ſins then of men; as we ſee the Monarchy of the Aſſyrians was tranſlated to the Medes and
Perſians; and the moſt famous Republick of the Romans ſpoiled, when, forgetting their priſtine equity and juſt deal
And they meaſured the Law and equity by their ſtrength, and he had the beſt right, that was moſt powerful: as the wicked proclaim it in the Book of Wiſdom, Let our ſtrength be the Law of juſtice; which hath been the ruine and ſubver
And ſo it will be with us of this Nation, if we caſt away all Juſtice, and hold the truth in unrighteouſneſs; becauſe God is no reſpecter of perſons, and we have no reaſon to think that he will deal any otherwiſe with us, then he hath done with his own choſen people the Jews, or with any other unrighteous Generation.
And as unrighteouſneſs is the mother of wars, and the bringer of deſtruction to Nations and Kingdoms, ſo it is the nurſe that breedeth ſtrife, and increaſeth contentions and Suits of Law among neighbours, and ſo becometh the greatult.
Paul ſhew
And as unjuſt dealing thus pulleth down upon us all the plagues of Heaven, ſo you may ſee,Wiſdom, and in Saint Paul, and many other places of the holy Scripture, how it excludeth all unrighteous men out of Heaven. But
2. On the other ſide, if you look upon righteouſneſs and juſt dealing,Plato. The praiſe of juſt dealing.Plato; All men cry out with one mouth, How beautiful a thing is temperance and righteouſneſs: Cicero calleth this righteouſneſs the Lady and Miſtreſs of all vertues: Pindarus ſaith, That Theoguis ſaith,
Even as the Latine Poet ſaith,
Juſtitia in ſeſe virtutes continet omnes:
Juſtice is that vertue which comprehends all vertues in it ſelf: For he that is a juſt man wrongeth no man: And Solomon ſaith,The Kings throne is eſtabliſhed by righteouſneſs: And again he ſaith,Righteouſneſs exalteth a Nation; ſo that both King and Kingdom ſhall proſper through righteouſneſs: And he ſaith further, That although evil purſueth ſinners, yet to the righteous good ſhall be repaid;
the tabernacle of the upright ſhall flouriſh; becauſe God bleſſeth the habitation of the juſt.
And therefore the very Heathens erected a Temple unto Juſtice, and aſcribed divine worſhip unto Aſtraea, which they termed the Goddeſs of Juſtice,Cromwellian Chriſtians in Ireland.
Homer ſaith, That Sarpedon preſerved the Kingdom of Licia,
Herodian ſaith of Pertinax, That he was both loved and feared of the Barbarians, as well for the remembrance of his vertues in former battels, as alſo, Plutarch aſcribeth the like vertues to Lucullus: Cicero to Pompey: Ovid to Erictthaeus: Virgil to Aeneas: Suetonius to Octavius Auguſtus his Father; and many others of the HeaAriſtides, exceeding juſt. And
I would to God all thoſe that ſay they are Chriſtians, were as juſt aHeathens were, or as righteous as the Scribes and Phariſees; for they were ſo ſtrict in their lives, eſpecially in ſhew, and made ſo great account of juſtice, that they would tythe Mynt and Rue, and the reſt of the very ſmalleſt things: and therefore S. Paul ſaith that they were the ſtricteſt Sect of all the Jewiſh Religion: and yet our Saviour ſaith, Except your righteouſneſs doth exceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, you ſhall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. So you ſee, the way that leads you to the Kingdom of God, is to be juſt and righteous, and ſo honeſt men, without which it is in vain to pray to God, it is in vain to believe in Chriſt, and in vain to rely on him: becauſe, as the Prophet David ſaith, you muſt offer to God the ſacrifice of Righteouſnes,
you may truſt in the Lord.
But wherein doth the ſacrifice of Righteouſneſs conſiſt,acceptable in the ſight of God?
I anſwer, that to be juſt and righteous, and to offer the ſareddere unicunque quod ſuum eſt, That is, to render
what belongs to each of theſe;Paradiſe watering the whole Garden of God, that being well obſerved, will make it a Paradiſe indeed.
1. What belongs to God? Our Fanatique Enthuſiaſts and Sectaries, think that, as God is a Spirit, ſo he requires no more but to be ſerved in Spirit and truth; for as the Prophet ſaith If he be hungry, he will not tell thee, becauſe all the Beaſts of the Forreſt are his, and ſo are the cattel upon a thouſand hills; And therefore the Lord ſaith, my Son give me thy heart, and ſo worſhip me, with Faith, Hope, Love, and the like ſpiritual
Honour God with thy riches.
And ſo our Saviour, when he biddeth us to render unto Caeſar what was Caeſars, and to God what is Gods, meaneth it of our Wealth and Riches, that we ought to render unto God, and not of theſe internal ſervices and ſpiritual worſhip that we do likewiſe owe to God; for here the queſtion was of the Tribute and Mony that the Jews were to pay to Caeſar, and therefore the true ſenſe of our Saviours anſwer was ſecundum materiam ſubjectam, according to their queſtion; give that part of your Wealth and Riches to Caeſar, which belongs to Caeſar and that part of it to God, which is due to God, that Caeſar himſelf may not have that, which belongs to God.
that part and portion which belongs to God, out of that All which God gives un
Tythes, which God requiDonations, which his people do freely offer unto him, and God doth moſt graunſpeakable favour that the great God, and creator of all things, the giver of all things, that owns all things, and wants nothing, ſhould ſo graciouſly accept the ſmall gifts of us his poor creatures, far beyond the Clemency of Xerxes, that did ſo curteouſly accept a little cold water that was preſented unto him by a poor ſubject, that had nothing elſe to offer him.
But when any Lands, Houſes, or Monies, or any other part of our Goods is offered unto God, let us not be ſo unjuſt as to rob God thereof: for you may ſee, what the Prophet ſaith, will a man rob his God, yet you have robbed me,
in Tythes and Offerings; that is, in converting the Tythes to your own uſes, which I commanded to be paid to uphold my ſervices; and taking thoſe Lands and Houſes into your own poſſeſſions, which moſt pious men had offe
Or if we do this (as I ſee it commonly don in Ireland and in too many places in England) then let us take heed leſt that, quorum flagitium imitamur, eorum exitum inveniamus, we find not the like ſucceſs as they found that had don this before us: And what is that? I will ſhew you ſome examples of good note.
And I will not inſiſt upon the puniſhment inflicted upon Achan, Gehezi, Shiſake King of Egypt, Johas King of Iſrael, Sennacherib King of Aſſyria, and Belſhazzar King of Babylon, and others, for their Sacriledg, and Injuſtice againſt God; becauſe you may read the ſame at your leaſure in the holy Scripture.
But I ſhall deſire you to remember, what Seneca,
Sen. de Bene5. c. 12.
Sacrilegi dant poenas, quamvis nemo uſque ad Deos manus porrigat, the robbers of God's right ſhall never eſcape unpuniſhed, though no man crie to God againſt them: as it appeareth, not only by what Juſtine writeth, l. 4. of Philomenes, and what Lactantius ſaith of Fulvius for robJuno Lacinia, but eſpecially by what Aul. Gellius writeth, how that after Quintus Caepio robbed the houſes of God in the City of Tolouſe, as many as touched any part of that ſpoil, miſero cruciabilique exitu periit. And we need look no further, then what ſucceeded the ſpoyle that King Henry the Eighth made of the goods of the Church; for though he had more Wives then many others of our Kings, yet his Iſſue reached not to the ſecond Generation; and though he gave thoſe ſpoiles to his Nobility, yet it is well obHenry Spelman and others, that in a ſhort time moſt of their Poſterity came welneer to beggerie.
But I will conclude this Point with the words of Charles the Great,Charles the Grear.Novimus multa regna, & reges eorum, propterea cecidiſſe, quia Eccleſias ſpoliaverunt reſque earum militibus dederunt; quapropter nec fortes in bello, nec in fide ſtabiles fuerunt, nec victores extiterunt, ſed multi vulnerati, & plures interfecti terga dederunt, regnaque, &
And I will adde the Charge, that the wiſe and ſtrenuous Earle of Strafford gave to his Son, William Wentworth, when he was dying, which is, that As he would anſwer it to him in heaven, he ſhould never meddle with any of the Patrimony of the Church, for it will be the canker that will eat up the reſt of his eſtate, and therefore chargeth him again, as he will anſwer him in heaven, never to meddle with it.
And the reaſon of all this is, that Religion is the very ground of all our happineſs, and the chiefeſt of all our comfort; and the tythes and donations of Religious men are the main outward props of our Religion; and if with Sampſon you take away the pillars, you overthrow the houſe: ſo take away the means that maintains Religion, and your Religion, like a tottering wal, wil ſoon fall unto the ground, and then you have diſſolved all the ties and aſſociations betwixt God and man, and left us all as aliens and enemies unto God; and therefore, when other miſchiefs have their limits, and ſo hurt but one or other, and there is an end; yet this robbing of God of his right, turbabit foedera mundi, will ſet the world beſide its hinges, and ſweep away all our happineſs.
And, I hope, this which I have here ſpoken, will deterr all from Sacriledge, and teach them to be juſt and righteous, to render unto God what is Gods.
Caeſar what is Caeſars. And what doth belong to Caeſar, that we ought to render unto him?
I find ſix ſpecial things due unto him, anſwerable to the ſix ſpecial enſigns and emblems of Royal Majeſty. For,
Fear.
Honour.
Obedience.
Defence.
Prayers.
Tribute, without which, his Royalty can never be maintained.
And yet we mutter, and murmur, and are more averſe to render this duty unto our king then any of all the reſt; for here you ſee, when the Jews came to Chriſt, they queſtion not any other duties, but they demand of him, Is it lawfull to pay triCaeſar? and they were often ready to rebel, rather then to part with their money: and what do Rebels do, but as our late Rebels have done, to undo themſelves and their poſterity, and bring many miſeries upon many others: for, Qui non vult duci, debet trahi; he that will not be obedient to the Government, muſt be forced with puniſhment.
But they might have conſidered, as eloquent Oſorius ſaith,Oſor. de rebut Eman. l. 12. p. 386.Rex infinita negotia ſuſtinet, aequabile jus omnibus adminiſtrat. The King undergoes, infinite affairs, he adminiſtreth equal right to all his people, he keepeth away all dangers from the Common-wealth; he rewardeth the faithfull, and reſtraineth the froward, and he preſerveth his Kingdom, both from foraign foes, and inteſtine frauds, and an hundred things elſe, which private men cannot conceive. And theſe things canDeioces, when he was elected King of the Medes,
Herodotus l. 1.Ecbatana, and to give him a goodly band of men for the ſafeguard of his perſon, and to provide all other things fitting for the Majeſty of a King, and ſo all the other kings of the Gentiles did the like.
And Solomon alſo, and all the reſt of the kings of Iſrael required no ſmall aid and tribute from their Subjects; for though Tertullian out of Deut. 23.17. reads it,There ſhall not be,
Iſrael; yet Pamelius well obſerves it, that theſe words are not in the
Septuagint, which alſo ſaith not, Of the Sons, but Iſrael, that is, ex impudicitia & lupanaribus, for their diſhothe hire of a Whore, and the price of a Dog, are an abomination to the Lord; and ſo S. Auguſtine uſeth the word Theodoret likewiſe.
But that the Jews payd tribute, it is manifeſt out of 1 Sam. 17.24.Goliah, that his fathers houſe ſhould be abſque tributo, free from all tribute; and, to make it yet more plain, it is ſaid that Solomon appointed Jeroboam ſuper tributa univerſae domus Joſephi,
Vulg. Lat. that is, of the Tribe of Ephraim and Manaſſes, as our Tranſlation reads it.
Yea, though the Jews were the people of God; and thought themſelves free, and no ways obliged to be taxed by foraign Princes; yet after Pompey took their City, they paid triRomans,
Joſephus; and our Saviour bids them, to render unto Caeſar thCaeſar, ſaying, Paul uſeth, when he biddeth us to pay our debts, and to owe nothing to any man, ſaying, Pay to every man that which you owe.
And rather then himſelf would omit this duty, though he never wrought any other miracle about money; yet herein, when he had never a peny, he would create money in the mouth of a Fiſh, as both S. Hierom and the Interlin. gloſs do think, to pay for himſelf and his Apoſtle.
And therefore ſeeing the Kings occaſions are ſo great, and the Subſidies, Impoſts, Cuſtomes, Aids, and Exciſes, and the like Taxes are ſo due unto them by the Laws of God and man, they can be neither juſt nor honeſt men, nor be in the way to the kingdom of God, that deny or defraud the king of theſe duties.
What ſhall we ſay then of thoſe men, that will rather wink at malefactours and tranſgreſſours of the Laws, then juſtly
3. The next branch of Juſtice,whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets; this is all that the Law requireth,
And becauſe, as I conceive, there was never more need of Juſtice to be executed then now, when of late we were all in
And whereas there are four ſorts of men concerned to have juſtice done unto them:
Church-men.
Adventurers.
Souldiers.
Innocent Iriſh Papiſts.
1. I have often ſhewed, how ominous it is, to weaken the hands of the Clergie, by keeping away their means to diſ
Adventurers, that beſtowed their moneys to ſup
3. For the Souldiers that fought for the ſame ends, they ought juſtly to be rewarded, according to their merit: but for thoſe that for covetouſneſs,Iriſh, they cared not how, nor how much, nor from whom they got it; I wiſh that their judgment may be according to their deſert, and the merit of their deſire.
4. For the innocent, either Iriſh Papiſts, or ejected Proteſtants, I fear it may be with many of them, as it was with the Gibilines, who being at variance with the Guelphs in the City of Papia, promiſed to Facinus Caius, all the houſes and goods of the Guelphes, if he aſſiſted them to get the Victory; which he did; and after he had ſubdued the Guelphs, he ſeized upon the goods both of the Guel hs and Gibilines: and when the Gibilines complained, that he brake his covenant, in taking their houſes, and pillaging their goods that were Gibilines, the ſaid Caius anſwered, It was true indeed, that they were Gibilines, but their goods were the goods of Guelphes, and ſo belonged unto them, and ſo to him: So, perhaps, the co
But this is no juſtice, nor to do as you would be done unto; for, as Abraham ſaid to God, Wilt thou deſtroy the righteous with the wicked?
Abimelech ſaid, Lord, wilt thou ſtay a righteous nation? So I ſay, God forbid that any innocent man, be he of what Religion he will, ſhould loſe either houſe or lands.
But you will ſay, The Iriſh Papiſts are not ſo innocent; for though their hands did act nothing, for fear they could not prevail; yet it may be their hearts did earneſtly wiſh, that all the Proteſtants ſhould be rooted out, and perhaps their Fa
I confeſs that, as when Croeſus ſent to the Oracle, to exGyges, that was the death of Candaules: So God may juſtly puniſh the preſent InnoRehoboam for the ſins of Solomon; and he that knows our hearts may juſtly whip us for our evil thoughts.
But we are not to judge of any man for his thoughts, nor to puniſh him for his wiſhes, until they do break forth either into words or acts; becauſe the other muſt be left alone for God.
And therefore, ſeeing that he which condemneth the In
There is another degree of juſtice, which ſhould be perProteſtants, that have been ejected out of their eſtates, and to our poor neighbours, that are ready to ſtarve in the ſtreets: For, as Saint Ambroſe ſaith, Eſurientium paenis eſt quem tu detines, nudorum indumentum quod tu recludis, & miſerorum pecunia quam tu in arca abſcondis. And therefore, though we term it alms, yet it is ju
4. The laſt branch of juſtice concerns our ſelves:Tiaras, and ſome others in ſweeping the ſtreets with Si ks and Velvets, which are vanities, that I know not how they ſhall anſwer, when they come to appear before Al
And thus I have ſhewed you what is juſt and righteous, and directed you the right way to the Kingdom of God. God give us grace to walk therein.
But you will demand, Where is juſtice without partiality now to be found, among Neighbours, or in the Courts of JuInjuſtice and Oppreſſion do make wiſe men mad, eſpecially if they ſee the ſervants of Rebels and Traitors favoured and countenanced, againſt the moſt faithful ſervants of their King, and the Ambaſſadors of the living God: And ſeeing that as Solomon ſaith,I ſaw the place of judgement, and wickedneſs was there; and the place of righteouſneſs, and iniquity was there: My advice to you all is, to follow our Saviours counſel, If any man will ſue thee at the Law,
and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak alſo: for in ſo doing, in your patience you ſhall poſſeſs your ſouls, and walk in the right way to the Kingdom of God.
And then ſecondly, what is here promiſed ſhall be undoubtAll theſe things ſhall be adminiſtred unto you, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, to whom be glory, and hoAmen.
JOHN 3.14.And as Moſes lifted up the Serpent in the wil
derneſs, even ſo muſt the Son of man be lifted up.
Paul, ſpeaking of many things that befell the Jews, while they wanAll theſe things happened to them in a Figure;
Hebrews. As,
Aaron whoſe type he was. Exod. 28.Aaron their High-Prieſt was a Type of our High-Prieſt, Jeſus Chriſt, and he aſcending into heaven, left his Apoſtles, and they, the Biſhops, to be his Subſtitutes to govern his Church here on earth, in the place of the High Prieſt, and the Prieſts and Levites were Types of our Prieſts and Deacons; and his holy garments, and moſt glorious ornaments, which the Rabb. called Bidge Zahab, golden veſtments: as were the Ephod, the Breaſt-plate with precious Stones, the
Ʋrim and Thummim, the robe of the Ephod, ſet with golden Bells and Pomgranates; the plate of the Miter, and the embroydered Coat, all ſo exceeding glorious, that when Alexander ſaw the High-Prieſt Simeon the juſt, thus attired, coming to meet him, he was ready to adore him, ſaying, That God had thus ap
And ſo indeed he was the Type of our true God, Jeſus Chriſt, and his glorious apparel ſignified the honour, glory and reſpect that ſhould be yielded to the miniſtery of the Goſpel,i. e. of the Law written and engraven in ſtones, were thus glorious, and this glory was to be done away; then how ſhall not the miniſtrai. e. of the Goſpel which is to continue, be much more glorious?
For as Kings and Princes, and great Lords, if they have no means, nor ſervants, to uphold their eſtate, and to maintain their greatneſs, with great power, when there is need, they ſhall not be reſpected nor ſecured againſt rebellious ſpirits; ſo if the Miniſters of Chriſt be poor, Pauper ubique jacet, and no great regard will be had of their words; for all the breSolomon tells you, that the poor wiſe man delivered the City that was beſieged by a great King,no man remembred this poor man, but his wiſdom is deſpiſed,
and his words are not heard.
And therefore it is no wonder, that the poor Vicars preach
2. As Aaron the High-Prieſt of the Jews,Jeſus Chriſt; ſo the Tabernacle that Moſes made in the Wilderneſs, and the Temple that Solomon built on mount Moriah. (where Abraham was to ſacrifice his Son Iſaac, and which was one of the three hills which were in the ſame tract of ground, Sion, Moriah, Calvary) were types and figures of the Chriſtian Churches that ſhould be erected un
As in their Temple, there were three things conſiderable: Firſt, the Sanctum Sanctorum: Secondly, the Sanctum;
Atrium, anſwerable to our Cathedral Churches, that have 1. The Quire. 2. The Body of the Church; and 3. The Church-yard: and,
In the Holy of Holies, were the golden cenſer, and the Ark of the Teſtament, wherein were, 1. The pot of Manna.
Aarons Rod. And 3. the Table of the Law, ſignifying, that the Chriſtian Biſhops, that have the charge of the Sanctum Sanctorum, muſt always preſerve theſe three things: firſt, the Manna, to feed the flock of Chriſt; ſecondly, the rod of Diſcipline to correct them; and thirdly, the Law, to keep them within the bounds of their obedience.
And there was a covering of the Ark,Propitiatory, or mercy-ſeat, becauſe it covered and hid the Law, that it might not appear before God to plead againſt, and accuſe ſinfull man for the tranſgreſſion of this Law;Propitiatour, as the Apoſtle calleth him; and Propitiation, as S. John calleth him.
2. In the Sanctuary there were two things:
Incenſe-Altar.
Table, whereon were
Shew-Bread.
Candleſtick.
And theſe were Types and Figures that ſignified the chiefeſt things in our Church: as the Incenſe-Altar betokened the prayers of the people,David ſheweth; and whereas this Altar of Incenſe was to be ſprinkled by the High-Prieſt, with the bloud of the Sacrifice, once every year; it ſignifieth that our prayers, be they never ſo many, and never ſo fervent,
2. The Shew-bread, and the Candleſtick ſignified the light that the people ſhould receive by our explaining of the Word of God, and the feeding of their ſouls by the preaching of the Goſpel, and bleſſed Sacrament of the body and bloud of Jeſus Chriſt.
3. The Court of the Temple, was divided by a wall of three cubits high;Joſeph. l. 8. c. 3 John 10.23. Acts 3.11.Temple, and ſometimes Solomons Porch.
Jews had Jeſus Chriſt and the Goſpel of JeCorban, or Alms-box, which the Greeks termed Latines from the Greeks Gazophylacium, the treaſure, and the alms that was put into this box, the Hebrews called Tſedaka, which pro
Theſe were the chiefeſt parts of the Temple, and the chiefeſt things therein, and this Temple was thrice built.
Reg. 6.37.Solomon, that finiſhed the ſame in ſeven years.Zorobabel, that finiſhed it in the ninth year of Darius Hyſtaſp.
Joſeph. l. 11. c. 4.Cyrus that began it, it was fourty ſix years in building.Herod, that finiſhed the ſame in eight years.
Idem l. 15. c. ult. 1 Chron. 29. v. 3.David left for the erecting of this, you may read.
Beſides this Glorious, Great, and Magnificent Temple,Copia lactis. Goodw. l. 2. c. 2.
And it is likely they began to build theſe Synagogues when the Tribes were ſettled in the promiſed Land;of old time had in every City them that preached him,
being read in the Synagogues every Sabboth day: and David, in his time, findeth great fault with thoſe wicked and prophane wretches, that, like our late Rebells,all the Synagogues of God in the Land.
And of theſe Synagogues Sigon Matth. 4.23. Act. 9.2. c. 13.5. &c. 13.14. Maymon. Sigonius writeth,l. 2. c. 8. de Repub. Heb.
in Tephilla c. 11. Sect. 1.Jeruſalem: and in other Cities and Provinces, there were many other Synagogues, as in Galilee, in Damaſcus, at Salamis, at Antiochia: and they held him for a very good man and a lover of their Nation that built them a Synagogue, where they might pray, and ſerve God. And Maymonides ſaith, the tradition was, that whereſoever ten Families of Iſrael were, they ought to build them a Syna
And, were the Jews, that were under the Law, and burinfinite taxes and ceremonies of their ReligiJeſus Chriſt? And ſhall we that are freed from all the orJeſus Chriſt,
Hor. ſaith, Delicta majorum immeritus lues, Romane, donec Templa refeceris, aedeſque laben
l. 3. Od. 6.3. All that happened to the Jews are Types and en
3. As the High-Prieſt of the Jews was the Type of Jeſus Chriſt, and their Temple was the Type and Shadow of our Cathedral Churches; ſo all that they did and all that happenthey are all written for our admonition; And ſo our Saviour here tells Nichodemus that, As Moſes lifted up the ſerpent in the wilderneſs, even ſo muſt the Son of man be lifted vp; wherein you may obſerve theſe two things.
Hiſtorie.
1. For the Hiſtorie you may read it in Numb. 21. v. 4. to the tenth verſe; and which you muſt well obſerve, before you can underſtand the Myſterie. And therein you may obſerve theſe four parts.
Iſraelites, v. 5.v. 7.v. 8. and 9.
morbus complicatus, a twiſted and decompound wickedneſs, conſiſting of theſe four ſpecial bran
For,Ingratitude,
Inconſtancie,
Impatience,
Injuſtice,
And then, being cruelly oppreſt and tyrannized over, by Pharaoh King of Egypt, to be ſo wonderfully and miraculouſly delivered out of his hands, ſo fully and opulently, with ſilver, and gold, and Jewels, and abundance of all manner of wealth; and for God himſelf to guide them, and to feed them with the bread of Heaven, and the food of Angels: What a monMoſes, as if God had purpoſely brought them, and Moſes maliciouſly drawn them, out of Egypt, to be deſtroyed in the Wilderneſs of Arabia petroſa, the moſt uncomfortable place of all the earth? And is this the thanks that they render unto God for the wonders that he wrought for them in Egypt, and the fearful things that he did by the Red Sea? where they exceedingly rejoyced for their deliverance, and ſang that excellent Song of thankfulneſs unto God, ſaying, That he had triumphed gloriouſly, and thrown the horſe and his rider into the Sea:
2. They had now changed their thoughts;levity and inconſtancy is ſhewed unto the world, and ſo they continued alwayes a fickle and giddy headed people, never conſtant in any thing but in inconſtancy; for though Moſes brought them out of bondage, and eaſed their ſhoulders from their burdens, and their hands from making the pots; yet when he had been but forty dayes abſent from them, they will needs make golden Calves, and cry out, Theſe be thy gods, O Iſrael, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt: And though King David ſubdued all their enemies, the Philiſtines,
Moabites, and Hadarezer King of Zobah, and the Syrians, and the Edomites, and the Ammonites, and had given them reſt on eveSolomon his Son had brought them peace all his dayes,Hieruſalem as plenteous as
Rehoboam did but a little diſcontent them, they preWhat portion have we in David? And w have no inheritance in the ſon of Jeſſe: And ſo, though Jeſus Chriſt healed their ſick, raiſed their dead, caſt out their devils, and by their own confeſſion did all things well; and therefore, as it were to day, ſpread their garments under his feet, and cried, Hoſanna; yet, as it were to morrow, they had no other note then, Crucifie him, crucifie him.
And ſuch was the inconſtancy of this people, that though at firſt they joyfully received, admired and loved the celeſtial Manna, yet now they ſay in plain terms, Our ſouls loatheth this light bread.
Menander, could ſay, Horatius ſaith, Levius fit patientia, Quicquid corrigere eſt nefas: When as another ſaith,
Dat ſpatium quo ſe crimine purget homo:
Patience yields a man a time and ſpace to purge himſelf from that ſin, which hath brought his calamities upon him: Yet this people, for this their travel, which they thought too tedious, betwixt Egypt and Canaan, grew weary of it, and fell into ſuch impatiency, that they could not contain themſelves, but they muſt ſecretly murmur, and then publiquely with open mouths complain againſt God himſelf, and againſt his Servant Moſes, as if they had dealt too cruelly, and too maliciouſly with them. But
You only have I choſen, that is, for his own inheritance and his own people, of all the nations of the earth: And Moſes continually ventured his life, ſpent himſelf wholly to do them good, to provide them food, to procure them fleſh,as a nurſing father beareth his ſucking child; yet ſo palpable was their injuſtice, thus falſly to accuſe both God and man.
And this was the ſin of Iſrael,
England juſt like the ſin of the Iſraelites.
England, in a far greater meaſure and a much higher ſtrain then they did. For,
When God, much more merciful to us then he was to them, had more abundantly ſhewed his wonders and his favours to us, then he did to any other Nation under Heaven, as in our deliverance by Jeſus Chriſt from ſin and Satan, whereof their deliverance from Egypt and Pharaoh was but the ſhadow, and ſending to us ſuch pious Princes, ſo ſtout a Proteſtant as Queen Elizabeth, ſo wiſe, ſo learned, and ſo peaceable a King as King James, and ſo milde a man, ſo religious, and every way ſo exCharles the firſt, to bring us out of the Egyptian darkneſs of errors and ſuperſtition, and to preſerve the pure light of the Goſpel amongſt us, which no Nation under HeaJews in all wickedneſs. But,
2. Having ſeen their ſin,
And you may obſerve further, that if God did thus ſevereſpake againſt God and againſt Moſes, ſaying, Wherefore have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderneſs, where there is no bread, neither is there any water? Which a man might think was but very reaſonable, for men over-wearied with long travel, and moſt tedious journeys, and deſtitute of their neceſſary food, to demand ſuch a queſtion, without any great offence; yet you ſee how highly God is diſpleaſed with them, and how ſeverely he doth puniſh them for their murmuring, and the demanding of this queſtion of him, that was their Governour.
Moſes be thus pu
Shall this people be thus puniſhed for words, and ſhall theſe men eſcape for their horrible deeds? or ſhall we pardon them, whom God ſaith, He will not pardon? For when King Manaſſeh ſhed the innocent bloud but of his Subjects, the Lord ſaith (which I do not remember be ſaith of any other ſin in any place) that He would not pardon it.
Truly, if we do ſuffer theſe that rebelled againſt their King, and murdered the Lords Anointed, to live and to flouHe will not juſtifie the wicked,
And therefore, of all other men, I do profeſs, that I cannot endure that any one, that hath born Armes to fight againſt his King, ſhould be rewarded with any part or parcel
Jews would not put the price of bloud into their Treaſury, ſo let not the Treaſury of Gods Church be gi
3. Their puniſhment puts them in mind of their ſins,Moſes, We have ſinned, becauſe we have ſpoken againſt the Lord, and againſt thee. And ſo the Brethren of Joſeph, when they were afflicted, ſaid one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we ſaw the anguiſh of his ſoul,
when he beſought us and we would not hear, therefore is this diſtreſs come upon us.
And this is the reaſon, why God doth puniſh us,Quia plagae dant animum; and, as Saint Gregory ſaith, Oculos quos culpa claudit, paena aperit, The eyes which ſin hath ſhut, ſtripes will open, as here it hath opened the eyes of theſe mur
And I would they would do ſo to the Rebels, and the MurAuguſtine hath obſerved, that the more you ſtir filthy puddles, the more they will ſtink; ſo the more God puniſheth the wicked, the more they will blaſPharaoh and Saul, grow worſe and worſe: And therefore the Prophet Jeremy complaineth, Thou haſt ſtricken them but they have not grieved,
thou haſt conſumed them, but they have refuſed to receive correction: And God himſelf demandeth,Why ſhould you be ſtricken any more, ſeeing my correction doth not amend you, but that you revolt more and more? So the Rebels and the Murderer
But, as the ſame Father, Saint Auguſtine ſaith, If you ſtir a precious oyntment, the more you ſtir it, the more fragrantly it ſmelleth; ſo the more God afflicteth his chilDavid,
It is good for me that I have been in trouble, that I may learn thy ſtatutes; and it is good indeed for them to be puniſhed for their ſins, becauſe their puniſhment worketh repentance, and their re
Moſes, Make thee a fiery Serpent, and ſet it on a pole for a ſign, that as many as are bitten and ſtung, may look on it and live; ſo Moſes made a Serpent of Braſs, and ſet it upon a pole, and as many as looked up to the ſame recovered, but they that refuſed to look up to it, died; where
1. You may obſerve, how mercifull the Lord is to the pehe that hideth his ſins ſhall not proſper, yet he that confeſſeth and forſaketh the ſame, ſhall find mercy; as here this people findeth the ſame, by looking up unto the brazen Serpent; but
2. You muſt underſtand, that, as the Wiſe man truly ſaith, He that turned towards it,
was not healed by the thing he ſaw, but by thee, O God, that art the Saviour of all; for the Braſs had not the virtue or power actually to cure, and to convey health to the ſtinged people; but it was the ordinance of God obeyed and believed, that reſtored them to their health; and ſo it is in many other things. As,
2. The Water in Baptiſm, and the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, have not of themſelves the power to waſh us from our ſins, and to feed our ſouls to eter
And therefore, we muſt not prize things by the outward ſhew, as Naaman did the waters of Jordan, but we ought to conſider the will and commandment of God, that appointed and decreed ſuch and ſuch things to be done, and hath promiSiloah,
And ſo much for the Sicut, the lifting up of the Serpent in the Wilderneſs.
Now followeth the Sic, the lifting up of the Son of man, which was typified and figured by the lifting up of that Serpent. For,
2. It is apparent, that when God,Nicodemus, and ſheweth unto him, that this Serpent, whoſe erection he, being a great Doctor of the Law, could not be ignorant of, was a Type and a Figure of himſelf, and did moſt excellently repre
1. The purity and ſanctity of his aſſumption of our fleſh: For as the Serpent of braſs was no Serpent indeed, and thereany guile found in his mouth; for though he aſſumed the true fleſh, and the whole nature of man, yet he aſſumed not the ſin of man,Ambroſ de Spiritu ſanct. l. 3 c. 9.Ambroſe ſaith, In veritate quidem corporis, ſed ſine veritate peccati ſuſcepit Dominus ſpeciem peccatoris, in the verity of a body, but without the verity of ſin, the Lord took upon him the ſhape of a ſinner;Paul ſaith, that God ſent his Son, not in ſinfull fleſh, but in the ſimilitude of ſinfull fleſh: Where you muſt obſerve, ſaith Caſsianus, that Similitudo non ad carnis veritatem, ſed ad peccati imaginem referenda eſt, the word Similitude is to be referred,Caſsian. Collat. 22. c. 2.Sinfull, which the fleſh ſeemed to be, but was not
2. This Serpent is a true Type of the manner of his Incar
So the body of our bleſſed Saviour was begotten, as the Greek Father ſaith, Non de ſubſtantia ſua,
Quia omne generans generat ſibi ſimile, but, as S. Auguſtine ſaith, Per potentiam, juſsionem, & benedictionem Spiritus ſancti: by the power, command, and bleſ
1. As the fire purgeth all droſs from the Braſs,
2. As the Braſs, melted in the fire,ordinary generation, firſt the Liver, then the Heart, and then the Brain, are faſhioned, and ſo the other parts, one after another, and all not fully compleated till at leaſt the fourtieth day; yet the Holy-Ghoſt compleated the Body of Chriſt at the very inſtant of his conception perfectquoad perfectionem partium, non graduum, in reſpect of all parts, and indued the ſame with a reaſonable Soul at the ſame inſtant of his conception: which is not in other genera
And ſo Chriſt from his firſt Conception was perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reaſonable ſoul and humane fleſh ſubſiſting, which is the true Catholick Faith, and the Orthodoxal DoHierom in cap. 2. Jer. & Athanaeſ. in lib. de Incarnat. verb. & St. Aug. in cap. 18. de fide. ad Petr. & Damaſc. lib. 3. cap. 2. de Orthod. fide. & St. Bern. in Hom. 2. ſup. Miſſus eſt, and many more.
3. The lifting up of the Serpent and faſtening it to a long pole on high, that the whole hoſt of Iſrael might look up to it, and looking on it might be healed from the poyſon of the fiery Serpents; was a Type, that foreſhewed the faſtening of Chriſt upon the Croſs to ſuffer death for our redemption, that
Faith in Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified, becauſe Chriſt tells us plainly, that none cometh to the father but by him.
before it, or behind it, on the right hand or the left, if they turned their eys to the Braſen Serpent they were healed; ſo all that went before Chriſt, as Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moſes, David, and the reſt of the holy men of the Old Teſtament; and all that lived from the beginning of the world, before he was lifted up; and all we that now live, long after his lifting up; and all the men that were ſince, or that now are, in the Eaſt, or in the Weſt, in the North, or in the South, if with the eys of Faith they look to Chriſt, and believe in this lifted up Son of Man, that is their Crucified Saviour, they ſhall be ſaved from all their ſins; for ſo Chriſt himſelf here teſtifieth to Nicodemus that he was to be lifted up, that is, to be Crucified, and like this Serpent faſtened to his Croſs,that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh but have eternal life.
And therefore away with them, that do abridg and abbrevireſpecter of perſons, and ſent his Son to die for ſome choſen men, that he pleaſeth to elect out of all the reſt of the relapſed poſterity of Adam; No, no, beloved, God is no ſuch niggard of his Graces: but, as he openeth his hands, and filleth all things living with plenteouſneſs,
lifted up on high, in the open Wilderneſs and not in a ſecret corner, where all, and not a few, might look up unto it; ſo he gave his Son, to be born in the Stable of a publick Inne, where all travellers may boldly and juſtly challenge a room to lodg in, and he was lifted up and Crucified not in the walled City, where the enemies, (as we were all
without the gates, as the Apoſtle noteth it, and upon Mount Calvarie, where every man might come and ſee him; and ſo he calleth all men to come unto him and never denied or refuſed any man, that came as he ought, to come unto him.
And therefore if any man receives not the grace of Chriſt, culpa non eſt vocantis ſed renuentis, the fault is in our ſelves, and not in God, that deſires not the death of a ſinner, not taketh any pleaſure in the miſeries of his creatures, but tells us plainly Perditio tua ex te, becauſe we will not look up to him.
5. As this Braſen Serpent was firſt moulded and made,
hung up and faſtened on a pole, and expoſed to all winds and weathers, not for its own good, nor any evil that it had don, but for the good and benefit that redounded to others, and for the evil that others had committed, and could no other way be helped, but by looking up to this harmleſs and innocent Serlifted up and Crucified, or faſtened to his Croſs, not for any benefit unto himſelf, who was in the form of God, equal to his Father from all eternity, nor for any evil that he had done, who by the confeſſion of his enemies, was a juſt man and did all things well; but exinanivit ſe ipſum, he empEſay ſheweth.
Ʋnto us a Son is born and unto us a Son is given;
ſhameful death and ſuffered thoſe bitter paines, not for himſelf, ſaith Daniel, but for our ſins, ſaith S. Peter,
by his ſtripes might be healed; and our ſinful ſouls cleanſed by his blood, which could not otherwiſe be redeemed, with a thouſand Rams and ten thouſand rivers of Oyl.
And yet I muſt tell you, how unlikely in the judgment of the world, both the one and the other was this way to be ef
It is affirmed by ſome Naturaliſts, that if one be poyſoned with the Sting and Venom of a Serpent, the very looking upſhining Braſs is preſent death unto him that is ſtinged;
Jews, that, If he were lifted up from the earth,
he would draw all men unto him, that is, if he were put to death, his death ſhould give life, or at leaſt be ſufficient to give life, to all men: the people anWe have heard out of the Law, that Chriſt abideth for ever; and how ſayeſt thou, That the Son of man muſt be lifted up, and ſo by his death reſtore life unto the world: This is a rid
Gods wayes are not as our wayes, nor his thoughts as our thoughts; for we ſay with the PhiloEx nihilo nihil fit: but God made heaven and earth, and all the things that are therein, out of nothing, and he drew the light out of darkneſs, and the beauty and well-com
And therefore, when God hath appointed and commanded any thing to be done, and promiſed it ſhould produce ſuch and ſuch effect, it is not for us to doubt or to examine, whether ſuch a cauſe can bring forth ſuch effect, or to conſider whether it be likely or unlikely to do the ſame; but we ought to do what God commandeth us, whatſoever it be, and to believe whatſoever he ſaith, and be ſure of whatſoever he promiſeth, how unlikely ſoever it be to be effected: for ſo, when God ſaid unto Abraham, that Sarah ſhould have a Son, that is, Iſaac, and that ſhe ſhould be the mother of nations, and Kings of people ſhould be of her, which ſhould ſpring from Iſaac; and afterward bad Abraham to ſacrifice his Son Iſaac, which made the former promiſe very unlikely, and in mans judgAbraham neither doubted of Gods promiſe, nor diſobeyed his command, but preſently carMoriah to be ſacrificed: So when God
Moſes to lift up his Rod over the Sea, and promiIſrael might go on dry ground through the midſt of the Sea; and ſo likewiſe, when he commanded him to ſmite the Rock of ſtone, and promiſed that the waters ſhould flow thereout, which had no poſſibility with all the power of nature to be done; yet Moſes never doubted of Gods Promiſe, but preſently did what God commanded both in the one and the other.
Even ſo when God commands us to do any thing, and promiſeth we ſhall have ſuch and ſuch bleſſings by doing it; as to have our ſins remitted, by being baptized in a little waAbraham, and Moſes, and the reſt of Gods faithful Servants, moſt readily do what God biddeth us, and undoubtedly believe what he promiſeth.
And though it may ſeem a ſtrange wonder that cannot ſink into worldly mens heads, that Chriſt his death ſhould procure to us eternal life, and therefore the preaching of this doctrine is to the Jews, that looked for ſuch a Chriſt that ſhould abide alive for ever, a ſtumbling-block; and to the Grecians, that gloried only in their eloquence, and aſcribed all things with Ariſtotle, to their natural cauſes, meer fooliſhneſs,
Yet if you truly weigh this doctrine of our deliverance from eternal death,
1. Becauſe that although we for our ſins deſerved moſt juſtly to die the death, that is, to ſuffer the eternal wrath of God, whom we have and do ſo highly offend; yet ſeeing it pleaſed Chriſt, out of his great pity to our miſerable condiWhom ſeek ye? And they anſwered, Jeſus of Nazareth: And he ſaid, I am he; and if you ſeek me, then let theſe that are my Diſciples, and do believe in me, go their way: It is apparent by theſe words, that Chriſt held it agreeable to all reaſon, that if he paid the debt, the debtor ſhould be free; and if he ſuffered death for us, we ſhould be delivered from that death which we deſerved.
2. Becauſe that although the death of Chriſt was but the death of one man and we that ſinned and deſerved death are many thouſand millions of men, even all the poſterity of Adam, yet the death of this one man, Propter unionem hypoſtaticam, by reaſon of the hypoſtatical union of the Godhead with the manhood in the perſon of that one man, whereby he is not only man, but alſo God himſelf, his death being the death of God, muſt needs be of ſufficient worth and value to ſatisfie God, and be more ſatisfactory to his juſtice, then the death of all Men on Earth, and all the Angels in Heaven; in as much as the death of the Creator is of more infinite value then the death of all creatures.
And therefore well might Chriſt ſay, and happy are we that he ſaid it, That the Son of man muſt be lifted up, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life: And I, if I be lifted up, or being lifted up, will draw all men unto me, that is, all which will believe in me.
And ſo you have ſeen, what was typified in the Wilderneſs unto the Jews by the brazen Serpent, was preſented and perJeſus Chriſt: to whom, for his infinite love and favour towards us, and his bitter Paſſion and death, when he was lifted up and crucified for us, to deliver us from eterAmen.
A SERMON PREACHED AT THE PUBLICK FAST The eighth of March, in St MARIES OXFORD, Before The Great Aſſembly of the Members Of the HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS There Aſſembled.
By GRYFFITH WILLIAMS L. Biſhop of OSSORY: And Publiſhed by their Special Command.
JOHN 14.6.I am the way, the truth, and the life.
London, Printed by J. Hayes, 1664.
ORdered that Mr. Bodvell and Mr. Watkins give the Biſhop of Oſſory thanks, and de
Amos 5.6.Seeke the Lord, and you ſhall live.
LIght is the firſt born of all the diſtinguiſhed Creatures;firſt word, that the Eternal Word, after ſo many ages of ſilence uttered forth, was, Let there be light;
life to all Colours, that is the mother of all beauties, which hath no poſitive conmanifeſt, to the deteſtation of all evil, and the crowning of evegood, and which is a creature ſo beloved of the Creator, that he calleth himſelf by this name, ſaying, aſſociate of Truth, when he ſaith, Send forth thy light and thy truth: therefore Light is a Jewel,valued by the judgment of man.
And yet the ſight, by which we partake of all the benefits of the light, and without which the light will avail us nothing, nor yield us any comfort, as good old Toby ſheweth, ſaying, Quale gaudium eſt mihi qui in tenebris ſedeo? is but one ſenſe, and but
fifth part of the happineſs of the ſenſitive Creature; a ſmall thing, in reſpect of that moſt invaluable good, which is termed Life,
living creaall the world; for the Father of Lies ſpake Truth herein, though to a lying end, That Skin for Skin, and all that ever a man hath,
he will give for his life.
Therefore, as the greateſt threatning that God laid upon Adam, to deter him from Rebellion, and to detain him within the Compaſs of his Obedience,
In the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt die the death; ſo the greateſt Bleſſing that he promiſeth to any man for all his Service, is Life, or to live, The juſt ſhall live by faith.
deteſtable, beyond my ability of expreſſion, are thoſe bloud-thirſty men, that ſo maliciouſly and wickedly do hunt after the life of man, and do ſhed the bloud of ſo many Innocents; no waies like that good God, which made not Death, nor deſireth the Death of any ſinner, much leſſe the deſtruction of the Righteous; nor yet like Alexander, that knew not God, yet knew this, that when his Mother Olympias, that was a bloudy woman, lay hard upon him, to kill a certain innocent perſon, and to that end ſaid often to him, that ſhe carried him Nine Moneths in her Womb, therefore he had no reaſon to deny her; anſwered her moſt wiſeGood Mother, ask for that, ſome other reward and recompence, becauſe the life of man is ſo dear,
14. c. 10.
benefit can countervail it, and the unjuſt taking of it away is ſo hainous, that it is immortal man to make ſatisfaction for ſo great an offence.
gracious King doth ſo often ſollicite for peace, do ſtill make them ready for battel, and have taken away the lives of ſo many thouſands of men?Apollyon, the children of the Deſtroyer,
ſpeedy repentance can receive no better reward then damnation.
But as life is the ſweetest and the moſt excellent of all things that are in this world,3. c. 6.
death (ſaith the Philoſopher) eſt omnium terribilium terribiliſſimum; becauſe this bringeth our years
end, finiſheth our daies, and puts a period to all our joyes; and though there is but one way of life for all men, and that one alike to all, to come naked out of their Mothers womb; yet,Poet ſaith,
Mille modis lethi miſeros mors una fatigat.
There are a thouſand waies to bring 9.
any one of us unto his death.
And here the Prophet threatneth death unto the people of Iſrael many waies.Iſraelites, how threatnedQuocunque aſpiciunt, nihil eſt niſi pontus & aether.
For, the City that went out by a thouſand, ſhall leave a hundred, and that which went out by an hundred ſhall leave ten to the houſe of Iſrael, that is, as Remigius and Hugo ſay,Iſraelites ſhall be ſo plagued by the Aſſyrians,
Samaria, as alſo before and after the ſame, by the Sword, Famine, and the Peſtilence, which, Sicut unda ſequitur undam, do ever follow like Jobs Meſſengers, one in the heel of another, the ſword alwaies bringing famine, and the famine producing peſtilence, ſo that almoſt all ſhall be conſumed, and ſcarce ten of an hundred ſhall be left. And as the Spirit of God ſaith unto Eſayas, Go, tell this people, hear ye indeed, but underſtand not.
Lord, how long? and he anſwered, until the Cities be waſted without Inhabitant, and the houſes without man, and the Land be utterly deſolate; So now this diſtreſſed,
England, how threatned, and how miſerable we are.happy Kingdom, is threatned to be ſcourged in like manner; with the worſt of wars, famines, and peſtiPraeſentémque viris intendunt o nonia mortem.
And as the Poet ſaith, all that we do ſee, ſay, we are appointed to be deſtroyed, and deſtined unto death; when as S. Bernard ſaith, Quos fugere ſcimus, ad quos neſcimus; we know whom we would ſhun, but we ſcarce know where or to whom we may flee to be ſafe and ſecured of our Lives; for as Jeremie ſaith, Servants have ruled over us,
and there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand; We get our bread with the peril of our lives, becauſe of the Sword of the Wilderneſs: And therefore as our Prophet ſaith, Wailing is in all ſtreets, they ſay in all high-waies,
alas, alas, and they call the husbandman to mourning, and ſuch as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.
ſword is the ſword of the Lord, and it is the Lord that calleth for Famine, and the Peſtilence is the ſcourge of God, which he ſendeth amongſt us, as our Prophet ſaith; and that God never draweth his ſword,throweth away the Scabberd, as if he never meant to put it up again; never ſends a famine, but in that famine he can feed the young Ravens that call upon him, and ſatisfie the hungry with good things; and never powreth out any plague, but that in the greateſt infection he can preſerve his ſervants, that although a thouſand ſhould fall beſides them, and ten thouſand at their right hand,
yet it ſhall not come nigh them; and never ſendeth any temptation, but if the fault be not our own,he doth with the temptation make a way to eſcape, that we may be able to bear it; becauſe he, being the Father of mercies,
and the God of all comfort, to them that fear him, as well as the God of Juſtice to render vengeance to them that offend him, hath the ſuppling Oyl of Mercy, as well as the ſharp Wine of Juſtice to powre into the wounds of every penitent ſinner; therefore our Prophet here joyneth to the Lamentation for Iſrael, an Exhortation to repentance; and though he threatneth Death for our ſins, yet he ſetteth down an Antidote, whereby we might, if we would, preſerve our life; and though I confeſs the Phyſitians are very uſeful,
Phyſitians, how uſeful.honoured, as the Scripture ſpeaketh, to be ſought after, eſpeſickneſs and Mortality; yet I am ſure that neither Hippocrates nor Galen, nor all the School of Salerne, the whole Colledge of Phyſitians ſhall ever be able to preſcribe a Potion, ſo precious and ſo powerful to pLife, as I ſhall declare unto you; for God, which is truth it ſelf, hath ſaid it; Seek the Lord, and you ſhall live; wherein I deſire you to obſerve,
Precept; the beſt work that you can do, Seek the Lord.
Promiſe; the beſt reward that you can deſire, And you ſhall live.
Precept you may ſee there are two words, and ſo two parts.
1. The word ſeek doth preſuppoſe that we have loſt, or be without the Lord; and ſo we have indeed, we loſt Paradiſe,
God, we loſt our ſelves, and our own Souls, and are become like lost ſheep without a Shepherd; and therefore we have great reaſon to ſeek, and to ſeek diligently, till we find
The loſs of God is nothing elſe but the withdrawing of his Love,
favour from us, like the parting of the Sun from our Horizon, whereby darkneſs followeth; and ſo all miſeries and miſchiefs, fire and brimſtone, ſtorm and tempeſt, wars, famines, plagues, and all evils,
loſt the love of God, but then you muſt conſider,
cauſe for which the Lord departeth from us.means whereby we ſuffer him to be detained from us.
1. The cauſe that driveth away God from us, is ſin; for by this Adam loſt him, and as the Prophet ſheweth, this makes the ſeparation betwixt God and all the children of Adam: for your iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, and your ſins have hid his face from you that he will not hear, ſaith Eſayas: Cap. 59.2. And you may ſee this truth further cleared and promarvel that ſin ſhould make ſuch a ſeparation betwixt God and us, if we conſider the nature of God, and of ſin, for,
God teſtifieth of himſelf that he is Why ſin ſepa The nature of holineſsholy; and there is as much difference betwixt holineſs and ſin, as is betwixt the cleareſt light and the blackneſs of darkneſs; for holineſs is of ſuch a reExcellency, that the very Enemies of it, the profear God, nor regard men,approve it in oreject it froSeneca ſaith, Virtus in omnium animos lumen ſuum immittit, ut qui non ſequuntur eam, videant tamen; vertue and goodneſs do ſo ſhine among all men, that they which uſe it not, which love it not,
confeſs it too, to be moſt admirable and excellent in it ſelf; for what adulterer is ſo impure, but that his conſcience will tell him, eſpecially at ſome time or other, that chaſtity is better then his ſenſuality? What drunkard is ſo beſotteheart will tell him, eſpecially when he is ſober, that ſobriety is better then ſurfetting and drunkenneſs? or what ſwearer is ſo far paſt all grace, that his own ſoul will not tell him, and ſometimes compel his tongue to confeſs it, that to ſay indeed, is far better then by his hideous oaths to loſe that God which made him,bleſſings upon him?
On the other ſide, ſin and filthineſs are ſuch ugly monſters, that the very followers and practiſers thereof cannot chuſe but condemn them and hate them in others, though they do love and follow the ſame in themſelves: yea as St. Aug. ſaith, they that are filthy themſelves,14. c. 18. Chryſ. in Eph. c. 4.
filthineſs, and though they love it, yet they will not dare to profeſs it. And all this St. Chryſoſtom expreſſeth moſt elegantly, ſaying, holineſs is ſuch a thing, that the very Enemies thereof canadmire it, and wickedneſs is ſuch a thing, that the very Lovers thereof cannot chuſe but condemn it; therefore it is no wonder that God, which is holineſs it ſelf in abſtract
ſhould hate all thoſe that work wickedneſs.
Yet you muſt obſerve that as every offence divorceth not man and wife; ſo all ſins do not alike ſeparate the love of God from us: for there be ſome ſins that do but anger him, ſo that he onchides us, or moſt gently corrects us, not in his indignation, nor as the Prophet ſaith, in his heavy diſpleaſure, but in love for the amendment of the ſinner; and there be other ſins, that do ſo highly provoke him, that he doth utterly forſake us, to exewrath and vengeance upon the ſinner, for the honour of himſelf, and the deſtruction of the other, as the Lord ſaith, I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, that is, in his deſtruction. And therefore though we ought to take heed of all ſins, yet more eſpecially of theſe; becauſe they are more odious unto God, and more pernicious unto our ſelves.
And here I find three ſins ſet down of this kind, whereby theſe Iſraelites loſt the Lord; and they are
Which were 3 Idolatry againſt God, v. 5. &. 26.Injuſtice towards men. v. 7. & 11.Contempt of the Prieſt, whereby they became hateful both to God and man, v. 10.deadly ſins; order.
1. Idolatry is a ſin moſt hainous and moſt odious unto God; I know few or none ſo peſtiferous; for though Atheiſm is a fearful ſin, to be without a God in the World, without him, without whom we cannot live, we cannot move, we cannot have our being; Yet Atheiſm ſeemeth not ſo ugly a Monſter,deteſtable unto God, as Idolatry is; and though the prophanation of Gods Holy Name is a tranſcendent ſin; yet this ſeems but to aſcend ſo high into Gods diſpleaſure as Idolatry doth; For in the firſt precept which is againſt Atheiſm,
thou ſhalt have none other Gods but me; and in the third precept which forbiddeth all vain ſwearing, he doth but ſay, I will not hold him guiltleſſe that taketh my name in vain; but in the ſecond precept, where he prohibiteth Idolatry, he ſeems to ſearch for words, and to coyn phraſes to expreſs his hatred to this ſin, againſt which he expandeth his fury to a mighty reach, ſaying, I am a jealous God, that do viſit the ſins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
Idolaters only were the chiefeſt haters and the greateſt enemies of Almighty God; and therefore moſt juſtly hated by God; and no marvel; for as Plutarch ſaith, he had rather men ſhould think there was nePlutarch, than to ſay he was ſo ſavage and ſo cruel, as to kill and eat his deareſt friends and children; ita ſatius eſt nullos Deos credere, quam Deos noxios: So it is better to think there are no Gods, than to believe them to be ſuch as thy ſelf art, as the Prophet ſpeaketh; or like Jupiter, Saturn, and the reſt of the Gentile Gods, that were murderers, adulterers, and ſuch like wicked Gods: Gods not worthy to be men. So it is better to do no ſervice unto God, than to do that which is ſo exceedingly contumelious unto the
acceptable unto the Devil; as the Iſraelites, miſtaking the true ſeGod, did indeed offer their ſons and daughters unto devils,
Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, ſuch is the nature of Idodevil better, nor ſhew our ſelves faithfuller ſervants unto him, than whdiſpleaſe our God, and ſhew our ſelves ſo perfidious unto His Majeſty.
And yet it is wonderful to conſider how apt and prone the ChilIſrael were to fall and to wallow in this monſtrous ſin of Idolatry:
Egypt, but they muſt worſhip God in the ſhape of a golden Calf, ſo they turned the glory of the incorruptible God, into the ſimilitude of a Calfe that eateth hay; and no ſooner was any good man dead that had plantrue Religion amongſt them, but preſently they ſupplanted the ſame by their Idolatry; and this our Prophet ſheweth at large in this Chapter, as
committing it, and not of the Prophets ſetting of it down, when he ſaith, you have born the tabernacle of your Moloc; thwilderneſs, when Moſes was talking wiSinai, as SHierome and Rupertus think; or rather, as Ribera thinketh, when they comMoab, that were the next adjoyning neighbours unto the Ammonites, whoſe god this Moloc was; and you have born Chiun, your images, the ſtar of your god, which ye made to your ſelves; or as St. Stephen reads it out of the Septuagint,
Remphan who he was.the ſtar of your God Remphan, or Rephan, as others read it, which Giraldus takes to be Hercules; Ribera thinks him to be Jupiter; but St. Hierom, Remig
and Beda take it for the ſtar of Venus, which going before the Sun in the morning was called Lucifer, and following the Sun at night was called Heſperus, and was worſhipped by the Syrians, as the Queen of Heaven; and as Servius, upon that verſe of Virgil.
Erranteſque Deos agitataque numina Trojae, obſerveth how the Gentiles carried their tutelaty gods with them,Rachel
whitherſoever they went: ſo the Iſraelites in imitation of them, carried theſe Images in the Tabernacle after a moſt ſolemn and a pompous manner.
2. The Prophet ſheweth their Idolatry,
Bethel, and to enter into Gilgal, or to paſs into Beerſheba;
Bethel and Gilgal towards the North, and Beerſheba Southward, were the uttermoſt parts and borders of the Holy Land, where Jeroboam did ſet up his golden Calves.
And the Children of Iſrael were ſuch calves,holy Prophets and the godly Kings, could never withdraw them from the Idolatrous ſervice of theſe calves; and the reaſons thereof you may gather out of the Text.
Foreaſe and liberty.
calves.
golden calves.wodden Prieſts; no better than their gods:
1. Jeroboam ſaid, it is too much for you to go to Hieruſalem;
that is, too much coſt, and too much pains; for he knew the peowell of that Religion which would give them moſt eaſe, and prove leaſt chargeable unto them; as men had rakneel to pray, and to give a ſmall ſtipend to their poor Lecturer, than pay the tenth of all their increaſe unto their learned Paſtor; but this liberty overthrew all their piety.
2. He made two calves, though there can be but one God, not only to imitate their former practice in the Wilderneſs, and their uſual worſhip in Egypt, becauſe he knew men would be eaſily ſeduced to their old wont, but eſpecially to inlarge their liberty, to let them ſerve God as they liſt, which is very pleaſing to fleſh and bloud; becauſe the calves were ſuch gods, as did not much care what ſervice was done unto them; yet
3. He ſet up golden calves, to make a glorious ſhew, becauſe the verieſt hypocrites in the world would fain ſeem to do all for the honour of God, and the preſervation of the true Religion, pulchra
lavernâ,
da mihi fallere, da justum ſanctumque videri, when as indeed it is but like their god, a calfe, though of gold, yet dead without life, without ſenſe; and ſuch is the Religion of all Hypocrites, a liveleſs and a ſenceleſs Religion; let them pretend what they pleaſe. And
4. That they might ſleep in their ſins, and never wake, they muſt have Prieſts of the loweſt of the people, which were not of the ſons of Levi, that is, of the regular miniſters and conformable Clergy, but thoſe that were ſitteſt for ſuch Libertines, as beable for their Learning to know God, to teach his truth and confute Errours, nor daring for their baſeneſs to conpeople in any of all their wicked waies; for Jeroboam knew that Learned men, and men of worth, would never adore ſuch Calves, though they were made of Gold; nor yet humour their people in their eaſe, idleneſs, and Idolatry; therefore when men would change their Religion, they muſt change their Prieſts, even as Chriſt did when he tranſlated the Jewiſh ſervice into the Chriſtian Religion, he changed the Order of the Prieſthood, ſaith the Apoſtle;true Religion, and make way for Libertines, we muſt caſt out the true Prieſts, and with Jeroboam take for them the baſeſt of the peochildren of baſe men, viler than the earth, as Job ſpeaketh, which can neither confute hereſie, nor hinder Idolatry among their flocks.
Text? this became a ſin, an indeleable ſin to all Iſrael, that cauſed them to be led into perpetual captivity, and to loſe their everliving God, becauſe they ſerved theſe golden calves,
woodden Prieſts; for ſo the Prophet ſetteth down, therefore will I cauſe you to go into captivity beyond Damaſcus, ſaith the Lord, whoſe name is the God of Hoſts, and it was ſuch an everlaſting ſtain to Jeroboam,
indeleable Epithite, carbone notabilis atro, Jeroboam the ſon of Nebat that made Iſrael to ſin.
And it were well if this ſin reached no farther than the chilIſrael; for indeed ſuch is the nature of all men, apt and prone to deviſe ſervices unto God as they liſt; every one will be independent, and ſerve God as he pleaſeth; and all ſuch deviſed
Idolatry, ſaith the Apoſtle:John writing unto Chriſtians, concludes his Epiſtle with little children, keep your ſelves from Idols, which is worth our obIdol of many things; of their Pulpit, of their Preachers, of their Altars, and of the moſt conſecrated bread in the Euchariſt, when, as the Church of Rome doth it to this very day, they tranſubſtantiate the ſame to become Corpus Domini, and do orally eat that with their teeth, which the Scripture teacheth us to eat ſacramentally by faith; which very doctrine of tranſubſtantiation, and thereupadoration of their hoſt, and the aſportation of it, as the Iſraelites did their Moloc, I fear, if it be rightly diſcuſſed, will prove to be little leſs than Idolatry; for as I will not reject that truth, which the Devil uttered,Thou art Jeſus the Son of the moſt high God, nor refuſe the four Goſpels, and the three Creeds, of the Apoſtles, the Nicen and Athanaſian, becauſe the Pope uſeth them, but will believe all the truth that the Church of Rome believeth, and therein joyn with them the right hand of fellowſhip; ſo I will hate the errours, and deteſt the Idolatry of any Church that com
And therefore,Primitive Church were moſt falſly traduced, and charged to be the caucalamities, dearths, wars, ſedition, and all the other evils that happened unto the Heathens, (which indeed themſelves were the ſole cauſes of, becauſe they would not become Chriſtians) and therefore perſecuted the Church of Chriſt, and in all their Counſels had none other Concluſions but Chriſtianos ad leones, let us throw away theſe Chriſtians to the Lyons, to the fires, and to the Waters; ſo now the Enemies of the truth ſay, we are Papists, and Idolatrous, and the cauſes of all theſe calamities that are fallen upon this Land;deprived, degraded, and deſtroyed; yet in vedeed we are ſo far from thoſe points, which Jewel, Cranmer, Latimer, and the reſt of thoſe holy Martyrs, and godly RePopiſh and Idolatrous, that as we have hitherto moſt learnedly refuted them, ſo we are moſt conſtantly reſolved to oppugn them while we live, and rather to loſe
lives, than to depart from the true proteſtant faith, and to embrace the Idolatry of any Church in the World: and you muſt know, that as the Philoſopher ſaith, Non quia affirmatur, aut negatur, res erit, vel non erit, things are not ſo and ſo, bereported to be ſuch; as Gold is not Copper, becauſe an ignorant Artiſt affirmeth it, nor Copper Gold, becauſe the like Ignoramus avoucheth it; ſo a wicked man is not good, nor Rebels loyal, becauſe flatterers commend them; neither is a good man wicked, nor faithful Subjects malignants, nor true Proteſtants, Popiſh, becauſe the ſlanderers traduce them; as Chriſt was neither a drunkard,
a glutton, though the Jews accuſed him of both; and we are neither Papiſts nor Popiſh though as the Apoſtle ſaith in the like caſe,we are ſlanderouſly reported to be ſuch, but things ought to be affirmed to be as they are indeed, and men ought to judge righteous judgements; and then you might ſee, and ſo be aſſured, we are ſo far from Popery, that as I ſaid before, we lay on them little leſs crime, than Idolatry.
And ſeeing ab
video, we ſee it may be derived farther and brought nearer to our ſelves, then the Church of Rome;
de vera religione. Col. 3 5.Hierom ſaith, erect an Idoll in their own brains, as the worldling makes his Gold to be his god; the Heretiques and Separatiſts make an Idoll of their falſe Religion: the preciſe Hypocrite makes an Idoll of his diſſembled purity: and the very Rebels make an Idol of their ſeducers and leaders, and their own moſt obſtinate opinions: and all theſe, and the like, do offer up Idolatrous ſacrifices upon the Altar of their own folly; and therefore well might St. John ſay, Keep your ſelves from Idols; becauſe the children of the Church, when they leave their true Leaders, and take blind guides, may ſoon fall and be filled with Idolatry. And ſeeing we have ſo many ſuch rebellious Idolaters amongſt us, if there be any Idolaters in the world, is it any wonder that God ſhould ſo abundantly poure out his indignation upon us? or that he ſhould not viſit for theſe things,
avenged on ſuch a nation as this?
2. Injuſtice was the other ſin, whereby the Iſraelites loſt the
they turned judgment into wormwood, and left off righteouſneſs in the earth: wherein you may obiniquity of this people.
Generally among all the Vulgar ſort.Particularly among the very Judges and Princes of the Land.
1. The common people left off righteouſneſs,
unjuſtly one with another, oppreſſing the poor, afflicting the juſt, and filling themſelves with thefts, robberies, and all other kinds of unrighteouſneſs, ſins able to overthrow the whole earth,
Theog. p. 431.Society of mankind; for juſtice eſtabliſheth the thrones of Kings, it exalteth a nation, it is the ſiſter of peace, the mother of proſperity, the preſerver of amity, and as Theognis ſaith.
injury and oppreſſion, as Solomon ſaith,is able to make a wiſe man mad, and injuſtice is the deſtroyer of peace, the producer of War, and the bringer of whole Cities, Kingdoms and Nations to conAug. ſaith, Quid ſunt regna, remota juſtitia, niſi magna latrocinia? What are Kingdoms, if you take away juſtice, but as our Cities are now in moſt parts of our Land, the Dens of Thieves, that enrich themſelves with the treaſures of wickedneſs,
ſpoiles of the poor? and how is it poſſible that men ſhould live one by another, cum vivitur ex rapto? when Pillaging and Plundering ſhall become our common trade, and the great mens ſtrength ſhall become the Law of juſtice? and yet this is not all, for
2. As the Prophet Eſay ſaith, their Princes, that is,Lords, were rebellious and companions of thieves; and their Judges their Sanhedrim, and great Council of State afflijuſt, as our Prophet ſaith, and took bribes,
turned aſide the poor in the gate from their right; and what a lapoor, the fatherleſs, and the widows that are oppreſſed ſhall come unto the gods to ſeek relief, and they ſhall find them like Devils? to add ſorrows unto their afflictions, and to make the remedy far worſe than the diſeaſe, when a man ſhall ſpend more in getting his
right is worth, or when as the Prophet ſaith, the judgement ſhall be turned into wormwood; which is now with us, as it was with them, the very State of this Kingdom; for when His Majeſty called a Parliament, the higheſt Court of JuIſrael, when he looked for grapes, it brought forth wild grapes: when we expected juſtice, behold we found oppreſſion and wrong, yea, ſuch oppreſſions, ſuch injuſtice, and ſuch cruelty we found among theſe Judges and Princes of Iſrael, as cannot be paralPagans; ſo that now indeed they have turned judgement into wormwood; which by reaſon of its exbitterneſs made the French Proverb,Dioſcorides l. 3. Apellus in Iſagogico. Judgment turFort comme àloyne ou abſynte, and made the Greek comicks to call it impotable.
And judgement may be turned into wormewood two ſpe
1. When it is done, as it was upon Naboth, without any colour of right, without any cauſe, and in the higheſt degree of injuſtice, with the greateſt meaſure of iniquity: as when Ariſtides was baniſhed out of Athens, justus, quia juſtus, and the Chriſtians were perſecuted and murdered, only quia Chriſtiani; and the Biſhops are now hated of many men, only becauſe they are Biſhops, that is enough, though we can find none other cauſe in them worthy of death, or of bonds. And this is inabſynthio amarius, bitterer than Wormwood, and is done by none but by the Sons of Belial;
And ſhall I not viſit for theſe things?
2. When it is done as Sulpitius Gallus did with his wife, becauſe ſhe walked abroad without her vaile, or as the Elder Cato did often deal with offenders, and P. Aemilius did with Rutilius, inflict a puniſhment for a juſt fault, but in the higheſt degree of ſeverity; for though ſometimes ſeverity may and ought to be uſed, ut multitudinis furores compeſcantur, & atrocia flagitia puniantur, that the fury of the wild unruly mulrefrained, and hainous offences, as Treaſons and Rebellions, and the like intolerable ſins, may by the puniſhſome be prevented in others; for ſo we find that whole
famous Cities have been utterly deſtroyed for the Tumults and rebellions of undutiful and diſloyal Citizens; yet in o19 in fine.M. Cicero ſaith in Marcellinus, when it was in my power either to condemn, or to abſolve, ignoſcendi non puniendi quaerebam cauſas, I did rather ſearch out the means to ſave them, then look after the cauſes to puniſh them; or as Alphonſus, being adviſed by ſome of his followers, ut ne nimium lenis erga ſuos eſſet, that he ſhould no be too gentle towards his people, leſt they might bring him into contempt, anſwered more graciouſly,
ne nimia ſeveritas conciliet invidiam, leſt too much ſeverity ſhould beget him hatred: ſo I believe it is the nature of the beſt men to be leaſt ſevere, as holding it the better courſe to offend on the ſafer ſide, and rather mercifully to remit ſomewhat of the puniſhment that is due, than rigorouſly to add any thing more than is juſt; becauſe mercy rejoyceth againſt judgement, and it is hardly believed that the ſon of Severity can be a good child of the God of Clemency, becauſe as the Poet ſaith, — Sola deos aequat clementia nobis:
Claud. Exceſs of ſeexceſs of cruelty towards the greateſt Enemies of Gods Church; For the Lord threatneth to break the bars of Damaſcus, and to ſend a fire into the houſe of Hazael, and to devour the pallaces of Benhadad; and why will the Lord do all this? but becauſe they were not ſatisfied with the ſubjection of the Gileadites, but when they had vanquiſhed them, they ſhewed themſelves ſo mercileſs, that to ſawrath upon them,they thraſhed them with thraſhing inſtruments of Iron: And ſo the Lord threatneth the Moabites, that he would ſend a fire upon Moab, which ſhould devour the Pallaces of Kerioth; and Moab ſhould die with tumult,
with ſhouting, and with the ſound of the Trumpet; and he would cut off the Judge from the midſt thereof and would ſlay all the Princes thereof with him: And why would the Lord do all this unto the Moabites? but becauſe they were not ſatisfied with the pyls of the Edomites, but like mercileſs wretches, trimiſeries of miſerable men, they were ſo inraged againſt them, that like bruit beaſts, which were void of
humanity,
bones of the King of Edom into lime; for it is not acceptable unto the Lord, that any man ſhould inſult over his enemies in the day of their deſtruction, not ſpeak proudly in the time of their diſtreſs: and therefore we muſt examine quo animo, as well as quo ſupplicio, we do puniſh the greatest tranſmanner of that puniſhment, whereof in reſpect of the matter he him
And yet, as in judgements and puniſhments you muſt qualifie your own Affections, to do all without bitterneſs; ſo you muſt look to the quality of the offendor; for the ſame cenſure is not to be impoſed, nor the ſame puniſhment to be inflicted on him that ſinneth through infirmity, and upon another that opauthority, and ſinneth through obſtinacy; upon him that is ſeduced to rebellion, and upon the ſeducers and leaders of the more ſimple Rebels:all ſins deſerve puniſhalike, neither do all commit the ſame ſins alike; but ſome ſins are more contracted and more private, and others are more publick and more ſpreading; and therefore far more dangerous than the other, becauſe ſuch ſinners, & peccant & docent peccare: and therefore God ordejudgements according to the offences; ſins of infirmity he puniſheth with pity, and mixeth his puniſhments with Clemency, but upon horrible ſins he layeth terrible puniſhMicah, He will execute vengeance in his anger; ſo when the Jews were grown incorrigible, he ſaith,He will deliver them into the hand of thoſe that ſeek their life, and they ſhall ſmite them with the edge of the ſword, and ſhall not ſpare them, nor have pity, nor have mercy upon them: and ſuch a ſin is murder, and the ſhedding of innocent bloud, whereof the Lord ſaith,Et vide Ezek. 8.17, 18.Thine eye ſhall not pity him, but life ſhall go for life. And ſuch a ſin is the ſin of Rebellion, which is as the ſin of Witchcraft, and ſpreadeth it ſelf like a Gangrene, and infecteth many millions of men; and therefore the reſiſtauthority deſerveth more ſeverity and leſs clemency, than any ſin, as you may ſee it in the puniſhment of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, who in the judgement of God himſelf
conſumed with fire from Heaven,
quick to Hell; which in the judgment of Optatus, is ſo fearful and unparallel'd a vengeance, ſhewing the tranſcendent odiouſneſs of rebellion, that the like cannot be found ſince the creation of the world; becauſe rebelling againſt lawful Authority is no leſs than fighting againſt the divine Maholy Saints of the Primitive Church, that were moſt innocent in all their lives, would notcruel death, rather than they would reſiſt this ordinance of God; or otherwiſe, if they had ſo impudently reviled their Heathen Judges, and ſo rebelliouſly reſiſted their perſecuting Kings, as you ſee many have done of late againſt the moſt gracious Princes, the Church had never canonized them for godly Martyrs, but had regiſtred them among the moſt wicMalefactors.
3. Contempt of the Prieſt was the laſt,
Iſraelites. Ver. 10.leaſt ſin whereby the Iſraelites loſt the Lord, when they hated him that rebuked in the gate, and abhorred him that ſpake uprightly, that is, the Prophet or Preacher, ſaith Cornelius à Lapide; becauſe the Jews had their Tribunals and Judgements in the gates of their Cities, as Moſes ſheweth: and therefore Jeremy, Amos,
Gates, as you may ſeewrong Judgements, as St. Hierom and Lyra note; and to ſpeak uprightly, that is, Perfectum & ſanctum ſermonem, a perfect and a juſt Judgement, as the Septuagint and Symmachus render it; and this the people hated and abhorheight of all iniquity, to reject the Prophet, and to exclude his counſel from our judgements:Gout is the ſhame of the Phyſitian, becauſe he cannot cure it, ſo this is the plague of the ſoul, and a ſin that is incurable; for though a man commits many and great ſins, and leads a very diſſolute life; yet if he will dutifully hearken unto counſel, and patiently bear with his rebukes, there is great hope of his amendment; but as the diſeaſed that is deadly ſick, and yet like Harpaſte, that would not be perſwaded that ſhe was blind, though ſhe could ſee no more than a milſtone, will not believe that he is ſick, and cannot indure the ſight of his Phyſitian,
death without any hope of life; ſo the Judges that hate the Prophets company, and abhor the aſſiſtance of the Prieſts in their judgements, as the Iſraelites now did, and that ſinner who doth hate his Teacher, and ſhuns the ſociety of him that ſeeks to ſave his ſoul, have little ſign of grace, and as little hope of eternal life; and therefore the Scripture dedeadly eſtate of the moſt deſperate ſinners, ſuch as with Ahab had ſold themſelves to work wickedneſs, ſaith, they are like thoſe that contend with their Prieſts,
little hope and leſs good to be expected any waies; for is it poſſible that a blind man ſhould find his way, when he beats away his Leader? Or that a child ſhould thrive, when he bites and beats away his nurſe that gives him ſuck? So it is impoſſible that they ſhould do well which hate the light, or that they ſhould ever learn any good, which abhor the Teachers of all god
Gem. de coelo. l. 1 c. 22. Job 9 9. The Preachers like the HyaGeminianus tells us, thHyades, whereof Job ſpeaketh;
1. Becauſe the Hyades or Pleiades, as we tranſlate them, are watry ſtars, ſo called from their effects; the word Hyades of rain; So the Preſhowers of heavenly doctrine upon the barren ground of our ſouls, to make them fruitful, even as Moſes ſaith, My doctrine ſhall drop as the rain,
and my ſpeech ſhall diſtill as the dew.
2. Becauſe that as when the Pleiades do ariſe, the daies lengthen, the Sun is hotter, and the Earth produceth more plentiful fruits; ſo by the preaching of Gods word, the light of truth is increaſed, the heat of Chriſtian love and charity is kindfruit of all good works is increaſed: Thererain to make us fruitful, as the light to direct our waies, as our Fathers to inſtruct us, and as the Angels of God to bring us into heaven, as the Scripture teſtiholy fruiheavenly light, or what Chriſtian good can be in them, that deſpiſe their Teachers, and expell their fathers from their ſocieties?
Yet this was the ſin of the Iſraelites, and I fear, we cannot free our ſelves from it: for how have they been uſed ſince the beginning of this Parliament? Was not he moſt cried up, that cried moſt againſt the Church and Church-men? And men of no note became famous in the Houſe by making invective ſpeeches againſt the Biſhops,
eloquent that was moſt bitter againſt them; and how hſince? Voted out of all their means, and not any thing left them to buy them bread: graviora morte; and being thus made as the filth of the world, and the off-ſcouring of all things unto this day, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh: they are either caſt with Joſeph into the dungeon, or driven to wander in deſarts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth, being deſtitute, afflicted, tormented; And I may ſay of ſome of them with Jeremy,
they that did feed delicately are deſolate in the ſtreets, they that were clad in ſcarlet embrace dunghils, they ſigh and ſeek bread, and have given their pleaſant things for meat to relieve their ſouls.
ſhall I not viſit for theſe things, ſaith the Lord, and ſhall not my ſoul be avenged on ſuch a nation as this? Yes, ſaith our Prophet: and for theſe things the Iſraelites loſt the Lord: and we may fear he hath left us for the ſame faults.
2.means or waies by which we depart from God and ſo loſe the Lord, are very many; I will only name unto you theſe three, whereby Joſeph loſt our Saviour in Jeruſalem;
And they are,
Negligent ſecurity.
Ignorant blindneſs.
Obſtinate opinion.
1. Joſeph went with Chriſt into the Temple, but through negligence
to look after him, he went homewards without him, ſo the neglect to ſeek God, is the only way to loſe God; becGregory ſaith, Quem tentationis certamen ſuperare non valuit, ſaepe ſecuritas deterius ſtravit.
2. Joſeph knew not that Chriſt was left behind him; and ſo many men know not that they are without the Lord, being like the Inhabitants of Egypt that reap the benefits of Nilus, but are ignorant of the fountain from whence it ſprings; befaith and of their own moſt
condition, while they have moEvidence of their Lands, than they have of the aſſurance of their Salva
3. Joſeph thought that Chriſt was gone before with their friends, and thereby he was deceived; ſo many men loſe the Lord by their falſe perſwaſions; for Arius thought he found Chriſt when he denied his Deity; Saint Paul thought he did God good ſervice when he perſecuted the Saints of God; and ſo many men, as thoſe ſeditious Preachers and Browniſts about London, and many other parts of this Kingdom do think, perhaps, they teach the truth of God, when as God knoweth, they teach the people nothing elſe but the moſt desperate and damnable doctrine of devils, when they perſwade them to reſiſt the ordinance of God,
every ſoul to ſubmit it ſelf unto the higher powers, and that is the King, as Saint Peter teſtifieth;falſe thoughts they do uterly loſe the true God, and ſhall finally loſe themſelves, unleſs they do ſpeedily change their minds; and therefore as the EmAntoninus was wont to ſay in another caſe, ſo I ſay in this, ejice opinionem, ſi vis ſalvus eſſe, caſt away ſuch falſe opinions and believe the truth, relie not on your ſelves, nor on your lying Leaders, but as our Prophet ſaith, Seek the Lord, and you ſhall live. And ſo much for the cauſes and the waies by which we loſe the Lord.
loſt, the only remedy that we have is to ſeek him; but alas beloved, is it in our power to find him, or have we any ability to ſeek him? Can the loſt ſheep find her ſhepherd, or could Adam ever ſeek after God, if God had not ſought after him, and called him, Adam, where art thou? I muſt anſwer like Athanaeus riddle, a man and no man, with a ſtone and no ſtone, kill'd a bird and no bird, that ſate upon a tree and no tree; that is, an Eunuch, with a pummy killed a bat upon a fennel; ſo I ſay, it is, and it is not: for if you ſpeak of a man unregenerate, and as yet deſtitute of Gods grace, he can no more ſeek for grace than dead Lazarus could raiſe himſelf out of his grave: becauſe the Apoſtle affirmeth all to be, dead in treſpaſſes and ſins: and
Without me you can do nothing:
Joh. 15.5.
Proſper calleth the grace of God, Creatricem bonorum in nobis, the Creator of all the good that is in us, according to that ſaying of the Apowe are his workmanſhip,
created in Chriſt Jeſus: and you know that a creation is from nothing.
But when the Lord hath quickned our dead ſpirits, and mollified our hard hearts, then he looketh that we ſhould not be, quaſi dormientes quaſi non volentes, as men aſleep and negligent of our own good, but that we ſhould diligently ſeek the way, and finding the ſame, to walk therein:exhortation to ſeek the Lord, and our Saviours invitation, to come unto him, and the like, do ſufficiently evince,Chriſtians God worketh not ſicut in lapidibus inſenſatis, as in ſenſeleſs ſtones, or in creatures that have no reaſon, as Saint Auguſtine ſpeaketh, but in men that have a freedom of will to follow after thoſe things which do pertain unto ſalvation;
89. quaeſt. 2.
Quia liberum arbitrium non ideo tollitur quia juvatur, ſed ideo juvatur quia non tollitur; becauſe our free-will is not taken away, becauſe it is helped, but it is therehelped becauſe it is not taken away, as the ſame St. Auguſtine ſpeaketh. And Fulgentius hath the like ſaying, l. 2. De veritate praedeſt.
And therefore ſeeing the Devil can neither forcibly compel us to any evil, nor violently detain us from any good,
ſeducing objects, and by the ſubtle obſcuring the beauty of the perfect good, to allure us unto the one, and to withreſolution to follow the counſel of the Prophet, to Seek the Lord, that we might live, and not die; for Why will you die, O ye Inhabitants of England?
But in this our inquiſition and ſearch after God,carefully to conſider of theſe four particulars.
For,cauſe, why he left us.place, where he reſideth.
time, when he may be found.
manner, how we are to ſeek him.
was amongst us as in the holy place of Sinai, and then Kings with their Armies did flee, and were diſcomfited, and we of his houſhold divided the ſpoyl; and then God ſent a gracious rain upon his Inheritance, and refreſhed it when it was weary, and poured his benefits upon us; he made peace in all our borders, and filled us with the flower of wheat, and he bleſſed us ſo, that we were even envied for our happineſs;he hath forſaken us, and hideth his face from us, and goeth not forth with our Armies, but he hath kindled his wrath againſt us, and counted us as one of his enemies;
his arrows drunk in our bloud, and his terrours do ſet themſelves in array againſt us, ſo that now we are a by-word among the Heathens, and our enemies laugh us to ſcorn.
Therefore as the good Phyſitian firſt ſecauſe of the diſeaſe, and then prepareth a potion for the cure; and as Joſhuah, when God turned away from the children of Iſrael, and delivered them up into the hands of their Enemies, never left ſearching,
accurſed thing, that was the cauſe of their deſtruction; and David alſo, when there was a famine three years, year after year, inquired of the Lord, what ſhould be the cauſe thereof; ſo we muſt inquire and ſearch out the cauſe why the Lord hath overthrown all our hedges, and given us as a ſpoyle unto our Neighbours. And herein as Demodacus ſaid of the Mileſians,
Iſraelites did.fools, but they did the ſame things that fools did: So I ſay, we are no Iſraelites, but I fear we have committed the ſame ſins as the Iſraelites did, Idolatry, injuſtice, and contempt of our Teachers: nay, have we not added unto theſe Sacriledge, Perjury, Drunkenneſs, Luxury, and all kind of uncleanneſs? Yea, have we not made injuſtice, and perjury, and ſacriledge, and contempt of the Miniſters, and rebellion againſt the Ordinance of God, and many other ſins that formerly were but perſonal ſins, now to become national, when they are committed, continued, and maintained by the Repreſentatives of the whole Kingdom? And ſhall not my ſoul be avenged on ſuch a nation as this, ſaith the Lord?wee ſhall be to them that deſire the day of the Lord, for it is darkneſs and not light, and it ſhall
be as if a man did flee from a Lion, and a Bear met him: that is, to eſcape the least, and to fall into the greater puniſhment; beLion is a more noble enemy than the Bear, when as the Poet ſaith,
Parcere proſtratis ſcit nobilis ira Leonis.
But the Bear is a moſt ravenous raging Beaſt,Sword and to die by Famine, to provide againſt Famine and to be deſtroyed by the Peſtilence, which ſhall follow one another ſo long as we continue in our ſins; and the wrath of the Lord ſhall not be turned away, but his hand will be ſtretched out ſtill: As in Levit. 26. after many plagues he addeth, I will bring ſeven times more plagues upon you for your ſins. And therefore if you would turn away the wrath of God, you muſt turn away from theſe ſins that have provoked him to wrath; Quia ſublata cauſa tollitur effectus. And then
2. If you would find the Lord,place where he reſideth; for though Enter praeſenter Deus eſt ubique poten or, in reſpect of his omnipotent Eſſence, the ſpirit of the Lord filleth all places: If we climb up into Heaven he is there, if we go down to Hell he is there alſo; and as the Schools ſay, he is Supra coelos non elatus, ſubter terram non depreſſus, intra mundum non incluſus, extra mundum non excluſus: yet in reſpect of his favourable preſence he is not to be found in every place;righteous God among unrighteous men, the faithful God among lying perjurers, as the Grecians ſought for Helen in Troy, when ſhe was with Proteus in Egypt, we ſhall be ſure to miſs him; becauſe the holy ſpirit of diſcipline fleeth from deceit, and dwelleth not in the body that is ſubject unto ſin; and therefore the place is to be conſidered where we muſt ſeek him: and that is prin
Church of Chriſt, among the faithful. Andholy Scriptures of the Prophets and Apoſtles.
1. As Joſeph and Mary when they loſt Chriſt, found him not in the waies among their friends and acquaintance, but in the Temple among the Doctors; ſo we ſhall find him, not in the factious confederacies of private Conventicles, but in the publique
holy Church,place where his honour dwelleth; not among Perjurers, Lyers, Rebels, and the like, but among the faithful, and among thoſe that fear the Lord; for The Lord is with them that fear him, and put their truſt in his mercy, and with ſuch he may be found.
And therefore if you would find the Lord, you muſt not walk in the counſel of the ungodly,
nor ſtand in the way of ſinners, nor ſit in the ſeat of the ſcornful; you muſt have nothing to do with the ſtool or ſeat of wickedneſs, which imagineth miſchief, and doth countenance their wickedneſs by a Law; but where you ſee the righteous gathering themſelves in the name of Chriſt, and joyning their forces in the fear of God, there is the Lord in the midſt of them,I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and will be their God, and they ſhall be my people.
Church of the righteous, ſo we may find him in the holy Scriptures; not in the Turks Alcoron, nor in the Popes Canon, nor in mans Tradition, nor in any like unwritten verities, which are the muddy inventions of diſtracted brains, and the idle vanities of ſeduced ſouls; we ſend you to no ſuch places to ſeek the Lord, whatſoever the malice of our adverſaries ſaith of us; but we direct you to the pure Word of God, thy Word is truth, and the Scriptures Aug. Confeſ. l. 11. c. 2. 2 Tim. 3.13. Hieron. in ep. ad demetriad.
teſtifie of me, ſaith our Saviour; and therefore Deliciae meae ſcripturae tuae, thy ScriAuguſtine; and the reaſon is renHierom; becauſe they are able (as the Apoſtle ſto make us wiſe unto ſalvation; and all wiſdom without this is but meet fooliſhneſs; for, Quid prodeſt eſſe peritum & periturum? what will it boot a man to be wiſe unto perdition, to be ſubtle to play the Rebel, to be a crafty Traytor, and to go to Hell with a great deal of wit and learning,Auguſtine ſpeaketh?
to dwell with Meſhec, and to have your habitation among the tents of Kedar, among the Egyptians or Babylonians, among them that are enemies unto peace, as God knows how ſoon any of us may
leave them, and take the holy Scriptures, there we ſhall have the Lord to be our compaJeremy in the dungeon. But
3. For the time of ſeeking God,Seek the Lord while he may be found; and many men ſeek ſalvation, in medio gehennae quae operata eſt in medio terrae; and therefore miſtaking their time they miſs to find it; for God allowed us no time, to ſeek him, but the time preſent, during this life, and no other time; and you know the firſt Aphoriſm of Hippocrates is, that Ars longa, vita brevis, Art is long, and our Life is ſhort; yea, ſo ſhort,c. 1.
Seneca ſaith, Ariſtotle, Theophraſtus, and others, quarrelled with nature for giving beaſts and plants ſo long an age, and to man ſo ſhort a time, which as the Prophet ſaith, is but a ſpan long,dreame, a thought, a nothing; ſo ſoon paſſeth our time away, and we are gone. And yet it is ſtrange to ſee, how men do ſpend that little time which they have to live, aut nihil agendo, aut malè agendo, either in doing nothing, or that evil which is indeed far worſe than nothing; for though you ſee no man willing to part with his money, yet you may find how laviſh every man is of his time, which is more pretious than all wealth: And Seneca tels us of divers men in his time,c. 12.
every day an hour or two in the Barbers ſhop, to cut down thoſe hairs that grew the night before, and were more curious of their locks than they were careful of the Common-wealth; and others worſe than theſe, ſpend their time in gaming, drinkpoor Neighbours; and they are very loath to conſider, how vainly and how wickedly they do waſt their dayes: for he that hath deſired with ambition, conquered with inſolency, cozened with ſubtilty, plundered with covetouſneſs, and mis-ſpent all by prodigality, muſt needs be affraid to review thoſe things, which muſt needs make him aſhamed; or if theſe men have ſo much grace to look back to ſee what they have mis-ſpent, before they have ſpent all, then ſhall you hear them ſay, that if they were young again, they would change their courſe, and Seek the Lord, that they might live, and not
loſe their lives in following after lying vanities; but alas that cannot be; for as Plato ſaith, nec quae preteriit hora redire poteſt, that which is paſt cannot be recalled again; and Seneca ſaith, that the greateſt Poet that ever was tells us, our happieſt daies do paſs from us firſt.
young men, remember your Creator in the daies of your youth, and as Timothy had known the Scriptures,nurſed up in the fear of the Lord, ſo do you; for what will it avail you to compoſe your ſpeech according to the rules of Lilly, and the Rhetorick of Cicero, and not to have your lives anſwerable to the rules of charity and the precepts of the holy Scriptures? to learn out of Ariſtotle the nature of the creatures, and to remain ignorant of the will of the Creator? and to have learned that whereby you may live richly here for a while, and to neglect that whereby you may live happily hereafter for ever? And I ſay to you old men that nunquam ſera eſt ad paenitendum via, it is never too late to repent if you can but truly repent; for he that requireth your firſt fruits reto day if you will hear his voice,
harden not your hearts; for now is the time acceptable, now is the day of Salvation; & ſemper nocuit differre vocatis.
all times in all places to ſeek the Lord, yet there are ſome times wherein we ought more especially and more earneſtly to ſeek after him, than at all other times; and thoſe are the times of troubles and adverſities, when God ſcourgeth us for loſing him:call upon me in the time of trouble; and Chriſt ſaith, come unto me all you that travel and are heavy Laden; and ſo the Brethren of Joſeph ſought unto God in their troubles, and the Mariners that tranſported Jonas,
every man upon his God, when the Sea was ready to ſwallow them up;like danger came cryLord ſave us, me periſh; and they that will not ſeek the Lord in
fill their faces with ſhame,
ſeek thy name: and of them that will not then ſeek him, the Lord ſaith, Why ſhould ye be ſtricken any more? as if he had ſaid,now paſt all hope, when your afflictions cannot make you ſeek the Lord, but that you will revolt more and more, and prove like Pharaoh, that the more the Lord plagued him,hardened his own heart.
And therefore ſeeing the Lord hath now bent his bow like an enemy, and ſet us as a mark for the arrow, he hath ſet our necks under perſecution, and turned our ſongs into mournings, and our happy and long continued Peace into cruel Wars: though heretofore we have paſt our time in vanities, and have neglected to ſeek the Lord: yet if we have any grace, let us now ſeek unto the Lord, and ſay with the Prophet, O Lord,
wherefore doſt thou forget us for ever, and forſake us ſo long a time? turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we ſhall be turned, renew our daies as of old. And
4. For the manner how we ought to ſeek the Lord,
Totally with all our parts.Carefully with all diligence.
1. With all our parts of body and ſoul, externally and internally, with outward profeſſion, and with inward obe
1. Externally we are to glorifie God in our body, that is, with our members, with bended knees, with our eyes lifted up to Heaven, and with our tongues praiſing God, and confeſſing our own ſins; that God may be juſtified in his ſayings and clear when we are judged, otherwiſe, as many ask and receive not, becauſe they ask amiſs,
aut praeter verbum aut non propter verbum, either not acſeek and find not, becauſe they ſeek amiſs, either too proudly or too remiſſly,
miſs to find, I beſeech you mark how you may ſeek aright, as other godly men have done; and that is briefly.
Humiliando corpus: by humbling our bodies.Confitendo peccata, confeſſing our ſins.Orando Deum, praying to God. For
1. Look upon the Saints of the former times, and ſee how they humbled themſelves when they ſought the Lord;Sennacherib ſent Rabſhecah againſt Hieruſalem, Hezechiah rent his cloaths, and covered himſelf with Sackcloath, and went inHouſe of the Lord. When Joſias heard the Curſes of the Law againſt the tranſgreſſours thereof, his heart was tender, ſaith the Text, and he humbled himſelf and rent his cloaths, and wept before the Lord; and ſo did Ahab, though but an HyNinev
though but an Heathen, and all that fought the Lord aright, humbled themſelves before the Lord: and to teſtifie the trueneſſe of their humiliation they rent their cloaths, they put on Sackcloath, they beſprinkled themſelves with aſhes, they went barefoot, and they faſted from all meat, & a licitis abſtinuerunt, quia concupierunt illicita. For though a beggar may be proud in his rags, and another may be humbled in ſcarlet, yet quia per exteriora cognoſcuntur interiora, and our habits and actions ſhould ſuit with the times and occaſions, as we put on wedding garments and our mourning weeds, when the times do call for ſuch: ſo it is not fit to come with proud hearts, vain habits, wanton looks, and patched faces, when we come fasting and to be humbled for our ſins,humble our ſelves with faſting, as the Pro
confeſs our ſins and acknowledge our own unrighteouſneſs. We have tranſgreſſed and Rebelled, ſaith the ProJeremy; and Baruch ſetteth down the form of the conto the Lord our God belongeth righteouſneſs, but to us the confuſion of faces, to our Kings, and to our Princes, and to our Prieſts, and to our Prophets, and to our Fathers, for we have ſinned before the Lord, we have done ungodly, we have dealt unrighteouſly in all thine Ordinances: and the ProDaniel maketh the very ſame confeſſion; and ſo David, when God ſent the Plague among his people, confeſſed his own ſins,I have ſinned, and I have done wickedly: and the
Solomon,
He that hideth his ſins ſhall not proſper, but he that confeſſeth and forſaketh the ſame ſhall find mercy.
And therefore I do confeſs the ſins of the Clergy, we have not diſcharged our duties as we ought to do; and I would ſay a great deal more of the higheſt order of our Calling, but that a great deal more than is true is ſaid by others:excuſe our ſelves: but as the Poet ſaith of Women.
Parcite paucarum diffundere crimen in omnes.
Blame not all becauſe ſome are lewd, ſo I ſay of the Biſhops and Clergy: let every horſe bear his own burthen, let them that tranſgreſs, if you know any ſuch, be ſeverely puniſhed, and as their lives ſhould be more holy, ſo let the puniſhment of the ofexemplary, and let that Judas that wil beJudas: but as Chriſt caſhieall the Apoſtles, becauſe Judas was a Traytor, and Peter a denier of his Maſter: ſo ſhould not we deſtroy the Calling, or as Abraham ſaith, deſtroy the righteous with the wicked, becauſe ſome of them in your opinion may be unworthy of that calling: for this would be culpam flagitio fugare, to drive away ſin by a greater ſin, & vertere domum, in ſtead of verrere domum, to deſtroy the houſe, when they ſhould but ſweep the houſe.
And as the Prieſts ſo muſt the People confeſs their ſins if they would find the Lord, for it will not ſerve our turn to recriminate, to do as Adam did, lay the fault upon the woman, or as Saul did, to poſt over his fault unto the People: it is not the way to find the Lord, to lay all the blame upon the Parliament, and to make the Rebels the ſole cauſes of our miſeries: for though they cannot be excuſed for their wickedneſs, yet you may be aſſured we ſuffer all this that is come upon us for our own ſins, though not for the ſin of Bebellion, yet for other odious ſins, that have provoked God to ſtir up theſe Rebels to puniſh us; and as the Prophet ſaith, erravimus cum patribus, ſo it may be, we might, if we would confeſs the truth, ſay erravimus cum fratribus, we have in ſome ſort committed the ſame ſins with them; for ſins may be
acting it. 2. By commanding it, as David did Joab to kill Urias. 3. By Counſelling how to do it, as Balaam did Bala
to intangle Iſrael. 4. By conſenting to it, as David ſpeaketh,When thou ſaweſt a thief thou conſenteſt unto him, and haſt been partaker with the adulterer. 5. By delighting to ſee it done,Paul ſaith, to have pleaſure in them that ſin. 6. By our ſilence, conniving and not hindering ſin to be committed, when it lyeth in our power, and it is our duty ſo to do; for qui non vetat peccare cum poſſit, jubet; and if any of you that are here, have or had your hearts at London in any of theſe waies, the Holy Ghoſt will tell you,faith, when thou dwelleſt even where Satans ſeat is, yet ſomewhat againſt thee; becauſe thou ſhouldſt have nothing to do,
with the ſtool of wickedneſs, which frameth miſchief by a Law: and therefore repent, and be not aſhamed to confeſs your ſins to God, if you would find the Lord. And
3. We muſt make our humble and our fervent Prayers to God, that he would forgive us our ſins, and be intreated for us, and reconciled unto us for his mercies ſake, and for his ſon Jeſus Chriſt his ſake; Lord have mercy upon us, and forgive us our ſins,
practice of all the Saints of God, in all their calamities, as you may ſee, when the Iſraelites murmured againſt Moſes, and God would have utterly deſtroyed them for it,Moſes prayed unPardon I beſeech thee the iniquity of this people, according to the greatneſs of thy mercy; ſo when Sennacherib came againſt Hieruſalem,
Hezechiah the King and Iſaiah the Prophet prayed, and cryed to heaven: And his prayReg. 19.15. and when the Moabites and Ammonites, in a huge multitude, came againſt Jehoſaphat, he ſet himſelf to ſeek the Lord, ſaith the Text, and proclaimed a Faſt throughout all Judah, and made an excellent prayer to God, 2 Chron. 20.6. uſque ad verſ. 13. which I deſire you to read and obſerve it well; ſo Daniel, after he had made confeſſion of the ſins of the people, makes an earneſt and moſt fervent Prayer to God for the remiſſion of their ſins; ſo David ſaith
uſque ad 20. ver.look upon mine adverſities and miſeries and forgive me all my ſins: and Chriſt biddeth us to ask, and we ſhould have, Mat. 7.7.
And if we thus unfainedly confeſs our ſins,forſake our ſins, God is faithful, (ſaith the Apoſtle) that is, faithful, becauſe he promiſed,forgive us our ſins.
2. As we are to ſeek the Lord externally, with all the parts of our bodies, ſo we are to ſeek him internally,
ſoul; and as David concludes this manner to his Son Solomon, it muſt be with a perfect heart, and a willing mind, for otherwiſe to ſeek the Lord with outward profeſinward obedience is but meer hypocriſie,
Jews, that were ever handling of hofeeling, and drew near unto God with their mouths, and honoured him with their lips,
called upon him, and prayed unto him, but removed their hearts far from him: And therefore God abhorred their devotion, and ſaid, I hate, I deſpiſe your feaſt daies, and I will not ſmell in your ſolemn aſſemblies, though you offer me burnt offerings,
and your meat offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat Beaſts, and as the Lord ſaith in Jerem. When they faſt, I will not hear their cry,
burnt offering and oblation, I will not accept them, but I will conſume them by the Sword, and by the Famine, and by the Peſtilence:
outward profeſſion is none otherwiſe than a ſhadow that is ſomething in ſhow but nothing in ſubſtance, or like Zeuxis and Parhaſius Pictures, whereof Zeuxis deceived the birds with his counterfeit grapes, and Parhaſius deceived his fellow Painter with the Picture of a Sheet.
But let not us deceive our ſelves with a ſheet or a ſhadow of holineſs, and think that currant which is but counterfeit: for we muſt ſeek the Lord with all our hearts, or otherwiſe, if we offer Sacrifice with Cain, and pray with the Phariſee, and faſt with the Jews to ſtrife and debate, or with the Rebels to plunder and murder,preciſeſt
ſins, and obey not Gods Ordinance, to ſubmit our ſelves to the higher powers, but Rebell againſt Gods Anointed, we may with Eſau hunt for a bleſſing, but catch a curſe, and ſeek the Lord for mercy, but find him in his juſtice: when he ſhall ſay unto us, I know you not whence you are,
depart from me all ye that work iniquity.
totally, with all the parts both of our bodies and of our ſouls; ſo we are to ſeek him, not frigide, coldly and careleſly, but with all diligence, as the wolighted a candle,
and ſwept the houſe, and ſought diligently till ſhe found it; and therefore St. Chryſoſtome writing upon theſe words of the Apoſtle, work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling, ſaith; he doth not barely uſe the ſimple word accurately, preciſely, and with a great deal of care and ſtudy; even as Saint Paul ſaith the twelve Tribes ſerved God, inſtantly (ſaith our Tranſlation) day and night; and ſurely not without great cauſe; for as in the civil policie, ſalus populi eſt ſuprema lex, the ſafety of King and People is principally to be regarded; ſo in the life of a Chriſtian, hoc eſt unum neceſſarium, this ought to be our chiefeſt care, to ſeek the Lord; for as Seneca ſaith of Philoſophy, ſive aliquid habes, O jam Philoſophare, ſive nihil, hoc prius quaere quam quidquam; ſo much better may I ſay with the Prophet, whether thou haſt ſomewhat or nothing; yet ſeek the Lord before thou ſeekeſt any thing.
Object of our ſeeking is the Lord: a Subject much farther exceeding the former, than the Coeleſtial globe is larger than the Center of this earth: and therefore he might eaſily be found, if he were but carefully ſought: for Jupiter eſt quodcunque vides — and the Spirit of the Lord filleth all places being not far from every one of us,
in h m we live, and move, and have our being: how then can we mifind him, without whom we cannot chooſe but loſe our ſelves?
But ſuch is our miſery, that we ſeek him not; for as the ſwine do eat the acorns, yet never look up to the tree from whence they fall: ſo do we deal with the bleſſings of God: we gather them, and yet are ignorant of him, and do ſacrifice with the Athenians
thank him not, becauſe we know him not, and we know him not, beſeek him not: but many of us ſeek our Lady, and not the Lord,
Queen of heaven, more and better than to the Lord of heaven: otherſeek to neither Lord nor Lady, but to their ſervants, (that here on earth are commonly prouder than their Maſters) to the Saints and Angels: others mounting not their thought any higher than the earth, do only ſeek for the things of this world, quaerenda pecunia primum; ſome for riches, ſome for honours, and ſome for revenge, which is the worſt ſome of all; and others ſeek knots in a bulruſh, great doubts in needleſs points; for I will not touch on thoſe overwiſe men,deepest Myſteries of Gods ſecrets, in his abſolute decrees and unſearchable waies of Election and Reprobation, and the like; but of thoſe lighter heads, that beſtow their ſearch about things of nothing, as the Graecians did beat their brains to find out how many rowers Ulyſſes ſhip had, and whether the Iliads or the Odyſſes were firſt written; ſo we muſt know whether the ancient Monks wore their Cloaks ſhort like the French, or down to the heels like the Spaniards, or whether Saint Auguſtine wore a white garment upon his black cloaths, or a black cheimer upon a lawn ſurplice; and a thouſand ſuch like points and cereſpiders web, which will make no garment for them; or like the banquet of a ſick mans dream, that will not ſatisfie their hungry ſouls, and are raiſed up by the Devil, to this only end, that while we ſeek after theſe fruitleſs things, that may hurt us much, but avail us little, that may beſt be ſpared and ought leaſt to be diſputed, we might leave off to ſeek the Lord, and thoſe things that do neceſſarily pertain unto ſalvation.
But in univerſalibus later error,
dark, and every one ſaith that he ſeeks the Lord, but that either
he m
his pavilion round about him with dark waters and thick clouds to cover him; or elſe dwelleth in the light that no man can attain unto it;
imagine, ſaith every man, that we do not ſeek the Lord. Therefore to take away this curtain, to unvail this glorious face, and to let you ſee, that few of us do ſeek the Lord, whatſoever we ſay, the Prophet tells us plainly, that to ſeek the Lord, is to ſeek good, and not evil, or, as he explaine h it further in the immediate Verſe 15. it is to hate the evil and love the good, and to eſtabliſh judgement in the gate; and this the Prophet David ſaid long before, eſchew evil, and do good, and dwell for evermore.
Beſides, God is truth, and God is juſtice; therefore you muſt ſeek the truth, and you muſt do juſtice: for When truth ſhall flouriſh out of the earth, and righteouſneſs, ſhall look down from heaven,
Lord will ſhew loving kindneſs he will ſpeak peace unto his people, and our Land ſhall give her increaſe; but while our Land flows with Lies, and the father of lies rewards the Liers, and ſpreads them abroad to uphold robberies, oppreſſpeak peace unto us; becauſe righteouſneſs and peace have kiſſed each other; and therefore though we ſhould be never ſo deſirous of peace, and to procure peace, be contented, it ſhould be done upon unrighteous terms, it may be with the ruine of the Church; yet it cannot be;any man, no not of the King himſelf to conclude a peace, when God proclaimeth war; for as he calleth for a ſword upon the Inhabitants of a Land, ſo it is he, and he alone, that maketh wars to ceaſe in all the world, he breaketh the bow, and knappeth the ſpear in ſunder, and burneth the Chariots in the fire, and without him it cannot be done; as you may ſee in Ier. 47.6. And I fear (and I pray God it be but my fear) that as the wrath of God was neinnocent bloud of the Gibeonites, that Saul moſt unjuſtly ſpilt, untill it was revenged by bloud upon the houſe of Saul, ſo the innocent bloud, that hath been ſpilt in this Kingdom, can never be expiated, untill an attonement be made by bloud; becauſe that without bloud there is no remiſſion,
of bloud, unleſs they do with Manaſſes wipe away the ſtreams of bloud, with the ſtreams of moſt penitent tears; for he that ſheddeth mans bloud, that is, illegally, by man ſhall his bloud be ſhed, that is, judiciarily, by the Magiſtrate, ſaith God in the Old Teſtament; and all they that take the ſword, that is, without due authority, ſhall periſh by the ſword, that is, by juſt authority, ſaith our Saviour Chriſt in the New Teſtament; and therefore if your peace may not be had with truth and accordJuſtice, gird you with your ſwords upon your thighs, O you mighty men of valour, and let the right hand of the moſt higheſt teach you terrible things, untill as our Prophet ſpeaketh,judgement ſhall run down as waters, and righteouſneſs as a mighty ſtream, that is, ſmoothly without any manner of oppoMontanus and Vatablus render it: Set God and his truth alwaies before your eyes, and labour for that peace, which may ſtand with the peace of Conſcience, and with your peace with God; or otherwiſe you may purchaſe a worldly peace at too dear a rate, it may be with the loſs of your ſouls; when God ſhall ſay unto you, as he doth unto the Jews; Shall not I viſit for theſe things? as if he ſaid, you indeed for your peace and proſperities ſake, for fear of danger, and in hope of reſt, may be contented to wink at all theſe ſins that have provoked me to wrath, and perhaps to ſell my truth, and ſuffer my ſervice to be abuſed, and my ſervants to be deſtroyed, that you may live in peace: but do you think that I am ſuch an one as your ſelves, or that I will ſuffer all theſe things to go unrevenged? No, no, ſaith the Prophet, The Lord is known to execute judgement, and he will be Judge himſelf; he will kindle the fire, and none ſhall quench it.
And therefore noble and religious Gentlemen, that love your God better than the World, and his eternal honour better than your own temporal happineſs, love peace and enſue it, but let it be with the truth and with juſtice; let the ſtory of the worMaccabees be ſet before your eyes, that rather than they would change their Religion, or ſuffer the ſervice of God any waies to be impaired, and their Eccleſiaſtical government to be in any thing changed, they ſold their peace with the loſs of
lives, which is their everlaſting praiſe; and here I do profeſs, I do moſt heartily wiſh for peace, and would think my ſelf moſt happy to ſee peace eſtabliſhed, as of old; but rather than I ſhould ſee it with the ruine of the Church, with a Preſbyterian Diſcipline, that new-ſprung out-landiſh weed of mans invention, and no plant of Gods plantation, I beſeech Almighbeg my bread and ſedeſolate plabloud may be poured like water upon the ground, and the remainder of my years may be cut off from the Land of the Living; ſo much do I deſire to imbrace mine own miſery, rather than to ſee the Churches infelicity, and the ſervice of God ſo much vilified. And I am confident, that all my brethren the Biſhops and Prelates will ſay with Jonas,
alone be the cauſe of all this ſtorm, and if our perNon multum nos movebit.
Si propter nos haec tempeſtas, if you ſee juſt cauſe, caſt us all into the ſea, ſo you ſave the Ship of Chriſt, preſerve the Church, rent not the garment of Chriſt, devour not the revenues of the Clergy, and degovernment that was eſtabliſhed by the Apoſtles, and continued to Gods glory and the gaining of ſo many thouſand ſouls to Chriſt, from his being on earth to this very day; bediſhonour that muſt infallibly redound to God, and the detriment that muſt fall to the Church of Chriſt, by the aboliſhEpiſcopacy, troubleth us a great deal more, than any loſs that can happen unto our ſelves; for did we ſee the ſame gopower, as it ought to be, ſetled on any other perſons; though our ſelves were degraded, (how juſtly we would leave the cenſure unto God,) you ſhould never hear me ſpeak much thereof.
So you ſee what it is to ſeek the Lord, not his Eſſence which is incomprehenſible, but to do his will, and to obey his Commandacceptable unto him, as to love him, to pray unto him, to rely upon him, and to do towards all men, that which is juſt and righteous in his ſight.word, do as the Lord directs you, and you ſhall live; and that is,
beſt endeavours to preſerve your lives. And yetpreſervation of your lives only unto God.
peace and proſperity,beſt way for us to preſerve our life is to ſerve God; for if you honour your father and mother, your daies ſhall be long in the Land, ſaith the Lord himſelf; and ſo the keeping of his other Precepts is the preſervation of our lives. But the bloud-thirſty and deceitful man ſhall not live out half his daies: and ſo the drunkſins diminiſh their years; becauſe ſin is that ſharp Atropos which cutteth off the thread of mans life, and the great Epitomiſer which abbreviates all things unwaſteth our wealth, it deſtroyeth our health, it confineth our liberty, it ſhortneth our daies, and to ſum all in one Cataſtrophe, it brings us all into our graves:Niceph. l. 11. c. 3.Trajan ſaid unto Valens, it ſends victory unto our enemies, and deſtroyeth us ſooner than our enemies; and therefore as you love your life, ſo you muſt hate your ſin, and as the Heathens clipped the wings of victory leſt it ſhould fly away from them unto their enemies; So we muſt clip our ſins, or elſe victory will fly unto our enemies.
2. In the time of dangers, wars, plagues,beſt to preſerve our lives; for it is not enough for us to ſay, the Lord will ſave us, but we muſt do our beſt to ſave our ſelves; So the MariJonas prayed unto their Gods, and yet rowed, their beſt to preſerve their lives; So Jehoſaphat, Ezechias and Joſias when the Armies of their enemies came againſt them, did put their whole truſt in Gods aſſiſtance, and rely upon his help for their deliverance; yet they prepared the inſtruments of War, they fortified their Cities, and gathered all the ſtrength of men that they could make to withſtand the violence of their Foes; and we muſt do the like, when we are in the like danger; for though the Scripture bids us, caſt our care upon God; yet it bids us not to caſt away our care, or to be without care, but to have a care, and the beſt care that we can take to preſerve our lives from the danger of the enemy, to raiſe men and moSolomon ſaith,horſe for the day of battel. And then
2. When the horſe is prepour beſt, we muſt refer our lives only unto God; it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but as the Prophet ſaith, ſalvation belongeth unto the Lord; for it is he that giveth victory in the battel, and it is he that ſaveth our life from deſtruction; for as his help will not preſerve us without our care; ſo all our care cannot ſave us without his help; but when both theſe go together, then we may be ſure that our care and indeavour with his favour and aſſiſtance will ſo preſerve us that we ſhall live.
Therefore when we loſe and are put to the worſt, we ſhould not be dejected, which is the fault of too many of us, but we ſhould ſay with King David, I will yet trust in God, which is the help of my countenance and my God; and when we gain and get the better of our enemies, we ſhould not be puffed up with pride, and diminiſh the praiſe of God, who gave us the better, which is the fault of as many more, that aſcribe too much unto themſelves and too little to Gods goodneſs: but, as the Poet ſaith of Pompey, ſo much more ſhould we ſay, that are Chriſtians.
Or as Menivenſis ſaith of King Alfred,
So ſhould we do, in all fortunes go on, eodem vultus tenori, and in all our actions rely on God, and refer our ſelves wholly unto live.
1. Becauſe he hath promiſed us, that if we thus ſeek him according to his will, we ſhall live according as we deſire; and he is not as man that he ſhould lye, nor as the Son of man that he ſhould change his mind, but he is Yea and Amen, he is truth it ſelf: and therefore ſicut verus eſt in retributione malorum, ita veràx eſt in promiſſione bonorum, as he is moſt certain in the puniſhment of the wicked, ſo he is as certain in his promiſe to the godly.
2. Becauſe he is willing to ſave us, and therefore cryeth unWhy will ye dye? why will ye dye: O ye houſe of Iſrael?
as I live ſaith the Lord, I deſire not the death of a ſinner; and it is worth our obſervation to conſider how pathetically and how feelingly he ſpeaketh to this purpoſe:O that my people would have hearkened unto me, for if Iſrael had walked in my waies, I ſhould ſoon have put down their enemies, and turned my hand againſt their adverſaries; the haters of the Lord ſhould have been found lyars, but their time ſhould have endured for ever.
3. Becauſe he is able both to performe his promiſe, and to ſatisfie
our deſires: which our Prophet ſheweth at large, ſaying, Seek him that maketh the ſeven ſtars, and Orion,
and turneth the ſhadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night, that calleth for the waters of the Sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: that is, as St. Hieron. ſheweth,whatſoever he pleaſeth, to ſtrengthen the ſpoyled,Vatab. and Arias ſay: or as Aquila turns it, ſubridere potentiam potentium, to ſcorn the ſtrength of the mighty, and to deſtroy the de
And therefore if God be with us, though we be weak and our enemies ſtrong, we few and they many, yet we need not fear them: becauſe we rely not upon our own ſtrength, but upon the aſſiſtance of our God, qui dividit contritionem ſuper fortitudinem, which caſteth abundance of deſtructions upon the mighty, as the Septuagint render the words of the Prophet; and though we be ſimple, and our enemies ſubtle and crafty, full of all politique devices, to raiſe men and to get money, and to unite their ſtrength by wicked Covenants, Oaths and Aſſociations: yet we need not fear, becauſe we relye not upon our own wit, but upon the wiſdom of God, which can deſtroy the wiſdom of the wiſe,
and caſt away the underſtanding of the prudent, and turn the counſel of Achitophel to his own deſtruction:& non eſt concilium contra eum: and therefore, O my beloved Brethren, ſeek the Lord, and fear not, but, as Moſes ſaith, ſtand ſtill, that is,conſtant in your reſolution, for the ſervice of your God and the King, and behold the ſalvation of the Lord which he will ſhew unto you this day, or at this time:reſtraint unto the Lord to ſave by many or by few, as both Jonathan and Aſa teſtifie.
promiſe (as I told you at firſt) is the beſt of all deyou ſhall live; the former part was like the toylſome labour of the Inhabitants of Perſepolis, when they cut the wood with their axes; but this latter is like the feaſt that Cyrus made unto them,1. hiſt.durus labor, ſed merces dulcis, though the labour is hard, yet the reward is ſweet; and it never troubles us, to take great pains, where we ſhall be well paid, but to labour all night with the Apoſtles, and to catch nothing,
durus eſt hic ſermo, this is a hard ſaying, after a hard labour; but it is not ſo in Gods ſervice: for, though in following the luſts of the fleſh, and the vanities of this World, exceſſit medicina modum, the reward that the Devil gives us, ſhall be a great deal ſorer than all the pain we have taken in his ſervice: for he deals with uCurtius hiſt. l. 3.Alexander did with Clitus, Caliſthenes and other of his chiefeſt Captains; or as Darius did with Eudemus, to expoſe him unto death, when he forſook his own native CounChriſt it is far otherwiſe: whatſoever a man doth for him he ſhall be rewarded a hundred fold,cup of cold water for his ſake, yet for this, he ſhall not loſe his reward; And therefore this ſhould incourage us to ſeek the Lord, becauſe our reward doth ſo far exceed our work.
nature of this promiſe, thou ſhalt live; that is, live long, live well, and live for ever. For
bloud-thirſty and deceitful men ſhall not live out half their daies, and the ungodly ſhall be ſoon cut down like the graſs, gemit ſub pondere tellus, when the earth is weary to bear them on it; yet if we ſeek the Lord, our daies ſhall be long in the Land, which the Lord our God given us, and though the peſtilence, that walketh in darkneſs,
arrow that flyeth in the noon day, do threaten our death at every hour, yet when a thouſand ſhall fall beſides us, and ten thouſand on our right hand, it ſhall not come nigh us: ſuch is the reward of ſerving God.
live, for a miſerable life is not ſo good as a happy death, but they ſhall live well and happily while they live; for ſurely it ſhall go well with the righteous, ſaith the Prophet, and King David ſaith, the Lions may want and ſuffer hunger,
they that fear the Lord ſhall want no manner of thing that is good, and the reaſon is rendred by the Apoſtle,godlineſs hath the promiſe both of this life and of the life to come. And
3. If we eſchew evil and do good, we ſhall live for evermore, & glorioſum imperium ſine fine dabit, and God will give us a Kingdom without ending; And therefore ſeeing this promiſe is ſo plentiful, it is worth our labour that we ſhould ſeek the Lord.
But here, it may be ſome will demand how doth he performe his promiſe? for, did not the Prophets, the Apoſtles, and all the Martyrs of the Primitive Church ſeek the Lord, and believe in Chriſt with all their hearts; and yet was not Zachary ſtoned in the Courts of the houſe of the Lord? Micheas killed by Joram? Amos knockt in the head with a club? Iſaiah ſawed in pieces by Manaſſes? John Baptiſt beheaded?Stephen ſtoJames killed? St. Paul beheaded? St. Peter crucified? St. Thomas killed with a Javelin? St. Mark burned? and what ſhall I ſay of Simeon, Polycarpus, Juſtinus, Attalus, Marcella, Apollonia, and abundance more of holy Saints,Euſeb. Ec. hiſt.
alii flammis exuſti, ſome were burned, others beheaded, and all delife for ſeeking the Lord and confeſſing Chriſt? And for any happy life the ſervants of God do lead, doth not St. Paul ſay that all which will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus ſhall ſuffer perſecution; and afflictions do wait for them in every place?
ungodly flouriſh like a green bay tree, cloathed in ſcarlet, and fine linnen, and fair deliciouſly every day; the poor Saints even in their bonds are glad to eat aſhes as it were bread, and to mingle their drink with weeping?
I confeſs this hath been ever a ſore objection that diſheartmany men, and made King Davids feet well nigh to ſlip;patience to ſtay with me a little in Gods Sanctuary, I ſhall ſoon unty this Gordian knot, or ſo cut it to pieces, that it can no waies be any hinderance to our progreſs. For
1. Seneca proveth,c. 8.
long life conſiſteth not in the great number of years, but in vertuous actions; and the wiſe man ſaith, an undefiled life is the old age; for God eſteemeth of no
time but what we ſpend in his ſervice;
pleaſures have but loſt all their time, and been as dead all that time which they lived; and thoſe holy Saints that were cut off in the midſt of their daies, have lived longer, becauſe they ſpent their whole time in Gods ſervice; the other loſt their time, and loſt their life, as Titus was wont to ſay, diem perdidi, I loſt the day, wherein I did no good, and theſe have gained every hour. And
afflictions the Saints do ſuffer, we muſt not account them ſo great miſeries unto them, as the world takes them; for the Philoſopher tells us, that quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis; and they eſteem them not as the world doth; but they count them, as the fatherly chaſtiſements of Gods love, and not any arguments of Gods hatred, and as the Poet ſaith,
the ſame hand, which layed on their ſtripes will heal their ſores.
1. By giving them that invincible gift of patience; which doth more iurage their tormenting perſecutors,torments.
2. By filling them with true content, that is, in any eſtate to be contented;
wealth, and to want this heavenly gift; for he is moſt rich that deſires nothing, and he is beſt pleaſed, that is never diſcon
3. By making them to rejoyce in tribulation, and to account it all joy,
into divers temptations; a ſtrange thing, that they ſhould rejoyce in that which the world doth moſt fear; yet ſuch is the caſe of the righteous, that neither life, nor death, nor principalities, nor powers, nor any other thing ſhall be able to ſeparate them from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus; but they abound in want, they are content in Priſon, they rejoyce in death, and in all things they are more than conquerours for his ſake that loved them.
And therefore to conclude, let us ſeek the Lord and we ſhall live, and we ſhall be happy; becauſe he never faileth them that
ſeek him; but he will hear their prayers and will help them, ſo that they need fear neither the ſcarlet gowns, nor the ſharpeſt ſwords, neither their diſſembling friends, nor their greateſt enePriſon, as with Joſeph; in the Sea, as with Jonas; in the fire, as with the three Children, and in all places, to preſerve them, from all evil here, and to bring them to all happineſs hereafter, to live for ever, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, to whom be all praiſe and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.
VVHile Archimedes was very ſtudious in the framing of his Mathematical proportions, the enemy, ſaith the Hiſtorian, was ſacking the Town and pulhouſe, or ready to pull down his Houſe about his ears: and not much unlike; That very day, the 8th of March, when I was, as Religious as I could, I am ſure, with an unfaigned heart, Preaching this very Sermon in S. Maries, the Rebels out of Northampton, ſeized upon my Houſe, took away all my goods and Cattel, and as I am informed by a Letter from a faithful Preacher, the Commitſequeſter all my Eſtate, and all that I purchaſed for my Wife and Children by the indefatigable pains of 17 years ſervice, in an honourable houſe, to the uſe of the Parliament; ſo that now the poor Biſhop of Oſſory,
Incidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Charibdins;
Or as Lucian ſaith, ſhunning the ſmoak (of the Iriſh inwithheld all that they ſhould pay unto him) he fell into the fire (of the Engliſh Rebellion, that thus took all that he had from him;) for which I pray God to forgive them; it doth no waies trouble me, when I know, that he, which lent me all, may juſtly ſend whom he will to fetch all away from me; and I do Profeſs before my God; if I had all the Rebels Eſtate, yet I ſhould freely without the leaſt diſpute, leave it, loſe it, and part with it, rather than I would take their wicked Covenant, prove diſloyal unto
inch from the truth of God, or any waies defile my conſcience for any worldly wealthy; and I do heartily thank my God, that he hath given me this rerejoyce more in the ſincerity of this my Proſeſgrieve at my loſſes, afflictions or perEſtate moves me to nothing elſe, but to pray to God to give them grace to repent them of their ſins committed againſt God, and their Rebellion againſt their King, whom God hath commanded them to honour and to obey: ſo I leave them, that left nothing beſides Loyalty to his King and fidelity to his God, unto their Oratour, ſtill remaining,
Though the Lord ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him, ſaith holy Job; and though the pretended Parliament ſhould rob me to my very ſhirt; yet will I both Preach and write and pray againſt their wickedneſs; this will I do, ſo help me God, who is my God, in whom I truſt. Amen.
MATTHEW 17.21.This kind of Devils goeth not out, but by prayer and faſting.
Paul, being a ſtout Champion of Jeſus Chriſt, ſaith, He hath fought with beaſts at Epheſus, which was a great City, full of Great men, and of great wickedneſs; and he overcame them: and I have fought with beaſts in London, not inferiour to Epheſus, any ways; and with the limbs, head and tayl, of the great Antichriſt, the members of the the long ParliaJehovah, my Deliverer, I eſcape
invulnerate; and now I am to fight with Devils, and do hope, by the help of the ſame Jehovah,
Daimons, bePaul ſaith, that when we go about to wraſtle with theſe Principalities, and ſpiritual wickedneſs, we muſt put on the whole armour of God; and he names them, Shield, Sword, Helmet, and all, Cap-a-pe: and I will follow his counſel; but principally inſiſt upon theſe two principal weapons, which our Saviour here nameth, and are the fitteſt to combat with thoſe Devils that I am here now to ſtrive withall; and they are Prayer and Faſting; for this kind of Devils goeth not out, but by prayer and faſting.
To begin then, you muſt underſtand, that Chriſtian ProEpiſt. ad Euſtach.Hierome ſaith, Stadium est haec vita mortalibus; hic contendimus, ut alibi coronemur; this life is a Race for all mortal men; and here we, eſpecially that are Chriſtians, do ſtrive, that we may be crowned elſewhere, and our ſtriving, our fighting, and our running muſt be, Non pedum celeritate, not by the ſwiftneſs of our feet, were we as ſwift as Aſahel, or Atalanta the ſwift, ſed & morum ſanctitate, & fidei probitate contendimus: but we muſt contend by the holineſs of our life, the ſincerity of our actions and the puOlive, nor of Oak, neither of graſs nor of gold, which Aul. Gellius ſaith,5. c. 6.
Romans uſed to give unto their Victors, for theſe are contemptible, and corruptible things; but our prize that we ſtrive and fight for, is a Crown of eternity, which S. Peter calleth Paul calleth it,
Now, the place where we run, and ſtrive, and fight for this incorruptible and never-fading Crown, is civitas hujus mundi, the great city of this whole Univerſe, via lata, & via laeta, a
via aucta, & via anxia, a narrow way, and a bitter penſive way to them that long to come to a period of their journey; becauſe, as S. Hierom ſaith,Ep. ad Euſtach.Hi magnis inimicorum circumdantur agminibus: & illis h
theſe are encompaſſed about with whole troops of enemies, and all things are full of hoſtility againſt them: and S. Auguſtine ſaith,Serm. ad Alippum.omnes qui ad Paradiſum redire deſiderant, oportet tranſire per ignem & aquam; all that deſire to return, and paſs into Paradiſe, muſt paſs through fire and water, through many letts, many hindrances, and many afflictions, that like the flaming ſword in the hand of the Cherubims, do ſtand in our way,
And the chiefeſt obſtacles, and greateſt Enemies that do hin
Mundus.
Caro.
Daemon.
And, though Haec tria pro triuo numine mundus habet, the wicked and ungodly men deem of theſe, and adore them, as if they were three Gods; yet we that ſtrive for the incorrup
Not to faſhion our ſelves like unto it.
fornication, idolatry, covetouſneſs, and the like; and as S. Paul ſaith, by no means to ſuffer ſin to reign in our mortal bodie.
And becauſe the Devil, à principio, from the beginning, was primitivus peccator, the firſt ſinner, and now likewiſe is the primus motor, the firſt mover, the chief doer of all the damnHoc autem genus Daemoniorum, ſaith Beza, non ejicitur (non egreditur, ſaith Beza) Paſor, ſignifieth egredior, to go out; ſo this kind of Devils goeth not out, but through prayer and faſting.
In which words, you ſhall find not parvum in magno, ſuch as we find in earthly minerals, a little gold in a great deal of unprofitable earth, but you ſhall find magnum in parvo, as it were the whole world in a little Map, abundance of matter in few words, and an incredible ſtore of pure ſubſtance in each particle of this ſhort and moſt comfortable ſentence, that teacheth us to cauſe and make the very Devils to go out, and run away from us: for theſe two words, Prayer and faſting, rightly done, will make the Devils flie and haſten away from us, when they dare not ſtay any longer; for ſo S James ſaith, Reſiſt the Devil,
prayer and faſting, and he will flie from you.
Well then, to proceed; that moſt famous, and moſt exAriſtoteles Stagarites, the light of Nature, and the Pen-man of her ſecrets, who like a moſt skilfull Arut nihil deſit addendum, nihilque ſine vitio ſe offerat demendum,
Epiſt. Joh. Relico.Faber Stapulenſis, that nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it without blame; doth moſt plainly conclude, that of all natunec plura nec pauciora,
Phiſ. l. 1. c. 6.ſed tria tantummodo Principia, neither more, nor leſs, but only three Begin
Of which I intend not now Philoſophically to diſcourſe, but I only name them, as a pattern of my method in this ſucceeding Sermon of the driving away of Devils: which I may rightly term the firſt of the three beginnings of a Chriſtian; the benon conſtitutionis ſed renovationis, not of his becreation, but of his well being and regeneration; where, by inverting the Philoſopher's method, the firſt of theſe muſt be Privation. For as the Weeds of a Garden muſt be firſt rooted out, before the delightſom Flowers are pChriſtian muſt be deſtructorium vitiorum, an ejection of the Devils and the deſtruction of all Vices, for which purpoſe Saint John ſaith, The Son of God was manifeſted and came into the world, that he might deſtroy the works of the Devil: then the ſecond beginning of our renovation,adificatorium virtutum; to be juſt and upright, and to behave our ſelves honeſtly, filled, as many of the very Gentiles were, with all moral virtues; and the third is, gratiarum repletorium, the repleniſhing of our ſouls with all divine graces, as Faith,
Hope, Charity, Patience, and the like: and theſe two laſt do depend upon, and ſucceed the firſt; for, as in Nature, nullus locus corpore caret, ſed ſemper aliquod corpus continet, no place wants a body, but it alwayes holdeth ſome one body or oWine is emptied, it is filled with Ayr, ne detur vacuum in natura, leſt there ſhould be a vacuity, which Nature alwayes abhorreth; even ſo, when the Devil is expelled, and our hearts cleanſed,virtues will begin to ſpring in us, and our ſouls ſhall
flieth from deceit, and dwelleth not in the body that is ſubject unto ſin.
And therefore, touching this expulſion of Satan and his ſuggeſtions, which is the firſt ſtep to God, and the ſum and ſubſtance of my Text, I ſhall deſire you to obſerve theſe three things.
1. The Matter, or the ſum and ſubſtance of the work, which is the ejection, or caſting out of Devils: hoc genus ejicitur.
2. The Form, Manner or Means, by which they are caſt out, and that is, Prayer and Faſting, and no ways elſe; for, non ejicitur niſi per orationem & jejunium, they go not out by any other means then by Prayer and Faſting.
3. The Privation, which followeth their ejection and caſtMetaphyſ. l 5. c. 22.abſentia prioris formae cum aptitudine materiae ad aliam recipiendam, the abformer conditions that we had, with an aptitude or fitneſs of our ſouls to receive far better qualities; and therefore muſt conſiſt,
Remotione mali, the removal and rooting out of all evil thoughts, words, and deeds.Reception and planting in our hearts all good vir
Or, if you pleaſe, you may conſider in theſe words;
Actus.
Act, which is the caſting out of Devils.
Modus.
Means, by which we caſt them out, which are Prayers and Faſting.
Effectus.
Effect or Succeſſe, which followeth their caſting or going out, and it is a freedom from Satans tyrannie, and a bleſſ
And touching the firſt point, which is, the caſting out of
theſe Devils, I ſhall deſire you to conſider with me theſe three things;
That is,
Ingredients,
Ingreſſion,
Ejection,
1. The Ingredients,
genus Demoniorum, a kind of Devils: and quaſi
ſciens, a word derived of ſcio, diſco, ſignifieth a know
But uſe and cuſtom hath moſt commonly appropriated this word knowing ones, or intellectuinfernal Angels, which we call Devils: or elſe the moſt wicked men, which are termed Devils incarnate, and which oftentimes do ſhew themſelves Devils indeed; and to do as much miſchief as the Devils of hell; as, the experience we have had of the cruelty and wickedneſs of our late Rebels, doth ſufficiently teſtify unto us.
Whereby you may perceive that there are two ſpecial kinds of Devils.
of Hell, which are Spirits,ſpiritual Devils.
the Earth, which are Men, or carnal Devils: and of theſe, I ſhall treat laſt.
And for the firſt kind of Devils, I ſhall only ſpeak of theſe three things.
AndNature,
Names,
Number,
1. Touching their Nature, you are,
c. 4. de Anl. 2. de Orthodoxa Fide.motus &
Danaeus writeth; yet not only the moſt ancient Fathers, as Damaſcen, Tertullian, and others; and ſo the School-Divines; as Thomas and the reſt of them;Zanchius deoperibus Dei. l 2. c. 2.Zanchius doth, by eight ſpecial Reaſons prove them to be i. e. things really exiſting;) but alſo the moſt ſacred Scripture, which is veritatis omnis regula, the rule of all truth, doth moſt plainly ſhew unto us, that they are Quae omnia, in ea quae ſunt mera ſpectra, & res imaginariae, non competunt; all which things cannot be ſaid of thoſe things that are but meer phantaſms, and bare imaginarie things; but of things onely, which are verè
Lambertus Danaeus, quò ſupra.
2. You are to note, that as they are Subſtances, and not ApSadduces, and ſome other Hereticks thought;Apud Caſman. Angelograph. part 1. c. 4. Lactant. Inſtit. l. 2. c. 15. Two Reaſons to prove they have bodies.Symonius, and Swingerus in his Aethick Tables, and divers others do affirm; for, though Origen in his ſecond Book, Tertullian in his Book, de carne Chriſti; and Lactantius, and Rupertus Tuitienſis, and others do affirm, that they have a body, by which they do ſubſiſt, though the ſame be more ſubtile and purer then the bodies of all other inferiour ſubjects: and for proof thereof, they do render a double reaſon.
1. For that they had acceſs unto the Daughters of men, as Clemens Alexandrinus,
Clem. Alex
l 3.Tertullian, Lactantius, and others do expound that place of Geneſis; but this they could not do, un
2. For that they are tormented, and to be puniſhed in a
Auguſtine, and others do affirm: but a meer ſpiritual ſubſtance cannot be tormented by any corporeal thing: therefore they muſt needs ſubſiſt of ſome corporeal matter or ſubſtance.
Yet the evidence is ſo plain,& ab omni materia liberi, without any concretion of matter or bodies, as that indeed, it cannot be contradicted, if we look into the reaſons of the Fathers, which they produce out of the eighth Chapter of S. Luke, and the eighth Chapter of S. Matthew, and the 103. Pſalm, and the ſixth Chapter of the Epiſtle to the Epheſians; as of Dionyſius in his Book, de Divinis Nominibus, cap. 4. Ignatius in his Epiſtle unto the Trallians; Nazianzen in his ſecond Oration, de Theologia: Epiphanius in the 26. Hereſie: S. Chryſoſtom in his 22. Homily upon Geneſis: Theodoret in his Book de Divinis Decretis: Greg. Nyſſ. in his Book of the life of Moſes, Baſilius Magnus, Fulgentius, and the Council of Lateran under Innocentius the Third, and divers others, both ancient & modern Writers.Aug. de Civit. l. 15. c. 22. Chryſoſt. Hom. 22. in Gen. Cyril. l. 9. adverſ. Julian. Suid. in vocabulo Seth.
And therefore, to the firſt Reaſon, we anſwer with Saint Auguſtine, S. Chryſoſtom, S. Cyril, and Suidas, that by the Sons of God, we are not to underſtand the Angels, but the PoSeth: For, as by the Daughters of men, we underCain, and were both worldly minded, and fleſhly given, and ſo wholly negligent of Gods ſervice, as you may ſee it in many places of the Pſalms: Even ſo, by the Sons of God, we ought to underſtand the godly ſeed of Seth that deSons of God, as all the godly are: and,
To the ſecond Reaſon we anſwer,Dives, that confeſſeth it ſelf to be tormented in that flame, when his body was buried in the earth: even ſo theſe infernal Spirits that have no bodies, but are altogether immaterial, may, by the omnipotent power of
Vide Greenwood in a SerTormenting Tophet.
Hierom and others have moſt plain
3. You are to obſerve, that, as they are ſpiritual ſubſtanPeripateticks, and the Priſcillianiſts, that were a kind of Hereticks, did imagine, that they were eternal Evils, or Devils from all eternity,Zanchius de Operibus Dei. l. 2. c 5.Zanchius noteth, becauſe, as they alledge, there is no ſin in heaven; and he that once goeth to heaven, cannot ſin when he is there, being as it were ra
Whereupon Manichaus taught, that there were two Gods from all eternity; the one good, and the Authour of all goodneſs,Danaeus Iſogog. c 6. Clem. Recog. l. 3. Nicephor. l. 5. c. 31.Nicephorus, continued almoſt 300. years, before it could be rooted out; Yet not only this Opinion hath been exploded and condemned for a moſt wicked hereſie, but alſo the very reaſon and foundation of their Opinion is ſo weak, that it may be very eaſily anſwered.
For, although now, the inhabitants of heaven cannot ſin, and thoſe celeſtial Citizens ſhall never be baniſhed from their manſions, becauſe they are now confirmed by grace, and ſupne à veritate voluntatem averterent, leſt they ſhould turn their wills and minds from the truth; as S. Auguſtine ſpeaketh,Aug. de Civi
l. 12. c. 9.Non fuit ſic ab initio, it was not ſo from the beginning; for, if God had made them immutably good,Ego Deus, & non mutor, I am the Lord, and I change not, as if he were not a God, if he had the poſsibility to change; or that therefore he is God,
James ſet
And therefore as man in Paradiſe was created, Omnino ad imaginem Dei altogether according to Gods own Image; and yet was left in the counſel of his own mind, either to ſtand or fall, to continue happy, or to become moſt miſerable, even ſo the Devils, though they were created in Heaven, which was their Paradiſe, and were made likewiſe good; yet they had, poteſtatem cadendi, a power either to ſtand, if they were ſo pleaſed, or to fall if they would not ſtand: And ſo the good Angels too; they were mutabiles natura, changeable if they would, and they might have fallen if they pleaſed; but beimmutabiles gratia,
1. c. 12.
Iſidorus ſpeaketh.
And as the falſhood of their eternal impietie is ſufficiently proved, ſo the truth of the contrary Poſition may be as ſuffiEt ecce erant valde bona, and behold they were all exceeding good; and therefore the very Devils were all, Creatione boni, ſed Depravatione mali,
19.
Non natura creata, not from that nature which God created, but from their own proper malice; which they had, not from God, but was bred within themſelves.
And therefore not only the Apoſtle ſaith, That they kept not their firſt eſtate: But our Saviour Chriſt himſelf affirmeth, Quod non ſteterunt in veritate, That they ſtood not, or re3. c. 2.
Quomodo dici poteſt, eum non ſtetiſſe
faith
Zanchius: How can the Devil be ſaid not to have ſtood there, where he never hath been? And ſo Saint Auguſtine likewiſe doth moſt excellently declare this truth, and confirm the ſame againſt Manichaeus,
l. 11. c. 20. De Geneſi ad literam, & de Civit. Dei l. 12. c. 1, 2, 3. & de vera Religione c. 13. But then,
4. You are to conſider, that ſeeing they were created good, the queſtion will be, How, or by what ſin, they fell, and became ſo bad? And this Queſtion is propounded by Theodoret,
6. in Geneſ.Quam ob cauſam è Coelo Diabolus decidit? Why or what cauſe moved the Devil, that was a glorious Angel in the ſight of God, to fall away from God, and thereby to throw himſelf and his adherents unto the bottomleſs pit; and there, inſtead of that eternal happineſs which he haſt loſt, to be tormented with fire and brimſtone in everlaſting darkneſs for evermore?
To which Queſtion Theodoret ſaith, That it was the fond conceit of ſome fooliſh fellows, to ſay, that Satan was thereAdam, whom God would have him to reverence, becauſe he had made Adam in his own Image: But this Theodoret proveth to be falſe, becauſe the Devils fell before Adam was made; who was therefore made, as ſome Divines write, to ſupply the room of the relapſed Angels.
Three OpiniZanch. de operibus Dei, de lapſu Angelorum.
Zanchius writeth, That Auguſtinus Steuchus, in his eighth book and thirty eighth chapter de per. Philoſ. rehear
1. Opinion is of Juſtin Martyr, in his Apology for the Chriſtians: and of Clemens Alexandrinus l. 3. Stromat. and of Severus Sulpitius l. 1. de ſacra Hiſtoria: and of Tertullian, Lactantius, and many more of the firſt ancient Fathers that, (upon the ſixth Chapter of Geneſis, where it is ſaid, That the Sons of God, or the Angels of God, as St. Ambroſe reads it: or Filii Elohim, as the Hebrew hath it, which
Aquila tranſlateth, Filii Deorum, the Sons of the Gods, or Filii potentum, the Sons of the mighty powerful Ones, as Symmachus reads it; or Filii Magnatum, the Sons of the great Ones, and noble Ones, as the Chaldae-Paraphraſt hath it; or Filii Principum, the Sons of the chief Princes, as Pagninus reads it (beſt in my mind) ſaw the daughters of men, that they were fair, and took them wives of all that they liked) do expound the ſame of the Angels, which leaving their care of theſe inferiour things, which God had committed to their charge, To preſerve us, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, in all our wayes, that we daſh not our foot againſt a ſtone, were overcome with the love of thoſe fair women; of whoſe looks the Poet ſaith, they were
And ſo they fell into baſe luſting after theſe beautiful creaaemula lumina Stellis,
Lumina quae poſſunt ſollicitare Deos.
This unlawful love doth betray our ſenſes, ſhuts our eyes, and takes away the liberty of our minds, and doth wonderfully bewitch our ſouls; ſo far, that he ſaith,
He believes ſome Devils do kindle theſe flames, and take away our ſenſes from us.
And therefore the foreſaid Fathers do conclude, that the firſt ſin of Satan, and his fellow-Devils, was carnal Luſt and Concupiſcence, which is one of the three things, which we profeſs in our Baptiſm, that we will forſake.
Tertullian's reaſon for the ſin of the AnTertullian ſaith, That for this cauſe, the Apoto be covered in the Church, or, as the original hath it,
And truly I think with Tertullian, it were well that the Women ſhould be covered, though not becauſe of the heaTertullians reaſon.Tertullian's reaſon a double abſurdity.
1. For that now the heavenly Angels are ſo confirmed in good, partly by the extrinſical aſſiſtance and providence of Almighty God, and partly by the bleſſed Viſion and fruition of the divine Eſſence, as that they cannot do any thing, nor will any thing,1. c. 10. & Aug. de fide ad petrum c. 3.
Iſidorus, and Saint Auguſtine do moſt fully and excellently de
2. For that a vail or covering cannot be ſufficient to keep any thing from the ſight of a Spirit, who doth ſo perfectly penetrate into all inferiour objects, as that he knoweth them, quantum cognoſcibilia ſunt, ſo far as they are know
And therefore touching this firſt opinion of their fall and ſin, as this Inference is inſufficient, ſo the foundation of it is not firm;4. c. 2.
Zanchius, that this opinion is, nimis ſtulta; and the Authors of it, nimis ſtupidi; as Theodoret in his forty ſeventh Queſtion upon Geneſis; becauſe that
ſermo nimis durus,
1. Becauſe that there is no mention in the Scripture of this ſin, of carnal Concupiſcence, or fleſhly Luſts, until almoſt a thouſand years after the Creation of the World; but it is moſt certain, that there were many other ſins, both of the Angels and Men, long before this ſin: For the Chryſoſtome, that before Adam was formed the Devil fell away from his dignity: And the Wiſe man ſaith, That by the envy of the devil, death entred into the world: Therefore he ſinned before Adam ſinned; for otherChryſoſtome, Non potuit non graviter ferre aliorum foe
could not endure the ſight of others happineſs without envy.
2. Becauſe that the Lord God himſelf ſaith,My Spirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive with man, for that he is but fleſh, yet his dayes ſhall be an hundred and twenty years: At natura incorporea carnes non habet, But the Spirits have no fleſh, neither have the Angels a life defined or determined by time,47. in Gen.Theodoret.
Therefore the ſin of theſe foul Spirits could not be any car
2. Opinion is of them which ſay,Syracides, Initium omnis peccati eſt ſuperbia, Pride is the beginning of ſin; and the beginning of pride is to depart from God, when the heart turneth away from his Maker: Whereupon Saint Auguſtine
elatione inflatus, puffed up with pride, would needs be counted, and ſo taken, for God: And ſo Saint Chryſoſtome ſaith,3.
Per ſuperbiam factus eſt Diabolus, qui antea Diabolus non erat, by his pride was made a Devil, which before he became proud was no Devil: A good Leſſon for proud fantaſtical men to think on, what their pride will bring them to, which brought the Angels of Heaven to be Devils in Hell.
Hierom in c. 28. Ezek, Ambroſ. in Pſal. 118. Ser. 3. Nazian. Orat. 1. de pace. Fulgent. ad Monimum l. 10. Eſay 14.13. & 14. 1. Reaſon to prove pride to be their ſin. Job 41.34. Ezek. 28.2. & 14.15.Hierom, and of St. Ambroſe, and of St. Nazianzen, Fulgentius, Athanaſius, Theodoret, and many more.
And this their opinion may be confirmed both out of the Old and New Teſtament: For,
1. In the old Teſtament it is ſaid, Cogitavit apud ſemetipſum, He thought with himſelf to exalt his throne above the ſtars of God, and ſaid, I will aſcend above the height of the clouds, and I will be like the moſt High: The like whereof we find in Job, under the name of the Leviathan, who is ſaid to be the king over all the children of pride: And the very like in Ezekiel, under the title of the Prince of Tyrus, whoſe heart was lifted up, and he ſaid, I am a god, and I ſit in the ſeat of God; and the Prophet, in the perſon of God, ſaith of him, Thou art the annointed Cherub that covereth; and I have ſ
For though I am not ignorant, that the place of Eſay is literally to be underſtood of the King of Babylon, and that of Job of the Whale, and the other place of Ezekiel is ſpoken of the King of Tyrus; yet this can be no hinderance, but that myſtically theſe places may ſignifie the Devil, who is the head, and the grand Captain of all the children of pride,Rupertus de victoria verbi Dei. 2. Reaſon to prove it. Luke 10.18.Rupertus Tuitienſis doth moſt excellently declare.
2. The ſame may be proved out of the new Teſtament, where our bleſſed Saviour, for the repreſsing of this deteſtaI beheld
Satan, as lightning, fall from heaven: and therefore take heed of being proud that the foul Spirits are ſubject unto you, leſt you fall likewiſe, even as he did: And ſo Saint Paul ſheweth, That he which is puffed up with pride,
falleth into the ſnare, and judgment, or condemnation of the devil, that for his pride was adjudged and condemned to hell: And let all proud Gallants take heed of the like judgment and con
3. Opinion is of them which ſay,Athenagoras, & Petrus Alexandrinus, and eſpecially that place in the Book of Wiſdom, where the Wiſe man ſaith, That, Per invidiam Diaboli,
mors intravit in mundum, through the envy of the Devil death came into the world: But this, ſaith Zanchius, croſſeth not the truth of the former opinion, but may well agree with it, and proceed from his pride; ſeeing, as Aquinas ſaith,Thom 12. q. 84. ar. 20. & 22. q. 77. art. 5.Quando bonum inordinatè fugit, invidia, When through envy it ſcorneth, and inordinately flieth from that which is good: So the Angel firſt puffed up with Pride, Noluit Deo ſubjici, refuſed to ſubmit himſelf to God, and to obey his Rule and Command,4 c. 2.
Zanchy.
And ſo it was the envy of the Devil that brought death and damnation to all men; and his pride firſt begat his en
And therefore, as we ought to take heed of pride, which is the ſin of the Devil, and a moſt devilliſh ſin,Indivia Siculi non invenere tyranni Tormentum majus, the Sicilian Tyrants never found a greater torment then their own envy; which, like Promethe
Vulture, gnawed their
Adam in Paradiſe, and himſelf thruſt out of Heaven.
Yet herein Envy is very juſt, becauſe, as the Poet ſaith,
It kills his owner before it hurts another; for as the Ruſt eateth up the Iron, ſic invidia quem infecit animum, conſumit; ſo envy waſteth and conſumeth, the very heart and Soul that it poſſeſſeth, ſaith Saint Baſil.
Envie, the Poets faign, that when Mercury the meſſenger of the Gods, was ſent of their errand here on Earth, he lodged one night in a Covetous mans houſe; and the next night in an Envious mans houſe, his next neighbour: and for his kind enCovetous man preſently bad his neighbour ask what he would, and the Envious man, conſidering, that now, if he asked a houſe, his neighbour ſhould have two; if he demanded a thou
But ſeeing it is the moſt common received opinion of all Dihis Pride, it will not be amiſs a little to diſcuſſe the particular obPride, and by his Pride his Rebellion and oppoſition againſt God, which alwaies do proceed and ſpring from the proud Spirits, as I am ſure it did from our late Rebells.
Touching which I find ſeveral judgments: For,
Auguſtine in his fourty ninth Tractate upon Saint
John, and Saint Cyril in his Dialogues, de Adoratione in Spiritu, do think it to be an aſſuming of a Deity unto himſelf, & imaginando ea, quae ſupra naturam ejus erant, eſſe ſua, and imagiabove his Nature, and behis owne, and of his owne proper power:abſolute equality with God in his Eſſence, and in his infinite Atimpoſsible: and then alſo they muſt be changed in Nature, which likewiſe could not poſſibly be; becauſe the eſſential Attributes of God cannot be agreeable or communicable to any Angel, or to any created Eſſence, but to him only who is the true God by nature. And therefore,
2.de Civitate Dei l 11. c. 3. Greg. Moral. in Job. l. 34. c. 13. Anſelm. de Lapſu Diab. Wherein the Devils pride conſiſted. Amb. Cath. in Libello de gloria Angelorum & lapſu malorum. Vigner. Iuſtitut. l. 3. & 5. Bern in Cant. Serm. 17. Eſpecially in withſtanding the decree of Chriſt his InAuguſtine expounding this his deſire of efreedom, to be exempted from all ſervice and ſubjection unto their maker; and ſo Saint Gregory, and Anſelm, do affirm, their particular Pride to have conſiſted in refuſing to be ſubject unto their Creator; which is nothing els, but an abſolute rebellion, and diſobedi
But I like well of Nazianzeus Expoſition upon the words of Eſay, that Satan would have extolled himſelf above the clouds of the word of God, or rather the word God, that is, aeternal Son of God, Incarnate, and as it were, cloa
1. In a deſire of an equality with God, by an hypoſtatical Ʋnion betwixt the Angellical Nature and the perſon of God; ſuch as is in the perſon of Chriſt, betwixt his Manhood and his God-head; as Ambroſius Catharinus, Vignerius, and Saint Bernard, do affirm.
2. In rebelling, oppoſing, and contradicting the truth of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, that God ſhould love mankind ſo well, as hypoſtatically to unite unto himſelf the nature of man,
non aſſumpſit angelos, took not upon him the nature of Angels, but he took the ſeed of Abraham; for which cauſe he is ſtiled cum apparuit
Devil, and all the wicked Angels, that were his adherents, would not allow of this decree of God, nor obey that counlet all the Angels of God worſhip him, which they, in the height of their pride utterly diſdained, and refuſed to do; but did then and ever ſince labour and ſeek, with all their might,
For ſo,
1. By his ſubtletie he ſought to put Adam out of all favour with God, to the end that this Union of mans nature with God, might be wholly fruſtrated, becauſe he knew God was of pure eys, and could not endure rebellion and diſobedience to his commands; and therefore, thought he, if I can ſeduce Adam, to eat the forbidden fruit, I ſhall evacuate that deſign of God and break that Gordian-knot all to pieces.
And when he ſaw, that this Plot could not prevail, to annihilate the decree of God to love and to unite man unto himqui ſtruit inſidias aliis, ſibi damna dat ipſe, he that digs a Pit for another ſhall fall into it himſelf, when God ſaid,the ſeed of the woman, which Satan had ſeduced, ſhould break the Serpents head, and ſo bring more damage to the Devil, then to either Man or Woman: then,
2. He inticed Cain to kill his owne Brother Abel, ſtill to provoke God againſt Man, and to hinder this Union betwixt God and Man: and when he ſaw that God in mercy had granted another ſeed by the birth of Seth, then he thought to
Sons of God whom he loved, to run a Whoring after the Daughters of thoſe men whom he hated; And ſeeing this device, that was ſo deviliſh, yet would not do the deed that he deſired, but that Noah found favour in the ſight of God, to preſerve the generation of mankind; and that God which is the God of truth, would not alter the thing that is gon out of his mouth; Then,
3. He puts off the ſhape of the Serpent, and leaves to play the Fox, and putteth on the Lions skin, and like a Lion indeed he ſeeks by his cruelty at ſundry times and in divers manners, to deſtroy that bleſſed ſeed from whence Chriſt, the God and Man, ſhould ſpring. As,
1. When he ſtirred up and moved wicked Pharaoh,
all the male children of the Iſraelites from whom God had promiſed unto Abraham, the bleſſed ſeed ſhould ſpring. And then raiſed up proud Haman to root out all the Jews, and the whole off-ſpring of David, to whom God had ſworn, and made a faithful Oath, that the Meſsias ſhould come out of his Loyns; and after that cauſed Antiochus, (whoſe ſirname, Epiphanes, ſignified Illuſtrious, but his deeds were moſt odious) to perſecute all the Jews and to butcher the beſt of them, that ſo he might hinder the birth of that bleſſed Seed, and cruſh the Chickin while it was in the ſhell; And when all this his ſubtletie and cruelty, could not ſerve the turn, but that Chriſt was born indeed, and had hypoſtatically united our fleſh un
4. He playes the Devil indeed, and ſtirreth up Herod to kill all the Children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the Coaſts thereof, that ſo by that means, he might kill Chriſt; and when he ſeeth he could not kill him, he laboureth to cor
But as holy Job affirmeth, non eſt poteſtas quae comparetur ei,
I know that thou canſt do every thing, and that no thought of thine can be hindred, Quia non eſt conſilium contra Dominum, becauſe no counſel can prevail againſt the Lord; therefore his counſel did ſtand, and his will is done, and the Word is made fleſh,
and we ſaw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
And yet for all this, though he ſeeth the Promiſe of God fulfilled, and his truth accompliſhed, and God united to our naServetus, to deny the humanity of our Saviour Chriſt; and others to blaſpheme againſt his Deity, as that acArius and his followers: and ſo he ſtill laboureth to hinder this truth to be believed at all, or at leaſt, not to be beZanchius de Operibus Dei, l. 4. c. 2.Rupertus Tuitienſis; de victoria Verbi Dei, and in Zanchius de Operibus Dei, & de peccato Angelorum.
And this conſideration of the Pride and Rebellion of the Devil againſt God, and his implacable malice againſt man, ſhould teach us all to take ſpecial care to beware of him; and to pray to God to bleſs us from him, and not to have him ſo often as we have him in our mouths, nor eſpecially in our hearts.
So you have ſeen, that although by nature the Devils were good, and ſo created good by God; yet by their pride, and
Yet, leſt we ſhould erre about their nature,in ſtatu corrupto, corrupted by their own wickedneſs, we are to conſider theſe two points.
1. That there are many things, that in themſelves, are good in them.
2. That all thoſe good things are perverted and corrupted by them to a perverſe and wicked end: For,
1. You muſt underſtand, that by their fall, they have not loſt all thoſe endowments and excellencies which God had given them in their creation; and whatſoever they do retain, which they have had from God, the ſame is, and muſt needs be good: but their natural ſubſtance, and their natural quali
And therefore let not wicked men, oppreſſors, Church-robbers, Adulterers, proud perſons, and the like,ex omni parte bonus, good in every way, or at leaſt endeavouring to be good in all things, ſuch as Job and Zacharias were, that walked in all the Commandments of God without reproof.
2. You muſt note, that there is none of thoſe good things that are in them, but, as wicked Judges abuſe their AuthoriEvah; by their might and power to torment us, as they tormented Job, and thoſe poor poſſeſſed men that we read of in the Goſpel; and by their agility to be every where, in every corner ready to entrap us. And therefore how wary, and how watchfull ſhould we be to eſcape their wiles, and to prevent them; for the more powerfull our enemies are, the more preparation we ought to make againſt them:
But, to the end we may the better ſee how farr, and how many ways they pervert and turn all theſe good things, that God hath given them to work our deſtruction, and to ſhew their rebellion againſt God; let us proceed unto the ſecond point, and ſo conſider the names and titles whereby they are named and made known unto us: becauſe, as the Poet ſaith,
In reſpect
1. In reſpect of their Nature, they are ſometimes called ſimply Spirits: as in Matth. 4.1. Mar. 1.12. Luke 10.20. and ſometimes they are called Angels: as in 1 Cor. 6.3. and in 2 Pet. 2.4. But this is rather a name of office than of naNuncius, a Meſſenger.
2. In reſpect of their Practice, and deſire to work miſ
1. Spiritus malus, an evil Spirit, and the unclean Spi
2. Adverſarius, an adverſary: for ſo S. Peter ſaith, Your adverſary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion: and he is ſtiled our adverſary, becauſe he is always againſt us, and is conan accuſer of the brethren, in which reſpect he is likeCalumniator Dei & hominum, the reviler or ſlanderer both of God and Men.
3. Spiritus fornicationum, the ſpirit of Fornications: for ſo the Prophet Hoſeas ſaith,whoredoms hath cauſed them to erre; and he is ſo called, not onely becauſe he pricketh our fleſh to carnal and unlawfull luſts and uncleanGentiles, and by their co
4. Spiritus mendacii, a lying Spirit, and the Father of lyes; for ſo he ſaith himſelf,I will be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all the Prophets of Ahab: and our Saviour faith, he hath been a lyer from the beginning; and he is a lyer,Evah, when he ſaid, Ye ſhall be like Gods, and yet made them like Devils, but alſo, becauſe he ſuggeſteth nothing elſe but lyes to every one of us, and perſwadeth us by all means to turn the truth of God into a lye, as S. Auguſtine ſheweth.Auguſt. contra Jud Pagan. & Arian. c. 2. That the De
But, though he be a lying Spirit, and the father of lyes, yet this proveth not, but that, as Maldonate very accurately ſheweth, the Devil may ſometimes ſpeak a truth: for he ſpake the truth, when he ſaid, I will be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all his Prophets, for ſo he was; And he ſpake the truth, when he alledged the Scriptures to Chriſt in the DePeter did; though, as S. Auguſtine well obPeter was commended, and the Devil reproved; becauſe, as the Proverb is, Non pulchrum eſt laus in ore peccatoris, I deſire not the praiſe of a lewd and diſſolute fellow; ſo truth loſeth of his luſtre, when it proceeds from a comAhabs prophets, it was to deceive them, and to deſtroy Ahab: and when he alledged the truth of the Scriptures un
And therefore whenſoever lyars, or the Father of lyes, do ſpeak the truth, we ſhould take heed of them, and be
5. Satanas,
Tempter, becauſe the Devil doth alwayes provoke us unto ſin, and attempteth by all means to bring our ſins unto perfection: But here you muſt ob
146. ad ConAlia probationis: The one of trial.Alia deceptionis: The other of deceit.
By the firſt we are tried, Whether we be good or bad, right or counterfeit, that if we be found faithful we may be approved, and ſo crowned; and thus, as the Goldſmith trieth his mettal, whether it be Gold or Copper; ſo God, and not the Devil, tempteth or trieth us by croſſes and afflictions,
Job did, or ſtart aſide like a broken bow, as Demas and all Apoſtata's do:1. c. 8.
Abraham, when he commanded him to ſacrifice his Son Iſaac.
By the ſecond kind of temptation, we are deceived that we might be damned; and thus, as Saint James truly affirmGod tempteth no man,
Satan the Tempter.
3 In reſpect of the forms wherein they appeared, they are called by the very ſame names of the things in whoſe ſhapes and formes they have appeared; as the Serpent, when he apEve under the ſhape of a Serpent, which had, as ſome write, the countenance of a fair Maid, that Evah might the ſooner be perſwaded to liſten to her ſuggeſti
And I read it cited out of Saint Auguſtine, that it is not permitted unto the Devil to inveſt himſelf with what form or ſhape he will, or naturally he can take upon him, but he is limitted to ſuch ſemblances as God is pleaſed to permit unto him; or otherwiſe there is no queſtion, but he would have taken a goodlier and a more ſpecious reſemblance upon him, then the form of a Serpent, if God would have ſuffered him ſo to do, when he appeared unto Evah.
And though he often appears in the form and ſhape of a man, yet becauſe Chriſt, by reaſon of the hypoſtatical union of God and man, that are ſo faſt, and ſo indiſſolubly linked together, that both the Natures do make but one Perſon, is worſhipped and adored under the form of man; God never permits the Devil to aſſume that form, when he appears and requires to be worſhipped and ſerved of his Vaſſals, that forJohn in his Revelation ſaith, That they worſhip the beaſt, which may as well ſignifie Satan, as the Antichriſt that worſhippeth Satan.
Hebrew word Sehir, ſignifieth both a Goat and a Devil: As both Saint Jerome, and the Chaldee Tranſlator, do render the word in the ſeventeenth of Leviticus and the ſeventh, where the Lord ſaith, Nequaquam hoſtias tuas immolabis Sehir, to ſignifie the Devil; and ſo our Tranſlation reads it, Thou ſhalt not any more offer thy ſacrifices to the Devil: And Rabbi Quimhi, the beſt interpreter of the Hebrew words, ſheweth, the reaſon why the Devil ſhould be called by Sehir, which is the name of a Goat, is, becauſe he appeareth to them, that give themſelves to him, in the ſhape and form of a ſhaggy Goat:12. q. 102. art 3. Lyran in Exod. 12 & 1 Reg. 30.
Aquinas, and Lyra, and Sanctes Pagninus, interpreting the four and thirtiEſay, where he ſaith, Schirims, or piloſi ſaltabunt ibi, the ſhaggie beaſts ſhall leap and dance in the wilderneſs, do ſay, it ſignifieth, the Devils ſhall play, and leap, and dance there: And to make this yet more plain, the two chiefeſt OraHammonium, that is derived of Ham the ſon of Noah,
Dodonaeum, of whom we read amongſt the grand-children of Noah, were figured, the firſt in the form of a Goat, and the ſecond in the ſhape of a great horned-Ram.
Whereby you, may perceive, that the Devil hath appeared, and doth often appear, unto the Sorcerers, and Witches, and other wicked men, in the ſhape and form of other creatures, from whom he is denominated, according to the names of the creatures, whoſe forms he doth aſſume.
4. In reſpect of their great knowledge they are called, Scien
knowing creatures, which we tranſlate Devils: and ſo they are called here in my Text; and they are called
1. In regard of that knowledge and underſtanding which they have from their creation;4. c. 1.
Et qua adhuc praedi
and with which in part they are as yet indued, ſaith Zanchius.
1. They hear and have heard very much:
2. As they hear very much, ſo they ſee very much more:
1.
2. Partly by their wandring up and down, and,By going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it, and that with ſuch great celerity, as no winged Fowl is able for to match them: Quia omnis ſpiritus, ales eſt: & hoc Angeli & Daemones ſunt ſaith Tertullian. All ſpirits, both Angels and Devils, are like a flying bird; and therefore, ſaith he, they are here, and there, and every where in a moment; Et totus orbis illis locus unus est, and all the world to them is but, as it were, one certain place: not by their ubiquity, as fil
And ſo in theſe two reſpects they have abundant, and, in a manner, infinite, knowledge, and that not only about the Creatures, and all the ſecrets of Nature, and all the actions, yea and ſometimes the ſecret motions of all men, but alſo conMark 1.24. AthAnthony, as Athanaſius writeth in his life.
And therefore it is not knowledge (that many men abuſe, and maketh many men proud) that can make any one happy, unleſs they do rightly uſe their knowledge to the glory of God, the edifying of their neighbours, and the ſaving of their own ſouls: for you ſee the Devils have more knowledge then any of us all, and his knowledge doth but make him liable to the greater torments: Quia corruptio optimi eſt peſſima, The abuſe of the beſt things, is the worſt thing of all.
5. In reſpect of their power, the Devil is called poteſtas aeris, the power of the Air, Principalities, and Powers, and the Prince of this world. And that we might the better unroaring Lion, the great Dragon, the great Leviathan, and the like; all names of power.
But yet here you muſt obſerve a twofold property of their power: As,
And they have
4. c. 2.
Poteſtas data & conceſſa, & non propria atque innata, a power given them of God, and not their own proper innate power from themſelves: for all the powPilate, ſo I may ſay of them, That they had had no power at all, ex
poteſtas limitata, non abſoluta, a power limited,creation is very exceeding great, but now ſince they ſinabridged, bridled, and they ſaid to be held in chains.abſolute; for as God ſaith unto the Sea, Hitherto ſhalt thou go and no further, here ſhalt thou ſtay thy proud waves; ſo he ſaith unto the Devils, Thus far ſhall you moleſt, oppreſs, and perſecute my ſervants, but no further: Auguſtine ſaith, ſi Diabolus tantum nocere poſſet quantum vellet, aliquis juſtorum non remaneret. If Satan might do, what he would do, not a righteous man ſhould remain upon the face of the earth.
And therefore, whatſoever he can do, he can do the ſame but by the leave and permiſſion of God; for he is like a Bear; in a Chain; and without Gods leave, he could not touch Job with the leaſt of his fingers,Swine withleave and licence from God;
But when God gives him leave, and ſuffereth him without ſtop, then his power extendeth it ſelf, to do very much upon the creatures:Hickham to throw me down upon the pavement of Flint ſtones, but not to dewinds to meet together and to ſmite the four corners of the houſe of Job's Son, and ſo to overthrow the ſame; and ſo likewiſe, with this leave and perreacheth, to the rayſing of ſtorms and tempeſts, clouds and darkneſs, and the ſinking of Ships, to the deſtruction of Men and Women, as he threw down the houſe, to deſtroy all the Children of Job; and ſo he can enſwine, to hang, drown, or do any other miſchief unto themſelves, as here, to caſt, the Poſſeſſed oft time into the fire,
waters. For though he hath no power to work upCeleſtial bodies, becauſe an inferior ſubſtance, or a lower cauſe, vim nullam habet in ſuperiora corpora, have no power at all to work upon ſuperior bodies, as the Philoſophers do affirm; yet we ſee plainly, that his power extendeth unto all ſublunary and elementary creatures.
And therefore ſeeing the power of the Devil is ſo great,names and his doings do declare, and yet that all his powjuſt nothing, not ſo much as to ſhake the leaf of an
leave and permiſſion of God, it ſhould teach us.
2. Doing this, to be as bold as Lions, to do our duties without fear of all the Devils in hell; for if God be with us, what need I care, what Men or Devils can do unto me? quia non plus valet ad dejiciendum, inferna poena quam ad erigendum divina tutela, becauſe all the power of darkeneſs is not ſo able to caſt me down, as the aſſiſtance of God is to hold me up, or to raiſe me, when I am fallen.
We read of other names of the Devil according to the diplaces and offices that they have among themſelves, to do miſchief and to tempt wretched men, to ſin and to offend their God, as Lucifer and Beelzebub, that tempt the young Gallants unto pride, and to murther each other, in a ſingle Combate, rather then they will abate an inch of their reputation. And Leviathan, that is the arch Doctor of all Hereticks, and filleth their heads with ſuch itching curioſities, as makes them leave the true light, and fall away to erronious darkneſs: and Aſmodeus that inticeth young men and maids unto wantonneſs and fleſhly luſts;Ariſt. Phyſicor. l. 8. & Metaph. l. 12. Text 48.Bal-bereth that we read of in the eighth and ninth of Judges, and tempteth men to quarels and contentions; and Baalim, and Aſtaroth, and many more, too tedious to rehearſe, and which were the gods of the Gendii gentium Demonia; but
3. To paſs from their Names unto their Number; Ariſtotle is of opinion, that there is one ſupreme cauſe, which is God, not tied to the preſſure and incombrance of a body, and fourty ſeven ſpirits ſubordinate to that ſupreme Cauſe, according to the number of the motions which he obſerved in the celeſtial orbes of Heaven; and Merc. Triſmegiſtus, as Aquinas cites him, is of the ſame mind, and denieth that there are any other ſpirits, excepting thoſe that wheel about the heavens: for they thought that thoſe heavenly bodies could not ſo ordinarily move, except they were animated and quickned thereunto by ſome ſpirits of life: which is very true, and ſeems agreeable to
Ezekiel ſpeaketh of the celeſtial bodies, which he calleth wheels, that the Spirit of life was in the wheels: but they might have conſidered, that if thoſe ſpirits were neceſſary for the uniDaniel ſaith, that thouſand thouſands miniſtred to him, and ten thouſand times ten thouſand ſtood before him;
Vide Job 25. v. 3.Job deIs there any number of his armies? and Rabbi Moſes the Egyptian, l. 2. c. 7. ſaith, That they be as many, as be the verPlatonicks ſay, that they are ſo many, that they are in
And if there be, as it is moſt true, ſo many good Angels waiting always upon God, to do him ſervice, and to praiſe him, and magnifie him for ever; then queſtionleſs it is moſt cerMagna plenitudo hominum, ſed magna ſolitudo bonorum, the worſer part is by far the greater part, and the number of Reprobates is far more then the number of them that ſhall be ſaved, as our Saviour teſtifieth: ſo it is veriſimile, that the caſe is ſo betwixt the good and the bad Angels that more fell then ſtood: for it is aſſerted by all the Schools, that they fell from all the orders of Angels, and Archangels, principalities, dominations, virtues and powers, Cherubims, Seraphims, and Thrones; and it is moſt certain, that quoad nos, their number is infinite beyond number,
And therefore well might Saint Anthony ſee the whole world filled with Devils, and covering the ſame with Nets and Snares which they have laid in every place, and in
And therefore, how warily ſhould we walk upon thorns, and among ſnares, and continually pray to God, to give his good Angels charge over us, to preſerve us in all our ways from theſe wicked Spirits, that otherwiſe will do worſe then daſh our heads againſt the ſtones, when they deſtroy both our bodies and our ſouls in hell.
And ſo you have ſeen the nature, the names, and the number of the ingredients; and now
prayer and faſting; which is the third Point that I am to treat of.
But before I could finiſh the handling of theſe two rare Graces, and moſt powerfull Weapons to drive out theſe De
I do verily believe, ſome of theſe Devils followed me with great wrath, and with a full intent to deſtroy me, and it had
Jehovah, my continual Deliverer, commanded his Angels to preſerve me; for as I was coming from Oxford to London, at Wickham, after Dinner, the man of the houſe holding my Horſe at the block ſide, for Parſons that rode in my company, and was very care
All which, in ſo ſtrange a manner, as I found it done, I do conceive, and do verily believe, could never accidentally be done, but that ſome evil Spirit, the Devil and Satanas did it purpoſely to end my life, that I might no more oppoſe his dear limbs and adherents.
But, as God had prepared a Whale to ſave Jonas as ſoon as ever he was caſt into the Sea, ſo God provided a Surgeon for me preſently, and he waſhed my wounds, and did help me, Bleſſed be God for it; and God I beſeech him, to give me his grace, never to forget this, and all other his goodneſs, and mercies, and loving favours towards me, but to ſerve him, and praiſe him, and magnifie him for ever, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord: To whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt, be aſcribed all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
THE PERSECUTION AND OPPRESSION (Which, as Solomon ſaith, is able to make a wiſe man mad,) OF JOHN BALE, That was called to be Biſhop of Oſſory, by the ſole Election, without any other mans Motion, of that pious King, Edw. 6.
AND OF GRUFFITH WILLIAMS, That was called after the ſame manner to the ſame Biſhoprick by the ſole Election, withCharles I.
Two Learned men, and Right ReveOſſory.
LONDON, Printed for the Author, 1664.
I. John Bale was a great Schollar, and a Doctor of Divinity in the Univerſity of Oxford, in the time of King Edward the ſixth, and he himſelf wrote a Book, (which the Right Worſhipful, and my much honoured Friend, Sir James Ware lent me) wherein he ſetteth down, the vocation, perſecution, and deliverance of himſelf: and out of that Book I have drawn this Abſtract of his life and perſecution, and expulſion from that very houſe from whence I was alſo expulſed, and for which I am ſtill op
1. His Vocation was by the meer good will, without any ſolliEdwards, when he ſaw him in South-hampton, he ſent unto him by divers of his NobiOſſory, which he obediently did, and tranſported himſelf and his FaIreland, and being conſecrated at Dublin, though with ſome oppoſition, by reaſon of the Popiſh inclination of the CaKilkenny; where
2. His Perſecution did begin, for he no ſooner began to preach the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, which he inceſſantly did, but the moſt part of his Prebends and the Popiſh party oppoſed and contradicted him; and within a very little while, after the death of King Edw. 6. he was exceedingly perſecuted by Barnaby Bolger, and the Popiſh Prieſts, and others, that ſought his death in his houſe, this Biſhops Court, alias Holms Court,a Deacon, Rich. Headly, John Cage, and the Maid.
Kilkenny, with a hunDublin, from whence, his life being there likewiſe hunted after, he was conveyed away in a Marriners apparel, and in his paſſage to Zealand was cruelly toſſed by temIves in Cornwall, where a wicked fellow named Walter accuſed our Biſhop Bale of High Treaſon before the Juſtices there, yet being not able to prove any thing againſt him, the good God delivered him out of their hands.
And yet not long after one Martin an Engliſh Pirate did moſt falſly accuſe him of many hainous crimes, as the pEngland, cauſed Doctor Gardiner Biſhop of Wincheſter to be impriſoned, and poyſoned the King, and maHolland, as himſelf relateth at large, from fol. 38. of his Book of his perſecution unto fol. 42.
And becauſe they are ſo fully exemplified and expreſſed by himſelf there, together with the reſt of his troubles and perſeOſſory, in Dublin, and in his paſſage by Sea towards Germany, in the Book that himſelf printed, of his Vocation to the Biſhoprick of Oſſory, and his perſecution in the ſame, I will ſet no more down here, but refer my Reader to that Book.
II.
GRiffith Williams, born at Carnarvon, at fourteen years old was ſent to Oxford, from whence by reaſon of the hard uſage of him Junonis ob iram; by an angry Juno, that was his Unckles virago, he was fain to betake himſelf, within two years after, alienas viſere terras, and failing to paſs into France, where he intended, he was forced to retire into Cambridge, where having no friends, nor money, a Country GentleHarleton, named Mr. Line, having but one little Son, about eight years old, took affection unto me, and entertained me into his houſe, and table, to tutor and teach that young Child, and being there, I got my ſelf admitted into Jeſus Colledge; where, as it came to my courſe, I kept my Exerciſe, and within two years after, (having gotten a Certificate from Chriſt-Church in Oxford, of my ſtudy and good carriage there, for two years before, I had my degree Bachelour of Arts, and within three years after, I took my degree Maſter of Arts, at 21 years of age, and, being admitted into the holy Orders of a Deacon by the Reverend Biſhop of Rocheſter, and of Prieſthood by the BiEly, after I had been a while Rector of Foſcot in Buckingham-ſhire, I became a Preacher and Lectorer in St. Peters the Proud in Cheapſide, and in the Cathedral Church of S. Paul,
The reſolution of Pilate; and my ſecond Book intituled, The delights of the Saints.
full ſpace of five years; I Lectored upon St. Pauls Epiſtle to the Romans, and then began my perſecution by the Puritans, as they were then called, and Fanaticks of thoſe daies, (ſaving a little oppoſition that I formerly had by the ſame generation, while I was Curate of Hanwel in Middleſex) for now, the more pains I took to ſtudy, and to preach the truth boldly unto them, as I ever did without fear, the more mad they were againſt me, and ſo mad, that not only forty, as they were againſt St. Paul, but I betwice forty conſpired together to work my death, and moſt falſly accuſed me, of ſuch things as I never knew, never did, and never ſaid, yet they proſecuted the ſame ſo maliciouſly that I was bound over (and they did their very beſt to hinder me to get any bayl) to anſwer for my life, at the Seſſions houſe upon the Goal delivery of Newgate, where, I might detantenae animis terreſtribus irae? But he that dwelleth in the Heavens, and knew mine Innocency, and the cauſe of their malice, laughed them to ſcorn, and became to me, as he is alwaies to them that fear him, Deus in opportunitatibus, a preſent help in trouble,no Bill againſt me, quitted me, and ſaid they had forfeited, and ſhould pay their Recognizance, as they well deſerved, to the King. See the Epiſtle to the Reader before the ſecredit and honour out of the mouth of thoſe Lions, that were exceedingly blamed and checked by that worthy Judge, that afterwards came to be Lord ChanCoventrie: Sic me ſervavit Apollo; So that Jehova ſaved me to whom I have committed my ſelf ever ſince, and vowed, I would praiſe him, and thank him, and do him the beſt ſervice that I could, while I lived, as I ſhewed in an Epiſtle before the ſeven golden Candleſticks. Then immediately after this, being then about twenty ſeven years old, I went to Cambridge, and, though my former troubles waſted my means, (being, by reaſon of the former accuſations of mine enemies, ſuſpended by the Biſhop of London, and driven to be releaſed by an appeal to the Prerogative Court) yet I took my degree Bachelour of Divinity, and returning to London, I preſently petitioned to my Lord of Canterbury, Abbats, (whom ever after I found, my very gracious Lord) and to my Lord Chancellour Egerton, (whom I found ſo likewiſe) and ſhewed them the great wrongs and abuſes, to my utter ruine, that I had ſuffered from the Biſhop of London, and thoſe bloudy perſecutors, without any ſhadow or colour of truth in any of all their Accuſations; and they preſently pitying my caſe gave me the Parſonage of Llan-Llechyd, worth to me a 100 li. per annum, a better Rectory, than that which mine eneLondon to take from me, that was rightly preſented to it by the Earl of South-hampton. But ſicut unda ſequitur undam, ſo one affliction comes in the neck of anoLlan-Llechyd, but the BiBangor, becauſe I refuſed to take another living for this
commodious for him, began to perſecute me afreſh, and deviſed certain Articles, which ex officio he proſeappeal unto the Arches, and my Lord of Bangor being in London, my Lord of Canterbury ſent for him and me, and checked him exceedingly for his proſecution, and gave me a Licence to preach throughout divers Dioceſſes of his Province, and a Protection from being moleſted by my Lord of Bangor; yet ſtill I found that buſie Biſhop would not be quiet, but as the Poet ſaith, Manet alta mente repoſtum, judicium paridis, ſo my complaint againſt him to my Lord of Canterbury ſtuck in his mind, as I had but a little reſpect or joy in his Dioceſs, eſpecially from his Lordſhip; therefore, after I had continued there four years, about 32 years old I went to Cambridge again, and took my degree Doctor of Divinity; and then, returning to London, I became a domeſtical Chaplain to the Earl of Montgomery, afterwards Earl of Pembroke, and Lord Chamberlain to his Majeſty, to whom I had been Chapbleſſed be God, I had a little reſt from my perſecution, and began to ſtudy hard, to Print Books, of no ſmall Volumes, nor of mean Subjects, as the ſeven Golden Candleſticks, and many other Sermons, now termed, The beſt Religion, and The true Church: divided in ſix ſeveral Books. And to be promoted, to ſome eminent places, to be his Majeſties Chaplain, a Prebend of Weſtminſter, and Dean of Bangor, and before I was full forty years old, in Election and very like to have been made Biſhop of St. Aſaph.
But, when the Sun ſhineth brighteſt it continueth not long without Clouds, and often times follow ſtormes and tempeſt; ſo after I had ſpent theſe halſion daies, and lived many years in the Kings Court, I found ſome rubs and obſtacles of my deſires by reaſon of ſome diſcontent and difference betwixt me and the then Archbiſh. of Canterbury
Aſaph.
brightneſs of my hopes for ſome while; yet at laſt, when the Long Parliament began to ſtruggle, and not only to chop off the head of the wiſe and ſtout Earl of Strafford, but alſo to clap up the Biſhop of Canterbury in Priſon, and to clip the wings of all the reſt of the Biſhops, his Majeſty, of his own gracious mind and accord, withany motion of any man made unto him, when the Lord Primate of Ireland delivered him a Petition from the Biſhops of Ireland, to deſire his Majeſty to nominate a very worthy man, Doctor Syb
that was Biſhop of the poor Biſhoprick of Kilfanora, unto the Biſhoprick of Oſſory, anſwered the Primate, that he had reſerved the ſame for Doctor Williams, Dean of Bangor: To whom the Primate replied, Your Majeſty bids him to his loſs, (to uſe the Primates own words, as he told me,) and his Majeſty anſwered, He could make him a ſaver, and therefore let him have the refuſal of it; and when I heard of this paſſage from my Lord Primate, I thought I were a very unworthy man if I refuſed ſo gracious an offer of ſo gracious a Maſter; and conſiBale, was called by the ſole free motion of that pious King, Edw. 6. ſo I was called by the ſole free motion of the moſt religiCharles I. I thought my ſelf rightly called by God unto it, and I accepted the ſame, and yielded unto the divine calling, with all thankefulneſs unto his gracious Majeſty. And now the ſtorms and tempeſt begin to darken the Sunſhine of my proIreland, ſeen Kilkenny, and preached once in that Cathedral, and conſecrated in Dublin about Michaelmas, but the Rebellion there brake out the October following, after I had ſpent well-nigh 300 li. and had received not one penny; then was I forced to fly towards his Majeſty, and the next Summer after having occaſion to go to Dublin, after I had ſetled my Wife and Family in a houſe that I had by Toceſter, and the firſt night that I came to my houſe, after my return from Ireland, the Rebels in North-hampton, having heard how zealouſly I had preached for his Majeſty, and that now I was returned to my houſe by Toceſter again, ſent a Troope of horſe unFlaxon, and ſo he carried me a priNorth-hampton, where at my firſt entrance into the Town, I ſaw a whole troop of Boys and Girls, and other ApElizeus, come up thou bald pate, come up, ſo they cried along the ſtreet, a Biſhop, a Biſhop, and with this Io paean was I carried to the Commiſſioners Lodging, where I was clapt up cloſe in a
John North, I becivilleſt of them all, came to me with a Satchel of WriFlaxon found in my houſe, and opening the ſame, the firſt writings that came into his hand was the Treatiſe that I had written, and had intituled it, The Grand Rebellion, and had written thoſe words on the outward leaf thereof; and as ſoon as ever he took it out of the bag, I made bold,
his eye upon the Title, to take it out of his hands, and ſaid, this is a Sermon that I carried with me to preach where I ſhould reſt on the Lords day, but that the Letters, that were to the King, and to the Biſhop of York, and others, were in the Satchel, and he for haſte to ſee the Letters, ſuffered me to put my Sermon and the Grand Rebellion into my Pocket, which I feared would have been my death or utter ruine, if the Comſeen it. Then Sir John, having taken out the Letdurſt at thoſe times carry Letters unto the King? I anſwered, they were Letters from thoſe poor Bipillaged and perſecuted by the Popiſh Iriſh Rebels, and I knew, and had a Copy of what was in them before I would carry them; then Sir John ſaid, I did wiſely to do ſo: and ſo he went in unto the reſt of the Commiſſioners, and left me, lockt in the room, yet very joyful for having gotten my Grand Rebellion out of his hands: but behold ſtill the malice of Satan and the ſubtilty of his Inſtruwalking up and down the room, and had torn the worst caſe that I had writ againſt the Parliament, and chewed it in my mouth and threw it away, an arrand knave was peeping at the key hole, and went unto the Commiſſioners and told them that I had ſome deſperate or treacherous Papers, which he ſaw me tear; then Sir John North comes to me again and aked, what Papers thoſe were that I was ſeen tearing? I ſmiAlas Sir, ever ſince I came from Sea, I was troubled with a looſeneſs, and having by chance a looſe leaf in my Pocket, I pluckt it out, and ſaid, this is the Paper, that I had in my hand, to go to the houſe of office, and he looking upon it, and finding it of no effect, ſaid, Is this all? And went his waies: and then I remembred what our Saviour ſaid, When you are brought
before Rulers,
take no thought what you ſhall ſpeak, for it ſhall be given you, in illa hora, in that very hour, what to anſwer; and God alſo wrought in the Commiſſioners ſuch thoughts of me, and my ſufferings by the Iriſh, that they gave me a Paſs to go home, and delivered me my horſes, which Captain Flaxon hoped to have had for his reward, and the forty pounds, which he found in my houſe, and which I told the Commiſſioners was all that I had to keep me and my Family: So graciouſly did God help me, that I went home with joy, contrary to the expectation of my Neighbours, that informed the Rebels of my return to thoſe parts.
And within a few daies after was the Battel at Edge-hill, at which time, I went to his Majeſty, and waited on him untill he came to Oxford,
Oxford I prinGrand Rebellion, and afterdiſcovery of myſteries, and laſt of all, The rights of Kings.
Grand Rebellion; and finding how well and how graciouſly his Majeſty accepted of my endeavours therein, I went to Wales and ſtudied my diſcovery of myſteries, or the plots of the Parliament, to overChurch and State, and by the next Winter I came to Oxford to Print it, and being printed, Secretary Faukeland miſa paſſage, that I had ſet down of the Epiſcopal power in cauſa ſanguinis, would have had it called in, but his Majeſty would not ſuffer it to be ſuppreſt; therefore I reſolved, by the next Winter, to publiſh (as I did) my Book of the Rights of Kings both in Church and Commonwealth, and the wickedneſs of the pretended Parliament; and in the interim I was perſwaLondon, to ſee what I could work upon my Lord of Pembroke, whom I had ſerved ſo many years, and tutored all his Children, whereof two were now with his Majeſty; and when I came to London I took the opportunity to go unto him,in bed, and after much conference with him, about the differences betwixt the King and his Parliament, and their diſloyalty to his Majeſty, and that I ſaw he began to be offended and very angry, for fear he ſhould deliver me to the Parliament, that forall that they found of my Grand Rebellion to be burnt, I took my leave of him, and preſently highed me to go out of Town; but was denied to paſs, untill I uſed my wit to the Maior of London, to get a Paſs, by telling him, that I was a
pillaged Preacher of Ireland, that came to London to ſee my friends, and now having ſome other friends in North-hampton and thereabout,Paſs to go to ſee them, and he pitying my caſe, called for a cup of Wine, and comwithout a Fee.
And then, after I had paſſed a good way towards North-hampton, I turned to Oxford: and from thence within a while to Wales, and from thence to Ireland; and after Nasby fight, being bound with my L. Taafe in a thouſand Marks a peece unto his Majeſty, for the appearance of Collonel Vangary, (that reEdge-hill fight from the Parliament unto the King with Sir Faithful Forteſcue) at Beaumares Sizes, for taking away a Drove of Cattle from the Drovers of Angleſey, and he not appearing, our Recognizans were forfeited, and I was fain to reMajeſty, with Letters from my Lord of Ormond, that Van-garie could not come out of Ireland, and therefore his Maforfeiture of our RecogniLetters to the Juſtices of Peace of Angleſey, very graciouſly did, and ſent another Letter by me again to my Lord of Ormond: but in my paſſage to his Majeſty, I was like to be carried to the Parliament, by a knave, that about ten miles from Aberystwith began to examine me, and ſaid that I was a Spy for the King, and therefore I muſt be carried before ſome of the Parliament Officers, to be examined; and I had no other ſhift but to commend him for his care, and to tell him, that there were too many Spies abroad, and I was but a poor pillaged man in Ireland, that would very willingly go before any man, and I ſtill called for drink, until he was perſwaded that I was a very honeſt man, and ſo he let me go in peace. And before I could paſs into Dublin, General Mitton with his Army, had entred inCountry, and I, preaching that Sunday, that he came, at Rhudhland, had an Alarm about midnight, and was fain to flee to Carnarvon ſhire, and when he came to Carnarvon ſhire, to ſlee too Angleſey. And becauſe Angleſey was an Iſland, and could not be won if the Inhabitants would be true among themtrue Royaliſts, ſummoned the chiefeſt GenClergy and Laity, to meet on a certain day
Llan-geuenie, to conſider what we ſhould best do for the deWhite, and my ſelf, Mr. Jo. Gruff. and Mr. Morgan, and Mr. Michael Evans, drew an Oath of our faithfulneſs and Allegiance to his Majeſty, and the defence of our Country to the uttermoſt hazard of our lives and fortunes, againſt the rebellious Parliament ſo full and ſo well as our Wits and Learning could deviſe, and all that were there, excepting Mr. O. Wood of Llan Gwyven, took it without any ſcruple, yet, before any one drop of bloud was ſpilt, or many daies were paſt, the Gentry Articled with General Mitton, to yield up that Iſland into his hands, and he did ſet Garriſons where he pleaſed: then I, conſcious of what I had done, alwaies and every where againſt the Rebels, durſt not truſt to the mertruth of the Parliament, but gave ten pounds to Captain Roberts, that Mr. O. Wood had appointed over the Garriſon in Holy Head, to ſuffer me to paſs in a Parliament Ship, (for the King had none in thoſe parts) into Dublin, and the Maſter of the Ship, that carried me, ſaid, he durſt not ſet me on ſhore any where, but bring me to Captain Wood, that was then Vice-Admiral to the Parliament in the Bay before Dublin; yet I thought it was better for me to truſt, that God would deliver me from that wood, than to ſtay among the bryars of the Long Parliament; ſo when we came to the Bay, and neer the Vice-Admirals Frigot, it being late in the Evening, I told the Maſter that I was very ill, as I was indeed, and I gave him a 20
s.
piece of Gold for carrying me over, and deſired that I might ſtay in my Cabin there, till next morning, which he readily yielded.
And early the next morning, when I thought all the Seamen in Captain Woods Ship, excepting the Sentinel that kept the Watch, were aſleep, leſt any of them ſhould know me, I deſired to be ſent to the Vice-Admiral; and ſo I was. And when I came there, I gave 2
s.
6
d.
in ſilver to the Sentinel, to tell Captain Wood, that here was a Kinſman of my Lord of Yorke, (whom I knew was reſpected by all the Parliamenteers, becauſe he had beſieged the Caſtle of Conway for the Parliament, and was the chief man that called Mitten into the Country, and the only inſtrument to bring Angleſey to ſubmit unto him) and he had a
Holy Head to go, to do a little buſineſs in Dublin, and when he had finiſhed his buſineſs, to return with as much ſpeed as he could unto my Lord of York again, and I thought this was a fair tale; and indeed, I thank God, it took effect; for Captain Wood came to me, and after he had examined me about divers things, and I had anſwered him as warily as I could, he ſearched me, and, though I had in my Pocket a Letter from his Majeſty in my behalf to my Lord of Ormond, yet, becauſe I had ſo artificially ſet it on the backſide of a Pocket-glaſs and Combno ſuch thing, though he beheld his own face in the glaſs, and ſo conceiving no ill thought of me, but that I was a very good friend of the ParliaYorke, and of his name too, he called for a good Glaſs of Clarret-wine and drank to me and to my Lord of York, and I drunk it off every drop; and put on a bold face, as I was wont to do every where, knowing that degeneros animos timor arguit.
And then he ſent me to ſhore towards Hoeth, and before we came to Land we ſhould ſee three or four Souldiers, runnagadoes, that were deſirous to go to the Parliament ſhip, but I gave five ſhillings to the Rowers to put me to land a pretty way from them, and when I was ſet on land, the boat-men turned away preſently and would not receive the Souldiers into their boat, which the Souldiers ſeeing, called unto me to come to them,ſtay for them, but I would not tarry, but went away as fast as I could; and they ſeeing that preſented their Guns, as if they would ſhoot at me; yet I ſtill ventured to go on, knowing; that beſtanding mark, it was but a chance to hit me, if their pieces were charged, and they ſhot at me, and when they ſaw their vain threatning did not frighten me, they began to run after me, as faſt as ever they could, and I began to run from them, as faſt as ever I could, and being a pretty way before them, and ſeeing ſome Iriſh men reaping, not far off, I made towards them, and thought I could get to them before they could overtake me, and ſo I did: yet running ſo faſt, and ſo far, I was all of a ſweat beReapers, who kept off the Souldiers that they durſt not come near me. Thus was I ſaved from thoſe, that I
robbed me, if not kill me.
Then I went to Dublin, and ſtayed there, and preached often, untill Ireland was ſurrendred upon Articles unto the Parlianame to have the benefit of thoſe Articles, and having received a very fair and conſiderable ſum of money, by the hands of Sir George Lane, from my Lord of Ormond, that had alwaies ſhewed himſelf a moſt honourable friend, and a bountiful helper and benefactor to me; I reſolved to live upon that ſmall temporal means which I had, about twenty pounds a year, in Wales: But, after I put my Books, and Cloaths, and houſhold-ſtuff,Beech. And nothing troubled me ſo much as the loſs of a paper Book which I had written, full of SerMoney I had, and my ſelf into the Packet-boat, to paſs to Holy Head, our ſhip was taken, about the middle way, by Captain Beeche, and I was robbed of all that I had in it, Cloaths, Books, Money, and Houſhold-ſtuff, and, with a great deal of intreaty and favour, I prevailed with Captain Beeche, to caſt us all, his Priſoners, upon a little Iſland, called, Irelands eye, and mafire that we brought with us from the Ship, we had a boat that carried us into Hoath, and from thence we went all to Dublin, where Doctor Loftus very friendly gave me as much money as carrried me to London; and there I petitioned to the Committee for Sequeſtred men, to be reſtored according to the Articles of Angleſey and of Ireland, to my means; and one of them, named Scot, that ſince hath been hanged, demanded, if I had not written the Grand Rebellion? and I anſwered, I did: then ſaid he, and do you come for performance of Articles, that deſerve rather to have your head cut off; No, no, ſaid Corbet and the Chair-man, let us go to another matter; and I, leſt I ſhould be clapt by the heels,ſtunk away from thoſe Wolves, as faſt as I could.
Yet I was loath, ſo, deſiſtere caeptis, but I would try movere omnem lapidem, and ſeeing hac non ſucceſſit alia aggrediar via, and, having procured a little money, I went to Sir Thomas, now Lord Fairfax, and giving his Secretary ſome pieces of Gold, he got me my Lord Fairfax his Letters to the Committee of Northhampton and of Angleſey to reſtore me to my temporal means, and they not ſitting together, I was fain, in a very cold and ſnowy weather to walk on foot (for I had no horſe, nor money to
one to one of the Committee, to get their hands to reſtore me, and ſo I had them, and I thank God I was reſtoLondon, and had the favour to go with my Lord of Ormond in his Coach from Kingſton to Hampton Court, to wait upon his Majeſty, a little before he went to the Iſle of Wight, I went, as ſoon as ever I heard the King was gone, to live privately and poorly in mine own houſe in Wales, and there fell hard to my ſtudy to finiſh my Great Antichriſt, and to preach as occaſion offered it ſelf; and ſo I continued for a long time in a very poor condition, ſo poor, that when three or four of the Parliament Souldiers were ſent to quarter at my houſe, and there, finding neither Servants to attend them, nor Beer to drink, nor other proviſion, but ſome barly bread, and a little glas-doore, I got a good dinner with them, of that provipreſently went to their Capnothing for them, and they muſt have a better quarter, and ſo before night they were remofar better accommodation, and my mean condition prequartering of any Souldiers, while I lived there. So poverty was to me an advantage; and ſo I althat God would work together all things for the beſt for them that love him, as the Apoſtle ſaith, and therefore this made me, when my Lord of Pembroke (whom I had for ſo many Luſtras of years ſerved) offered in this my poor eſtate, to procure me a living, then void in Lancaſhire, from the Parliament, worth four hundred pound per annum, ſo I would be ruled and ſubmit my ſelf to the Parliament, to thank his Lordſhip for his Honourable favour,li. a piece from Hen. Crumwel, I refuſed the ſame.refuſe the Living, for which he ſeveral times called me fool for my pains; and ſo likewiſe when Mr. Henry Crumwel heard of my often preaching in Dublin, and was deſirous to hear me in his own houſe, and when I had ended my Sermon bad me dine with him, and as he allowed the reſt of the Biſhops 100 li. a piece per annum to maintain them, ſo a friend of mine told me from his Lordſhip, he was favourably pleaſed to do the like to me; to whom I anſwered, that I was infinitely obliged to him for his favour, but that I was reſolved to live contented with that
ſmall means that I had of mine own. I was ſo fully perſwaded to retain mine integrity and faithfulneſs to my King, and aſſured my ſelf of that change and revolution, which I ſo ſpeedily ex
And ſo I continued there in Llanlechyd in that poor condition until his Majeſty, that now is, was upon his march towards Worceſter; at which time Sir Gruffith Williams, my very good friend and Landlord, being Sheriff, deſired me to preach at the Aſſizes in Conwey before the Judges; and the whole Country knows how boldly and freely I ſhewed them their cuty, now to manifeſt their Loyalty and love to his Majeſty, whom God had thus graciouſly brought unto their dores; ſo that Courtney the then Governour of Beaumareſh, coming to Town after Sermon, and hearing what I had preached, did exceedingly freJudges, becauſe that they would hear ſuch a man, as was ſo well known to be ſuch a grand enemy unto the Parliament, and concluded with the now Sir John Carter, the then Governour of Conwey, (that told me as ſoon as I had done my Sermon, but that he would not ſeem uncivil, he would have pluckt me by the ears out of the Pulpit, a fine ſight) that they ſhould clap me up in Priſon; but I hearing of it, did immediatly, as faſt as ever I could get my horſe, and poſted away, as it were upon Pegaſus, to hide my ſelf from thoſe then tyrannous whelps of Cerberus; the ſame Carter, being the man, that (when I was preaching at Llan Sannam, and another whelp of the ſame litter, roſe up, and contradicted all that I had ſaid, and cauſed me to be pluckt out of the Pulpit, and ſuch a tumult to ariſe, that I feared much ſlaughter would be committed, and that I ſhould be torn all to pieces; and when ſome of the Gentlemen of the Pariſh, at the Quarter Seſſions in Ruthen, would have indicted the fellow that diſturbed me in my Sermon) ſaid, they ſhould rather indict me for preaching contrary to the order now ſet forth, than him that had ſo juſtly hindered me; ſo I was only blamed, and he acquitted by the juſtice of Sir John Carter.
After this I continued in my poor houſe untill I had finiſhed my Great Antichriſt, and then I ſhewed it to very many of my friends, whom I durſt truſt, both in Ireland and Wales, and told
when (according to the Propheſies of the Scripture, that I had collected and was fully perſwaded of the truth thereof) his now Majeſty ſhould be reſtored, and I carried it to London to be printed, and left it with my old friend, that had printed my Beſt Religion, Mr Stevens, and he ſhewing it to ſome of his friends, Presbyterians I conceive, to have their opinion of it, and ſome of them anſwered it ſomewhat large, and Mr. Stevens dethe printing of it is like to be much to the damage of the Printer, and the ruin of the Author, (if he be found out) and little credit, in my opinion, is ſo like to gain thereby. So Mr. Stevens durſt not venter to print it by any means; yet, if I could have had any other to print it, I would have done it, and reſolved to have fled into the Low Countries when it had been done; but it could not be, that any Stationer would venture to do it; ſo I went to Wales.
But when I heard that Sir George Booth was riſen in Cheſhire; and was ſo near the time that I expected and foreſhewed his Mayoung Philly that I had of three years old, and in a very cold ſnow and froſt in January, I went ſoft and fair towards London, hoping that now, ſo many men looking after the coming in of our King, and Collonel Monk expected to aſGreat Antichriſt publiſhed; yet ſtill the Rump was ſo ſtrong, that it could not be: therefore I was fain to retire towards Wales again; and going from my houſe by Toceſter, where I had left my Mare, ſome ten miles, in a froſty morning, a foot, I afterwards went a horſe-back, but had not rid one quarter of a mile, but my Mare, whom all my Neighbours there ſaid ſhe was great with foal, lay down under me; and I, fearing ſhe would caſt her Foale, and ſo perhaps loſe my Mare, or forced to leave her behind me, was reſolved to lead her in my hand; and ſo I did from that place, which was Daintry, to my houſe in Wales, about ſeven ſcore miles, the way being ſomewhat fair in the latter end of March.
Then, having ſome occaſions to go to Ireland, being at Holy Head, I had notice with the Poſt, from London, that the Parliament, according as I found in Scripture, had voted the coming in of the King, and I, landing in Dublin about ſeven
Sunday, preBrides, and publickly prayed for the King, I am ſure the firſt man in the Kingdom of Ireland, and the next morning went towards Kilkenny, and going to Donmore, to preſent my ſervice to my Lady of Ormond, I found her, as ſhe was ever, the moſt honourable of all the Ladies that ever I knew, and taking me aſide, informed me of the ſtate of Kilkenny, and of all things thereabouts; ſo I went to Kilkenny and preached there, and publickly prayed for his Majeſty, the next Sunday after I had done the like at Dublin, and then haſted back to Dublin, and from thence, without ſtay, to Holy Head, and reſting but one night in mine own houſe, I rode as faſt as I could to London, and haIreland, in pawn for 100 li. which mine own ſelf carried to London, I agreed for the PrintGreat Antichriſt, and immediately after his MajeſtiLondon, having the ſame printed in three Printing-houſes, and my ſelf paying for the printing of it with ready money, I got it preſently done, and preſented it to his Majeſty, who very graciouſly accepted thereof.
But one of my Countrymen had begg'd of his Majeſty the Deanery of Bangor; yet, when I informed his Majeſty, that my good King and gracious Maſter, his Father, had conferred it upin commendum, ſo firm as Law could make it; his Majeſty was moſt graciouſly pleaſed preſently to ſend to Sir Edward Nicholas to recall the Grant that he had made to Mr. Lloyd, but the ſame being paſt to the Great Seal, my Lord Chancellour, to whom I ever was very much obliged, knowing my Faithfulneſs to my late King and beſt Maſter, and my ſufferings for him, did moſt honourably ſtop it, before I could come unto his Lordſhip; and ſo by his Majeſty and my Lord Chancellours goodneſs, I ſtill enjoyed my Maſters favour.
Then, things being ſomewhat ſetled, I went to live upon my Biſhoprick, in Kilkenny, where I found the Cathedral Church and the Biſhops houſe all ruined, and nothing ſtanding but the bare walls, without Roofs, without Windows, but the holes, and without doors; yet I reſolved preſently to mend and repair one Room, and to live in the Biſhops houſe, and as I had vowed, that
wholly and fully beſtow the firſt years profit for the reparation of the Church, ſo my witneſs is in heaven, that I have done it; and have ſince beſtowed more, as forty pound the laſt Summer for repairing the Steeple of the Cathedral,l.
Biſhops houſe. Yet now began my Oppreſſion, which grieves me much more than my Perſecution, becauſe my perſecution was perſonal, and concerned my ſelf alone: but mine Oppreſſion doth now reach to the diſhonour of God, and the robbing of Jeſus Chriſt of his ſervice, and the deſtruction of his Servants; when as the Church of Chriſt cannot be ruled without Governours, nor inſtructed without Teachers, and neither of them can ſubſiſt without mainte
And yet now Noblemen and Gentlemen, Souldiers and CitiBread ſo ſweet, no Wine ſo pleaſant as that which they ſnatch from the Altar, and no Land ſo fertile as that which they hold from the Church, and keep it by force from the Church-men; and to give you a taſte of this truth, I have printed a Narrative and a true Relation of a Law proceeding, betwixt my ſelf and Sir George Ayskue, a civil Gentleman, I, confeſs, and one that hath been Vice-Admiral to the Long Parvery faithful to our preſent King, and ſorry for what he hath been, as I verily believe, and is a man of a very fair carriage, and of very good parts; yet bewitched with the diſguiſed ſpirit of Sacriledge, to hold faſt in his hands the Lands of the Church, and not only he, but many others are ſick of the ſame diſeaſe, as appeareth by the ſubſequent of this relation.
THat the Lordſhip of Biſhops Court, alias upper Court, beOſſory: And as I am informed, Jo. Bale Biſhop of Oſſory dwelt in the Mannor houſe thereof, and was from thence driven by the Tories in Queen Maries daies, to flee to Geneva to ſave his life; when he, looking out at his Window, ſaw his Steward, that was, with his HGeneva, Jo. Tonery was made Biſhop of Oſſory, and he made away divers Lordſhips, and among the reſt, this Biſhops Court in Fee-farm, as they pre end, to one Rich. Shea, Biſhop Bale being yet alive, and lived in Queen Elizabeths daies; after, Tonery came Biſhop Gafney, and Biſhop Bale ſtill alive; and after Gafney, came BiWalſh, and he finding the invalidity of the Fee farmes made by the Popiſh Biſhops, while the right Biſhop was alive, petitioneth to Queen Elizabeth, and had her Letters to the Lord Lieutenant and Council, to hear the Cauſe, and to relieve the Biſhop according as they found the equity of his Cauſe, but before he could have any redreſs, he was killed by ſome Iriſh man (to prevent the recovery of the ſaid Lordſhip, as it is conDeane, and he vigorouſly proſecutes the recovery of the ſaid Lordſhip, and he had not done much more then begun, but he dieth: Then came Biſhop Wheeler, and he petitioneth to my Lord of Strafford for the ſaid Lordſhip of Biſhops Court, and by the great care and deſire of the now moſt Reverend Primate of all Ireland, to benefit the Church of Chriſt, Biſhop Wheeler had the Lordſhip of Frenis-Town, (that was one of the pretended Fee-farms made by Tonery, and formerly yielded the Biſhop but 4 li. yearly, and doth now yield 50 li. every year) yielded up
Shea might ſtill continue in the Biſhops Court; and when Wheeler died, my gracious King, and good Maſter, Charles the Firſt, commended me to the Biſhoprick of Oſſory, then came the Rebellion, and I was driven to flee before I had received one Penny from my Biſhoprick, or had continued two Moneths therein; but bleſſed be God for it, I was reſtored by our now moſt gracious King; and having an Order from the moſt Honourable Houſe of Lords, to be put into the poſſeſſion of all the Houſes and Lands of the Biſhop of Oſſory, that the laſt Biſhop died ſeized of, the Sheriffe of the County of Kilkenny did put me, among divers other places, into the poſſeſſion of the ſaid Biſhops Court, and the Tenants attourned Tenants unto me, and continued from the April until the 8th. day of October following, 1662. at which time, one Captain Burges, and divers others, Anabaptiſts and Sectaries. the TeGeorge Ayskue, that never come into the Church, yet came into the Biſhops Houſe, and thence expelled the Bipoſſeſſion. And I, the Biſhop hearing of it, went thither my ſelf, with two men and my ChapThomas Bulkley; and finding the door open, I and my Chaplain went in, and one of them, that kept the poſſeſſion, affronted and juſtled me at the door of the Loft, to hinder my entrance in, and yet I got in; and then more and more came into the Room, to the number of 9 or 10 perſons: And ſome of them, eſpecially Captain Burges, vilified and threatned me to the fear of my Life, and ſome did ſhut the Iron Grate, and locked it, as I conceived, to keep me there for their Priſoner, and to hinder my two ſervants, that I had ſent with my horſes to Freſhfoord, to come in; and when they demanded if they meant to murder their Lord, and deſired to come in, one of them, that had a Cudgel in his hand, ſaid, that if he offered to come in there, he would knock him in the head; and my man anſwered him with the like menaces, and I, hearing of their high threats, and fearing what miſchief might fall out there, ſent a peremptory command to my men, to go home, and let what death ſoever pleaſed God, come to me; but, after that I got liberty to go unto mine own houſe, I called a private
Will. Portis, Tho. Collins, Jo. Rayman, Joſias Scot, Will. Burges, for their forcible entry; but the InCertiorari to the Kings Bench, though I had retained two Counſellors, and gave them twenty ſhillings for their Fee, to do things right, and according to Law, yet through the errour of the Clerke, there were ſome faults found in the Indictment, and ſo the ſame was quaſht by the Judges of the Kings Bench: Then I got the beſt Attourney that I thought was in Dublin, and is ſo reputed by all my friends, to draw me another Indictment againſt the foreſaid forcible enterers; and being drawn, I carried it to Sir William Donvil, the Kings Atturney, and gave him his Fee to review it, and mend it, if any thing was amiſs in it, and make it ſo, as it might ſtand good in Law, the which thing, he very carefully did, and amended ſome things with his own hands: And I knew not what I could or ſhould do more, to draw a good Indictment.
Then I deſired the Juſtices of the Peace, to ſend a precipe, to the Sheriffe to ſummon a Jury to examine the force, which they did, upon the ſaid place, where the force was committed.
And, though Sir George Ayskue had for his Atturney, Mr. Smith, the now High Sheriffe of the County of the City of Kilkenny, and Mr. Johnſon, the Recorder of the City of Kilkenny for his Counſellour, to plead againſt the finding of the Inanother Counmuch, or more than either of them both; and I had neither Atturney nor Counſellour to ſay any thing for it, but what the Witneſses proved; yet the Jury did preſently find it Billa Vera.
Then I deſired the Juſtices of the Peace to reſtore me to my Poſſeſſion, but to prevent the ſame, Mr. Smith, Sir George Ayskues Atturney, having a Certiorari ready in his Pocket, did immediately, as ſoon as ever the Jury had brought in their VerJuſtices of the Peace, and they delivered it to the Clerk of the Peace, and the Juſtices ſaid, that now they could not reſtore me to my Poſſeſſiſtopt, and all the proceedings muſt be tranſmitted to the Kings Bench, by Octab. Hillarii.
And when I came to Kilkenny, I went to the Clerk of the Peace, and examined the ſame Indictment, which the Jury found (and which I had done before) ad amuſſim, very dilithat Copy, which the Kings Atturney had amended, and averred to be ſufficient; and I prayed the Clerke of the Peace, to give me a Copy of that Indictment, which the Jury found, the which he did under his hand, and I examined all again, and found them in all things to be verbatim, word for word agreeable one to another.
Then by Octab. Hillarii, the time ſet, to return the proceedDublin: But there was no Indictment returned; ſtill I expected, but ſtill in vain; At laſt I complained to the Lords Juſtices; but they anſwered, that they could not help it, for they knew not, whether the Certiorari was delivered or not: At laſt, ſeeing it was neither returned, nor like to be returned, I was adviſed to make Affidavit, that I had ſeen it delivered into the hands of the Juſtices of the Peace, and that I heard it read, and then ſaw it delivered to the Clerke of the Peace; and then upon the reading of my Affidavit, and a motion made by my Counſel thereupon; there was an Order ſet down, that there ſhould be 20 li. fine ſet upon the Clerke of the Peace, if the proceedings and the Indictment came not in by ſuch a day; So, at laſt, it came in, but it was the laſt day of the Term that it came into the Court; and then the Kings Sergeant moved for my poſſeſſion; but the Counſel, on the other ſide, pleaded, that there was an errour in the ſaid Inlong in alledging the Caſes of A. and B. and of John an Oakes and John a Stile, the Lord Chief Juſtice told him, it was the laſt day of the Term, and Motions were to be heard: Therefore ſeeing they could not hear out the Matter now, they ſhould ſhew cauſe by the ſecond day of the next Term why poſſeſſion ſhould not be reſtored.
Then I thought this was to keep me long enough out of my Poſſeſſion, and to let Sir George Ayskue have one half years rent more, to the two half years Rent that he had already, ſince I was driven out of my Poſſeſſion, and to let his Counſel have time e ough added, to what they had already, to pick as many
find, or could make in mine Indictment, but, conſidering that, as the Poet ſaith, Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere eſt nefas, I went away, and ſaid nothing.
But upon the ſecond day of the THe Right Reverend Father in God, next Term, which was aphearing of it, the Kings Atturney moved for poſerrours of the Indictment, but the pleading was preſently put off, and it was proſecuted the next day: The Kings Atturney being not there; and the main errour, that was of any moment, and which was neither ſeen nor toucht the Term before by Sir George his Counſel; (for all other things alledged, as my Counſel ſaid, were but trifles, & could eaſily be anſwered) was, that in the Indictment it was ſaid, Per Sacramentum quindecem virorum, whereas it ſhould be Per Sacramentum proborum & legalium hominum comitatus Kilken. predict. extitit. preſentat. which words were all left out of the Indictment, and the other words put in the room of them; Then I ſtood up and ſaid, I was certain, the words quindecim virorum were not in the Indictment that was found by the Jury, and that all the other words were in it; becauſe that my ſelf had examined it, and read it, and had likewiſe a Copy of it, under the hand of the Clerk of the Peace, which was examined with the Original by my ſelf: And I offered in open Court to make Oath of all this; but the Lords Juſtices anſwethe Record, that was returned to the Court, which they muſt conceive to be the true Record; And I anſwered, That I hoped they would not judge according to that Record, which I would ſwear was falſe and corrupted, and not the true Record, nor according to the Record that was found by the Jury; yet I could not prevail to have the Clerke of the Peace ſent for, and to bring the original Record to be ſhewed in the Court, therefore by the next day I brought this Affidavit in writing:
Griffith, Lord Biſhop of Oſſory, this day made oath before me, that he had ſundry times peruſed the original Indictment and Record of Forcible Entry found by a Jury of the County of Kilkenny, upon the 18th day of December
Nicholas Halpenny, who as is alledged is either Clerk, or Deputy Clerk of the Peace for the ſaid County, and that the ſaid Indictment and Record being removed into this Court Purſuant to his Majeſties Writ of Certiorari, this Deponent did peruſe the ſaid Record ſo tranſmitHalpenny, and doth find upon view and examination thereof, that there are ſundry Circumſtantial and ſubſtantial words, which are in the ſaid original Indictment found by the Grand Jury omitted to be returned; and as this Deponent believes and remembers other words are inſerted therein by the Clerk that returned or drew up the ſame. He further depoſed, That before the Record was returned into this Court, he had a Copy of the ſaid Original atteſted under the hand of the ſaid Halpenny, which he doth find upon examination to be different from the Record now lodged in this Court, by vertue of the ſaid Certiorari, and that as this Deponent is credibly informed, and verily believeth, the ſaid Certiorari and Record now returned was for the ſpace of one month, or thereabouts, in Dublin detained in the hands of Mr. Patrick Lambert, who is ſaid to be Atturney for Sir George Ayſcue Knight, the pretended Proprietor of the premiſes in the Indictment contained, before ſuch time as he returned the ſame, and that this Deponent could not have the ſaid Record returned ere that he had by the Court a conditional fine impoſed upon the Clerk of the Peace, or his Deputy for his neglect in not returning thereof.
And then my Counſel moved, that it might be read, and ſo it was: And I ſhewed to their Lordſhips what great wrong and abuſe this was to me, and an injury to his Majeſty, to have the Record falſified and corrupted, and proteſted in the open Court, that, ſo long as I could either ſpeak or go, I would not ſuffer this abuſe to paſs unexamined, and at laſt, with much ado, I got the Lords Juſtices, to grant their Writ, to enjoyn the Clerke of the Peace, to appear upon the Saturday following, to anſwer ſuch things as ſhould be objected againſt him ſub paena c. librarum. at which time he came; and I went with him to my Lord Chief Juſtice his houſe, to ſhew him the original Record, and how it was falſely tranſcribed, and not according to that, which was brought
Chief Juſtice ſeeming, as I conceiſomewhat angry, ſaid, he would hear nothing, nor, ſee any thing, but what ſhould be ſhewed in Court; and then the Clerke of the Peace came with me to the Court, and when he was called, he confeſſed the truth, that the Record tranſmitted to the Court, was not according to the original Record, but was falſely written by his Clerke, that he truſted to write it, altogether unknown to him; then my Counſel moved, that the Record might be amended according to the original Record; but the Lords Juſtices analter the Record brought into the Court: And the KingTemple, very honeſtly repleaſed, have it amended, for that, in ſuch a caſe, ſome errour or miſtake was found in an Indictment in the time of one Clerke of the Peace, and it was ordered to be amended pro rege in the time of another Clerke of the Peace; the Lord Chief Juſtice anſwered, this Indictment was brought into the Court the laſt Term, and therefore it could not be amended this Term. Then I replied, It ſhould have been brought in in the beginning of the laſt Term, but it was concealed till the last day of the laſt Term, and this errour then was neither ſeen nor ſpoken of; and how could we move then, to have it amended, befalſhood and corrupting of it, which was no waies perceived till this time? Yet, for all that I could ſay or do, I could not prevail to have the Record amended, according to the original Record. And when I ſaw that, I deſired my Counſel, to deſire their Lordſhips, either to grant that it might be amended, or to quaſh it out of hand, that I ſhould not ſpend my ſelf in Dublin, but go to begin a freſh, and to indict them again; and then my Lord Chief Juſtice anſwered, ſeeing we deſired to quaſh it, let it be quaſht; which, in reſpect of the Kings fine, I conceigood. Then I got the Kings Sollicitor, Mr. Temple, and the Kings Sergeant, Sergeant Griffith, and Mr. Darcy, to draw me an Indictment, that would ſtand good in Law; and preKilkenny, and required the Juſtices of the peace to ſend their pre ̄cipe, to the Sheriff, to ſummon 24 men to apFreſhfoord the 23 of the inſtant, which they did accordDeputy Sheriff appointed theſe Gentlemen to be ſummoned,
Nom. Jur. ad inquirend.
John Grace of Courtſtowne, Eſq;Jonas Wheeler, Gent.Rich. Donvil, Gent.William Davies, Gent.Walter Buſhop, Gent.Walter Noſſe, Gent.John Purſel, Gent.William Pay, Gent.William White, Gent.Ralph Hale. Gent.Lewis Mathews, Gent.Robert Grace, Gent.George Lodge, Gent.Edmund Butler, Gent.Matthew White, Gent.William Hunter, Gent.Thomas Green, Gent.Vincent Knatehbul, Gent.Ric. Comerford of Degenmore, G.Tho. Bowers of Knoctopher, G.Emanuel Palmer, Gent.Mathias Reilegh, Gent.Chri. Auetſtone of Thomaſtone.
Tho. Huſſie of Gowrom, Gent.Toby Boyle of Condonſtown, Gent.Tho. Tomlius of Lyniate Abby.Joſeph Wheeler of Killruſh.
George Barton of Goſlingſtown, G.
But before the Bayliffs were gone to ſummon them, the High Sheriff was come to the Town, and ſeeing the Liſt of the Subſcribed, and having conferred with Sir George Ayſcue, that lay in the next Room where the Sheriff lay, he ſaid thoſe men ſhould not ſerve in the Jury, but he would chooſe a Jury for this buſineſs, and he nominated ſuch men: Anabaptiſts, Presbyterians, and others of the moſt rigid Sectaries, that were in all the whole County: Yet becauſe I knew two or three of them to be very honeſt men, I was very well contented with them. But as ſoon as ever I was gone from the Sheriff, thoſe men were put by, and other Sectaries put into the Liſt in their ſteadIreland, if they were their JuBailiff coming to me for more money then I had given him, for ſummonDeputy Sheriff had appointed, becauſe now, the High Sheriff had appointed men, that he had picked out over all the County of Kilkenny: Then I ſuſpected ſome evil determiBayliff, to ſhew me the Liſt of thoſe, that he was to ſummon, and when I ſaw thoſe honeſt men that I knew, put our, and others put in their room, I put the
Warrant in my Pocket, and bad the Bayliff tell the Sheriff, that my Witneſſes for the King were not ready; and after he told this to the Sheriff, he cweeping and crying, and deſiGods ſake to give him his Warrant: For the Sheriff was very angry with him, and he was utterly undone, for ſhew
And thus was I ſerved, with a great deal of travel and charge above 60 li. in ſeeking to recover the Church Lands, which I reſolved and vowed if I could recover it, to beſtow it wholly for the repairing and re-edifying of the flat-fallen Church of Kilkenny: And now, let the Judge of all the World, and let all juſt and honeſt men judge, whether this be a fair and juſt proceeding.
But quorſum haec? To what purpoſe is all this pains of this Relation? Is it to taxe and charge the Reverend Judges either of inno man; but I ſet down rem geſtam the whole matter a capite ad calcem; and they, the Judges and Counſellours, being great Lawyers may find all this to be juſt; and eſpecially, to make it ſeem ſo to be; and though for all cheating Pettifoggers and covetous Counſellours, that againſt the dictate of their own conſciences, and againſt their King and againſt the Church of God, will, for a Fee, ſell their ſouls unto the devil; I hate their doings that are Sicutatri
Yet I do from my heart honour and reverence all the grave and juſt Judges, and Learned Lawyers, without whoſe help and Counſel and Judgment, we could not live in this Commonfailed at the Kings Bench, to prevail to procure thoſe Fines unto the King, which I conceived ſhould be impoſed upon thoſe five that I indicted, (whereof the chief of them, that is, Captain Burges is now ſent Priſoner to Dublin, by my Lord of Oſſory, which may be a juſt Judgement, that he ſhould be committed by my Lord of Oſſory for his abuſe done to the Biſhop of Oſſory,) yet I have had very fair Juſtice done me, by the Judges of the Court of Claim, and I am confident, to find the like from them again, and to be righted by the Judges of the Court of Exchequer
damages that I ſuſtaiforcibly entered upon my Poſſeſſions, and do
cauſe before them. Therefore I have no reaſon for the biting of a mad Dog, to hang all the good Dogs in the Countrey, or for the abuſe or injuſtice done me by ſome one man or few Lawyers, to exclaim againſt all others, when as the Poet adviſeth us, Parcere paucorum diffundere crimen in omnes. But I do exceedingly tax my ſelf, and mine own underſtanding, that underſtanding both Greek and Latine, and having read what Lambert, Bolton and Dalton have written of Forcible Entries, I ſhould be ſuch a Dolt, as not to underthis Proceeding of mine, about the Indictment of thoſe Forcible Enterers to be a juſt and a fair Proceed
Therefore mine apprehenſion conceiving ſuch proceedings to be foul, and very much amiſs, and that the justice which I had, upon the whole matter, had not what Pindarus ſuch Juſtice uſeth to have, that is, good, to ſet down the ſame, not to accuſe, and complain againſt any one for being unjuſt, or to ſeek any redreſs unto my ſelf; for I have born, and can be contented ſtill to bear, more wrongs than this: But I do it for theſe ends.
1. To let poor men ſee, how they may be wronged and opPoſſeſſions taken from them by great and powerful men, and what they are beſt to do in ſuch a caſe; and my counſel is, to be patient, becauſe as I ſaid before, Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere eſt nefas, and as our Saviour ſaith, If any man ſue thee for thy Coat, let him have thy Cloak alſo; So I ſay, if any great man, that hath a great Place, or great Friends, take away thy Lands, let him take away thy Houſe alMoney, and loſe that with thy Lands; for as Chriſt ſaith, If theſe things be done to the green tree, what ſhall be done to the dry? So if theſe Proceedings paſs againſt me, that can both speak and follow my buſineſſe to the uttermoſt, and, I thank God have ability to go through with it, what ſhall become of thee, and thy Cauſe, that art a poor man, when thou ſwimmeſt againſt the ſtream, and kickeſt againſt the pricks?
Therefore I adviſe thee, rather in ſuch a caſe, to cry to God, than complain to any Judge, leſt that as the Poet ſaith, Exceſſit
medicina modum, thy remedy will prove worſe than thy diſeaſe. For thou ſeeſt how I am ſerved, put our of my Houſe, and ſpend above 60 li. and have no redreſs.
2. If this proceeding and dealing with me, be, as I conceive it, not ſo fair and ſo juſt as it ſhould be, both for the King and my ſelf, that am ejected out of my Houſe and Lands; then I conceive, His Majeſty and the Parliament ſhould, to prevent the like Oppreſſion and wrongs to poor men, provide an eaſier and plainer way to relieve the oppreſſed, and to ſet down an uſual Form of Indictment, or to cauſe that the Indictments ſhould not be ſo eaſily and ſo frequently, upon every Lawyers motion, quaſht, as they are reported to be: Eſpecially when the matForce is plain and evidently proved. And this redreſs of Injuries I petition and move for, for theſe four ſpecial rea
1. Becauſe the difficulty of framing the Indictments ſo, that a cunning Lawyer cannot eaſily find a fault, and a flaw in it, and then the frequent quaſhing of ſuch Indictments, as are found faulty, is a great wrong to his Majeſty, in depriving him of thoſe Fines that otherwiſe are due, and ſhould be rendered unto him.
2. It is a great Abuſe and injury unto the poor Subject, that ſhall be driven out of his Poſſeſſion, and, for want of a ſufficient Clerke or Counſellour to draw the right form of his Indictment, (which as I ſee few can do) he ſhall both ſpend his Money, and loſe his labour; and perhaps, he is not able to do as I did, three or four times to draw Indictments, till he finds one that may ſtand good.
3. This frequent quaſhing of Indictments is a great encouragement for Oppreſſors, and wicked men to wrong their neighbours more and more; for ſay they, I will enter upon him and thruſt him out, and if he doth indite me, I will remove it to the Kings Bench, and I ſhall find a Lawyer that will quaſh his Indictment by and by.
4. This very practiſe and proceeding may be feared to prove the very bane and deſtruction of whole Nations and Kingdoms: For if Righteouſneſs exalteth a Nation, and a Kingdom is tranbecauſe of unrighteouſneſs, as Solomon ſaith, and as we may read it in all Hiſtories. Then you may ſee how requiſite it is, for Kings and Princes, to look to thoſe things, and not to ſuffer unrighteous Judges, either for favour to one, or hatred to another, to do what they liſt, and to make their Laws like a Noſe of Wax, to bend which way they pleaſe, or like a Spiders Web, that catcheth the ſmall Flies, but is broken, by the great humble Bees, all to pieces; but to be like the Chancellour Steel, that although he hated my perſon, yet, he ſaid, though I deſerved it not, I ſhould have Juſtice, and ſo he did me Juſtice preſently, and I love to do right to my Ad
But for my ſelf, I thank God for it, as I lived many years veleſs means then 20 li. a year, and with far leſs pains and troubles then I have now, ſo I doubt not, but I could live ſo ſtill; and I reſolved and vowed, as I have atteſted in my Epiſtle to his Majeſty, that, if I ſhould reBiſhops Court unto the Church, I would wholly and fully beſtow the ſame for the repairing of the Cathedral Church of Kilkenny: So that recovering it, I ſhould not be one Penny the richer, or not recovering it, not a Penny the poorer; and ſo the wrong done by this Proceeding, whoſoever did it, is, as I conceive, more againſt the King and the Church than againſt my ſelf. And if the Proviſo for Sir George Ayskue carrieth this Biſhops Court to him from the Church, which in my underſtandcontrary to the very words of the Act, pag. 72. Let him pray that he hath it not with that Sauce which God preſcriPſal. 83. And ſo I end, and ſo be it, as God pleaſeth, Amen.
And after I had delivered this ſame Relation unto his Majeſty, and ſhewed the Effect and ſum thereof, by the next day I gave him this Petition.
THat your Petitioner hath cauſed five of the Tenants of Sir George Ayskew to be twice Indited for a forcible Entry upon the Houſe and Lands of the Biſhop of Oſſory, and yet your Petitioner with the Expence of above 60
l. could not prevail to have them pu300
l. Damages.
May it therefore pleaſe your Majeſty to write to the Duke of Ormond, or to the Parliament, to ſee that the former Proceedings may be reviewed, and that your Petitioner may be relieved according to Juſtice.
And my Lords Grace of Canterbury very graciouſly, and like a moſt Religious Father and Countenancer of the Fathers of the Church, going with me to deliver it to his Majeſty, and to let him underſtand the ſubſtance of it, ſaid, here is the good Biſhop of Oſſory (ſo his Grace was pleaſed beyond my Deſarts, to ſtile me) that hath a very reaſonable Petition to your Majeſty, and telling him the ſum of it, his Majeſty, like a moſt Pious King, moſt graciouſly anſwered, I will do it with all my heart: and my Lords Grace ſent for Secretary Benet, and he drew me this his Majeſties Anſwer the next day.
HIs Majeſty is graciouſly pleaſed effectually to recommend the Conſideration of this Petition to his Grace the Duke of Ormond, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to the end his Grace may forthwith take care, to ſettle and eſtabliſh the Petitioner in his Right, and that ſuch who diſturb him may be puniſhed according to Law.
I know not what more I could have deſired; his Majeſty heremore then I deſired: And when I was very willing to have given 5
l.
in Gold for Sir Henry Bennets Fee, that moſt Courteous Gentleman, Mr. Quod-dolphin, ſaid, I ſhould not pay one penny, but Sir Henry would lay that upon the Church, and my Lord of Canterburies ſcore: So fairly, and ſo friendly was I uſed at his Majeſties Court: The Lord bleſs them, and reward them for it; and grant them alwaies the like Favour a I found with them.
And when I came with his Majeſties Reference to my Lord Duke of Ormond, I found his Grace, as honourable, and very gracious in his Anſwer and Direction to me; but, when his Grace referred the Petition (that I drew to his Grace, to do as his Majeſty directed) and his Majeſties Reference, to the Council-Table, I muſt acknowledge, that I feared the ſucceſs, and ſo it happened according to my fear; for when I was called beno Lawyer, but he left the Matter to them, to inform me, what was to be done according to Law; and my Lord Chancellour ſaid, that both my ſelf, in my Relation, and my Lawyers and Counſel confeſt, that the Judges did act, and their Proceedings were according to Law; and therefore I muſt even begin again, and it was my beſt courſe to proceed according to Law; and I anſwered, if all this in my Proceedings were Law, I pray God ſend us a better Law; for I ſhewed the whole Proceedings to his Majeſty, and to divers of the Judges of England, and they ſaid, this was a fair proceeding indeed, to ſet up a man of ſtraw, and then ſhoot at him, to
falſe Indictment to the Court, and then quaſh it; for I proved it in the open Court (by the Confeſſion of the Clerke of the Peace, that brought the true Indictment with him to the Court, and acknowledged that the other was falſified, eitruſted to write it, or by ſome other, he knew not who:) that the Indictment brought to the Court, was not the true Indictment, that was found by the Jury; and ſo without any more words, my Lords Grace ſeemed to me very graciouſly to ſmile, and ſo I was diſmiſt.
Geo. Ayskue finds in every place againſt me, may produce no good effect.cauſe that moved me to fear the ſucceſs I ſhould have at the Council-Table, not Injuſtice, that I mean not. I know that they are juſt, but that the Juſtice I ſhould have, would not be to my advantage, and the favour that I deſired: For when I ſtill indforcible Enterers, and ſtill proceeded againſt Sir George Ayskues Tenants, he preCouncil-Table, about this Lordſhip of Biſhops Court; and I hearing of it, conceived that before any thing ſhould be done thereupon, I ſhould have the favour to be made acquainted with the ſame Petition, that I might anſwer it, but I could hear nothing of it, until a little while after, ſome of the Biſhops, by reaſon of the power to my L. Lieutenant and Counſel given by the laſt Proviſo in the Act of ſettlement, fearing that they would alter and retrench ſome of his Majeſties Favours and Additionals granted unto them, by the ſaid Act, petitioned that they would not do ſo, but leave all things that concerned the Biſhops, statu quo, as they are expreſſed in the Act, without Alteration or retrenchment; and my Lord Lieugranted their Petition; but with this only Proviſo, that Sir George Ayskues right might be preſerved, that is, as I conceive, againſt all the Biſhops, for that none is named; and this Proviſo, of all the men in Ireland, is but only for Sir George Ayskue, and of all the Biſhops in Ireland, it ſeems by all likelihood, only prejudicial to the Biſhop of Oſſory: Which notwithſtanding, if the laſt Proviſo in the Act of Settlement, be well underſtood and rightly followed, can be no prejudice to him at all, as I conceive it; for that the Power given to my Lord Lieutenant and Counſel by that Proviſo, is as I underſtand
to alter and retrench any thing, in part or in whole, which they ſhall find either contrary to his Majeſties Declaratiinconſiſtent with,general ſettlement of the KingOſſory, to enjoy his own Houſe and Lands, where the Biſhops uſed to live and reſide, cannot be contrary to his Majeſties Deinconſiſtent with the general ſettlement of the Kingdom. And therefore I humbly conceive, that my Lord Lieutenant and Counſel have no power by that Proviſo granted unto them, to take away his Majeſties Grant and Favour to the Biſhop of Oſsory, and to ſettle the ſame upon Sir George Ayskue; eſpecially if his Majeſty was deceived in his Grant to Sir George Ayskue, as I verily believe he was; for his Majeſty grants him the Lands ſetled upon him for his Service in Ireland; and I have ſearched and examined the Matter as much as ever I could, and yet could never find nor underſtand what Service he had done in Ireland, that deſerved to carry away the Houſe and Lands of the Biſhop of Oſſory, or indeed of any Service, that he did in Ireland at all, either for King or Parlia
And if for all this, he carries the Biſhops Houſe away, I will ſing, Mopſo Niſa datur: and ſeeing how many of the Biſhops Houſes and Lands, that were by an Order of the Houſe of Lords, delivered to my poſſeſſion by the Sheriffe of the County, and were peaceably in my Tenants poſſeſſion, and paid me Rent ever ſince his Majeſties happy coming in, were given away, while I was in London, Petitioning about this Cauſe, and could not be at Dublin, to anſwer them that ſued for them, nor dreamed of any Suites againſt me, and being not able in mine old Age (eſpecially ſeeing what Pains, Charge, and Succeſs I have hitherto had with Sir Geo. Ayskue) to follow ſo many Suits, againſt ſo many men, ſo powerful as they are, in the Courts of Juſtice, at the Council-Table, and in all places, I will like Balaams Aſſe, ſo unjuſtly beaten, lie down under my burden, too heavy for me to bear, and call and cry to God to ariſe and maintain his own Cauſe, and the Cauſe of his own Son Jeſus Chriſt.
Yet in this Suit, betwixt me and Sir Geo. Ayskue, becauſe I have taken ſo much paines, and ſpent ſo much Money, (and ſpeciabhor, that any manG. Ayskue, but whoſoever he be.Beaſt and Long Parliament, againſt that Moſt Pious King, and my Moſt Gracious Maſter, Charles the Firſt, ſhould carry away the Houſes and Lands, that Religious Princes have dedicated for the HonoJeſus Chriſt, for the Reward of that wickedneſs) I reonce more to enter into the Liſt, to follow my alwaies veSucceſs with him, by the Verdict of an honeſt Jury, and LindiGeo. Ayskue, for a forthird time; and I had ſix Counſellours help, to draw and compoſe the Indictment, and ſo to review it, and correct it, if any thing was amiſs therein, that, being found Billa Vera by the Jury, it might ſo ſtand good, and not be quaſhed, as my two former Indictments were, by the Judges of the Kings Bench.
And the 6 forcible Enterers being indited, for fear leſt the Record ſhould be falſified, and corrupted, as the former indireincloſed in a Letter ſealed up, by my man, to his Agent in Dublin, to be Office, which mine AdverſaSantree, and was objected as a Piaculum;
Lord Chief Juſtice ſaid upon the Bench, that my Lord Biſhop had abuſed the Court, to whom I replied, that I had not abuſed the Court, for that I had ſet down nothing but the Truth, and was as Ioah as any man, to offer the leaſt Abuſe to any of his Majeſties Courts, or Judges of his Courts; And after my Lord Chief Juſtice and my ſelf had conferred together, I found him my very honourable Friend, and I retained three of the Kings Counſel to follow the ſaid Cauſe for his Majeſty, and the Counſellours of the Fanaticks failing to quaſh the Indictment, my Lord Chief Juſtice told them, they muſt either ſubmit, or be bound to proſecute their Traverſe; and they became bound in 200
l.
to proſecute the ſame upon the 10th. day of
May. And when, upJury were ſworn,Canaanites, but Cathariſ
) they are ſprung. Who and what my Witneſſes proved,viz. William Baker of Ballytobin, John Purſel of Liſmore, William Baxter of Earlstown, Iſaac Jackson of K
of Ri
of Ballyneboly, Nicholas Pharoe, Thomas Tomlins of Liſmoteag, Chryſtopher Render of Fadenarah, John Nixon of Brawnebarn, William Cheſhire of Thomas Huſwife of Gowran; good men and true, or neither good men nor true.
1. I brought in evidence, Mr. Sheriff Reigly (who was the Sheriff that gave me poſſeſſion) and Mr. Connel (and Hugh Linon, that was thought needleſs) to prove my poſſeſſion given by the Sheriffe of the County of Kilkenny, by vertue of an Order of the Houſe of Lords, of this Lordſhip of Biſh. Court & the Lands thereFreſhfoord, as it was exShedule annexed to the Order of the Lords, upon the 29th day of April, 1662. and that the Tenants did atturne Tenants, and gave pieces of money in earneſt of their rents, and promiſed to keep the poſſeſſion, and to continue Tenants unto me during my pleaſure.
2. Mr. Thomas Bulkley, Mr. William Williams, Thomas Davies, and my ſelf proved the multitude of perſons, to the numOctober, 1662. were entred into the ſaid Biſhops Court, and there forcibly kept the poſſeſſion againſt the Biſhop, and ſome (one with a ſword by his ſide, and a ſtaff or Cane in his hand, and another with a long ſtaff in his hand) threatned that they would make him repent his doings and coming there, and that Sir George Ayskue would ſpend 500 li. before he would leeſe this Biſhops Court, and that Captain Burges ſaid, he would keep and uphold the poſſeſſion for Sir George Ayskue with his life and fortune; and others, having ſhut the Iron Grate, to hinder the Biſhop to go out or his Servants to come in, when his Servants demanded, what they meant, to murder their Lord? And deſired to come in, to wait upon their Maſter, they threatned them, and ſaid, that if they ofto come in there, they would beat them down, and knock out their Brains.
Richard Marſhal, Mr. George Farre, Mr. John Murphey, and Ed. Dalton, (that proved how he was thruſt out of the houſe by head and ſhoulders) proved the forcible entry, with arms and weapons, a Gun, and a Pike, and Staves, into ſome of the Tenements in Freſhford; and that for nine daies, they kept the ſame with ſuch a company of Fanaticks, Anabaptiſts, and other Sectaries, that they ſeemed rather to be a Garriſon, than the keeping of the poſſeſſion of any houſe.
And after nine daies they bound George Farre and others in a bond of a thouſand pounds that they ſhould continue true TeGeorge Ayskue, and keep the poſſeſſion for him againſt the Biſhop of Oſſory.
And becauſe the ſaid George Farre proved this point ſo fully and ſo plain, that nothing could be ſaid againſt it; one of the Fanaticks Counſellours ſaid, what I conceive was very unfit to be ſpoken, in ſo publick a place, and before ſuch honourable Judges of any of the Kings Witneſſes, that this man, the principal of the Witneſſes, was a parricide, which I dare juſtifie to be moſt untrue.
4. For impounding the Cattle, and beating and wounding them that ſought to hinder it, the ſaid George Farre proved the ſame ſo fully, and that one of the women, that was beaten, lay long ſick after her beating, that Sir Audley Mervin and Serjeant Gruffith would not ſuffer three other Witneſſes, that I had there at the Bar, that is, John Duran, Barbara Marſhal, and another Wench, to be ſworn and examined, and ſo to trouble the Court any further; becauſe ſaid they, you ſee the Lords Justices, and the whole Court, are ſufficiently ſatisfied, that I had more than abundantly proved the forcible entry, and detaining of this BiIntruders Counwhat they could for their Clients.
And when each one of them had made his Oration, and ſpent much time, and my Lord Chief Juſtice heard them, with a great deal of patience, to prove what I never denied, but was ready to confeſs all that they ſaid, touching the large Writings and EviTitle and Intereſt of Mr. Robert Shea to this Biſhops Court, which at this time, when
forcible entry, I had no reaſon to conforfeited the ſame unto his Majeſty.
But for Sir George Ayskue, that for his Service,George Ayskue came to have this Biſhops Court.Commiſſion from the Uſurper Crummel, that for 200 li. which was due unto him for ſome Service that he had done, as I am informed, the Commiſſioners ſhould allot him ſo much Lands, as they thought worth 200 li. and they out of favour to him, and getting Lands ſo cheap as they did, gave him this Biſhops Court, and ſo much more other Lands, as are now far better worth than 200 li. per annum; his Counſel ſaid never a word touching his Title and Intereſt; for he injoyed it not peaceably and quietly, but only during the time of the Rebellion, and Uſurpation, (which I conceive to be no true Poſſeſſion,) for as ſoon as ever his Maſo happily reſtored before one year had gone about, I ſent to enter upon it, and to diſtrain for my Rent, and Captain Burges, Sir George Ayskues prime Tenant, gave me a Writing, which I have to ſhew, under his hand, to become anſwerable unBiſhops Court and Freſhfoord, when I ſhould be peaceably ſetled in it.
So when theſe ſix Counſellours had ſpent their ſpirits in tyworthy Judges, and beating the ſoft air, to no purpoſe, but only (like thoſe Fanatick Preachers, that read their Text, and never touch it after) to amaze the ſimple and—Jury which I may juſtly term — for that I am confident, the moſt of them were reſolved what to do before ever they heard the Evidence: My Counſel, that were Sir William Dunvil, the Kings Atturney, Sir Audley Mervin
John Temple, the Kings Sollicitor, Sergeant Gruffith, and Mr. Rian, all very worthy men, and worthy to be named, thinking it no wiſdom in them, as one of themſelves told me, nor any waies beneficial, either to the King for his Fine, or to me for the Poſſeſsion, to follow thoſe extravagant Counſellours in their devious waies, and to anſwer their needleſs diſcourſes, ſo far from the point in queſtion, as beSheas Title, and no waies touching nor contraforcible entry, were very ſilent, and ſaid never a word
adverſe Counſellours had ſaid, but left the Eviexplained to the Jury by the Judges, who had ſo exactly examined them, and ſo patiently heard what both ſides could ſay: for which, ſome of the adverſe Counſellours, and ſome of my friends blamed them very much, for making no manner of replication at all to Sir George Ayskues Counſel. But truly I do conceive, that digitus dei erat hic, that as he openeth the mouth of babes and ſucklings to ſhew forth his praiſe, ſo he ſhuts the mouths of the Wiſe and Learned, when it pleaſeth him, as here he did, for the trial of this Jury, whether they would be true and honeſt, that, being foundBelſhazzar, weighed in the balance and found too light.they are, they might be made an example (which he knew I would do, to the uttermoſt of my power) for all other Juries, to terrifie them from falſhood and wrong, to the great benefit of the whole Kingdom, which, without ſome ſevere cenſures upon ſuch high Offenders, would rather prove to be a Den of thieves than a ſeat of ſafety for honeſt men, that were beſt (if — Juries may ſtill do what they liſt) to obey the voice, which cried in the air, at the Siege of Hieruſalem, Migremus hinc.
Then my Lord of Santry, that is, my Lord Chief Juſtice, ſeeſilent, began moſt nobly, rightly, and truly, as a moſt upright Judge, and like himſelf in all his judgements, told the Jury, that for the title and matter of Law, and the Intereſt of either in this Biſhops Court, it was not in their charge to inquire of it, but they, that were the Judges of the Law, and of the right intereſt were to do it, and would do the ſame, when my Counſel ſhould move for the poſſeſsion, but they were, for the King, to enquire only of the matter of fact and force; whether after poſOrder of the houſe of Lords, and the Biſhop continued his poſApril to the eighth of October,
Diſſeiſor, yet was he not forcibly put out, and kept out of the ſame? This was their only charge, to inquire after: and for this, ſaid my Lord Chief Juſtice, you ſee what is proved; a multitude of perſons, ten or twelve at the leaſt, when as one may make a forcible entry; you heard alſo, ſaid he, what weapons they had, Gun, Pike, Sword, and Staves; and you heard what threatning
words they uſed, that they would make the Biſhop to repent his coming there; that they would knock down his Servants and beat out their brains if they attempted to come in; and you heard likewiſe how they had beaten and wounded thoſe Servants, that ſought to hinder them to impound their Cattle; and all this, ſaid my Lord Chief Juſtice, makes the forcible entry plain, ſo that you need not ſtand upon it. So juſtly and ſo fairly did my Lord of Santry deal herein, without either fearing or favouring the one or the other.
So the Jury was diſmiſt; and all that heard the evidence,
Chief Juſtice ſaid, would have laid, ſome twenty to one, ſome forty to one, and ſome a hundred to one, that the Jury would not ſtand upon it, but preſently find the Verdict for the King. Yet they brought their Verdict for the Defendants.
And as I am informed, all the Grave and Reverend Judges wondred, and were diſcontented at their Verdict;Star-Chamber.
And if ſuch men, that formerly moſt of them were againſt their King, be thus permitted, to drive men out of houſe and home, and forcibly to enter into their poſſeſſion, though they ſhould be Peeres of the Realm, which is a violence offered unto the Law, and a pe
the next degree, and fore-runner of rebellion againſt their King himſelf; and when any oppreſſed and expulſed man ſhall with a great deal of pains and lavast expence of money, and an indictment upon indictment, thrice over, bring the ſame to a travers, and they, the Jury, without any Conſcience, contrary to all juſtice, and contrary to all their evidence, and the plain Declaration and Judgement of the Lords the Judges of the Court, and of the whole Court, ſhall do what they pleaſe, and ſay, Quod vol
what we do is Law, without any ſpeedy remedy againſt them, to the utter undoing of many poor oppreſſed men, who had better ſuffer any, the greateſt wrong, than ſeek
Exceſſit medicina modum.
ſuch a way, whereby uſura ſuperat ſortem, and the ſeeking of a Remedy ſhall ſo far exceed the Diſeaſe, I know not with what ſafety, either of Life, State, or Fortune, (which are all in the power of the Juries, to determine of them) any man can live in this Kingdom.
For here, (eſpecially in the County of Kilkenny,) where that perfidious Rebell and Traytor Axtell planted his Colony, ſuch a multitude of Anabaptiſts, Quakers, and other worſer Sectaries,Engliſh Rebellion, were broken Citizens and Tradeſmen, Taylers and Tinkers, Shoomakers and Coblers, Plow-men, and others, the like, men of no fortune, thought to raiſe themſelves by the Iriſh Wars, and having ſome Arrears of Pay due unto them, go Orders to ſet out Lands unto them for the ſame, and the Kingdepopulated and waſted, and made a Wilderneſs withLands were of nothing worth, and they had what Lands they pleaſed, and as much as they pleaſed, for their Arrears; for ten pounds as much as is now worth a hundred pounds a year; and for a hundred pounds as much as I will give a hundred pounds per annum.
Theſe men, that followed Axtells Religion, and were of his Plantation, being mounted up on Cock-horſe, to be ſuch great E
(the Iriſh Proprietors being, for the moſt part, drimoſt part, the principal Jury men and ſo the Judges of our Lives, Lands, and For
And they, conſidering their own intereſt to be alike, in the Lands, both of the Church, of the Iriſh, and of all, from whomſoever they hold it, do ſtick and cling together, like ſworn brethren, or rather like forſworn wretches, to defend and maintain each others Title and Intereſt in the Lands, that each
one holdeth, both againſt Clergy and Laity, God or the King, be the ſame right or wrong, they will not loſe their lands.
And they do incourage each other thus to continue in their wickedneſs, ſaying, that they got their Lands with the loſs of their bloud, and the hazard of their lives; and therefore, to get the King ſome ſmall fine, whereof he ſhall have but the leaſt part of it, and be but very little the better for it, and to diſpoſſeſs their own fanatick Party, and give the Lands unto their Enemies, eſpecially unto the Biſhops, whom of all others they hate moſt of all, and Biſhop Williams above all the reſt, as he that hates their former Rebellions, and their now practices, more than any man elſe, they will never do it: though they hazard the loſs, both of body and ſoul.
Indeed, for the Biſhop of Oſſory he underſtands their malice towards him, well enough, (I pray God forgive them) ſo great, that, were it not for ſome honeſt, and truly religious Iriſh GenCatholick Religion, I profeſs that I durſt not live amongſt theſe, that formerly warred againſt their King, and if the truth were known, do as I believe, as little love their preſent King, as they do much hate our Church, and the Biſhops of our Church: when as they that hate their Biſhops, cannot be ſaid to honour their King, as I have moſt fully ſhewed in my Grand Rebellion.
And therefore I went unto his grace, my Lord Lieutenant, and related to his Grace the Verdict of the Jury, plain contrary to their evidence and the Declaration of my Lord Chief Juſtice, and the Judgement of the whole Court; and therefore did moſt humbly deſire his Grace, to give me leave to go for England, to diſpatch ſome neceſſary occaſions, and to ſignifie unto his Majeſty, that, if there were no Court of Star-Chamber here, nor any other proviſion made, to puniſh all perjured Juries, and all high Tranſgreſſors of the Laws and hainous offendors, that defines, juſtly due unto him, and his Subright, we, the true Proteſtants, and his Mloyal Subjects, were not in ſafety, nor able to live among ſuch Confederates of wickedneſs; but muſt, as King Boco ſaid to the Senate of Rome, depart thence, leſt the ire of the Gods,
graciouſly anſwered, my Lord, the Bill for a Star-Chamber is already arawn, and ſent to his Majeſty to be ſigned, and will ſpeedily come down, to paſs the Houſes, and then ſuch Malefactors may be fully puniſhed ac
And I proteſted, and do proteſt, that I would be with the firſt, that would do my uttermoſt endeavour, to puniſh this Jury, and all falſe and forſworn perjured Juries, and the like high Tranſgreſſours, that concern me whatſoever. For,
It is moſt certain, that Impunitas peccati invitat homines ad malignandum;
Solomon ſaith, becauſe the puniſhment is deferred, the hearts of the children of men are altogether ſet, to do evil; and my Divinity aſſureth me, that to puniſh a perjured perſon, and a tranſcendent Tranſgreſſour of the Law, is as acceptable unto God, as the relieving of the Oppreſſed; becauſe that hereby we do our beſt that thoſe, which will not be perſwaded by good Counſel to be honeſt, and vertuous, may be forced with ſtripes, to do their duties, or at leaſt terrified from being ſo vicious, for that as St. Bernard ſaith, Qui non vult duci debet trahi.
And therefore, with what means that God hath given me, I will with his aſſiſtance, do my beſt, to repair Gods Houſe, to relieve the Diſtreſſed, and to puniſh the Perjured, and the Oppreſſors of Gods People; and the rather, becauſe that here, in the parts, where I live, I have ſeen, in three or four years, more forcible Entries, Riots and Oppreſſions than I have ſeen in England, or Wales, that might be thought a little more wild than England in all my life, ſo that a Stranger, might rather think it a Country of Robbers, Tyrants, and Oppreſſours, much like unto Albion, when Brutus entred it, than a Country where with ſafety he might dwell amongſt them; for I do prohoneſt Iriſh, that are not all of my Refurther me, incourage me, and protect me, in Gods ſervic
and the advancement of Gods Church, I had rather live a poor Curate in my own Country, than a Biſhop among ſuch a company of Crumwellian Anabaptiſts,
theſe parts, and the wind of his Majeſties happy Government, and the prudent care of my Lord Lieutenant, hath driven them,Church Papiſts in Queen Elizabeths daies, to come within the Pales of our Church; and yet are as falſe-hearted, if the ſame might be ſeen, both to the King and the Church of Chriſt, as ever they were in Crumwells daies; as I conceive it to appear, by the oath of one of my Witneſſes, that ſwore he heard the Captain of theſe forcible Enterers, that I indicted, incouraging his followers, to keep the poſſeſſion for Sir George Ayskue, and to aſſure themſelves, things ſhould never be quiet untill they returned and come again as they were before; which was a ſtrange ſaying, as I underſtood it.
Yet I would not have my Reader here to think, but that as the Scripture diſtinguiſheth betwixt the ſeed of the woman and the ſeed of the Serpent, the Children of God and the Sons of Belial, ſo I do here in no waies prejudice, nor think the leaſt evil of the true-hearted Engliſh and true Proteſtants, the worthy Genmany in theſe parts; but I make a great deal of difference betwixt them, ſo much, as that I do as much love and honour the one, as I do hate and abhor the doings and wicked
So you may ſee, what it is to live in Ireland,
Terras Aſtrae
Anabaptiſts and other Sectaries, worſe than Pagans; and how it is my Fortune to feel the brunt, and taſte the poyſon of their Malice, to publiſh the ſame to all poſterities: God deliver his Servants from them. Amen.
ANd now, untill I ſhall ſee whether the Star-Chamber will think it Juſtice, as I do, that this — Jury ſhould bear all the damage that I ſuſtain by their Verdict, and which I ſhould have recovered upon the forcible Enterers, if they had gone according to their Evidence. I thought good to prefer this Peti
THat Juſtice is a vertue and grace moſt acceptable with God; yet your Petitioner hath been infinity injured, and your Majeſty likewiſe wronged:
1. By forcible Enterers that drove your Petitioner out of his houſe of Biſhops Court and Freſhfoord.
2. By a wicked forgerer of the Indictment of thoſe perſons, that were indicted for that entry.
3. By a packt Jury, that, when the forcible Enterers were three times indicted, by three ſeveral Juries, quitted them, contrary to their evidence, and the mind of all the Judges.
May it therefore pleaſe your Majeſty to cauſe that Juſtice may be done to your Petitioner, and that you would write to the Sheriff of the County of Kilkenny, that, as formerly he hath ſetled your PetiBiſhops Court and Freſhfoord, by vertue of an Order of the Houſe of Lords, ſo he would now ſettle him in his right and poſſeſſion of the ſame by vertue of an Order from your Majeſty.
And your Petitioner doth here promiſe, and ingage himſelf to God and to your Majeſty, that, as he beſtowed about four hundred pounds already, ſo having the four hundred pounds per annum, that your Majeſty granted, ſetled upon him, according to the Act of ſettlement, pag. 71, & 72. he will lay out a thouſand pounds more to repair the flat fallen, formerly fair Cathedral Church of St. Keny.
Ireland in former times was very famous and glorious for many things eſpecially for Piety, and neighCharity, and bounty of the people one towards another, as it appeareth by the rare and many many Edifices of Churches and Monaſteries, endowed with ample means and revenues, dedicated for the honour of God, and the ſervice of Jeſus Chriſt; all to be ſeen at this very day: for which cauſe it was wont to be admired and applauded, and by the bordering Nations, that obſerſedulity in pious works, and neglect of worldly pomp, when, as the holy Patriarchs lived in Tents, ſo moſt of them were contented to lie in Booths, and poor earthly Cabins, or houſes made of Earth, that they might build to God houſes of Marble, moſt ſumptuous and glorious; and that they might be the better able, to beſtow the more, to adorn and beautifie the houſes and Temples of God; it was called, and not amiſs, Eccleſia Sanctorum, the glorious Church of holy Saints; that aimed only to go to heaven.
But now ſince the unhappy time of that potent K. H. 8. when Sacriledge, through his diſcontent with the Pope, about his diKatherine, Ut fama vagatur, began to get
upper hand, and to throw away Piety from the Church, and trample it under-foot, and cover it over with the Cloak of hypocriſie, and the vain ſhadow of no Religion, inſtead of the true ſervice of God, you may ſee reliquias danaum, the ruines of Troy, and in all places the carkaſs of Religion, lodged in the thrown-down walls of all the Abbies and Monaſteries, and moſt of the Cathedrals, and the other Churches of Ireland, that are now, as the Prophet ſaith, defiled and made heaps of ſtones, Pſal. 79.1.
For if you walk through Ireland, as I rode from Carlingford to Dublin, and from Dublin to Kilkenny, and in my Viſitation thrice over the Dioceſs of Oſſory; I believe that throughout all your travel, you ſhall find it as I found it, in all the waies that I went, ſcarce one Church ſtanding, and ſufficiently repairuined, and have only walls, without ornaments, and moſt of them withroofs, without doors, without windows, but the holes to receive the winds to entertain the Congregation.
And what a lamentable thing, and a miſerable-fight is this? If you ſay, that in the time of blindneſs the people were over zealous in building too many Churches, and thinking to merit much thereby: I ſay, that now, in the fulneſs of knowledge, and the Sun-ſhine of the Goſpel, they are too riotous to pull them down, and too negligent of Gods honour, and of the Peoples good, to waſte and ruinate ſo many Churches, and to let the people want them to meet together, to ſerve God; which will merit a worſe reward for them, than they ſhall have that built them.
You may remember, that when Moſes was to erect the Tabernacle, in the wilderneſs, within a deſart place, of no trade or traffick, and therefore not eaſie to get any wealth in it: Yet Moſes requiring their aide and free will offering to do the ſame; they were ready, and ſo willing, every man, beyond his power, to bring in their oblation in ſuch abundance, that Moſes was fain to tell them, they had brought enough, and too much: and therefore forbade them to bring in any more; he like a good man and juſt, being not deſirous to make any gain of their bounty.
And you may read in 1 Chron. 29.3.David reTemple built, what great proviſion he left for the erecting of it; and how Solomon his Son did moſt gloriouſly finiſh the ſame in ſeven years,all things neceſſary for the ſervice of God; and after that Nebuchadnezzar had deſtroyed it, the Jews under Zorobabel did moſt readily, beyond the ability of captived men, newly refree-will offerings towards the re-edifying of the ſame, which they finiſhed in the ninth year of D
Joſeph. lib. 11. c. 4.forty ſix years in building, from the ſecond year of Cyrus, who began it, accordnewly releaſed Jews, that had ſcarce taken root in the Land of Jury, and were but ſcarce ſeated, and unſetled in Jeruſalem, were not able to make this their Temple anſwerable in glory and ſumptuouſneſs, to that moſt rare and admirable Temple, which thoſe two mighty Kings, and Kings of all Iſrael, David and Solomon, had joyned their wealth and ſtrength together to make it a moſt glorious houſe, for the moſt glorious and Almighty God; therefore Herod, that was but an alien, an Idumean, knowing that great and glorious things are to be offered, aſcrigreat and glorious God, re-edified and finiſhed the ſame moſt ſumptuouſly in eight years,Joſeph. l. 15. c. ult.Joſephus writeth; and he built the ſame ſo exceeding excellent, and more admirable than the Egyptian Pyramides, that Cheops builded of rare Theban Marble, ſo that for the rareneſs thereof, the Diſciples ſhew it our Saviour Chriſt, ſaying, Maſter, ſee what manner of ſtones,
and what buildings are here.
And the Jews generally were ſo zealous of Gods ſervice, and ſo ready to build and erect houſes for his ſervice, that, beſides this glorious, great, and magnificent Temple, they had many Synagogues, that is, other leſſer houſes, like unto our Pariſh Churches, dedicated and conſecrated for the worſhip of God; and he was counted a very good man, and worthy of all love and reſpect, that had built one of theſe, as they tell Chriſt, that the Centurion was worthy to have that favour ſhewed him by Chriſt, as to
Daughter,
he had loved their nation, and had built them a Synagogue, that is, a houſe for the people to meet in it, to pray, and to ſerve their God in it.
And it is moſt likely, they began to build theſe Synagogues when the Tribes were ſetled in the Land of Canaan; becauſe the Ark, that remained in Shilo, and afterwards the Temple, that was erected in Jeruſalem,
diſtant from them that dwell in the remoteſt parts of the Land, that they could not come ſo often, as they would, unto it, therefore they built to themſelves Synagogues, to pray to God, and to ſerve him in them, inſtead of the Temple: for ſo we read that Moſes of old time, probable, I ſay, from their very firſt beginning of their ſethad in every City them that preached him, being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day: where, by the way, you may obſerve, that of old time, contrary to the conceit of our new Fanaticks, the reading of the holy Scriptures was accounpreaching of Gods word; though I deny not, but after it be read and ſo preached,
explained, as Chriſt did that place of Iſa. 61.1.
And you ſee they had theſe Synagogues in every City, ſo they muſt have as many Synagogues as there were Cities in all their Land;Sigonius writeth, that there were four hundred and eighty of theſe Synagogues in Jeruſalem; and the Scripture ſheweth that in other Cities and Provinces there were many other Synagogues, as in Galile, in Damaſcus, in Salamis, and in Antiochia: and Maymonides, one of their prime Doctors, ſaith, the tradition of their Elders was, that whereſoever ten Families of Iſrael were, they ought to build them a Syna
And ſhall the Jews, that were under the Law, and burdened with ſuch infinite Taxes and Ceremonies of their Religion, as were more than they were able to bear,
zealous, ſo religious, and ſo ready to part with their wealth and the beſt things they had to build ſo ſumptuous, and ſo gloriTemple, and ſo many Synagogues, to perform thoſe ſervices that God required of them, which notwithſtanding were but the types and ſhadows of that true Religion which we have, and
embrace it; and ſhall we, that have the ſubſtance of thoſe ſhadows, which they had, and the truth of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, which they never had, but in aenigmate, preached ſo clearly and ſo amply among us, and are freed from all the legal Ceremonies and Ordinances of the Law, be ſo cold and ſo careleſs as we are to repair the houſes of Jeſusr Chriſt? I fear then that theſe Jews ſhall riſe in judgment againſt us.
Nay, more than this, if you look into the ſtories of the GenGrecians, or Barbarians, that knew not God, but knew that there is a God which all men ought to worſhip; you ſhall find how zealous they were to build Temples and Oracles to their unknown Gods, that were no other than the devils, as the Oracle of Delphos, Amphiaraus, Hamonium, Dodonaeum, the Temple of Diana, at Epheſus, of Veſta, Ceres, Minerva, and other Goddeſſes of the Gentiles, and the many many Temples, that the Romans and other Nations built, to Jupiter, Apollo, Mars, and the reſt of their falſe and faigned Gods and Goddeſvery devils;
ſumptuouſly they erected and gloriouſly adorned and beautified thoſe houſes of theſe deceitful Oracles, and were ſo exceeding bountiful, almoſt beyond belief, in their oblations and donations, to theſe holy places, as they deemed them, as it appeareth in Herodotus,
Herodotus l. 1.ineſtimable value that Creſus ſent to the Temple of Delphos, and other Temples of thoſe Gentile gods.
And becauſe they knew no otherwiſe, but that theſe infernal devils were Celeſtial Gods, and ſo worſhipped them as gods, with Temples, Altars, Sacrifices, Prayers, and Oblations, dediproperly belong to the true and eternal God: therefore Horace ſaith to them that neglected the erecting and beautifying of theſe Temples, that belonged to theſe no Gods:
Horat l. 3. Ode 6.Imitator of this beſt Lyrick Poet thus excellently tranſlateth, in this elegant Ly
Roman reſolve thou ſhalt deſertleſs taſtHeſperia many woes;Pacorus, and twice Manaeſes hand
And if by the judgment of this learned man they ſhall ſuffer for all the ſins and offences of their Fathers and Fore-faTemples, and raiſe the flat-fallen houſes of theſe gods, and beautifie the defiled Monuments and Sepulchres of their Heroes, and other noble perſons that were dead: What ſhame and what puniſhment do we deſerve, for ſuffering the Tombs and Sepulchres of our heroick Fathers, and the Temples, Houſes, and Altars of our good God and our ReJeſus Chriſt to lye ſo waſte, ſo ruined, and ſo defiled as they are here in this Kingdom of Ireland; for I do believe that of about 100 Churches that our fore-fathers built and ſufficiently endowed in the Dioceſs of Oſſory, there are not 20 ſtanding, nor 10 well repaired at this day.
Truly, I have done my beſt, beyond my ability, let Demas and the detractors ſay what they pleaſe, to repair the Quire of St. Kenny, and I have privately vowed, and publickly proteſted
God, to His Majeſty, and to the People, and I am contented to be bound in a bond of one thouſand pounds, that if the Biſhops Court and Freſhford, (that were given to the Church, and dedicated to God, for the ſervice of Jeſus Chriſt,) ſhall be reſtored to the Church, there ſhall not one penny, or penniworth, of all the rents, and profits thereof, be retained or transferred to me, or any of mine; but it ſhall wholly and fully be imployed and laid out for the raiſing and reparation of that Cathedral Church which the Lord hath now committed to my charge.
But if I ſhall ſtill ſee, as I have ſeen hitherto, that Rebels and Traytors that have been, (if ſuch as have fought under the Standard of the beaſt and Great Antichriſt, againſt their own King, to bring him to be murdered, may be ſo ſtiled,) ſhall be countenanced, furthered, and upheld, to carry away, and enjoy the Lands and Houſes of the Church, and ſo little regard had of that juſtice we owe to render unto God, what belongs to God, and leſs reſpect to the ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt than to the folin vacuum laboravi, I have laboured in vain; I have ſpent my ſtrength, my time, my means, and my money for nought, in ſeekwhat is Gods, and to the Church what of right belongs unto the Church, Liberavi animam meam, and I hope I may freely turn the leaf, and as God ſaid of the houſe of Eli, I ſaid indeed that the houſe of Eli,
and the houſe of his Fathers ſhould walk before me for ever: but now, ſaith the Lord, be it far from me. And ſeeing they had ſo far diſhonoured him, and ſo much prophaned his ſervice, it was juſt with God ſo to do.
And ſo I ſaid indeed, I would do my best, and I would beas I was able, and perhaps more than many would imagine, to repair the Cathedral Church of St. Kenny; yet now being diſappointed of my hope, and finding men preferring fleſh and bloud before the dictate of the Spirit of God, favouring thoſe, that have been rebels, before ſuch as are religious. Seeing I cannot build the Church of Chriſt, I have reſolved, to the uttermoſt of my power, to overthrow the Synagogue of Satan;
perjurers, and ſuch others, high tranſgreſwaſted and ruined as they are. And if this I cannot do, but that Scelera ſceleribus tuebuntur, one falſe and perjured Jury ſhall be defended, and protected, and juſtified by another falſe Jury; and one wicked oppreſſor excuſed by another the like oppreſad te domine clamabo, that we can have neither truth nor juſtice in the earth.
But to proceed to ſhew the miſeries of the Church of Ireland, though it be a very lamentable thing, and an unanſwerable argument of the decay of Piety, and of ſmall Religion in the nobleſt perſons, to ſuffer the houſes of God to lie as they do, for hogs and other beaſts to dig up the bones of holy Saints, it may be, the Fathers or Mothers of the now great Lords and LaEzekiel, Turn thee yet again, and thou ſhalt ſee greater abominations, Ezek. 8.6. ſo I ſay to my Reader: For,
Churches for his people to meet in to ſerve him, ſo he is without ſervants, enabled to do him ſervice, to praiſe his name, and to teach his people; and to have Churches and no Churchmen is to no purpoſe.
But why have we not ſuch Churchmen as are able to inſtruct Gods people?
I ſay, it is eaſily anſwered; that it is not ſo eaſie to get able, worthy, and ſufficient Churchmen, unleſs there were ſufficient means and livings to maintain them: for as Seneca truly ſaith, Sublatis ſtudiorum premiis ipſa ſtudia pereunt, where there is no reward for learning, there will be want of learned men, as one demanding why there were no Phyſitians in Lacedemon, anſwer was made, becauſe there was no ſtipend nor allowance ſet forth for the Profeſſours of that faculty; but as Martial ſaith to Flaccus,
But here in Ireland ſince Hen. 8.Ireland.
Abbies and Monaſteries that were as Univerſities to breed Schollars, and to ſend them forth to feed the flock of Chriſt, and gave the Revenues thereof, which were the Eccleſiaſtical Livings of the Church, unto his Nobility and lay Gentry, that ſpend the ſame, in many places, in hawking and hunting, and perhaps in ſome other worſer employments, the Church of Chriſt wanteth Schollars, and which is worſe, wanteth means to maintain thoſe Schollars, that otherwiſe would ſupply the defects of this Kingdom from other Ʋniverſities, if they ſhould have maintenance to ſupport them, and to ſupply their neceſſities.
If you ſay, Queen Elizabeth to make up the breach which her Father made, cauſed the Colledge to be built by Dublin, to breed up Schollars, to inſtruct the Natives.
I wiſh the Natives were bred therein, according to the Statutes and Inſtitutions thereof; but the Natives ſay, I know not how true, that the Engliſh by friends do carry away the places, and the Iriſh, as they loſt their Friends, and their Lands, and their ſtrength, ſo they loſe their right. But the truth is, that the whole Society of this Colledge cannot adequate, that number that the Priories and Monaſteries formerly bred; or if they could, yet the means and maintenance being alienated the Labourers cannot make up the f
when the ſtraw is taken from them, and they muſt run over all the Land, like the Iſraelites, to gather ſtubble, and to uſe other labour to maintain themſelves and their Families.
And to make this apparent unto my Readers, I have here ſet down all the Rectories and Vicaredges in my Dioceſs, and what Procurations, (beſides their Subſidies and twentieth part,
ought, to pay unto his Majeſty, and beſides many other Taxes, that muſt lye upon them,) they are to pay every year, to the Archdeacon, to the Biſhop, and to the Archbiſhop, every third year, and to the Primate, when he cometh to viſit them: and I have in my laſt Viſitation, with the help of my Archdeacon, Mr. Teat, and my Regiſter Mr. Conell, and two or three more of my graveſt Clergy men, ſearched, and inquired, as diligently as we could, what was the value, that every Living
communibus annis: and accordingly I have here ſet them down; that my Readers may themſelves judge, whether theſe many Livings, that each Clergy man holds, are more, or enough, Deductis deducendis, to make one competent Living, for worthy and able man, that will conſtantly reſide, and conſcionably preach unto Gods people.
1. The Dean and Chapter have ſix: that is,
Skaffin 3
s
4
d
Clontabrit 4
s
8
d
Rath-Logan 5
s
10
d
Bally Lorcan 4
s
8
d
Durho 13
s
8
d
Coulcaſhin 5
s
8
d
2. The Colledge of the Vicars have ſix: that is,
Diſart 11
s
Dromdelgney 8
s
8
d
Bally-bur 3
s
4
d
St. Martin 2
s
Kilkeyſe 4
s
Rath-Keran 1
s
8
d
The Cathedral 1
l
11
s
And the Colledge 19
s
Ormond, for himſelf and my Lady Duches have
Offerulam 12
s
Rath-downy 10
s
8
d
Glaſhard. q.Lawkil. q.Donnaghmoore 14
s
8
d
Kilmenan 5
s
Kilcolman 6
s
8
d
Donnoghmoore 6
s
8
d
Kilmocar 4
s
8
d
Donmore 5
s
8
d
Diſart 2
s
8
d
Rower 8
s
8
d
Knoctofer qPrior Jerpoint 15
s
4
d
Prior Kells 6
l
13
s
4
d
11
l
6
s
Iriſh. 8
l
9
s
6
d
ſterling. procurati
But I do underſtand that this pious and moſt honourable Duke doth moſt religiouſly (as it is ſaid of Arauna, All theſe things as a King did Arauna give unto the King, 2 Sam. 24.23.) intend to yield up, and to beſtow them all for the building of a Colledge in Kilkenny, to bring up Schollars for the ſervice of God, and the perpetual honour and glory of himſelf and the ſucceedcontinue his grace in that moſt godly reſolution: And let the God of heaven multiply his bleſſings upon him, to ride on with his homore and more.
4. My Lord of Upper Oſſory hath
Koolekerry 4
s
8
d
Aghamacartie 2
l
Calline and Caſhire 4
s
4
d
l
5
s
Iriſh.l
3
s
9
d
ſterling.
5. My Lord of Galmoy hath
Fartinageratgh 2
l
6. My Lord of Cavan hath
Thomaſtowne 15
s
Iniſteog 4
l and 15
s
Robert Foord hath
Killahie, and Kilbecocke, 6
s
8
d
8. Captain Holſey hath
Kilcolbin 5
s
4
d
Kilcoan and Kilbrit 5
s
q.
9. Sir Jo. Ponſonby hath
Fidown 6
s
8
d
10. Collonel Dillan hath
S. Keiran.
Capel: S. Nicolai.
11. Mr. Welch hath
Dunkitt 13
s
4
d
Roſenan 2
s
12. Archdeacon Bulkley hath
Bananagh
Kilferagh
Odogh.
Diſort. c. or. q.Tulloherin
And I did alwaies conceive, that no Churchman, that under
Kilkenny hath
Skirke.
Tubbrid brittaine 4
s
Maculli 18
s
6
d
Dromerthin 2
s
4
d
Fennell 6
s
Prior S. John 4
l.
14. The City of Waterford hath
Prior S. Katharin 6
l
8
s.
Prior. Kilkellihine 6
l
6
s
8
d
Portneſcolly.
beſt and the chiefeſt Livings, that are of any worth, or of any more within the Dioceſs of Oſſory: and as I ſhewed you, the Nobility, Gentry, and Cities do hold them from the Church, and do yield little or nothing for the ſervice of God in thoſe Churches, neither dare the poor Vicars and Curates, according to the Biſhops appointment, ask them any thing for the ſerving of theſe Churches; nor is it to any purpoſe for any Incumbent to ſue for any Tythes or rights that belongs unto his Church, for when he ſueth, and hath proved the truth of his Allegation, and to his great expences expecteth judgment, then preſently, upon a falſe ſuggeſtion, comes a prohibition, to ſtop all juſt proceedings in the Court Christian; which is the uſual and common practice againſt all the Chriſtian Miniſters in Ireland, when they ſue for any right; and which is the cauſe that the Chriſtians wanting Vicars and Curates, that will not undertake to ſtrive againſt the ſtream, or to labour in Gods Vineyard, and to want bread, our good God is thereby diſhonoured, the People uninstructed, and ignorance, ſuperſtition, and Popery, very like to continue ſtill
out amongſt them.
Partridge.
plain unto you, I will here ſet down a thing recenti memoria facta; A poor Miniſter, and very honeſt man, expelled by the Iriſh Rebels from his Livings, and plundered of all that ever he had, and kept out of all, (as we all were, by far more wicked rebels,) was lately reſtored and placed
Killahie; but Sir Robert Foord, having the impropriate Rectory, beſtowed the ſame with his Daughter to a very great rich man, powerful,Stopford.
Tenants to ſuffer the poor Vicar to have his Vicarial Tythes; that were not all worth five pounds per annum, becauſe they paid none for all the time of the Rebellion: therefore the poor Vicar ſueth for his Tythes, and by ſufficient. Witneſſes proved the payment thereof, before the Wars, unto the Vicar: whereſuch a Miniſter of my Dioceſs ſued the Tenants and Servants of Sir Robert Foord, that was a Privy Counſellour, and a great Parliament man, and therefore deſired me to ſtop the Suite: I anſwered, that I could not do ſo; for what if all the men in the Pariſh were the Tenants and Servants of Parliament men, and denied to pay their Tythes to the Vicar, ſhall the poor man be without his means, during all the continuance of the Parliament? So he may ſtarve for want of food, and the people periſh for want of inſtruction: Then he ſhewed me a writing under the hand and Seal of another Biſhop, that ſtopped the proceeding of a Miniſter in his Dioceſs againſt the Defendants, upon the Allegation and proof, that they were Tenants and Servants of Sir Robert Foord: And I anſwered, that I was not to guide my actions by the doings of other men, though reputed never ſo wiſe, but to do what I conceived to be juſt and honeſt without the fear of the greateſt man; and I anſwered him, there ſhould be nothing done in his cauſe but what was juſt; ſo we parted; and his Agents gave it out, that he would ſpend a hundred pounds before the Vicar ſhould have any Tythes there: and the next news that I heard was a Prohibition from the Chancery to ſtop the proceeding in the Court Chriſtian, which I conceive to be no furtherance of the Chriſtian Religion. And ſo M. R. Deane, Vicar of Callan, having ſued one for his right, in mine EccleProhibition to ſtop it; and ſo in many other the like cauſes. And how can a poor Miniſter, not worth five pounds in all the world, nor ſcarce cloaths to his back, when he
Purchaſe?
Religion, if all Impropriators ſhould thus deal with their Vicars, and all great men and powerful Pariſhipoor Parſons? Even as I am dealt withal; to ſpend above four hundred pounds to gain the rights of the Church: and to be not one jot the nearer to prevail, than I was the firſt day.
But to proceed; having ſeen how the beſt Livings are held and diſpoſed of, and how the poor Parſons, Vicars and Curates are commonly dealt withal,what Livings the poor Clergy men hold in their poſſeſſion, and of what va(deductis deducendis,) communibus annis, as by the inquiſition of three or four of the ableſt Clergy-men in my Dioceſs, with my ſelf, I have underſtood the ſame in my Viſitation; and thereby my Reader may underſtand the mean
Theſe be the reſt of the Livings within the Dioceſs of Oſſory;
able Miniſtery to ſupply all theſe Churches and Pariſhes as they ought to be, or that Popery ſhall be ſuppreſt, and the true Proteſtant Religion planted amongſt the people, by the unition of Pariſhes, and the diminution of Churches without any augmentation of their means? Credat Judaeus Apella, non ego.
But you will ſay, his Majeſty hath moſt graciouſly provided, and it is confirmed by the Act of Settlement, that a very ample augmentation is added to all the meaneſt Biſhopricks of Ireland, and he hath moſt royally and religiouſly beſtowed all the Impropriations forfeited to his Crown upon the ſeveral Incumbents, unto whoſe Churches they did belong.
I anſwer, That when God placed man in Paradice, the deſtraight and eaſie, Satan will ſtraight put rubbs and blocks in our way to ſtumble us: ſo, though I gave above fifty pounds for Agents money to follow the Churches cauſe, and ſpent above thirty pounds to procure a Commiſſion, to gain that augmentation, which his Majeſty was ſo graciouſly pleaſed to add unto the BiOſſory; yet preſently there comes a Superſedeas, to ſtop the proceeding of my Commiſſion,Augmentation or Agents, ſo much as one penny to this very day: and ſome devil hath put ſome great rub for a ſtumbling block in my way: untill God removes the ſame, and throws it where blocks deſerve to be. And though his Majeſtie hath been pleaſed to beſtow his Impropriations upon the Incumbents, yet my Lord Lieutenant and the Council thought it fit, to take forty pounds per annum out of thoſe ImpropriaDublin; and ſo by that means, the Clergy of Oſſory are not the better by one penny: that the Clergy might be like unto their Biſhop: for I find but four impropriations forfeited to his Majeſty, and beſtowed upon the Church in all the Dioceſs, and theſe beTeate, to the uttermoſt pitch
And to ſay the truth, without fear of any man, we are not only deprived of the Vicarial Tythes and offerings by the Farmers of the great Lords Impropriate Rectories, but our Lands and Glebes are clipped and pared to become as thin as Banbury Cheeſe, by the Commiſſioners and Counſel of thoſe illuſtrious Lords: for though his Grace, our moſt excellent Lieutenant, the Duke of Ormond, is (I ſay it without flattery) a man of ſuch worth, ſo noble, ſo honourable, and ſo religious, as is becompare, and for his fidelity, and Piety, and other incomin themſelves very noble and religious; yet as Rehoboam, in himſelf conſidered, was not ſo very a bad King, but had very bad Counſellours that did him a great deal of diſhonour and damage: ſo this moſt honourable Duke,Commiſſioners and Counſel, that, as well to make themſelves a fortune, as to enlarge their Lords revenues, will pinch the Parſons ſide, and part the Garments of Chriſt, betwixt themſelves and their Lords, as my Lord Dukes Agents have diſtrained and driven away my Tenants Cattel for divers great ſums of Chieferies, and challenged ſome Lands, that as I am informed, were never paid nor challenged within the me
And who dares oppoſe theſe men, or ſay unto them, Why did you ſo? Not I, though they ſhould take away my whole eſtate; for as Naboth had better have yielded up his Vineyard, than to have loſt his life, ſo I conceive it better to yield to their deſires quietly, than to loſe both my Lands and my labour by ſuch a JuUnjuſtly: whereof I have had experience, and a ſad proof non ſine meo magno malo. Yet,
very civil, and ſhewed themſelves very fairly conditioned, and religious both to my ſelf, and as I underſtand, to all other Clergymen; and I wiſh that all Noblemens Commiſſioners and Agents would be ſo
bleſſing and not a curſe upon them, and perhaps upon their Lords and Maſters,account to God for the ill carriages, and the oppreſſions of the poor by their ſervants, who diſhonour their Lords, and make them liable to Gods wrath for the wrongs that they do, to make them the greater, and ſo receive the greater condemnation: for great men muſt not only do no wrong themſelves, but they ought alſo to ſee, that none under their wings, and through the colour of their power and authority, do any wrong unto the poore.
But to deal plainly, and to ſhew what reſpect, favour, and juRebels and Long Parliament, which I have unanſwerably proved to be the Great Antichriſt, and had, for all their Reign, ſerved, duram ſervitutem, and ſuffered more hardſhip than any Biſhop, and uphappy reſtauration of our moſt gracious King, having ſpent above four hundred pounds to gain the Biſhops Manſion houſe, where Biſhop Bale ſaw five of his Servants kill'd before his face, and himſelf driven to flee to ſave his life, and which was given to Sir George Askue by Cromwel for his ſervice to the Long Parliament, I have fully ſhewed the favour and the juſtice that I had at the Kings Bench, though I muſt ingeniouſly confeſs my Lord Chief Ju
Then letting paſs the proceeding of the Court of Claim, that gave away the Lands and Houſes that were in my poſſeſſiLondon, though a chief Member of that Court promiſed that nothing ſhould be done againſt the Church untill I returned home, and acknowledging the civility and fair reſpect that was ſhewed me by my Lord Chief Baron,
per annum
Superſedeas to ſtop our way: but his Majeſties Atturney Sir William Dunvil, and Sir Audley Mervin, and the reſt of the Kings Sergeants and Sollicitors did ſo faithfully, ſo learnedly, and ſo religiouſly plead on his Majeſties behalf and the Church, (for which the God of heaven will reward them,) that they had the SuperFreſhford forfeited to the King, and worth a hundred pounds per annum; then coming to Dublin, to have my Commiſſion put upon the file, and to get a Pattent according to the Act and the Kings Grant to enjoy the ſame, after I had ſpent above a hundred pounds to bring the matter to this paſs, I received this anſwer, that my Lord DeSolomons Counſel to obCharles the Firſt. I ſhould not have needed to ſuffer ſo much as I have done, and ſo often to have troubled our now moſt gracious King; and to have ſpent near ſixty pounds for Agents money for the good of the Church; and above four hundred pounds to repair the Chancel of S. Keney, and in all above five hundred pounds to recover the Biſhops Manſion houſe, and Freſhford, from Captain Burges and Sir George Ayskue, and to be not one jot the nearer, nor one penny the richer for all this money that I have ſpent; nor have any more by one penny
But then after I received this anſwer, I preſently went to London, and preſented this Petition to his Majeſty.
THat your Petitioner hath ſuffered the loſs of all that he had, and the continual hazard of his life, during all the time of Cromwel and the Long Parliament, for his ſervice and faithful
That your Majeſty hath been moſt graciouſly pleaſed, to grant four hundred pounds per annum out of the forfeiOſſory; and that your Petitioner, being by the Sheriff put into the poſſeſſion of the former Biſhops Manſion houſe, calBiſhops Court, by vertue of an Order from the Houſe of Lords, and being forcibly driven out by the Tenants of Sir George Askue, whom your Petitioner hath therefore indicted three ſeveral times by three ſeveral Juries, yet after the exBiſhops Court to be a Fee-farme held from the Biſhop of Oſſory, worth by improvement a hundred pounds per annum, and forfeited to your Majeſty; yet, after the ex
And foraſmuch as it had been better for your Petitioner to have had nothing granted unto him, than after ſuch a vaſte exper annum; Your Petitioner humbly prayeth, that your Majeſty would be graciouſly pleaſed to write your Letters to the Lord Deputy to paſs a Pattent according to what the Jury found, and according to your Majeſties former Grant, and the Act of Settlement.
And his Majeſty did moſt graciouſly read it every word himſelf; and then ſaid, I will ſpeak to my Lord of Ormond to do it.
So whether I recover it, or not, Non hujus facio, I weigh it not a ruſh, for I hope my Saviour Jeſus Chriſt (whoſe SolliGeorge Askue, who made me, like Ixion, (that embraced a Cloud for Juno,) to ſpend five hundred pounds to hunt after a ſhadow, and to loſe the ſubſtance, and to have his Majeſties gracious Moſes Emphatical Prayer for Levi, and of Davids ProphetiGeorge Askue and the Biſhop of Oſſory ſhall receive for their ſervice to King Charles the firſt, I will ſay no more, but pray to God, as I do, both day and night, to be a juſt Judge betwixt me and them, that have oppoſed me, in this the Churches right, Amen.
So you have ſeen ſome part of the miſeries of the Church of Ireland, and all the Livings in my Dioceſs of Oſſory, and who holds them, and what they are deemed to be worth, communibus annis, unto the Incumbents: and this, together with the ſtate and condition of the Biſhoppricks in Ireland, which are now like Anthropophagites, eating up and devouring one anoOſſory, that ſtandeth yet alone like the trunke of a goodly Oake, without boughs, without leaves, without beauty;) when as many Biſhops here in Ireland have two or three Biſhoppricks apiece: As the Biſhop of Cork hath alſo Roſſe and Cloyne; the Biſhop of Limricke hath alſo the Biſhopprick of Kerry; the Biſhop of Waterford hath Lyſmore; the Biſhop of Laghlin hath the Biſhopprick of Fermes; the Biſhop of Dublin hath alſo the Biſhopprick of Glandelo; the Biſhop of Downes hath likewiſe Conner and Kilmore, whoſe Lands and Lordſhips the great Lords and GenJoh. 10.8. and they that received them were no betſoddered and conglutinated together, to make an honeſt competent means for one learned Biſhop. This I ſay ſheweth he miſeries of our Churches, and the difference betwixt the fruits that the purity of the Goſpel produceth
Piety of our forefathers that lived in the Primitive times, and afterwards under the manifold myſts and ſeveral Superſtitions of the Romiſh Church, when the Lands and revenues that they gave to God to maintain the Biſhop of Oſſory to do him ſervice, is nowper annum, and our zealour Goſpellers have brought iper annum; and I believe the other Biſhoppricks are not now and then much unlike it, and ſo we and our forefathers are not much unlike thoſe two Sons, whereof our Saviour ſpeaketh, whoſe Father ſaid unto the firſt, Go work to day in my Vineyard, and he ſaid, I will not, but afterwards he repented and went; and he came to the ſecond, and ſaid likewiſe, and he anſwered and ſaid, I go Sir, and went not: So our forefathers lived in the times of blindneſs, and knew not well what was acceptable unto God; yet they did to the uttermoſt of their endeavours and knowwe have his Truth, and his Will, his Goſpel, and his Merplentifully publiſhed, and poured forth amongſt us, and we do all that we can, to obſtruct his ſervice, and to evacuate the Religion of Jeſus Chriſt.
And therefore I do much fear that theſe blind Chriſtians, as our Gnoſticks contemptuouſly call them,judgment to condemn the great and quick-ſighted worldlings, and fruitleſs Chriſtians of our time: who, by their prophaneneſs and Sacriledge have ſo much hindered Gods Service, and cauſed our moſt holy Profeſſion to be ſo much blaſphemed, and ſlighted among Infidels and Pagans, and the reſt of the enemies of Je
But you will ſay, how can that be Sacriledge, or thoſe men blamed, that, for the reformation of the Church, took away thoſe things that were uſurped by the Pope, and abuſed by the Monks and Friers to uphold Maſſes and Dyrges, and to condiſhonour of God, and the hazard of many thouſand ſouls?
I anſwer, if a thief ſteals my horſe, wilt thou take it away from the thiefe, and keep it ſtill from me? Art thou any better
juſter in the ſight of God? So the Pope and his Popelings took away the Tythes and Oblations, the Lands and the Livings of the Church, and thou tookeſt them from the Pope and his Friers: And why doſt thou not reſtore them to the Churches, to the which they do belong? For, thou mayſt remember that when Nebuchadnezzar had, like the Pope, robbed the Temple of God at Jeruſalem, and abuſed the Veſſels thereof in the ſervice of his falſe God; and Belſhazar his Son had in like manner prophaned the ſame, by his laſcivious quaffing therein with his Queens and Concujuſtly puniſhed by the revenging hand of God, Dan. 5.3, 25. yet Cyrus, when he had taken Babylon, and ſo robbed the thiefe that had robbed God, and underſtood, that theſe holy Veſſels did belong to the Service of God in the Temple of Solomon, he durſt not meddle with them, to retain them for himſelf, but, leſt he ſhould be puniſhed for his SacriBelſhazar was, he commanded them to be carried to Jeruſalem, and to be reſtored to their former proprietors, and for their former uſe in the divine Worſhip of Almighty God.
And ſo ſhould Hen. 8. and thoſe Lords and Ladies, that have taken away the Revenues of the Church from the Pope, have reſtored them to the Proteſtant Biſhops, and the reformed MiS. Aug. ſheweth all the godly Emp did Ep 50 ad boDecree of the godly Emperours Honorius and Theodoſius againſt the Montaniſts in theſe words, If there be now any of the Edifices of the Montanists ſtanding, which are rather to be termed Dens of wild beaſts, than Churches of Chriſt, let them with their revenues, be appropriated to the Sacred Churches of the Orthodox Faith; and in the ſaid Code it is ſaid, let the Biſhops, Prieſts, and PreDonatiſts) be ſtript of all their Revelet thoſe poſſeſſions where Superſtition hath reigned, be annexed to the holy Catholick Church.
And good reaſon for it; for as the Ark of God, when it was taken and abuſed by the Philiſtines, yet did it not then ceaſe to be the holy Arke of God, and therefore when it was
reverenced, and to the ſame ends uſed by the Iſraelites as it was before; as were alſo the Veſſels of Solomons Temple, after their return from Babylon: So the Revereſtored again to the Church, as they ought to be, they have the ſame effect, notwithſtanding their former abuſe, to promote the ſervice of God, as they had before: For being once dedicated for Gods ſervice, they ought never be to alienated from it, as I have moſt fully ſhewed in my Declaration againſt Sacriledge; but, as thoſe Cenſers (whereuſurping the Prieſts Office, would needs offer Incenſe to God,) were hallowed; and therefore God would not ſuffer them afterwards, to be at any time employed for any common uſes, but combroad plates for a coNum. 16. and ſo the Braſs which thoſe Reabuſed, ſhould be religiouſly uſed by the true Prieſts for Gods ſervice: So the Lands and Revenues of the Church that were once hallowed, and conſecrated for Gods Divine Worſhip, though the Idolaters did abuſe them, and the Lay Lords uſurp them, yet God cannot endure, that being once in his poſſeſſion, and given for his ſervice, they ſhould be ſnatched out of his hands, and transferred to Lay and prophane uſes, but that, like thoſe Cenſers, they ſhould ever continue for the ſervice of his Altar; and ſo St. Augustine ſheweth as much in his 154 Epiſtle to Publicola.
And thus you ſee, how God is robbed, his Service neglected, and his Servants deprived of their means and maintenance, ſo that they can neither diſcharge their duties to God, nor feed the flock of Chrpeople committed to their charge; as they ought to do, and would no doubt do the ſame, if they were enabled to do it, which is a lamentable thing: and yet I can ſhew you a greater abomination, Ezek. 8.6. even in the Viſitations of theſe poor and pillaged Clergy-men: I rememtwofold viſitation, the one in mercy, to relieve the oppreſſed, to deliver the Captives out of their Captivity, as
Iſraelites in Egypt, and the like; the other in juſtice; to puniſh the malefactors, and the tranſgreſſors of his Laws, as he viſiteth the ſins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him; but wheViſitations of our Clergy-men be in mercy, or in juſtice, or whether it be pro correctione morum, or collectione pecuniarum, and refectione corporum, or both, I will not determine; I believe their firſt inſtitution aimed at our good, for the praiſe of them that do well, and the puniſhment of the refractory and evil-doers; but time and craft corrupteth the beſt things, and as the wicked turn the graces of God into wantonneſs, ſo covetous men and corrupt minds, do abuſe all the good inſtitutions of our Anceſtors; ſo the ſervice of the true God was, in time, tranIdols of the Gentiles; and ſo, I fear me, theſe Viſitations of the Clergy, that at firſt aimed at their good, and for their reliefe, are now become, in many places, an oppreſſion, and a heavy yoak upon their necks, and a burden ſcarce portable upon their ſhoulders: As
1. In the multiplicity of them,Archdeacon, he viſits, and gathers up his Procurations, perhaps all the money that the poor Clergy can procure; then comes the Biſhop, and he viſits, and the Clergy muſt now double their file, his Procurations being twice as much as the Archdeacons; then, every third year, the Archbiſhop comes about in his triennial viſitation; and if in either the Bifail, either in the payment of their Procurations, or making ſuch refections as ſhall be to the ſatisfaction of their Viſitors, their Livings may be ſequeſtred, and let them live as they liſt; and after all this, the Lord Primate, if he pleaſe, may come in the ſame year, to make a regal Viſitation; and he being ſo good a man, and coming from ſo good and ſo gracious a King, deſerves no leſs than the beſt; and the beſt entertainment, that can be made for his Grace is fit to be made for him; And can theſe many viſits, think you, be for the profit of the poor Clergy? But,
2.refections ſeem to be more burthenſome than the Procurations;
certain, what every man muſt pay, but the Refections (contrary to the mind of our Saviour, that ſaith unto his Diſciples, Into what houſe ſoever ye enter, eat what ſhall be ſet before you, Luk. 10.7.) muſt be to the ſatisfaction of the delicate and delicious company of the viſitors, and not according to the power of the poor Clergy; when they remember not the old Proverb, That the full dog knoweth not how, or what the empty dog doth bark; and if they be diſcontented with their entertainment, their Cenſures muſt be as they pleaſe, and none dares ſay, that it is unjuſt, or how can it be ſo from the men of God? Yet, as all powerful great men can eaſily find a ſtaffe to beat a dog: ſo the ſuperiour Biſhop or Archbiſhop can (if they pleaſe) ſoon find a fault in a poor in
Now I will ſet down (for I fear no man living,) what information I have by Letters from the laſt Viſitation of the Archbiſhop of Dublin, that was held in my Dioceſs of Oſſory, by his Surrogate Mr. Archdeacon Bulkley: and theſe be the very words of the Letters, that the World may thereby ſee, and the Judge of all the World may judge in what caſe the poor Clergy do ſtand.
IT pleaſed God a little after your journey to Dublin to take out of this life your Grandchild Mrs. Cull, who diſcovered much Religion on her death bed; and as ſhe wanted not atBarry the Smiths man, whom ſhe brought to lye in your Lordſhips houſe, whereupon there aroſe ſome quarrels between Thomas and her, inſomuch that Thomas ſate up a whole night with Candle-light for fear of the men, as he complained unto me, whereupon I charged the man not to lye at night time in your Lordſhips houſe till your Lordſhip did return; which hath prevented the like inconvenience
Bulkley, whom we waited on three miles to bring him into Town, he told us what noble refections he met with in the Dioceſs of Kildare, Leighlin, but that here he was reſolved to lodge at his Daughters houſe, he asked what Proviſion we had made for his Regiſter, we told him Mr. Connels houſe; when his Regiſter came to Town, though his men ſome of them and his Portmantle were in Mr. Connels houſe, he did not like his lodging, and complained to the Vicar GeWhitles, where we beſpoke a Dinner for his refection, which coſt ſix or ſeven pounds; but he refuſed, and every day we inDean and my ſelf, Mr. Cull, and Mr. Driſdale, upon which imporDriſdale, but Mr. Bulkleys awe upon Mr. Cull made him condeſcend to a great ſubmiſſion, and aske him forgiveneſs flexis genibus; the next day the Archdeacon told me, that if we would diſcharge his Servants quarters, he would take off the Inhibition upon the Juriſdiction, whereupon Mr. Connel and my ſelf engaged to diſcharge the Reckoning; and ſo we thought that all things had been ended in a fair corCull Junior, the Vicaredge of Aghaboe into the hands of one Manby the Archbiſhops Chaplain, he ſequeſtered out of my own poor means Donnoghmore and Roſconnel, and two Livings more of Mr. Cull Senior, and there were many other Sequeſtrations that I could not get an account
Dublin; Thus praying for your Lordſhips ſpeedy return to countenance and ſupport the Cler
And now having ſet down this Letter, I would have my Reader to underſtand that whatſoever I ſet down here, touchLords Grace his Viſitation, I ſay it not to accuſe any of his Officers of the leaſt fault, or to lay the leaſt blame on them for any unjuſt proceeding therein.
Bulkley in my Lords Grace his Viſitation, which the BiOſſory underſtands not, as 1. The ſuſpenrem gestam, to ſhew how heavy the Cenſure was, and how burthenſome (which a juſt judgement may be) unto the poor Clergy, whoſe neglect or fault, I excuſe not, if they committed any, but only pitty their caſe under their Cenſure; and likewiſe to ſhew how far, beyond my underſtanding, (which notwithſtanding might be moſt juſt) many things were acted therein; As,
1. The Suſpenſion or inhibition of the Juriſdiction, I know not for how many months together, nor for what cauſe, if as Mr. Teates Letter ſaith, for the neglect of the Archbiſhops Refection, I find the Canons ſay, that neither the Archbiſhops in their Viſitation ſhall charge their Suffragans, nor the Biſhops their Clergy, with any noctials or refections, over and above their ordinary Procurations, (reſerving notwithſtanding unto the Archbiſhops the refections heretofore uſually received in thoſe Dioceſs, where the ſame Procurations are not received by them, which are yearly paid by the Clergy unto their Biſhops.)
But the Archbiſhops do receive from the Clergy of the DioOſſory all the Procurations that they do yearly pay unto their Biſhops.
And yet notwithſtanding this exemption of Refections by the Canon, I am ſure I paid ſeventeen pound for the Archdeacons refection in the Archbiſhops laſt Viſitation, which is a great deal more than the Subſidy and twentieth part that I pay unto his Majeſty any year, and it may be more than ever was bePaul.
But you ſee in the Letter, how highly they do extoll the Biſhop of Kildare, which is the prime Biſhop in the Kingdom, for the noble entertainment that he made at this Viſitation, ſpending, as ſome ſay, forty pounds at leaſt for their Refection; and the Biſhop of Lachlin and Fernes in like manner, that was not much behind the former, to ſhew his love and reſpect to his MetrGrace of Dublin.
Truly, I do honour, reſpect, and reverence, and do heartily love my Lords Grace of Dublin, as a moſt noble Gentleman, and a moſt reverend and a worthy Father of the Church, and as much, and it may be more than any of them, and have ſuflarge expence for the rights of the Church darkened the expreſſion thereRefection, as the Archdeacon repreſen
Or it may be, as ſome ſay, my Juriſdiction (for the Juriſmine, and not my Archdeacons, nor Regiſter,) was ſuſpended becauſe I appeared not, at the Viſitation, but went to England without my Lords Grace his leave; eſpecially after I had notice of his Viſitation.
Indeed, I muſt confeſs, I went after I had notice of the Vionly buſineſs was the buſineſs of the Church, and I had my Lord Lieutenants leave, under his hand and ſeal, to go without any prejudice unto me; neither was I ſo forgetful of my duty, or of civil reſpect, as to neglect my Lords Grace, but I went unto his Grace to excuſe my abſence from his Viſitavery graciouſly yielded unto me.
And why, after ſuch leaves obtained, my Juriſdiction, which is half my Epiſcopal Function, ſhould be inhibited, I underBulkley ſaith, quomodo conſtat, that you had my Lords Grace leave to be abſent: I anſwer quomodo conſtabat, how did I know, that Mr. Archdeacon Bulkley ſhould viſite me, and would think me ſo uncivil, and ſo ill bred, as to forget my reſpect and duty to my Lords Grace, as to go away without his leave?
I, but why did not you, ſaith the Archdeacon, ſend a Certificate under the Archbiſhops hand, that you had his Grace his leave?
1. Becauſe I did not underſtand, that, if I were at Corke, or Kerry, or ſome other ſuch remote place from Dublin, it is abſolutely neceſſary by any Canon or Law, that I muſt either go or ſend to Dublin to get my Lords Grace his leave to go about my moſt unavoidable occaſions, of what conſequence ſoever they be, or elſe, to be ſequeſtred from my means, or to be ſuſpended from my juriſdiction.
2. Becauſe that, having his leave ore tenus, by word of mouth, I did not believe that Mr. Archdeacon would imagine, that a man ſhould not truſt the Archbiſhops words except he had it under his hand and ſeal, when as I never doubted of any honeſt mans word, and much leſs of the words of my Lords Grace of Dublin.
Yet the Juriſdiction was ſuſpended, as they ſay, for ſix months, till all the harveſt and the profit of the year ſhould be paſt over; and what a grievance this is, to all thoſe parties, that have ſuits depending in the Biſhops Court, to have juſtice retarded all this while, and to thoſe alſo, that would ſue for their Tythes, or for any other right within the cognizance of the Eccleſiaſtical Court, I do not underſtand it, but am ſorry for it: and let others judge of it.
Articles were exhibited unto me of high nature, againſt the Dean of S. Kenny, and I calling him into my Court, to anſwer them, and giving him his own time, that he deſired to have, to make his anſwer, that he might not be ſurprized, and this long before any inhibition of my Juriſdiction came into my
underſtand how the ſame ſuit, depending in my Court, could be taken off, but by an appeal, and tranſmitall the ſuits and cauſes depending in my Court might be cancelled and taken off, as well as this: and what a grievance is this, to the proſecutors of any ſuit, and of how much damage I cannot imagine.
3.Kilkenny came to be inſtituSequeſtred into the hands of Alderman Butler, and would neither pay the Fees for his Inſtitution, nor take a Relaxation of that Sequethis, and for many other prejudices, that concerned my ſelf, yet when divers of his Pariſh came unto me, and complained how duely they paid their Tythes and all duties unto him, and yet how roughly he uſed them, and how negligent he was of them, when as they had neither Service, nor Sermon, not Miniſter, to Chriſten their Children, Marry their Youths, and Bury their Dead, but they muſt go, and entreat this man or that man to do it, and that I could not perſwade him to have a better care of his Flock, nor to pay any Dues to his Majeſty, to my Lord Duke of Ormond, and the Biſhop, I Sequeſtred his Living for the better Service to be done unto me for to deſire a Relaxato ſee the Sequeſtration, and the man that had the Sequeſtraread, and he put it in his Pocket, and keeps it to this day, and gathered his Tythes, giopprobrious terms, and uſing great threatnings againſt the honeſt man to whoſe hands I had ſequeſtred his Living.
And when Mr. Archdeacon Bulkley came to the Archbiſhops Viſitation, he, without my privity, and with
And all this I cannot well underſtand; but it puts me in mind of a Play Book that I ſaw on a Bookſellers Stall, intituled, A King and no King; and of what the Jews ſaid to Chriſt, Hayl King of the Jews, that is in their mind, Rex fine Regno: For thus, taking the Articles out of my Court, and relaxing the Sequeſtration, and undoing whatſoever I had done, I conceived I ſhould be a Biſhop and no Biſhop: or a Biſhop without the authority and power of a Biſhop.
And truly, I do think, I were better to uſe no Juriſdiction, than in vacuum laborare, and to do things to no purpoſe, but only to be undone againe; which is not ſo much a prejudice unto me, as it is to all thoſe Parties that had, or ſhould have any Suits depending in the Biſhops Court, and muſt every third year go fifty or ſixty miles to follow their Suits, and with a vaſt exDublin; and I wiſh his Majeſty would conſider this agrievance of his People.
But now, as Abraham ſaid to God, Gen. 18.30. I have taken upon me to ſpeak unto the Lord, let him not be angry, and I will ſpeak; ſo I ſay to my Lords Grace of Dublin,
Oſſory obto ſpeak of theſe things, let not his Grace be angry, and I will yet ſpeak a little of what I have obſerved in the afore-cited Letters; And
1. For the Refections, I will ſay no more but what you ſee in the Letters; and what I ſaid before touching this Point, but deſire (if we muſt ſtill continue to give Refections
the uncertainty of the expence might be remedied, and either commuted for a certain Sum of money, or limited not to exceed a Sum as ſhall be agreed upon, to be convenient, that the poor Clergy might be certain what they are to do, and underſtand in what caſe they ſtand, and not be puniill-doing and neglect of their duty, when they think they have been very bountiful and have done very well; And,
2.Reconciliation of the perſons diſagreecharitable work; but for the ſubmiſsion of the Senior Cull unto the Deane, it puts me in mind of Aeſops Fable, Lupus ad caput fontis, bibens videt agnum procul infra bibentem; for to ſay the truth, Ea fama vagatur, the Dean is reported, and I will not juſtifie the report, to be very litigious, and covetous, and to have much wronpoor Vicars; and to have been, as Chaplain to one Delboire a Coſin of his, at the Siege of Baſing Houſe, againſt his late Majeſty; which, if true, makes me believe him to be a very unworthy man, and not worthy to be countenanced againſt any honeſt man; and I know Mr. Cull is reputed to be a very honeſt man, preſented ſo to me by the Maior and Aldermen of Kilkenny, and I am ſure a very conſtant and painful Preacher; and yet the Deane charged him with ſuch hainous crimes, that, if proved, were ſufficient utterCull, to quit himArticles folDeane, and delivered the ſame to me, and I finding, that, if Fame be true, they
eaſily proved, did put the ſame into my Court, to be anſwered by the Deane: And not to prejudice the Reputation of the Deane, (the things alleadged being not proved,) but that my Reader might the better underſtand the truth in this place.
And the Articles, being exhibited unto me, by the Junior Cull from his Father, is I ſhewed before, I required his Proctor to draw up the ſame in forma juris, and my Regiſter to deliver them to the Dean; and in open Court, I gave the Dean his own deſired time to anſwer them; & all this being done, the Articles exhibited, the Dean having his own time to anſwer them, and lying long in the Court before any tidings of the Archbiſhops inhibition came unto us, I conceive it ſtrange, and cannot unquo jure, how theſe Articles ſhould be taken out of my Court, as they were, without my privity, without an appeal, or any other due courſe of Law, and the offendor quitted, and ſet free without any anſwer to any Articles, (which I concovering of faults, and cheriſhing offences, than a reformation of manners,) but eſpecially to conſider that the party wronged, and ſo highly injured,Jo. Cull.
flexis genibus upon his knees, to ask forgiveneſs to him that did the wrong: hoc mihi magnum eſt, hoc miram, I pray you forgive me, that I did not thank you for abuſing me: to juſtifie herein the foreſaid Fable true; for, I know no wrong that Cull did to the Dean, but I can make it good, that the Dean did many waies exceedingly wrong poor Cull; And yet Cull muſt be enjoyned to ask the Dean forgiveneſs upon his knees; and truly, to this day, I could not learn for what, unleſs it were for complaining that the Dean dealt with him, as the Wolfe did with the Lamb.
And not only ſo, but the report goeth, that the poor man (who ſpends what he hath, to maintain his two Sons in Oxford,) was awed, (as the word of my Letter is,) that is, threatned and terrified, that if he did not do as. Archdeacon Bulkl
enjoyned him, he ſhould be deprived of all the means he had, and ſhould not be ſuffered to ſerve in all Ireland: which if true, (as I eaſily believe it,) is the readieſt way to encreaſe the oppreſſions and wickedneſs of men, to the great diſhonour of God, and not to further the reformation of thoſe offences, that ought moſt ſeverely to be reproved; eſpecially in thoſe men, that by the dignity of their places, ſhould be the
light and good example unto others, yet will be indeed the very ſcandal, ſhame, and reproach of their Calling: I ſay no more, but that ſuch proceedings do ſeem very ſtrange to me, that never ſaw the like in the Kingdom of Ingland, nor ever read the like done in any Eccleſiaſtical Court.
Sequeſtrations, I can ſay little or nothing to them; becauſe I know not well the cauſes, for which they were ſequeſtred; but I pity the poverty, and the loſs and want that muſt thereby follow to the ſequeſtred parties, to diſinable them for a while to do that good, which otherwiſe they might do to themſelves and their Families.
Yet, as the old Axiom is, that Corruptio unius eſt generatio alterius, ſo their loſs is a gain to the Officers and friends of the Sequeſtor, (though perhaps they have not ſo much need of it, as thoſe that are ſequeſtred,) becauſe Mr. Archdeacon Bulkley (as I am informed) wrote his Letters to the Dean, and to his Coſin Mr. Lloyd (who, notwithſtanding his Letters, dealt like a Gentleman with the ſequeſtred parties) to make the beſt agreeSequestred Clergy for their own profit and advantage, before they ſhould have their relaxation; which I believe was never ſo intended when Sequeſtrations were firſt ordered to be extended.
But for Jonathan Cull, that is ſaid to be ſequeſtred for not going to his Grace, to aske leave to go to Oxford, before he went, (which was indeed a fault in Cull,) and no man will excuſe him, unleſs he can yield a very good reaſon for his neglect.
But for his Non-reſidency from his Livings, I think, that the Statu
doth allow him to be abſent from his Living, and to live in the Univerſity ſtudendi gratia untill he be forty years old, and I having ſent him word, from the Rector of Lincoln Colledge, where he is a ſtudent, that he muſt make haſte to come before the Act; and his new-married Wife being lately dead, he might be thereby ſo troubled, and in ſuch an extaſie, as to forget his duty and obedience to my Lords Grace, not ſo much out of contempt or neglect of his Grace, as out of ignorance, baſhfulneſs, or forgetfulneſs, that might well excuſe him
no ſevere Judges à tanto licet non à toto; and therefore conſideratis conſiderandis, the fault, which might be accounted venial, might be conceived not to deſerve ſo heavy a Cenſure, as to be deprived of all his means, whereby he is diſinabled to continue his ſtudy in the Univerſity; which makes me believe, the Sequeſtrator conceived ſome greater cauſe to ſequeſter him, either againſt him, or againſt ſome other of his relation, which is probable, as I conceive it, to be againſt my ſ
whom ſome thought to wound through the ſide of Jonathan Cull, becauſe I know the man to be ſo civil, and of ſo fair a carriage, as to give no juſt offence to any one, or in any place; I would the accuſer of his brethren were ſo blameAriſtides is puniſhed for being juſt, and Clodius applauded for his wickedneſs.
Or if he, or any other of my Clergy hath juſtly deſerved puAdvocate to juſtifie or to excuſe any hainous crime.
And for the Viſitations themſelves;Biſhops Viſitation ſeems to be clipped here in this Kingdom of Ireland more than ſeems convenient; for the chief parts and duties of this Office of Epiſcopacy, different from Presbytery, do conſiſt in theſe two ſpecial things:
1. Ordination of the Prieſts and Deacons to be the Teachers and Paſtors of the Church, to feed the flock of Chriſt.
2. Juriſdiction, to rule and govern all the members of the Church, Clergy, and Layty, according to the Laws, Canons, and Conſtitutions of the Church.
And if in this Triennial Viſitation of the Archbiſhop, he inhibits the Biſhop Juriſdiction for two or three months, before he viſits, and then when he viſits, ſuſpends the Juriſdiction for ſix months more, as here you ſee he doth, or for more than that if he pleaſe, and this every third year: and in any part of the year, when he will; hath not the Archbiſhop ſwallowed up almoſt all the Juriſdiction of the Biſhop? And then as the Pope ſends his Legatos a latere, to do only what the Pope diArchbiſhops ſide, and ſhall be ſet aſide, as oft as he pleaſeth, which ſeems to me
ad placitum, and ſo little better than a Cypher, that ſtanding by himſelf, ſignifieth nothing, and ſo is worPresbyterial correction.
But, as Monarchy is the beſt kind of Government in the World, when the ſame is well ordered, and rightly uſed, as I have moſt amply ſhewed in my Book, of the Right of Kings, ſo the multiplication of powers into one hand, being abuſed, hath produced Tyranny among the Tyrants of the Gentiles; and, as Presbyterians ſay, iPopes of Rome: Therefore our Saviour Chriſt, ſeeing how ambitious, and how greedy his Diſciples were to uſurp authority, forbiddeth them, (not, to uſe their authority, and the juriſi.e. not Tyrants did, 1 Pet. 5.3. and to that end, the moſt Diequally diſtribuHowſons Serequal juriſdiction; though S. Peter had the priority of nomination, in reſpect of order, which muſt be obſerved in all the actions and the works of God, which is the God of order.
Yet I, that am and will be as obſervant, reſpective, and obedient to my Archbiſhop as any Biſhop in Ireland ſhall be to his Metropolitan, ſay not this, as finding any fault, or laying the leaſt blame, upon the Canons and Conſtitutions of the Church, and the Laws of theſe Kingdoms (for all muſt confeſs, that the Office and Calling of an Archbiſhop was not ſo from the beginning, nor is, jure divine, of Chriſts inſtitution,) that ordered and appointed the ſame to be governed and guided by the Biſhops ſubordinate to their Archbiſhops, that are to have the overſight of them; which is a moſt excellent way, that all things may be done right in the rule and government of Gods Church: So it be done with that temper and moderation that it ought to be done.
But I ſay this, to the ſame end as our Saviour ſaid it to his
Leni ſpiritu, non dura manu, rather by an inward ſweet influence, than an outward extream violence, and that all the Biſhops, and the ArchbiViſitations, and in all their actions ſhould ſtudy and ſtrive to be like Moſes, that in the Government of Gods people was the gentlest, and the meekeſt man upon earth, and endeavoured, as he ſaith himſelf, to carry them in his boſome, which is the greateſt commendation, and the beſt quality that can be in any Biſhop, of whom, it is a ſhame to ſay, Non pater est Aeacui, thou art not the ſon of Moſes, ſed te genuere ferae, but thou art more like the ſavage beaſts: when thou art ſo cruel, ſo unmerciful, and ſo ſevere in the cenſure of thy brethren of thine own Coat.
For as I ſaid long ago, ſo I ſay now, and will ſay it ſtill,rigid carriage of ſome ſevere Biſhops, and their undiſcreet Surrogates, on the one ſide: and the high ſtomacks and proud behaviour of the Presbyters, on the other ſide, when the Governours ruled, and domineered like Tyrants, and the Presbyters, like ſtubborn Children, refuſed to be obedient, hath been one of the chiefeſt cauſes of the late diſtraction and miſeries, that we have felt in this our Church.
But I will demand of the Lay men, whether that Cenſure, be commendable, when for a fault that deſerves a penny fine, the offender ſhall be puniſhed with a pound? And that delinignorance, or forgetfulneſs, and not of obſtinacy, ſhall be equally puniſhed with the higheſt tranſgreſſours; which is, in my judgment, like Draco, that wrote his Laws in bloud: Yet may you ſee the like Draco's ſometimes in the Sequeſtrations and Cenſures of ſome ClergyJudge, but let the Reader conſider it; A young man is newly inſtituted into a little Living, and becomes bound to his Mafirſt fruits, then goeth to his ſtudy to the Univerſity, that he may be the better enabled to do God ſervice, in the Church of Chriſt; yet, becauſe that either through baſhfulneſs to go to ſo great a Prelate, that he never was acquainted with, or through ignorance of his duty, or forgetfulneſs, or perhaps
haſte to ſave his paſſage by Sea, when as time and tide ſtay for no man; or ſome other excuſable cauſe, he goeth to Oxford without his Archbiſhops being acquainted therwith, though his own Biſhop ſent for him in all haſte to come up before the Act: yet for this hainous crime and great piccadillo fault, he is ſequeſtred from all the means he hath, before he receives the firſt harveſt fruits, or perhaps one penny from the ſame, whereby he is diſinabled to pay the Kings firſt fruits, and to maintain himundone: and if this Cenſure be equivalent, and not exceeding the fault, judge you.
And as diſlike and diſaffection produce ſometimes heavy Sentences upon the poor Clergy for light faults; ſo I have often ſeen great oppreſſions, and much baſeneſs uſed by ſome great dignified Clergy-men, that I could name, and yet they were ſo far from Cenſure, that others were upheld and applauded in their wickedneſs and ſo,Multi
One man is applauded and crowned for the ſame fact for which another man is condemned and hanged.
Oſſory.
laſt Viſitation of the Archbiſhop in this Dioceſs of Oſſory, I ſhall, beſides what I have ſaid already of the Inhibition and Suſpenſion of the Juriſdiction, ſay ſomewhat more than I ſaid of the Sequeſtrations of the Clergy; And,
Number of thoſe perſons that were ſequeCauſes for which they were ſequeſtred.Conſequents of their Sequeſtrations.
1. You muſt underſtand, that in all my Dioceſs of Oſſory, I have but twenty two beneficed Clergy-men, and of them twelve are non-reſident, and eight of the twenty two were ſequeſtred; viz.
Barry.
Cull Senior.Cull Junior.Driſdall.
Moor.
Spencer.
Teate.
Kerny.
Whereof fix were continually reſident, and in my judgment, the moſt learned, and moſt frequent conſtant Preachers, that have any Eccleſiaſtical preferment in my Dioceſs.
2. For the Cauſes, why their Livings were ſequeſtred, I canvery juſt, either for not rendering to Caeſar what belongs unto Caeſar, as the twento God what is Gods, as the due and diligent ſerving of their Churches, and the payProcurations, and the diſcharging of all other dues and accuſtomed duties unto his Grace, or to them whom he ſent to viſit them; or for holding their Livings contrary, either to the Civil or the Eccleſiaſtical Laws of the Land; or for the unworthineſs of the perſons uncapable of them, or ſome other juſt and lawful cauſe.
My Regiſters Letter informs me, that Mr. Cull Juniors LiUniverſity without his Grace his leave, whereof I have ſpoken before; and others for diſtance of miles, if they were above ſix miles one from another, though they ſay, that for the tenuity of their Livings they had the Kings Pattent under the Broad Seal, to hold them ſome thirty, and others twenty miles diſtant; in which caſe, I ſay no more, but, if they ſhall not keep them above ſix miles diſtant, they might live better and grow richer here in Ireland by keeping Sheep, than by feeding of Chriſt his flock; or if the Law prohibits them, to keep them, beyond that diſtance, I wonder, why they are admitted, by the Relaxations of the Sequeſtrations, to keep them ſtill if they were ſequeſtred, to get Fees for the Relaxation, to Mr. Proby, my Lords Grace his Regiſter, and not to deprive them of either Living; my Lords Grace dealt more graciouſly, and like himſelf, in granting the Relaxation of them, than his Surrogate did in the Sequeſtration of them.
But if they were Sequeſtred, for not paying the Archbiſhops Procurations, or other duties due unto his Grace, I blame them very much, that they paid them not; for though by reaſon of the ſmalneſs of their means, and the worthineſs of the men, in
forgave all my Procurations and other dues alſo, to moſt of the poorer ſort of them, ever ſince his Majeſty came in, and, to my remembrance, have not received ſo much as ten ſhillings in Procurations from all my Clergy to this very day; yet that ſhould not make them careleſs or forall duties, that are due to other men; and thereBarry, that ſaith, for not paying eighteen pence Procurations to the Archbiſhop, he paid thirty two ſhillings to his Regiſter, for his Relaxation, that he did very unwiſely thereangry with them all that were negligent to pay all dues to his Grace, he had ſaith, that eighteen pence is not in my List, nor in the Archdemanded to be paid, either by me, or by my Archdeacon, or by any other Biſhop or Archbiſhop before; or otherwiſe, if he known how it came into Mr. Archdeacon Bulkleys Rowle, he would rather have paid his eighteen pence than thirty two ſhillings; and ſo I told every one of the reſt of them that were ſequeſtred, and paid thirty two ſhillings for each of their Relaxations, that it was their own fault, and their folly, that they had not paid what was ſo juſtly due unto his Grace.
Conſequents of theſe Sequeſtrations, as they were very beneficial and profitable to the Archdeacons Friends, and to my Lords Grace his Officers, as I could ſhew you in what particulars, ſo they were very fatal and grievous to the poor Prieſts, that were ſequeſtred; for I, charging them, upon their Canonical obedience, to ſhew me the truth of the proceedings and ſufferings which they ſuſtained, I received a Petition from the Senior Cull, and a Letter of Mr. Marby, my Lords Grace his Chaplain, to a friend of his; (which I once thought to inſert in this place,) but I did not, yet I perceived thereby, how heavily this burthen lay upon the poor mans back, that proteſted unto me, he ſpent near thirty pounds before he was quitted from all his troubles in this buſineſs, and he was brought ſo low, that I was fain to lend him twenty pounds to be ſent to Oxford to relieve his two Sons, leſt otherwiſe they
expelled out of their Colledge for want of money to pay their arrears; and how great a prejudice and hinderance it was to the Junior Cull in his proceedings in the Univerſity, himbeſt knoweth, and can beſt inform you: the which things I conceived were very much to be pittied by any compaſſionate Father in the Church of God, that hath a fellow-feeling of anothers miſery.
And I underſtand likewiſe, from the reſt of the Clergy, and the poor Clarks of the Pariſh Churches, what an infinite charge the reſt of the ſequeſtred parties had been at, in paying about thirty two ſhillings Fees for every Relaxation, and Sequeſtraproper expences, and, if I am not miſinformed, beſides two pence a mile from Dublin to Oſſory, (which in ſome places is betwixt fifty and ſixty miles,) to the Apparator that ſerved the Sequeſtration; and beſides a far greater trouble and loſs which theſe ſequeſtred perſons had from the Tenants, to whom they had ſet their Tythes before they were ſequeſtred, and (by reaſon of the great charge, and ſmall means of ſome of them) were fain to take ſome part of their money before-hand; for when the Farmers of their Tythes, ſaw that their Livings were ſequeſtred, and put into other mens hands, yet, (though they had a Regreater loſs than it may be they had, and ſo made the loſs very great unto the Incumbent, that muſt bear all the damage, and ſave the Tenant harmleſs; as to inſtance in one example for all.
The Dean and Chapter having paid me no Procurations,
ſequeſtred the ſame into the hands of two of the ableſt and beſt experienced Prebends, Mr. Teate, and Mr. Kerney, who, I knew, would give a juſt account to me, and to the reſt of their fellow Prebends; and they did ſet the Tythes unto thoſe Tenants that were moſt able, and gave moſt for them; but when Archdeacon Bulkley came to viſite the Chapter, his great friend, and old acquaintance, the Dean, that had all the former years Revenues in his hand, and had given none account
grieved at my Sequeſtration of it, out of his hands, would not pay the Procurations due to my Lord Archbiſhop of Dublin, no more than he would pay to me any of my Procurations; whereupon Archdeacon Bulkley, whether to pleaſe the Deane, or to pleaſure his Coſin Bulkley, I know not, ſequeſtred the ſame again into the hands of his Coſin Mr. Thomas Bulkley, and the reſt of the Prebends had loſt no leſs than five pounds by reaſon of that Sequeſtration, if the Law had not forced Mr. Tho. Bulkley to yield it up into the former Tenants hands. And ſo did the reſt of the Clergy loſe very much by reaſon of their Sequeall my Clergy ſince I came to be Biſhop to this very day, nor ſo much as one penny from the Dean in all my life.
Then about two months after the Archbiſhops Viſitation was paſt, I received a Letter from Mr. Proby, the Archbiſhops Regiſter.
And therein a Liſt of them that had not paid their Procu
At the reading of which, I did greatly wonder at the partiality of Archdeacon Bulkley, that could ſpare to ſequeſter Mr. Richard Seagar, Mr. Whittington, Mr. Williams, Mr. Richard Deane, Mr. Goburne, Mr. Wilſon, and Dr. Chamberlain, that were the Deans friends, and for whom he interceded, though five of them were non-reſident, and yet would pregood opinion of them, as well as of thoſe whom he ſpared; and the Dean had ſo eagerly, I will not ſay maliciouſly, but I dare ſay cauſeleſly, complained of them; and theſe alſo to have their Relaxations granted before they had paid their Procurations; I hope it is not to ſequeſter them again, which they well deſerve, if their former warning hath not taught them to pay them. And therefore, I that have alwaies perſwaded and taught obedience to be obſerved by all inferiours to their ſuperimendents, would not be negligent of my
Apparitor to all the particulars of my Clergy mentioned in the Schedule, to come and make ſatisfaction for their Procuraſucceed, which they were betprevent.
And they, when they came unto me, ſhewed me their Acquittances, under Mr. Juxe his hand, that they had already paid them.
So I thought this ſtorm was over: Yet within a while I heard that about ſome ten poor Pariſh Clarkes, and five of the Clergy were cited to appear at Dublin, (a journey to ſome fifty or ſixty miles, in the ſhort Winter daies, and over waies as foul as any is in Ingland,) to anſwer Articles that ſhould be objected againſt them.
Then divers of the Clerks came crying to me, that they had rather leave their Clerkeſhip than to take ſuch a journey to Dublin; and one of the Clerks the Archdeacon Bulkley had given a Licence to, and yet cited him to Dublin to ſhew his Licence, the which, when he ſhewed, the Officers of the Court ſaid, they miſtook it, and diſmiſt the cauſe, and yet afterwards ſent a Citation for the Fees. And my Clergy entreated me to intercede for them that did not know wherein they had offended, nor what could be objected againſt them: and I anſwered them all, that I would neither meddle nor make in their buſineſs; but, if they have done well, then all would be well, if otherexcuſe their negliPatronize their offence; then ſome of them appeaDublin, expecting their Charge, and deſiring earneſtly to be diſpatcht, Archdeacon Bulkley anſwered, Your Biſhop is writing of Books, (for he had ſome inkling of mine intent,) and will not apply himſelf to my Lords Grace to intercede for you.
Yet my Lord Archbiſhop very nobly and graciouſly willed the Archdeacon to take their anſwer, and to diſpatch them that they might go home; and the Archdeacon Bulkley willed them, to confeſs their faults, and to ſubmit unto the Court, and they ſhould be diſcharged; and I hearing of this advice, willed
truth, but not of any guilt, wherein they were innocent.
And therefore when they had their Articles, ten or twelve, read unto them, (for they had no Copy of them,) they ſaw, they were but meer ſuggeſtions, and not any thing in any of them, that could any waies touch them, or prejudice them in any thing, and they preſently made their anſwers unto them.
And when they had anſwered and confeſt no fault that they committed; upon the payment of their Fees, for the charges of the Court, they were diſmiſt.
Whereby, it ſeems to me, that, if they were guiltleſs, and nothing could be proved againſt them, they might as well cite all the Clergy, and all the men in Kilkenny, and ſuggeſt ArtiDublin, to pay Fees to enrich the Officers of the Court; and that being done, to ſend them home glad that they are diſmiſt.
Then after this the Churchwardens of S. Maries in Kilkenny, having very juſtly, as I underſtand, preſented divers perſons at the Archbiſhops Viſitation,Canons, cited to appear at Dublin, forty ſeven miles, to make good their Preſentation, as the Churchwardens informed me; which was ſo ill reſented, that we could hardly get any that would take the Churchwardenſhip upon them, for fear of the like troubles if they preſented any man. But, when I deProctor to proſecute againſt thoſe that refuſed to pay the Church taxes, and they not following their ſuit, they were ſent unto, either to come and proſecute, or the Defendants ſhould be diſmiſt: which if ſo, I blame not the proceeding, but let the Churchwardens ſuffer for their own errour, when they ſue out of my Court without a diſmiſ
Yet out of all my former diſcourſe, it appeareth what an heavy burthen and an infinite charge this laſt triennial Viſitatiindigent Clergy of Oſſory,
threefold Procurations, their manifold Sequeſtralong Winter journeys to procure their Relaxations, and the manifold loſſes that they ſuſtained by their Tenants, that, by reaſon of the Sequeſtrations were diſappointed of thoſe tythes that they had taken from the Incumbents, which makes me think, that we do not follow our Saviours Counſel and Precept to S. Peter, To feed his flock; nor what we learnt in the old Adage, that ſaith, Boni paſtoris eſt pecus tondere non deglubere; for certainly theſe foreſaid things do ſeem deglubere pecus non tondere; and to cauſe his ſhepwards to ſtarve, and not to enable them to feed his Lambs.
And therefore, as the ſin of Solomon moved God to raiſe up Hadad the Edomite, and Rezon the Son of Eliadah, and Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, to vex Solomon for the ſins of Solomon, 1 Kings 11.14, 23, 26. So I do not wonder, that God ſuffereth the devil to ſtir up Presbyterians, and Quakers,
Anabaptiſtical Sectaries to vex the Biſhops for theſe and the like ſins of the Biſhops againſt God and his poor people, when they ſuffer and countenance their Commiſſaries, Regiſters, and other Officers, to be like a talent of lead upon the necks of Chriſt his Sheep.
But I do therefore demand, if theſe things,reformed and amended?
I know ſome will ſay, they ought not thus to be publiſhed to the World, to diſcover the weakneſs and imperfections of our Brethren, to make them more contemptible in the eyes of the ſcoffers of our Calling, than they are; and therefore will much blame me for this my publication of theſe things.
But as Caligula was ſo wicked, and his life ſo beaſtly,
Reynolds in the life of Caligula fol. 31.bury them in oblivion, or commit them unto memory: and it is anſwered by mine Author, That, ſeeing it is profitaPoſterity, to know the evil doings of others, and the diſgrace they have thereby, to make them affraid to do the like evils, leſt in like manner they ſhould be
publiſhed to their ſhame: therefore it is far better to diſcover the faults of Governours and great men, than to conceal them; becauſe it is done,any evil to the doers of thoſe evil deeds, but out of an earneſt endeavour to amend them, and to prevent the like carriages in all others; not to diſgrace any, but to prevent the diſgrace of all.
But though it be not amiſs to make known the injuſtice and the faults of Great men, that there may be a redreſs of them; yet who dares complain and ſpeak of the Vices of their SupeAn tutum eſt ſcribere in eos qui poſſunt proſcribere: I have read how the Mice held a Conſultation,
Bell tied about the Cats neck; for ſo they might heare her coming, and they might get away; and all liked well, and applauded the device; but to this day they could never agree, which of them ſhould tie the Bell about the Cats neck: So all the poor and inferiour Clergy, all ſigh, and groan, and complain of their Taxes, and Preſſures, and Oppreſſions, by the Biſhops, and Archbiſhops, and Archdeacons, and their Suffragans, and all that come to Cenſure them; but not one of them all dares tie the Bell about the Cats neck, and complain of theſe Great Powers unto the Higher Powers, to have their abuſes redreſſed, for fear of a worſer conſequence; no leſs than to be cruſht and torn all to pieces.
Yet I remember, what Seneca ſaith, that he which is careleſs of his own life, may when he will, be Maſter of another mans life; ſo he that is careleſs of his own ſtate or promoticonfluence of wealth and worldly things, may without fear do things that other timorous men dare not venter to do.
Jehovah, my continual deliverer, hath delivered me from that multitude, of thoſe malicious Enemies, that ſought after my life, when I was ſcarce budded in the world, and ever ſince hath preſerved me ſo many times from ſuch great, and ſo unimaginable danFlaxen, when I was carried Priſoner
North-hampton; from Captain Beech, when I was taken pridrunken Captain that would have deliPower of the Parliament, hard by Aber-yſtwith; from Sir John Carter and Courtney, that would have clapt me in priſon when I preached for his now Majeſty at Conway; from the wicked Committee of plundered Miniſters, that ſaid I deSea-voyages and Land journeys that I paſſed through; and from CapWood, when I was under his hands in the Parliament Ship; from the Great Antichriſt, the Long Parliament; and eſpecially from the devil himſelf, when he threw me down at Weſt-Wickham, and God ſaid unto him, as he did of Job, He is in thy hand, but ſave his life; I never feared what man could do unto me: but as the Prophet David ſaid, the Lord delivered me from the mouth of the bear, and of the Lion, and he will deliver me from this uncircumciſed Philiſtine: So I ſay, the Lord that preſerved me ſo many times, from ſo many dangers, will ſtill preſerve me, while with a ſincere heart I endeavour to diſcharge my duty: eſpecially ſeeing the Lord ſaith, I, even I am he that comforteth you; and who art thou that art affraid of a man, and of the ſon of man that ſhall be made as graſs, and forgetteſt the Lord thy Maker, that hath ſtretched forth the heavens, and laid the Foundations of the Earth, and haſt feared every day becauſe of the fury of the oppreſſour, as if he were ready to deſtroy.
Therefore, as I have been alwaies reſolute, and in a manner, deſperate, in the judgment of the timorous, as it appeareth, by the three Books, that, in the behalf of our late King, I printed in Oxford, and the three Books that I writ of the Great Antichriſt, while the Long Parliament and the falſe Prophet were in their greateſt prevalency; and by the Sermons that I preached at St. Nicholas, and other Churches in Dublin, at Conwey before the Judges, at Lla
and in all places: So now in mine old age, when I am ſo near my grave, I have leſs reaſon to fear, and more cauſe to be reſolute, to ſay the truth, to diſcharge my duty, and to implore my moſt honouCanterbury, my Lord of London, and my old familiar Acquaintance my Lord of Wincheſter, whom God hath placed ſo near his Majeſty, and hath raiſed to that eminency of dignity pre conſortibus above their brethren, not ſo much for their own ſakes, as for his honour and ſervice, and the good of his Church, and like ſo many religous Joſephs, to relieve their diſtreſſed Brethren, to joyn in mine aſſiſtance, moſt earneſtly to beſeech, and moſt humbly to petition to his Sacred Majeſty, that he would be graciouſly pleaſed to relieve and help the Church of Ireland in thoſe threefold grievances that I have foreſhewed: as, that
1. Seeing the Lands and Revenues of the Church, were I am ſure, in many places of my Dioceſs, given for their rewealth and great friends to uphold them therein they do poſſeſs them; and we that would erect our Churches therediſinabled to do it without our means, that are ſo forcibly with ſtrong hands, and by ſuch friends detained from us; his Majeſty would be pleaſed to cauſe them, or ſome others, ſome waies, and by ſome means, to have the Churches of God, for the ſervice of Jeſus Chriſt, to be erected and reKilkenny.
Cathedrals, and ſo many other Pariſh Churches to lie ſo ruinous, and ſo rooted up as they are.
2. That ſeeing ſo many great and goodly Impropriations are taken away from the Church of Chriſt, and from the ſervice of God, and are held in the hands of ſuch great perſons and powerful men, that will not part with them, (as I ſhewed to you before,) and the poor Vicars of ſuch Rectories improprimeans belonging to the Vicaredges, as will put bread into their mouths, whereby they are conſtrained, for the relief of their Families, to take Farms, and other Lands to occupy, like Lay men, and to neglect their duties, and the ſervice of Gods Church, and to ſuffer the poor people either to be inſtructed, and to have their children baptized,
married, and buried by the Popiſh Prieſts, or to have no Prieſts at all; and we that are the Dioceſſans, by reaſon of the ſmall values of thoſe Vicaredges, can find no men that are worthy and able Ministers, that will come and accept of thoſe ſlender maintenances; and thoſe that do accept them, we candiſcharge them; And ſeeing, as I ſaid, the Churches are down, and the Lands, Livings, and Revenues of the Church, are thus, as I ſhewed, in the hands of the great and powerful men, and rich Cities, and we can as eaſily pluck the club out of Hercules hands, as get any of them out of their fingers, when the poor men dare not, ſcarce, aske their dues of them, or if they ſue for them, the remedy will prove far worſe than the diſeaſe, to go to Law with Corporations, or with mighty men, to ſpend their money, and commonly to go without their right, as they have a plain-example in my proceedings with Sir George Aysku
and the detention of all my Procurations, (which, as Biſhop Bale ſaith, in the Page of his Book, was almoſt half the ReOſſory,) by the foreſaid great men and Cities ever ſince his Majeſties reſtauration; and I know not how to get them; it is no wonder to me, that Pope
ſhould, not only continue, but encreaſe more and more, and the Service of God decay more and more, and injuſtice, Idoabound in this Kingdom more and more, and I tell you herein the plain truth; let who will be angry, and let others think what they pleaſe.
And further, ſeeing, that beſide the payments and taxes that they are bound to pay to his Majeſty by the hand of their Bifrequently, contrary to the Acts of Parliament, exceedingly moleſted, taxed, and diexceſſit medicina modum, the remedy is worſe than the diſeaſe.
Therefore that it would pleaſe his Majeſty, for the honour
Kilkenny.
Dioceſſans.
3. That ſeeing three or four Viſitations, that may be, of the Archdeacon, Biſhop, Archbiſhop, and Primate, in one year cannot chooſe but be a grievance and a great burthen unto the poor Clergy, that are poor enough without the charge of ſo many Viſitations, added unto the reſt of their taxes: That it would pleaſe his Majeſty to cauſe the Government of the Church of Ireland, to be brought to the ſame form, manner, and faIngland, that is, for the Archdeacon to Viſit for two years, and the Biſhop to viſit every third year, and then the Archdeacons Viſitation to ceaſe for that year the Biſhop viſits, and the Archbiſhop to viſit once in his time, and both the Archdeacons and the Biſhops Viſitations to ceaſe when the Archbiſhop ſhall viſit.
And thus the Clergy and the Church-Officers ſhall have but one Viſitation, quot annis, in every one year; which I think is very ſufficient for the rectifying of all abuſes, and for the far greater eaſe both of the Clergy and Layty: and which, I beſuch, as are too miſerably covetous; for a ſmall matter unto themſelves, to bring a heavy grievance to very many; which for my part, the Lord knoweth, that I never liked it; and I ſuppoſe, it ſhould be for the honour and praiſe of the Chief Governours and FaClergy as with our Children, to eaſe them what we can, and not to make them faſt for our feasting.
And I find great reaſon, that we ſhould in all things here in Ireland conform our ſelves to the Church of Ingland; for as
Polydor Virgil wriAdrian,
Polyd. Virg. l. 13. Hiſt. Angl.Alexander, moved S. Chriſtian the famous Biſhop of Liſmore, their LeCaſhel, wherein they defined eight ArIngland: and Gelaſius,
Campians hiſt. of Ireland, l. 2. c. 1.Ardmagh, in the preſence of King Hen. 2. gave his conſent to thoſe Articles.
And therefore I wonder what hath altered or hindered this our conformity with the Church of Ingland, unleſs it be pride, covetouſneſs, or ambition, & aviditas dominandi; which are weeds fitter to be rooted out of Churchmens hearts than to be cheriſhed in the Primates of Gods Church, and which I verily believe are now far enough from the thoughts of our moſt grave and moſt religious Archbiſhops, who, as I hope, will moſt eaſily yield to this conformity, that neither the Biſhops be ſo abridged in their Juriſdictions, nor their Clergy ſo much oppreſſed in their Viſitations, as they have been.
Yet here I would not have my Reader to imagine that I ſpeak for the eaſe or remittance of the Procurations, Taxes, or other Impoſitions, of them that hold the Abbies, Priories, and Impropriate Rectories, which they have for nothing, and as it appears to me, contrary to all divine right; and therefore ſhould pay the ſame continually every year to them that do the Service of God: but I ſpeak it only for the eaſe and bene
And, if this may not be done, to reduce the Government of the Church of Ireland to the ſame form, and after the ſame manner as the Church of Ingland is governed, yet that the Archbiſhops and Biſhops ſhould take ſpecial care to ſee that their Surrogates, Chancellours, and Deputies ſhould not any waies to enrich their Friends, Officers, and Servants, and to feaſt themſelves, oppreſs the poor Clergy, and others the poor Servants and Officers of the Church of Chriſt. I doubt not,
Dublin, in all that he did, or ſaid, was ſo noble, juſt, and gracious towards thoſe honeſt Clergy men, whom his Archdeacon ſo ſeverely trounced, that the leaſt ſhaBulkley would never have done what he did, but to ſatisfie the mind and deſire of a moſt unworthy perſon, and malicious ſlanderer and falſe accuſer of his Brethren, which can be neither true wiſdom, nor honeſt pollicy, to pleaſe men, and to offend Almighty God.
And now to conclude our ſad condition, when, after all my many years ſufferings, and had ſpent above four hundred pounds to repair the Quire and Chancel of S. Kenny, and about ſix hundred pounds in Law againſt Sir George Ayskue for the right of the Church, and did perceive the ſucceſs like to be fruitleſs, I once thought to preſent this Petition to his Majeſty.
THat wheras your Petitioner hath ſeen how highly your Ma
Your Petitioner, that deſireth nothing, but that Juſtice (which eſtabliſheth the Thrones of Kings) may be done to God, to your Majeſty, and to himſelf, he humbly prayeth that the whole matter betwixt him and Sir George Ayskue may be heard at the Council Table, or tried by an honeſt Jury here in Ingland.
But, conſidering my years, full 78, and mine infirmities, and eſpecially how heavy the Seas are alwaies to me, and percontra ſtimulum calcitrare, when ſuch greatneſs doth ſo viſibly oppoſe me: I conceiSat mihi poſſe pati, and pray to God that he would ariſe and mainEt dot mihi velle mori: and let them that detain the Right of the Church, and them that maintain and uphold them in it, remain under the prayer of Moſes,
David, and the judgment of God betwixt me and them.
Jamque opus exegi; and with the two-edged ſword of truth I ſmote at the impieties and corruptions both of the Clergy and Layty, of Church and Commonwealth, and of the great men and rich men without fear. In me convertite ferrum; and I doubt not but I ſhall attrict unto my ſelf the malevolency, detraction, and perſecution from many men; but I have alwaies armed my ſelf with the reſolution to endeavour to do my duty, and diſHeſter ſaid, ſo ſay I; if I periſh, I periſh, having publiſhed my own funeral Sermon in the Sermons I made for others, and commiting my ſelf, as I have done ever:
O Sweet Jeſus Chriſt, as thou art God in HeaMoſes Prayer for Levi: and Davids Propheſie againſt them that will rob thee and thy Servants of their Houſes and Poſſeſſions: and be thou a juſt Judge beAmen.