Sect. 1. The hungry Huskes of vaine worldlings: and the blessed Bread of Gods Children decla­red and compared.

I Have brought in my first witnesse, from Him that is indeed the Iudge, in this and every other controverted case and cause, the plaine testimony of CHRIST, concurring with the scope and drift of his owne Parable: as the Prince of the Pro­phets breakes the yce, so that Prophet which is the fore-man of the Iewry of the twelve, wades after: for as ESAY is accounted by Evangelij vocationis (que) gentium, pro­nunciator a­pertior. lib. 9 confes. cap. 5 AVGVSTINE a more evident Trumpet and Proclaimer of Christ, than the rest: so setting up a Siquis, as it were, or making a gene [...]all Proclamation, to all and every one, Iewes and Gentiles, Graecians and Barbarians, that were a thirsty after Esay 55.1. CHRIST, and after his merits, heated scorched, and burnt up, with the fiery indignation of the Law, revealing sinne, de­sirous to be cooled, and refreshed with the Gos­pell: heraldring out the worth of that water of Life CHRIST, with all his mercies and merits, as freely offered and preferred unto all, [Page 72] that are rightly qualified, with hungry hearts Math. 5.6 to receive him as the Ayre to breath in: the earth to walke on: the Sea to saile in: the Sunne of his mercy, casting beames on all that groane under the Math. 11 28. & Math. 9.12, Luk. 19.10. burthen of their sinnes: so expostulating with them, further, after the manner of the Pro­phets (as MOSES oft, with Deut. c. 1. Exo. 32.21 Israel: SAMAEL with 1 Sam. 15 14. SAVL, NATHAN with 2. Sā. 12.9 DAVID, and o­thers; with others in like cases) by way of In­crep [...]tion and re [...]argution, he demands of them of wherefore they lay out money, for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfies not: Esay 55. v. 2. In which he shewes! 1. What they do foolishly: 2. What they reape frivously they spend (as all other vaine men) their oyle, and their toyle; their costs and their paines, their money and their labor, in non panem: upon that which is not bread? What ever any man doth in a blinde zeale, in a false Religion, as the Iew in his Iudaisme: the Turke in his Mahumetan sine, Act. 9. [...].2 Act. 22. [...]4. 1 Tim 1 13 Saul once in his Pharisa [...]sme Vidi S [...]u [...] ­te [...]i Censurā de Tertullia­no i [...] patrum Medulla. TERTVLLIAN in his Montanisme: the Anabaptists at this day in their ^f Anabaptisme: the Familists in their ^g Familisme: the Papists chiefly in their Papisme, in their Massings, Crossings, Creepings, Sprinklings, Idolatrizings, Lege Doc. Rainolds, te Jdol. Rom. Ecclesiae, & in Thesibus. St Worshi­pings, Pilgrimages, Trentrals, Dirges, Shrifts, Par­dons, Exorcismes, Crucifixes, Shrines, Reliques Ima­ges, Superstitious Ceremonies, Observations of Times, Meates, Will-worships; Traditions, and the De quibus omnibus, lege Willers Sy­nops. & Te­trastylon. Sutcliffs workes a­gainst Bell. his Turco­papismas, his Abridg. of Popery. D. Morton his Protestants appeale. D. White against Fish. D. B [...]ard his 13. reasons, D Fow [...]s: [...]o [...]el, Down [...]m, de Antichristo. D. Feild de Eccl. Morney of the Masse and his progresse of Papacy. Humfrey in 10 reasons of Champian, cum alijs. like. [Page 73] or what paines soever are employed Quicquid est homini, studij luboris Industriae Calvinus la­vater & Marlorat in locum. in prosecu­tion of any inordinate lust, vice, vanity carnality, concupiscence watsoever that tend not to, ends not in Christ; these, and all these, are non panis, they are no bread, they are but Huskes and Akorns, they satisfie not: these that follow after such, follow but after their shadow, pursue a Flea; run after a butter-flye: they have a great catch for their labour: they beat but the Ayre; they gape for the Wind: they misse their marke, they run at uncertainties; they wander in Devious Toto er­rant coelo. paths; they sayle without their Compasse, and Card; they dash upon the Rockes; they sow the Winde, and reape the Whirlewind; when they looke for Har­vest and crop of felicity, they are answered with the thornes of Cares, the Bryars of sorrowes, the brambles of anxieties: with AESOPS Dog, they snatch the shadow for the substance: with that Fabula in Ambitiosos applicatur a Ravisio, in Officina. l. 8. pag. 853. IXION, they imbrace a Cloud, for IVNO; they wed bleare-ey'd Gen. 29.25.26 LEAH, for beauteous RACHEL; as dim-eyed ISAAC, they mistake Gen. 27.22, 23 IACOB for ESAY, that which they thinke plants them, supplants them: these which they take (as ADAM received EVE) to bee their helpers to beatitude) they prove Remora piscis adhae­ret Navibus & sistit. te­stibus vin­centi [...], l. 17. c. 29. Plin. l. 9. c. 25. & Basilio ex­em. hom. 7. Remoraes, and Hinderers: they gripe these worthlesse trifles, as Fooles doe Thornes, till they pricke at last theyr very hearts, till they bleed againe, they dally and play with them as the Childe at the hole of the Aspe and of the Cockatrice, [Page 74] or at the hive of the Bees, till they be stung againe, till they dye or cry: in a word, they prove not bread unto them, as they thought, but Huskes which they thought not: they gaine over shoul­ders by them, when all their Cards are cast: theyr paines and their perils being counterpoized, with the best that they promise: their chiefe Clyents rew their bargaine, and buy repentance at too deare a Non Tanti paenitentiam emam. Dem. rate: they bring them as much content in the issue and event, as Mercury to a greene wound, as smoke to sore eyes: the pleasure and profit they promise, ends in paine and perplexitie, as AMMONS unlawfull love to THAMAR ended in 2. Sā. 13.15 hatred; as sweet wine oft corrupts to sower Vi­neger: Hugging these in their armes, as MOSES his Exod. 4.3. rod, they turne Serpents, they breake pro­mise as perfidiously, as LAEAN with Gen. 31.7 IACOB, as the Carthagenians with Rome, as Vlidislaus the Hungarian with the Knols in his Turkish History, Bonfinius in Hist. Hun­garia, & Ju­sius in Thea­tro Iudicie­rum Dei, Anglice scripto. cap. 29. pag. 166 167. Turke, and the Turke with the Christians. They answere not expectance; they promise bread, for sustentation, but they per­forme Huskes, vanities: vexation: Parturiunt Montes nascetur ridiculus mus: they indent gol­den Mountaines, but pay chirping Myce, or mic­ry Mole-hils: they allure him with the baite of painted beauty, but strike with the booke of ex­perimented baine.

My Rivers returne to their first Seas, they are not bread they satisfie not.

For the better clearing of which poynt, it's worthy our consideration, the use, the excellency the necessity of bread, even according to the litte­rall [Page 75] sence, as we have seene the vility, and vacuity of Huskes, that so contraries being opposed may more manifestly Contraria juxta se op­posita magis elucescune. appeare, as Venus pictured be­sides Vulcan seemes more beautifull, as Arions Harpe is more melodious after Pans Pipe, as ho­ny more relisheth the palate, after Aloes and Gall: and as the rose smels more fragrant after assa faeti­da: bread then we must know, both in the Scrip­tures and Authors, hath a very large Panis Do­ctrinalis sa­cramentalis victualis a­pud Ludol­phum de vi­ta Christi. extent: for it containes all sufficiency of food and nutriment, both for soule and body, and therefore some would derive the Latine panis, of the Greeke word [...]: which signifies, saith one, the multitude of all safeties: the magnitude of all Multitudi­nem salutum magnitudi­nem solami­num, & ple­nitudinem omnium bo­norum. comforts, the plenitude of all good things, what ever is needfull for corporall, or animall sustenance, which me thinkes better agrees to CHRIST, in the mysterious sence, who is called that bread of life, Ioh. 6.51. Then to the literall sence: yet consider the creature as it is, in it owne nature: of all the blessings which God hath given for the pre­servation and sustentation of the life of man, for his esse, and bene Tullius de Officijs. esse, his being, and his well being: there is none of more use than bread: for if we consider eyther what account the Patriarkes, the Prophets, the men of God, yea Pagans, Heathens, Turkes, Salvages, in all Countries, and King­domes, have made and still doe make of it, in all a­ges: 2. Or how, well we are with it: 3. Or, how ill we can be without it, wee shall say of it, as Ad Laelium de Amicitia. TVLLY sayd of friendship: Solem è coelo tollere vi­dentur: they seeme to take the Sunne out of the [Page 76] Heaven, that would deprive mortall men of it.

For the first use and antiquity of it; however it be a question whether flesh were eaten or no, before the Negative determinant Theod. q. in Gen. 25. Chris. hom. in Gen. 27. Hier. contra Jovin. lib. 2. Peter Mar­tyr & Lyra­nus in Gen. 9. Aquina. 1.2. q. 102. d. 2. dubitat. tamen Cal­vinus in Gen. 6. Reproba­vit sententiā dominicus a Soto. l. Ju­stit. 5. q. 1. art. 4. Flood, or onely hearbes and plants, which then had more vigour and force in them, than now: yet, I perswade my selfe, bread was a food used of the Patriarkes even before the floud, as since: for CAINE being a Gen. 4.2. Husbandman, (as ABEL a Shepheard) and tilling of the ground, sure corne came of his tillage, and of Corne, bread? And after the Floud MELCHI­SEDECH brought to ABRAHAM bread Gē. 14.18 and Wine: and the sonnes of IOB, whom some thinke was about the time of Pineda & Mercerus perfat in Jo­bum. MOSES, banqueted, and eate bread together, in the Elder brothers Iob. 1.13 house and IOSEPH from Aegypt, sent Corne for bread, for his Father IACOB, into Gen. 42.15. Canaan. I know some Countries were long without the use of it: using Akornes for bread: yea PLINY reports it in his time, (which was some 40. yeares after CHRIST) there were men eaters (as the Canibals now) that lived without bread: and it's certaine the Art of Baking was very lately brought to 380. yeres after the Persian war. Rome, for till the time of the Persian Warre they u­sed boyled Corne instead of bread: and before the use of Corne came up, many Countries lived of Lib. 8. cap. 11. idem Plinius. Iustin. l. 2. & Ovid. 4. Fast. Pulse, and Gland, and Dates, and other such fruits of Trees: but after it was once found out, by Tyllage, by OSYRIS in Lib. 16. Aegypt, TRITOLEMVS in Graecia and Asia, SATVRNE [Page 77] in Macro­bius in Sa­t [...]ru. Latium, Pliny lib. 7 Cap. 16. CERES (or Isis) in Attica, Sci­cile as also the way and meanes how to grinde Corne, knead it, and bake it in bread: as did PI­LVMNVS Diodorus Siculus lib. 6 c [...]p. 15. & Polydorus Ʋirg. de Iu­vent. lib. 3. cap. 2. the first Baker in Rome: how won­derously was the invention welcommed? And the Inventors dignified, (yea deified with divine ho­nor, and how this good Creature since hath beene esteemed (except to prophane and unthankfull persons, to whom plenty of it, as of all other common blessings, makes it disrespected) who knowes not?

And good reason it is to be equalized nay pre­ferred before all other foods besides, used in Au­thors of divers As Camels flesh beeing the food of the Arabi­ans, Lizards and Nuttes to Syrians and Affri­cans, Gras­hoppers to the old Ly­bians, Ly­ons and Beares to the No­mades of Assricke, Serpents to the Indians, Horses and Wolves to the Vandals, and Sarmatians, Crocodiles to the Egyptians, de quibus Hier. cont. Jovinian. lib. 2. Stra [...] de situ or­bis, [...]b. [...]6. Plutarchus in synops. Aristoph. Salust. in bello Ingur. & Gibbons in Ge [...]. cap. 7 p. 264. All these are little wholsome without bread. Nations.

First, it is more wholsome of it selfe than any other meat, without it, for let a man eate flesh of Bullocks, Beeves, Kids, Calves, or so much desired Venison, Hares, Harts, yea Quales, Partridges, Pheasants, hee shall soone bee weary of them, without bread: yea tasted all or most of them together, in the excessive ryot of Feasts, I thinke with SENECA they rather clog the stomacke, than Diversa non [...]lant sed inquinant. nourish; fighting together in theyr divers qualities Humida pugnantia siccis. and operations, as the Eliments doe, yea as so many Cockes in a Pit.

Therefore those that eate, of those meates with­out bread, as Salvages and Canibals, are seldome cleare complexioned, but blackish, and swarthy, of a smelling and stincking breath, as is observed, neyther so strong and nervous as those that use bread.

Secondly, other meates though never so neat­ly and curiously cooked, oft bring satiety chiefly in sicknesse and distemper, or after some surfeit of them: that they are never so distasted, but that e­ven after sicknesse, the appetite returnes to it a­gaine.

Thirdly, other meates are not well relished without this: this, alwayes even without other meates.

Fourthly, some naturally hate and abhorre There is a secret Anti­pathy in some against Cheese, Mallards, Apples, Egs, Pigs, Pyes, of which Phy­sick knows neither cause nor cure Like. I may say of Oyle, But­ter, Caveare and Tobac­cho of some much loa­thed. other meates, or at least in superstition abstaine from them, as once the Pythagoreans from beanes; the Papists at this day frō all flesh & white meates in Lent, and Saints Eeves, against that Christian liber­ty which the word Coll. 2.16 1. Cor. 10.25. Rom. 14.17 1. Tim. 4.4. 1. Cor. 8.8. allowes: the Turkēs also and Iewes, with whom Papisme Vide Sut­cleus Turce­paspanū Rei­noldum de J­dol. Rem. Ec­clesiae. & O­merod his booke call'd the picture of a Papist. in many things doth sympathize abstaine from divers meates, at di­vers times superstitiously observed: as Epiphan. her. 66: Aug. de her. 46. & 30. contr. Faustum. Cap. 5.6. Hereticks, have done in former times: our Iudaizing Thres­kites lately, but never any (except in our marvai­lous if not miraculous prodigious Fasters, that have by report exceeded even MOSES and ELIAS) have totally and wholly abstained from Recorded by Wierus in his Trac­taite of Abstinence, and the memorable Hist. of our Time. p. 352. Bread, [Page 79] yea bread and water have beene used of our stric­test Paenitents, in their fasting humiliations: Yea, Pambo Macarius, Paulus Simplex, Anthony Hilari­on, of whose Austeritie Hospinian writes wonders, were dayly dieted with bread in their pittances, or portions more or De M [...]ra abstanentia horum & a­liorum Me­nachorum & C [...]itatum lege, Theod. lict. lib. 1. Cellat. Soc. 4. c. 23. E­vagrium. 6.13. Zozom. l. 5. c. 10. & 15. & l. 6. c. 28.29.33.34. Niceph. lib. 11. Suri­um. Tom. 1. & Tom. 6. de vitis Pa­trum. lesse: yea DANIEL himselfe Dan. 10.3 though he abstained from all pleasant bread, (as DARIVS Dan. 6.18. once from Musicke) in his occasio­ned humiliation, for one and twenty dayes, yet it's no consequent but he eate ordinary bread, since according to the rule of that zealous Hier. lib. 2 Epist. 14. linguist, fortissimum Ieiunium est aqua & panis: bread and water, are the cheefe Fasts; yea for the whole tearme of life, though some have abstained from Wine as the Josephus in bello Indaico lib. 2. cap. 8. Essens, amongst the Iewes, the Na­zarites, Baronius annalium Tom. 1. & Bel. lib. 2. cap. 5. de Monachis. and the Rechabites, from flesh, yet none from bread: except such, as cannot get it: as these in Navar, that live in Rocks and Cliffes by the Sea side, onely on stockfish all winter: and in other frozen Countries, as our poore Mountanous Irish also have made poore shift, with course fare, even without bread: Insomuch that the Poet observed some in his time, content onely with bread, salt and water: as was sometimes, that Cynicke in his Tub: therefore it's well observed by some, that our Saviour instituted the Sacrament of the Eucha­rist in bread, as a Type and figure of his body: be­cause it is in use amongst all Nations: nor ever forbid by any politicke Law, as other meates are; as flesh in Lent, the not killing of Calves, Lambes, Pigs, for propagation of Cattell, after some rot or Murraine: or for supply of warre, or the ma­ting, [Page 80] of some Country, as now Virginea: or some other politique ends: nay it is observed, that even most creatures affect bread, more than any other meate, appropriated to man: The Elephant, the Deere, the Dog; the Foxe, the Wolves (those wild vild Dogs) the Conny, the Hare, have beene all knowne to eate bread; but especially all Nati­ons whatsoever, delight in bread: as Villamontanus notes, that in the Haven of Iapha, as they travailed to Ierusalem, the Moores and Arabians flew to their ships, requiring nothing but bread; many such Histories wee purchase by the Pilgrimage Purchase his Pilgri­mage passim of that learned Preacher: and HERODOTVS tells us, that the Egyptians glorying in their antiquity, then tryed it thus; PLAMMETICVS their King tryed this Conclusion; he made two Children to be kept two yeares, by a Heardsman from all com­pany, at last visiting them, the first word they spake, was Bec, Bec, which both in the Phrygian tongue, and the lower Germanie, signifies Bread: Bread.

Fifthly and lastly, bread is Instar omnium instead of all; nay taken for all other victuals; as I have noted this Greeke word Pan, intimates: therefore it's a curse mixt with a Command, that ADAM shall eate his bread, that's earne, whatever is needfull ad victum cultum (que) for meat, drinke, and apparell, in the sweat of his Gen. 3.10 Marlorate inlocum. browes, in some lawfull calling; and that which is the best of Danaeus in orat. Domini Ambrosius in Psal. 118 & Babingtō on the Lords Prayer, fol. 75. prayers, the rule and square of all other prayers, directs us to pray for our dayly bread: that is whatever is needfull for our temporary life, according to our places, callings & conditions.

SECT. 2. GODS Children as they have GODS plenty: So they have GODS peace which worldlings want.

NOw from these praemises according to the letter, we extract this truth, that as Huskes signifie every vanity, as opposed to bread, inclu­ding, concluding, every good blessing, so the truth (as a square shewes what's crooked) shewing it selfe, and the contrary, demonstrates to it both the propositions: first propounded, that in the service and observance of sinne, and Sathan, the Citizen of the Country, (the Author and Father of all the sinnes, of the City and Country) there's nothing but hungry Huskes; emptinesse, vacuity, vility, vanity, insufficiency, as on the contrary in our Fathers house: in the true Church of God, in the service and worship of the true IEHOVAH, the Father of Mercy, the Father of all Flesh; of all spirits; there's bread enough, Corporall, Sacra­mentall, spirituall, comfort, and contentation e­nough, externall, internall, aeternall. GOD pro­viding a large allowance, a liberall dyet for his family, above that which SALOMON dayly al­lowed for 1. Kings, 4 22.23. his, every day being to them a so­lemne Feast, a Christ-tide a Festivall, as in the new Moone, and solemne Assemblyes: a great Feast, in­deed: above that of Esth. 1.3. ASSVERVS, or the Roman Galba, or When he supt in A­pollo. LUCULLUS; a Feast of fat things in his [Page 82] Holy Esay, 25.6 Mountaine, his Syon: a Feast of Wine on the Lees of fat things, full of marrow of Wine on the Lees well refined; Mat. 22.4 for Wisedome hath killed her Beasts Prov. 9.2. already: her Oxen and her Fatlings: yea the Paschall Lambe and fat Calfe: Omnia V. 8. & Luk. 14.17. parata all things are prepared: she hath mingled her wines; she hath furnished her Table; the milke of the Word, the Wine of the Sacrament; the oyle of the Spirit: the unction from above, cheeres the countenance, and glads the heart of all the Is­rael of GOD; they are all aboundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of their fathers house; he makes them drinke of the rivers of his Psal. 16. vers. 11. & Psal. 17, 15 pleasures, the faith-espoused soule, married to the Kings sonne, is brought into the bridall Cant. 1.4 & Chap. 2.4 & Chap. 5, 1 Chamber, takes her fill of love: yea is led into his banqueting house, in his pleasing Garden; there eates hony, with the hony combe drinkes wine, with milke; yea drinkes aboundantly till she be inebriated, Rō. 14.17 with love, Gal. 6.16 which is better than wine, yea till she be e­ven in a Love Qualme, sicke againe with love; as in a spirituall extasie of Ioy: For the Kingdome of God is Love, Peace, and Ioy, in the Holy Ghost: and this Peace is upon all the Israell of God, whosoever: this Peace as his last and best legacie, the Prince of Peace left, with all that have true and Ioh. 14.27 saving Grace; to which peace is inseparably united and married: yea lincked, as in a golden Gal. 1.3, Rom. 1.7. 1, Cor. 1.3 2. Cor. 1.2 Eph. 1, 2, 5. chaine: For it's a false Calumny and frivolous imputation which the Children of darkenesse, cast upon the Children of Light: that they are ever sad, sullen, Semper ta­citi tristes (que) recedunt. Lucretius. sighing, Sic dictum [...]lim, Calvi­nianos, esse Melancholi­cos. melancholly as a Hare [Page 83] or See Deme­critus of Re­ligions Me­lancholy, Part. 3. sect. 4. pag. 493. ad p. 537. Owle, never injoying themselves, but pine, and droupe and hang downe their heads as a Bull­rush: so pure and precise, that they take no con­tent in the Creatures, but deprive themselves of all Ioyes, or pleasures: unsociable, besides, as Tymon Tymonille Atheniensis Misanthro­pos. retyred, or as Students: unhewen, un­manly, unmannerly men: such as take delight in no company, and none in them; and so conse­quently that they are starved in respect of any true content? For have they no joyes because the beetle blinde bleare-ey'd world sees them not? Is there no soule in man, this little world, no God in the world this great Homo Mi­crocosmu [...], Mundus (que) Megacos­mos compa­rantur ab Alstodio in Theol. Nat. Part. 2. pag. 643. man, because man sees neyther? Had the Israelites no Manna, because the Moabites and Ammonites tasted it not? Doth not the Sunne shine, because the blinde Begger, discernes it not? Is there no sweet­nesse in Hony and Suger, because the distem­pered palate of the aguish sicke man, gusts it not? Is ABRAHAMS ISAAC sacrificed, because hee was on the Altar? No ISAAC then (and still) Gē. 22.12 lives: ISAAC the sonne of laughter, the Fathers joy: the joy of GODS salvation ever lives in the heart of the Elected and called: the Ramme is onely Gē. 22.1 [...] sacrificed, carnall, sensuall, Sodomitish, sinfull, bel­luine, brutish, fleshly, uncleane and impure Ioyes, in the abused Creatures, such as brutish, Swinish, hoggish Epicures, loose Libertines, wallow in; as the Eele in the mud, in the abuse of Wine, Women, Musicke, Meares, Drinks, Appa­rell, Hawking, Hunting, Sports, Pastimes, Feasts, [Page 84] recreations, turning liberty into licentiousnesse, Christianity into Carnality: these joyes and con­tents, in which vaine men live, (or rather by which they dye) as it were laughing, even tickled to death: these onely are moderated, mortified, sa­crificed, yea crucified, on the Crosse of CHRIST: but ISAAC the sonne of Promise; spirituall joyes they still live: yea then live most when ABRA­HAM (or the sonne of ABRAHAM a beleeving Gal. 3.7. Christian) is most tempted, tryed, afflicted perse­cuted: as the Lawrell is greenest, when the win­ter is Imo vivit & viget in Mari Rubro Plin. lib. 13. cap. 25. fowlest; the Dolphin most playes, when the Sea is most Solinus c. 17. stormy; the Swan sings swee­test, when death is the Cantaetor cygnus fune­ris ipse sui. nearest; as it may bee seene; DANIEL rejoycing in the Lyons Dan. 6.21 Den, PAVL and SILAS singing in Act. 16.25 Prison; the Apo­stles glad, that they were threat, and beat for the Name of Act. 5.41 Christ, the Martyrs tryumphing at the As Jgnati­us Polycar­pus A [...]talus Bi [...]rlaam. Fabianus Victoria a­pud Eusebi­um, lib. 3. c. 30. lib. 4. c. 15. lib. 6. c. 29. Niceph. lib. 3.19. l. 14, 15. lib. 5 7 & apud Basilium, sermon. de Barlaam. Stake; as CAESAR in his Trophies: and IOHN most ravished in spirit, when by bloudy DOMI­TIAN, he was banished to the Isle Pathmos: Yea as carnall men, like that politique Prince in the Poët, are most sad in heart, when they seeme most glad in face, in the midst of their madding myrth, as SALOMON cals it, their hearts being most hea­vie; there being a pad in the straw, a Serpent un­der the greene grasse, a Corne in their toe; a stone in their strait shooe, a moate in their eye: Sonitus horroris: a sound of horror and Lev. 26.36. & De [...] 28.65 66.67. ter­ror in their hearts which the world sees not: the guilt of their curbing crucifying Consciences as they prolong to a further Tragedy, the flash to [Page 85] hell fire, summoning them to Death and Iudge­ment, to which, they are most neare approaching; Hanniball ad Portas: Even to the Pit brinck, when they are most secure, sensuall, Lethargicall lewd, licentious and outragious in their sinfull vanities, as appeares in Sodom Gen. 19.9 24. Gomorah, the old Luk. 17.25, 26. world, 2. Sam 16 22. ABIOLOM, 1. Sam. 15 32, 33 AGAG, SAMPSONS Iudg 15.26. Philistines, drunken 1. Sam. 25 36, 38. NABAI, Dā. 5.4, 5 BALTAZAR, the Gospels Luk. 12, 20 worldlings, the purpled Luk. 16, 22 Glutton, with many moe: (who if they knew all, had more need to act the parts of HERACLITVS, than DEMOCRI­TVS; to weepe than to laugh, as St. IAME [...] Iam. 4.9. counsels, to mourne with the Dove and Pelican, (as did DAVID) for the miseries comming on them, than to jangle like layes; chatter like Crowes; croake like Frogs, prate like Parrats, nay roare like Buls, in their unsanctified vanities and scandalous soule-killing poysonous myrth: IEREMIES Threenes, the times lamentations, the the Psalmographes paenitentiall 7. Psalmi Paenitentia­les cum Com­mentarijs Vegae, Lorini Marlorati Molleri Strigellij. Psalmes, recyted by Possiaonius in ejus [...]ita & Hist. Magd. cent. 5 pag. 11 13 AVGVSTINE, and Grinaeus in suis Apot [...]. Mo [...]entum, pag. 9 [...]. CALVIN, on theyr death-beds (and the Lachryma of the Saints, bet­ter befitting them, than Songs of Sodome, uncleane ribauldry, which they vent and vomit out in eve­ry Taverne; Inne, Alehouse and Tipling house) So againe on the contrary, the sanctified Christi­an, the true Convert; reioyceth when he is affli­cted, tryumpheth when he is persecuted: her seth in holy affections, as the Ponderi non sedit, Aulus Gellius lib. c. 6. preci [...]ue Gerliciu [...], in Epist. ante axiom. Eceles. ex Plinio, lib. 13. cap. 4. Palme-tree, in despight of all the weight of Afflictions: Crosses are, but as [Page 86] cold water sprinkled on a hot flaming fire; they more inkindle the heat and ardour of his love: which much water cannot quench (as the sap to the root, the besiedged Garrison, to the strongest part of the Castle: the spirits to the heart of the dying man, dying Swan: the naturall heat to the stomacke and inward parts) so his spirituall com­forts retyre inward, to his heart, and soule, and conscience, in the coldest winter of outward troubles, tryals and pressures: his Sunne shines even in his Raines and Stormes; his Roses of Com­forts, grow in the middest of his Thorny tryals: yea, they flow from afflictions, as refreshing-wa­ters, to all Gods Israel, even out of stony Rockes; out of his soures, come sweet, as SAMPSONS Iudg. 149 Hony-combe, out of the belly of the Lyon: hee finds Ioy even in Tribulation, as IONATHAN found strengthening Hony even in the 1, Sā. 14.27 Desart, and as some finde Pearles, even in the heads of Serpents, and Vt uniones ex Ostreis. Ovetanus hist. l. 19. c. 8. ex Conchis asserit, Ae­lian. l. 14. c. 8 Fishes, when the Windes of afflictions beat upon the outwals of his flesh; even then he hath a wonderfull calme, and tranquility, in the inward house of his heart. Even as it's quiet under the Deck, when the Waves and billowes bluster; a­gainst the outside of the Sea-floting Ships: In a word, the godly man hath his inward haven, and sure Anchor, when he seemes to be fluctu­ate; his inward heaven, when to the world he seemes to have his hell: nay sayes that judici­ous M. Perkins Divine, he sailes to Heaven by or through the Gates and straites of Hell: to apply all to my purpose; he is full and satisfied, hee hath [Page 87] bread enough in his Fathers house, when he seemes to be hungry: the carnall worldling, his soule is empty, he feedes but on Windy Huskes, in the service of Sinne, when hee seemes to be satisfied? Sathans service (like the carelesse Cures of some of IEROBO­AMS 1. King. 13.33. Priests) is meere Se Pascunt non Oves. Ezech. 34.3 4. Starve—his.

SECT. 3. The ioyes of the Saints never received, nor concei­ved of Sinners.

IF any be a doubtfull Didimist in this poinct, or a disputefull Scepticke, as hard of beleefe: be­sides the testimony of the Prodigall himselfe, in which habemus reum, confitentem, wee have the confession of the guilty, and what needs more; we have also the dicision and determination of the Soveraigne, Iudge himselfe: who by the mouth of ESAY thus decides the controversed case; betwixt his owne servants, that did heare and feare his word, and rebelling Israel, that chuse their owne workes and wayes, as that evill servants to a worse Master: Behold saith the Lord Esay. 65.1 13.14. God, my servants shall eat, and yee shall shall bee hungry: Behold my Servants shall drinke, and ye shall be thirsty: Behold my Ser­vants shall rejoyce, but you shall bee ashamed: Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart, and you shall cry for sorrow of heart, ad shall howle for vexation of minde, [Page 88] thus GOD expresseth himselfe aptissimis verbis, in plaine phrases, to put the point out of all que­stion, for his word is more permanent than Hea­uen and earth, as the Decrees of the Medes and Persians Dan. 6, 8. irrevocable; and indeed it must needs be so; for the servants of GOD, enjoy GOD him­selfe, CHRIST dwels in their hearts Eph. 3.17 by faith, there's the priuie Chamber of the great King; there's the Hive into which the spirit that Para­clete, the Comforter Ioh. 14 16 brings the sweet hony of spirituall Comforts; it's the banqueting-house of the bridegroome, yea his nuptiall bed of hea­venly desires, and delights; the Elect are the Tem­ples of the holy 1. Cor. 6 19. Ghost, according to the promise of Christ, GOD the Father, the Sonne, and the Spirit, the true invisible Trinity, Cohabites with them, as blessed Inmates inhabites in them, is Inthronized in their very spirits: yea spiritually and mutually sups and feasts with Rev. 3.20 them, and is feasted by them, as in the dayes of his flesh; in our flesh he was fea­sted by Mat. 9.10. MATHEVV, Ioh. 12.2 MARY, Luk. 19.8 ZACCHEVS, and Luk. 14.1 & cap. 7.36 others, now can there want Cates, Viands, and Iunkets where GOD himselfe Caters and cookes the Dishes? Where he is the maker and M ^r. of the Feast, can a man want water that is in the Sea? Can he want light that walkes in the Sunne, unlesse he be eyther blinde, or shut his eyes? Is it probable (possible) that he should perish for thirst, that hath a fountaine opened to him, as once to HAGAR and Gē. 21.19 Haec fons Christus Zach. 13. v. 1. ISMAEL, or that those should want solid consolation, and contentation, that injoy Christ; his mercies, his merits, his [Page 89] Grace: his spirit? The fountaine and foundation of all true joy whatsoever: without whom there's no true Ioy, as no light to the world without the Sunne, no life to man, without the soule: No life to the Soule, without Grace: even as there's no heat in the Winter to frozen Norway, without the fire: for there's no peace to the wicked, saith my Esa. 57.21 GOD; as no light to the body without the eyes: no light to the house without the Win­dowes: I know the world seeing with eyes quic­ker than Cujus vi­sus solida pae­netrat corpo­ra. Ʋincent. Natur. l. 19 cap. 79. LYNCEVS, or the Serpent EPIDAV­RVS, into that penury and poverty, in externall things, which GOD sometimes humbles his owne children withall, as sometimes hee did IA­COB, and his Gen. 42.1 family, NAOMI and Ruth. 1.13 RVTH, 1. King. 17 11 ELIAS, the Widdow of Vers. 12. Sarepta, the poore Widdow of the 2. Kin. 4.1 Prophet, 1. Sā. 21.3 DAVID, Luk. 16, 20 LAZARVS, with many moe: keeping them for their safety, for feare of Rot-grasse, as Sheepe, in a short Pa­sture: and not able to see (more than Moales, Beetles and Owles, the lustre of the Sunne) in­to that aboundant supply of inward consolation, which as the Vnicornes Plin. hist. 8 cap. 21. & Iovins hist. l. 18. Hornes, or ELISHAES 2. King. 2 21. Salt, seasons all the bitter waters of their out­ward afflictions: will not beleeve this copy, and redoundant plenty, with which they are furni­shed, no more than that incredulous Lord, would beleeve 2. Kin. 7.2 the prophesied plenty of Corne that should be in Samaria, when he dream'd of nothing, but of a dreaded dearth: but is it so, that the Bell, ever ringeth, what the Foole thinketh? Is a pearle no Pearle, because AESOPS Cocke, or [Page 90] a Swine (an ignorant Swaine, or an intoxicated Drunkard) knowes not the value of it? Is IA­COB no better for the blessing, because ESAV doth so little Gē. 25.34 prize it? Is there no exquisite Musicke in DAVIDS Psal. 150.5 Cymbals, in ORPHEVS, or ARIONS Harpe, in LYDIAN or DORICKS De his & alijs specie­bus Musi­cae, Julius Pollu. lib. 4. Onen. c. 8.9.10.11. Rho­dig. lect. l. 5. cap. 2, 3.25 26. & Polyd. de inven. lib. 1. cap. 15. musicke, because the Deafe man heares it not? No exquisite De quibus Plinius lib. 33. c. 4. l. 35 c. 6. & Dis­corides. lib. 5 cap. 61. & enerrat 68. Colours, in ZEVXIS, or APEL­LES Tables: because the blind man, discernes them not? Nor shines not the Sunne, because the old wife of Bathe sees it not? Let God be true and all men Lyers? Let the Spectators say what they list; beleeve the Iudge: as that good OE­COLAMPADIVS a splendent light in the Conveniunt rebus nomi­na saepe suis. Church; when the Sunne shone on his face, as he lay on his death-bed, being ask'd if he would have the Curtaines drawne, laying one hand on his face, the other on his breast, answered; aboundance of light, aboundance of light, meaning outward light on his face, and inward light in his heart; so the Sonnes of GOD, the Children of Light, have a­boundant comforts, which the children of dark­nesse discerne not: As CHRIST himselfe Ioh. 4.32. once, so Christians ever they have meat to eate, even spi­rituall Manna which the world knowes not of: Grinans in Epist ad D. Fabritium, Capiton & Iacobus Gri­naeus in A­poth. M [...] ­rient. pag. 91. Jdem de Zwingero, p. 97. Ob lux caendida, lux mihi. they have bread in their Fathers house: a large and a li­berall allowance, there is in the Church of GOD, in the Word and the Sacraments: for all the sonnes of Syon, (however the Papists as false Stewards, and Soule-murtherers, abridge the Lords people of their [Page 91] alotted Portions, or rather steale or purloyne it from them, to their owne carnall and sinister ends) whereas Hypocrites, Heretiques, and pro­phane ESAVES within the Church, which are but as rotten bowes to the Tree, wooden legs to the body, having no stomacke to the Lords Viands, or finding, no relish in them, more then in a rot­ten Poast, or white of an egge: as also Pagans, Hea­thens, Iewes, and Turkes without the Church, wan­ting these meanes of life, this solid meate, as the rush in the Summer, that wants myre: both the one and the other, fed with the poyson of humane inventions, deceiveable lusts, traditionary vani­ties, as this Prodigall here; as AOAR, and IS­MAEL in the Desart for want of water, ere they were shewen the Fountaine by the Angell.

SECT. 1. Ionas his Iudgment and experience of lying Ʋanities.

WE have heard one Prophet speake, the truth, first propounded: con­firmed and further expounded by him, who inspired the Pro­phets: the point is farther illustra­ted, by IONAS, who had as good experience of mans sinning misery, of sinnes lying vanitie, of Gods all-saving satisfactory mercy, as ever any meere man, excepting SALOMON; whom we reserue for the last: for this IONAS as you know, being com­manded by the Soveraigne Monarch of Heaven and Earth, to goe preach and cry against the crying sinnes of Ninivee, projecting doubts and dangers, finding knots in a Bul-rush, fearing the might and malice of man more than God: consulting with flesh and bloud, and carnall reason, the greatest eni­my to religion: against his mission and Commissi­on; he sayles to Tarchus: but as he was crosse and contradictory to GOD, GOD crosseth him, he meetes with him in his owne Eliment; wounds him at his owne weapon: The storme and the Vbi pecca­tum ibi pro­cellae. Aug. Tempest, the Waves and the Bil­lowes of the Sea, the utmost rage of Winde [Page 93] and water, are sent out by GOD, as hew and cry after this fugitive Felon, hee is apprehended in the ship, ipso actu, ipso factu, in the very act of of sinne; Iustice findes him sleeping, Ion. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.14.15. takes him in the manner, just napping: the Lot findes him guilty; as if Martiall Law were executed on him: hee is instantly throwne over-boord, by the Marriners, as GODS Executioners: but the LORD in Iustice remembring Mercy: Inter fon­tem & pontem accedens Gratia: Grace comming as betwixt the Bridge and the River, betwixt the Ship and the bottome of the Sea: Vers. 17. hee is reprieved and bailed by a Fish: yet kept impriso­ned, as for his good abearing, three dayes, and three nights in the bowels, and Garbage of the Whale, as in a living Grave, hanging as a feather in the Ayre betwixt life and death: truely humbled for his sinnes; yet apprehending and applying mercy, with a bleeding, yet belee­ving heart, hee makes his Propheticke Song, in manner of Lyricke Verses, according to the Hebrewes, which hee pens, when hee is cast upon the See the learned Le­ctures of D. Abbot, and D. King, up­on Ionas. Shore. In which Song, ag­gravating in many Phrases and Metaphors his owne misery both in his outward and inward man: amongst the rest he tels us, that even his ve­ry soule was overwhelmed with him, or as some translations expresse, it was even failing or sain­ting Cum defi­ceret anima, secundum 70. Interpre­tes cum Au­gustaretur secundum Hierom. cum obrueretur secundum Iu­nium. quan­do despera­b [...]t, [...]t Po­meranus. in him, straitned in him: yea even despai­ring in him: in the very soliloquies of his soule, he tells us the distracted and desperate thoughts of his heart: that hee was (according to [Page 94] sundry readings) even excisus & succisus, cut off from Ion. 2.4. God: Eiectus, reiectus: Cast out, cast off: Ejected, rejected, of the Almighty: forgot­ten, yea forsaken of him; yet thus under water, he lifts up his head; hee remembred the Vers. 7. Lord, here was his Faith, his Prayer, as a winged Mer­cury, darted out as Pellets from a Gun, in the heat and fire of fervency, penetrated the Heavens, pierced the Clouds, and ascended the Clouds (as an Aeagle mounts) unto the Almighty: and in this heavenly soliloquie, with GOD, the eye of his soule, being quickened, opened, and annoynted, with Collyrium of the spirit, he sees also the insuf­ficiency, of every deceiveable Lust, and worldly vanity, to give his sinne distressed soule any satis­faction: his old burthened conscience any con­tentation. Nay rather as by interposition, this sublunary lying vanities, as he cals them, doe cloud and eclipse from him, the sinne of that mer­cy, in the heat and light of which was his true tranquility: for so indeed are his expresse words, Commenting my Text (as the Prodigall before his repentant returne, both felt, and found) they which imbrace lying vanities, forsake their owne Ion. 2.8. mercy: that is, that mercy, which as a man a Lease, by purchase, from a Landlord, they might have made their owne, and appropriated to them­selves, as sure, as the Cote to their backes, that mercy they have neglected and rejected: re­pudiated, and refused, yea despised, and despited, by following, and persecuting, hugging, affecting, and imbracing (as once our unregenerate Prodi­gall) [Page 95] their Fancies, Follies, and vitious vani­ties.

Which Text that I may presse to the quicke, because it Paralels my Text in the substance of matter, and plainely and prospicuously speakes the point in hand. Whither by vanitics here (the subject and object of the love of vaine men) we understand with HVGO VICTORINVS, that double vanity that is in every sublimary thing: the vanity of mutability and change, that is in the Creature, not onely Terrestriall, but Celestiall, even in the Heavens themselves, as the Fathers Hier. Com­ment. in E­saiam, lib. 8. cap. 24. & lib. 14. c. 51. & Origen. in Rom. 8. v. 20. allude, all which Creatures are vaine in respect of God, mans soveraigne good: whose name is onely I am Exod. 3.14. incommunicable to any Hierom. Epist. 50. & Comment, in 24. Esaiae. Creature: as also vaine in respect of man: by reason of his sinne; man being the end of the Vniverse, accor­ding to Homo finis vniversi A­rist. 1. Phys. text. 25. Philosophy, even a Microcosme and lit­tle world, being himselfe altogether vaine: Psal 59.5. Subiects them also to vanitie: Rom. 8.20.

2. Or the vanity of sinfull corruption, that is man: by submitting, and subjecting himselfe, to the Creature, which was made to be subject unto him, by placing and planting his desires and affe­ctions, or things terrestriall or temporary, and not on him that is infinite, incomprehensible and aeternall, making himselfe exceeding vaine, as the Antients Augusti­nus de mori­bus Ecclesiae, cap. 21. A­than. in Sy­nopsi. & G [...]ep. lib. 5. in lib. 1. Rep. have discussed: Or in a larger division, if with a moderne Berchorius (vel nonullis Sterchorius) in verbo va­num. Fryer, in whose Dunghill there is yet some Vt olim Virgilius extraxit, ex Ennio. gold, wee consider, eyther vanities naturall which are in every Crea­ture, [Page 96] being nothing in respect of the Creator, and returning againe unto nothing: being of the earth, and from the earth, and returning againe to the Earth, their prima materia, their first matter, (as the Rivers to the Seas, as the Yce, Frosts, and Snowes, into waters, which came from waters. 2. Or Vanities temporall, and Temporary, of these outward and externall things, called abusively by Pagans and Heathens, and Paganizing Chri­stians, the Goods of Bona For­tunae. Fortune: such as Riches, honors, wealth, worship, profits, praeferments. 3. Or Vanities acquiring, as Arts, Sciences, liberall, mechanical: languages; moral wisdome: eloquēce, oratory. 4. Or Vanities personall, there being so many vaine men and Fooles of the world, as there be vitious men, wicked men in Scripture Psal. 14.1. Psal. 53.1 Psal. 39.6 Prov. 7.7 Chap. 8.5 Chap. 4.9. lan­guage, being ever unwise; and bad men: mad men. 5. Or Vanities Criminall, which are all the vaine workes, words, actions, affections, thoughts, cogitations, imaginations of vaine, sensuall, sin­full, and unregenerate men. 1. Whether they bee mentall in errors of Iudgement, as all these Here­sies old and new, lopt off as Hidraes heads, by Coun­cels and Augustine Epiphanius. Jrenaeus. Sluselburgus in Catalogo Hereticorū. Fathers, now revived, and sprung up a­gaine in Popery: the Spunge of all Abhominations, and Corruptions in Doctrine and manners. 2. Or Cordiall, as rooted and eradicated in an unsanctifi­ed heart, the fountaine and root whence Mat. 15.19 they proceed: the Seminary and Nursery where they are fostered, and cherished, the very shop and fur­nace where they are moulded. 3. Or Actuall: as they are acted, wrought, and produced, by the [Page 97] Organs, instruments and members of the Rom. 6.13 body, the slave and servant of a worse Maister; the cor­rupted. 4. Or Orall and Vocall, bleared and bla­zed from the Hell-inflamed Iam. 3.6. tongue, sending and darting out Oathes, Lyes, Slanders, Calumnies, rotten words, unsavory speeches, blasphemies: against the Vide Peral­in summa de Peccatis li [...] ­guae in sine libri. Holinesse; the verity, the charity, sanctity, sincerity; purity, that should be in speech. All these vanities, with many moe, which might be referred to these, and other heads: our IONAS here tearmes and Christens them, by the name and Epithite of lying Vanities, (by which as by a Gen. 4.15 Vers. 2. brand set upon CAIN) they shall for ever bee marked, and stigmatized to all generations: being indeed as deservedly so tearmed, as Nescio an ABEL, was tearmed Vanity by EVE: LENTVLVS a vaine man by Ʋanior, an stolidior. TVLLY; NESTORIVS a Qualis fa. v. Nestorius vide apud Magd. cent. 5. cap. 9. O­siand. p. 242 243. l. 2. & Tom. 1. conc. pag. 559. fire-brand; HANNIBAL the Scourge of Rome: TAMBERLAIN, TOTILAS and Esa. 10.5. ASHVR, the Scourge of God: CA­LIGVLA Clay mixt with bloud, by Lucum sanguine cō ­junctum. SVETONIVS; SYNESIVS the great SYNESIVS, by PLVTARK. And NABAL, a foole by 1. Sam. 25 26. ABIGAL, because as she gave the Etimology of that foole; NA­BAL is his name, and folly is with him: so I say of these Vanities, lying are they called, because lying is with them. For, besides the Experi­ence that our Prodigall had, in his owne person of these lyings and delusions, the fruites of his sinfull vanities, affoording him onely Huskes, for bread: emptinesse and vacuity for plenitude, and promised plenty: smoakes for fires; as the barren fig-tree, afforded leaves, for fruit: by [Page 98] whose experience, if vaine men will not be war­ned, in getting salves from his sores, health from his wounds: wisedome from his follies; they themselves shall taste of his sawce; eating of his unfilling meat, they shall bee thrust through as with his spit, in many darts of sorrowes; till they purchase their bought wit, at too deare a pe­ny worth: (like a melancholly man, that could not be perswaded he had a nose, till by wresting and pinching his next fellow made him feele D. Bright his Treatise of Melan­choly. it; or as the Foole, that could not beleeve the fire was hot, till his finger was burned, in the flame. I say besides his experiments, that Comments this Text: wee have evident Demonstrati­ons.

For if that bee a lying Vanity, according to Jn Psal. 4. CHRYSOSEOME, that hath Nomen sinere, a ti­tulary name without reality, as is Vtilitatis expers, devoyd of Profit, which as the Parisian Divine inlargeth Guielmus Parisiensis. it; Nec confert plenitudinem, pontinen­ti, nec fulcimentum innitenti: nec fructum laboranti. Neyther brings fulnesse to the subject contayning it; nor sound stay to those that relye on it; nor fruit, nor benefit, to those that labor about it: then all sublunary vanities, are of this nature: (as we shall see anone, in the persecution of particulars, are indeed Mendaces, & Infidi: because they grosly and greevously lye, to those which set their hearts upon them: as Gen. 31.7 LABAN to IACOB, pro­mising faire, but performing foule: Like Mounte­bankes, Impostors, Empericks, and Quacksalvers, that to set out their vaenall drugs, and magnifie their [Page 99] skill, with braggodokean and bumbasted words, pro­mise great cures which they never accomplish; their wares, (as their workes) their deeds (as their drugs, and dregs) being altogether sophisticate, or like a painted IEZABEL, a frizled Whore, which promiseth a man desired Prov. 7.16 17, 18 delight, but brings his Name to wounds and scarres; his Conscience on the Racke; his Estate, to a morsell of bread: his Body to Diseases; and his Soule to V. 26.32.33 See Downā in one of his 4. Treatises: de adulterio. Damnation: they promise more than CYRVS did, to his Zenophon l. 7. de paedai Cyri. & Ca­mer. Cent. 2. oper. Suc. c. 32. Souldiers; more than SAVL to his Courtiers, and 1. Sā. 22.7. Campers; more than CRAESVS to Craeso val­de Familia­ris apud Bru­sonium & Fulgosum. tit. de amici­tia. ANACHARSIS, yea more than BALAACK to Num. 22.7 BALAAM: but as PIR­RHVS was called Doson daturus, because he was e­ver about to give, but never gave: so every vani­ty, is promissurus, promising by Elles, (as the A­thenians are sayd to speake) but (as they are sayd to doe,) performing by Inches: as that George, on Horsebacke: ever on Cock-horse, but never ri­ding: all their glory, being but as the shining of In Italia, Cydendulae, vel Lampy­rides dictae Plinius l. 11 28. Vincent. l. 20. c. 126. Glow-wormes, in a winters night: as a painted Poast, faire without, and rotten dust within; as a Quagmire, greene above, but full of Muds, Toads, Frogs, and Nutes at the bottome: as a glorious Sepulcher, layd over with brasse, or carved mar­ble, yet within full of dead Sculs, Scalpes, rotten bones, and mummiamized Earth: as a painted face, which shining and glittering a farre off, ap­peares ugly, old, and wrinkled, when the fasting breath hath dispersed the varnish, and shewne the gracelesse grace, which lay hid, (as a Serpent un­der the greene grasse, or a Toad under Sage) under [Page 100] the oyly colours: thus there is a false Glosse, and varnish set on them, and thus commended to the sonnes of vanity, by him, who is the Father of [...]l Lyes.

SECT. 2. Eight Demonstrations of Lying Vanities.

BVt if these be too generall, every sublunary Vanity, may be detected and discovered; A Lyar, as plainely as CAIN a murtherer, IVDAS a Traytor, ACHITOPHEL a Politician; ACHAN a Thiefe; DEMAS a worldling; IVLIAN an A­postate, ANANIAS an Hypocrite, or HEROD an Adulterer, and that from these specialties.

First, because these vanities promise contentati­on and satisfaction, to the soule of man, but that grape never grew from these thornes, they pro­duce anxiety, griefe, vexation, anguish, discruti­ation and discontent, in their procurings, pur­chasings, persecutions, retentions, but especial­ly like the Divell himselfe, in those he possesseth, they most disquiet in their farewell, and leave ta­king: as some meates, and drinkes, they have an ill gust, and tast at their going downe; as it's with Lovers, there's the shreudest play, at parting; that goes hard, and kils the very old one on the nest; as may be seene, in riches, and honors especially.

Secondly, they promise pleasure, and profit, but their pleasure, ends in paine: as a hot gleaming Sunne, in a storme of Raine: as the hony, in the [Page 101] Bees mouth, ends in a sting in the Taile; Voluptas decedit, poena remanet: the pleasure is transient, the paine permanent: breve est quod delectat, aeter­num quod Augustine cruciat: it's momentany that plea­seth the flesh: aeternall that cruciates and torments the Pro. 23.33 spirit; here inchoate, in the Conscience, continuate (but never consummate) but in Hell: and for profit: what profit have you in these things, tels the Apostle his Convert Romanes, whereof you are now ashamed: IVDAS, his golden hopes; AB­SOLOM his ambitious hopes, ends both in two Hal­ters, the one of Rom. 6.21 Hempe, the other of his owne Mat. 27.4 haire, and now both meet, in one Center 2. Sā. 11.9 of Hell.

Thirdly, they promise happinesse, and felicity, as Siferaes mother promised him Psal. 9.17, & Act. 1.25 victory, as Poole and Cardinall Woolsey promis'd themselves Iudg. 5.28 Pope­domes; as Pyrrhus promist himselfe, the Empire of Grecia, but they performe as much as the craf­ty old Apud Foxum in Martyrol [...] ­gia & Speed in Chronicis, in vita Ma­riae & Hen­rici. 8 Prophet, who deluded the credulous young; when Pylat after his Presidentship, lyes and dyes in a Ditch at Lyons, when Richard the 3. after all his Butcheries, is slain in Bosworth 1. King. 13 18 Field; when Craesus is taken by Cyrus, and tyed to the stake to be Euseb. l. 2.7. & Nicep. lib. 2. c. 10. Say hee kild himself, but Hierom. in Math. 2. & Antoninus, 1. Part. hist. tit. 6. c, 20. Say hee was banish'd to Lyons, there dyed in a Lake. burned; when Cyrus as thirsty of blood and gold, is throwne a Vessell of moul­ten gold, to drinke his fill; when that proud Peli­an youth is poysoned, in the midst of yeares, and glories, as a tree cut downe in the blooming Of all these, see Speed, Stow, & Hollinshed, in our English Chron. apud Her. l. 1. & Orisium, l. 2. c. 6. spring; when WOOLSEYES head on a suddaine Apud Curtium Plut. in vita A­lexandri, Arrianum l. 7. Diod. Sicul. l. 10. [Page 102] is sent to be chopt off from his treacherous He pre­vents it by poysoning himselfe, as it was thought. bo­dy: when NAEVCHADNEZZARS pride is throwne downe, from feasting in great Babel, to feed in the Forrest, with bruit Dan. 4.33 & apud Io­sephum An­tiq. lib. 10. c. 18. beasts: yea above all, when the Georgeous, and gluttenous Gospels Helluo, that would not feast LAZARVS, is feasted in Hell, with fire and Luk. 16.24 brimstone, without so much drinke as one Qui non dedit Mi­cam, non ac­cepit guttam Augustine. drop: all these, with thousands moe, in examples, sacred, civill, and prophane, give in their testimonials, what felicity, tranqui­lity, beatitude, blessednesse, there is in the enjoy­ing, of any earthly vanity in any humane estate, and condition, whatsoever.

Fourthly, they promise certainty; but they are as uncertain as the Waves in their fluctuations, as the weather in the variations: as the wandring De quibus lege Purbae­chium in Theorica Planet. Os­waldum & Jmlserum in easdem The­oricas cum Tabulis Blanchini & Prugneti. Starres, in their motions, yea as the Windes in their sufflations, (altering in all their uncertain­ties, in their 32. De Omni­bus divisio­nibus vento­rum lege, Plin. lib. 2. c. 47. Gellium l. 2. c. 22. Arist. l. 2. c. 4.6. & Sene­cam lib. 5. quaest. natur. points; so uncertain are those sub­lunaries in their purchases, use, residence: getting: keeping, parting.

Fifthly, they promise Perpetuity & Continuance when they are as brittle as glasse: as fraile as Ice: as unconstant as the Moone; as light as a feather; as momentory as thought: as short lived as Pig­mees, (which at most usually live Odorious de rebus Judicis lib. 1. & Albert. Anim. l. 7. c. 6. but 8. yeares) nay sometimes as that Mane Oritur nocte moritur unde Ephemerum, 1. Dia­rum appellatur, secundum Arist. l. 1. c. 5. l. 5. c. 19. & Aelian. l. 2.6.4. Ephemora, that liues but [Page 103] eight houres (like TVLLIES Consull, that ne­ver slept all the time of his Magistracy, but dyed the same day he was created:) alas how soone doe honor and riches, take their wings, us an Aea­gle? And suddainly take their leave, as the Swal­lowes in Winter? The Cuckowes in Iune? How doth one day see IOB, the richest, and the Iob. 1. poo­rest, the most mighty, and the most miserable man, of all the East? One houre sees BAIACETH, the great Commander of the Ottomans; and an yron Caged Melancton in Chronicis, lib. 5. pag. 644. Came­rarins. oper. succ. pag. 330.331. Precipue Spinaeus de Am. tranq. pag. 373.374.375. & Gorlic. in axiom. Pol. pag. 655. in­stant in Ba­jarete Bel­lisario regulo Pompejo, Ju­lio Aemilio Zerxe vgo­linor. alijs (que) fortunae Iudi­brijs. Prisoner: NABVCHADNEZZAR a pet­ty God in his Dan. 4. Josephus con­tra Appi­on, lib. 1. & Sleidanus do 4. Monar­chijs in deci­mo sexto. p. 27. Pallace, and a Beast (in his owne imagination) in the Parke? What a short Inter­im was there betwixt HAMANS honours in the Court of Esth. 5.11. ASSVERVS; and his hanging on the Chapt. 7.10. Gallowes? Betwixt ADONIAHS attendance, with fifty footmen, as a conceited 1. Kings. 1.5. King, and his footing it for his life (as some murtherer making, for a Sanctuary or a Monastery) to depend on the Hornes of the Vers. 51.52. Altar, as a guilty Traytor? So glories fade as the mornings mysts, the Summers dew: and the breath of man, upon steele, Sic tran­sit gloria Mundi.

Sixthly they promise much sweetnesse, joy, de­light, and contentation hence they are desired ve­hemently (as the Dogs and Crowes Carrion) men venture neck-breake for them, as the Panther for mans desired Solinus cap. 20. & Plinius lib. 2. cap. 25. excrements: and when they [Page 104] have them, for a time they are sweet unto them; they sucke them, as children their Teats, they cry for them, as fooles for Bables; they retaine them as HERCVLES his Club; they gripe them, as the Eagle, and Hawke their prey; they are as unwil­ling to part with them, as with the bloud from their veines; as PARIS from his HELENA; Phal­tiel from his wife 2. Sā. 3.16 Michall; or Gē. 31.30 LABAN and MICHAY from their Idols: Iudg. 18.24. they hid [...] them in their hearts (as Children Sugar under their tongue rootes) sucking sweetnesse from Iob. 20.12 them, but at last, the sweetest wine of vanity, turnes into the sowrest Vinegar quasi Wine­aeager. Vineger of vexation: the best contents of vitious vanities, ends in discontents, as a squib in smoake, and sulphure: as SALOMON speakes of one drunken Vanity, we may speake of all; at last they bite like a Serpent, and sting like a Pro. 23.33 Cocka­trice; they vex like a Tick; they pierce like a sword; they gnaw like a Viper; they smell like Assa fetida: they grow loathsome in the end, like Israels lusted Nū. 11.32 Quailes.

Seaventhly, they promise much: and many good things both to soule and body: as ACHANS stolne Iosh. 7.25 wedge, & Ps. 78.30 31 IVDAS treason-gotten Act. 1.25 silver; ANANIAS and SAPHIRAES lying and jugling for Act. 5.5.10 gaine; promis'd to make them all rich; as AM­MONS incest with 2. Sā. 13.32. THAMAR, SICHEMS lust with his darling Gē. 34.26 DINAH, promist them flesh­ly contentation, but these sinfull, and sensuall va­nities, burned the first; hanged the second; strooke suddenly dead the third, and fourth; shed the bloud of the fift, and sixt; So every other vanity, not [Page 105] onely sinfull and criminall in it owne nature, but these that are naturall, temporary, adventi­tiall, acquired (according to their first distincti­ons, these things, that are good in their owne na­ture, (or indifferent) once being by our igno­rance, pride, vanity, perversenesse, sensuality, a­bused; they prove noxious and hurtfull unto us, as good meat to a corrupt stomacke; they are to us as a knife in the hand of a Ne puero gladium. Child, a Sword in the hand of a madman; as being accompanyed with many evils: and mischiefes: causing, and occasioning; pride of heart, forgetfulnesse of GOD: (as once in Deu. 32.15 Israell, security: as in Luk. 17.28 So­dome, and the men of Iudges, 18 Laish) neglect of GODS call; contempt of Grace, blindnesse of minde, ali­enation, and estranging of the heart, from God: yea Idolatry it selfe, with many such fearefull ef­fects produced, both in respect of God, our neigh­bours, and our selves.

Eighthly, (or the eight-lye) of these Vanities is, that they promise us ease, and helpe, in the day of trouble, and of tryall: when then they them­selves prove the greatest troubles; like the wings of a Bird that's limed, helpe not, but hinder her flight, in a danger: as the two great sailes spread in a little Pinnace, rather over-beare her, than cleere her in a storme; as a wedge of gold (the worldlings Pro. 18.11 helpe and hope) if he were cast in­to the Sea, with it hung about his necke, would sooner drowne him, than deliver him, these ex­ternals like sicke men not able to helpe themselves (like the Troian Penates, the Heathens Houshold [Page 106] Vide Ma­jolum de die­bus Canicul. Part. 1 de culau de mo­vum Textor 15. Officinā. pag. 25. de Deorum multitud­ne. With our English Atheoma­stix in Folio GODS; Israels Golden Calfe, the Ammonites Baal, and our Popish Gods, of brasse, lead and Vide Rei­noldum de J­dolatria Ro­manae Eccle­siae. stone: being not able to deliver themselves, can they de­liver us? When troubles come upon us, as sud­daine stormes: as travell on a woman; not to bee prevented: when sicknesse ceazeth on us as an ar­med man, Diseases and Death arrest us, as Gods Ser­ieants; when grievous paines hold us as Gods Iay­lors: the Gout, Stone, Strangury, Collicks, Stitches, Tooth-akes, Agues; the demerits of Lev. 26.16 & Deut. 28. Vers. 21.22 sinne: torture and torment us, as Gods Execu­tioners: but chiefly, when the Conscience with­in us, houkes like a Wolfe, bites like an Aspe, stinges as a viper, the bowels that bred De horrore terrore, & latraetu malae conscientiae, qui vult. con­sulat Luthe­rum in Gen. p. 486.652. & 671. in cap. 31.43. & 45. cum Strigellio, in lib. 1. Ethic. pag. 6, 7, 8. & Pezelio in Gen. cap. 37. pag. 714. cap. 42. pag. 794. & 789. & in cap. 45. pag. 835. Sic in c. 50. Pag. 971.5. it; In these and such like tryals, troubles, and exigents, in the day of Affliction and Visitation, what helpe? What hope? What remedy? What re­dresse? What comfort? What contentation? Is in these externals? Doe they not flye as Isra­el at the sight of 1. Sam. 17.24. GOLIAH: are they not the reedes of Esay, 30.3. Aegypt, to rest upon? They brag in­deed much what they will doe (as Iudges, 9.28. Gaall once a­gainst Abimelech) but in the storme of Afflictions, externall and internall, like Snailes, they pull in their heads, they hide themselves when they are sought for, as SAVL behind the 1. Sam. 10.22. stuffe; and if they present themselves, they prove like IOES [Page 107] three friends to that perplexed Patriarke: onely miserable Comforters, they cannot mitigate and as­swage the least paine; not quench the least fire; not baile out of the least fetters of Affliction: not reprieve us one houre from the stroke of death? Yea in every trouble, danger and distresse, in the outward and inward man: like false friends, they leave us in the lapse, and in the lurch: they say to us, as the rebelling revolting Tribes, to RE­HOBOAM Looke to thine owne house DAVID; 1. King. 12.16.

SECT. 1. Salomons depth of Wisedome diveing and wadeing into the vtility and vanity of things Sublunary.

BVt in the last place (as the best Wine in the Feast was reserved for the last) we have our last Argu­ment from Salomon, as most Ar­chillean, invincible, demonstra­tive, and conclusive: which is Omni exceptione maior: we have Salomons Verdict, truly resolving the insufficiency of every sublu­nary transient, transitory Vanity, to satisfie the soule of man, more than the Huskes of the Prodi­gall: for Salomon speakes more certainely than that Apollo, extripode: of every earthly experi­mented carnall content: Vanity of Vanity, yea all is but Eccl. 1.2. Vanity, saith the Preacher. Which vehe­ment & grounded Assertion of his, ought to carry a thousand times more weight with us: than any axiome of Aristotle: amongst his Pyripatitions: of Zeno amongst his Stoicks: than Pythagoras his ipse dixit: among his Pythagorians: than the say­ing and Apothegmes of Socrates, Solon, Byas, Peri­ander, Thales, and other wise Sages amongst the Greekes and Collected by Fulgosus Brusonius, Diogenes Laertius, Ʋalerius, & others in their exam­ples, and by Lycosthenes in his Apo­thegmes. Romans: yea than the Delean Lots: or these Oracles, whether Pithian, Delphicke: [Page 109] Dyndimean, Pernassean, Antiochean, Tryphonean, Amphiarian, Aegyptian, Thrafian (as they are distinguished Apud M [...] ­j [...]um de di [...] ­bus Ca [...]i [...]. parte 2. col­loq. 2. p. 1 [...]6 137, 138. among the Heathens: with which the best and most of them consulted; for these Oracles (as if jugling Priests and equivoca­ting De Jmpo­sturis & mendacijs Monachorū, lege plurima exempla, a­pud lom [...] ­rum, in 6. praecep. folio, 495, 496. Iesuites, had spoke in them, as usually in their Popish Images) gave very ambiguous, doubt­full, and deluding answeres, to the Greeke Quod cap­turas esset J­lium. Aga­memnon, the Theban Apud Sin­dam & Par­saeniam, in Arcadicis. Epamminond, the Persian Herod. l. 3 Cambises, the Lydian Herod. l. 1 Craesus, the Macedo­nian Valer. l. 1. cap. 8. Phylip, Dionisius the Diodor. l. 1 Syracusan, Eschilus the Valer. lib. 6 cap. 14. Tragedian, Daphidas the Valer. lib. 1 cap. de Mir. Sophist, and di­vers moe: because indeed, they were not inspired by Apollo, Iupiter, Hamon, Mars, Bacchus, and other their fictitious Gods, (as their Paganish Theology, beleeved) but by the very Divell himselfe, that spoke in them, as he spoke in the tempting Pareus & Parerius in c. 8. Gen. Ser­pents, in an Oxe at Aug. de Civ. Dei, l. 1. c. 31. ex Liv. Rome, in the Vide Lorinum in acta Apost. c. 16. Pithonists, and some possessed: and in former times and perhaps at this day, in some Exempla extant apud Lavaterum de spectris Part. 1. c. 7. Sleidanum, de Statu reip. sub. Carolo. 5. l. 9. Cypr. de Valeria de missa in fine l. p. 424, 425, 426. de Imposturis Papisticis. Images, amongst the Papists: But Salomon spoke by an unerring spirit: by a wisedome incomparable: both Morall, Theo­logicall, and Experimentall: more than ever was infident to meere mortall man: in which three particulars, if we should but a little insist, and reflex both upon the man, and the matter: the Preacher, and his Text: his Testimony, will take a greater Impression, both in our [Page 111] judgements, and affections: chiefely if we consi­der the time, when he gave this his great his grand, judicious verdict of Vanity: For the first, since the Wisedome of a man, whether reall, or onely in mens imaginations, gives a great weight and luster, unto his words (as the same words spoke, by an old man, by reason of his approved gravity, car­ry more force, than if spoke by a young man, of lesse experience:) so SALOMON, being for wisedome, as an Angell of God: as the woman of Tekoah sayd of his father 2. Sā. 14 22 DAVID, yea as an O­racle of God, shining amongst men, as the Sunne amongst the Planets: Extat elo­gium Zeno­cratis lib. 4. de dictis So­cratis; & Platonis in fine Phede­nis. de Socr. wiser than all the Greeke and Roman Sages, than all the Persian magi, the French Druides, the Indian Bracmans, the anci­ent Phylosophers (SOCRATES himselfe not ex­cepted, whom APOLLO's Oracle judged most wise) yea wiser than ETHAN the Ezrite: than HEMAN, and COLCOLL, and DORBA, the sonnes of 1, Kings, 4 31 MAHOL [...], which were wise men, living in the time of SALOMON, or Prophecying in Ae­gypt, as the learned Josephus l. 8. antiq. c. 2 thinke, and not the ancient Patriarkes, as some H [...]r in q. imagine: yea SALOMON for mortall Wisedome: (as IOHN COONATVS, CAIETAN, and PERERIVS limit it) and for hu­mane knowledge, being not inferiour (as some Rabbi Mo­ses, lib. 1. ductores, & lib. 3. cap. 35 Rabbies and Vibaldus Tract. de Magnif. Salomoni in cap. de sapi. ex Iosephe, Antiq. 8. c. 2. have imagined) eyther to IOHN the Baptist, or to MOSES, learned in all the learning of the Aegyptians: Act. 7.22. Or to ABRAHAM; or to DANIEL, that was wiser than all the Chaldeans, and Augurists, in the Vniversity of Suza, or to his father DAVID, that was quo [Page 110] sanctior, eo sapientior, as holyer, so wiser than o­ther men, yea, wiser than his Teachers, or than the aged: Psal. 119. Wiser, thinks Ʋives in l. 18. de Civ. Dei. cap. 20 Augustine, Orat. 2. Nazianzen, and Jn cap. 1. Eccles. v. 16 Thanmanturgus, than any meere mortall man, not onely wiser, than all the men of his time, to which St. In c. 1. Ec. Ierome seemes to paralell him, onely; but even wiser than all meere men that went before him, not onely in Ie­rusalem as himselfe confesseth, but in the whole world of Iewes and Gentiles: equall thinks In l. 1. Reg. cap. 3. q. 7. A­bulensis, to Adam himselfe, even in his Created Wisedome: transcendent, and superlative in wise­dome, as Symmachus the Hebrew, and the Chaldee expresse it, from his owne Addidi sapientiam, super alios, c. v. 16, 17. phrases: so wise a Phylosopher, that he was able to dispute of any thing in Nature, from Angels to Wormes, from the Caedar of Libanon, to the Hysope on the 1. Kings, 4 33 Wall: from whom Proemio in Canticis. Origen thinks, that even the grea­test Phylosophers, had their greatest light, into the mysteries of Nature, since the most and best of them, as Clemens Alexandrinus L. 5. Strō. proves, writ af­ter Salomon, and so probably reading his workes, (which are now Incuria vol iniuria tem­porum. perished) lapping in his Ba­son for Philosophy, as the Poets in Homers for Poetry: Salomon whose wisedome was not so much acquired, by study, industry, education (as the Indians dig their Mines, and as Abraham and Isaac had their wels and Gen 26. v. 18, 19, 21. waters, by digging; but infused as the fruit of 1. Kings, 3 9.12. Prayer, as waters that are rained, and showred downe from above; in such aboundance, that he is said to have Wisedome and Vnderstanding exceeding much; even a large [Page 112] heart, as the sand of the Sea 1. Kings, 4 29 shore: SALOMON whose wisedome was so glorious and splendant, as a Beacon on a Mount, a Citty on a Hill, that was conspicuous to the whole world, being the Ada­mant not onely to draw HIKAM the King of Tyre, and the Queene of Sheba from the utmost 1. King. 10 2 South, but all the Kings of the Earth, to heare his 1. King. 34 Wise­dome, (as many came from all parts, to heare and see Origen in Alexandria, LIVIE in Rome, and LVTHER in Saxony, that were as much inferior to him, as the least Starre to the Moone, the Moone to the Sunne: SALOMON more famous for wisedome, than Iudg. 16 30. SAMPSON and Iudg. 3.31 SAINGAR for strength: than ACHITOPHEL for 2. Sā. 16.23 policy; than TVLLY or DEMOSTHENES for eloquence; than 2. Sam. 14 25 ABSOLON, Gen. 39.6 IOSEPH, or 1. Kin. 1.6 ADONIAH, for beauty, or any other for any common guifts, or graces: who gave excellent demonstrations of his wisedome, both in the Acts, hee did, in iudging betweene the true mother and the pretended, in the case of the controverted 1. Kings, 3 Child, as also in the words that he spoke, disputing not onely in Naturall Philosophy, of the Heavens, the Earth, the Eliments, the Sunne, Moone, Starres, Pla­nets, Commets, Meteors, Beasts, Birds, Fish, Fowle, Insects, Hearbes, Trees, Plants, Mines, Minerals, more truly and judiciously, than ey­ther ARISTOTLE, PLINY, AELIANVS, VIN­CENTIVS, ALBERTAS GALEN, THEOPHRA­STVS, DIOSCORIDES, GERALD, DODONAEVS, or any other Philosopher, Physitian, or Herbalist whatsoever: but in Oeconomicall, Morall, and E­thicall [Page 113] Phylosophy, in three thousand Parables, and 1. King. 4.32. Proverbes, which he spoke at his Table, and at o­ther times, by speciall Providence collected, and preserved, by the Servants of EZECHTAS, (as the Psalmes of his Father DAVID, by EZRA the Scribe; and the speeches of LVTHER; MELAN­CTON, ERASMVS, and other famous lights of the Church, are gathered and digested by Ʋide Mā ­lij Colloquia, in 8. MANLI­VS, and So Melan­ctons Chro­nicles are fi­nished by Carion his Poschils, by Pezelius Chimnitius, his Harmo­ny is perfe­cted by Ly­serus. Zan­chy on the Comman­dements by Quirinus. Mr. Perkins on Galathe­ans, by Mr. Cu [...]worth, other wri­tings pre­served, and perfected by others. others) this SALOMON as a streame from the Fountaine, as a beame from the Sunne of his fire-shining wisedome: tanquam Doctor é Cathedra: as a Doctor from his Chaire, as a Iudge from his seat, or Throne, gave this sentence, and censure, of all things under the Cape of Heaven, disjoynted and disjoyned from the knowledge, feare, and worship of God, (which he makes the summa totalis, and the end of all: that they are Va­nity of Vanity and all but Vanity, emptinesse, and vacuity, like our Prodigals Huskes, in this my Text: Incompetent and sufficient, to fill the vast, and immense desire, of the soule of man.

SECT. 2. SALOMONS Censure of lying Vanities, from his owne experience.

THis you see is the Verdict of him, whom it may be better sayd than PLVTARK of SENE­CA, that he was nulli secundus, second to none, to whom these hyperbolicall Elogies, and Com­mendations, which PLATO and ZENOPHON give [Page 114] to SOCRATES, HYPPOCRATES, to DEMOCRI­TVS; IVI IAN the Apostate, and PHILOSTRATVS, to Apollonius Iulian did compare that Nicro­mancer, with Christ. Tyraneus, LVCRETIVS to his Master Epicurus, ENNAPIVS of Longinus, Scoppius of Iulius Scaliger: PAVLVS IOVIVS of Picus Mi­randula; others of ARISTOTLE, may be truly and fitly appropriated, for he indeed was Aqui­lus in Nubibus, an Aeagle in the Clouds: a myra­cle of Nature; a walking Keckerman so called D. Reynolds. Library, the Sunne of Sciences: A Sea and an Abisse of Knowledge; a Lampe of the World: Qui genus humanam, inge­nio superavit, & omnes, restrinxit Stellas exortus ut aetherius Sol;

Being sanctuarium Sapientiae, a Sanctuary of sapience: farre shining above, eyther the Bri­taine Druides, the Aethiopian Gymnosophists: or the wisest of the Heathens, whom LACTANTI­VS in his bookes of Lib. 3. de Sapientia, c. 17. & 20. Wisedome, Censures, as Tractatu & de curatione Grac. affect. Theodoretus censures Socrates, (even the wisest of them,) as the Apostle before them both, speakes of all of them: to be very Rom. 1.21 22. fooles, such an one indeed, that if SVPPVTIVS Aut. Dial. in PONTANVS, had lived in the time of SALOMON, hee would never so peremptorily have affirmed that travai­ling over all Europe to meet with a wise man, hee had mist his marke, and returned without his er­rand: had he made but a step into Asia, and met with SALOMON, and heard him utter his Para­bles, (as his owne Servants and the Queene of Sheba did) chiefly preach this Ecclesiastes, or ver­dict [Page 115] against vanity, he would have bene of an ano­ther opinion.

But which is further remarkeable, Salomon doth not onely vtter this, out of the Fountaine & deepe abysse of his wisedome, but drawing these waters out of the well of his owne experience, to quench the fire of lustfull vanities, as more effectuall, thā all the Popes holywater, he besprincles the soules of the sonnes of men: For besides his pious and Pro­pheticall spirit, with which this holy Prophet, as some call Augustinus de Civit. Dei l. 17. c. 20. him, was inspired, like the rest of the holy Prophets, when he writ the same Canoni­call Ecclesiastes, or booke of the Preacher, the true testimoniall of his Repentance, and so cons quent­ly, of his (needlesly questioned) salvation: hee drawes this booke (whereof repented Vanity is the Argument) as the De hac Bembice vel verim Jndi­co Ambr. in Exem. l. 5 c. 23. & Ba­sil in Exe m. hom. 8. Silke-worme her clew, or the Spider De miris i­stis Arane­arum Textu­ris Arist. 9 bist. cap. 39. Aelian. lib. 6. c. 56. Au­gust. Ep. 101 her web, even out of the bowels of his owne experience: for as Paul writes, I aged Ad Phi­lem. v. 9. Paul; so Salomon, aged Salomon, preaching Salomon converted, and turned now from his vicious Va­nities, his manifest and manifold Adulteries, and Idolatries; as Saul from his Acts. 9.20 Acts, 23.6 Pharisaisme Augu­stine from his Ex Confes. l. 8. ex Possi­doneo in ejus vina & Mag­cent 3. c. 10. pag. 11 13. Mantchisme, Luther from his [...]idanus & Osia [...]der. Cent. 16. l. 1 p. 5 [...] Pa­pisme, he like blessed Peter, converted and Lu. [...]2, 32 turned, labors the conversion and turning of others his own filthy soyled soule, deformed and defiled, w [...]shed in the Laver of Regeneratiō he seeks to wash others in the waters of the Sanctuary, himselfe being pluckt, as a brand out of the fire as Ruben pluckt Ioseph out of the Gē. 37.29 Pit, he would drag & draw out others, out of the puddle of poluting pleasures: as a note of a [Page 116] true Convert, distinguishing him, and all in his case, from all temporizers, and hypocrites (as SIBBOLETH and SHIBBOLETH, distinguished Iudg. 12, 6 EPHRAMITES, from GILBADITES, as the Touchstone the Gold from the Copper, as he had sin­ned publikely, (as his Father DAVID, by pub­lishing his penitentiall Psal 38. Psal. 51. cū caeteris, Vide Ʋegam in Psalmos pae­nitent. Psalmes, after his gree­vous falls; as St. AVGVSTINE publikely retracting In lib. re­tratactionum his leaving errors; as Fox in Martyrolo­gio. CRAMMER, publikely burning that his culpable hand, which subscribed to Popish Heresies) so hee testifying this his Repentance publikely by this his Ecclesia­stes or booke of the Preacher having true and sa­ving grace, (as the Sunne his light, the fire his heat, the Seas the waters, the ayre his moysture, the earth her fruites) he is studious and desirous to communicate this grace to others: Like that o­ther Disciple, and Ioh. 1.4. & v. 46. ANDREVV, that having found CHRIST themselves, call their friends PE­TER and NATHANIEL to them, as the Samari­tan Ioh. 4.29 woman, preacheth him to her Samaritans the noble Aethiopian Eunuch, (as the learned Jrenaus l. 3 cap. 12. & l. 4. cap. 40. sic Euseb. l. 2. c. 1. & Nicep. lib. 1. cap. 6. thinke, to his Aethiopians) being first inflamed with his love themselves, as the Church was in the Cant. 5.9 10. Canticles, they would with her kindle sparkes of love in all others, (as PAVL with Act. 26.27 29. AGRIPPA) desirous to winne others to the faith, like themselves; for the whole argument of this booke, being not onely naturall, and mor­rall Discipline; but according to Prologa i [...] Ca [...]. ORIGEN, and and Hom. 1. in Principio Proverbio. BASIL, a fire or a light set upon a Beacon to discover to the sonnes of men, a dangerous eni­my, [Page 117] out of whose jawes he himselfe, by a speciall mercy had now escaped; or a spirituall Herald, blowing a trumpet to sound a retrait from theyr dangerous March, after these soule-polluting perishing vanities, the whole argument and sub­ject, of the booke, being a discovery of severall Vanitates naturae, cul­pae miseriae. Vanities; which the Vaellani­censis de ra­tione stud. l. 2. c. 16. Ca­nus in locis cap. ultimo Salmera [...]. Tom. 1. pro­leg. 9. sic. Bonaventure Hugo Card. & Hugo Vi­ctor. Modernes ranke in se­verall heads.

In the first Chapter, demonstrating the vanity of humane Arts, and Sciences, and worldly wise­dome.

In the seoond, the vanity of the appetite, and de­sire of pleasure, and delicious things.

In the third; vaine desire of long life, and pro­pagation of our dayes.

In the fourth, and fifth, the vacuity of ambiti­ous desires, of rule, place, dominion, and superi­ority.

In the 6. the vacuity of that devouring gulfe, the unsatiable desires after riches.

In the 7. the vacuity of divining, prognostica­ting, and foretelling things to come.

In the 8. the vanity of hunting after ap­plause, and praise of men, catching the popular Ayre.

In midst of the 8. Chapter, and 9. the Vanity of the Heathenish and Paganish fortune.

In part of the 9. and 10. the vanity of corpo­rall and bodily strength.

In the 11. and 12. the Vanity of flowring, and flourishing youth; all these heads as a spiri­tuall HERCVLES, though as many and mon­strous [Page 118] as that De Her­cule Ethice, apud Ravisi­um, in Theat. l. 8. p. 85 5. & de Hydra apud Majo­lum de dich. Canic. part. 1. Colloq. 1. p. 12. Hydraes, he labours, to lop off with the sword of the spirit, least they sting others, as they have wounded him: all these Cates of va­nities, like those of Appolonius Tyrancus, he shewes to be painted; or like the wine which Pope Alexan­der brewed his Cardinals poyson, but drunke Nauclerus Balaeus, & Chron. Func­cij fol. 165. apud Osian­drum cent. 15 l. 4 p. 492. it himselfe; or at least as our Prodigals Huskes, or Gland, vnsatisfying: as he hath received the Aco­nite and Mithridate against their poyson, so he ad­ministers it, as preventing or purging Physicke to others: he knowes, the dangerous sting that is in every vanity, which fixing in the soule of any vaine man, like some sting with some kinde of De quibus Majolus ut supra volu­min. 1. Coll. 8. tit. serpen­tum. Serpents, he eyther dyes laughing: or else slee­ping, as they that have taken supe [...]bundant of Pop­py, or Opium, or such dormitory potions, unlesse they be awakened, in a determinate time: there­fore as a Physitian, carefull of his Patients, to keepe them waking: or to awake those that are asleepe or slumber in vanity with their golden de­luding gulling dreames. Cynthius aurem Vellit, he plucks them by the eares; hee rings them a peale as lowd as Bow-bell, yea as lowd as Thun­der: he lifts up his voyce as a Trumpet, that as it's sayd of the old Allusio O­rigenis Hom. in Psal. 38. & Geminia­ni, in summa Exempl. Lyons, that by their lowd yell awake their long sleeping, dead-seeming young: he may rouse, and raise men out of their Lethar­gicall slumbers in their vanities: Salomon as now escaped, from these enemies, sets up a flag of de­fiance, against them; as a man new got out of the gulph & quagmire of Vanity, he now sets up a stake as the fashion of charitable men is to fore-warne others of the same perill: as the rich Helluoh, in [Page 119] the Luk. 16.28 Gospell, would have his brethren fore-war­ned, that they come not into the like danger; as an incautelous Mariner, having dasht on some sand­bed, and by splitting on some rocke himselfe, having by repentance (which is the second re­paire of the Navie of the soule Secunda post naufra­gium Tabula secundum Canonistas. after shipwrack) swum out as by some board or plank: he cautelous­ly admonisheth others to steere from the disco­vered shelves: as that Tyrian Queene, he commi­serates others, having beene in the furnace Non ignae­ramali mi­seris succur­rere disco, a­pud Ʋirg. him­selfe, as we pitty those that are diseased and di­stressed, by the Gout, Stone, Strangury, Collick, Tooth-ach; if we have beene afflicted with these maladies, and as by sympathizing tenderly affe­cted, prescribe for their ease, our best experi­ments. That we have found good in our selves: so it is betwixt Salomon now recured and recovered, out of his spirituall sownes & qualmes, & the sons of men surcharged and surfeiting on the Cates of vanity at the Divels Banquet: he cryes to them, as a Mother to a child, ready to eate Mercury, or Rats-bane, with an opinion of Sugar: oh! Hands off, Mors in 2. Kings, 4 40 olla: death is in the pot, or in the platter: he cryes to vaine men, in the utmost ex­tention of his powers, as CRAESVS dumbe sonne, on a suddaine to those that would have murthered his Apud Brusonium. Father; as Paul and Sylas to the Act. 16.28 Iaylor, that would have murthered himselfe. Oh! doe yourselves, oh do your selves no harme? Yee vaine men? Why doe you set your heartes on Psalm. 4.2 Va­nity, and follow after leasings? Why doe you ima­gine a vaine thing: why do you spin spiders webs? Set nets, & snares, and gins, for your owne Soules? [Page 120] Why doe you feed on Huskes and Swads? As the Israelites once (and the Muscovites now) on Garlick, Democri­tus Junior part. 1. Sect. 2. pag. 101. and Onions? As once the Italians, (and our now roving Gypsees) on Frogs and Snailes? As our poore hungry vulgar Irish oft on Hawes, and Shamrocks? For such is vanities best food: best Commons? When Gods lar­der, your Fathers house, allowes you bread e­nough? (Which bread in Gods language includes concludes all, satisfactory good: even the cour­sest bread, that Gods servants eate, being as Is­raels Manna above all the Food of worldlings; better than the Affrican and Spanish rootes: the American Palmitos and Potatos: the Chinaes hearbes; the Nomades milke: the West-Phali­an fat meates: the Tartars raw meates; the Flemings Butter: the Camhro-Britaines white meates: the Scandians fish; Or the chiefe, and choyce of food of any Nations? Ye [...] GODS bread affords more varieties of contents, than that one Indian Palmae In­star, totius orbis arbori­bus praestan-Linschoton, cap. 56. Tree, which yeelds them Coquernuts; meates, drinke, fire, fuell, apparell with his leaves; yea oyle, Vineger: and cover for their houses: if Au­thors relate truly.

SECT. 3. SALOMONS three Bookes compared; the summe of his Ecclesiastes, being his verdict, against Vanitie.

TO expresse SALOMONS verdict, of lying Va­nities (as Ionas calls them, these vnsatisfying Huskes, as our Prodigall found them: Not bread, as GOD himselfe in Esay tearmed them: earthly waters which quench no thirst, as our Saviour him­selfe expressed them) and to presse it somewhat fuller and further: Wee may consider that this booke of Ecclesiastes according to Cyrill, being the letters testimoniall or Certificate (sealed by the spirit) of his repentance; being (as Most generally hold) the booke of his old Age, as Ioseph was to Gen. 37.3 Iacob, his youngest, his darling, most neare and deare unto him: as Abell Habel: id est vanitas. to Eve his second birth, his better birth: experience being the Godfa­ther, and late (though true) repentance the Godmo­ther, he christens it Vanity: as Tullies booke of Offices, and de Senectute, being his last workes: the mentall issue of his understanding part (as the learned Critick calleth them) shew the most ma­turity of Iudgement: so this being Salomons last worke (as his Canticles was his Beniamin the Son of his right hand, in the prime of his youth) this is his Benani: the sonne of the sorrowes of his old Age: (as Isaac is called the sonne of Gē. 18.14 Promise; 1 Sam. 1.27 Samuel and Luk. 1.13. Iohn Baptist, the sonnes of Prayer: Monicaes Augustine the sonne of Filius pre­cum & la­chrimarum, dictus ab Ambrosia. Teares,) hee [Page 122] sends this Booke as Iacob Gē. 37.14 his Ioseph, as Iesse his youngest sonne David 1 Sam. 17.17. to visit his Brethren, to aske them of their welfare, to wish their health and happinesse: That as Iohn writes to Epist. 3. ad Gajum, n.2. Gaius, they may farewell, even in their Soules as hee now fared himselfe: Yea, hee sends this booke, as A­braham his Steward Eleazar out, with a Gen. 24.6 7. bles­sing, to fetch Rebeccha from her Fathers house, and to marry her to his Isaac, the Fathers joy: (if I may allegorize with Origen) to fetch the Soule of man, that faire Rebecca out of her Naturall birth and abode, in the state of Corruption, in her naturall condition, wallowing in her Ezek. 16.6 blood, soyled with her old and vaine Conversation to be Spiritually espoused and married, unto ISAACS Antitype, her Lord and Saviour, her head Berchoriū vid. in reduct Morali, vol. 10. cap. 18. and husband, that Ithiell and Vcall; as hee, or wise AGVR calls Prov. 30.1 him, in whom shee shall finde true joy, and true rest: as NOAHS Dove Gen. 8.9. found in NOAHS Arke, if shee will at last leave to feed (with NOAHS Raven) on the Carrion of the worlds vanities; yea this Booke, may bee as Da­vids spokesmen to 1 Sam. 25.39. Abigall, after her Dis-joyn­ting from Naball (the worlds folly) to unite, and contract her selfe, to the GOD of David: or it may bee to the Soule, as Salomons Parinimphs and Sutors to Pharaohs daughter, to forget and forgoe her Fathers Psal. 45.10 house; to leave and loath her birth sinnes, and bred sinnes: to mortifie and crucifie her originall and actuall sinnes, and transgressions; to breake out of all the intangling fetters of all her vicious vanities, and so to marry and unite her [Page 123] selfe: unto the true, the typified Salomon, the GOD of Salomon: the Prince of peace; the e­verlasting Esa. 9.6. Father, in whom, from whom, and by whom, onely is perfect joy, and true tranquility to the immortall Soule, and spirit of mortall and (without God) miserable man.

For the better conceiving of this: It's worthy our Animadversion: That as SALOMON as wee all know, was the Amanuensis, or penman of the Spirit, to write three Bookes, the Proverbes, the Canticles, and this his Ecclesiastes: So, as Lib. de Isa­ac, cap. 4. & in Psal. 36. in titulo, & in Psal. 118 v. 1. & Praef. in Lucam. AM­BROSE, Hom. in princ. Prov. BASILL, and other expositors note: There is in them a certaine Climax or gra­dation ascending by certaine staires and degrees to more sublime and heavenly matter: For in the Proverbes hee allures Ephaebi and young men to honest and lawfull things, by that beauty and lu­stre, that is in vertue, and from the reward of well doing: And this they say answers his Name, Ididiah, or Amabilis: 2 Sam. 12, 25. Lovely: In this Ecclesi­astes, or Booke of the Preacher; hee provokes these that are Adulti, and more strong and perfect, to the dispising and repudiating earthly and terre­striall things: from their insufficiencie, blemish and deformity, discovering their perilous and painted beauty: from whence hee is tearmed the Preacher: In the third, his Canticles, his Ep [...]thali­um, or mysticall Song: from the consideration of naturall and earthly things, Paulo maiora Virgil. ca­dendo, hee ascends to the speculation, and con­templation of mysticall, divine and supernaturall things, in which Metaphysicall meditations, w [...]e [Page 124] rest and fixe, as in an internall and setled peace; truely anchored in GOD: The Asilum, and San­ctuary of all true rest, and tranquility: and this answeres his third name, SALOMON, or Pacificus: The Peace-maker, or peaceable: Others make his three Bookes answere the three Courts of the Ta­bernacle: The outward Court, the inner Court, and the Sanctum Sanctorum: CASSIANVS alludes to that double Abrenuntiation injoyned unto A­BRAHAM, of house and habitation: of vices, in manners and Conversation: and of approaching to IEHOVAH by heavenly Contemplation. O­thers Richardus. apply his three Bookes to the three Patri­archs; ABRAHAM Gen. 12.4 & Gē. 22.3 was obedient; ISAAC dig­ged Gen. 26.19.21, 22, 32. Wells; IACOB saw Gē. 28.12 visions, even An­gels ascending and descending: His Proverbes ur­geth and perswades obedience to the voyce of Wisdome: Even to CHRIST, the second person in Trinitie, the wisedome of the Father: Ecclesiastes is a well or fountaine of heavenly Counsels, and conclusions, digg'd deepe from his owne deare bought experiments, to the watering and refresh­ing of the Israell of GOD: The Canticles soares higher as an Eagle, under the vaile and shadow of the letter from his matrimoniall love to PHA­RAOHS Daughter, as carried up into a Divine rap­ture and extasie, singing the mysticall love, be­twixt Christ and the Church: But least (as is the fashion of the Speculative Fryers, and contempla­tive Monkes) these allegories be too farre stretcht, as on the Lasts, and Tentors (as a mans nose that's too hard wrung, gives blood:) Popery affording [Page 125] moe allegorizing Origenists, than found Textuists: So I like that tropologicall order, which BER­NARD observes Bernard, in Canticis. that In primo pellitur superfluus amor sui: In secundo: Vanus amor mundi: In tertio perscribitur, castus amor Dei: The Proverbes dis­swade, that Philautia and superfluous foolish love of our selves: The Ecclesiastes disswades, the vaine and worthlesse love of the vicious world: The Canticles perswade, the pure and chast, and perfect love of GOD: who as hee best deserves, onely desires our hearts Prov. 23.26. and affections: I will not discusse (much lesse determine) the Time, when these three Bookes were writ, whether his Canticles were writ in his youth The Book call'd Salo­mons solace, cap. 27. pag. 113. thinks the Canticles writ before the 20. yere of his Age. before his Fall: Or according to Praefatione in Joshuam. BEZA, and De Haeres. PHI­LASTRIVS, in his old Age, when his heart was purged and purified: Though according to o­thers, his Proverbes were writ in his elder yeares, his Ecclesiastes in his extreame old Age; I will not stand on thinges Conjecturall, in the fluctuations of opinions; but I like the allusions of the Anci­ents: That they are all three of them like the tri­ple Passeover in Aegypt: (Exod. 12.1.) In the Wildernesse: and in Gilgall beyond Iordan: (Iosh. 5.10.) Or like that triple kisse of the hand, the foot, and the Oseulum o­ris mannum, pedum, &c. mouth, testifying Love, obser­vance, and obedience: Or like that three-fold Cord, not easily broken; drawing and dragging the Soule of man, out of the pit and puddle of va­nity, (as IEREMY was drawne out of the myrie Dungeon) and pulling it upwards, nearer unto God: the Soules sole and soveraigne good.

SECT. 4. The aymes and ends SALOMON, that he may effect, what he doth affect.

LEt us marke further, as very worthy our consi­ration, with what vehemency, and ardency SALOMON speakes, what patheticall and emphati­call words and phrases he useth: and we shall see that neyther VLISSES nor NESTOR, so famou­sed by In his O­dyses and I­liads. HOMER, for their eloquence: nor ZE­NOPHON the flower of At. 9. Me­lipta dictus. Rhetoricke, nor the Ora­tor CYNEAS whose tongue won PIRRHVS moe Cities than his Patritius de regno lib, 1. tit. 5. & Gorlicij axi­om. Oecon. p. 309. Army, nor DEMOSTHENES whose eloquence, PHILIP, more Impediebat ejus Conacus excitata cō ­tra cum Grae­cia: Gorlicij axiom. Poli­tica axiom. 126. p. 293. feared, than all the warre engines of the Athenians: nor CA­TO CENSORIVS called the Roman DEMOSTHE­NES: nor TVLLY held the Prince of Latine Oratorum facile Prin­ceps, & Go­rypheus. Ora­tors, nor LACTANTIVS called the Christian CI­CERO: nor STVRMIVS called the German TVL­LY; nor CORNELIVS GATHEGVS, the marrow of Populi de­libutus, sua­dae (que) Medul­la. Perswasion; nor CATO GRAMMATICVS, the Atticke Attic. Syr. Syren, nor that learned linguist, called the HOMER of Hieronimus Theologorum Homerus. Divines, nor any other, ever used more exquisite Oratory, eyther per­swasive, or disswasive; than this our SALOMON, to expell and supplant out of the hearts of men, the vaine love of the world, and to fixe and plant instead of it, that same Regius amor; that royall, [Page 127] loyall, regall, and onely legall love of God: for as was sayd of the Oratory of PERICLES, wee may much more affirme it of SALOMONS, Quasi fulmi­nare & ac­culeos, in a­nimis audi­torum relin­quere vide­tur Alste­dius, in E­pistola Dedi­catoria ante Rhetoricam. hee seemes as it were to thunder, and to leave prickes and goads in the hearts of his Auditors; for as the fire long smothered, breakes out into a sud­daine flame, he being in a deepe and serious me­ditation of the worlds vanity, awaking as afrigh­ted out of a terrible dreame, or out of a dead sowne: in a suddaine rapture, or extasie: as ha­ving presently escaped drowning, burning, massa­cring, or some immanent (eminent) danger: he cryes out of a suddaine; Oh Vanity of Vanity Va­nity of Vanities, saith the Preacher; like that passi­onate Cicero. Orator, that reasonates; Oh tempora? Oh mores? Oh times? Oh manners? As the Come­dian, Oh Coelum? Oh terra? Oh Heavens? Oh Earth? As the Horatius Persij, Sat. 1 Poet, Oh curas hominum? Oh quantum est in rebus inane? Oh the fond cares and conceits of men? Oh what Vanity, what Villany is in the Earth; As the mournfull Prophet Ier. 22.29 IE­REMY, Oh Earth; Earth; Earth; Heare the word of the Lord: as that Evangelicall Prophet Evangeli­sta potius Propheta, Hierom. ESAY; Heare oh Heavens, and hearken oh Esay. 1.2. Earth, with such like passionate declamations, exclamations: SALOMON at the first setting forth, breakes and breathes in the eares and hearts of men, as the fire set to powder, sends out the pellit, the string from the bow, the sling from the hand, send forth the arrow, and the stone, to the intended marke, with the greater vehemency; so the fire of SALOMONS inflamed zeale; and strong-bent affections, mee­ting [Page 128] with a fit object and subject to worke upon, sends to the eager pursuers of Vanity, his disswa­sives speedily forth, with the greater force, Em­phasis and Enargy: yea SALOMON knowing how firme and fixt the hearts of men, were radicated and rooted in these earthly Vanities, (however, their boles and boughes, their buds and chats, their leaves and flowers, sprouting upwards, (the externall and outward profession, the words and gestures of many Temporizers hypocritically mounting towards Heaven) made shew of the contrary: he gives the stronger assault and push e­ven in the first encounter, to move and remove them from their strong holds: transported and carryed with zeale, as ELIAS in a fiery 2. Kings, 9 20 Chariot, marching vehemently like IEHV, rushing as it were amongst the Pikes, he gives at first cariere a stout and couragious assault, against the chiefe Garrison of Vanity, to overthrow, and overblow her strongest Bulwarkes and fortifications, even in an instant: at least he sets up a flag of defiance, and as an Heroicke martialist professeth open hostility and enmity, against all kind of Vanityes: for as IOHN was the voyce of a Cryer Math. 3.3. in the Wildernesse: and IONAS the voyce of a vehement Cryer, against Ninivie: proclaiming Ionas. 3.4 Woes and Anathemaes against her, (as one IESVS once against Ierusalem, before her overturne by Iosephius de Bell. Jud. l. 2 c. 19. 21, 22 24. l. 6. c. 16 l. 7. c. 7.8. TITVS VESPATIAN) so SALOMON as Gods Herald, and Trumpetter, to the whole world; doubles and trebles his thun­derbolts, against all kinde of Vanities: crying Vanitas Vanitatum, or as some read it, with a grea­ter [Page 129] emphasis Vanitantium: and least hee should be mistaken he speakes it againe and againe with a witnesse; as Christ three times to Ioh. 21.15 PETER, to testifie his love to his relapsed Apostle, repen­ting in verity: so SALOMON to testifie his hatred against Tyrannizing and domineering Vanity; which rules in the heart of men, (as a tyrannicall DIONISIVS, PHALARIS, or Idumean HEROD, in an usurped Kingdome, three times inveighes against it, to disthronize and dispossesse it from that seat, which properly and peculiarly belongs onely to GOD: for as that Gracian Demosthen. Orator, be­ing asked three times, what was the first, what the second, what the third part of Oratory; answe­red still Pronuncia­tio, prima, secunda, ter­tia pars O­ratoris. pronunciation, pronunciation, pronun­ciation: so let SALOMON be demanded what hee thinks of all these sublunary and earthly things, hee'l epitomize his censure in one word, Vanity; but be better advised SALOMON? Primae cogitati­ones seniores: secundae saniores: the first thoughts are elder, but the second sounder, and riper: yet he is the second time in the same Tone, the same Tune; his verdict is Vanity: but deliberandum diu, quod perficiendum semel, deliberate SALOMON more seriously, & cave quid dicis, take heed what thou speakest, thy words will goe farre, for they are of weight and consequence; as thou art the greatest of men, a King: the worthiest of men, the wisest King: SALOMON as a patterne and presi­dent indeed of a right wise man; (more perfect than TVLLY drawes his Orator, ZENOPHON his CYRVS, CASTILIO his Courtier, GALEN his [Page 130] just Temperament, or ARISTOTLE, his Quadra­tus) is still like himselfe; Sibi constans, & sui si­milis: the same man the same minde, fixt as the Pole, firme as the Rocke; his words-master; he sayes it, and stands to it, the third time, as though like a zealous Preacher (as did the Ministers and De quibus lege apud Eusebium, l. 3. cap. 4. l. 4 cap. 15. l. 5. c. 1. l. 6. c. 4.34. l. 7. c. 11 12. l. 8. c. 17 lib. 9. cap. 6. Theod. l. 3. c. 7.14.16. Ruffinum. l. 2 c. 2. cap. 16. Magd. lib. Centur. 3. & Niceph. l. 3.36. l. 5.26 l. 7.16. & l. 10. c. 10. Martyrs in the Paganish, Arian, and Popish Persecution, IOHN Nauclerus & Funccius, in Chron. fol. 162. & Osi­ander Cent. 15. l. 1. pag. 471. HVSS at Constance, and our Queene MARIES Foxe in Martyrolog. Martyrs) hee would seale what he had spoke, and preach'd, even with his very bloud, he affirmes and assevers, the third time, that all is but Vanity: even Atmos, At moon, as IEROME notes the Greekes interpret it, even Vapor fami, & aura tenuis, quae cito resolvitur, A va­por of smoake, or a tender Ayre, soone dissolved, a squib soone ending in smoake and smother: So­doms Habent in­tus fuligi­nem, favil, testatur Solin. c. 36. Aegisip. l. 4. c. 18. Orosius l. 1. c. 6. Apples, faire to looke too, yet touch'd soone dissolving into stinke: and sulphurious A­shes: shaddowes, sharkes, and meere delusions, such as are used by Conjurers, composed of ayre, by the Prince of the Ayre: Like the seeming di­shes that CORNELIVS AGRIPPA in the Army of CHARLES Apud. P. J. the 5. Abbot TRITHENIAS: the German FAVSTVS, and other Migitians: have set before their guests, feeding the eye, but not the tast, no more than these our Swinish huskes, like these dishes which Phenissa presented before Me­nippus her lover, (as those that have writ of the contempt of the world, and of the Vanity of these earthly things, Hugo Cardinalis, Hugo Victorinus, Bonaventure, Carthusianus, Innocent the third, Titel­man, and Arboreus of later times, but above all, [Page 131] Didacus Stella, and our zealous and learned Coun­tryman, In his Christian warfare. M. Downam, with the French Phoenix, the noble Du Plessis, plainely have discovered; all which seeming to light their candles, from Salo­mons Torch, and as the Moone, to take their light from Salomons Sunne; let vs heare himselfe speake, in his owne proper phrase and dialect; as he was a Preacher: as he was a King: even such an one as Plato wish'd for a Philosophicall Prince, and a Princely Philosopher: as he was a Preacher: Vanity of Vanity, Vanity of Vanity, all is but Vanity, saith the Preacher: The Emphasis of his words, the zeale of his soule, the strong movings of his hart, and the earnings of his affections, are to be ponde­red, and poized againe, and againe: even as when we would shew the excellency, or denotate the certainty of any thing, both in Theology and hu­manity, we see it is redoubled: as Canticum Can­ticorum, the Song of Songs, intimating the Canti­cles, of Salomon: the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords: God of Gods: the true Iehovah: the mystery of mysteries: Christ incarnate, the Heaven of Hea­vens: the Imperiall Heavens: the Virgin of Vir­gins: Mary the Virgin Mother, the Sabboth of Sab­boths; the Sacrament of Sacraments: the Eucha­rist: the world of worlds; and the like; as also threats, and denunciations redoubled: as to Adam eating the forbidden fruit, moriendo Gen. 2.17 Ʋide Paraeū & Marlora­tum in locis. morieris, in dying thou shalt dye: so also visitando visitabo: in vi­siting, God will visit, expressing the certainty: so here, Vanity of Vanities, notes a setled perswasi­on and estimation of the Vanity of these ter­restriall [Page 132] things; to give to the soule and spirit of man, any true contentation, or sollid satisfaction, which is the naile I still drive at, and the marke which I shoot at. CHRYSOSTOME notes that Exoken in the Chris. hom. 55. ad popu­lum Antio­chenum. Phrase, by which the Greekes use to expresse the Emphasis of a thing: NYSSE­NVS Jn locum. alludes to our vulgar adages: as wee use to say, Mortuo, magis mortuum: more dead, than death it selfe: as having also the force of an abstract, as whē we call a foolish mā even folly it self. A wise man evē wisedome it selfe so these vain things evē Vanity it self: which is further illustrated & confir­med by this triple or threefold repitition; in which number as the Platonists and Pythagoreans in­cluded great Apud. Cor­nel. Agrip. deoccul. Philos. lib. 2. c. 3. Plinium l. 28. c. 2. A­rist. Metap. 1. c. 5. Ma­crob. lib. 1. in Som. Scip. c. 6. & l. 2. c. 21. & apud Venetum lib. problem. sect. 2. q. 85. Tō. 1. Nec non apud Galati­num, l. 3. c. 9 cōtra Judeos mysteries, (and our Fryers and Ie­suites greater) so in the principles of Peripateticall Philosophy rightly understood; Tria sunt omnia, Three are all: so that, as the French, when they would expresse, that which is excellently good; they call it Tres bon, or Ter bonum, Thrice good: so SALOMON when he would expresse the Vani­ties of these sublunary things: (not to meddle w ^th the Heavens, though some Hieron. l. 8 in c. 24. Esa, & l. 14. in cap. 51. say they are here also included, nor with the Angels which are Origen in c. 8. ad Rom. & Amb. Epist. 21. de Angelis in­telligunt. above) he calls them all, Tria vana, three vaines, or three vanities; or ter vanum, thrice vaine. But SALO­MON gives not onely this Verdict as he was a Preacher, but also as he was a King: I was (saith he) King of Ierusalem: and I purposed in my heart to finde out wisedome in all these things, that are vnder the Sunne: I saw all that was done under the Sunne: and I saw all was Eccl. 1.12 Vanity: Before we heard Vani­ty [Page 133] of Vanity, saith the Preacher, now saith the King: this may strike a deeper impressiō in us, to cōtemn & condemne these Vanities, from the authority of the Person, which doth dislike and disallow them: and that is SALOMON a King: yea the greatest of earthly Kings, in magnificence, Ʋide Vi­valdi tracta­tum de mag­nificentia Salomonis. & Iosephum in Antiquitat. munificence, riches, honours, glory, wisedome, renowne, sur­passing all of meere men, that went before him, or shall come after him: not that great hunting NIMROD; the Chaldean NAEVCHADNEZZAR, the Persian ASSVERVS, ZERXES, or ARTAXER­XES, the Eagle ALEXANDER, the Turkish Otto­mans: the Aegyptian ancient Ptolomies, or Soul­dans: the Latine Albanes: the great Mogull, the Cham of Cathay: PRESTER IOHN, The Ro­man, Aethiopian, or Tartarian Emperors, in eve­ry thing, hardly in any thing surpassing him, nay not equalizing him: as those that have writ of him plainely demonstrate: now we know, as we write after the lines, and follow the lives of great Regis, ad exemplum, totus compo­nitur orbis. men, so chiefly of Kings, the greatest of men; earthly Gods as they are called, Solo Deo minores, onely lesse than GOD: being heere Vice Dei, in­stead of GOD, with whom they change names: as offices: we beleeve Kings rather than Philoso­phers, as the Philosophers observed; wee insist their steps, whither crooked or straight: as theyr words are Oracles; their acts examples, to tutor us onely to good, or evill cum privilegio: so wee usually subscribe to their Iudgements, what they hold and enact, whether true or erronious, as foure hundreth Prophets yeelded to the false opi­nion [Page 134] of one 1. King. 22 12 AHAB, that it was good for him to fight at Ramoth Gilead: and most of Israel wor­shipped the Calves at Dan and Bethel, 1. Kings, 12.29.30. because Ie­roboam erected them, and millions turn'd Arri­ans, in the dayes of Arrianus apud Func­ciū. 109. h. Magd. Cent. c. 3. p. 101. Constantius, Jdam Cent. 4. c. 3. p. 40 Theod. l. 4. c. 26. Valens, and De quo sig­fridus saccus Dom. 8. post. Trinit. & axiom. Eccl. Gorlicij pag. 315. Anastatius, Denying Christs Divinity, because these Emperors were Arrians: as the whole Chri­stian world was Orthodoxe, professing the truth, as zealous proselites, in the dayes of Constantine, Honorius, Arcadius, Gratian, Iovinian, Iustinian, Theodosius the elder and the younger, because these Christian Emperors were Orthodox, zealous, sincere and religious: as Hist. l. 7. c. 10. & l. 10. c. 7. & in vi­ta Const. l. 1.2, 3, 4. Eusebius, [...] c. 9 &c. 6. c. 2 l. 7. c. 22. &c. 23. & l. 5. [...] 10. Socrates, Hi [...]. [...] 6. [...] Zozamen, l. c. 2. cum hist. trimpert. l. 1. c. 8. Ruffinus, Nicephorus, and that Tri­partite Historie, testifie of them: such force (as is more largely proved, in the Eare-jewell for Iud­ges) have both the Iudgements and practises of Princes, with their Plebean subjects: every supe­rior like the heavenly bodyes, having a wondrous operative influence, upon their dependant sublu­nary inferiors: why should not then SALOMONS Verdict, being so great, so wise a King; excelling amongst men (yea even amongst Kings) as the Lyon amongst the Beasts: as the male Deere a­mongst the heard: as the Cassanaeus in Ca [...]. p [...]. 2 ful. 373. et Plin. l. 10. c. 5. Eagle (if not Idem ibid. Phoe­nix amongst birds; the Lilly amongst flowers; the Cedar amongst Trees; why doth it not, I say as a golden Seale in soft waxe, worke in us the same impression, that was in himselfe? Why should we be Didimists, Sceptecks; or Athists, to [Page 135] doubt discusse, and deny: what he knew specu­latively as he was a wise man, practically: as a sin­full (but repentant) man; and declares to us au­thoritively, upon his word, and the pawne of his honor, as he was a King, and the greatest of men; that all these terrestiall & transitory things; which we admire; on which we dote, with which wee Idolatrize, by which we perish: are but meere Vanities, toyes, trifles, delusions, dreames golden slumbers, huskes, vacuities, in conclusion (except the meanes of our confusion) nothing and there­fore not to be rested in, nor relyed on, more than on a broken staffe, or the Reeds of Esa. 30.2 Aegypt, lest as burnt at last, as the fond Flea, by comming too neare these dazling flames, wee occasionedly ex­claime on these Impostors, as here repenting Salo­mon, and lament that ever we put any trust or con­fidence in them, as did that good old Iohn the King of Reale [...]n Historia per Marinaenus l. 18. rorum Hispanio [...]nū Aragon, on his death bed; yea least be­ing brought by our credullty to such exigents, as Cresus was captivated by Cyrus, and tyed at a stake, to be burned we then cry, oh Salomon Salo­mon, as he cryed oh Solon Apud He­rodotum l. 1. Solon, or at least trying them all to our no small paines, cost, and preju­dice, every way both in our credit with men, and conscience with God: we occasionedly complain as even Tully the Heathen did, ego omnibus tentalis nihil invenio in quo acquiescere Ʋerba re­citantur, per Majolum de diebus Ca­nicul. Coll. 7 pag. 520 [...] possum, trying and attempting every thing (like a sicke man rouling every way in his bed) I can finde rest and conten­tation in nothing, no more than our Prodigall here in his hungry Huskes.

SECT. 5. SALOMONS Repentance, Sanctification, and Salvation, prooved from Scriptures, and Reasons.

BVt if we beleeve not SALOMON, as hee was morally wise; as hee was practically experi­mented, and traded in all the mysteries of Vani­ties; as he was a Preacher, proclaiming his best notions, and motions of his repeated Vanities, shooting off a warning piece, to the admonishing of others: yet let us beleeve him, (which is my last and not least Argument) as hee was a Prophet, and so like ESAY, IEREMIE, IOEL, AMOS, EZECHIEL, and the rest of the greater and lesser See Gualter & Danaeus, in their Cō ­ments upon the small Prophets. Prophets, in their Sermons, and extant Prophecies, indued in the penning, preaching, and publishing of this Ecclesiastes, (being Propheticall, and so Lelius de expresse Dei verbo, & Zā ­chi de sacra Script. prove that no bookes in the old Test. are Prophe­ticall, but those are al­so Canoni­call. Canonicall. with an vnerring spirit, to expatiate a little into a Cham­pian, and Field of matter, concerning SALO­MON, and yet to finde the truth of the poinct, we stil prosecute, as the Center in a large Circum­ference.

That SALOMON sinned fearefully, who knowes not? That hath read his best, and worst in the sacred Scriptures? In IOSEPHVS, and others; chiefly some Hebrew Rabbies, that have writ his life: so fearefully indeed, and fouly in his mani­fest and manifold Idolatries, his grosse and grie­vous [Page 137] Adulteries, his lusts insatiable (more than these of PROCVLVS, AEGISTVS, NERO, De hisce omnibus, & alijs vid. Ra­visium in Theat. Philo. lib. 5. cap. 53 pag. 65 3. ex Plutarcho, Thucid. Coe­lic. Gellior. cum alijs. CAESAR, SARDANAPALVS of old, the Tur­kish Emperour, and the Kings of Morocco now, or any of hers that ever wee reade of) that I know, as BELLARMINE, CANVS, GREGORY de Valentia, and other Schoolemen Answered by Zanchius de preserva­tione Sancto­rum, Willet in Synopsi Pelargus, Ju Iesuitismo. cum alijs, contra Mo­dernot no­stros Armi­nianos. and Iesuites reckoning without their Host, and swimming without their Corke, have untruely as unchari­tably concluded his reprobation, as falsly as the damnation of Infants, dying without Baptisme: So even some of the Fathers Inter quos Cyprianus, l. 1. Exempla 5. vel Epist. 7. & de vni­tate Ecclesia poss medium, Aug. de Ci­vit. Dei, lib. 17. cap. 20. & de Doct. Christ. lib. 3. cap. 21. cum Tertul. lib. 2. contra Marcio. c. 23. & l. 3. c. 20. Reasons of the fall of Salomon, and so of the sinnes of the Elect. 2 Cor. 12.7. I know have que­stioned, whether by his Fall, hee fell finally from Grace, or no; as did SAVL: and even those that have beene most favourable to him; as St. BA­SIL, Exempla, ad Cytonem: IVSTIN MARTYR, contra Tryphonem, together with ORIGEN, IRAE­NEVS, CHRYSOSTOME, BARNARD, have won­drously lamented his fall, as also the fall of Samp­son, and have layd downe, some, reasons, why it pleased the Lord so to permit him to fall. As namely, that the Lord by his fall might humble him, as hee did PAVL, after his ^q revelations, and as usually hee doth his Children, to whom he hath bestowed excellent guifts and graces shining in eminent places; letting them oft see their black Feet, to deject them, least with the Swan, and Pea­cocke, the contemplation of their proud plumes, and feathers too much erect them, and puffe [Page 138] them up, (as bubles, and blathers) with pride which of all other sinnes, God most hates and ab­hominates.

Secondly, that we should know him to be but man: and so know, what is in man: chiefly if God leave him to himselfe: as a Cripple, without his Crutches: a vine without his prop: a house with­out his foundation; a staffe without an upholding See my Preface be­fore Origens Repentance hand, a weakling weanling Child, without the leading Nurse, necessarily failing in good: falling into evill; without the continuall preventing Grace of God.

Thirdly, that we should not build, upon the flesh: or upon such a Clayie foundation as man: since the best and worthiest of men: SALOMON the 1. King. 11 wisest. 2. Sam. 11 DAVID, the sincerest. 3. Iudg. 16.4 SAMPSON the strongest. 4. Gen. 42 15. & 43, 3 IOSEPH the most Chast. 5. Math. 26 70 PETER, and 6. Iohn, 20 25 THOMAS, Disciples. 7. Gen. 9.21 Noah. 8. Gen. 19.36 LOT. 9. And Gē. 38.26 IVDAH Patriarkes. 10. Euseb. l. 6 cap. 40.41 ORIGEN the learned. 11. Grave Damnat Heres. Mon­tani de Pres. Herit. [...]. 52 Postea de­feudit contra Prax. cap. 1. TERTVLLI­AN. 12. Zealous Lib. 7, 8, 9 Confessionum AVGVSTINE, with the rest of the Fathers, in the Greeke and Latine Church as have beene proved to have had their Naevi, their warts, their wants, their defects, in judgement, or practise: as the cleare Sunne his Eclipse; the cleare Moone, her weaning; the pure gold, his drosse; the best wheat, his [...]ares; the best Garden, his weeds; and the healthfullest body some ill hu­mors, or sickish fits: as appeares in the Polyganies of the first, the Adulteries of the second; the Effe­minacies of the third; the Swearing of the fourth; the Denials of the fift; the Incredulity of the sixt; [Page 139] the Drunkennesse of the seaventh; the Incests of the 8. and 9. the Idolatry of the tenth; the Monta­nisme of the Scultetus in Medulla Patrum, p. 172. Sic Chron. Func­cij fol. 101. Hist. Magd. Cent. 3. eleaventh; and the Maniohisme of the Mag. Cent. 5. & Osiand. in cent. 4. l. 4. p. 168. en Possidonio. twelfth: all which Iury give in theyr Verdict: that when the Seas are without Waves and froth: the Ayre without Cloudes: the best wines without leas, and dregs, Trees and Vines, without superfluous branches; the body of living man without excrements, than the best of meere men living on earth here, militant, shall be with­out Hinc illud Lencij, in A­poth. Polit▪ p. 137. & Gorlicij in Oeconomicis pag. 36. Magna In­doles non sine sinne, ere they come to Heaven tryumphant, and so make a more exact, pure, perfect, spotlesse, Eutopean, Amsterdamian Church; without any blemish, than was eyther in Rome, 1. Cor. 3.3 Corinth, Ephesus, Philippos, Galatia, Asia, Smirnia, Apocal. 2 c. & 3. c. per totum. Thya­tira, in the Apostles times: or then is expected e­ven of the Iewes, after their promised and belee­ved Reade Dr. Willets Hex­apla Parens Parr, Drax and Wilson, on Chapter 10. ad Romanos. Proouing by many argu­ments, the Iewes Conuersion. Conversion.

Fourthly, which is Ambrose Apol. David. cap. 4. & 1. cap. 3. his reason, his fall was permitted, to shew that hee was meere man, not God; and so not the expected Messias of the Iewes: for whom, in respect of his manifold perfections, had he beene sinne-lesse, that infatu­ated people, had more probably entertained him: than eyther the Aegyptian Apud Niceph. & Socratem lib. 7. cap. 37 MOSES, or Of whose Acts and end, out of Rabbies, see Master Purchase his Pilgrimage, lib. 2. cap. 10. pag. 132. BEN COSEA, or any other Impostors at severall times, [Page 140] to their owne destructions, both of bodies and soules, as histories Josephus de bello Jud. l. 7 c. 17. Nicep. lib. 3. c. 25. Eus. l. 4. c. 6. relate.

Yet neverthelesse for all this fearefull fall, thus permitted for these and other reasons, his fall was not finall, his sinne was not unto death; and so consequently (as the point I ayme at) this Testimony of his, and Verdict against temporary Vanities, is not the testimoniall of a Repro­bate, (for then like the pasport of a canting rogue, made under a hedge, it were of finall validity) but the Testimony of a repentant Patriarke: a sanctified Prophet, and so consequently an e­lect vessell of Salvation? Which I easily con­vince, against all oppugning Antagonists, by these querees and expostulations.

First, was he not an Amamiensis, a Pen-man of the Spirit of GOD, in writing and inditing three whole bookes of Canonicall Scripture, as the Church hath alwayes acknowledged, and re­ceived them into the sacred Canon? In which respect, De Civit. De [...], l. 17. c. 20 AVGVSTINE, and Lib. 2. de THEOPHILACT, call him a Prophet? And some of the Hebrew R. Moses l. 2. Mor [...]ch cap. 45. Rabbies reckon him with his Father DAVID, IOE, Fide. and DANIEL: Now was any Pen-man of the Spirit ever a Reprobate? Looke upon all the Pro­phets from MOSES, to MALACHY: all the foure Evangelists: the Evangelizing Apostles, that in their Epistles writ as they preacht; the summe and substance of the Gospell? And tell me, if ever any of those, whom the Lord used as his Organs and instruments in this blessed work, for his owne glory, and conversion of Soules, were ever Casta­wayes?

Sacondly doth not Saint PETER call all the Prophets holy 1. Pet. 1, 21 Prophets: and if holy, then ever­lastingly happy: SALOMON then being in the Catologue of these holy ones, how should hee bee excluded from these happy and blessed ones.

Thirdly, was not SALOMON an excellent Type, and figure of CHRIST the Messias, as is by all acknowledged, without contradiction? Now was ever any personall Type of CHRIST, a Reprobate? AARON, a type of his Priest-hood, ABEL and ISAAC types of his Passion: JOSEPH of his betraying: IONAS of his Resurrection: E­NOCH and ELIAS of his Ascention: IOSHVA, GI­DEON, OTHINEL, IEPHTE: SAMPSON, tempo­rary Saviours, types of his Salvation, as also A­BRAHAM, NOAH, MOSES, MELCHISEDECH, DAVID, and all the rest that typified See an use­full booke in 8. called Moses un­vailed, and the Pilgri­mages of the Patri­arkes and Prophets, in 4 passim. de hisce Typis. CHRIST, it appeares in these particu­lers.

First, in his birth, the Child of Promise: the Sons of God: as Christ, by Luk. 3.31 Nature, he by 2. Sā. 7.14 Adrption: both called the sonne of DAVID: according to the flesh. 2. In his Names, as first SALOMON, peaceable, foreshewing the Messias, the true MEL­CHISEDECH, the Prince of Peace.

Secondly, Iedediah, beloved of God, 2. Sam. 12.25. So Christ is proclaimed the welbeloved Mat. 17.5 Sonne in whom the Father is well pleased.

3. Pro. 31.3 Lemuell; so called by his Mother, signifying God with him, or God with them; answering the true Mat. 1.23 Emanuel, God with us: SALOMON being withall, Exod. 7.1 [Page 142] as was sayd Exod. 7.1. of MOSES, a God to his people.

Fourthly, Koheleth, a Congregator, a builder, a Preacher: as he laboured by his preaching, and by the Booke of the Preacher, to congregate and ga­ther unto God, both Iewes and Gentiles, so in this answering the true Gē. 40.10 Shiloh, to whom the gathe­rings of the people shall be.

Thirdly, a Type of CHRIST in his Princely Of­fice, set over Gods people and heritage, (even as the Messias is set a Captaine and governour over his Elect) because the Lord loved them. 1. Kin. 10 9,

Fourthly, in his admired Wisedome: for are not in CHRIST all the treasures of Coloss. 2, 3 Wise­dome.

Fifthly, in his Iudgements and Equity (the im­provement of his judgement and wisedome) ha­ving the true Vrim and Thummim; for shall not Christ iudge the people with righteousnesse, and the Nations with Psal. 96.13 equity. More specially, as he judged the two 1. King. 3, 27 Harlots, and discerned the true Mother of the controverted child from the false: shall not CHRIST judge Iewes, Turkes, and Papists, for all their false Pleas, and deluding lapwing cryes. 2. His strict proceedings against 1. King. 2 25 ADONIAH, and V. 31.32 IOAB, his plotting enemies, doth it not pre­figure how CHRIST will proceed in Iudgement, against all his enemies, breaking them in peeces, like a Potters Vessell: Psal. 2.9.

Sixthly, SALOMONS translating of the Priest­hood, from ABIATHAR of the house of ELI, to V. 27. ZODO, doth it not shew how the Messias re­moved the annuall Leviticall Priest-hood of AA­RON [Page 143] to himselfe, the true sacrifizing Melchisidech: a Priest for Heb. 7.17 ever.

Seaventhly, as SALOMON built the Lord a Tem­ple; is not CHRIST the spirituall builder, of Ko­heleth the See Mor­ney and our D. Feila, de Ecclesia. Church.

Eighthly, as SALOMON fetcht timber from 1. Kin. 5.6 HIRAM, a Gentile to the building of this mate­riall edifice, doth not CHRIST cull and call, and gather, even of the Gentiles, as living stones, built on the corner stone, to the structure of his spirituall Temple. God perswading IAPHET to dwell in the Tents of SEM. Gen. 9. vers. 7.

Ninthly, the Queene of Sheba bringing pre­sents unto SALOMON, from so 1. Kin 10 10 farre, shewes it not, that the Magi from the East and great Kings and Mat. 2.11 & Ps. 45.12 Princes, from the East, West, North, and South, shall bring their presents and yeeld their homage unto CHRIST, by receiving the Gospell, and beleeving in him, to their Salvation: Math. 8.11.

Tenthly, leaving all other particulars; the great glory, riches, magnificence, and royalty of Lege Lude­vicum Ʋiv. de magnifi­centia Salo­monis. SALOMON, together with the excellency of the Temple in the lustre, and structure of De hoc­templo pre­ter 1. Reg. 6 2. Chron. 9. Chris. in Math. hō. 88. Sixtum in Biblioth, l. 6. ann. 12. Mogdonetū de Monte Calvariae: Ruffinum l. 11. & Euse­bium hist. l. 9 cap. 2. it, ex­ceeding eyther the brightnesse of the Sunne; the Image of IVPITER, the Walles of Thoebes, the Tower of Babylon: the house of CY­RVS: the Mausolean Tombe: the Aegyptian Pyramides: the Walles of Ninivie: the Temple of DIANA: or any other most me­morable wonders of the World: which not onely Heathenish Hystorians, as Plin. l. 34. l. 26. c. 5. &c. 8, 9, 11, 12 14. PLI­NY, [Page 144] Lib. 1. c. 5. MELA, L. 12. c. 16 STRABO, CVRTIVS, DIODO­RVS, Lib. 2. HERODTVS, but even Christians, as De Civit. Dei, l. 2. c. 4 AVGVSTINE, L. 14. c. 16 ISODORE, Ant. Lect. l. 23. c. 6. RHODEGINVS, ALDVS, have so famoused: doth not the first an­swere to that beauty, blessing, grace, glory, might, worship, renowne, honour, truth, righteousnesse: which is in Christ; to which DAVID alludes in his Psal. 45. Psalmes, and SALOMON himselfe, in his mysti­call Canticles, typifying Christs matrimoniall V­nion, with his Church, under the vaile of his mar­riage with PVARAOHS Lorinus in Eccles. & Soto Major Praefat. in Cant. Cātico. Daughter. The eminen­cy too of his materiall Temple, doth it not typi­fie the beauty and glory of the spirituall Temple, the Church of the new Testament under Christ.

Now in all these particulars, could such an ex­cellent Type & figure of the Messias, be a Repro­bate? Were not his sinnes pardoned upon his re­pentance, as well as the sinnes of others, who prae­figured him.

But here's the question of all questions: whe­ther SALOMON truly repented? For wee know the promises to the repentant, be their sinnes ne­ver so great, and Esa. 1.18, Exek. 18, 27 Ierem. 3.14 Ioel, 2.12 greevous: now SALOMON re­penting of his grievous transgressions, as did his Father DAVID, why might not he be the object and subject of mercy as well as 2. Sā. 12.13 DAVID, 1. Tim. 1.13.14. PAVL, 2. Chron. 33.11.12. MANASSES, Mat. 26.75. PETER, and all the rest of the Scripture-Paenitents. Luke, 7.47. Luke, 19.9. Luke, 18.13.14. Mat. 9.10.

If any doubt of SALOMONS true Cordiall, un­fained, and saving repentance: let him consider [Page 145] these things; in Generall, in speciall.

In generall: that those, who are once dedicated to the Lord, and whom the Lord loues, they must repent, at one time, or other: though they sinne fearefully, yet not finally; though they fall dange­rously, yet not desperately; for the foundation of the Lord remaineth sure, the Lord knowes who are 2, Tim. 2 19 his: his guifts and graces are without Rō. 11, 29 Re­pentance: whom the Lord loves once, he loves to the Ioh. 13, 1 end: his love is not fickle, wavering, and un­constant, as the love of ASSVERVS to Esther, 6.6 & 7.10 HAMAN, Ammon to 2, Sam, 13 15 Thamar, Putiphars wife to Gen. 39.7 14 Ioseph: ending (as mans lustfull and unlimited love oft) in hate: but more constant than Ionathans to 1. Sam. 20 17 Da­vid, Philades to Orestes, Nisus to Eurialus, Damon to De his & alijs, fidelis amicitiae ex­emplis: lege apud Valer. Fulgosum & Brusonium, tit. de amici­tia, sic apud Ravisium, p. 570. & Lō ­cerum, in suo Theatro. fol. 422. Pythias, as hot as fire: as firme as flint, as strong as Death; Now it's sayd, the Lord loved 2. Sam. 12 24 SALOMON, and gave him a Name, answering this love: and as an effect of this love he gave him not onely common graces, such as he bequeathes to Hypocrites, and Reprobates: but even specifi­call, speciall, and saving Grace: even the Spirit of 2. Chrō. 6 Prayer: to which rightly Ʋide Al­stedium in Theol. Cat. sect 3. p. 736 737. ad 745 & Scultetum, de precatione, ap. 121. ad pag. 178. de modo oranat. qualified, Salvati­on is promised and Act. 2, 21. annexed; which Grace SA­LOMON had in that excellent measure, together with Eucharisticall thankesgivings, a branch and species of Prayer, that twise praying that we read of, once in publike in the 1. Kings, 8. Temple: and in 1. King. 3.5.6. pri­vate: for Wisedome, the Lord appeares unto him, in Giboah: testifies his acceptation and approba­tion [Page 146] of his V. 11.22. Prayer; and of his Sacrifices: which he never did in any oblations and sacrifices of a wicked man, an hypocrite, a Reprobate, all whose services (as himselfe reveales) his very Soule doth loath and Esa. 1.11.2 & 58.4.5. & 66.30. & Ier. 7, 8, 9. sic. Ioh. 9. v. 31 abhorre: from whence I could with De perse­verat. San­ctorum. Zanchy, In locis. Aretius, Jn locis Communibus Musculus, Jn locis. Peter Martyr, the French In his booke cal'd the Buckler of Faith. Et alibi con­tra Armen. Moulins, and all the late Hammerers of D. Morton D. Willet. D. Sutcliffe, and the two D. Whites. Papists, that Salomon having true Grace, ne­ver lost it: though the Sunne of his grace were clouded and eclipsed by his fall, yet it shined a­gaine, in his repentance: his grace might loose both leaves and fruit, as a Tree in winter, in his temptations and seductions, yet there remained still sap at the roote of his heart, the seed of God re­mained still in him, as he had an ebbe in sensuall sin­ning, he had a spring-tide againe in godly sorrow­ing: it being indeed with Salomon, as with all Gods Children: as it is with the wood, whose nature is to swim on the water; but overladen with iron sinkes: but take off this iron of sinne by repentance; Grace in them surgeth, riseth aloft Grace in the Elect is like the herbe Ady­ [...]ntō, which long steeped in water rots not, but comes forth dry. againe: the application is very easie, or they are in the act of sin, Mr. Yates, Mr. Anis­worth, Dr. Featly, Mr. Burton: chiefly Mr. Pryn Lin­colinensis. Instar omni­um a. p. 364. ad p. 393. as a man in a sowne, or in a fit of falling sicknesse; not wholly dead: by rubbings, and unctions, and stirrings, and administring of strong waters, they come againe to themselves: in such a fit, in such a sowne, was Salomon, but at last revived by his Spirituall Physitian, whose grace gave him, the true Aqua vitae or water of life, cor­diall repentance: wise Salomon was poysoned [Page 147] with: or at least had surfeited like our Prodigall, in the huskes of Vanity, but the Lord gives him a Lotion, a Potion, the oyle of his Grace, which makes him evacuate, purge and empty them all, up againe, by repentance: he casts them out at his Eyes, by Contrition: chiefly (as other surfets (out of his mouth, by true, hearty, humble, publike Confession, for to intimate some particulars of his Repen­tance, he freely and ingenuously confesseth his sins: for whereas as one well Salomons Solace, Cap. 130. p. 123 observeth, hee might in this his Ecclesiastes, have pointed at the folly and vanity of ADAM, CAIN, NIMROD, ESAV, PHARAOH, SAVL, ABIMELECH, ACHAN, NA­BAL, LABAN, MICHAY, and divers others: as men doe when they would hide and extenuate their owne finnes, and accuse others; yet Iustus ac­cusator sui; the just man, casting the first stone a­gainst himselfe, he inroules himselfe as the prin­cipall, in the fore-front of the Bead-roule of vaine ones; he proclaimes himselfe the chiefe foole in Vanities Kingdome: therefore, so freely confes­sing his sinnes, yea his speciall and particular va­nities of which he makes a full Catalogue: (as his Father Psal. 51.14 DAVID, confessed his particular murther: PAVL his 1. Tī. 1.13 Persecutions: the penitent Ezra. 10.2 Iewes, their marrying of strange Wives: their re­jecting of GOD and 1. Sam. 12 10. & v. 19. SAMVEL, in asking a King: LVTHER oft his particular abhominations, when he was a blinded Papist: ORIGEN his particular Idolatry, sacrificing to Heathenish De quo Eusebius l. 6 Nioeph. 5. c. 12. Mag­dab. hist. Cent. 3. & slander in E­pit. Cent. 3. c. 6. pag. 11. Idols, no doubt of it, but the LORD, as hee was iust and faithfull forgave him all his sinnes. 1. Ioh. Cap. 1. v. 9

Secondly, his Confession was according to the nature of his sinne; his sinne publike, as if with Ab­solon hee had spread a Tent with his 2. Sā. 16.22 Concubines, on the house top, as Davids lust with Bathshehah, it was knowne in Gath and Ascalon, amongst the 2. Sam. 12 14 Vncircumcised: So his Repentance is publike; as if at our Pauls Crosse, or Heraulded in the midst of Ierusalem, Iosh. 7.19 by his owne tongue, and pen: his salve (as in the repentance of David, and all true paenitents) was proportionable to his sore, he tooke away glory from God, and scandalized the Church by sinning: now as Ioshuah desired A­chan, he glorifies God, and satisfies the Church by Publike sins must have pro­portionable acknow­ledgement according to the Apo­stles rule. 1. Cor. 5.5. confessing.

Thirdly, his Confession was joyned with Con­trition of Soule, and compunction of Spirit, with humiliation of heart, and true dejection: and that appeares, first from the Title, that he gives him­selfe, and that's not the King of Israel, and Ierusa­lem, as he might have done had he sought popu­larity, and Vaine-glory, which Ayres the most ( Aaere nu­tritur abs (que) Cibo & potu Plinius l. 8. cap. 33. Camelion-like) gape after: but Salomon the Preacher: the poore paenitent perplexed Preacher; in the sence and sight of his sinne, he thinkes him­selfe unworthy the dignity of a King, (as the Prodigall heere after his feeding on unfilling huskes) thought himselfe vnworthy the Name of a Luk. 15.19 Sonne: as his Father David, thought himselfe too meane, In Psalm. to be a Doore-keeper in the house of Publike sins must have pro­portionable acknow­ledgement according to the Apo­stles rule. 1. Cor. 5.5. God. 2. He doth not say I am a King, but I was King of Eccl. 1.12 Ierusalem, as now, thinking himselfe by reason of his sinnes, indignus nomine, unworthy [Page 149] that name, and tytle: which he thinks best befits the Messias: as also thinking of that Message, which he lately received from the Lord, that his Kingdome shauld be divided: and ten parts given to his Servant 1. Kings, 12.29.30.31 Ieroboam, and but two reserved to him, and his seed: being in that respect hardly King of Israel, in Ierusalem. 3. As an Argument (further) of his humiliation, it's observable, that in this whole booke of Ecclesiastes, he useth not the name Tetragrammaton, as being ineffable, and to sinners most terrible, and dreadfull, in the Conscious­nesse of his sinne; he doth not once mention it: Mindfull of that, in the 50. Psalme, ver. 16. of his Mr. Asaph, forbidding the wicked once to take the Name, or Covenant of God, in their mouthes. Which Text when Origen read after his Apostasie, mentioned by Eusebius, Lib. 6. Magdeb. Cent. 3. and Niceph. Lib. 5. Cap. 12. Hee burst out into teares and could not preach. He in awe and reve­rence thinkes himselfe unworthy to name IEHO­VAH.

Fourthly, being converted himselfe, he labors, as Christ injoyned Luk. 22 32 PETER, and in him all true Paenitents, and as PAVL Act. 9.28 practized, the Conver­sion of others: for this booke of the Preacher, prea­cheth repentance unto all, both Iewes and Gentiles; yea it teacheth mortification from the worlds Va­nities, the Feare of the Lord, and obedience to his Eccl. 12.13 Commandements, therefore in respect of the affe [...]t of it, or Salomons affections to doe good by it [...]s cald by some Rabbi Sa­lomon, in Cā ­tica. the booke of the calling a­gaine of the Iewes: Comment in Cantica. Origen calls it, Ecclesiastes, à [Page 150] Congregando Ecclesiam: from that desire which Salomon had to congregate a Church to God: and some of the Hebrewes (as two famous amongst the Hierom. in Eccles. cap. 1 & in Ezek. cap. 46. Fathers, and Aquinas de Regimine principum, l. 3. cap. 8. Schoolemen) have call'd it his Booke of repentance, in which booke, as a true Preacher indeed, hee labours to finde out right Scriptures, Delight some words, and words of truth, that as goades and nayles he might rivet them in the hearts of others to worke that remorse in them, which hee found and felt in himselfe: which indeed is a signe of true and saving Grace, when it is Communative, and diffusive, for the con­version of the wicked, or confirmation of the weake: when wee would imprint grace in others, which is sealed in our selves, herein tutored by the Cock who when he hath found a Barly Corn clocks, and calls to it, his Hennes (as the Hen calls her Chickens) and when we are awaked our selves out of the darke dreame of our sinnes: by clapping our wings and Gall [...] vi­gilantis E­piscopi Typus apud Majo­lum, de dieb. Canic. Col­loq. 7. p. 210 crowing (as Salomon heere, and since LVTHER, that Ʋide Epi­stolas ad Le­onem Papam ad diverses Episcopos no­biles. Libel­lis de capti­vicate Bab. de Missa dis­putationes & scripta apud Sleidanum, Nigrium, Bucholche­ram, & Osi­ander Cent. 16. lib. 1. Cocke of Belgia) to awaken o­thers; either out of Popery, or prophanenesse: is a sure signe of a sanctified heart, and of a Consci­ence truely touched.

Fifthly, SALOMONS confession was ioyned with faith: he beleeved with his heart: as did PHI­LIPS Acts, 8.37 Evnuch: as he confessed with his mouth, to his Rō. 10.10 Salvation, for his confession heere to to GOD primarily (as in the Iudgement both of charity and verity, wee are to conclude) and to his scandalized Church secondarily; was not the Confession of a Felon, to his Iudge, as A­CHANS [Page 151] to Iosh. 7.20 [...]1 IOSHVAH, fearing execution. Nor as the Confession of IVDAS, to the Math. 27.4.5. Pharises, for want of Faith, ending in a halter, and in Psal. 9.17. & Act. 1.25 Hell: but as the Confessiō of a Son to his indulgent Father, (for that reference the Lord himselfe professeth he hath to 2. Sā. 7.14 SALOMON) or as a Con­fession of a Patient to his Physitian, in hope of helpe, and health: and he confesseth to the of­fended Church, as any man may in the like case confesse, even unto man, As appeare by that cō ­fortable let­ter which Luther sent the sicke Duke of Saxony, apud Osiandrum Cent. 16. l. 1 pag. 70. (stearing yet farre e­nough, from the Rockes of Popish Auricu­lar Confession) not onely to give satisfaction, in case of Mat. 5.23 24 scandall, but as a diseased man to his Surgeons, (as the perplexed CHRIST- crucifying paenitents to Act. 2.37 PETER, the Publi­cans to Luk. 3.12 IOHN, the Magicall Act. 19.18 19 Nicromancers, and others converted by PAVL, and as many in our dayes have done, to the zealous GREN­HAM, PERKINS, DENT, DEERING, DODD; and others: to whom the Lord gave the tongue of the Esa. 50.4. learned, and created the fruites of their lips to bee Esa. 57.17 Peace, even in Case of desired Com­fort, and Consolation. Esay. 57.19, Iob, 33.23.24.

Sixthly, SALOMONS Repentance, was con­stant and Conscionable: it was not in a flash, or in a Crocodiles Vincentius hist. l. 17. c. 606. teare, or two, like Heb. 12.16 E­SAVVES and the hypocriticrll Deu. 1.45 Iewes, not in a SAVLS 1. Sā. 15.24 Confession: but as PAVL's, it begun and continued in that true Conversion, the very life and soule of repentance, that sincere aversion from sin, and turning unto Haec vera paenitentia preterita plangere plā ­genda non cō ­mittere. Au­gust. de pan. God which [Page 152] the Prophets, every where call for, he did not af­ter any fained humiliation, returne to his sinne a­gaine, as the Dog to his vomit, the Sow to her wal­lowing: as did Ahab, Saul, Adoniah, Ioab, Semei: but acording to the rule and Canon: he did Prae­terita plangere, plangenda non committere: Lament his by-past Vanities, and as a man that gives a Bill of Divorce to his whorish wife, never to intermed­led with her more: as Noah, Lot, Iudah, David, Peter, and others: hee did not Apostate againe and backe-slide to his repentant and abandoned follies; now hee esteemes all the Honours, Plea­sures, Riches, Dignities, Policies, Studies, Coun­sels thoughts, actions, endeavors of men in this life, without the Wisedome, Word, Wor­ship, Feare, and Favour of God: to bee meere Huskes, and Vanities, such as will never helpe, ease, profit, comfort, or cōtent him in life, in death nor death: and his judgement ushering his practice, he made a Covenant with his heart, never to feed more, on these Huskes, to sinne more in the use, abuse, of these Vanities? But as a Tra­veller, ever talking of, and fitting for his jour­ney, his Thoughts, and tongue, now walke and talke another way: even how to feare GOD, and keepe his Commandements, (Legall, and Evangeli­call) being indeed, that Regia Via Vitae, the true way to life: and herein indeed was his true re­pentance, according to CHRISTS Ioh. 5.14. Precept, and AMBROSE his prescript, when he sinned no more, in that culpable kinde as Haec vera poenitentia cum sic paeni­tet hominem peccasse, ut crimen non repetat. Amb de poenit. before: the [Page 153] best repentance, saith that zealour Belgick Luther, call'd oft by Hennius Ec­cardus and others, the Elias of Germany. Apo­stle, being in one word, A new Optima paenitentiae, nova vita. life.

Besides, doth not the Lord himselfe say, that if he sinne (as he did too grosly) he would visit his sinnes with Rods, and his transgressirns with 2. Sā. 7.14 Scour­ges, as indeed he did, by stirring up enimies 1. Kin. 11 14.26. a­gainst him, as oft against rebelling Iudg. 4.2. c. 6.2. &c. 10.6.7. Israel, accor­ding to his Lev. 26.17 Deu. 28.25 threats, but yet, hee would not take a­way his mercy and loving kindnesse from him: Gods visitations, being to him, as to all Gods children, as Rods corrective from a father, as Physicall pur­ges from his Physitian: instructive and redarga­tive, for the good and health of his soule, as Ru­barb and Aloes to purge the viscous and gluttonous humours of his follyes, as Discorides and Dodone­us in their Herbals de Helebro. Hellibore, to cure his Spirituall Frenzie: they were not condemnatory Iudgments from a Iudge; not as plagues upon the Reprobate: as we reade of the plagues of Exod. Ch. 7, 8.9, 10. Ae­gypt, of Gē. 19.24 Sodom, of Esa. 16. v. 11.13 Moab, of Edom, Esa. 17. v. 1.2. of Esa. 16. v. 11.13 Da­mascus, and of the 1. Sam. 5, 6 7. [...]. Philistins, in a word, they were to the instructiō of an adopted Son, not to the destru­ction of a rejected [...] instru­ct [...]onem non ad ru [...]m. Reprobate; Nay further see, the Antithesis, in the Comparison, betwixt SAVL and SALOMON: the Lord promising, that he will not take his mercy from him, as hee did from 2. Sā. 7.14 Saul: doth it not include, yea conclude, that SALOMON [Page 154] is as certainly Elected, as SAVL reiected; whether wee take it of a temporary rejection from his Kingdome, as the rigged Hunnius & Huberus, in Thesib. & Eccardus in fas [...]iculo con­troversier [...] & Osiander in Euchirid. Lutherans and some Armenians: wrest that place of the Mal. 1.2, 3 Prophet, and of the Apostle, concerning ESAV, and the Iewes, to bee meant of a temporary not of a finall Reprobation: or wee hold his reprobation abso­lute and finall without any participation of saving Rō. 9.12.15. mercy, grace, or glory: as is more probable: since God tooke away from SAVL, even here his common graces, his spirit of Magistracy; sent an e­vill 1. Sā. 13.14 spirit, working on his See Willets Hexapla, in locum. Melancholy, as his executioner to torment him; gave him over to a Reprobate sence: to commit reiterated sinnes, with greedinesse: (as his maligning and persecuting first DAVID, 1. Sā. 19.3 &c. 20.22. hunting for his bloud: ungratefully and ungraciously, after so many 1. Sam. 22 18, 19 kindnesses, re­ceived from him, 1. Sā. 24.14 perfidiously breaking his promi­ses; bloodily 2. Sā. 21.1 murthering the Gibeonites, more bloudily the Lords Priests, vowing, 1. Sā. 14.44 swearing, and V. 45. forswearing, the death of iust IONATHAN his sonne, his raylings Chap. 20.27. & 30. revilings, Cursings, vaine Ch. 22.7. boastings, maine disobedience, and Ch. 15.22.23. rebellion a­gainst GOD: hypocrisie and Ch. 11.15 & Ch. 14.33 & 35. formality in all his seeming profession; proud and peremptory inter­medling, with the Priests 1. Sam. 13.10. Offices, as once 2. Sam. 6.7 VZ­ZAH: Consulting with the Witch of 1. Sam. 28.7. En­dor: and other sinnes, for ought wee know unre­pented doe plainly testifie) and at last, as the con­clusion of his Tragedie here, and beginning of a greater in Hell, (unlesse Grace came as it may [Page 155] come in an Jnter pon­tem & [...]ōtem See Abre­uethy his Physick of the Soule, c. 24. p. 374. & Democri­tus Iunior de Melancholi­a, p. 782. instant, when his owne Sword was in his owne bowels) giving him over, to the power of his spirituall and corporall enimies, the Divell and the Philistines: and to paynick and agonizing 1. Sam. 28 30. feares, suffered him to be Felo de se: a mutherer of 1. Sā. 31.4 himselfe, I say however wee hold of SAVL from these praemisses: it's plaine that SALOMON was an object and subject of that mercy, which the Lord denyed unto SAVL; and therefore as con­traries illustrate one Contraria juxta se op­posita magis clucescunt. another, as blacke shewes white, to be more white; GODS strict Iustice up­on SAVL, as a Vassell of wrath: shewes SALO­MON to be an Elect Vessell of Mercy.

I might say more for SALOMONS salvation, as that he is joyned with his Father DAVID, as a true worshipper of God, therefore saved, as his Father DAVID; for 2. Chran. 11: 27. the Tribes of Israel are sayd to walke in the wayes of DAVID, and of SAMPSON: and indeed however I have no heart to Apologize for the sins of SALOMON: (as some me thinkes too farre for the Apud Wil­letum in sua Hexapla in Genesin. Poligamy of the Pa­triarkes) yet it's plaine in that Chapter, that not­withstanding the Idolatries, superstitions, provo­cations, of his strange Women, Religion was not altered in SALOMONS dayes, an Argument, some Salomonis Solace, Ch. 29. p. 219. thinke, that the foundation of his Faith was un­shaken: And it is not probable, that he himselfe did adore Astoroth, Milcom, Molock, or Camos: in his owne person; no more than AARON him­selfe did worship the golden Calfe, which the I­dolaters importunity, caused him to Exo. 32. [...] erect; though in tolerating his Wives in their strange [Page 156] worship, he is sayd to follow these Idols, which his Apocryphall booke of Wisedome (if it be Some at­tribute it, to Philo Judaeus his) divulged even to the Gentiles, shewes how much, hee disprooves, and dislikes, and Sapientiae c. 13.10. & 14.8. & 15 3. ab­horres.

Lastly, SALOMONS last vertues, did so farre counterpoize, and countervaile his first Vanities, that as worthy of aeternall Record, they are regi­stred by three Prophets; NATHAN, AHIIAH, and IEEDO: 2. Chron. 9.29. Insomuch, that these praemisses considered, Ambros. in Apol. Da­vidis cap. 3. & Author lib. Eccles. cap. 47. with moe Arguments, that might be alleadged, notwithstanding his humane sinnes, some Nazian­zen Orat. 11 have call'd him Divinum Salomo­nem, Divine SALOMON: yea, others though hee were such a sinner (since his sinnes were his sor­rowes, his Vanities his vexation, to the comfort of all sincere paenitents, such as was SALOMON, and my Texts Prodigall:) have called him a Saint, others a most Hierom. Epist. ad a­mi [...]um Ae­grotu [...], Tō. 9. holy man.

SECT. 6 SALOMONS Salvation prooved from Authors, and Authorities.

ANd indeed if I may free my selfe, from trans­gressing, in this my seeming digressing, for some reasons, which time permits me not now to relate, as once over shooes, over bootes too, it were easie to these Arguments, to bring in the whole Iewry, yea Grand-Iewries of Antiquitie to prove, both the repentance of SALOMON after his [Page 157] sinne; his remission upon his Repentance: and his Salvation upon his remission: his Iustificati­on, Sanctification, the fruit and effect of his salva­tion.

For besides the constant opinion of the He­brewes, as we have Hierom. in c. 2. Eccles. heard, that his Ecclesiastes was his Repentance: as may be seene in their booke, called Sedar Olam: Cap. 15. Lorinus Prolegom. in Eccl. c. 2. thinkes that Saloman in his Proverbes, seemes himselfe to testifie his repentance: as though in passing by the Feild of the sluggard, and the Vine-yard of the Man devoyd of understanding, seeing it all over­growne with Thornes and nettles, considering it and laying it to heart. Pro. 24.30.31.32. He should by this Feild vnderstand his owne heart, all overgrowne with the Thornes and Weeds of lust and Idolatry: and by the Instruction he received by it, should in­timate his repentance: as the reading of the Novissimus ego egi paeni­tentiam & respe [...]i, ut e­ligerem, dis­ciplinam. sep­tuagint, seemes to confirme it: elsewhere by St. Jn cap. 28. Ezek. Ierome, this repenting Salomon, is called King of Ierusalem, and opposed against Ahab, Ie­roboam, Ioram, and the evill Kings: and compared with David, Ioshuah, the Patriarkes, Prophets, and other religious Kings and Iudges of Israell and Iudah: and in an Epistle to Eustachium, Epist. 22. though he lament his fall; yet hee denyes not his repen­tance, in an other Ad salvi­nam Epist. 9. victi sunt quasi homi­nes. Epistle, he makes use of his fall, as also of the fall of his father David; that we that stand should not presume, but take heed least we fall; of later time Gregory de Praesat. in Conitica Ca [...] Valentia pleads much for SALOMON, confutes some that denyed this booke of the Preacher, to bee sa­cred [Page 158] Scripture, or to be placed in the Canon, as though he had transcribed it from his Father DA­VID, or received it from some other: and though it were quaestioned as Apocryphall, even in the dayes of IEROME: because SALOMON Chap. 2. vers. 21. Seemes to give way to Epicurisme and Licentiousnesse, warranting to eate and drinke, and be Ioviall, as the Helluohs of the world: yet (as he is well cleered by that learned Cōment in c. 1. Eccles. Apolagie, SALOMON is farre from giving way to Luxury, or any Vanity, which as by Clubs and Malls, in the whole booke, he beates downe, onely approving a a free lawfull, liberall, use, of the Creatures, such as the holyest men have used, standing with mo­deration, reason, religion, and Christian gratula­tion.

Hence for all these and such like frivolous ex­ceptions, the booke is approoved: his Verdict of Vanity, of all religious hearts, and illuminated spirits, subscribed to: the Author himselfe, by the Chalde Paraphrase, hath the name of a Prophet; yea In Ps. 118 v. 1. lit. 2. & lib. de fide re­surrectionis. Saint ANBROSE besides that formerly al­leaged, in many places, gives him the best Epi­thite of holy Salomon: chiefly in his Praface before Saint LVKE, and in his booke of his Faith in the Resurrection, where hee cites this Ecclesiastes: else­where Apol. Da­vid. l. 2. c. 3. he paralels him, with Saint PAVL and DAVID: and placeth him as a true Paenitent, in the midst betwixt them: sinning and repenting, CYRIL Catech. 1. of Ierusalem exhorts to repentance, after the example of AARON, DAVID, EZEKIAS, MA­NASSES, NABVCHADNEZVAR, PETER, and a­mongst [Page 159] the rest SALOMON: HILARIE Hilarius on Psal. 52. is con­fident; that like AARON, DAVID, and others, he was seriously reprooved, for his sinnes, and re­pented: the very same IREVEVS Lib. 4. cap. 45. saith, he re­ceived by tradition, from one that was an Auditor of the Apostles: CHRISOSTOME is alleadged by ALVARVS De Placi­tis Eccl [...]ari. 45. PELAGIVS, for the same purpose to testifie the repentance of SALOMON; of whom the same Father writes Serm. con­tra Concu­bia. Tom. 9. elsewhere, that af­ter his lust and inordinate concupiscence, after terrestriall and sensible (sensuall) things, retur­ning as it were out of a parke and shadowy Wood, to true, and heavenly wisedome: he uttered as it were, ex Tripode, that sublime and heavenly voyce, truly worthy of a heavenly man; and a heavenly minde: Vanitas Vanitatum: Vanity of Vanity, Vanities of Vanities, all's but Vanity, saith the Preacher: yea sayth that Periphrasi in c. 2. Ecol. THANMATARGVS, abhorring and hating all his former life, in which he had wasted and wearied himselfe, spent as a Ta­per in pursuite Vanity: as a man shipwrackt, weather-beaten on the Rockes of Vanitie, swim­ming to the shore by Repentance, at last he sets up Sea-markes, whereby others may avoyd these Syl­laes, and Caribdis, on which he was newly ruined: hereupon Epistola de recuperandis laps. BACHIARIVS, that lived about the time of AVGVSTINE, in his Epistle, concerning the restoring of those that were falne in the fiery time of Paganish Persecution, as it is extant in these Volumes: call'd the Library of the Bibliothera Patrum Tō. 3. in Folio. Fa­thers, perswades IANVARIVS amongst others things, that he would not doubt to receive an A­dulterous [Page 160] Monke into the Church, upon his re­pentance: because that mercy was not denyed e­ven unto Salomon upon his humiliation; affirming moreover that it makes nothing against his repen­tance that it is not registred, and recorded in ex­presse words in the Scripture, no more than the re­pentance of Aaron, Noah, Lot, Iudah, Ruben, Sampson, who yet truly repented: his beeing though not so publike as his Father Davids (which was publikely sung in the Church) yet as true in secreto Conscientiae, in the inwards of his Soule, and secrets of the heart, and Consci­ence: yea and that his sinne was pardoned, hee makes this an Argument. (I know not how sound) in that he was buried amongst the Kings of Israell and Iudah, which he affirmes was a priviledge de­nyed unto some, that persisted in their Perversnesse, disobedience and impaenitency to the end of their lives: the like argument is used by one Martyn Lib. 10. Hypotypos. Regula. 25. Cantapretensis: as also by one Epist. 65. Fulbar in Saint Bernards time, who spends an whole Epistle, on this Subiect: so one Ticonius in Augustines time, that was a little affected with Donatisme, other­wayes a learned man, in one of his Extat re­gula in lib. 3 de Doct. Christ. c. 31 Rules, inti­tuled of the Promises, and of the Law: extant both in the workes of Augustine, and L. 1. do sū ­mo bono cap. 25 Isodore, is very confident, that as that as the Lord did not deprive SALOMON, of his earthly Kingdome, as he did 1. Sam. 15 28. Saul, 1. [...]in. 12.16. Reheboam, Dan. 4.31 Nabuchadnezzar, 2 Kin. 19 37 Sona­char [...]b, Dan. 5.30.31. Baltazar, and other wicked Kings, of their Crownes and lives, or both, no more did he deprive him of his Heavenly Kingdome: by his [Page 161] repentance being reprived and pardoned: what needs moe witnesses, to adde water to the Sea, or light to the Sunne: THOMAS AQVINAS in his Opose. 20 & [...] Regi­mine princi­pis lib. 3. c. 8. Opuscula, BONAVENTVRE, HVGO CARDINA­LIS, CARTHVSIANVS in their Coments on Eccle­siastes, SOTO Maior, in his Preface before the Can­ticles, VINCENTIVS BELLOVACENSIS in his glasse of L. 2. c. 84. Hystories: SIXTVS SENENSIS in his Lib. 8. He­res. 7. Bibliotheke: the learned Iesuite Prolegom. in Eccles. LORINVS; with other moderne Papists, besides Protestants, and more ancient than all these, ALBINVS Schoole-master to CHARLES the Great, with many moe; frō these, and other Arguments perswade themselves of his sound Conversion: and conclude his salvatiō.

The Arguments or rather opinions and conceits of BELLARMINE, and other Papists, of his Reprobation, being as weake, as false, and un­charitable, being not worth recording: or if I should relate them, (as one saith in the like case) to relate them, is to confute Recitasse, est confutusse See M. Prins Book of the Perpetuity of a Rege­nerate Mans Estate. Pag. 393 them: Mole ru­unt suo, they fall of themselves, all their force may be referred to two heads.

First, that this repentance of SALOMON, which I so urge is no where recorded in Scripture: there­fore he repented not?

The Argument holds together like ropes of sand. 1. The repentance of NOAH, LOT, and SAMPSON, (as I sayd is not recorded:) therefore were they not repentant? It's as untrue, as unchari­table? 2. The Scripture speakes, some things ipsis­simis verbis, in plaine words, some things by ne­cessary Jlliricus l. 2. in Clavi Scriptura. consequence: and so SALOMONS re­pentance, [Page 162] as also the repentance of SAMPSON and GIDEON: for in the Epistle to the Hebrewes, Ch. 11. v. 32. they are approved for their Faith: so is NOAH, vers. 7. Now as there is no reall mother without a child: so no iustifying faith, without Re­pentance▪ being both united by the true object of Faith himselfe. Mark. 1. v. 15 So ADAMS re­pentance is not recorded: yet beleeving the pro­mises. Gen. 3.15. Of necessity he could not but Colligit August. Ep. 99, ex c. 10 Sapien. v. 1. repent, for though there may be a legall repen­tance without Faith: as in Gen 4.13 CAIN, Mat. 27.3 IVDAS, Historia Fusius reci­tatur, a Gri­neo de Apo­stas. pag. 151 A Lud. Rabbi de Martyrib. et a Lonicero, in Theatro, exemp. f 101 102. FRANCIS SPIRA, and usually in the Repro­bates, yet there can be no Evangelicall Repentance, without saving Faith: nor no saving Faith, with­out Repentance: more than a true Sunne, without light; or fire without heate; now SALOMON be­ing so excellent a Type of the Messias, could not in all probability, but beleeve the Messias, and in the Messias: therefore as PICVS MIRANDVLA well notes, in his Apologie for ORIGEN, by the Testimony of Comment. in c. 3. Gen. HENRICVS DE ASIA, the Schooleman: it's no good Argument to say any is damned, because the Scriptures reveale theyr sinne: but for some causes secret, never unjust, si­lence their sorrow: since also SALOMONS repen­tance may be registred by some other Writers, as NATHAN, AHIIAH, IEEDO, who writ his life and Acts, whose workes are now perished, (iniu­ria & incuria temporum) by the iniquity of the Times.

The second Dart that's shot against SALOMONS sincerity is: that in his time, he did not purge out the [Page 163] Idolatry, that was in his Kingdome: pull'd not downe the Alters and Idols, which by his per­mission if not approbation, his Heathenish Wives, had erected, as did 2. Chr. 33 15 Manasses, upon his repentance & as a sincere hart, would have done, after the ex­ample of 1. Kin. 15.12 Asa, 2. Chr. 30.14. Ezekias, 2. Kin. 22 43. Iehosophat, Or Vzzah. 2. Ch. 26.4.5 Azarias, and others: this knot, some thinke is hard to loose; but the satisfactiō that may be received is only this

1. That his not reforming of Religion, in eve­ry thing exactly and precisely is no true Argu­ment, that he was not converted: no more than the pulling downe of Groves and Idols, is alwayes a note of sincerity: for whose zeale was hotter this way than 2 King. 9. C. 10. per to­tum. Iehues, yet where have we a more formall Hypocrite?

2. Even V. 28.29. in the times of the best of the Kings of Israel and Iudah, as you shall see in these nomina­ted; as the Canker in their Roses, there was ever something amisse in the matter of Religiō: some high Places or other untaken away: as even in the time of MANASSES, after his repentance: the people did Sacrifice still in the high Places. 2. Chron 33. v. 12.13.17.

3. His So 2. King. 12.3. sin­cere Ioash reformed not all. Wives were so wedded (according to the Nature of that Sexe) to their Idolatries, that he could not disswade them, would not perhaps dis­please Quam in­felix est Gy­nacocratia & Polyprag­mosu [...] muli­erū & in Ec­clesiasti is et politicis, in­stant Pence­rus in Chrō. Bodinus l. 6. de Rep. c. 5. pag. 11 [...]4.1115. the: withall the people being setled in their Leas, and frozen in their dregs, as too obstinate and pertinatious; he could not perhaps with that facility do what otherwayes he would and should even as GIDEON was overswayed and resisted, when he went about to pull downe the Altars, [Page 164] and cut downe the Groves of Iudg. 6.27.30. Baal: perhaps as the sonnes of 2. Sam. 16 10. ZERVIAH, once for his Father DAVID: There were some too hard for him; too many like Tobiah and Nehem. 4.1.2.3. Samballat, too neare him, and deare to him, were perhaps ill affected, or Idola­trously infected: to hinder the effecting of this weighty and worthy worke: the supplanting and eradicating of all kinde of Idolatry: and Idolaters out of his Kingdome.

These mysts dispersed, these Cloudes remooved, the Sunne of this truth shines cleare; that Salomon was sanctified, and consequently saved: yea, that he was gracious with God and his Church, even when he pronounced this his Verdict of Vanity: if I would use more inartificiall Argumen­tum Jnartifi­ciale ex. au­thoritate a­pud Ramum. Arguments from Authorities, or Achillean from Scriptures and reasons, to prove my Assertions, no Paradoxe but Orthodoxe: I could with In his hy­story Eccle­siasticall. Peter Comestor con­clude my positions from that Promise which the Lord made to his Father David, 2. Sam. 7.12.13.14. of establishing the Throne of SALOMON, and that the Lord would bee his Father: Which Promise Comment in 2. Sā. c. 7. Paul Burgensis, and a Glosse of the Decretals: per­swade themselves was made to DAVID, rather concerning the Heavenly Kingdome of Salomon, and his aeternall beatitude, then of his temporall Kingdome, since he was named the beloved of God: as also, that the Lord heard the Prayer of David for Compare [...] 28.29. him, to accomplish the thing which hee had promised. I could also use the Arguments even of In Com­ [...]d. Para­disi Cant. 11 Dantes the famous Italian Poet, who from his excellent institution, and education from [Page 165] his Father Prov. 4.4. & Prov. 31. David, and Mother Bethshebah: such as 2. Tim. 1.5 Timothy, from Lois, and E [...]nice, Constantine from Euseb. in vita Const. lib. 3. Helena, Augustine from Passim fa­tetur in Con­fess. Monicha: from his singular Love unto Wisedome; his study of the Trinity: his love to the Word, to which, in the person of Wisedome; hee so earnestly Pro. 4.1. & Cha. 5.1. c. 7. c. 8. c. 9. exhorts: his religious worshipping of God, in the dedication of the 1. King. 8. Temple, his excellent Vertues and guifts wherewith he was inobled; chiefly from his con­tempt of the World and all wordly Vanities, which in this Booke of the Preacher, or preaching booke, he so proclaimed; concludes him in the state of Grace; I could also from Finus Sadeus a Jn cap. [...]e invitat. de Constit. Nū. 7. & de prae­ser. Num. 1. cap. 1. Cano­nist, and Lib. 17. Theosophiae, cap. 20. Iohannes Arboreus: strengthen mine owne hopes and others, of SALOMONS e­verlasting welfare, from that hope he hath in the Messias, under the borrowed person of the wise Agur, making a true confession of his sinnes, unto Ithiel, and Pro. 30.1. Vcall, even IESVS CHRIST: ac­knowledging himselfe, though the wisest of meere men, yet as even some of the Hebrewes held him, by reason of his sinnes, sayth Lyra, to be more foolish and bruitish than any man: so with Iob. 42.10 holy Iob, in the sence and sight of his sinnes even abhor­ring himselfe, and his by-past follyes: Lamen­ting, and repenting with this our Prodigall, his feeding on the Huskes of Vanity, in the service of his lusts; whē he might have bin fed with the pure Mancher, the Heavenly Manchet of the sweetest mer­cies, in the service of the Lord: but Manum de Tabula: I doubt I am within compasse of cor­reption, or running wide, or Counter: from [Page 166] our Prodigall, to SALOMON, but if it be an error, it's on the right hand, error a dextra: I say, as DAVID, in another case, is there not a cause: Si parvis, 1. Sam. 17 19. componere magna, if wee may compare Wrens with Aeagles? Did they not both Conve­nire in eodem tertio? Did they not both feed on Huskes: both buy repentance too deare? Both returne unsatisfied (as that Et lassata voris [...]on sa­ [...]recessit. Messalina from the Stewes) from Vanities Banquet? Were they not both gulled, deluded, deceived, with windy Swads for sollid meat? Did they not both re­turne home, by weeping Crosse: frō the Cōmons of Swine, the gland of Hogs; the fleshly sensuali­ties of Epicurish men: to the delights, and desires of Saints, and the joy of Angels? Applicatio Vade & tu fac simi­liter? Oh that all in their case had grace, to doe the like! Oh how would they loath their huskes, and like their exchange! How would they blesse God, for the praescriptions, and directions, the Instrumentall meanes, and motives, of their inter­nall peace here, which they never before found: and their aeternall Peace hereafter, after this short Pilgrimage of life: which they can never loose.

Thus have I discharged my last, and longest Bill, my strongest Battry against the paper Walls of Vanity: SALOMON, as the wisest of men specu­latively: as the best experienced of men, practi­cally: as remorcefull amongst sinfull men, paeni­tentially: from his wisedome morall, experimen­tall, Theologicall, (that threefold Cord, which cannot be broken) from his spirit humane; yea, from the unerring spirit Divine, by which the [Page 167] Preacher penned and published his Ecclesiastes, or booke of Repentance: giving in his true unpartiall, judicious, and undeniable, determinate Verdict: as the very mouth of God: that all earthly and sublu­nary things, under the Sun, in their severall Species and individumus: Riches, honors, pleasures, profits, Praeferments, Wine, Women, Musicke, Meates, Feasts, Festivals, Frolicks: yea Lear­ning, Knowledge, Arts, Sciences, Languages, Beauty, Strength, Favor, Wit, Policy, Humani­ty, Wisedome, Children, Friends, Favorites, Cre­dit, applause with men: whatever, disioynted from the Grace, Feare, love, favor, service, worship of the Almighty not used in God, from God, to God, and his Glory: all these are meere Huskes, Vani­ties, Vacuities, Dreames, Delusions: To give to the Soule of man, that rests in them, any true reall sa­tisfactory Contentation, more then snow in Har­vest, Vineger to the aking Teeth, smoake to the eyes: Mercury to a greene wound, or a cold stone to him, that hath the heart-burne.

Thus, we have heard the verdicts & testimonials of the greatest and best men: casting this case con­troverted, with the vaine sonnes of men? infatu­ated with the Dregs and Drugs of Vanity: Esay, Io­nas, nay IESVS, SALOMON, and the God of SALO­MON, have spoke to the purpose; that unlesse men will be mad with Cum ratio­ne infanire. reason, or against reason, as he that resolved in the Comedy, not to be perswa­ded, though hee were Non per­suadebis eti­amsi persua­seris apud Comicum. perswaded: or as our Papists, as once the Pharises, (unlesse they will e­ven shut their eyes against the Sunne, till they [Page 168] fall into the Pit of Perdition:) their Consciences must needs be convicted.

SECT. 1. The nature of these Va­nities: their disproportion with the Soule: the Immensity of mans appetite further declared.

BVt least these proofes, be too ge­nerall, frō expatiating as it were in an open Champion, wee will come to the strict inclosures of particulars: from Testimonies and Authorities, wee will come to more speciall Arguments, and Reasons, as from shoo­ting at long Markes, and running at Tilts, and Iusts (wherein we may take our breathings, and fetch our cyrcling Carieres) we will come (as in a Land, or Sea-fight,) to graple and gripe, with Vanities, these speckled killing Panthera (vanitatis ef figies) odore enim & con­spectu animā tia sibi allicit obtecto capite dum devo­rat. Solinus cap. 20. & Plinius hist. lib. 8. c. 17. Panthers, and to lay on with downe-right blowes, that we may lay them all at once prostrate, (if we can, as DAVID did 1. Sā. 17.49 GOLIAH, or as the Greekes did Mortuo Leone insul­tant Leopo­res. HECTOR) to trample upon them, and insult over them, yea to kicke them, as we use to doe with discovered Cheators, and Sharkers, as moore deluders, and [Page 169] Impostors, not able to performe (more than Huskes to the Prodigall) these desired contentati­ons, and satisfactions, which they promise: and that (amongst many moe) for these subsequent Reasons: partly from the nature of man: partly from the nature of these Vanities themselves: part­ly from comparing both together: partly from GOD himselfe: to which heads, all may bee re­ferred.

First, Vtor concessis, to take at the first hint, what hath beene already prooved, and demon­strated, without begging of the quaestion: take it as granted, that these externals are Huskes, Vanities, Vacuities: how should they fill the stomacke? Fulfill the immense desire of the heart of Man? Take thousands of blowne blathers, and put them into a New-Castle, or Rochell ship, of a great burthen (will they fill it) At least will they bal­lance it? Or load it? Fill a great Tith-Barne full of Chaffe: is it filled, though it seeme to be filled? Let a mans stomacke be so full of Winde, till he belch Galen. l. 30 de Sympt. caus. 70. againe, and Rift, and breake wind Barrowes Method of Physicke, l. 3. pag. 116. & Hipp. Aph. 39. of­fensively, or let a woman be swolne, and blowne up with a Method of Physicke, c. 35. p. 159. & 53. p. 198 Tympany, as big as a Pipers bag, as though she were with two children, all this is but an empty kinde of filling; Such food, such fil­ling, hath the heart of man, with these Huskes of Vanities; alas are they not as wee have showne them, altogether flatuous, and windy? Nay are they not shewes, shadowes, and painted pictures? As ESAY calls, even the best of them, the shadow of Aegypt? Now can a hungry man, feed on [Page 170] shadowes? Can a hungry Lyon feed on painted flesh? Could the deluded Birds, feed on ZEVX­IS his painted Grapes? Is not the hungry Hawke oft deceived with a painted Lure; as the hungry Fish, with a Flee of Haire? As the lustfull Quaile with a false call? And the Larke with a luring Pipe, and a flattering Glasse? Are not vaine men so guld with Images? As some have beene with Visions, and Spectors? As PYGMALION and Ovid Me­tam. lib. 3. NARCISSVS were infatuated, the one with a Oculos pi­ctura pascit. Inani. Pi­cture, the other with the shadow of himselfe: as some fooles stand gaping and gazing on a well limb'd Picture, till their bellies called for Tri­bute, they are like to fall downe for meat: could that vast Anteus, or that Cyclops, De his, & alijs Gygan­tibus in Poe­tis. & Histo­ricis, lege Textorem, in officina, lib. 2 c. 37. p. 121 Polypbemus, in their time be fed with Ayre, and voyces, with­out solid meat? Could Ixion take any delight in that Cloud of Ayre, which he clasped, and Tibullus l. 1. & Seneca in Hercule Furente. im­braced. Now alas; are not all these externals, meere Cloudes? Ayres? Mysts? Shadowes? Or at best Glow-wormes? Comets? Blazing Starres? Yea very dreames? Such as NABVCHADNEZ­ZARS dreame, of his great Dan. 4.18 Tree: PHARAOHS dreame of his Gen. 41.1 Fat Kine: IOSEPHS dreame of the Sunne, Moone, and Gen. 37.9 Starres, worshipping him: and the hungry mans dreame in the Prophet, of eating and drinking: and loe when hee wakens it is nothing so: his Soule is empty: and so is the Prodigals still, for all these Huskes of Vani­ties.

Secondly, (to make our next Argument com­parative) there is a wondrous incongruity, and [Page 171] disproportion betwixt these Vanities, and the soule of man, in respect of nutriment, and susten­tation; for (as we know) by Nature, and by the God of Nature, there is a proper nutriment assigned to every Creature, that hath a sensative, vigetative, or reasonable soule: as to Trees rootes, Plants, hearbes, and Flowers, the humidity and moysture of the Earth, with the dew of Heaven: to the Oxe, Asse, Horse, Mule, Bullocke: Grasse, Hay, Corne: To the Lyons, Aeagles, Vultures, Hawkes, Flesh. to the Otter, Osprey, Cormorant, Kings-Fisher, Fish; to the Hogs, Mast; to Dogs, Bones; to Ser­pents, Arist. hist. anim. lib. 8. c. 4. & Pli­nius l. 8.14. Bloud; to the Hedge-hog, Poma col­legit & ser­vat in Hy­mem. Aeli­an. 3. cap. 1 [...] fruites; Milke: yea, to the Spider Statim cū natae sinet, fila mittunt, ut capiant Muscas, Arist. 9 Hist. c. 39. Flyes; to the Moale, Wormes: to the Struthion, Albertus l. 23. anim. disputat. Iron: to the Sala­mander, Arist. l. 5.19. Plinius l. 10.17. Fire: to the Camelions, Idem lib. 8 33. & Arist. 8.11. Ayre: to the Beare, Hony: to the Panther, Vt Antido­ton contra Venenum S [...] ­linus cap. 20 Mans excre­ments: to the Foxe, grapes: (if they can come by them) yea they have drinkes also proportionable to their Natures, as the Cammell delights, in trou­bled Arist. lib. 2.1. Solinus c. 50. & Pli. 8. cap. 17. waters, the Horse, Hart, and Vnicorne, in cleane water: the Sheepe, Hare, and Conny: chiefly in our Septentriall cold Countries, in no waters; which proper peculiar feeding, if you of­fer to change, and alter, as by giving grasse to the Lyon, flesh to the Horse: and so of the rest, you go against the nature of the Creature; So it is with a man, as he consists of body and soule, so hee hath his nutriment proper for both: for his meats, Fish, Flesh, Fowles, Hearbs, Plants, Rootes: for his Drinks; Water, Wine, Milke, Distillatory waters: yea proper meates and drinks, are assigned to seve­rall [Page 172] Countries: as before hath beene instanced; so in like proportion, the Lord hath also assigned a Nutriment to the Soule: for as the Messias him­selfe alleageth from MOSES, Math. 4. Deutr. 8. Man lives not by bread onely, but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God: for Gods word, yea CHRIST himselfe the word Ioh. 1.1. incarnate, is that spirituall Manna, the living Bread, or the Bread of Ioh. 6.33 Life: sent downe from Heaven, the proper food of the Soule: as the temporary and typicall Manna was for two yeares the proper food of the Ex. 16.15 Body, to the Israelites in the Wil­dernesse: the flesh of Christ also spiritually eaten by Faith is meat Ioh. 6.53, 54. indeed: and his bloud is drinke indeed: and looke as the nutriment of the body is so necessary and needfull, that without it the Soule cannot continue in it; but dissolves and se­parates (as the fire dyes without fuell, the Lampe without Oyle; the Trees without Earth; the Rush without Ioh. 8.11 Myre; and the Sedge without moysture) so needfull is this spirituall food, to the being, and well-being of the Soule: for as the Soule is the life and forme of the body, so is God the very essence and life of our life, and Soule of our Soule: and as the body without the Soule, is a dead Carkasse; rotten Carrion; an Augean stable, a Golgotha, of dead Sculs; so the Soule without God, is a very Dunghill, a Cage of Scor­pians, a nest of uncleane Birds: A Hog-sty for Swine, yea for Zims and Oyms, and uncleane spirits: at best a Vineyard layd waste, a ground un­tilled, overgrowne with Bryars: and as meat by [Page 173] eating, digesting, and concocting, is turned in succum & sanguinem, into bloud and humours, and incorporated into the body; so the Soules food; if I may so say, is spiritualized to the su­stentation of the spirit.

Now these proportions and many moe, hol­ding; this is the thing that I urge: that as other Creatures, cannot be fed with such food as is dis­crepant, from their natures, as hay cannot bee food for the Dog, Wolfe, Foxe, (those wilde Dogs,) nor bones for the Horse, Cow, Sheepe, as not fitting their kindes, holding so in their se­verall Individuum; so the soule cannot be nouri­shed with these earthly things; they are not food convenient, for which wise Hagar prayes, De vsu partium l. 1. cap. 17. & l. 9. c. 4. & l. 3. de locis af­fect. cap. 3. in the Pro. 30.8 Proverbs, for as materiall things, cannot be fil­led with Materiale non agit, in Jmmateriale spirituall, as a mans stomacke cannot be filled with wisedome: nor a Chest with ver­tue; so that which is materiall, cannot be filled, with that which is immateriall: now the Soule be­ing neither composed of the Elements, and humors, as Empedocles Sic Clear­chus Anaxa­goras, Ae­rium in quid putaverunt. held: nor being the vitall spirit of the bloud, as the Stoicks held: nor a certaine exha­lation of the purest of the bloud, as Galen held: nor a fiery body, as Lucippus and Hipparchus Tholos. syn­tax. artis mirab. l. 24. c. 4. p. 599. held: nor an Aeriall body, as Critias, Anaximenes, and that Cynicke Alij qua­dam alia, vt tradit. The­od. l. 5. cont. infid. Arist. 1. de anima, cap. 2. held; nor a watery Jdem ibid. substance, as Hip­pon thought; nor an earthly, as Hesiod imagined; nor a fire and Ayre, as Epicurus: nor of Water and Earth, as Zenophon conceited: nor a heat, Com­plexion, or any Corporeall quality, diffused; through the body, as Zeno, Cleanthes, Antipater, and Possi­donius [Page 174] were perswaded; nor extraduce, by propa­gation, from the Parents, as Tertullian and some Phylosophers Nutat in hae sententia Arist. l. 2. c. 1. sic Galen. & Tertullia­nus & A­pollinaris Alexand. ut refert. Gr. Nissenus lib. 2. de anima c. 6. & in h. tripert. l. 5 cap. 44. thought, confuted by De Haeresi ad quod vult. Deum haer. 58.59. & Hier. Tō. 7. in cap. 12 Eccles. sic i­dem Aug. Epist. 157 Tom. 2. St. Au­gustine, not a middle thing betwixt the spirit and the body, as In Clavi p. 138.137 142 Dorne, a late Writer thought; nor a third substance, as Didimus and Origen conceited, as they are refelled by the same De Eccl. Dogm. Tom. 3. cap. 2. Father: but as De anima p. 19. Melancton, and more fully the learned Lib. de Defin. animae et Epist. 7. de Orig. an. Au­gustine, defines it, and Athanasius confirmes it. Since this Soule in man, is a substance created, a spi­rit intelligent, invisible, immortall, incorporeall, like the Angels: and most like unto God, in bearing the image of her Creator: It will never take any complacency, in these grosse, earthly, materiall, terrestriall things, as cleane contrary, or contra­dictory, to the nature of it: it cannot bee nouri­shed, nor (as Hyppocrates well Lib. 1. de victus ratione. disputes) is able to be altered, by meates and drinkes: or ought else corporeall: The proud mans Soule can never be filled, with Popular Ayre, though hee gape ne­ver so wide; the Soule of the Covetous man, will never be filled with Gold, Silver, Pearles, Iems, Stones, Mettals, though he should swallow the best of the Earths, or Seas Extractions, as the Ae­stridge doth Iron; The Soule of the Luxurious man, will never be nourished with the flames of Lust, as the Negat. Galenus lib. 3. cap. 4. de Temper. et Diosc. l. 2. c. 56. Salamandrum igne vivere, asserit tamen praeter Ar. et Plin. Aug. de Civ. dei. Salamander, the In Aerarijs fornacibus, bestio­las quasdam pennatas in medio igne nasci asserunt. Arist. l. 5. hist. c. 19. Fire-flye, and Tom. 4. tract. de definit. Eccl. [Page 175] the Crecket with the fire-materiall. Nor the En­vious man, will ever feed with Poyson, like the Spi­der. Aristotles Sectiō. 28 Problem. 9. rule in these, and all the rest, hol­ding right, that qui solido cibo non vescuntur, perinde afficiuntur, ac si nullum penitus capiant: Those that feed not on meates solid, and right fitted, and sui­ted for them, it's all one, as if they were fasting.

The third reason of the insufficiency of these huskish Vanities, and the sufficiencie that is in God, the prime and principall verity: is deducted and drawne, from the immensitie of mens appetites: which are so infinitely extended, and dilated, that they cannot be replenished, by any finite object, more then the Coat or Armour of a Pigmee, will fit the Gyant Que Bra­chia Centum Briareus a­pud Claudia­num et Virg. l. 6. Aeneid. Briareus, or the Nam quā ­tus qualis cavo Poly­phemus in Antro Vir. l. 3. Aeneid. Polyphemian Cy­clops; for no faculty of the Soule, so represents Gods Infinitie, as that which Philosophy calls E­pithumetike; the burning appetite, or desire of the Soule: which is so spacious and extensive, that the Prophet hath compared it to Hell, and and to Hab. 2.5. Death, which cannot bee satisfied: and therefore since no finite object is able, to fill up this gaping Chasma, this insatiable Gulfe, of the Soules appetite: to satisfie this all-devouring Mi­notaure, till it cry Hoe, or Pro. 30.15 enough, there must be some infinite object; for the better conceiving of this: suppose according to Aquinas 1.1. q. 78. art. 1.3. p. 168 Schoole-divinity, that every faculty in nature, requireth such an ob­ject as is fitting unto it: it must needs follow, that Appetitus & Appetitum, the desire, and what's desi­red, must be proportioned (as Locus & Locatum) or else there should be both Vacuum & Vanum, in nature: which is against the rules of Prob. sect. 8. Probl. 9. Tō. 2. p. 461 Philo­sophy: [Page 176] for since God and Nature, doe nothing in Arist. l. 1. de Coelo. c. 4. Tō. 1. p. 156 vaine, if there were not in Nature some object fitted and proportioned to fill the appetite, the largenesse of it unfilled, should admit both Va­cuity and Inanis, & vanus, erit appetitus A­rist. l. 1. Eth. c. 1. Tom. 2. pag. 604. Vanity: which erres, and abhorres from the very scope and course of Nature: now if any doubt the Capacity (and indeed rapacity) of mans appetite, let us take a briefe Synopsis, or sur­vay, into the severals, and according to Aquinas 1. q. 7. art. 2. p. 14. & q. 59 art. 1. p. 127 & q. 6. art. 1 pag. 129. Aqui­nas, dividing the generall appetite into the three speciall kindes, of Naturall: Sensible: Intellectuall: wee shall see in all and every one of them, an infi­nite avidity and greedinesse, not to bee filled with any finite Creature, or ought else than the infinite Creator, as Aquinas in many places disputes, and of which many instances might be given.

And first, to begin with the Naturall appetites: to instance with, Lib. 3. E­thic. cap. 11 Tō. 2. p. 640 Aristotle in three of them, the appetites of Eating, Drinking, and Sleeping: none of these is able to content the Soules appe­tite, for though all the labor of a man, bee for his mouth, yet for all that the Soule is not filled, saith Eccles. 6.7 SALOMON: there may be a repletion in the bel­ly, and yet a vacuity in the Soule notwithstan­ding: as we may see in the Gluttons, the Hellu­ohs, and Drunkards of our dayes: who when their bellyes are stuft full, yea stretcht on the lar­gest Last, and size: swolne as big as blowne bags: the bulke of their nature over-ballanced, by adding thirst unto Deut. 29.19 Drunkennesse, rising vp ear­ly to follow it, and sitting up late, as the Prophet [Page 177] Esa. 5.11 12 speakes, drinking downe the Evening-starre, and up the Morning-starre, as the Comedians phrase Ad Diur­nam stellam potantes Ma­tutinā Plan. in men. act. 1 Scen. 2. pag. 421 is, making their very ipsum Vivere, to bee no­thing else but Bibere: not drinking to live, but li­ving to drinke; being meere walking Mushrumps, and Sallowes, fed with moysture (as Bonosus once was Amphora pendens apud Brusion. en Flavio Vop. call'd) even very Hogsheads, as though like Lurdans, or our once Lord Danes, and Abbey-Lubbers, they had beene made for no­thing but eating and drinking, wilde-Geese-like to devoure Epicuri de Grege Porci, ad fruges cō ­sumere nati: Horat. Graine: as Aristotle truly tearmes L. 3. Eth. c. 11. Tom. 2 pag. 640. them: Furentes circa ventrem, men out of their wits, with pampering of their paunch: Drinking as once that Nero, Tricongius, Proculus, and other famous infamous Ʋt Piso, Ennius, Hy­laeus, Lacyd. Erycaeon, Cae­to minor, A­pit. Vitellius Bela, Galba, Phago, in Text. Of. l. 5 c. 51. p. 644 Drunkards, till there be nei­ther Wine in their pots, nor wit in their pates; yea till with the companions of Diomedes and Vlisses, by that great Circes, that Malt with strong drinke, they be Metamorphiz'd into worse beasts, thā ever Pliny, Aristotle, or Aelianus writ of, yea into worse Monsters than ever Affrica bred, or fed, or then LEO AFFRICANVS, De die. Cā. col. 2. pa. 70 ad pag. 84. MAIOLVS, or L. de Prod. LYCOS­THENES, ever mentioned: eating like Cormorants (or Corn vorants) as though they had obtained POLYXENVS, his Apud Ar. 3. Eth. c. 10. wish, even their neckes as long as Craines, to glut downe their beloved pots and goblets, with the greater pleasures: and drin­king till they be Ape drunke, Swine drunke: Mouse drunke, Muck drunke, Maudlin drunke, Mad drunke, Beastly drunke: worse then Divels in this sinne, who beeing meere spirits, were yet never drunke: yet neverthelesse, though there bellyes bee Ca­pon-cramb'd [Page 178] with meate: and their braines even sod, in drinke, so intoxicated, as though like catcht Crowes they had drunke Nux vomica, yet neverthelesse herein Gods hand; fearefully pur­sues and overtakes those Epicurish libertines, that though they eate much, yet are they not filled: and though they drinke much: yet have they not Hab. 1.6. e­nough: (though more then enough) theyr sto­macks may be filled; yea overpressed, as a Horse with Maltsacks, and a Cart with sheaves: over­charged as some guns till they burst againe, or ex­onerate as a Wolfe or Dog, too full gorged, with Carion: making (more then many biting Vsurers) By Dog-like vomi­tings, and shamefull spewings. restitution, where they have taken too much; yet their appetites all this while are insatiable; Venter improrum est insaturabilis: The belly of the wicked e­ver wanteth, saith the Wise man: Prov. 13.15. Which is the difference which God himselfe both there and elsewhere Esa. 65.13 14, 15 puts betwixt his owne ser­vants and the Divels Swine, these sonnes of BE­LIALL, Hogs of EPICVRVS stye: who as if they had Caninum appetitum, the Dogs greedy worme in their tongues: and (like some drunken Smiths) ever a dry sparke in their throates, are never satia­ted with liquor, more than that MESSALINA once with lust: ‘Nec sitis est extincta, prius quam vita bibendo. Ovid. l. 7, Metan. p. [...] 28.’

Their thirst, and their life, as the Heathen Poët noted, being extinct and quencht both together, this their insatiablenesse plainely appearing, in that by all the inventions of Cookery, these Epi­cures provoke their oppressed stomacks to eate [Page 179] more, by their Sallads, and Sawces: so to drinke more by their salt meates, their Red Herrings, salt Neat Tongues, Spanish Anchovies: with the like, being as the needle to draw on the threed of their unthriftinesse, sensuality, and gurmundi­zing gluttony.

The like instance may be given in the appetite of Sleeping, which like the rest knowes no limits if a man once addict and give himselfe to it: as SALOMON well notes, in the Proverbes, as exactly Characterizing a sluggard; as ERASMVS his Mo­rio: and setting him out as Graphically, as any vice or humor, is expressed by THEOPHRASTVS, or our In Sir [...]hō. Overbury his Chara­cters. modernes in their Characters, See Mon­taigres Es­sayes As al­so Essayes of Sir F. Bacon, M. Stephens. cum alijs. Essayes, Dialogi Petrarchi & Luciani. Dialogues, Emblema­ta Alciati Reusneri et nostri Whitnai. Emblemes, or D. Halls & Withers Sa­tyres. Satyres, for in forme of a short Colloquie or Dialogue, first hee rouzeth him as a Deere out of his Lare: a Beare or Boare, out of his Den: sounds him a hunts vp to awake him out of his sound and heavie sleepe: with, How long wilt thou sleepe O Prov. 6.9.10.11 sluggard, and When wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe: Then being as willing to awake, as the Indian Sic Asi [...]i Mauritij Fessi in Iti­nere Immo­biles Iacent, Aelian. l. 14 c. 9. Asse; and to come out of his bed, as the Serpent out of his Cave, or CACVS out of his Furto Pol­luit ille lo [...]ū, Propert. l. 4. et Textor. l. 5. c. 46. pag. 633. hold; and as willing to goe to any worke, as the Thiefe to goe to the Gal­lowes: or the Dog to hanging; hee intreats him, that he would not molest and trouble him, or awake him out of his St. GILLIANS dreame; (as they say) but permit him, to have yet a little further sleepe, a little longer slumber, a little more folding of the hands together: and though SALOMON reply and plainely tell him; that if he continue [Page 180] in this Lethargicall sleeping, his poverty will come vpon him as a Traveller, and seaze upon him, as an armed Souldier: yet scilicet id curet populus? Hee cares not for all this, it's but brutum fulmen; it will not serve the turne; hee was so possessed still with his Veternus, and sleeping Such as Physitians call Carus or Subeth, as al­so, the Ca­toche, the profundus somnus, or Coma somno­lentum: de quibus Gale­nus, lib. 4. de locis affectis, et Method of Physicke, lib. 1. cap. 18 p. 29, 30, 31 Sicknesses, as if he had beene a very Dormouse: hee sleepes as if Quid tibi dormitor, proderit En­dimion. Martialis, l. 10. ENDIMION had beene his Father, or he brother to these seaven Sleepers in the Golden (leaden) Aurea vel potius plum­bea legenda. Legend: as if hee had drunke Poppie, or Opium: or meant to act over that Gorbianus and Gorbiana, in the booke of the Sluggardly Writ by the Dutch Dydikind, & translated into harsh English verse, in 4. sloven: Hee turnes still in his bed, as a Doore on the hindges, and cannot see the time to rise at high Such a slovenly sleepe is describ'd in an odde tractate, called, The Gull's Horn-booke. noone; so that even this drowsie humour (like the drunken humour) is not abated by yeel­ding to it, but rather like the Dropsie the more augmented.