BABEL, OR THE CONFVSION OF LANGVAGES.

THe Holy Ghost hauing in the precedent Chap­ter, set downe vnto vs, the Propagation and Plantation of Noahs off-spring, according to their Countries, Heads, and Families, vpon the face of the Earth: in this Chapter he pro­ceedes, [Page 2] Methodo Analytica, by way of Ascent, from the Effects to the Cau­ses of this so great a dispersion: and they were two, the one, Malum culpae, Mans impietie, which incensed God: the other, Malum poenae, Gods ven­geance, which he inflicted vpon man. The offence which the sonnes of men committed against God, was that ar­rogant and presumptuous worke of building Babel, Horat. Car l. 1. Ode 3. Audax omnia perpeti gens humana, ruit per vectitum nefas. The vengeance which God tooke vp­on Man, was the miraculous confoun­ding of their Languages. The pro­ceedings of both are described much alike. Goe to, say they, goe to, saith God, a kind of Consultation in either, but the scope and conclusion of the Consultations were contrarie, theirs was Aedificemus, let vs build; Gods was Confundamus, let vs confound; to note that where God is not a Buil­der, he will be there found as a Con­founder. Suppose the reliques of man­kind, within little more then an hun­dred [Page 3]yeeres, either in the Arke, for twelue moneths continuance setting no foote in the buried Continent, or [...]ut of the Arke, and yet not daring [...]o descend Armenias Mountaynes, at length increasing through that word, which bade them multiply and reple­nish the Earth, to bee compelled to leaue Ararat, and iournying from the East westward, to find a Plaine in the Land of Shinar. This Shinar, as most Geographers thinke, was a part of the Garden of Eden, fruitfull for the wate­ring of two most famous Riuers, Ti­gris and Euphrates, fruitfull for the temperate situation in regard of the heauenly influence, fruitfull for the nature of the soile, returning, [...] Herod. l. 1. cap. 193. Plin. lib. 6. cap. 26. if Hero­dotus and Plinie may be beleeued, the seede sowne in it beyond credulitie. Who would not haue thought, that man lately preserued by Gods great mercy from the tyrannie of the De­luge, would now by feeling so fresh a taste of his goodnesse, haue consecra­ted vnto him some immortal monu­ment [Page 4]of gratitude and thankfulnesse? Who could haue imagined Mans af­fections to haue beene so obdurate, as not to performe some memorable act redounding to Gods glorie? When, behold, turning this blessing to a curse, they say one to another, Goe to, let vs build, Non Deo sed nobis ipsis, let vs build vs a Citie and a Tower, whose top may reach vp vnto heauen. What would vaine and humane pre­sumption haue done, althogh it could haue built a Tower as high as heauen? Tutam veram (que) in coelum viam moli­tur humilitas, August. de [...]mit. Dei, lib. [...]6. c. 4. saith Saint Augustine, low humilitie is that which best con­ueyes vs vp to heauen. Their desire belike, was to leaue a monument to posteritie, no matter how good, so great enough; and there are two ends set downe thereof, the one, finis vani­tatis, That we may get vs a name; Horat Car. l. 1. Ode 3. Nil mortalibus arduum est, coelum ipsum p [...]timus stultitia: the other, Finis im­pietatis, Least wee bee scattered abroad vpon the face of the Earth. Now what [Page 5]this scattering should meane, some cōtrouersie amongst Interpreters rests yet vndecided; Ioseph. l. 1. Antiq. Iosephus thinks they feared the danger of a second Floud. Cajetan would rather haue it that they would not bee dispersed one from an­other, because, Caiet. ad loc. Homo est Animal politi­cum & societate gaudens, Arist. 1. Po­lit. c. 1. Hugo S. Ʋictor. in Annot. in G [...]t. as the Philo­sopher teacheth vs; but others there are, which not improbably conie­cture, that a meere liuing asunder is not there vnderstood, but rather a di­ui [...]on of Kingdomes. For, Nimrod and his Complices, hoping to reduce all men vnder one gouernment, and by that meanes to make themselues sole Monarchs of the whole Earth, made Babel perhaps the beginning of their Kingdome, Aug. sup. and the subiect of their plot; the Tower their Fortresse against their Opposites, and the Citie their resedencie of Estate. For mine own part, hauing the sacred Scripture for my Starre, and crauing the Spirit of al Truth for my Steers-man, I passe not greatly, so I may conduct some to [Page 6]the Hauen of Health, if I strike nei­ther into the Cimerian or obscure ports of Antiquitie, nor yet anchor in the boundlesse Ocean of moderne cu­riosities. Whatsoeuer their drift was, scattered they would not be, & there­fore we can conceiue in it no lesse then high presumption, and such presump­tion as incensed the Maker of Nature, to change and confound Nature in his best workmanship, Jun. Com. in Gen. 11. Tanquam si aduer­sus coelestia tela cauere sibi hoc modo pos­sent, saith one, Whether they feared a second Floud, or whether a disper­sion, they thought their owne inuen­tions had beene powerfull enough to frustrate the decree of the most High. See here a Babel, a confusion of ini­quities, one Worke, not one Offence, but many. They should haue conside­red, how that the wayes of men are in the hands of God, and that hee orde­reth them as it best seemes vnto him­selfe; they should haue harkned vnto the voyce of aged Noah, who, no doubt, as before the Floud hee ceased [Page 7]not to forewarne the old World of the Deluge to come, so since the Floud hee was not defectiue in aduertising his vntoward off-spring of their dan­ger at hand, but they, hard hearted as they were, disobedient to their care­full Parent, reprobate to euery good worke, will needs follow the steps of cursed Cham, and his issue, and so pro­ceed on in their ambitious designe. But the Lord in the meane time came down to see the Citie and the Tower, which the sonnes of men builded, where see an Omnipotent Iudge stir­red vp with iust furie against peruerse and presumptuous offenders: Multa sed non multum dicit, his speech was full, as befitting the Nature of so high a Court, and short as becomming the Person of so great a Maiestie, contay­ning in it a Consultation, and a Decree; an Exaggeration, or an Accusation and a Sentence, the former in the Verse going before; the latter comprehen­ded in the words of my Text, all ten­ding to this effect.

Secondly, think not thou degenerate issue of old Noah, but that al thy waies lie open before me, thy practises, thy imaginations; the secrets of thy soule are not hidden from my sight, and can yet thy wretched heart be so hardned, can it bee so wittingly impious, as to prouoke thy Creator, and in the face of Heauen, to dare combat to his Om­nipotencie? Remember the blessings wherewith I blest your Fathers, and call to mind my wonders of old time; Did I to that end preserue your Pro­genitors from the Floud, that Chil­dren issuing from their loines, should requite me with this contumely? Did I giue you fruitfull Shinar to possesse, and blesse you with the fat of the Earth, that plentie should make you stiffe-necked and rebellious against me? Did I endue you with one lan­guage & one speech, that you should abuse it in inciting one another to such impieties? Behold, I haue hither­to but looked downe from Heauen, and said, perhaps Man will turne from his [Page 9]wicked wayes, and seeke after mee; but I will now vnsheath my sword, I will goe downe to execute iudgement; for the sinnes of your mouth, & for the words of your lips, you shall be taken in your pride, I will confound your Language, that you may not vnderstand one ano­thers speech.

The totall summe is, a briefe of Gods proceedings against the builders of Babel for their arrogancie; in the sen­tence or decree whereof,

Obserue with mee these three parts.

• First, Profectionem, the progresse, circuit, or expe­dition which hee would make, Goe to, let vs goe downe.
• Secondly, Intentionem, the intention which hee had, and there confound their Language.
• Thirdly, Rationem, the reason or end of his intent, that they may nos vnder­stand one anothers speech.

Of these in order; as Gods grace shal [Page 10]enable me, and your Christian patience affoord me leaue, and first, de profectio­ne, of Gods progresse or expedition against these wicked Rebels, which commeth in the first place to be consi­dered, Goe to, let vs goe downe, &c.

Fourthly, It is doubted amongst some Interperters, who they should be to whom this descendamus, let vs goe downe (it being a Verbe of the plurall number) ought to bee referred. The Iewes ignorant of the blessed Trinitie, as also some others, would haue it to be spoken to those Angels which God purposed to vse as Instruments in the effecting of this miraculous confusion. But were it so, the Phrase would haue rather beene (goe yee) then (let vs goe) for (let vs) imports an equalitie be­tweene the speaker and the hearer, which equalitie cannot bee found be­tweene the Creator and the Creature; besides, Angels being of a finite essence, can haue but finite and successiue ope­rations, but to frame and infuse in one and the selfe-same moment, such varie­tie [Page 11]of sounds, and senses into mens braines, argues Gods immediate hand, and that in this action he had no part­ner. I rather ioyne therefore with our owne Interpreters, and amongst the rest with Caluine, Cal. ad lo­cum. Sic Chrysost. Procop. Ra­b [...]n. Rupert. Cyrill. Ter­tull. who ex hoc loco non in­eptè probatur, subesse in vna Dei essentia [...]res personas: that from this place the pluralitie of persons in one essence may be well inferred. But my purpose is not stand vpon a point so sufficiently resol­ued by others. Another doubt here in my Text is, how God may bee said to goe downe; For is it possible, that hee which is totus in toto mundo, should now want a locall descent to make him ali­quid in parte mundi? Whither shall I goe from thy spirit, saith Dauid, Psal. 139.7. or whither shall I flye from thy presence? If I ascend vp into Heauen, thou art there? If I goe downe into Hell thou art there also? If I take the wings of the morning, and re­mayne in the vttermost parts of the Sea, euen there also shall thine hand lead mee, and thy right hand shall hold me. To the clearing of this point, we must obserue, [Page 8] [...] [Page 9] [...] [Page 10] [...] [Page 11] [...] [Page 12]that this word descend, hath a double signication in the holy Scriptures, som­times it is taken properly, for a locall motion from a higher place to a lower, and so the Angell of the Lord is said to descend from Heauen, when hee rolled away the stone from the mouth of our Sauiours Sepulchre, Matth. 28. some­times it is taken Metaphorically, when one by manifesting himselfe in his acti­ons, resembleth a kind of descent in his person, and so God may bee said to descend, non mutatione loci, sed patefa­ctione sui, not by changing his place, but by declaring himselfe; For though God being in his essence considered, is euery where present; yet if wee consider him in his effects, and in his workes: certi huius praesentiae gradus dandi sunt, say the Schooles, there be, as it were, cer­tayne degrees of his presence to bee granted. Greg. Com. in Ezech. h [...]m. 8. Omnia tangit, non tamen aequa­liter omnia tangit, saith Gregory: so that hee is present in a seuerall manner to se­uerall things: Communiter omnibus, spe­cialiter aliquibus, hee descends by his [Page 13]workes of Power, to all his Creatures vpon Earth; by his workes of Grace, to his Seruants Elect alone; by his workes of Confusion, to the wicked and Reprobates; and in this latter sense I take to be vnderstood the words of my Text, goe to, let vs goe downe. Now this going downe against these haughtie builders is sufficiently expressed in my Text, where God by the similitude of a King, who minding to punish wicked and rebellious subiects, sends not o­thers, but himselfe goes downe in per­son to doe Iustice, notes out vnto vs his iust seueritie and vigilant care in re­warding head-strong and ambitious Miscreants; but yet the reason hereof appeares better by the coherence of these words with the former Verse: Delr [...]e ex Philon. & Chrysost. For wheras there God had thorowly scan­ned and sifted, as it were, the, thoughts and imaginations of these wicked buil­ders, and by experience found, that they were not now growne to an opinion a­lone, or a longing to commence this prodigious action for the winning of a [Page 10] [...] [Page 11] [...] [Page 12] [...] [Page 13] [...] [Page 14]name, but that Pride was by this time at her high tyde, and that a resolute presumption had gotten the sole swage of their affections, so that hee by way of communication with himselfe, de­scribing, First, their condition, that they had not only imagined, or in their brests alone conceiued this vanitie, but had euen already begunne to doe it: Se­condly, their resolution, that vnlesse hee with his Omnipotent arme should in­terpose, nothing would bee restrayned from them which they imagined to do, he addeth immediatly these words, Goe to, let vs goe downe, which beeing as it were a Decree grounded vpon the for­mer communication, may not vnfitly afford vs this obseruation. That to bee bent vpon a vaine resolution of purcha­sing a name, is a fearefull presage of Gods comming downe to worke confusion.

Fifthly, no sinne is so hatefull to God, as this pride and seeking of glory, other sins hurt most our selues, or our neigh­bours, but this directly as it were, op­poseth it self vnto God, by remembring [Page 15]our selues too much, it vtterly makes vs forget our Creator. God therefore is said to resist the proud. 1. Pet. 5. to scatter them in the imaginations of their hearts. Luke 1.51. To destroy euen their house. Prou. 15. and whosoeuer is an exalter of himselfe, to bring him low. Matth. 23.12. Assyrias Monarch affects but a name from his strength and wisdome, and is threatned to bee consumed like thornes with a flame, Esay 10. Nebuchadnezzar but triumphs in his Maiestie and glory, and that goodly Tree must bee hewne downe, and exposed amongst the beasts of the Field, Dan. 4. Looke vpon the Prince of Tyrus, Ezech. 28. or the Israe­lites, Amos 6. and wee shall find that the exalting of their owne name for blessings receiued of God, was that which puld downe plagues and afflicti­ons vpon them. To omit many others, we reade of Herod, Acts 12. how imme­diately after the peoples shout, terming his Oration the Voyce of God, and not of Man; the Angell of the Lord smote him, and why? not for any boasting of [Page 16]himselfe for ought we find, but for not declining the too great applause of the people. So sudden hath God beene in confounding those, which eyther proudly haue sought, or vainly imbra­ced a glorious Name.

But what will some obiect, may no Fame bee affected or Name bee sought for? Hath God enriched some with such admirable gifts and excellent endow­ments aboue others, and must all these bee buryed in obscuritie without spea­king of? Beloue, mistake me not, it is not a good name, neyther is it a great Name, which I heere dislike, but our owne inordinate seeking of it. Things are of two sorts, Thom. 2.2. q. 132. art. 1. Ʋalent. Tom. 3. disp. 8. q. 3. punct. 2. some are bona per [...]se, good in themselues, and these in them­selues are to bee sought for, as Faith, Hope, Charitie, and the like Vertues; o­thers are not good, but indifferent in themselues, and are to bee hunted after only, as they may bee instruments of what is good in it selfe: and amongst these are reckoned Fame and humane Glory. To seeke Glory therefore, or a [Page 17]Name, as they may bee Instruments of a farther good is no sinne, a good Name being rather to bee desired then great ri­ches, Prou. 22. For first, as it is meroe [...] des meritorum, a reward of our deserts, it stirres vp a desire of well doing in our selues, and herein is to bee desired: Se­condly, as it is signum virtutum, a to­ken of Vertues in vs, it makes our good indeauours the more passable amongst others, and herein is to bee disired; Lastly, as it is Argumentum cuiusdam excellentiae diuinae in nobis, as Thomas speaketh, it worketh an acknowledge­ment of Gods graces towards man in vs all, and herein is to be desired. And in these respects Saint Paul bids vs pro­uide honest things not in secret onely, but in the sight of all men, Rom. 12. And our Sauiour addes the reason, Mat. 5. That men may see our good workes, and glorifie our Father which is in heauen. Whereupon saith Austen; Aug a [...] frat. in Ere­mo se [...]m. 52. Iom. 10. Tenete quod dixi, atque distinguite. Duae suntres, con­scientia & fama: Conscientia necessaria est tibi, fama proximo t [...]. But to seeke [Page 18]a name as these builders did, without re­lation at all to any higher end, therein consists the vanitie. Our heauenly Fa­ther, he knowes what we haue need of, and hath in heauen rescrued a name for vs, which he hath written in the Booke of Life: to grudge because we want it in this world, is to weepe for the extin­guishing of a Candle, when in stead thereof wee are assured of the light of the Sunne. And indeed, Saint Paul giues and excellent example, to illustrate and confirme this doctrine: for when some Corinthians began to make more account of the false Apostles, that crept in amongst thē, then of him; he that he might by bringing them to esteeme of himselfe, bring them also to esteeme of the Gospell which he preached, stucke not to tell them, that he was not a whit behind the chiefest of the Apostles: and to boast, that he had been in labors more abundant, in stripes aboue measure, in pri­sons more frequent, in deaths oft, 2. Cor. 11. vsing the magnifying of his name, as an instrument to magnifie his doctrine. [Page 19]But when on the contrary side, other­some more fierce in their censures then the rest, would giue no equall hearing to his iust defence, hee appeald from man to Gods Tribunall, and plainely shewed what he esteemed of a great name, or of mens estimations in themselues; As tou­ching me (saith he) I passe very little to be iudge of you, or of mans iudgement; no, I iudge not mine owne selfe, 1. Cor. 4. As a name therfore may serue for our owne incouragements, the edifying of our brother, and the glory of God, wee are commanded to let our works shine before men, and to purchase a good report a­mongst all men, but as it is a thing in it selfe, meerely considered without fur­ther vse, we strictly are forbidden ambi­tiously to seeke it. What greater to­kens of a zealous affection, then prayer, fasting, and almes-deeds? By the one we commune with God; by the other we humble our selues; and by the third we testifie our loues vnto our neighbors: yet euen these in danger of vaine-glory, or hauing not a farther end accompa­ning [Page 20]them, are to be restrained from the eyes of men. Almes must bee so con­ceald, that the left hand may not know what the right hand doth, Matth. 6.3. Prayers must bee so secretly powred forth, that the Chamber doore may not stand open when wee make them: Vers. 6. and a chearefull countenance must so co­lour our fastings, that we may not seeme to men to fast, but to our Father which is in secret; and our Father which seeth in secret, will reward vs openly: Vers. 18.

Sixthly, I would to God (beloued) that these our soothing times, could bee contented to heare this doctrine, not in thesi onely, but would also as willingly make vse of it in hypothesi. It serues nota­bly first against those, who, liue they how Epicurlike they list, be their possessions by fraud or oppression gotten, they care not; a House yet, or some other Monu­ment must they leaue behind them, if for nought else, yet to preserue their name. Weake impietie; so much la­bour, such care, and all but to purchase a name. Why, Achitophel hath a name, [Page 21] Iudas hath a name, Belzebub hath a name: and, alas, how easie a matter is it to leaue a name, if that were all; Babylons ruines (me thinks) might here lesson vs; and one of those aged Syres, if you will, one of Iaphets sonnes, from whom we are descended, were hee now liuing, might thus informe vs; Build not Pa­laces, erect not Marble Monuments to win a name, disce meo exemplo monitus, thy fore-fathers example may teach thee, that though thou build them, yet God may name them, and to deride thy vanitie, terme them as hee did this Babell, a Confusion. Beloued, there bee some here, whom if not now, yet hereaf­ter it may concerne; giue me leaue ther­fore to adde this for their instruction; Are you desirous to haue a name. I dis­swade you not: but imagine not that it relies in worldly pompe or humane glo­rie: Men thinke (saith Dauid) that their houses shall continue for euer, and that their dwelling places shall indure from one generation to another, and call their lands after their owne names; Neuerthelesse, [Page 22]they shall not abide in honour, seeing they may be compared vnto the beasts that pe­rish; this is the way of them: But if you would get a name, I will shew you a way (saith Chrysostome,) [...] doe good deeds, giue to the poore, distribute your Almes to the necessitous, these things will bee liuing monuments, and Statues reard in the minds of men, when those of Stone and Brasse shall deriue nought but your vanitie vnto posterity. Dispersit, dedit pauperibus (saith the Psalmist) & iustitia eius manet in secu­lum, in one day hee disperst his riches, and we see his memorie extends vnto all ages. But will you needs build you Houses and lofty Palaces? I forbid you not; onely build them not on earth, if you will build, build a Tabernacle in Heauen, Where Cankers cannot corrupt, nor theeues digge through and steale. Would you adorne your dwelling pla­ces? yet first remember, domum interio­rem, your owne soules, adorne them, and Christ will come in and lodge with you. Would you line your walls with [Page 23]Tapestry and rich Imagetie? yet remem­ber when you haue cloathed them, that you leaue not Christ naked and destitute of cloathing. Build you houses for ha­bitation, not ostentation, and bee sure of this, that ouer-much outward pompe will proue like a shoo being to bigge for you, it will hinder you in your way to­wards the heauenly Ierusalem.

But let mee wade a little farther (my brethren) for neyther must this Exam­ple altogether so litterally be applyed, Perer. Cor. Nel a La­pid. Diod. Sic. l. 3. c. 4. Herod. l. 1. Theod. in quaest. in Gen 59. Hieron. l. 5. comment in Esai c. 14. but that it may likewise yeeld some matter of admonition euen to vs, which in this place haue consecrated our selues to our set professions. Commentators much disputes the question, whether it were this lower, which is so described by Diodore and Herodotus, and whether it were to be seene in Saint Hierome and Theodorets time; Our latter Voyages affirme the ruines to be yet extant; For mine wone part, I would not counsell any man to truel thither to decide the controuersie. No beloued, let him look at home and in a Mappe decipher his [Page 24]owne affections, he needs not with Ga­lileus vse perspectrue Glasses to descry Mountaynes in the Moone. I feare, too many there be, if they would but pluck the beame out of their own eyes would cleerely see, that Babel is yet standing, and that not in part only raysed, as was this in my Text, but reared to the Bat­tlements; nay, (I am affraid) in too ma­ny mounted as high as the Weather­cocke. If we looke abroad and cast our eyes with our Sauiour from the top of the high Mountayne vpon the splen­dor of the World, no doubt, but there we shall see Towers and Babels enough a building, wee shall easily yeeld that Princes, and Potentates, and Secular Policies haue their hands full of such worke; but let's reflect our eyes vpon our selues, and aske whether here may not bee some of Babels builders, whe­ther here may not bee some day-labou­rers, which set their hands to the laying of that foundation? Perhaps one a­mongst our selues would reply, that here are none but such as haue renoun­ced [Page 25]those forded Trades, and haue de­dicated themselues wholly to the libe­rall Professions; but alas; beloued, wee are not sharpe-sighted enough in our owne cause, Cucullus non facit Mona­chum; let's aske Elezeus Seruant, hee which could discerne the Mountayne couered with fiery Chariots, and hee would tell vs, that there bee indeed here many Noahs, many Sems and Hebers, which bewayle the headinesse of their Brethren, and would restrayne them if possibly they could from such precipi­tate courses; but, alas, whilest some too much neglectfull of their true scope, do day and night lye digging and deluing, and hewing out their wordly aduance­ment; whiles it is too common a fault amongst men, to ruffe cast and playster ouer their owne deformities; that with Simon Magus, they may affirme them­selues to bee some body, whilest not a few with liues and trauels stand either measuring others actions, or else as if themselues were the Poles of the world, are taking the eleuation of their owne [Page 26]worth; how can one choose but say that here also may sit many of those Mecha­nickes, who (if I should speake, with my Story) doe make Bricke and burne it, and carry slime and mortar to the building of this Tower. Babylon (be­leeue it) may as well be built in a Schol­lars braine, as in the Plaines of Shinar, and vaine glory may in the one be as fit an Instrument to promote the Deuils kingdom, as in the other it serued for the erecting of Nimrods Monarchie. Scien­ces and Disciplines were first inuented for vse, and contayne themselues then within the bounds of Modesty, but vaine glory raysing them aboue their proper Spheare, made them in the end take folly for their Centre. Whence grew those infernall Arts of consulting with foule spirits, whence those scrupu­lous inspection of the higher bodies; but that earth and clay knowing not it selfe which it was bound to know, to get a name would needs know that which it ought not to know; might I but particu­larize, I thinke, there is none ignorant [Page 27]in the seuerall Ages of Learning. What corruptions of Arts arose from Pride? What Sects arose like Locusts to de­uoure the flowers of all good learning? How by them Philosophy losing her profitable vses, was turned to abstractiue and sophisticall speculations, how Di­uinitie was stuft out with curious and vnnecessary doubts, how preaching it selfe through postelizing became ver­bal, & bent only as it were to delight the fancie of fond Auditors. I cannot much censure therefore those Schoolemen, which held Diuinitie it selfe to bee then a speculatiue Science, when the Popes to build their Empire thought good to abstract it from the practice. Non sic à principio, it was not so from the begin­ning.

Agrip. de vanit. Sci­ent.An Agrippa could supply my Medi­tations with Examples, and tel you how all Disciplines assumed first their vanitie from the affectation of humane glory, and a Viues could deriue vnto you the causes of the corruptions of Arts from aspiring cogitations. Viues, de causis cor­rupt. arti. Till Arrogancie [Page 28]beare Dominion ouer Truth; the trans­cendencie of the Pope found no footing in the Church. Till ambitious ends blinded the eyes of iudgement, the do­ctrine of massacring Princes was not knowne. Till Schoole-learning turned Aduocate to the pride of Antichrist, we knew no higher Iudge of Controuersies then the Scriptures. But my purpose is not to prosecute this subiect any far­ther; I desire (Beloued) knowledge in you all, but I would haue it vestita, clo­thed with Humilitie, for as it is in it selfe nuda, it puffeth vp, saith Paul, 1. Cor. 8. but ioyned with loue it edifieth. Let no man therefore presume to vnderstand a­boue that which is meete to vnderstand, but that hee vnderstand according to so­brietie, as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of Faith, lest striuing with these builders to get a name, hee participate of their confusion; which was the in­tention of Gods descent, and commeth next to bee handled; and there confound their Language.

Seuenthly, bow dangerous a weapon [Page 29]the tongue of man is, how liable ei­ther to vse or abuse, no Author almost is silent to report. With our tongue wee will preuaile, say the wicked, Psal. 12. Death and life are in the power of it, Prou. 18. And to conclude, It is a fire, a world of wickednesse, an vnruly euill, full of deadly poyson: Iam. 3. No maruell therefore, if the Lord, when he saw that man by depriuing himselfe of his origi­nall iustice, had lost the true skil of vsing this weapon, did now somewhat shorten the length of it, to the end that some proportion might bee found betweene the wounded and worne Souldier, and his vnweeldie blade. Had Adam still continued in his first estate, reason in him like a golden bridle would haue kept this member in subiection; At hi iam mortui sunt, those Armes which then were lusty and strong, haue now lost their vigor, and the tongue as an vn­tamed beast runnes ouer all it meetes with, and tramples to the ground all such as giue it not way and passage. God therefore since the Rider had not any [Page 30]longer the free power to restraine his beast, thought good to shorten his race, scantle his liberties, and reduce the large Common where before it roued, and went astray into seuerall inclosements. Shemeis tongue may bee free in cursing, but it shall boote no where now but in Iurie. Athenian Demagogi may bee prompt in mouing seditions, but their eloquence must end with the bounds of Greece: and Caius Curio may be facun­dus malo publico; but his Rethoricke shall be powerfull onely in Romes Ter­ritories.

From hence wee may obserue many points worth our consideration, as first, that all the punishments which it plea­seth God to inflict on the wicked in this life, are no other then so many steps and staires to promote the welfare of his Church. For howsoeuer, the World abounded as much with wicked after, as before, yet men being deuided into as many factions as tongues, and hauing not so free commerce as before, the Church might now seeme to haue an in­different [Page 31]share, being compared with any one part, though to all it beare no proportion. Secondly, wee may note the end of Gods punishments, how it is to represse the ragings of sinne, Greg. lib. 34 Moral. & Chrysost. in Gen. c. 11. v. 6. and to restraine it from growing to that prodi­gious hight which these builders had raised it vnto. For no doubt, the Lord seeing the imaginations of mans heart to be euill continually, and that this vnitie of speech so much serued the wicked to win them partners in their wickednesse, vsed this confusion of Languages as a bridle to curbe their audacious spirits, that if notwithstanding all this, they should haue as much will to sinne, yet should they haue lesse power to hurt: and though perhaps there might bee as many wicked, yet should there be fewer partakers in the same wickednesse. Alas, God might, as hee did to Sodome, haue rained downe fire and brimstone vpon them, and so haue consumed their work with them, but then he had not left vs the posteritie of that wicked consort, as a perpetuall argument of his mercy: he [Page 32]might with Lighthings or Earthquakes haue demolisht their worke, and not them: but then hee had onely deter'd them from proceeding in that mis­chiefe, not taken away the meanes of be­ginning a new. Wherefore hee like a prudent Iudge, that this malum poenae, this punishment which he would inflict vpon them, might take some effect in all their Posterity, suits their punishment to their offence: the vnity of lunguage cau­sed thē to incite one another to build, and the consusion of Languages shall for euer take from them the meanes to proceed; similitude of speech, made them seeke a combination, and a diuersitie of speech shall cause their final seperations; likenesse of Tongues, made them con­ioyne in consultation, and diuision of Tongues shall deuide their humors and affections. Kingdomes bee diuided by speeches, and speeches by the causes of the diuisions of Kingdomes so that now to reunite all men againe vnder one visi­ble forme of gouernment, is to reedifie Babel, and to frustrate that course which [Page 33]God by this confusion of languages established in the world. I cannot tell what others may coniecture, but, mee thinkes, it cannot bee but a fond imagi­nation of the Papists, to think that now all Nations should againe conspire and agree vnder one visible head: did God so miraculously scatter & diuide men, lest being vndiuided they should againe re­turne to their vomit, and their Com­manders incite them afresh to hatch such Monsters as this was; and must all Mankind subiect it selfe once more to the command of one Nimrod, and all concurre to the raysing of a second Ba­bel? I confesse with Aristotle in the third of his Politickes, that a Monar­chy is the best forme of Regiment abso­lutely, and the best in one Citie and one Countrey, as most symbolizing with the order of nature, and beeing the best preseruer of Vnitie and Concord, which is Aristotles mayne ground; yet consi­dering the manifold defects of men, a­mongst which this confusion of Lan­guages is not the least; (and therefore [Page 34]when our Sauiour was to giue his Apo­stles a large Commission to preach vnto all Nations, he supplyed it with the gift of Tongues) considering, I say, the im­perfections of Nature, I deny a Mo­narchy to bee the best forme of Regi­ment, in respect of the whole World, and euery part thereof so farre distant and remote one from another. For to o­mit the impossibilitie and inconuenien­ces alleaged by Ocham, a Schoolman of their owne, in the second of his Dia­logues and first Tract, who thinkes it most dangerous to haue all men subiect their eares and vnderstandings to one mans Dictates; least hee in whom they put so much confidence by falling into errour, like the Serpent, should draw the most part of the starres from Heauen with his tayle; to passe by, I say, these Arguments, we may find proofes strong enough in our Text; For if God vsed this confusion of Languages as a reme­die for mans Pride and Arrogancie, be­cause a vniuersall combination of men in the infancie of the World brought [Page 35]forth such prodigious births as was this Babel, into what wickednesse may wee conceiue, might Mankind in its more declining Age head-long throw it selfe to its greater confusion? This only, I say, old Babylon rayseth the doubt, and new Babylon hath resolued it.

But whilest wee striue to subdue our open Enemies, wee must be wary, least our bosome friends, our owne affecti­ons, subdue vs. Lets see therefore, what lesson each of vs in particular may for his priuate vse deduce from the manner of punishing, which God vsed in this place. The whole Earth was of one Lan­guage (sayth the Pen man of this story) & dixerunt alter alteri, aedificemus, and they said one to another, let vs build vs a Citie and a Tower; & quia vnius labij ideo dixerunt alter alteri, had they not beene of one Language, they could not haue said one to another, Let vs build. God resumes the argument in the sixth Verse; Behold, the people is one, and they all haue one Language, and this they be­ginne to doe. Wherefore hee dealt not [Page 36]with them, as sometimes Physicians doe, who for a Disease in the head ap­ply the Playster to the foot, he punished not their eyes with blindnesse, as he did the men of Sodome, Gen. 19. nor their bodies with the leprosie, as he did Geha­zi, 2. Kings, 5. no; that member which stird them vp [...], to wage warre against him, by the same he makes them [...], Cyp. serm. de lapsis. in Languages to discord a­mongst themselues. Inde coepit poena, vnde coepit & crimen, sayth Cyprian, where the fault began, there began like­wise the punishment; It was the tongue that set them on worke, and in all Iu­stice hee makes the tongue to pay for it; some say, vt qui vnanimiter per lin­guam offendissent, linguam ad orandum vnanimiter veniam non haberent: that because they had offended ioyntly by the tongue, they should not now haue a tongue whereby they might ioyntly aske pardon: Austin saith it was, Vt qui alto superbiae tumore membra con­tempserant, in fragilissimo substantiae suae membro poenam vti (que) sermonis sentirent, [Page 37]that by the iust Iudgement of God, they which pust vp with Pride did contemne and abuse their parts, should in the weakest part they had sustayne the pu­nishment of confusion. Howsoeuer these men hauing by the tongue so hei­nously offended, and being by the con­fusion of tongues so seuerely punished, may yeeld a generall caueat vnto all those which abuse those gifts and good parts, whatsoeuer they bee which God endowes them withall, and may point out vnto vs this Obseruation.

That when good gifts are imployed to a wrong end, God oftentimes by them doth scourge those on whom he bestowes them, and turnes them to be Instruments of their owners confusion.

Eightly, All men who-euer they bee, haue some enemies or other which wish them hurt, so that it truly may bee said, Neminem habet amicum, qui neminem habet inimicum; but heere is the diffe­rence, the godly they haue their Perse­cutors without them, but the wicked hath his owne members rebellious [Page 38]within him, and he knowes not; an suo se iugulet gladio, whether God haue re­serued him or not to bee his owne Exe­cutioner. If wee looke no further, yet Saules, Achitophels, and Iudas example may winne credit to the Assertion. But Gods iudgements oftentimes are more particular; Eli offends by his Sonnes, because his Sonnes ranne into a slander, and he stayed them not, and in his Sons God threatned to punish him, 1. Sam. 3. Ieroboam put forth his hand to lay hold on the man of God, and streight wayes his hand withered, 1. King. 13. Zachary, Luke 1. doubting of the Angels pro­mise, asked, Whereby shall I know this, and the Angell gaue him this for a signe, thou shalt be dumbe; Chrysost. [...]. sayth Chrysostome, thy tongue which was so officious in ope­ning the distrust of thine heart, shall now sustayne the punishment of thy hearts distrust.

Ninthly, We need not runne through [Page 39]all particulars, Cyp. serm. de lapsis. Cum per orbis multifor­mes ruinas tam delictorum poena sit va­ria, quàm delinquentium multitudo nu­merosa; vnusquisque consideret, non quid alius passus sit, sed quid pati & ipse me­reatur, sayth Cyprian, when through the manifold ruines of the World, the pu­nishment of offences is as various, as the multitude of offenders numerous; let euery man consider, not what ano­ther man hath suffered, but what hee himselfe deserueth to suffer. We are ma­ny of vs more backwards then old Eli in reprouing, perhaps, as impatient as Ieroboam, to heare those men of GOD which reprooue vs: wee are most of vs more distrustfull of Gods promises then righteous Zachary, nay, some perhaps, as presumptious as these builders, of his mercie. Why, may not that which be­fell them befall vs? Why, may not wee sustayne the like punishment which doe commit the like offences? Examples of this nature are more frequent amongst vs, then wee are aware of; Though wee perceiue not many so obuious to the [Page 40]senses, yet are there not a few more hurtfull to the soule. It is Satans mayne ward, when God permits him not to of­fer vs violence himselfe, more cruelly to perswade vs to bee Murderers of our selues, and by our owne parts to worke our owne confusion. Cyp. serm de zelo & li­uore. He obiects illuring formes to the eyes, that the eyes may expell pure thoughts from the vnder­standing; he fils the eares with the me­lodie of bewitching harmony, that by the eates hee may mollifie the vigour of Christian zeale; he instigates the tongue to reuilings, Cyp. ibid. the hands to blowes, Vt dum zelo frater in fratris odio conuerti­tur, gladio suo nescius ipse perimatur, sayth Cyprian, That whilest one Bro­ther is incensed with hatred against the other, hee may vnwittingly become his owne Murderer: Famam quidem fra­tris aut corpus vulneret, at propriam ani­mam excidit, Hee may hurt his Brothers fame, or wound his bodie, but hee kils his owne soule. It is a wonderfull ad­uantage, and strange oddes that a good man hath of a bad in all quarrels: For, [Page 41]alas, men consider not when they let their hands to doe mischiefe, they doe but heape on more coales for themselues against the day of Wrath; when their feet are swift to shed bloud, or they suffer them to walke in the broad way, they vse them but as Carts or Hurdles which daily conuey them on their way to their place of execution; when they are bit­ter in censuring one another, they doe but teach God how to iudge them in another life, which in this life were so seuere Iudgers of their Brethren. In ob­seruing therefore these home-bred and domesticke Traytors, it behooues a Christian Souldier to keepe narrow watch, and to lye (as it were) perpetu­all Centinell. For as those Vlcers which breed of themselues, are farre more in­curable, then wounds which proceed from outward causes, because the euill is inward, and the complexion and con­stitution feed it; so the mischiefes which befall vnto vs from our selues, and of which our owne members or affections are the Authors, are hardlyest remedied [Page 42]because they are such sinnes, as to which wee giue expresse entertainement, and besides, are tabled and countenanced by the corruption of our natures. And so I come, ab intentione adrationem, from the intention to the reason of this confusi­on, which followeth in the last place to be spoken of, That they may not vnder­stand one anothers speech.

Tenthly, Vt non exaudiant, implies the originall, that they may not heare one anothers speech: whereupon some would haue a generall deafenesse, either to haue gone before, or at the least to haue accompanied the beginning of this confusion. But what saith the common Rule, rebus in obscuris quod minimum est sequimur: I am sure that many of the best Interpreters doe make great doubt, whether any such deafenes were prefixed or annexed to this Miracle or no, but that they vnderstood not one anothers speech, all doe ioyntly agree. Wherefore I rather follow herein our owne Churches Translation, which by a vsuall Metaphore hath rendred it; that [Page 43]they may not vnderstand, in stead of, that they may not heare: for, Cic. Tusc. quaest. l. 5. in ijs linguis quas non intelligimus surdi profecto su­mus; in those tongues which we vnder­stand not, we are but deafe, saith Cicero. And this giues vs a good foundation for the answering of that obiection which some make vpon this place, how the gift of Tongues in the second of the Acts could be as a blessing giuen to the Apo­stles, when as here the multiplying of Languages was a curse inflicted vpon mankind for their arrogancie and pride? Wee answere therefore (beloued) that the punishment consisted not in hauing many Tongues, but in the not vnder­standing of them. The Apostles, they indeed had seuerall Tongues: but to the end that others might vnderstand them, and they others; and therein was the blessing: these builders of Babel had many Languages likewise, but to this end, as my Text speaketh, that they might not vnderstand one anothers speech, and therein consisted the curse; so that so farre I am from assenting any [Page 44]thing to our aduersaries, which pretend Latin Seruice to be most profitable and conuenient for an illiterate Auditorie, that me thinkes if other proofes were deficient, yet this one punishment of the builders, might sufficiently confirme vs in this position,

That it is a curse and no benefit for men in Ciuill matters, much more in Di­uine and religious, not to vnderstand one anothers speech.

Eleuenthly, but this may easily bee confirmed by other places; for first, Deut. 28. when Moses had told the peo­ple, if they serued not the Lord their God with ioyfulnesse and with gladnes of heart, how hard a Captiuitie it was they should vndergoe, he amplifies it from their iron yoakes, presseth their hunger and thirst, describes their naked­nesse which they must sustaine, quis ta­lia fando temperet à lachrymis, but hee goes one degree farther, and signifies, That God will bring a Nation from far against them, a Nation whose Language they shall not vnderstand. Poore men, [Page 45]the tongue is the instrument of impar­ting the affections, it is the Character of the mind, and bond of humane societie; might this but pleade his owners cause, the furie of the enemie perhaps would be asswaged by the supplications of the Captiue, the victorious Conquerour would melt and relent at the crie of the oppressed; but when this is taken away, Pitie, alas, is banished, Mercy stops her eares, and the sorrowfull sighings of the Afflicted are no more heard. Ieremy therefore, Chap. 5. after that, for their Atheisme and carnall securitie, hee had denounced the terrible Iudgements of the Lord against the men of Israel, addes this as the accumulation of their misery to ensue, that God would bring vpon them an ancient Nation, a Nation whose Language they knew not, neither vnder­stood what they said. In Ciuill conuersa­tion therefore, we will see what a tyrant to our wills, and how aduerse to our ear­nest desires, is this, not vnderstanding of one anothers speech: But in Ecclesiasti­call and Diuine matters, Saint Paul [Page 46]1. Cor. 14. seemes more purposely to dis­pute it: for when the Corinthians much glorying in the gifts of strange tongues, did impertinently oftentimes abuse them to the preiudice of their Auditors, the Apostle arguing their vanity, tells them, that Tongues are for a signe, not to them that beleeue, but to them that be­leeue not. As if he should haue said: You see, my Brethren, that this hearing of vn­knowne tongues which you so greedily affect, is no benefit of God to the faith­full, but rather a punishment and token of vengeance to come on vnbeleeuers; For with men of other tongues, and other lips, will I speake vnto this people, saith the Lord, Esay 28. and it followeth, that they may goe and fall backwards, and be broken, and snared, and taken, Vers. 13. Thus the wicked do oftētimes through their sinnes cause God to remoue from them, euen those good meanes which might the better draw them vnto the knowledge and vnderstanding of the truth.

Twelfthly, but there is a mysticall [Page 47] Babylon, which bids me wander no lon­ger in the Plaines of Shinar, but returne homeward, and take a short view of it by the way. This is Rome, which as in respect of her Ciuil estate she resembleth Babylon, hauing lost her Language, left her seuen Mountaines to plant her selfe in Campo Martio, changed her face and fashion, and is so entombed in her owne ruines, Lips. de mag. Rom. l. 3. c. 11. that Lipsius cannot so much as trace the ancient tract of her walls: euen so in respect of her state Ecclesiasticall, that which not long since was the Gar­den of Eden, is now ouer-growne with weedes; and the Daughter of Sion is become the Whore of Babylon. Many Writers haue obserued many seuerall circumstances, by reason whereof the holy Ghost rightly termed Rome vnder Antechrist, by the title of Babylon, for Power, Glorie, Whoredomes, Tyranny. But to come home to my Text, mee thinkes, that nothing may seeme wan­ting to furnish out the similitude, euen the confusion of Languages, and not vn­derstanding of one anothers speech in [Page 48]spirituall Babel may well hold play. For is not their prayer in an vnknowne Tongue, a present proofe of this confu­sion? What is their prohibiting of vul­gar Translations, what their celebrating of Diuine Seruice in Latin onely? What the intermixing of barbarous and vn­significant termes in all their Missalls and Breuiaries, but fore-head markes of this Babylonish confusion? I am the wil­linger (beloued) to insist a little vpon this point, because Bosius in his sixth Book, de signis Ecclesiae, and fifth Chap­ter, hath made the gift of Tongues to be an euident note, that the present Church of Rome is the true Church. To let passe his brags of their Linguists, we must ob­serue, that this confusion of Languages consisted not simply in not vnderstan­ding of Languages and Tongues: but whether we make this one another in my Text to be [...], vicinum, with the Septuagint and Chaldaick Paraphrase; or proximum, with Hierom, or with Pag­nine and Arias Monta [...]us to be socium our companion, all argue, that not only [Page 49]the finall cause, but also the formall Ire of the confusion consisted, in the not vn­derstanding of their speech, with whom they were to conuerse, and to whom they did associate themselues in their Churches, and publike meeting places to ioyne in Prayers, and the worship of God; that then, I say, they vnderstand not one anothers speech, then they parti­cipate of the curse and punishment of these wicked builders. But see how the Serpent is still a Serpent; if hee cannot build Babylon by the vnitie of Langua­ges, hee will doe it by the confusion of Languages, if hee cannot by a speech which men vnderstand, he will doe it by not vnderstanding one anothers speech; if he cannot by the abuse of Gods bles­sings, he will doe it by the vse of his cur­ses. It is strange (beloued) how in other things men are Eagle-eyed, and prie too farre, onely in those things which con­cerne regnum coelorum, the Kingdome of Heauen, they desire to bee purblind, and wilfully cast a vaile ouer their owne eyes: we would esteeme him an impro­uident [Page 50]Champion, which being to com­bat with a strong enemy, will assaile him at such weapons onely, as hee himselfe knowes not how to vse; and is't not the like case with our aduersaries, who being encountred by a potent enemie, the deuill, will striue to put him to flight by such weapons only, and such prayers as they know not the power of? Say the best of their prayers that may bee said, that many of them are zealous, and fer­uent, penned by the Fathers, receiued by vs; yet let them know, that we haue the sword drawne, they haue it but in the scabbard; wee see the marke we shoote at, they coward-like winke when they fight, and sottishly hood-blind them­selues, when they should see how to di­rect their stroakes. I denie not but that in their rapsodie of Tracts, Sequences, Responsoryes, Graduells, and the like, some Pearles are here and there intermixed, yet to the non intelligent Auditory, they are but as the light which shined in dark­nesse, and the darknesse comprehended it not, Ioh. 1. Or as that of Iacob in Bethel, [Page 51]Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not, Gen. 28. For what absurdities haue daily issued from this Romish con­fusion, not the practice onely of the Lay ignorant doe testifie, who promiscuous­ly apply the same prayers to God, to our Lady, to the Nayles, and other Re­liques, but the writings of the learned doe confirme. It bootes not much, though Aue Maria, God saue thee Mary, which is a pure prayer to God for her, be turned to a prayer and petition to her: neither breakes it square, though to the Image of our Lady, they say, Pa­ter noster qui es in coelis, Our Father which art in Heauen, as the Tredentine Catechisme in the fourth part, and sixth Chapter, permits men to doe, and as Bellarmine seemes to allow, who denies not, but that that prayer may be applied to any Angell or a Saint; in his booke de sanctorum beatitudine, and twentieth Chapter. How good their Linguists are, which Bosius vaunts of, in other things I know not, in these cases I am sure the Delphian sword seruing for all purposes, [Page 52]and the Philophers, quidlibet ex quoli­bet comes to short; either they make the Romish dialect more flexible then any other, or else the world hath beene defectiue hitherto of an expurged Pris­cian. But I will go no farther in the pur­suite of our Common aduersarie.

O Thou which formest the hearts of thy ser­uants, and openest their eyes, that they may behold the worderful things of thy Law, send knowledge we beseech thee out of thine holy hea­uen, and from the throwe of thy glory, that it be­ing present, the vnderstanding of all men may bee so enlightned, and their iudgements so reedified, that they may discerne An [...]ec. rist, not only by the ruffenesse of his hands, but also by the confu­sion of his Tongue, and that those which are now in bondage to him, as in the house of Aegypt, may no longer speake the Language of Babylon, not vnderstanding one anothers speech, but the Lan­guage of C [...]naan, and sweare to the Lord of Hoasts, which liueth and raigneth one God and three persons world without end, Amen.

NAIOTH, OR THE VNIVERSITIE CHARTAR.

IT is the beaten policie of Satan, that olde Serpent, when he cannot master the Truth by meaner Agents, to interest great ones in his cause, 1. King. 18. Iudg. 21.20 Iohn 19.12. and to pretend the Kings Ti­tle. Eliah's must be thought Enemie to Ahab, Christ a Corriuall with Caesar, and [Page 56] Amos in this Chapter, Amos 7.10. a Conspirator a­gainst Ierobeams person, at least a figure-flinger of his Fortunes, rather then A­maziah the Priest of Bethel should haue his Traffique decay, or his Kitchen, by reason of the others preaching, hazard freezing. Politique Idolatry is euer sup­ported by pillars of the same stuffe and making. What other Oratory doe the Priests of Bethel now two thousand yeares since this Embleme perished, pierce the eares of Princes with all, then that they are their trustiest Guard and securest Pensioners, and that in main­tayning of them their owne safetie and assurance doth depend? What other streines doth their pretended Zeale re­sound, then what Amaziah with the voice of a Trumpet chaunts in the Court and amidst the Counsellors of Ie­roboam? It is not priuate lucre that makes him by profession of Priest-hood deuoted to peace and quiet, at length to sustayne that odious and vngratefull of­fice of a Promoter, the Swords of Amos his Complices hang ouer thy head, O [Page 57] Ieroboam, this, this, is that, which makes Amaziah an accuser, and in ac­cusing vehement. You see then (Belo­ued) how Satan beginnes first with vio­lence and crueltie, if this take not effect, as here it did not, then puts hee off the frocke of a Woolfe, and as our Sauiour foretold, makes his next encounter in sheepes clothing. False priests are his best Chaplaines, Matth. 7.15. and follow him neerer at the heeles then any other. Amaziahe en­ters now, into priuate parlie with Amos, and seekes if possibly he can, to rid his iurisdiction of him by good counsell. He first suggests vnto him the danger he was in, and vpon this ground counsel­leth him to flye into Iudah. Secondly, he presents before him the duty and re­uerence hee ought the King, and there­fore wisheth him vpon a double respect to forbeare Bethel, his Diocesse, (as Hugo Cardinalis termes it) the one reli­gious, because it was the Kings Chappel, Hug. Card. ad locum. the other ciuill, because it was the Kings Court. Vnhappy Ieroboam, in whose Chappell Amoses are silenced; and [Page 58]in whose Courts Prophets are proscri­bed and banished the Verge. But God will not suffer Mankind to be miserable, though it would be miserable, Let Iero­boam repine, and his priests conspire to fortifie their workes of malice with the Kings Signet, yet, hoc vnum necessarium, this one thing is necessary for thee, A­mos, it is the command of the Lord of Hostes, that great Captaine, that thou shouldst stand Centinel in Bethel, & lye Perdu in Israel, what euer betyde thee.

True it is, that Amaziahs counsell was of as good touch, as the flattering lips of worldly friends do vse to impart; who begges not attention, or inoculates not his faithfull endeauours into his Friends Creed and Beliefe, with a Tale of vtile, profit, commoditie? But when God hath made it thy calling to prophe­sie vnto his people Israel, there is nullus consultandi locus, no choice left thee, that Roman magnanimitie now chal­lengeth to find place in thee, Necesse vt cas, non vt vinas: it is necessary that thou goest, and prophesiest to Israell, it is [Page 59]not necessarie that thou liuest. And this was indeed, the mayn substance of Amos reply vnto Amaziah, & it is contayned in the 15. Vers. of this Chapter; as for my Text it is a Prolepsis, or remouing of an Obiection, which might be thus framed against such an Answere. Thou sayest, that God sent thee, and that he bid thee prophesie vnto Israel; how shall this ap­peare? God is the God of order and not of confusion; Nor may any man take the honour of the Ministerie vnto himselfe, Heb. 5.4. but he that is called of God as was Aaron, who gaue thee this authoritie? Produce thy Commission, shew thy Orders. The Orders of Prophets, whose calling is extraordinary, as they are written in the Court hand of Heauen, so are they sea­led with Miracles. Of Moses wee find, Exod. 4. tha [...] he requiring of God some testimoniall of his sending, God gaue him the power of turning his Rod into a Serpent, and 2. Kings 2. the Sonnes of the Prophets which were to view at Ie­richo, seeing Elisha part the waters of Iericho, with Eliahs Mantle, sayd, The [Page 60]spirit of Eliah resteth on Elisha, thus were these mens callings reade in these Mira­cles, as in Characters of Gods writing; nor is it lesse miraculous that an Herds­man, should suddenly proceed a Sera­phicall, or illuminate Doctor; it was that one argument which put the subtile and profound Masters of the Iewes to a non plus, Iohn 7. How knoweth this man Let­ters, seeing hee neuer learned, and to say the Truth, it is an Epitome, and an a­bridgement of all other Miracles what­soeuer: In this, the blind (so come our soules into the World) are made to see the wo [...]derfull things of God; in this the dumbe (so poore Grammarians are wee by nature, that we salute the ligh [...]s with none but inarticulate sounds) haue the gift of tongues; in this a Steward and Dispenser of Gods Word, hath the abiltie to feed fiue thousand soules at once with the same Barley Loafe, to a­waken the very dead out of their graues of corruption, and to rayse vp euen of stones Children vnto Abraham. If therefore any in this Assembly prize the [Page 61]Learning required in a Teacher at that low rate, that they conceiue the pur­chase of it to bee but a few idle houres worke, or otherwise that by Gamesters it may be found sitting in the fields, let them know, that Amos here was of ano­ther opinion, and that such slender pro­uision of theirs, for a worke consisting of so many parts, requiring such varie­tie of Tongues, dexteritie in Arts, pro­foundnesse in Sciences, may be as con­uertible an Argument to prooue them, no Prophets Sonnes, as it is in my Text vrged to proue Amos a Prophet, Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophets Sonne, but I was an Heardman and a ga­therer of Sycomore fruit.

The summe (you see) of A­mos his Answere (as concerning my Text) is a confirmation or proofe of his extraordinary calling to the Ministerie, from the meanenesse and simplenesse of his education, which hee exemplifies two wayes principally,

Viz. First, Negatiuely, in declaring what hee was not, I was no Pro­phet, neither was I a Prophets Son.

Viz. Secondly, Affirmatiuely, in declaring what he was, but I was an Heardman, and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit.

In the Negatiue, we may consider the termes, first, absolutely in themselues, A Prophet, a Prophets Sonne; Secondly, with relation to Amos, I was no Prophet, I was no Prophets Sonne; In the Affir­matiue, we may obserue likewise (if the time could permit) the Trades hee was of; the one about Cattell, I was an Heard­man, the other, about the fruits of the earth, I was a gatherer of Sycomore fruit. And now haue I presented before your eyes, the Inauguration, or Generation rather (if I may speake Physically in a Diuine subiect) of a Prophet, his pro­gresse, à non esse adesse, his terminus à quo & ad quem, it is a sampler of our new birth in Christ, where the Author of all Prophesie by the anoynting Oyle of his Spirit, takes vs from amongst the heards, [Page 63]whose companions wee are by imitati­on, and the Sycomores or wild Fig-trees of whose lineage we are become by bar­rennesse and degeneration, and enrols vs in the lists of his Prophets; He which lifted Amos from an Heardsmans banke, to a Prophets Chaire, eleuate our earth­ly thoughts from such Obiects to the Chaire of Prophesie, and confirme his Calling as effectually by the power of his Word, as his Word by the Miracle of his Calling, whilest first I treate of the termes absolutely in themselues, which here are negatiuely spoken of him, and come in the first place to bee handled, A Prophet a Prophets Sonne?

Thirdly, the word Prophet, hath euer enioyed a sacred and religious vse, and although the Heathens were guiltie of that Sacrilege, that they stole it from the Church to adorne their Poets with it, yet in its owne right, it still contayned it selfe within the Arke of the Couenant, and the Offices of the Sanctuary, and in them receiued a three-fold acception. For first, and most vsually it noted that [Page 64]extraordinary Calling of those which attayned to the knowledge eyther of things to come, or otherwise mysteries aboue the Spheare of mans naturall ap­prehension, by Diuine Reuelation. And in this classis or ranke sit the Prophets which were the Penmen of holy Writ. Secondly, It signified one which celebra­ted the honour of God in Hymnes and Psalmes, and Musicall Iustruments, and so Dauid erecting or preparing rather a Quire for the Temple, is said to sepa­rate the sonnes of Asaph and of Heman, and of Iedulthion, who should prophesie with Harpes, with Psalteries and with Cymbals; 1. Chron. 25. Thirdly, it poin­ted out any one, as hee was an Expoun­der and Interpreter of the Law, and so of Aaron it is said, Exod. 7. That hee should bee Moses Prophet, which Iunius and Tremelius render, constitui Aaro­nem vt esset interpres tuus, and in this sense Saint Paul opposeth Prophesie as an ordinary gift, to that extraordinary gift of Tongues, 1. Cor. 14. making Pro­phets and Doctors of the Church (saith [Page 65] Mercer) to be Synonima's and of equi­ualent sense. Now relatiues being best knowne by their correlatiues, the surest way to find out the meaning of this word Prophet in my Text, will be by his sonnes, quaelis filius talis pater, Like son, like father. A Prophets sonne in the old Testament, is not the sonne of a Pro­phet so termed, for generation or adop­tion; no, this were to hold the graces of God in fee simple, and to entaile them to a Stocke or Linage, but for instituti­on and education sake. They are men­tioned sundry times in the Bookes of Kings, and by the circumstances of the places, as also the concurrence of Inter­preters, are found to be nothing else but young Students, trained vp vnder reli­gious and learned Teachers, as in Schooles and Accademies of pietie. A Prophet then in this place (by the nature of relatiues) is the Master or Teacher; and a Prophets sonne, the Scholer and Auditor in a Vniuersitie. Yet giue me leaue to affirme the roote of a Prophet in my Text (I speake not grammatical­ly) [Page 66]for this is denied by many, but histo­rically to bee Prophets inspired, who haue as it seemes, bequeathed the name of Prophet, vpon such Instructors as these, because they were the Founders of the Order, and their Predecessors in the Chaire. For whom doe we find stan­ding ouer the Prophets in that illustri­ous Schoole of Nayoth, but Samuel? 1. Sam. 19. whom ouer the Colledges in Bethel, Ierico, and Gilgal, but first Elias, and after him Elisha, 2. Kin. 2. and fourth Chapter? So that the Office and functi­on of Teachers in Schooles, being ador­ned with that sacred title of Prophet, and the Chaire consecrated by the Pro­phets themselues, who were the King of Heauens, Professors in those most an­cient Accademies of the Prophets sons, warrants me to inferre, the institution and erection of Schooles, or to speake plainely, of Vniuersities, the ordination of Masters and Instructers in the same, the cōcourse of Youth reduced vnder a certain prescript of Discipline therein, not to be a plot (as some imagine) of human inuenti­on, [Page 67]but sacred and of Diuine institution. Ʋide Iohan Regij. Dan­tiscani Do­russ. orat. 2. de compa­ratione & Paradisi: Gen. 3.8. And indeed, where shal we begin, & not discouer some Athenian ruines. What was Paradice before the fall of our first Parents, but a glorious Schoole, wherin magnus ille peripateticus, God who was heard walking in the Garden, did till that time possesse the Chaire? What was the Euening, Gen. 2.19. wherein Adam gaue names to creatures according to their Natures, but a Phylosophicall vespers? Gen. 3.1. What the conference with the Serpent, but a disputation; where such was the fortune of the day, that the Serpent which before was but allowed to aske a Placet, and dispute an argument vpon the victorie then gotten, mounted the Chayre, & euer since opened Schooles of his owne. Good cause then had the Church to be as sedulous and careful in building staire-cases for Heauen, as the Deuill in digging descents to Hell. And do you think it was not? Ioseph an­tiq. Iudaic. l. 3. cap. 2. Caine (saith Io­sephus) found out the Art of Weights and Measures; Iabal the Architecture of those dayes, he was the Father of all [Page 68]such as dwell in tents (saith the Scripture) Iubal inuented Musick, Gen. 4.20.21.22. hee was the Fa­ther of all such as handle the Harpe and Organ; And Tubalcaine an instructer of euery Artificer in Brasse and Iron. Thus was there a mixt Accademy of Mecha­nicks and Mathematicks erected with­in the Serpents Pale. The Deuil might here bragge as much as Endemon, Endaem. in Causab. or any Iesuite, penes se esse imperium litte­rarum, that the Empire of Learning was within his Dominion. It had been no disgrace to the Church to say, these were their Drudges to make Instru­ments and Tooles for them to imploy in the maine worke, to wit, in the doc­trine of true Religion, as it is no dis­grace to a Physitian that hee hath an Apothecary to compound his Medi­cines, or an Astronomer, that a Smith makes his Instruments: but yet shall wee imagine the Sonnes of God desti­tute, or without Schooles; nay, com­pleate Accademies of these and other Sciences? Ioseph an­t [...]q. Iud. lib. 1. c. 2. Seth (saith Iosephus) liu'd in an wonderfull happy state with his [Page 69]sonnes, they were all of a towardly dis­position, and inhabited their Countrie in marueilous tranquilitie, without sedi­tion, they found out the knowledge of Astronomy, the which against the malig­nitie of Fortune they wrote vpon two Pillars, the one of Brick, the other of Stone. I will not dispute the certainty of this, though Iosephus affirmes, that one of them was to be seene in his time in Syria; thus much is certaine, that the Houses of those Patriarches were very Schooles of all these Disciplines. I call to witnesse the Arke, the fabricke and building whereof was a very Lecture of exquisite Mathematicks, Buteo de arca Noe. Berosus Annian. Histor. Scholast. in Gen. Ioseph. an­tiq Iud. lib. 1. c. 7. as Buteo vpon this point hath learnedly declared. I ioyne that sudden spring of rare know­ledge immediately after the Floud: some mentions Chams Astrologie, others A­brahams Lectures to the Egyptians: there are not wanting, that specifie the Wisdome which Ioseph taught the Se­nators of Pharaoh to be the Arts, which that Country hath been alwaies proud of: and it is worth the inquirie, Ps. 107.22. what [Page 70]that Kiriathsepher, or Citie of Letters among the old Canaanites doth import; Iudg. 1.19. plaine it is, that Moses is noted in the seuenth of the Acts, Acts 7.21. to haue been learned in all those Sciences; and it is not credi­ble, that the Egyptians within that small space of time comparatiuely being but seuen hundred and sixtie yeares after the Flood, besides, hauing their liues shortned, should attain vnto that exact­nesse in all Arts, which the long-liued Fathers before the Floud, in one thou­sand sixe hundred could not. Well, hi­therto the Schooles of the Church were contented to share in the fortunes of the temporall state thereof, to be Pil­grimes vpon earth, and to trauell from place to place; and what maruell then if the tracts of them bee somewhat the more obscure. Lets see the Arke but once stationary, and the Church wel se­cured from enemies, & then what more eminent thing in the whole Land of Iurie then these Schooles? they are no more couched in valleyes, but seated vpon Mountaines, vpon which ground [Page 71](as Iunius obserues) they were termed Gibha, Iun. de accad. which is as much with the Iewes and Syrians, as an hill or high place, as also Labratha, which amongst the Ar­menians and Egyptians, the neighboring Nations of the Iewes, signifies a place of descent, and so in the first of Samuel, and the tenth, what was the place where Saul meetes the Prophets de­scending with their Tabrets and Psal­teries, but an high place, and the Hill of God? As who would say, that Schooles of Learning and Pietie are the Beacons which must giue light to the whole Land, and therefore ought to be seated in the most conspicuous places. I can­not tell whether the Court enuied the Countrey this felicitie, sure I am, that anon after, a Kings Palace was conuer­ted into an Accademy, and himselfe Re­gius professor in the same; which con­futes that common conceite had of Pla­to's Common-wealth, Plato de re­pub. lib. 5. that it is but an Idea of what hee would haue, and not what euer was: for who can deny it to be in Israel during the raigne of Salo­mon, [Page 72]where they were guiltie of that happinesse to haue a Philosopher to bee their King, and their King a Phi­losopher. I passe by his bookes of Pro­uerbs, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles, which Hierom diuides into Morall, Hieron. comment. in 1. Eccle­siast. Theoricall, and Supernaturall, obseruing in them Ethickes, Physicks, and Metaphysicks. I omit his learning in the Mathematicall Disciplines, wherein it is meant as I sup­pose, that he excelled the Children of the East, and the Wisdome of Egypt, their chiefe learning consisting in those kinds. I will not trouble you with his Lectures of Plants, and Beasts, & foules, and creeping things, whereof a Gesner is fitter to discourse then a Preacher, Gesner. de stirpibus & [...]ist. animal. thus much let me say of them before I passe farther, that he which thinkes Schooles euen of these subiects superfluous, calles Salomons Wisdome into question, and prooues his owne folly in confuting him. Well, Schooles being thus eno­bled by a King, had sacred Heralds to draw from thence forth a perpetuall pedegree of their descents, to shew how [Page 73]they branched themselues into sundrie Families in Bethel, Gilgal, and Iericho, 2. Kin. 2.4. 1. King. 18. vnder the auspicious conduct of Elias and Elisha; they had likewise the Kings Chroniclers to register their fortunes amongst the acts of the Kings, to tel the diuine protection they enioyed by the meanes of Obadiah; Ier. La­ment. [...]. 7. they wanted not Ieremie to insert their dismall disasters into his lamentations; and yet after all this, to prooue the immortall temper they are of, they giue the world to vn­derstand, that they liu'd when their Countrie died, and that in Captiuitie it selfe they were free. Then was their pouertie and exile beautified with the rich and incomparable learning aboue all the Chaldeyes, of Daniel, Hananiah, Dna. 1.20. Genebrard. l. 2. Cronol. Montan. in Apparatu. Ambros. in 1. Cor. 14. Mishael, and Azariah: from thence issued that skilfull Scribe and perfect Rabbi in the Law, Ezra, whom the Iewes make the Founder of that Accade­mie in Hierusalem, in which Gamaliel taught, and in which our Sauiour dis­puted amongst the Doctors; Luk. 2. But leaue we the old Testament, and come [Page 74]we to the new, and whom doe wee first salute there, but Iohn admidst his Disci­ples, who as Porphyrie to Aristotle, reads an Isagoge to Christ, a preface to the Gospell: whom doe we next meet but our Sauiour himselfe, whose conuersati­on with his Disciples was nothing else but a Schoole and Lecture of pietie. I should burden your patience in recoun­ting the seuerall Sects amongst the Iewes, Acts 6. [...]. as Pharisies, Saduces, Herodians, and others, each of which had their petty Accademies; the Libertines, Cy­renians, and Alexandrians which had their Colledges; Sigonius de repub. Hebr. lib. 2. c. 8. Scribes and Doctors of the Law, that wanted not their Sy­nagogues, which were Schooles of Re­ligion; and were so frequent, that Iurie it selfe seemed nothing else but one en­tire Vniuersitie of Prophets and Pro­phets Children: and what maruell, Dico illorum hominum (saith Austen) non tantum linguam, Aug. contra Faustion. lib. 22. c. 24 sed etiam vitam fu­isse propheticam, totumque illud regnum gentis flebraea quendam magnum, quia & magni cuiusdam fuisse prophetam; that [Page 75]is, not onely the language, but life also of those people was prophetical, and all the Kingdome of the Iewish Nation, was euen a great Prophet, because the Prophet of a great one. And now haue I deriued the race of our Prophets and Prophets sonnes, through the whole volume almost of sacred Writ, I find yet farther a forme of a Scholasticall exercise; and though not a Sylogisticall, yet an Oratoricall disputation mentio­ned by Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 14. together with the Lawes prescribed, and the stile of Prophet retained still with it; Let the Prophets speake two or three, and let the other iudge: which giues a glimpse at least, if not an authentike warrant for a Christian Schoole: Zanch. orat. de conseru. in Eccles. puro Dei verbo. thus much Zanchi­us bids mee say, that wheresoeuer you find Catechizing mentioned by the Apostle, you may affirme, that there was training vp of Youth in this Disci­pline: and such (saith he) was at An­tioch, whereof Barnabas was Teacher, Acts 13. and this Schoole was extant in the time of Constantine the great. [Page 76]And so hauing seene the Doctrinalls of this Prophet and Prophets sonne in my Text, lets see what vse and applicati­on, wee may frame thereof vnto our selues.

You see (beloued) here in my Text an Vniuersity Charter dated from Hea­uen, confirmed by the High Parlia­ment of the sacred Trinitie, and the wordes and stile of the foundation exprest by those most glorious titles of Prophets and Prophets Children. Other dignities are borowed from the world, and the world may challenge its owne againe; but this one priuiledge to bee Prophets and Prophets Children, is the phrase of the Court aboue; it is the language of the Spirit of God, and this none can take from vs. If we be religi­ous in preseruing the Liberties and Im­munities granted vs by the Princes of the earth, we should be sacriligious in neglecting this which proceeds from the King of Heauen, tis high impietie to haue one word of this raz'd, or one tittle alter'd, it must bee ingrost not [Page 77]with letters of inke, but in the Charac­ters of mans life, our actions and profes­sions, that whosoeuer can vnderstand, may reade, and whosoeuer reade may find, as it were engrauen in the liuing frontispiece of this our body, prophetas & prophetarum filios, both Prophets and Prophets sonnes. First, Prophets, and that is, when in the Schooles wee haue no other Regents then the Pro­phets themselues; and this libertie wee haue recouered againe, which once was lost, 1. Kin. 19.2 1. Ki. 18.13 when the Roman Iesabel forced Elias to flie, and the Prophets to hide themselues, to keep their Acts in Caues, and confine their intertainement to bread and water; they are now (thanks bee to God) returned from exile, and possesse their ancient places: and here I turne to those, who lothing the beau­tie of their natiue Soyle, vpbraide vs with defects and imperfections in our Nurseries, extolling the superficiall and histrionical teaching of the Iesuits, with the title of Methode and Expedition; the barbarousnesse of the Friers with [Page 78]the appellation of solliditie and sound­nesse, and aske, what are those ballances in which they weigh the ware of these men? I am sure there neuer wanted on our side a Dauid to encounter the stou­test Goliah which they could bring into the field: thus much my Text warrants me to say, that where the oldway, of which Ieremy speakes, Ier. 6.16. is not stood vp­on, but via Thomae, the way of Thomas, as the Dominicans speake, and via Scoti, the way of Scotus, as the Franciscans, where the Masters of the Sentences are not the Prophets, but Peter Lumbard growes to bee a Text, where Moses lies as in Popish conuenticles at the Popes feete, and he vsurpes his Chaire, they may haue a trunke or case of an Acca­demy; but the soule and life of it, which are Moses and the Prophets is depar­ted, they haue forfeited the priuiledges giuen them by God, and let them vsurp what Angelicall or sublimated titles they please, the best of them can say of him­selfe no otherwise then Amos heere, whilest he was an Heardsman, non sum [Page 79]propheta, I am no Prophet. And if the case stands so with the Master, that hee hath this sacred name of a Prophet pind on his sleeue for a monitor, how doth the Prophets sonne reflect vpon the Scholer. Doubtlesse no otherwise, then a picture doth vpon him that it repre­sents, I may almost say, as a definition vpon that which it defines. For, not to speake with that rigor in Logick, a sonne may analogically be the matter, and a Prophet the forme; the one the genus, the other the differentia, in the definition of a Scholer or Disciple. Take the common qualities of a sonne with the restringent qualifications of a Prophet, and they make that sweete harmonie which the Psalmist found in Brethren that dwell together in vnitie: For as a naturall father begets the body of his sonne, so a Prophet informes the soule of him, and no lesse restores that life which Adam lost, then the other that which it neuer had. Againe, as our earthly Parents communicate their worldly goods, so these spirituall Pa­rents [Page 80]the Prophets their spirituall trea­sures to their sonnes, and make them heires not by halues as the Pope, but of all that they haue. And lastly, as a natu­rall sonne is a part of his fathers family, so whosoeuer is truly the sonne of a Prophet, is incorporated into the fami­ly of a Prophet, submits himselfe to liue in ranke and place and obedience of a sonne; if otherwise, he either takes the Cell and Hermitage he liues in, to bee a Kings Palace, and a Schoole of fashi­ons, or with cursed Esau contemnes his Birth-right, Gen. 25.34 and sells his Fathers inhe­ritance for pottage, hee is no true sonne of a Prophet but an embrio, an abortiue fruite, a Changling, or rather a Cucko hatcht in his neast, making perhaps a ridiculous singing in the Spring and May-time of his life, stammering for good reason before the Summer of it, in the Autumne dumbe, and when the Winter of old age approacheth, taking no other thought, then how to shroud his nakednesse in some obscure hole from the sight of the world. The con­sideration [Page 81]hereof should rouse vp (belo­ued) euery one in his seuerall place to looke about him, and see in what ranke he is ordered, what is required of him, and how strict an account of so high a Calling wee must make. For, if Vices once ascend Gibha, the Hill of God, where shall they not enter? If Sathan plant ill manners in the most eminent place of the Church, in the houses of Prophets, what will he not doe in pri­uate Families? Samuel, the first builder (wee reade) of Colledges, calleth his Colledge Naioth, that is, 1. Sam. 19. euen beautie itselfe, now a small spot in beautie is a great blemish; againe, Colledges are Epitomes of the Common-wealth, as Athens was of Greece, and what a thing were it in an Epitome to find superflui­tie? Vniuersities are the Eyes of a Kingdome, and a Mote in the eye is a great trouble; briefly, Ezech. 47. Barad. in co [...]cord. & hist. Fuang. Tom 1. li. 2. cap. 6. they be Ezechiels Rockes or Bayes, where Salt is prepared to season the World, but if the salt lose its sauour, wherewith shall it be salted? They are not as some conceiue, those [Page 82] Parian Mines, those lapidarie materi­als, wherewith the wombe of the Earth trauailes at our doores, that haue raised vs from such modest beginnings to this splendor, the pollisht stones to garnish the house of the Lord are you; not those shady Groues which encircle this Palace of the Muses, that haue contri­buted to our Architecture, the Lebanon from whence Timber must bee fecht to build the Temple, are you; not those Appian aquaducts you see, or that sweet confluence of Tigris and Euphrates to to this our Eden, that crowne our hap­pinesse, the Fountaines and Conduits, to deriue water into the whole Land, are you; you that Ptolomean structure to bee gaz'd vpon, you that common Librarie of this Ile, the bookes to bee read by euery capacitie, you, the liuing Glosses, Commentaries, Institutions, Fathers, Prophets, are you, and you onely. Much more doe the termes of Prophets and Prophets children in my Text, vtter in a reall and Laconike flu­encie, where lest weight should be wan­ting [Page 83]to words, Amos himselfe inter­poseth, and bids vs consider them no more absolutely in themselues, but in relation to him which succeeds in the second place to bee treated of, I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophets sonne.

It were to be enquired into by those that are Critickes, what reading is most authentike. Vulg. For the vulgar renders it in the present tense, non sum Propheta, I am no Prophet, Iun. Tremel. Iunius and Tremellius in the preterimperfect, non Propheta eram, I was no Prophet, A. Mont. Arias Monta­nus without any note of time, as if Cro­nologie were not herein necessarie to be looked into, non Propheta ego, I no Prophet. This variety hath caused in­terpreters not a little to varie in their expositions. Greg. lib. 22 Moral. c. 41. For Gregorie thinkes that he remoues from himselfe by this ne­gatiue, the perpetuitie or duration of his Propheticall function; Hugo Card. & Lyran. ad locum. Hugo Cardi­nalis the act of Prophesie, not the ha­bite; some of the Rabbines, a lineall de­scent from any of that Order, and Ly­ra [Page 84]the title of false prophet; which meanings being so farre fetcht, and im­pertinent to the matter in question; Amos beside, being now called to the Bench or Consistorie of Amaziah the Arch-priest, they make the good man herein to play the Iesuite or Seminarie, and to vse a tricke of mentall reserua­tion, allowed by Parsons and others, Parson. in case the partie conuenting bee held an Heretike, not much differing from this, I am no Priest, that is, according to the Order of Melchisedech. Wherefore Ribera, Riber. Cal­uin. Pelli­can. ad loc. as also Caluin, Pellican, and the best of our reformed Interpreters, are contented that hee shall by this nega­tion, shake off the name of a Prophet, not in that superlatine sence, as it notes one enriched with supernaturall reue­lations from aboue, but onely in a com­mon and vulgar acception of those dayes, as it pointed out any one that being before times trained vp in the Schooles of the Prophets, became an ordinarie Professor or Teacher in the same. And this without fraud or coy­ning, [Page 85]seemes to be the very drift of A­mos, and suits moreouer most nearely with the subiect in hand. For, whereas Amaziah seemed to lay to his charge the ignominie of a false prophet, and that hee betooke himselfe to prophe­sying, Amos. 7.12. rather for by-respects, to begge his bread like a Friar mendicant, then otherwise, he falls smoothly vpon the most weightie question, how a man that pretends he is a Prophet inspired by God, may bee discerned to be such an one or no, and cleares himselfe by two most inuincible demonstrations, which containe in effect the decision of that point. The one by the fulfilling of things foretold, according to that rule giuen by God himselfe, Deut. 18. And if thou say in thine heart, how shall we know the words that the Lord hath not spoken? why, when (sayth he) the thing followeth not, neither comes to passe, thou shalt not be afraid of him; Rupertus in prolog. in Hoseam Ri­bera in prae­lud. in Ex­pos. omnium Prophet. Where Ru­pertus notes, that where a long space of time did intercede betwixt the foretel­ling of things and the accomplishing [Page 86]of them, as it often hapned in the Prophesies of Christ, the Prophets were wont to prophesie of some things of lesser moment, but yet more imme­diatly to ensue, as the destruction of such a Man, or such a Familie, and therefore if Amaziah doubt of Amos his extraordinarie calling, he tells him, that he should ere long reade the truth of it in his owne calamities, Namque dies aderit quam non procul auguror esse, O [...]id. Meta. mo [...]h. the day would come, and that it was not farre off, when his Wife should be an Harlot in the Citie, and his Sonnes and Daughters die by the sword, and himselfe die in a polluted Land. v. 17. The other demonstration or rule for the discer­ning of a Prophet inspired, are Mira­cles, which are not conuertible with this kind of Prophet we speake of, for many did none at all, yet where they are, wee may conclude such a man, to haue the power of God, and a more immediate calling from aboue. This is Eliah's sending confirmed by fire from Heauen, 1. Kings 18. The Apostles [Page 87]mission, by signes and wonders, Marc. 16. And to be briefe, Amos his extraor­dinarie gift of Preaching, by denying in him the ordinarie, I meane, the gift obtained by ordinarie meanes, by in­struction in the Schooles of the Pro­phets; and thus hee seemes to presse Amaziah in my Text; If neither at this time he were, nor heeretofore had beene by paines and industrie in his stu­dies, promoted to the place of a Tea­cher, or Instructer of Youth in the Schooles, the which wee vnderstand by the word Prophet in my Text, nay if hee neuer went so farre as to been an Hearer or Disciple of such Teachers and Instructors, which is meant by the Prophets sonne, then that he now ascends the Pulpit, and like a perfect Scribe in the Law, becomes a publisher of the Mysteries of God, must needs be mira­culous, argue his Calling to be imme­diat from God, and extraordinarie, and himselfe to bee a Prophet of an higher ranke, taught his lesson from Heauen.

Many excellent obseruations may from hence be drawen, as first, what is required of ordinarie Pastors in the Church; for, if not to haue beene in­stituted and trained vp in the Schooles of the Prophets, be here produced, as no lesse then a Miracle to prooue Amos his Calling to be extraordinary and im­mediat from God, it cannot be but an affectation of the like Calling, and a mistake of that order which God hath now setled in his Church, for any man that hath not that immediat Calling to intrude himselfe into the Function of the Ministrie, with the neglect and con­tempt of that Discipline. No man is borne an Artificer. The Soule of eue­ry one comes as naked into the world as his Bodie, not hauing so much free­dome as to set open Shop in the mea­nest Trade without seruing an appren­tiship. That which the Poets faigne of some, that they became most learned, solo Musaruni & Apollinis afflatu, hath a Poeticall licence for its Pasport; it was the priuiledge of those Legats, à latere, [Page 89]in the new Testament, the Apostles and the truely Apostolicall Nuncio's; Matth. 10.19. the Euangelists, when they were brought before Kings to speake their embassage without conning, and though (saith Austen, August. de doct. Christ. in pro [...]og. de doctr. Christ.) it be reported that Saint Anthonie could without any knowledge of Letters, repeate the whole Scriptures by heart, and that a Christian bond-slaue obtained by three daies praiers, to reade any booke at the first view, yet vpon these relations should no man looke to bee rapt vp with S. Paul into the third Heauen, or expect a parly with our Sauiour of his instruction. No (beloued) God hath founded his Schoole on Earth, and the Lecturers in Ordinarie, to whom hee sends vs for our lessons, are men. Corne­lius, though an Angell certifies him, his praiers found their acceptance with God, yet to reade vnto him the Do­ctrine of his Redemption, the Angell meddles not with the taske, but refers him to Peter, Act. 10. The Eunuch plods vpon the prophesies of Esay, and [Page 90]God, like a tender Master, lookes vpon him with the eyes of compassion, yet he neither speakes to him himselfe, nor dispatcheth a winged Messenger from Heauen, to informe him, but sets Phi­lip like a speaking Commentarie in the way to be his Guide, Act. 8. Saint Paul found that grace to bee spoken vnto by Christ, and to haue that sweet Oratorie of our blessed Sauiour, sollicite him in his iourney, but it was onely a generall summon; if, Paul, thou wilt know par­ticularly what thou must doe, Get thee into the Citie, and there Ananias shall tell thee, Act. 9. The ends hereof are many, to procure honour and respect to teaching, to make vs the true Temples of the holy Ghost, by deliuering his O­racles; and lastly, to open a doore for Charitie, to diffuse and communicate the rich treasures of Knowledge to o­thers. This made the most excellent and most renowned in both testaments for learning, both acquisite and infu­sed, to propose their owne education in this kind vnto others, for a rule to [Page 91]imitate; Ioshua vnder Moses, Samuel vn­der Eli, Elisha vnder Elias, Salomon vn­der Nathan, Baruch vnder Ieremie, Ti­mothy vnder Paul, and the Apostles themselues, as domestick Disciples, vn­der our Sauiour, were first trained vp, before they were sent out to preach. Nay, that most glorious Redeemer, which is the sole founder of this pro­pheticall Order, that chiefe corner Stone vpon which wee build, and to whose meritorius intercession vnto his Father, we owe this sacred Charter in my Text, made choice, Luk. 2. of the Hierosolymitan Academie, and of all times, their Acts, as it seemes, to bee the entrance and presage of his future Ministerie: there is hee found, for his place, in medio Doctorum, in the midst of the Doctors; for his gestures, a true Academick & a perfect Schoole­man, obseruing the formes of the Schooles in his Questions and Answeres. Was it that hee would recommend vn­to vs from his owne practice; the tray­ning vp of youth in these exercises, and [Page 92]in this method, or that withall he gaue the World hereby to vnderstand, that he offers himselfe, first, (this being, as it were, the first fruits of his propheti­call office) to the Prophets and Pro­phets sonnes, such as in the Schoole of pietie are industrious and vigilant in the purchase of Knowledge, vnlesse this al­so may be added for the honour of the Prophets, that he was first saluted God and Man, Matth. 2. by the Wise-men of the East, and presented in the Temple with the stile of Illuminate Doctor by Simeon, Luc. 2.25. Galat. l. 1. c. 3. whom Galatinus makes to be the Diui­nitie Reader in the Hierusolymitane Vni­uersitie. The Fathers in the primitiue Church, who were the Guardians of Christian Religion in its None-age, knew well the behoofe and necessitie of this Doctrine, and therefore whom preferd they to the stern of the Church, but such as had not onely beene sonnes of the Prophets, but also were worthy in respect of their rare and excellent lear­ning, to be Prophets themselues? For from whence was Polycarp aduanced to [Page 93]the See of Smyrna; or Irenaeus to that of Lions; Iren. aduer. haeres. l. 3. c. 3. Euseb. l. 5. c. 19. Hieron E­pist. 29. Socrat. hist. Eccles. l. 4. c. 22. Nazian. O­rat. 2: in Iulian. & in laudem Basili but as Irenaeus himselfe tells vs, from that flourishing Vniuersitie of Ephesus, founded by Iohn the Apostle? Whence Gregorius Neocaesariensis lifted to the Pontick Bishopricke, but as So­crates recites, from Caesarea, that re­nowned Schoole of Palestina? Whence Nazianzen set ouer the Sasimians; or Basil ouer the Capadocians, but from the Athenian Academie? In a word, whence were Pantenus, Origen, Clemens Alexan­drinus, and so many able and victorious Captaines, in that desperate and for­lorne state of the Church, prest forth to stand in the Gap, and in the fore-front of the Battaile, but from the Seminarie and Source (as Saint Hierome hath it) of all good Literature, Hieron. Ca­tolog. scri­ptorum Ec­clesiast. erected by Saint Marke himselfe in Alexandria? The reason is, because when wee hope to know any thing by speciall and imme­diate reuelation from God, wee vse not to betake our selues to studie and medi­tation, but to prayer onely and other good works; nor to the most learned, [Page 94]but to the most zealous and deuout: and therefore wee are not to bee steared by such as are onely more religious and deuout then others, but such as are withall more learned, the holy Ghost sending vs not now as in the old Testa­ment, 2. King. 22.14. to Huldahs & Amos his Women and Heardsmen, but to the Prophets and Prophets sonnes; for the Spirit which guideth the Church vnto the consum­mation of the World, Speaks not of it selfe, but whatsoeuer it heares that doth it speake. Ioh. 16.

A notable lesson (beloued) for these Fanaticall times of ours, wherein a ba­stardly brood discended from the loines of Montanus, and his prophecesses, Priscilla and Maximilla, haue multipli­ed and encreased aboue measure; and as if reuelations were parcells of their Trade, Heardsmen haue stept in to the Pulpit with Amos, thinking this war­rant sufficient, that they can say with him, Non Propheta eram, ne (que) filius Pro­phetae, I was no Prophet, neither was I the sonne of a Prophet. I will passe by [Page 95]the Swinckfeldians and Libertines, Sleidan. Comment. l. 10. Meshou. Hist. Ana­baptist. out of whose camps, Storkius in Saxonie, Shackerus in Heluetia, and that Leiden Botcher in Munster, laid siege to the ve­ry roote of Christian institution, by fo­stering this opinatiue inspiration, be­cause with such Innouators as destroy­ed the Principles of Faith, and tooke a­way the common Medium of all Dispu­tation, God himselfe the onely Dispu­tant in a desperate case, confuted them with horrible and feareful destructions, as Historians doe manifest. I could haue wished the funeralls of the men and their pernicious doctrine, had beene concluded both in a day, and that the same graue had couered them from the view of the World. But the apparitions so talked of in Poperie are but their ghosts, and the spirit so much bragd of by some more zealous then knowing, Pythagoras would sweare were their soules trauailed into other mens bo­dies. There are degrees (I confesse) wherein some stand guiltie in a greater measure then others, in the entertaine­ment [Page 96]of this error. Offenders in the highest degree, are those that thinke neither the skill of the Prophets, nor the attention of the Prophets sonnes, to bee any whit necessarie to the expoun­ding of the Word. The Popish Schole­men bid me reflect for this tenent vpon the Anabaptists in Germany, Bellar. l. 4. de verbo Dei, cap. 9. Gerson. Di­stinct. vi­sion. vera­rum & fal­sis. Caietan. tom. 2 opusc tractat. 1. de concep­tione Virgi­nis, cap. 5. Bosius, l. 16. de signis Eccles. c. 9. but by their leaue, howsoeuer Bellarmine disclaimes new reuelations; Gerson excuseth Friars visions with a fit of melancholy; and Cajetan aduiseth the Pope not to relie vpon them, in as much as Saint Brigit and Saint Katherine of Sienna, preten­ded contrarie reuelations for the conce­ption of the Virgin Marie in originall sinne, yet whilest they make the Bishop of Rome, whether learned or vnlearned, whether with aduice of others or alone, whether vsing his reasonable assent, or with Caiphas and Balams Asse, Sunt 26. artic. in qui­bus Magi­sler non te­netur. Vid. crrares Parisijscon­demnat. ad sinem P. Le [...]b. speaking what he knowes not, to bee so farre as­sisted by the Spirit of Christ, that in his interpretations of the Scriptures hee shall be out of the Sorbons lash, Magi­ster hic non tenetur, what doe they in ef­fect, [Page 97]but put the mad-man of Munster vpon their Lord the Pope, and by sup­posing him to bee such an irrefragable Doctor, without being either this Pro­pheta or Prophetae filio, in my Text, de­pose him of his ordinarie Pastorship, which they so mainely auouch, and commute it, if Amos his Logick bee sound, into an extraordinarie Calling. Not much inferior in madnes are those, who as if perfection still reigned, or the highest points of Religion were a ser­uice for a second course, inuite the De­terminations of the Schooles to their priuate Tables, presume to raise and de­fine more confidently, hauing neuer beene either Prophets or Prophets sonnes, then euer the Pope durst in a generall Councell, or the perfectest Ezra with the helpe of a well furnished Liberarie. Hieron. in Ep [...]ad Pau­ [...]n. Saint Hierome complaines in his Epistle to Paulinus, how farre this bold Baiardnesse of blind soules had en­crochd in his daies; that whereas the Practitioners of all other Artes, contai­ned themselues within the bounds of [Page 98]their professions, Quod medicorum est promittunt medici, tractant fabrilia fa­bri, onely the skill of the Scriptures e­uery one challenged to himselfe, Scri­bimus indocti docti (que) poemata passim, hanc garula anus, hanc delirus senex, hanc sophista verbosus, hanc vniuersi praesumunt, lacerant, docent, antequam discunt. Nor doth Saint Basil enforce lesse in his sharpe reply (mentioned by Theodoret) to one Demosthenes, Theod. l. 4. hist. c. 1. who being but an Officer of the Emperours kitchin, durst encounter that Doctor of the whole world with wrested Scri­ptures, [...], It belongs to thee to looke to the pottage pot, whereby hee condemnes not the reading of the Scriptures by the igno­rant, nor the reasoning vpon them by the common sort, but that sottish arro­gāce which quickly inuades the simple, whereby they will vndertake to runne before they can goe, reade before they can spell, and aduenture with the dim prospectiues of their brittle capacities, to judge of things a-farre off, whilest [Page 99]yet (God knowes) they see but glimme­ringly and vncertainly, Iudg. 9.36. and with Zebul in holy storie, either take men to be but the shadowes of Mountaines, or the shadowes of Mountaines to bee men. Let these men inueigh what they list a­gainst the Pope, their rash relying vpon the Spirit of Truth, not vsing the meanes which the Spirit requires; makes them corriualls with him for his Chaire, and works a facile beliefe that there might bee a Pope Ioane at Rome and shee Angla, Platina. when experience tells vs, there be so many of them of like qualitie here in England. Good God, is it so that we so lately abandoned Rome, and rescued our selues from the worship of the Beast, and are we now relapsed againe so suddenly to a new Apostasie? Hath the whole frame of nature gron'd for so many yeeres, and shrunke vnder the burden of one Ecclesiasticall Head, and must wee now play the Arithmeti­cians and multiply the number? Aug. Con. s [...]ss. l. 8. c. 8. Sur­gunt indocti & rapiunt regnum coelorum (saith a Father) the vnlearned arise and [Page 100]take by violence, they take indeed, but what? hee saith, regnum coelorum, the Kingdome of heauen, not Cathedras Doctorum, the chaires of the Learned. The Church in the Canticles, Cant. 3.3. seekes for him whom her soule loueth, it is the taske of euery one to seeke after our Sa­uiour, but it was à custodibus qui obeunt ciuitatem, of the Watchmen of the Ci­tie, those wise and learned Teachers, whom God hath set as so many watch­men vpon the walls of his Hierusalem. The parents of our Sauiour in the se­cond of Luke (as you haue heard) sought for him too, and found him, but it was in medio Doctorum, Luc. 2.44. in the midst of the Doctors, as if one should say, three dayes they sought for him and found him not, because they sought a­misse, they enquired for him in the Ci­tie, and in priuate Conuenticles a­mongst their familiars, hee which will most expeditely find him out, must first walk into the Temple, and frequent the Schooles, and aske of the Prophets and Prophets sonnes for him. Euery body [Page 101]hath a judgment of discretion, to looke into the Wells of liuing Water, to see whether they bee conueyed purely or not vnto him, but to roll away the stone from the mouth of the Well, that is, to remoue difficulties, whereby not onely Iacob and his sonnes, that is, the learned, but also the Cattell and the Sheepe, Origen in Matth. 4. cont. Cels. that is, the rude and ignorant may drinke, as Origen allegorically expounds it, (which pertaines to the iudgement of Direction) for this we must aske coun­sell at Abel, 2. Sam. 20.18. it is the birth-right of the Prophets and Prophets sonnes to do it.

Here therefore giue mee leaue with Ioash, to smite the Earth yet this third time, and with Leui to goe in and out from gate to gate amongst mine owne Tribe. It is no meruaile, if Prophets and Prophets sonnes bee Aliens and Strangers to the children of the world, if they sind enemies amongst the igno­rant, sluttish entertainment amongst the stupid, course diet amongst the bar­barous, yet they call you friends and kinsfolkes, and shall they salute any in [Page 102]the way with amice, vnde venisti, friend, whence camest thou, Matth. 22.12. who finding his nakednesse, shall become speechlesse? or with more courteous language, God speed my Brother, and haue this answer returned, Non sum Propheta, neque filius Prophetae, I am no Prophet? neither am I the sonne of a Prophet? Others may esteeme the training vp vnder Samuels and Elisha's, in the Schooles of the Prophets, to be a matter of ornament, to thee, which art a Guide of the Blind, a Light of them which sit in darknesse, an Instructor of the Ignorant, if thou dreamest not to be inspired with Amos, my Text assures thee, it is to thee neces­sitie. The Calling and Profession wee vndertake is weightie, the knowledge thereto profound, life short, aduersaries subtill, and we haue a perpetuall com­bat within the Church against Vices; without the Church, against Errors; being by consequent, reduced to the condition of Nehemiahs labourers, who building the walls of Hierusalem, Neb. 4.17. held the Spade in one hand, and the Sword [Page 103]in the other, and must repaire the brea­ches of the Church in the face of the Enemie. Now, hast thou an heart to fight the Lords battaile and wantest a shield, come to the Schooles of the Prophets, behold, the Targets of Salo­mon, all of beaten gold, are there? 1. King. 10.16. Art thou to encounter a blaspheming Phili­stim, 1. Sam. 21. & art destitute of a weapon, come to the Schooles of the Prophets, the Sling of Dauid and the Sword, where­with hee smote off Goliahs head, are there? Hast thou a Speare whose point is blunt and wants sharpning, goe down to the Schooles of the Prophets, the Grind-stones of the Philistims are there? in a word, 1. Sam. 13.20. wantest thou ought for the furniture of so great a Warre, repair to the Schooles of the Prophets, August. de d [...]ct. Christ. l. 2. for, loe, the gold and siluer of Egypt is there? I could instance in particulars, if the time would permit, and shew how vnprofitable Souldiers they bee, who presse themselues into this holy Warre, hauing neither borrowed Armes from these sacred Armories, nor taught their [Page 104]hands to warre, and their fingers to fight in these Schooles of Discipline: Sacred Diuinitie is that Saint, to whose Shrine the Princes of the Earth doe bring their glorie; and that Empresse, into whose Exchequer the Learned of all Professions cast in their Mite. Shee wants neither Valesius, Ʋalles. de sacra Philo­sophia. Buteo de ar­ca Noe. for a faithfull Bailiffe, to bring in a iust account of her naturall commodities; nor Buteo for a Ship-wright, to take the measure and summe the Tunnes of her Princely Admirall, R [...]ber, de Templo. [...] illalpand. Co [...]ment. in Ezech. the Arke of Noah; nor Ribe­ra and Villalpandus, for Masters in Ar­chitecture, to ouer-see the workman­ship of her royall Mansion house the Temple of Salomon; nor Ruens for a Lapidarie, Ruens de gemmis in Scriptura. Lemnius de plantis sa­cru & her­his Biblicis. Danaei E­lencl us hae­reticorum. to shew her Casket of pre­cious stones; nor Lemnius for a Herba­list, to looke to her priuie Garden; nor Danaeus for an Aduocate, [...], to conuince and display the Sophismes of her aduersaries the Heretikes; nor last­ly, many Stewards of her House, of whom, if thou learnest not [...] (as Saint Paul bids thee) to diuide her food [Page 105]aright, and to distribute it in due sea­son; whilest thou labourest amongst the people to diuido the Word, 2. Tim. 2.15 thou wilt make the Word a meane to diuide and distract the people. I speake not this to discourage the endeuours of the wea­kest of the sonnes of the Prophets, but onely to make good this Argument of Amos, alleaged for the proofe of his extraordinarie Calling, by shewing the difficultie of the worke, and how many followers they must bid welcome, that would giue due entertainment to so worthy a Ghest. God himselfe hath gi­uen vs a remarkable demonstration hereof in these latter time. For, as in the first plantation of his Gospel in Eu­rope, hee shipped the Artes before into Greece, that they might be Harbengers vnto it, as Tertullian speaks; or as Saint Hierome, the Munition to batter the Forts of the Wise, meaning to send the Souldiers soone after: so in the reuiuing of the Gospell, in the daies of our fore­fathers, there seem'd to goe before it a generall resurrection of all humane lear­ning; [Page 106]and the effectuall meanes of all this, a discouerie of that most noble Arte of Typographie, Melan [...]b. Chron. Ca­rion. lib. 5. which seemes re­seru'd vnto the weightiest times of the Church, euen the reuealing of Anti­christ, that so the whole powers of Na­ture and gifts of Grace, might vnite their forces and ioyne in one battaile against the Dragon and the Beast. Bee not deceiued (beloued) the warre is not against the Volscians, Liu. lib. 3. Luc. Flor. lib. 1. c. 11. Cic. de sinib. bon. & mal. lib. 2. where a Cin­cinnatus, a Dictator, taken from the Plow, will serue the turne; nor against another Iericho, where the walls will fall downe, if wee onely walke about them and blow Rams hornes, but a­gainst the sons of Anacke, those Giant­like voluminous writers of Rome, in regard of whom, ought but a well growne sonne of the Prophets, will seeme but a Grasse-hopper; and against the aspiring walls of Babylon, to lay siege to which, the whole Armour of God is necessarie, and all the furniture of the Prophets but sufficient. This ought not a little to worke a true ac­knowledgement [Page 107]of Gods fauourable a­spect towards vs, as in other blessings, so more particularly in the Nurseries of the Prophets, and nursing Farthers of Kings, which wee enioy aboue other Nations, lest the neglect or contempt of so great benefits, cause God as in the Church of Ephesus, Reuel. 2.5. to remoue his can­dlesticks from vs and place them other­wise. Wee know how heretofore the Easterne Churches contended for hou­ses of the Prophets, with the whole World: where are now those famous Schooles of Alexandria? Hicron. de­script. Eccl. Reuel. 1.20. Sozom. hist. Eccles. l. 1. c. 13. & lib. 6. c. 34. where those seuen renowned Churches of lesser A­sia? where those Colledges of Monks disperst throughout Egypt and Syria? where those Basils, Nazianzens, Chry­sostomes, Nissens, Cyrils? were they not (being vngratefull) vnworthy of those treasures, and therefore as the barren­nesse of the good Oliue tree, caused the engrafting of the wilde, that is, the vn­beliefe of the Iewes, the communicating of Gods mysteries to the Gentiles; so by the iust iudgement of God, where [Page 108]these meanes haue beene despised or a­bused, Matt. 4.18. the functions of the Scribe haue beene deputed to Fisher-men, and the message of the Prophets and Prophets sonnes, cōmitted (as here in my Text) to the deliuerie of Heardsmen, and ga­therers of Sycomore fruit, which is the affirmatiue condition or state of Amos, and should come next to be handled.

But as to treat of Heardsmen, is a point of husbandrie beyond the spheare of my profession, and an admitting of them without licence from the Patriark of Philosophers, Arist. Polit. lib. 7. c. 9. first obtained, within the precincts of the Chaire: so were it to conspire with Amaziah the Priest, in remouing our Prophet from Bethel, to present him before you in the Plaines of Techoah amidst his flocks, Amos 1. [...]. and I cannot tell: besides, the vnseasonable­nesse of the day for so long a iourney, whether the learned palates of my Au­ditors, could rellish such homely enter­tainment as those barren Desarts doe here in my Text promise, of a dish of Sycomore fruits, though it were of A­mos [Page 109]his gathering; I will therefore keep home for this time, and circumscribe my Meditations within this present circle of the Prophets and Prophets sons. And so, to GOD the Father, GOD the Sonne, and GOD the Holy Ghost, bee rendred all Honour and Glorie, Might, Maiestie, and Dominion, from this time forth for euermore. Amen.

EPHESVS COM­MON PLEAS.

HE which shall peruse the Annals of the Apostles, shall find Sathan; not like a Sage of the more anci­ent and better times, ap­parelled still in one and the same fa­shion, but in a copious Ward-robe, no lesse attyring himselfe in change of sutes; then Proteus amongst the Poets was painted out in varietie of hapes: At Lystria he appenres like a Comme­diun, Act. 14.12. Plautus. Amphit. as if a Scene of Plautus were to [Page 114]bee presented vpon the Stage, would haue Iupiter and Mercurie bee thought to act the parts of Paul and Barnabas. At Antioch he comes like a Iesuite with Traditions in his mouth, Act. 15.1. and would choake the proceedings of the Gospell by the mixture of abolished Ceremo­nies: At Athens hee sallies out of the Schooles like a Philosopher, Act. 17. and vnder the habite of a Stoike or Epicure playes the Sophister; here at Ephesus he pre­sents himselfe in his Apron, like an Ar­tificer: and yet surely of all these, I know not wherein hee shewed more Arte and Cunning; either then, when hee masked vnder the Philoso­phers Gowne at Athens; or now, when hee makes himselfe no better then a Townes-man of Ephesus. I am not ignorant, what Sectes Philosophie hath beene distracted into at Athens, nor what, contentions haue arisen a­mongst the professors of each part, wit­nesse the heart-burning which some­times Aristotle cannot dissemble against Plato, but the fray still ended with [Page 115]words, neither was Saint Paul more discourteously, entertained amongst them then with scoffes or sarcasmes, What will this Babler say? or, Act. 17. Wee will hears thee againe of this matter. In the conclaue of these Mechannickes, the wits of Hell are scraped to the vtter­most for a plot to ruine him; Profit and Commoditie, the most potent argu­ments of Rhetoricke are cull'd out, Vers. 27. by this man, our Craft is in danger [...] be set at nought, and if by great chance Reli­gion lurke in the skirt of some mans Conscience, then a Climax promotes the businesse, and the Theam [...] is aggra­uated from an amicle of their Creed, the Temple of the great Goddesse Diana is despised by him, and her Magnificencie is destroyed whom all Asia and the World worshippeth. Demetrius a Siluer-smith by Trade, that thus artificially blew the coales of commotion amongst his Fellow-artificers, and one that made (as the Text tells vs) siluer Shrines for Diana; yet pardon mee, if I thinke, not more curious in making of those [Page 116]Shrines, then in the composure of this Oration. Plin. l. 36. c. 14. What the Temple of Diana vilified and set at nought? a place so magnificent for the structure, hauing been, as Plinie relates it, two hundred & twentie yeeres in building; so renow­ned for the Oracles of the Goddesse; so magnified for the Image supposed fallen downe from Iupiter; V. 35. so honou­red by the Oblations of all the Astatike Potentates: no maruaile, if the violence of these blasts shake the foundations of Ephesus, Solin. Poly­hist. c. 52. & Plin. lib. 2. c. 84. and the Citie so subiect as Geographers relate, to the rackings and tremblings of the inferiour Element, doe now feele and vnwonted and vn­heard of Earth-quake in the bowels of her Inhabitants: And thinke it as soon done as said, onely passe forwards, if you please, and imagine this done, what place such a mixrand heady mul­titude would picke out, to breath forth those sulphurious and restlesse vapours which disquiet them within. But my Storie trauailes to your conceit, when in briefe, it names the Theater, a place [Page 117]so dissonant to deliberat consultations, and indeed to the acts of the reasona­ble facultie, that wee may well hold those Commentators excused, if they erre, who would haue this Day to haue beene the Time, and this Assemblie in the Theater, the Beasts which Saint Paul, in the 1. Cor. Theophilact. in 1. Cor. 15 Thom. Gloss. Haimo, Car­thus. Bruno, Anselm. is said to haue fought with at Ephesus after the manner of men. Let me spare, for breuitie sake, other passages of the Storie, the Ephe­sians acclamations, Saint Pauls coura­gious resolution, his friends discreet counsel, Alexander the Iewes enterprise, and obscrue what my Text leads mee vnto, The Towne-clerkes demeanour in stilling the vproare. And here may you behold a Map of a perfect Politi­tian. The commotion and insurrection he would allay, and Paul with his asso­ciat, for I know not what affection, he would refine, but the meanes he stands not vpon, whether by reconciling the fabulous originall of Diana's Image, or by an vniust excuse of Pauls compani­ons, that they were not speakers against [Page 118]their Goddesse. This was not the de­sire of these Saints, to be freed by such Pleas; Paul, thou hadst lost thine ho­nour, and Demetrius had wonne the day, if thou hadst payed so deare for thy libertie. The titles and names, wherein thou now liuest, had here pe­rished and breathed their last, hadst thou consented to redeeme thy safetie by such an Aduocate. But see our Ora­tor is somewhat mended, he ends bet­ter then hee beginnes, reseruing his weightiest stroakes for the fare-well of his speech; where hee satisfies Passion with Reason; Furie with Iustice, and in my Text diuerts the rapid streame of an hare-brain'd Assembly, by pre­senting the maiesty of an Assises or Ses­sions, where you may obserue,

viz. First, A producing of accusers, Demetrius and the Crafts-men.

viz. Secondly, Directions for their hearing, The law is open, and there are Deputies.

viz. Thirdly, A prescription, or a forme to be vsed in this hearing, Let them implead one another.

Thus haue you the parts and parcels of this Text disioynted, let me craue your patience and attention (right Honou­rable and the rest Beloued) in my hand­ling of them, whilest, first, I shall pro­duce the accuse [...]s, for whom I will de­sire your fauour no otherwise then they deserue, Demetrius and the Crafts­men which are with him.

The best inuentions we see are liable to abuse; The Deuill hath in all Trades some bound apprentise vnto him, whom he teacheth some mysteries or other aboue their fellowes. As heere these Siluer-smiths amongst the rest, whose Trade is approued for vse, affe­cted for ornament, warranted by the skill inspired into Bezaliel and Aho­liab by the Holy Ghost, Exod. 35. haue yet some additions from Sathan, and become in many things the fosterers of Idolatrie and Superstition. Had De­metrius and the Crasts-men employed their industrie onely in what their Trade was ordayned for, Pauls prea­ching would neither haue preiudiced [Page 120]their commoditie, nor they haue beene his accusers. But now they find sweet gaines in making Shrines for Diana, which, whether they were such con­caue Cells as in Popish Churches the Images of Saints are housed in, Lyran. as Ly­ranus thinkes, or rather Images repre­senting the Temple of Diana, not vn­like to those which are now made for our Ladies Chappell at Loretto, as Lo­rinus conceiues, Lorin. ad loc. I will not now stand to dispute; it is sufficient that our Aduer­saries may know whence to deriue the pedigree of their Idolatrie, and we not vnfurnished of a Lesson for our instru­ction, learne, how in an honest course of life which men professe, vnlawfull gaines may make them to be vniust ac­cusers. But this practice may challenge prescription, and if Antiquitie be any note of Veritie and Trueth, I doubt not, but that Demetrius and the Crafts­men in my Text, may with ease pro­duce such examples in all Ages, as might warrant their Saintdome in the Popes Kalender. In the Scripture, what [Page 121]is more familiar then for a Ziba to ac­cuse his Master, 2. Sam. 16. or false witnesses to condemne a Naboth for commodities. 1. King. 21. Marc. 11.15. When comes Christ to stroakes but with the Money-changers in the Tem­ple? or where, as if the remembrance of the Pharsalian Field twixt Caesar and Pompey, had yet some impression in the Inhabitants of Philippi, Act. 16.19. are the Apostles worse encountred then there? for that Paul spoyles the market of one which made a new-found commodi­tie of the Deuill. I could enlarge this passage with varietie of patternes, but that our Saniour hath fore-told, The Seruant must expect no better vsage then his Master: and let me then aske you, Matth. 26.15. why did Iudas betray him? the thirtie pieces will tell you, it was for gaine: why did his accusers brand him with blasphemies? their hyer sayth, it was for gaine: why did the Priests and Pha­risies conspire his ouerthrow? their consciences pronounce gaine; for they said, If wee let him thus alone, all men will beleeue on him, and the Romans shall [Page 122]come and take away our place, Ioh. 11. Thus doe those arguments drawne, à vtili, sway the world, whereof our times doe yeeld pregnant testimonies. Looke out into the Shrines of our Ad­uersaries; if they were erected onely for the aduancement of Religion and Pietie, their accusations against vs, might carrie more authoritie in their foreheads, but if they be but the Popes Exchequors, and their Priests, but like the Publicans which sit at the receit of custome, pretend what they can, al­leage what they will, their quarrell a­gainst vs is but the same of Demetrius and the Crafts-men against Paul, they fight not so much, pro aris as pro focis, I may english it, for the Chappell as the Kitchen.

But my desire is to make my appli­cation more generall. You haue hi­therto beheld the condition and quali­tie of Pauls accusers, Demetrius and the Crafts-men with him are now va­nished; and Time, which hath deuou­red itselfe, hath also eaten vp both their [Page 123]Shrines and them also; so that I shall not need to implore your ayde in in­sisting of Paul or his companions at Ephesus. But the Deuill, though hee cannot play vpon the open Stage of this world, as in those dayes, yet cree­ping into the Temples of mens hearts, and aduancing therein the high and shining Idoll of Riches, the all-com­manding Image of bright Gold, hee prompts the Heires of Demetrius and the Crafts-men, to continue the quar­rell against the Ministers of the Gos­pell, and hath won them to receiue fu­rie and mad nesse as parcell of what was bequeathed them by their seditious predecessors. I mind not to impose vp­on you, that the Temple of Diana is yet standing, no, the ruines of that wonder are intombed within the en­trals of the Earth, which once bare it; but, good God, other Deities doe now bring gaines to the Crafts-men, and which is to bee pitied rather or admi­red, I cannot tell, such as feare no pe­riod but the dissolution of the world, [Page 124]nor whose Oracles shall cease but with Christs second comming, as the former did with his first. What Shrines are now erected to Intemperancie, what Altars to Pride, what Phanes to Luxu­rie? Let Paul himselfe disswade his auditors from approaching of these Temples, and Demetrius with the Crafts-men will crie out, Our Craft by this man is in danger to be set at nought. Thus are the Preachers of the Word thought ill Common-wealths men, when they seeke to enlarge the territo­ries of the Church, and to beat downe the Forts of Sathan. If wee perswade Sobrietie, then those Cages of vncleane birds, those Sinkes of drunkennesse, exclaime, we depriue them of their cu­stomes; If wee wound Pride, or cor­rect Vanitie, Fashions grow out of fa­shion, and their Inuenters sit downe with losse; If we preach Charitie and Conscience, Vsurers feare that their dealings are censured and their gaines questioned; If wee touch Simonie, how many Patrons thinke the Church [Page 125]would depriue them of some part of their iust inheritance? O what Logi­cians are the Deuils scholers, how sub­tile Sophisters are they in framing con­clusions through all figures and moods. Had Saint Paul beene Pastor of Ephe­sus, and then challenged Demetrius for detayning some Tithe or Gleabe from him, it had beene no vnaccustomed Plea, if Demetrius had enflamed the Artificers with, it is your owne case; but when Paul onely preacheth Christ vnto the Ephesians, and winnes them vnto his Gospell, what Enthemems, what Consequences must Demetrius in­ferre one vpon the necke of another, before he can make Pauls preaching to be either his owne or the Crafts-mens vndoing? I congratulate here (belo­ued) the humilitie of Diuine Sciences, which hauing sequestred, as it were, themselues from the corruption of the World, doe with a dutifull acknow­ledgement of superioritie, without these repinings submit themselues to the correction and checke of Gods [Page 126]Word; Indeed Demetrius might giue a good reason of this quiet and still temper of Mercurie; for in dealing in principles of Arts and Sciences, the Preacher toucheth no mans commodi­tie; for what was Aristotle the richer for denying Vacuum in the World, or Democritus the poorer for affirming it? what is Galilaeus the wealthier for dis­crying mountaines in the Moone, or Kepplenus the lesse landed for not see­ing them? to be a Nominalist or to be a Realist are held matters of great im­portance amongst some, and yet make the most they can of Vniuersals, genus & species cogitur ire pedes. I thinke that neither of them will make any great market of either. But descend to other Problemes, conuince Briberie, tax Op­pression, disswade Depopulation; or if you list to looke ouer sea, and denye the Popes Ecclesiasticall and Tempo­rall Iurisdiction, or question Purgato­rie, his Market-towne; Indulgences and Pardons, his Ware; now you touch Saint Peters copie-hold, these [Page 127]bold Preachers must looke to them­selues, there want not Demetriuses and Crafts-men enough to accuse them. But here you may behold as in a Mirrour, the state of Christs Messengers in this Church militant vpon Earth; you may see what Bands of Atheists; what Ar­mies of Epicures, what Legions of co­uetous Mammons, they necessarily doe prouoke and incense against them. The Generall of these Troupes is not a bo­dily but a spirituall Enemie, whose Dragon eyes pries into all aduantages against them, intermits no time to en­trap them, no stratagem to subdue them. Now, what safetie can there be for simple Innocencie, where there is so vigilant a Captaine, so officious Souldiers? Antichrist may come with Peace in his mouth, when hee hath Warre in his heart; hee may court it with the flatteries of an Harlot, when either hee hath Poyson in his cup, or Powder-plots in his head; wee, where Christ hath set vp his Flagge of defi­ance, must deliuer his Message in his [Page 128]words; wee may not either by men­tall reseruations, or verball equiuoca­tions, or secret euasions whatsoeuer turne either to the right hand or to the left, but that which hee puts in our mouthes that must wee speake. Quid proderit non puniri suo qui puniendus est alieno peccato? (sayth Prosper.) What will it boot a man not to be punished for ones owne sinnes, when if he cease or omit to reprehend others, hee shall be punished for their sinnes? so that in this naked Warfare which we vnder­goe, in this plaine Song of the Word which we sing, we find a weapon offen­siue perhaps to some, no way defensiue to shield vs from their malignitie; hence Backbitings, hence Slandrings, hence Reuilings, hence false Accusations, how few Pauls, how many Demetriuses how few Patrons of Religion, how many Crafts-men? And how should the chance fall otherwise? for thinke you that the world will now brooke a checke of our rudenesse, when the Di­uine eloquence of the Apostles was so [Page 129]harsh vnto it? or will the sonnes of the Earth suffer without indignation the least diminution of their riches by our meanes, when they welcommed S. Paul himselfe with such affronts for attemp­ting it? nay, rather perish Religion, fall Churches, cease prayers; be forfeited all the treasures and conduits of grace to the vttermost racke of Saluation, & the losse of Heauen to boote. But I hope better things of this Auditorie, I trust (right Honourable) that your graue wisedomes will bee a Sanctuarie vnto those which are accused by Demetrius or their factious complices. Magistrats, as the best cōmission they can shew for their authoritie, is the Word written; so the best Agents they haue to cause that their commands are executed, are the Ministers of this Word. You deale not with Barbarians but Christians, this is our labour; your lawes are exe­cuted, not of constraint, but willing­nesse; this is our diligence: you are obeyed, not for feare, but conscience; this is our industrie. O what an happy [Page 130]thing were it then for England, if the place which I now stand in to defend against the Crafts-men, were lesse con­temned, more reuerenced and obeyed, we should then need no Assises but the Iudgement Seat of God, no Accusers but Conscience, no Bloud to shed but Teares, no Torments to affrighten but Hell, no Death to die but to Sinne and Iniquitie; As for the rest of this iudi­cious Assemblie, whereof the greater part are interested in Pauls cause, my best hopes are, that they will not leaue any which possesse his roome to the bitings of such Dogs, if their merchan­dise haue corrupted any to be fauourers of their gaines or touched with their losse, I should rather hold them meet to bee admitted into the Corporation of Demetrius and the Crafts-men, then to be reputed successors either of Paul or his companions. And so I passe from the accusers produced, Demetrius and the craftsmen, to the directions for hea­ring, which come in the second place to be treated of, The law is open, and there are Deputies.

[...], saith the Originall, which in Latine may bee rendred, Fo­renses aguntur, or to vse Cicero's phrase, Forum agunt, the Pleas are held, or the Courts are kept. Now, what these Courts should be, I find some difference amongst Writers. The Syriack transla­tion implies (as Tremellius obserues) the Corporations of Artificers, to which either Numa, Dionys. Ha­licar. lib. 1. Plin. lib. 34. c. 1. Flor. in E­pist. Baron. An­nal. Tom. 1. as Dionysius Halycarnas­saeus and Plinie report; or Seruius Tul­lius, as Florus affirmes, gaue these im­munities, to haue Causes heard and de­termined within their owne Halls; Ba­ronius would haue them to bee vnder­stood of certaine Circuits, which the Roman Proconsuls deputed for Asia, (whom hee would haue here meant by Deputies) made at set seasons in those Prouinces, and were not altogether dif­fering from those which at this time are presented to our view; Lorin. ad loc. and this Lori­nus moreouer confirmes out of Dion, Chrysostomus, and Festus, de verborum significationibus. Howsoeuer, two things worth our consideration at this time, [Page 132]doe in these words offer themselues to be discussed: the one, the free accesse which [...]ourts of Iustice doe yeeld to all Plaintiffes, argued in that hee saith, The Law is open. The other, the due Ministers of Iustice, for the satisfacti­on of all complaints, where he addes, And there are Deputies. For the first, where it is here said, The Law is open, the question ariseth how farre the bor­ders of this Libertie doe extend. Some distinguish betweene the dutie of the Magistrate, and the dutie of priuate Persons. Sot. lib. 4. de inst. q. 4. art. 2. The Magistrate (saith Sotus) is to proceed according to the iniurie of the Patient, because the forgiuenesse of trespasses, which our Sauiour en­ioynes his followers to performe, is an act appertaining to a man in his abso­lute state of Christianitie, and not as he is respectiuely considered in some Office or Function of the common-wealth; therefore, vnlesse the pardoning of a crime in an Offendor, bee more expe­dient for the common good (to which euery priuate person is to submit his [Page 133]Cause) the Law, saith he, is open on the Magistrates side to all; the consi­deration whereof made the Courts of Iustice in all times to set open doores, as we reade of the Elders of Israel, They sate in the Gates of the City, that so who­soeuer went in or out might haue their Causes determined, and free accesse might bee giuen to all Commers, least the complaint of Absolon against Dauid should bee verified, 2. Sam. 15. See thy Matters are good and right, but there is no man depu­ted of the King to heare thee. But if wee consider priuate persons, the reason is different, for concerning these, Thom. 2.2. q. 68. Thomas giues two rules. The first, that in mat­ters which concerne the common good or common hurt, the Law is open to e­uery man in particular, to bee an Actor or Accuser. And indeed in such Cases, beside that (as Ambrose saith) qui in­dulget indigno, ad prolapsionis contagium prouocat vniuersos, in being pittifull to some one, we may be cruell vnto many, Achans stealth vnreuealed, Eli and his sonnes defaults vnreformed, cost the [Page 134]liues of many Israelites; one Ionahs dis­obediece almost sunke a ship, wherein were many I [...]ocents; and by the crime of some one person, oftentimes the whole people are held defiled. The se­cond Rule of Thomas, is, that in matters which concerne not the common good or common hurt, but onely some mens particulars, there is a larger scope gi­uen. Though the Gates of Iustice, as I said before, stand wide open, yet before we may enter them in our priuate busi­nesse; we must consider, first, the End of our entrie, that it bee not reuenge, but either the repaire of our owne los­ses, or to amend our aduersaries; for in this latter Case (saith Austen) he which meditateth Iustice, Eleemosynam facit quia misericordiam praeslat, doth Al­mesdeeds in that he compassionately reclaimes his brother from an errour. Secondly, wee must weigh the qualitie of the businesse, if it bee weightie and not trifling; if necessarie and not friend­ly to be composed: and, lastly, if such, as is subiect to restitution. [As alwaies we [Page 135]must forgiue our Aduersaries, in respect of hatred to their person, and of priuate reuenge; so some times in respect of Legall satisfaction. He which will goe as farre in all points as the Law will giue him leaue, must hope for an Aduo­cate to pleade his Cause at the last Day, and be sure, that Forfeitures and Ad­uantiges be as currant Law in Heauen, as they are vpon Earth. The drinke of Gheistians is the soft sliding Siloah, not Esecke, and Massa, and Meribah, the waters of Strife and Contention. Wee may remember the Doome which ligh­ted vpon the Seruant in the Gospell, Mat. 18.29 that forgaue not his fellow Seruant the hundred pence which hee ought him, when his Lord had a little before for­giuen vnto him ten thousand Talents. All the while (saith Chrysostome) that hee had wasted the ten thousand Ta­lents, his Lord was mild vnto him; Chrysost. in Gen. hom. 27. now when hee grew cruell vnto his fellow, O thou wicked seruant (saith he) I for­gaue thee all that debt, those ten thou­sand Talents, for a little lip seruice, be­cause [Page 136]thou desiredst mee, shouldst not thou in so smal a matter, as one hundred pence, haue had cōpassion on an Equall of thine, thy fellow seruant? The appli­cation is easie, we our selues aske par­don daily for talent sinnes, as I may call them, and ought not we to forgiue our brother peny offences? But the Law is open (saith my Text) true; that thou maist vse it when necessitie requireth it, not when thy Auarice and Malice abett thee: when Iustice hath absolued thine Aduersarie, what is that to thee? Wee say not, forgiue vs our trespasses, as the Iurie shall acquit them, which trespasse against vs, but as we forgiue them. It were good that wee should marke this Clause more carefully, least we be con­strained to doe as Latimer reports of some in his daies, [...]. who being not wil­ling to forgiue their Enemies, would not say their Pater noster at all, but in stead thereof tooke our Ladies Psalter in hand, because they were perswaded, that by that, they might obtaine such fauour as forgiuenesse of their sinnes [Page 137]at Gods hands, without putting in of so hard a Condition, as forgiuenesse of their enemies into their bargaine. But I need not insist longer vpon the explica­tion of our Towne Clerks, meaning, where he saith, The Law is open; if hee had done this to incite them to Law, vnder fauour, I might iustly thinke that hee had either spoken for his com­moditie, but I thinke hee could not ex­pect large fees from a man so poore and honest, as Saint Paul. Act. 24.26. He which would not haue his Cause suspected by bri­bing Felix, would not now haue sought fauour by feeing the Towne Clerke, and therefore I leaue this phrase with its fa­uorable construction. The second point, with the Towne Clerke, in this directi­on mentioneth, was the Ministers of iu­stice, specified here by the name of De­puties. A double way of satisfaction is intimated in my Text, the one pri­uate, vsed at this time by Demetrius, who suspecting, perhaps, the equitie of his Cause, brought not the matter be­fore the lawfull Magistrates, but caused [Page 138]an vproare amongst the common sort, and thought by their furie to be auen­ged vpon Saint Paul and his Compani­ons. These proceedings, the Towne Clerke, in my Text, disswades them from; for, besides the danger which might accrue to the Citie (being now subiect to the Romans) from such com­motions; reason would confute these Anabaptisticall proiects, of working Re­formation without the authoritie of the Magistrate: therefore, the Towne Clerke tells them of another remedie for their griefs, if they had ought against any man, by making their complaints knowne in open Courts, & in a lawfull Assembly to the Deputies. This course, not the twelue Tables of Rome, not the Edicts of the Emperors, not the Plebiscites of the people, not the Decrees of the Senate doe authorize, but the Magna Charta, euen the Acts of the blessed Trinitie, doe warrant for au­thenticall. I might here summon for confirmation, those frequent admoni­tions ingeminated againe and againe in [Page 139]the Lawes of Moses, Exod. 23.6. Exo. 18.21. to incite the Iudges to the due performance of their iudi­ciall authoritie; Leuit. 19.15. I could fortifie it with the presence of the Almightie, whom the Psalmist makes the President of the Bench, Deus stat in medio Deorum, God standeth or assisteth in the midst of the Iudges, Psal. 82. I might, if it were not preiudiciall to the Pope, adde that ap­peale of Saint Pauls to Caesar, Act. 25. or that Patent which hee deliuers Ma­gistrates from Heauen, that their power is ordained of God, Rom. 13.

But I desire for vse sake to applie these directions in my Text, concer­ning the deciding of Law Cases, to this present Age. The World is compared to a Theater; Let the Theater wherein our Towne-clerke is orating, bee the Embleme of it; Two sorts of Audi­tors he had, the one which knew not wherefore they were come together, and may not altogether bee vnlike to the Anabaptists, and Trinitarians of our times; they suffer Demetrius and the seditious Crafts-men to haue their [Page 140]fetches, and by a wilfull neglect dis­arme the Magistrate of his force, and suffer a Fire to encrease without quen­ching. These can distinguish like Vto­pian Statists, Virum bonum à bone Ciue, a good Man from a good Citizen, as if, forsooth, euery man were to bee a watchman ouer his owne wayes, but the care of the Common-wealth were out-lawed by Christ, and had pitched her Tabernacle onely amongst the Tents of Kedar. To goe to the Court of Iustice for redresse, was a thing (say they) permitted the Iewes, who were but as Children in the knowledge of Diuine Mysteries; now in the maturi­tie of the Gospell, our Sauiour hath giuen other precepts; Matth. 5.39. Hee which shall smite thee on the right Cheeke, turne to him the left; he which shall take thy Coat, giue him thy Cloke also. Truly, with some contentious Aduersaries, this do­ctrine may liberally hold for good counsell, lest by too much wrangling one spend not his Cloke onely and Coat, that is, his outsides, but be stript [Page 141]of his inside also; yet (as they con­ceiue it) it is more profitable to theeues and felons, then honest men, to the broachers whereof, I wish but Sergius Paulus Propretor at Cyprus, Act. 13.7. Rom. 13.23. and Erastus Questor of Corinth, both Christians, and Saint Pauls Hearers, to confute them with the Sword of Authoritie, which their profession (I wis) made them not to depose. So absurd and ri­diculous was that obiection of Iulian the Apostata, Aret. loc. commun. p. 474. and Proclus in the time of the Fathers, against Christians, as if they had beene the Patrons of this er­rour. It is true indeed, that if we speake comparatiuely, rather then to set our minds vpon priuate reuenge, the mag­naminitie of a Christian should bee shewed in sufferings, and wee should share with Socrates in his choice, who answered, that if his hard lot were such, that either hee must beare or offer wrong, for his part hee would suffer iniurie: But when wee reade these or the like sayings in holy Writ (as are aboue mentioned) Saint [Page 142] Austin ad Marcellinum, well determines the doubt, that these are precepts and necessarie, quoad animi praeparationem, that is, for the inward disposing and preparation of the mind, but quoad exe­cutionem externam, for outward pro­ceedings, we are euer to doe that which we shall see most expedient for the glo­rie of God, the good of the Church and Common-weale; and lastly, their saluation with whom wee deale. But me thinkes these sort of Sectaries are alreadie gone out of the Theater, they are soone vanished; and I know not where to find any more which offend in this defectiue vice, the world is more pestered with the redundant qualitie, with those Demetriuses which are so farre from not returning euill for euill, that rather then the Magistrate shall faile in retaliating their iniuries, will take the Sword into their owne hands, and lest they should seeme Anabaptists, in taking two blowes for one, will giue two blowes for one. Thus will euery man be a Pope in his owne cause, de­pose [Page 143]the Magistrate, at least appeale from him to himselfe. These are the Is­maelites of our dayes, their hand is a­gainst euery man, and euery man, and euery mans hand is against them. It is pitie that an Hea­then Oratour could rid a Theater of such wild beasts, and that the persua­sions of the Gospell, the threatnings of the law, the authoritie of the magistrate should not tame them in a Common­weale. If there were no Iudge in Israel, yet the Law of Nature would backe thee no farther then to defend thy self; but now this Plea is wanting, [...], see, The law is open, and there are Deputies, a weapon is lift vp to auenge thee of thine aduersarie, but it is the Magistrate that must award the blow.

There is nothing so bad which hath not found its Patron and Extoller, Bald­nesse its Synesius, the quartan Feuer its Fauorinus, Folly its Erasmus, Drunken­nesse its Furner, the Deuill its Bruno, the Pope his Aduocates, and I know not with what successe our Humorists, con­ciued [Page 144]vnder Mars and borne in the Dog-daies, haue found some Italians or other, to vp-hold their Paradoxe of counterfeit valour, against the rule of Equitie and square of Iustice. Bee they who they will, seeing their practice sa­uours no more honorably then of De­metrius and the Crafts-mens procee­dings in my Text, who sought not to the Magistrate for satisfaction, but would needs be their owne caruers, the iustnesse of the consequence, and the o­portunitie of the time, prompts mee to say somewhat.

Whatsoeuer the wits of this Age can pretend, I find no solid Writer euer so bold, as to determine the question affir­matiuely, Whether in any Case what­soeuer, single combats vnder-taken and accepted, be lawfull. It hath beene the practice in Liuonia, and is an old relike of the Gottish Empire, in some countries of Europe to make it a part of iudiciall proceeding, that yet few or none doe peremptorily maintaine the lawfulnesse of it, nay, most doe apologize for them­selues, [Page 145]that rather they prescribe cautels for moderating the abuse of it, then any wise allow the vse, and the reason gi­uen, is this, that whereas it is taken vp as a diuine lot to discouer the Truth, the meanes is nothing correspondent to the end, in as much as the victorie falleth rather to the more strong or more skilfull, then to the iuster in cause; an example whereof, P. Mare. in 1. Sam. 17. Ca [...]et. in Thom. 25.2. q. 95. art. 8. Valent. in Thom. tom. 3. disp. 3. q. 17. punct. 1. & Nauar. in manual. c. 11. & 15. P. Martyr produ­ceth out of the Decretalls, de purgatione vulgari, cap. significantibus, where is set downe such a Duell, in the which he with whom the theft was afterward found, slue the other which accused him. Cajetan indeed with Valentia and others, put a Case, wherein though the Magistrate may offend in adiudging the Combat, yet it may be lawfull for a partie to accept it, and that is, when an innocent person is vniustly adiudged, that either he must accept the Combat or suffer death; but these are cases wherein the Magistrate giues tolera­tion to the action; the point which my Text oppugnes, is the proffering, or ac­cepting [Page 146]of these challenges to▪ right ones selfe against, or without the know­ledge or consent of the Magistrate. That this is wholly vnlawfull; besides, the Antithesis or opposition which it stands in with the Word of God, mihi vendicta ego retribuam, vengeance is mine, and I will repay it, saith the Lord, wee may see the goodnesse of the cause by the persons which euer haue beene practitioners in this Art. If wee search the antiquitie thereof in Records, wee shall find the originall master of this sci­ence to haue beene him, who was a Lier and a Murderer from the beginning; The Schoole which hee erected was not amongst the Sonnes of God, whom the Scripture makes to descend from Seth, these could not bee caught with such fallacies, but it was amongst the posterity of Cain, which the sixt of Gen. distinguishing from the seede of faith­full Seth, to shew what wee should ex­pect from them, stiles with the name of the sonnes of men. Amongst these, Caine himselfe was the first Scholler G [...]n. 4.8. [Page 147]that practised this Art, who slaying his Brother Abel, seemes to haue layd downe some rough hewed principles thereof, but because hee did it not vpon termes of honour, in that hee drew A­bel abroad guilefully, and slue him at too much oddes; Gen. 4.23. Lamech his sonne re­fined the Art, and brought it to that acutenesse and subtilitie, which wee see it hath at this day; hee slue a man to his wounding, and a young man to his hurt. Cains murder, no doubt, was detestable to all his kindred, for besides that, hee shewed himselfe to be his Fathers own Sonne, killing his brother, as the other did his whole posteritie; he did it grosso modo, basely, but Lamech perhaps see­ing the reproach of Cain, painted the face of that vgly monster, reuenge, with the beautifull colours of Fortitude, yet in this Action of his, we may note two circumstances; the one, that hee dared not make any of the Sages of his time iudges of his picture, but his Wiues, who could not bee thought skilfull in martiall Lawes, heare my voice, ye Wiues [Page 148]of Lamech, hearken vnto my speech; the other, that his conscience told him, a presumptuous and brauing murder to be as odious in Gods sight as an insidi­ous, If Cain shall be auenged seuen fold, truly Lamech seuentie seuen fold, Gen. 4.24. The example of Dauids Combat with Goliah, 1. Sam. 17. makes nothing for their purpose, for besides, that he was licen­ced by Saul the King to enterprise this action, all writers doe agree, that hee did it by an immediate instinct from God, wheras these do it by an immedi­ate instinct from the Deuill. Nor of greater moment is the Combat menti­oned betweene twelue of the Tribe of Beniamin, 2. Sam. 2. and twelue of the seruants of Dauid, for besides, that these were au­thorised hereunto by two Generalls of either side, Valent. Na­uar. Caiet. vtsup. Abner and Ioab, Valentia doubts much, whether it be lawfull at all for a Generall to make so bloudy an action, the subiect of a spectacle, Caie­tan condemnes it, Nauarre allowes it no way, vnlesse it be to winne an opini­on of strength and courage in the one [Page 149]side, and so to dishearten the other, as the fall of Goliah did the whole Armie of the Philistins, so that vnlesse our Due­lists will pretend more subtiltie then the Schoole-men themselues, I cannot see any thing in the Scriptures that can auaile them. Mat. 26.51 Some bring in here Peter smiting off Malchus his eare with his Sword, but this Bellarmine makes to be none of the eight and twentie preroga­tiues of Saint Peter, nor can more war­rant this cause, then the denying of his Master, can bee a warrant sufficient for the Pope his pretended successor to do the like. Nay, in his third Booke, de Lai­cis, and two and twentieth Chapter, he confesseth this Action of Peters to bee iustly reprehended by our Sauiour, be­cause it was done by priuate authoritie, besides, an other goodly reason which I cannot omit, tunc enim Petro nondum Pontifex sed discipulus erat, for that Pe­ter was then only a priuate Disciple and not Pope. So then by his reason it were a laudable thing in the Pope to play the Swordman, to smite off not the [Page 150]eares only of his subiects, that they may not heare the Scriptures read in a tongue knowne, for this hee doth, but to cut off the heads of all powers that dare oppose his temporall Monarchie. I might here say with Saint Bernard, quid tu denuo vsurpare gladium tentas, Bernard, lib. 4. de considerati­one. quem semel iussus es ponere in vaginam, why dost thou attempt to handle that Sword, which once thou wert com­manded to put vp into the scabbard? Why doth the Tradentine councell ex­communicate, Concil. Tri­dent. sess. 25. c. 19. euen the spectators of single combates, when thou canoni­zest the actors and plotters of heynours murders? But admit that these challen­ges did not contradict the Lawes of God, nor abrogate the authoritie of the Magistrate; to whom the execution of Iustice appertaineth, yet lets consider the little satisfaction which can arise from these Duels to the party wronged. And because there is a new kind of phi­losophie inuented for this practice, I wil examine it acording to the grounds of Philosophie vsually deliuered, that so [Page 151]those which are now trained vp among vs, may when they come into the world remember, how farre differing these combates are from those rudiments which they once embraced. A man you know hath diuers considerations, either in generall, whereby hee may bee wronged in his Naturals, by ter­ming him dull, heauy or sottish; in his Moralls, by stiling him dishonest, intem­perate or couetous; in his Politickes, by branding him with Traytor, or Viola­tor of the Law, or else a man may come to bee considered in some particular sci­ence or profession which hee is of, as Diuine, Lawyer, Phisician, Trades-man, or the like. Now let mee aske the que­stion, when a man chanceth to bee wronged any of these wayes, how doth the Field redeeme his credit, which hee thinkes is diminished. Lying, Couze­nage, or Folly is obiected to you, and you would disproue it in single sight; hereby indeed you argue your selfe, if you vanquish, to be a better fencer then the other, or more nimble and strong, [Page 152]but who obiected a want of these things vnto you? who cast a defect of them in your teeth. Opposita must bee ad idem, you cleare your selfe of that which was neuer obiected to you, that which you were vpbraided with, that you answer not, no more then if two Painters should contend about their skil in pain­ting, and he should bee preferred which ouercame at the point of weapon. But some will say, is single fight therefore wholly vnlawfull; Ile vnfold my para­doxe in few words, single Combats are not onely lawfull but also necessarie, but what Combats are they? why, such as are performed by weapons sutable to the quarrell; if the contention be about cunning and skill, shew by skill and cunning that the victorie ought to fall on thy side; if about honesty, let honesty by actions proportionable to it selfe vanqiush the accuser; if about wisdome, let discreet proceedings quell the spirit of the ditractor; if about Religion, let Deuotion, Sanctitie, Obedience, Pati­tience, and Charitie, enter the lists and [Page 153]fight for thee. Here thou dost all things contrary to reason, thou stormest that thou art not held vertuous, and in this action declarest, that thou canst no more moderate thy affections then a mad beast, thou frettest that any con­ceiue thy reputation to be weak or sick, and in this remedie, thou discouerest thy selfe like an vnsound bodie, which no sore is touched but cries out; thou wouldest make thine aduersarie repent him which wronged thee; but thou bringest the greater repentance vpon thy selfe; thou wouldest maintaine the credit of thy familie, but thou stainest it with bloud & vnchristian-like actions, thou wouldest bee highly esteemed of by others, but thou shewest a base e­steeme of thy selfe, who prizest thy life at so low a rate, as a few rash speeches of an enemy. Time is too precious to be wasted the pursute of such ignis fatui, such braynes which conceiue nothing but phantasmes and apparant meteors of true Fortitude. I know that they ap­peare outwardly, like Sehons and Ogges, [Page 154]or as the sonnes of Anake, to affrighten Israel with their bigge words and loftie speeches, yet I doubt not, but many punies heere meanely grounded in the rudiments of Philosophie, would with ease so abase their high looke in a iust disputation at this time, that they should rather seeme the Grasse-hoppers of Aegypt, or fained Pigmyes, supposed by Geographers beyond Lapland. Yet, if thy constitution bee so vnproportio­nably tempered with the elements, that nothing will satisfie thee but fighting and combating, I will shew you ano­ther Duell which is behoofefull for thee to accept. God hath set in hostill opposition two enemies, the old man and the new, the flesh and the spirit, for as Saint Paul saith to the Galathians, Gal. 5.17. the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh: neither, as in a­ny other place, hee saith, shall any bee crowned, vnlesse in this warfare hee haue fought lawfully. Perhaps, in this skir­mish thou hast seene Widdowes and Orphans oppressed, and not protected [Page 155]them, the poore destitute, and not shielded them, Passions and Pertur­bations besiege Reason, and not queld them; Traitors to Christ and Religion harbour within thy breast, and not ex­pulsed them; O shame and infamie to thy profession of Manhood, that thou shouldst set at nought the glorie of these Prizes, and make such rubbish as fillips and blasts, the trophes of the conquest. I know that generous Spirits are awa­ked and rouzed vp with the iust reward of Vertue, Renowne, and Glorie; why, thinke not that your actions are done in secret, or obscured within the confines of Lime and Sand; you are placed in a magnificent Theater, for you are made a spectacle to God, to Angels, and to Men; the Combat is not the turning of an Houre-glasse, nor the Annuall course of one Sunne, nor the period of one Olympiad, lest this finished, you should feed your gall with the imperfections of your brethren; but it is the whole iournall of this life; the Champions which doe en [...]r the [Page 156]Lists with you, are not Thirsiteses or Turkish Asapies, rather to tyre then to trye your prowesse, lest you should not thinke them to be the subiect of praise and honour, but the Apostle describes them to be, Principalities, and Powers, and Rulers of the darknesse of this world, Ephes. 6.12. and spirituall wickednesses in high places. Heere our Captaine and Fore-runner sends vs into an hard Fight, but most honourable; O let our furie and emu­lation be spent in this warfare; as for other prouocations, let vs seeke to the gods on Earth, the Magistrates, for iustice; if here wee are not satisfied, let vs appeale to God in Heauen. Remem­ber the saying of Saint Basil, In rixa is inferior est qui victor est, In priuate contentions he hath the worst that o­uercomes; it is the summum jus of a Christian in this life, if they haue a mat­ter against any man, the law is open, and there are Deputies, they must implead one another; which is the forme in my Text prescribed, and commeth last to be handled.

Amongst all the Symbols of a iust Iudge, that Character which our Sa­uiour fastened vpon those, whom hee constituted for Iudges of the World, hath not the least ranke, Matth. 5.14. Vos estis lux mundi, yee are the light of the World. The light of the World is the Sunne, seated in the midst of the Planets, in Heauen, equally communicating his beames to all inferiour vessels of illumi­nation, though some by reason of their vnequall densitie are lesse capable then others to receiue it; in Earth, equally diffusing his influence into all matters, though some, by reason of their im­perfect composition, doe resolue and putrifie, whereas others doe purifie and enhanse, as it were, the prices of their worth and estimation. So Soles hi Iu­stitiae, these Sunnes of Iustice, a [...]se alike vpon the good and the bad, vpon the iust and the vniust; they shine not vpon the one, and appeare eclipsed to the other, but as a Centre in a Circle doe protend equall Lines towards both sides; yet because Vice is exorbitant [Page 158]and irregularly distant from this Cen­tre, the Lines drawne out, make often­times sharper Angles in the one then in the other; for, that which the Soule and Heart is in the Bodie, the same is the Magistrate in the Common-weale; the Soule, wee say, in Philosophie is, tota in toto, & tota in qualibet parte, at least in respect of his operations, and the Heart is in the midst of the Bodie likewise, and disperseth his heat into all parts; yet by the same operations of the one, and vitall heat of the other, are excrements and contagious humors expelled, but pure and profitable nou­rishment refined: so that, Iustice which in conclusion seperates the Goats from the Sheepe, with her all-discerning Touch-stone tryes drosse and sophisti­cat Gold, as well as pure; weighs Lead in her Ballances, as well as Siluer; and as some conceiue of the Needle of a Sea-compasse vnder the Aequator, is a­like affectioned to either Pole, and till Reason conducts the Ship a Degree this way or that, is fixt on neither. [Page 159]Such is the indifferencie or Apathie (if I should not seeme Stoike) which the Oracles of Iustice should bee possest with, towards the Accuser and Defen­dant, till, as my Text sayth, they haue implended one another. Ambros. in Psal. 118. serm. 20. Nihil paratum & meditatum domo differt, (sayth Am­brose, speaking of such an one) sed si­cut audit ita judicat. Hee brings no de­terminations or diuisions with him from home in his tables, but as hee heares, so he speakes. The rudiments of this practice were first by God him­selfe deliuered in the Arraignement of Adam and Eue; he was neerer to the Offender then the Barke to the Tree, by reason of the presence of his God­head, which filleth Heauen and Earth; and therefore taking them in the fact, might haue condemned them without further proceeding; but to dictate a forme vnto Man-kind of executing Iu­stice, from himselfe the Fountaine of Iustice, he first cites Man to the Barre, Vbi es Adam, Gen. 3.9. Where art thou Adam? there Man making his appearance; [Page 160]God beginnes an inquirie, but which in effect implies an Accusation against him, and produceth Conscience for a Witnesse, Hast thou eaten of that Tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eate? Verdict might forth­with haue beene giuen vp, where Con­science confessed the guilt; but this mercifull Iudge would heare what the tongue could say, where Adam he first beginnes: alas, he could not denie the Fact, but extenuates it, by laying it vp­on the Woman, and shee vpon the Ser­pent. What patience, what mercie, what indifferencie was here shewed by God to Man, what should Man be to Man, Brother to Brother? Wee reade how after this Cain slue Abel, Abel said nothing, but his bloud accused Cain; euery drop of innocent bloud hath a tongue, and is not onely vo­call, but articulate; yet God proffe­red the same law vnto him, Where is thy Brother Abel? though Cain at his enditement answered stubbornely, and as hee had not grace to auoid his [Page 161]sinne, for he had not then grace to con­fesse it. God varies not in his workes of clemencie; almost two thousand yeeres after this, hee deales in the like kind with Miriam and Aaron, when in Arabia's Desarts they murmured a­gainst Moses, Numb. 12. But hee hath not onely by example, but by precept also established this forme of Iudiciall proceedings, in the thirteenth of Deut. sayth Moses, If thou shall heare say, that certaine men of the children of Belial are gone out from amongst you, and haue drawne the Inhabitants of their Citie, saying, let vs goe and serue other gods which yee haue not knowne; were they presently to smite the Inhabitants of the Citie with the edge of the sword? were they vpon this rumour to leuie an Armie, and to raze their Walls le­uell with the earth? no, the Text sayth, and that with great Emphasis and weight of words, Thou shall en­quire, and not so only, but make search, nor here rest, but aske diligently if it be trueth, and the thing certaine; see the [Page 162]Staires and ascents to mature and ripe iudgement; enquiring, searching, as­king, diligent asking, words of indu­strious and sedulous inquisition, glos­sed and expounded by Nicodemus in our Sauiours case, Ioh. 7. doth our Law iudge any man before it heare him? had Pharaoh and Potapher obserued this precept; Ioseph, innocent Ioseph, had not so long felt the miseries of wrong imprisonment, Gen. 39. Had I­rijah, Captaine of a Ward in Ierusalem, vsed this preseruatiue; poore Ieremiah the Prophet had not beene deliuered into the hands of his persecutors, Ier. 37. Had the Magistrates of Philippi v­sed this equitie towards Paul and Silas, these Saints had felt the warmth of some iustice, and not beene beaten vn­heard and vncondemned, Act. 16. The law of Reason, therefore hath set this print of her foot in all well-founded Policies, to giue free audience to both parties. I must confesse, that the man­ner is diuers, for in the Areopage at Athens, the Accuser might freely ac­cuse, [Page 163]but the Defendant only speake to what was obiected, Vlpian. in orat. De­most. de fal­sa legat. but in the Forum of Rome, whereas the Accuser had but sixe houres allotted him to accuse, the guiltie had nine houres to make his an­swere; which custome, when it ceased, I know not, thus farre Festus declared the Roman fashion, which my Text aymes at; It is not the manner of the Ro­mans to deliuer any man to die, before that he which is accused haue the Accu­sers face to face, and haue licence to an­swere for himselfe, concerning the crime layd against him, Act. 25. But whilest I presse, the excellencie and equitie of this forme, mistake me not (beloued) as if taxed heereby all those formes, where the Magistrate proceeds against the Offender, not by producing Wit­nesses to implead, but ex Officio, by vertue of his Office, clearing the doubt by requiring an Oath of the Partie su­spected; for, I take, that this course is not contrarie, but subordinate to that which I haue hitherto insisted vpon. For in this case the Common-wealth, [Page 164]whose person the Iudge represents, (as Valentia sayth) is the Accuser, Greg. de Valent. in Thom. tom. 3. disp. quast. 13. and al­leageth either an infamie, or great suspi­cions, or at least an imperfect testimo­nie against the Offender; so that in an important businesse, which concernes the good either of Church or Com­mon-wealth, let not the Partie questi­oned say, that he is brought contrarie to the law of Nature to accuse him­selfe, or that hee shall bee condemned without impleading of Accusers, for the Infamie, the Suspicions, or the Wit­nesse, though perhaps not sufficient to condemne thee, haue alreadie accused thee, and the Common-wealth in the person of the Magistrate acts the Ac­cuser; doe thou see how thou canst purge thy selfe, ho thou canst pre­serue that reputation of an honest man, which if thou neuer hadst beene vrged by the Magistrate, yet in Conscience thou hadst been bound to doe. It is true that Writers doe giue some aduice for the administration of such Oathes; as, First, that the person which is to purge [Page 165]himselfe thereby, Vid. Cous­sin Apolog. & determ. Episc. Win­ton. & Less. de iust. & iur. bee not such an one, as is likely to forsweare himselfe, that is, such as are knowne to haue former­ly perjured themselues. Secondly, that the cause be not Capitall; for in such a case, the Deuill, who is the authour of perjurie, hath taught Man his frailty, Pellin pro pelle, & quicquid est [...]viri da­turus est pro seipso, Skin for skin, and all that a man hath, he will giue for his life, Iob 2. Thirdly, that the Crime be not wholly vnknowne, vnlesse in two Cases; the one, when it doth hinder the execution of an Ecclesiastilall Fun­ction, as Simonie and Irregularitie; the other, when some great scandallior da­mage will accrue to the Church or Common-wealth from the concealing of it, as in Heresies and Treasons; but that in other Cases it be, semiplent cog­nita; as they say, halfe knowne at the least; and that (as before I told you) either by an infamous report, or mani­fest signes, or some such witnesse which alone is not sufficient to conuince. But where these Impleaders are present, [Page 166]wee find the practice of Moses Law, to warrant the lawfulnesse of these pro­ceedings; the Man suspected of stealth, Exod. 22. the Woman of breach of Wedlocke, Num. 5. were both to purge themselues by such an Oath, where if in this, the suspected of Stealth sware falsely, the atonement by Sacrifice is set downe, Leu. 6. and a Prayer of Sa­lemons for the pardon of it, 1. Kin. 8.31. So then you see let downe, as it were, from Heauen, an Archtriumphant of Iustice, whose pieces, though they seeme not of the same making to the eye, yet are they hewed out of the same Quarrie, and raised vpon the same Foundation of mutuall impleadings. It is a signe of a mercifull gouernment, which in doubtfull matters goes not to Tortures; of a Prudent, which pro­ceeds not by Lottories; of a Religious, which heedes not Deuinations, nor tempts God for miraculous Reuelati­ons. Where impleadings faile (as for crimes of higher nature, I leaue) for or­dinarie, let me say with Saint Austin, [Page 167]Misericorditer corripiat homo quod po­test, August. lib. 3. Cort. Parmen. quod non potest patienter ferat. Let Man mercifully correct that which he can, that which he cannot let him pa­tiently beare, vntill God himselfe shall either reforme it, or deferre it till his rooting vp of the Tares, and winnow­ing the Chaffe from the Wheat. It is an excellent saying of Chrysostomes, in his sixe and fortieth Homilie, ad popu­lum Antiochenum, God doth neither exact punishment of all men in this life, lest thou shouldest despaire of a Resurrection, and desist to expect a fu­ture Iudgement; neither doth he suffer all men to goe vnpunished, lest thou shouldest surmise his prouidence to be deficient; but he punisheth and doth not punish; in that he punisheth, hee awakens the Sluggard with lessoning him, that euen heere hee taketh notice and account of his offences; in that he doth not punish, hee summons the In­solent to a more fearefull Assises and strict Iudgement to come.

Thus haue I detayned you as So­iourners [Page 168]in a strange Land, you haue all this while trauailed in the East, where to your eyes haue beene presen­ted the Iustices and Tribunals of Ephe­sus. It might bee here expected, that hauing finished this (as I may well feare) so tedious and irksome a voyage, I should in the Port where our Ship is now arriued, make some collation and application of that, which in those re­mote Countries wee haue discouered. I must confesse, that the Climate is not the same; the Meridians, di­uers; the Cities, many Degrees distant, the one, sometimes the Metropolis of lesser Asia, the other, at this time the Light and Pharos of great Brittanie. And truely, amongst other accidents, wherein I cannot but note a great dif­ference, this is not the least vnremarka­ble, that in the same cause which the Towne-clerke and my selfe haue vn­dertaken to manage, my felicitie hath surmounted his; in that my Auditors haue not been Demetrius or the Crafts­men in a turbulent Theater, but the [Page 169]Pillars of peace and quiet, in a Sanctu­arie of Pietie; where, if my weake ora­torie hath beene deficient, the presence of Iustice hath (I doubt not) engraf­ted that which my Text aymes at, with a silent Sermon and reall perswasion of its owne. I shall thinke mine owne taske sufficiently discharged, if I haue in such wise vnfolded the points deli­uered, that without much difficultie, your selues may be so farre Preachers, as to make the vses and applications your owne; the Time suites, the Occa­sion suggests, my Text directs. If De­metrius and the Crafts-men haue a mat­ter against any man, the law is open, and there are Deputies, let them implead one another. To GOD the Father, GOD the Sonne, and GOD the Holy Ghost, one essence, and three Persons, be ren­dred all Praise, Honour, and Glorie; Might, Maiestie, and Dominion, from this time forth for euermore.

Amen.

IVDAHS PRE­ROGATIVES.

GOD which created Man of the dust of the Earth, hath in his Schoole of Nature framed a disci­pline, so proper for our weake capacities, and vsed a method therein, so sutable and correspondent to our inbred dulnes, that our meditations [Page 174]which Serpent-like feed vpon the dust; or as Narcissus, consume their very marrow vpon that earthly Cottage which they inhabite, should not want: euen there, volumes (I may say) where­in to reade most excellent admonitions of our frailty, as necessarie dependance vpon him. In euery person, are they engrauen in ordinarie Characters, and in a lesser print, so the Sonne hath them to view in the decease of his Fa­ther, the Husband in the departure of his Wife, the Seruant in the losse of his Master; but they seeme to be writ­ten in Capitall letters, in Funerals of Princes; wherein, as in one common booke, the subiect reads not oftentimes so much his Princes as his owne mor­talitie. The Tribes of Israel might well hang vp their Harpes vpon the Wil­lowes, erect Banners of Sable, and crie, Alas, that Moses; alas, that Iosua, our victorious Captaines are dead, and this they might well doe in remembrance of what was past, but let them reflect an eye vpon the state and condition [Page 175]they are now in, let them from the top of Nebo discouer the potencie of their Enemies, whom they had incensed; the Cities, whose walls mounted to Hea­uen, which they were to besiege; the Giants and Monsters of men, whom they were to encounter; and lastly, their owne dis-joynted and confused regiment, being as Sheepe without a Shepheard; and they might now with teares confesse, that in out-liuing them, they suruiued but their owne obse­quies; and that it had beene good, that either these men had been neuer borne; or else that being borne, they had neuer died. And with this mournefull Pre­face doth my Text beginne, the summe whereof, is a passage betwixt the Chil­dren of Israel, and GOD: the one, in distresse crauing; the other, in mercie adjudging, who should goe vp for them, in the pursute of the warres with the Canaanites. Wherein, for our bet­ter proceeding, may it please you to obserue with mee, a Petition, and a Grant. In the Petition we discouer,

Viz. First, The ground or motiue of it, it was an Interregnum, or a Vacancie, intimated in the death of Iosua. Now after the death of Iosua, &c.

Viz. Secondly, Whom they peti­tion, the Lord. It came to passe the Children of Israel asked the Lord, &c.

Viz. Thirdly, What they petition, Who shall goe vp for vs against the Canaanites first, to fight against them, &c.

The Grant is, Who should goe vp? Iudah. And the Lord said, Iudah shall goe vp.

Thus haue I set out before your eies, the seuerall parts of my Text; I trust that Wee, which perswade our selues to bee the Israel of God, and euen now iourneying to a Canaan which is aboue, shall not need arguments to stirre vp our attention, to listen to what be­fell Israel in their passage into Canaan, whilest I discourse, first, of their Peti­tion, and that of the ground or motiue [Page 177]of it, being an Interregnum or Vacancie, intimated in the death of Ioshua, and comes in the first place to be handled. Now after the death of Ioshua, &c.

Ciuill gouernement vnder a supreme Magistrate, is so naturall to a State, that the Common-weale which is destitute of it altogether, is like to one of those mis-shapen Blemmij, Iul. Solin. cap. 44. whom ancient Geopraphie hath made an headlesse Nation, and that which is not linckt, and vnited in one ouer-topping Scep­ter; is as a bodie, each member whereof liues by a seuerall soule, and is prone (as in the Tale of Menenius Agrippa) to ioyne in a ciuill combustion against his fellowes. Liu. hist. lib. 2. And both these prodigies jumped together in the State of the Is­raclites, after the death of Ioshua; they neither had a man, nor could agree vp­on a Tribe, which should goe vp be­fore them against the Canaanites. This death of Ioshua, had they not in time implored Gods helpe, had beene as o­minous to them, as those speeches in the Iudges, comet-like, portending some [Page 178]ill to ensue. In those dayes there was no King in Israel (saith the Text, chap. 18) and what followes, but the Danites sei­sing at once vpon the possessions, and I­dolatrie of Micha: againe, in those dayes there was no King in Israel (chap. 19.) and then, alas, the foule action of the Benjamites, and the destruction almost of their whole Tribe succeeds imme­diately in order. So that the Israelites hauing this motiue of Ioshuahs death, to enquire of the Lord for a new Cap­taine, teach vs the necessitie of a Ruler, and in how bad a case they be, who nei­ther haue a Iudge to determine priuate contentions at home, nor a Captaine to goe vp before them against the cōmon enemie abroad.

The first rule which man learneth by experience, is, that he hath need to bee ruled and gouerned by an other, it is suckt in with his Nurses milke, and di­ctated vnto him in his birth. Other creatures, as if Nature were Tailor vn­to them, make their first entrance into the world, appareld; they haue wea­pons, [Page 179]to defend themselues, sharpned (as one might say) to their hands, and their estimatiue facultie so instructed, that without any more tuition, they can skill each kind their proper archi­tecture, their congruent cookerie, their physick and cherurgerie, and to crosse the old saying, nascuntur artifices, they are born their crafts-masters. But, Man, how step mother-like doth Nature pre­sent him to the light, with not a ragge to his backe, not a dinner drest to his belly, not a cottage to his head, his hands vnweaponed, his vnderstanding like a raz'd table-booke, wherein no­thing is written, as if shee bade him in this reall language, Goe, seeke thee a Pro­tector, and submit thy selfe to some one others tuition. To this end and purpose, God hath be autified the minds of men with varietie of Arts and Disciplines, to the perfecting whereof many heads must ioyne together, he hath endowed them with speech and language, to in­uite one another to societie, hee hath planted in them the principles of iustice [Page 180]and equitie, which cannot be exercised, but in a communitie; Arist. 1. Po­lit. cap. 2. so that Aristotle saith, that a man is [...], one of Natures good fellowes, a Crea­ture borne for ciuill conuersation, and that he which liues hermitlike reclus'd, and flies the company of men, is [...], either a God or a Beast. Now, if mans nature doe require a sociable life, then doth it necessarily require also a gouernment and a Gouernor. For it is impossible, that a multitude should long consist, vnlesse some body there be, which hath the care of the common good committed vnto him; as in the bo­dy of a man, vnlesse there were a soule which kept the parts in subiection, it could not be, but that the whole consi­sting of contrarie elements, should dis­solue; and therefore the wisedome of God saith, Prou. 14. where no counsell is, the people fall; which the vulgarren­ders, Vbi non est gubernator, populus corruit: to shew that the safetie of a Land depends vpon the hauing of a Gouernor. Hereupon Princes are ter­med, [Page 181] Animus vinculum, Senec. 1. de Clement. 4. & spiritus vita­lis reipublicae; and to expresse it by play­ner similitudes; see how necessarie a Pi­lot is to a Ship, or a Leader to an Ar­mie; so necessarie and more is a Gouer­nor to a Kingdome. For, [...]; Chrysost. tom 6. [...]. saith Chrysostome; as, when thou re­moouest the Gouernor of a Ship, thou sinkest the Vessell; or, if thou singlest the Captaine from his Band, thou doest no lesse, then deliuer his Companie ma­nacled into the hands of the Enemie; so take away but them which sit at the Helme of a Common-wealth, and wee shall liue a life more irrationall then beasts, biting and eating one another like Canibals; or as Fish in the Sea, the greater feeding vpon the lesser; the rich deuouring the poore, the stronger the weaker, and the more audacious, out­swearing the milder out of their patri­monie. So that in effect, if you would know, what is the greatest freedome in [Page 182]the world, it is to serue vnder the rule of a Gouernour; and againe, what is the greatest thraldome vpon earth, it is to bee exempted from subiection to a Gouernour.

Here therefore may iustly be refuted, that pernicious doctrine of the Anabap­tists and Libertines, which abrogates the vse of Magistracie amongst Chri­stians, and makes no other square of ci­uill commerce, then Fanaticall inspi­rations. What miserable effects it brought with it in Germanie, vnder the patronage of Muncer Fiferus, and par­ticularly in Munster by Leidensis, and o­thers of his compact, who seemed to no other end to depose lawfull Magi­strates, then that they might vsurpe their places themselues, Sleyden. Comment. lib. 5. & lib. 10. I leaue to Hi­storians to relate. The greatest griefe is, that the Anarchy which hath been held prodigious in a Common-weale, is en­tertained by some Enthysiasts as most conuenient in a Church, but so ill doe they cloake their ends, that they which cannot brooke one Pope in the world, [Page 183]would bee glad, were they of the num­ber, to haue ten in a Parish, for mine owne part I thinke some of them halfe way at Munster, and fitter to bee Iohn of Leydens Chaplaines, then Pastors in a well gouerned Church, or a ciuill Com­mon-wealth; and so I passe from the motiue of the Israelites Petition, which was, as I told you, the Interregnum, or want of a Gouernour, occasioned by the death of Ioshua, vnto the person whom they petition, which succeedes in the second place to bee spoken of, the Lord. Now after the death of Ioshua, it came to passe that the children of Israel as­ked the Lord, &c.

What? do they aske the Lord? is this warrantable diuinity to make him ones counseller? is not this to tempt God, to trie whether he knowes or can, or will doe that which is proposed vnto him? and howsoeuer it be done, whether by lots or by dreames, by Vrim, or by Pro­phets, it varies not the case, is it not still tempting? For resoluing of which doubt, two things are to be examined, [Page 184]first, what that tempting is properly, which is forbidden in the Scriptures; and secondly, vpon what grounds the Israelites here vsed this extraordinarie meanes, in choosing their Captaines Tribe. For the first, the Schoole-men thus desine tempting of God; tempting of God (saith hee) is an irreligious action, Thom. Se­cunda Se­cunde q. 9 [...]. art. 1. whereby through a doubt of some perfecti­on which is in God, either his power, that hee cannot, or his wisedome that he knowes not, or his will, that he will not doe some­thing; one doth an action for experiment sake, to trie whether God hath perfection in him or no. And this (saith he) may be done two manner of waies, either Explicitè, expressely doubting, and through that doubting, with a formall intention experimenting; or Implicite & Interpretatiue; when, though one doubteth not of any perfection in God yet doth that which in effect, and in its owne nature is nothing else but an ex­periment of Gods perfection; and this happens, when one neglecting the or­dinarie meanes constituted by Gods [Page 585]prouidence, doth some action, expe­cting the effect therof from God alone, no iust or necessarie cause mouing him thereunto. So then, the rules whereby wee are to examine this tempting of God, are chiefly two; First we must look into the end, and see whether it bee too make an experiment of some perfecti­on in God, whereof wee doubt; Se­condly, we must examine the Meanes and Necessitie; whether, though we doe it not, as doubting of any perfection in God; yee, wee either neglect therein the owne ordinarie meanes afforded vs by God, for the effecting of the same thing, or else haue no iust and necessary cause, to flie so to him in such a matter. If wee erre in the former, it is an ex­presse tempting of God; if in the latter, then is it an implicite and an Interpre­tiue (as they terme it) tempting of him. Now to bring this home to the Israe­lites in my text, and apply their vsing of this extraordinarie meanes to the question in hand. First, the end they had in it, was not to tempt God, or to [Page 186]make an assay either of his power or wisedome, or will towards them, but only to relieue their owne necessities, being now destitute of an Head, and in that of safetie. Now, God is tempted (saith Austen) cum signa flagitantur non ad salutem, sed ad experientiam desidera­ta, when signes are sought, not for safe­tie, but for experiments sake; and to speake with Valentia, the enquiring of God in such a case, Greg. de Ʋalent. Tom. 3. in Thom. disp. 6. q. 14. is not ex dubitatione de diuina perfectione, from any doubt of Gods perfection, but onely ex dubi­tatione de obiecto quod terminat diuinam voluntatem, as if one should say, the doubt was onely in the obiect which terminated the will of God, they belee­ued that God would deliuer the Canaa­nites into their hands, but by whom they knew not, this then they aske. Secondly, as they did it not to a bad end, so neither did they it in a need­lesse case, without iust reason, or neg­lecting any meanes which God had left them besides this. True it is, that in ordinarie States, the ordinarie meanes [Page 187]left to decide such a controuersie, as the nomination of a Generall or Captaine, is either election of men, or succession of nature, but the state of the children of Israel, both in their passage into Ca­naan, and in the enioying of it, was, quid extraordinarium, an extraordina­ry thing, of a diuine constitution, and religious signification, and therefore re­quired in both of them a diuine assi­stance and direction. All things befell them for a figure (saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.) their passage through the Sea, their baptisme in the Cloud, their Rook, and Manna, meat and drinke were Sacra­mentall. Their Hierusalem below, a type of that heuenly Hierusalem which is aboue, Gal. 6. Their country a sha­dow of a bettet country, Heb. 11. to be briefe, Aug. cont. Faustum. l. 22. dico illorum hominum (saith Au­sten) non tantam linguam sed etiam vi­tam fuisse propheticam, totumque illud regnum, gentis Hebraeae magnum quen­dam; quia & magni cuiusdam fuisse pro­phetam, it is not onely the tongues of those men, but also the verie liues of [Page 188]them were propheticall, and all that Kingdome of the Iewish nation, was e­uen a great Prophet, because the Pro­phet of a great one. So that the land of Canaan, being but a Memento, and a le­cture vnto them of the celestiall Canaan which wee expect, what did they in this asking of God, concerning the Tribe which should goe vp for them, but acknowledge first their owne in­sufficiency, and impossibility of gaining heauen, without the light of his directi­on, Secondly, the dispaire they had, of e­uer casting out the Cananitish affections within them, vnlesse he dained them his owne grace to guide and assist them; and lastly, that so excellent a Countrie could neuer bee recouered against the encounters, of such vast and Giant-like enemies, the Flesh, the World, and the Deuill, who like the sonnes of A­nake doe amaze and affright vs, vnlesse hee should bid the Tribe of Iudah, or rather the Lion of that Tribe, Christ Ie­sus to goe vp first for them, to fight a­gainst them. And thus wee see that [Page 189]this asking of God in my Text, who should goe vp against the Canaanites, was not a tempting of God, but rather a consulting with him in an enterprise of religious vse, and holy signification, this extraordinarie manner of enquirie of things of so high a nature, whether by lots, or by Vrim, by dreames, or Prophets, being permitted to the Church in her infancie, to supply the obscuritie of types, and the paucitie or scarcitie of sacred bookes then extant, which to vs in the new Testament, who haue both the one illustrated, and the other augmented, were no lesse then a tempting of God, and a running to ex­traordinarie courses, where ordinarie meanes are plentifully offered.

One vse notwithstanding, may Chri­stians make of this asking of the Israe­lites, and that is, that in the warfare a­gainst our spirituall enemies, and voy­age to the land of Promise, wee follow not leaders of mans constitution, but of Gods ordination. The Israelites had for their direction herein God him­selfe, [Page 190]speaking in dreames and visions, in the Vrim and Thummim, and in his Prophets; wee haue all these included in the written Oracles of God, the old and new Testament, the reuealed my­steries whereof are now published complete, and promise no second Edi­tion; wee are not to enquire, either of the Popes Vrim, what King; or Friars dreames, what Saint; or Amsterda­mian visions, what Teacher must goe vp before vs: Behold, the Lord hath in his Scriptures proclaimed our Cap­taine, and nominated our Generall; it is that holy One of the Tribe of Iu­dah, which is alreadie gone vp before vs; it is he that hath subdued the Ca­naanites for vs, and hath taken posses­sion of the Land in our behoofe; the holy Martyrs, and best of Gods Chil­dren march but aloofe after, and feast vpon the spoiles; the Onset, Combat, and Battaile is his, and his alone. O­thers being more passiue, in putting on of the armour of God, then actiue; are rather carried vp by his Grace, then [Page 191] goe vp; and if they goe vp, yet the victorie being wonne, it is rather mor­tificare, then pugnare, to kill, then to fight; and if to fight, yet their actions being not communicable, it is pro se, for themselues; not pro nobis, for vs; and suppose for vs, yet not primi, but secundi; they fight, not as Firsts, but as Seconds; of Christ onely wee can say, who shall goe vp, and for vs, and against the Canaanites first, and that to fight against them: which is the Israelites Petition in my Text, and commeth next to be handled. Who shall, &c.

Although wee cannot allow that which some Papists require, that euery thing in the Scripture may haue a qua­druple sense, they being diuers applica­tions, rather then diuers kinds from the other; yet in a good sense some things may haue a transient and ambu­latorie Predicate; by reason whereof, they may haue a compounded literall sense, one Subiect whereof, may direct and point out vnto the other of grea­ter excellencie. And howsoeuer the re­quest [Page 192]of the Israelites in so significatiue, and prefiguratiue a subiect as the in­gresse into Canaan, and the specifica­tion of Iudah in the Grant, enforce a speculation of the great Leader of that Tribe Iesus Christ, who conducts vs into the blessed Land, whereof Canaan was but a shadow; yet is not this the onely sense; a maine one it may be, for the soule of Prophesie seemes to breath in it; yet not the onely, for according to the letter also, we cannot denie, but that originally it was meant of the per­sonall and particular occurrences of those times. The Canaanites I am sure, found not the warre to conclude in tropes, but in bloud; and the swords of the Israelites to cut really, what ere they meant figuratiuely. Now, as the letter sounds, there is no small contro­uersie amongst Interpreters, what the Israelites doe here meane or intend in this their Petition. Some say, that they craued a General or Captain ouer their whole Armie, in the place and roome of Ioshua; and of this opinion are most of [Page 193]the old Popish Commentators, who follow herein the corrupt vulgar Edi­tion, which renders it, Quis ascendet ante nos, contra Cananaeum, & erit dux belli, that is, Who shall goe vp before vs against the Canaanite, and shall be Cap­taine of the warre. Others thinke it was, who should goe vp first to fight, not for the common cause, but for his owne lot; and these are some of our new Diuines, following the translation of Iunius, Quis ascendet ex nobis contra reliquum Cananaeum, which of vs shall goe vp against the remainder of the Ca­naanites. For mine owne part, seeing these diuers interpretations doe pro­ceed chiefly from the diuersity of trans­lating, I will walke in the midst, and adhere to such a sense, as the most au­thenticke translations shall suggest vn­to me. Now, the Septuagint, Hierome, Arias, Pagnine, the Complutensian edition, and our owne correct vulgar, say, [...], nobis, for vs, Who shall goe vp for vs? So that, if we collect the summe of all, we shall haue a vniuersall, royall, [Page 194]and highest dignitie, with which the Israelites are not here as importun'd, contented, but as suters importunate to haue conferred on some or other. First, that it should bee an highest or supremest dignitie, it is plaine; for it was, who should bee first in warres: now, in warres to bee first, whether in battaile, or in entrie of a Citie taken, is that highest honour amongst Souldi­ers. Secondly, that it should be royall; for it was, who should fight against the Canaanites. The Land of Canaan, you know, was long before giuen to the Is­raelites; but yet, when one hath right, possession must bee taken by order of Law: now, to giue possession and dis­possesse another, is proper onely to the chiefe Magistrate, and to his Officers; so that the Israelites demanding who should fight for them, was as much in effect, as, who should exercise that roy­all prerogatiue of putting them in pos­session, and displacing the Canaanites. Thirdly, they sue that it may be vniuer­sall, and that in two respects; the one, [Page 195]in respect of themselues; it was not, who shall goe vp for himselfe; but, who should goe vp for vs; euery bodies part (as it should seeme) lay therein; and this Iudah performed as his taske; for, besides that hee conquered his owne lot, in which he requested the assistance of his brother Simeon, Vers. 3. hee fought also for the rest, as it appeareth in the 4. Verse of this Chapter; where is mentioned his taking of Besek, a Citie in the Tribe of Ioseph, Pellican in locum. noted by Pelli­can, as an enlargement of his brethrens portions. Another marke or token of this vniuersall and extended dignitie, consists in the enemies of the Israelites the Canaanites. Sometimes, I confesse, they note a particular Nation of the People inhabiting those tracts; but here in my Text, they designe all those Countries which the Israelites were to possesse. The reason is euident; for, when they point out some one parti­cular Nation amongst the rest, bearing that name; then doe they intimate those parts which are included within [Page 196] Phoenicia, or neere adioyning vnto it; for, First, who should of right more deseruedly beare the name of his fa­ther, then the eldest sonne; now Ca­naans eldest sonne was Sydon, Gen. 10. and Sydon was the chiefe Citie of Phoe­nicia. Againe, all ancient Writers make the Carthaginians to be Phoenicians, and the Carthaginians, besides the likenesse of Speech, Hieron. in Esay 7. obserued by Hierome, vpon that of Esay, Behold a Virgin shall con­ceiue; where he notes their congruen­cie in Almath, a Virgin; and by Au­stin, vpon his sixteenth Question vpon Iudges; who there finds their Baal a Lord, and Baalsemon a Lord of Hea­uen, to bee alike in both Languages. The same Father, in his Exposition be­gun vpon the Romans, sayth, that the Countrie people about Carthage, being demanded what they were, would an­swere in the Punike language, Chytr. in comment. ad locum. Procop. de bell [...] Van­dalic [...]. that they were Canaanites; and Procopius reports, that the People inhabiting Africa, as Hercules Pillars, vsed the Semiphoeni­cian Dialect, and that in Tingis, a Ci­tie [Page 197]built by them; there were two Pil­lars extant, with this inscription in the Phoenician Language, Nos sumus Ca­naanaei, quos, fuganit Iesus latro. Lastly, if preseruation of a name bee authen­tike proofe in a Pedegree, where meets our Sauiour in all his Gospell with any of that name, but in Tyrus and Sydon, Phoenicia's Cities? Then Iesus departed into the Coasts of Tyrus and Sydon; and, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same Coasts, Matth. 15. So that the lot of Iudah lying not neere vnto Ca­naan, so properly called; nay, Beniamin, Ephraim, Zabulon, Ishacher, & Nepthali, as Geographers shew, lying betweene them; by the Canaanite here cannot be meant any particular portion of the Land so properly called, and destina­ted for the lot of Iudah; but the whole Countrey, designed by God for the Territories of all the Children of Is­rael, who here doe ioyne in one gene­rall petition, as in a common cause con­cerning them all. Now, let me summe all together, the Israelites aske of God, [Page 198] who shall goe vp first for them; therein they allow supreme dignitie; they aske, who shall fight; it was a case of sei­zure and possession, therein to this dig­nitie they ioyne a Royall authoritie. Lastly, they aske, Who shall fight for them against the Canaanites; therein they adde to this authoritie, an extent and amplitude of Soueraigntie.

What are wee then to learne from this request of the Israelites to God, but that authoritie, dignitie, and soue­raigntie, come from him, and doe de­pend on him, as on their Founder and Efficient. By mee (sayth GOD, Pro. 8.) doe Kings raigne, and Princes decree Iu­stice; by me Princes rule, and Nobles, e­uen all the Iudges of the Earth. Not good Rulers onely, but bad also, haue this of him, euen persecuting Pilats; Thou couldest haue no power at all against me (sayth our Sauiour, Ioh. 19.) except it were giuen thee from aboue. Nay pow­ers, be they what they will, they are of God; and whosoeuer resisteth them, resi­steth the ordinance of God. Rom. 13. [Page 199]Hereupon they are endowed in holy Scripture with such names as should be memorials of their sacred off-spring. They are termed Gods, not indeed [...], by reason of their Nature; but [...], by reason of their Office, and that for three respects, as Iustine Martyr notes, [...]. Iust. Mar­tyr. quaest. & respons. nd Ortho­dox quaest. 142. [...], for their Calling; [...], for their Order and Place; and [...], for their great Honour and Re­spect. They were anoynted also in the old Testament with holy and consecra­ted oyle, and that by the high Priest, to represent vnto them in types and figures, the sacred originall of their Calling. And though (speaking hu­manely) the beginning of Empire may be ascribed to reason and necessi­tie, yet it was GOD himselfe that first kindled the light in the minds of men, whereby they saw that they could not liue and be perserued without a Ruler and Conducter. Euen nature it selfe, which Scaliger termes the ordinarie power of God, and Saint Paul, the Law written in the heart, dictates the [Page 200]same lesson to all creatures; for, the ve­ry Bees haue their Prince, the Deere their Leaders, and the Cranes by order imposed, watch for their owne safety.

With what face then can the schoole­men defend Thomas in that paradox of his, which he broacheth, 2.2. q. 10. art. 10. Dominium & Praelatio introducta sunt ex jure humano, Rule and prehemi­nencie were brought in by the Law of Man. Bellarmine, I confesse, in his third Booke, de Laicis, and sixth chapter, tem­pers somewhat the rigour of his Master in this point, and saith, that politike rule considered in generall, is by the Law of Nature, and therefore by the Law of God; but yet considered either in speciall, as in a Monarchie or Aristo­cracie, or any particular person that sustaineth it; so it is onely by the con­sent of Men and by positiue Law. But it seemes that Bellarmines Logike is not the same with ours, for if it were, hee could not be ignorant, that quod praedi­catur de genere, praedicatur de specie & indiuiduo, that which is affirmed of the [Page 201]generall, may also bee affirmed of the speciall and particular; and so, if hee makes with Aristotle a Monarchie, Ari­stocracie, or Democracie, to bee speciall kinds of a common-wealth, and this or that King to bee an indiuiduall Gouer­nour, hee cannot denie that to these, which he grants to their genus or com­mon nature. I beleeue, the Cardinall would not allow of such an answere as currant, from one that should doe him wrong; God indeed forbids me to hurt my Neighbour, but not to hurt thee Bellarmine, it would bee scarce safe to preach at Rome, that Popes are the suc­cessors of Peter by the Law of God, but for Paulus Quinsus, that now is, hee is Peters successor onely by the Law of Man. I am sure, that here in my Text, they come not to God to authorise or establish a going vp against the Canaa­nite in generall, but rather who should goe vp for them in speciall. They ac­knowledge both from him, and there­fore sue to him for both. I aske one Da­niel, that great Counsellor of State to [Page 202]two Monarchies, and à secretis to foure Kings, what that Mysterium Imperij should be, which translates and entailes Crownes to a Familie, and hee will tell you that it is God, which meditates not vpon Kingdoms, as on Platonike Ideas, or summa genera in a predicament, but descends to particulars, remooues Kings and sets vp Kings, rules in the Kingdom of men, and appointeth ouer it whomsoe­uer he will, Chron. 2. and the 5. But here it may bee obiected, if it bee so as wee make it, that Princes and Magistrates are jure diuino, by the Law of God; how comes it about, that in the 1. Pet. 2. Kings and Gouernours are stiled by no other name, then the ordinance of man: this seemes to kill and cut the throat of all that which went before. I answere briefly, that a thing may be said to be an ordinance of man, three manner of waies: first, [...], in respect of its cause and originall. Secondly, [...], in respect of his subiect or obiect: And thirdly, [...], in respect of its end. Now, Kings and Gouernors are [Page 203]termed an humane ordinance, not in re­gard of their cause and originall, as if they were of mans constitution; for so, as we haue declared, they are of God; but in regard of their object and end, be­cause they are conuersant about hu­mane affaires, and for that their inter­mediate scope is the gouernment and preseruation of humane societie. Much more might be said of this point, it is a Kingly Theame, and hath found ere now a Royall Dictator to discusse it. I cannot tell, but pressing so neere the Court, I feare I haue trespassed in the common fault of it, and suspended you too long in the Petition, I passe to the Grant, in the which breuitie shall make amends: Iudah shall goe vp.

And why should Iudah goe vp? why should hee bee graced more then all his brethren, with this Royall and Soue­raigne execution vpon the Canaanites? was it because hee surmounted the rest in number and potencie? But God is not wooed with these respects, especi­ally, where he meanes to be seene fore­most [Page 204]most in the battell himselfe, and to pur­chase himselfe renowne by his owne right Hand, and proper Chiualrie. What then? why, if you please to looke backe to the fortie nine of Genesis, you shall there find the Kingdome bequea­thed by Iacob, as a Legacie to Iudah. Iudah, thou art he, whom thy brethren shall praise, thy fathers children shall bow downe vnto thee, the Scepter shall not de­part from Iudah, nor a Law-giuer from betweene his feet, vntill Shiloh come. The promises of God are sure hold, they are, Yea and Amen: yet because they are performed, not alwaies sud­denly and forthwith, but in their due season; therefore it pleaseth the diuine Prouidence, so farre to compassionate our weaknesse, and to apply himselfe to our infirmities, as to prop vp our feeble beliefes, and to ruine our languishing hopes of things so long to come, by vouchsafing often glimpses and tastes of them, which should serue as gages and pawnes vntill the things themselues be accomplished; so did hee often renew [Page 205]his promises to the Patriarks, for assu­rance of their enioying of the Land of Canaan; so did hee deale with the Fa­thers vnder the Law, by signes and prophesies euer now and anon, rowse them vp to a firme confidence in the Messiah to come; the same method he vseth with the Tribe of Iudah, a King­dome and Scepter was promised them, and they had, I doubt not, conceiued Royall hopes, but the thing was not to be performed, vntil eight hundred yeers and more after the date of the promise, where Dauid enioyed it; yet God all this while lay not as one that slept, or made no account of his Word, whe­ther it was reckoned vpon or no, but strengthens (as one might say) the weake hammes of Iudahs credency, with notable and remarkable tokens of his remembrance of them, and seemes to continue their Title and Plea to the Kingdome on foot, by giuing them sometimes soueraigne markes and bad­ges of it; and otherwhile putting them into possession of some parcells of the [Page 206]Prerogatiues of it. I passe by that pre­cedency giuen them, as the Hebrewes affirme, in their passage ouer the Red Sea, where they make that Tribe as dux gregis, to leade the way. In the march of the Israelites through the De­sarts of Arabia. What place held the Standard of Iudah by the Lords com­mand, but the first? Numb. 10. Of what Tribe was their first Iudge, hee which deliuered them from the hand of Cushan Rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, but Othniel the sonne of Kenaz, of the Tribe of Iudah, Iudg. 3. When the Is­raelites aske of God who should goe vp against the Benjamites, to administer high iustice against them for their enor­mious fact, whom doth the Lord no­minate, but Iudah, Iud. 20. and to come home to my Text, Whom doth God preferre in this place to that Kingly of­fice of disposing the Canaanites, but Iu­dah. Iudah shall goe vp: as if in this nomination he had said, the Kingdome is Iudahs, it is his by my Gift, by his Fa­thers Will, and excepting those of his [Page 207]Brethren whose gracelesse demeanour lost them their birth-right; it is his by the Law of Nature; Ioshua is dead, and doe you aske who shall goe vp first for you against the Canaanites? why, by a threefold right, who should but Iudah? Behold, in this Royall expedition a­gainst the Canaanites; I renew and con­firme my Graunt of the Kingdome to him, hee shall haue this as a Seale and assurance for the future enioying of it, Iudah shall goe vp.

Here then doth God by his owne ex­ample warrant that fundamentall max­ime of State, obserued as a Law of the Medes and Persians, by almost all the renowned Empires that euer were, which entailes Scepters to Tribes, and Crownes to Families. It sutes not with this place to discusse the reasons of State, alleaged pro and con, by Aristotle, Machiauil, Bodin, Iohannes Mariana, and others, whether were more expedient for a common-wealth, to haue their Princely election or succession; whe­ther in purging and expelling the pesti­lent [Page 208]humours of a politike body, it bee safer to trie the soueraign vertue which recides in new Slips, or presume vpon that which hath beene by long expe­rience found in ancient and well proo­ued Stemmes; for mine owne part, I should hold it but a wittie impietie, such as hath beene shewed by diuers, in the commendations of exorbitant subiects, to magnifie any policie of man, aboue the wisedome of God, who in the king­dome of the Iewes, which hee made his seate of Majestie vpon earth, and wher­in he more visibly reigned, then in any other Empire of the world, annexed the ensignes of Soueraigntie to this one Tribe of Iudah, and excepting the time of the Iudges, which were rather Dicta­tors, extraordinarily stirred vp by God, to deliuer the people from some speciall seruitude, then ordinarie Magistrates; and one Saul, from whose house God rented the Kingdome for his disobedi­ence, we find euer after by the expresse act of God, the Scepter committed to the sway of one Family in Iudah, euen [Page 209]the House of Dauid, and that not with­out speciall reasons in Religion; for besides, that the blessed Race of which the Messias was to come, became by this meanes the more remarkable; the truth also of Gods promises and threats, which hee extends euen to the fourth generation of them which loue or hate him, is made by so much the more eui­dent to the eyes of men, by how much the glorie of a Familie in this wise continued, makes the fortunes of it the more noted and obserued by the World.

And now haue I brought the Israe­lites to their wished Port, there seemed but one thing wanting to secure them of their felicitie, a Iudah to goe vp be­fore them, and it is fallen into their bo­some. It may be now expected accor­ding to the solemnitie of the day, that I should vndergoe the taske of Plu­tarch; and no lesse paralell the fortunes of Englands Inhabitants, and the po­steritie of Israel, then hee that liues of Greekes and Romans: wherein I must [Page 210]confesse the constant and euen hand of God ouer his distressed Church in all Ages, hath made the burden where­with I trauaile, capable of a more fa­cile birth, which there required the wit and industrie of a deepe Philoso­pher. If I would play the Logician, and begin the affinitie and kindred (as one might say) of both people, à nota­tione, a likenesse might there be found, they come thus neere, Iacobi filij, Iacobi subditi. But I list rather, to build my comparisons on reall then verbal foun­dations. The people of Israel serued miserable apprentiship of bondage, ere they could be free in the land of Egypt; wee in more then Egyptian darknesse, in the Territories of Babylon. They in seruitude to Pharaoh; we to Antichrist. Their manumission and freedome was through the red Sea; ours through a Sea more red then it, of bloudie perse­cutions. Blest were they with the con­duct of two most famous and renow­ned Generals, each of which was an Armie royall in himselfe; whose Faith [Page 211]fought more for the Campe, then the Campe for them. Yet Moses the first of them saw not the Land of Canaan, but from the top of a mountaine. He died vpon the entrie; and truly, those yeares in which our cause seemed to breathe, vnder the first Prince that wholly shooke off the yoke of Antichrist, were so few, Ed. VI. that in them wee might more truly be said to behold our libertie in speculation, then to enioy it; to view it, then to vse it. Q. Ma­rie. There followed an inundation of miserie vpon it; but God, that would not haue vs tempted aboue that wee are able, heard our cryes; and sent as to the Israelites, Q. Eliz. so to vs a Ioshua to deliuer. Then did the walls of Ba­bylon, like those of Iericho, fall downe, not so much by the noyse of warlike Musicke, as by the blowing of the Le­uites, the preaching of the Word. Then was the Land diuided amongst the Is­rael of God, and the Cities of refuge pointed out, euen all this Canaan of ours was a Sechem, and a Ramah, euen our Citie of refuge to all the persecuted [Page 212]nations of the world. Then did the light of the Gospel, no lesse then the lights of Heauen at the prayer of Ioshua, stand still in the midst of our Firmament, vn­till we had subiected our enemies to the obedience of it. But Ioshua's, though their fame and glorie bee of immortall temper, and therein they seeme to out­strip the condition of man; yet their earthly Tabernacles are not of so dura­ble mettall, as not to suggest vnto sur­uiuing Ages, that they possesse so much of Man in them, as makes them mor­tall. They are lent vnto vs for our sakes, but wee must restore them againe for their owne sakes. And vpon the set­ting of such Sunnes, how euer the ne­cessitie of Natures law doe lessen the griefe of it, yet the succeeding dark­nesse is not therefore awhit the lesse; both the sonnes of Iacob, and we, must acknowledge in it, our selues subiect to the chances and vsuall misfortunes of the night. It is true indeed, that the Canaanites, both there and here were much diminished and brought vnder, [Page 213]yet were they not wholly as yet cast out, they dwelt still amongst the people God, and were as a thorne in their sides; and now or neuer, when the Io­shua's are gone, when the Cloud by day, and Pillar of fire by night, seeme to be vanisht, are they in hope, either to ex­pell Israel out of the Land, or at least, ere a new Sunne should arise, to com­pound for a toleration. And let any speake, whether in this point also the Children of Israel, and wee, shared not alike in our dangers after the death's of our Ioshua's? And if wee did, then doubtlesse the same reasons must en­force vs also, as did them, to seeke for some one or other in our Ioshua's rooms to goe vp before vs. But of whom should we aske? It is thought that the Children of Israel went to the high Priest in those dayes; and therefore some would conclude, that wee should aske of the Pope, whom they faigne to succeed Aaron in the high Priests Office. But before wee condescend to this, two things are to be proued vnto [Page 214]vs; First, that there is a Vrim and Thummim fixt in his Chaire, wherein God doth as visibly deliuer his Ora­cles, as he did in the high Priests breast­plate; otherwise the reasons will not be alike. And secondly, that the Pope is the true successor of Aaron, and not rather of Adonibezek, against whom wee wanted one to goe vp for vs; for, to whom may more properly be appli­ed that saying of Adonibezek, in the seuenth Verse of this Chapter. Three­score and ten Kings hauing their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat vnder my table: Then to the Pope, whose cutting and paring of the authoritie of Princes, and treading their Crownes vnder his feet, speake no lesse. Wee should haue also asked him, they say, who should goe vp to fight for vs; that was indeed expected, his Breues were readie drawne; but, I wis, hee would haue serued vs with one of his Carpet Kings, that could neither haue fought for vs, for want of thumbs; nor gone vp before vs, for want of [Page 215]toes. Well, if wee were not to aske of the Pope of Rome, should wee aske of any other Pope at home, which some make to be the people. But, alas, amidst so many Canaanites they lurked and whispered seditions in euery corner; what abstract Statist could bow the hearts of so many thousands, as it had beene the heart of one man; and if some such were to bee found, yet Crownes and Scepters (as wee haue shewed) are more then of a humane mold, or a Gold-smiths composition; they are of God. Then to God were we to goe, and as the Israelites to some extraordinarie reuelation, so we to the ordinarie course which he hath establi­shed amongst vs, for the knowing, of who should goe vp before vs. Truly, it was no small thing, that wee were to aske of God in this case. It was, First, who should goe vp to fight; therein is intimated, the behoofe of militarie skill. Secondly, against the Canaanites, therein is specified, genus belli, the kind of warre, which was to be vndertaken, [Page 216]against the Canaanites of the Israelites; it was to be performed, ore gladij, with the edge of the sword; but against ours, whom Christ is to destroy with the power of his Word; it is rather to be acted, gladio oris, with the sword of the mouth, not Marte, but Mercu­rio; not basta but calamo. Thirdly, it was, who should goe vp for vs, not pro se, for himselfe onely, or but for his owne lot, as who should fight onely in questions of supremacie; but pro nobis, for vs also, in the common cause, and driue out the Canaanile, as well out of the Countrie, as the Court; and the Suburbs, as the Citie. And Lastly, it was, who should goe vp to fight against the Canaanites; first, that is in the fore­front of the battell, & in the first ranke, and be able not onely to be directed by others, but learned also to act himselfe, and that inter primos primus, chiefe a­mongst the chiefe; and for such a man, God, and none but God, hath answe­red, that we should haue him in Iudah, in the Tribe of the Kings, in the semi­narie [Page 217]selected by him for the furnishing of Leaders. It was neither the combi­nation of Inferiours, nor the plot of Superiours, nor the well-wishes of For­reiners, that shapes vs our answere; but it was the Lord that appointed vs a Captaine, and such a one as was able to goe vp, and expertagainst the Canaa­nites, and willing to bee for vs, and most worthie to be first, and all this in domo lacobi, in our Iudah, that beautifull Gar­den, wherein for so many Ages, the soueraigntie of this Ile hath taken root.

O Lord, it is thine owne right hand that hath planted it, water it with thy dew from aboue; and blow vpon it, that the Spices thereof may flow out, that there neuer faile of that Stocke a Iudah to goe vp before vs, vntill the full and perfect fruition of that Canaan which thou hast appointed for vs. This grant for Iesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be rendred all praise, honor, and glorie, might, maiestie, and dominion, from this time forth for euermore.

Amen.

THE GENTILES CREEDE.

THe vse of miracles in the Apostles time, Caiet. Tom. 2. opusc. tract. 1. de conceptione Ʋirginis. cap. 5. as Caietan shewes out of Gregorie, if not onely yet specially in respect of Infidels, serued to make the mysteries of God seeme credible to such, as were otherwise a­uerse from them; for wheras the things then taught, were new, strange and in­credible to naturall eares; how should the Gentiles bee induced to beleeue them? how should so great a portion of mankind emancipated, as it were to Sa­than, [Page 222]be brought from their fathers tra­ditions or diabolicall oracles to relie vpon them, had not the strange works that followed their publishers made them thinke, that those things were credible which were accompanied with so strange attendants. Thus farre Saint Paule and Barnabas had proceeded, when by a miracle wrought in Lystria, Vers. 7. by restoring strength and streightnesse to an impotent cripple, the Lycoanians were roused vp to conceiue, that some­thing more then flesh and bloud was preach't vnto them; that surely some Embassadors were come from heauen amongst them. But see the malignitie of Sathan, he is alreadie confined to the deepe, if this Miracle lose not its true vse, and by depriuing the Author of the worke, the honour bee transferred vpon the instruments. The Apostles before had a taske to teach the Gentiles that Iupiter was nothing, Cor 8.4.1. Plaut. Am­phit. and Mercurie nothing, and now as if Amphitruo were to be re-acted, they must beginne a new with them, and hardly make good [Page 224]that Paul is Paul, and not Mercurie, that Barnabas is Barnabas, and not Iupiter, Happie Lystrians had they but attended to what was preached, and not too fondly ouervalued them which prea­ched it; but I would to God, that Ly­stria only might bee branded with this follie, and that it might haue there dy­ed where it first began in Lyconia, then should these blessed Apostles bee no more dishonoured with adoration, nor so many deluded soules in these our daies, be forced now againe to offer in­cense vnto them. V. 14. & 15. The Apostles them­selues, I am sure, were molded of an o­ther temper; whether I should present them to your view, renting ther clothes or running amongst the people, or cry­ing with might and maine; O men, why doe you these things, one cannot but con­ceiue how these Apostles being dis-ro­bed of their flesh, and with that, of their fleshly desires, are now affected, when as being yet clothed, as it were, with temptation it selfe, they so greatly distasted their owne worship. I were [Page 224]more then an Orator, could I fuller ex­presse my Apostles Oration, and it would argue no small presumption, should I thinke with any paraphrase vpon their Rethorike to affect your ten­der eares, when the substance thereof proceeding from so diuine subiects as were these Embassadors of Christ, could scarcely appease or restraine a ruder Au­ditorie. The force of their Arguments is powerfull enough to supply what is wanting: That themselues were not those Gods they tooke them for, they make good by two irrefragable argu­ments, the one taken from their nature, by which they professe themselues to be Men, Verse 15. subiest to the like passions that the Lystrians were, and therefore could bee no Gods and impatible deities: the other drawne from their office and fun­ction, which was so farre from giuing them authoritie to accept of any such worship, that on the contrarie side, they declare the end and scope of their com­ming, to be, to Preach vnto them, that they should turne, [...], as [Page 225]the text saith, from those vaine things, from those Idols vnto the liuing God: But that God was the Lord, that hee was that Ceres which filled their gar­ners with Corne, hee that Zeus which vìuificated and made nature fertile, he that Aeolus which brideled and kept the impetuous winds in subiection, might seeme a point of more difficultie to make good; surely, the Gentiles might plead ignorance for their excuse, whom for a long time God had suffered to walke in their owne waies, and Phi­losophers themselues might complaine they saw but through a mist, and that his misteries were not so plainly divul­ged to them as to the Iewes, yet this one argument which the Apostles here vrge, is sufficiēt to conuince them of this, that he left not himselfe to them also without witnesse, that he was the only and euer­liuing God, in that hee did good, and gaue them raine from heauen and fruit­full seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladnesse.

The summe is a prolepsis, or taking [Page 226]away of all such pretences for their ig­norance, as the Gentiles might alleage in their owne defence, in which they proceed by two gadations.

Viz. First, by an Aphaeresis, or re­mouing of the false opinion vp­on which they grounded, and laying downe the truth; Neuer­thelesse, he left not himselfe with­out witnesse.

Viz. Secondly, by an Epicurosis, or cōfirmation of that truth which they laid downe, which likewise they prosecute by two Mediums, to wit, by Gods benefits, pointed out,

Viz. Either in

• 1. Generall, in that he did good.
• 2. Speciall, in that hee gaue them raine from heauen, and fruit­full seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladnesse.

The errour which is here remoued, may seeme to haue some dependencie vpon that question of Aristotles, Aristot: Ethic. 3. An [Page 227]ignorantia excuset peccatum, whether ignorance doth excuse a fault; it is not expressely set downe in the storie, but tacitely imployed, in that it is refuted [...] neuerthelesse, being an Aduer­satiue particle, and here vsed as Destru­ctiue, so, that whereas these Gentiles would perhaps haue pleaded igno­rance to excuse their Idolatrie, the A­postle shews them that their ignorance was crassa & affectata, grosse and affe­cted, such as the Pope now a dayes en­ioynes his subiects, and such as by the tenures of Philosophie, doth augment rather then diminish an offence. For though the Gentiles knew not God absolutè absolutely, Bellar. de grat. & lib. arbit. c. 2. as Bellarmine in his fourth Booke, De gratia & lib. arbitr. seemes to intimate, yet limitatè with some limitation and restriction, they did; si non simpliciter verum Deum, ta­men aliquid veri Dei, if not simply the true God, yet something of the true God; The light of Nature serued in grosse, to shew them that there was a God, that this God was one only, that [Page 228]he was to be worshipped, to be serued and adored, though fully who this God was, Nature debilitate ascended not to know, humane frailty could not pe­nitrate: much like was their know­ledge to that of Oedipus in the Poets, Senec. Tra­ged. who knew in generall that he had a Fa­ther, but not who was his Father, one­ly (to see his misfortune) whom he so carefully sought, he vnwillingly slue, or as children (sayth Aristotle) Quosuis viros appellant patres, Aristot. 1. Phys. & faeminas ma­tres, call all men their fathers, and all women their mothers; so this pur­blind progenie of Adam, being able to discerne no cleerer the Godhead, then he in the Gospell, which saw Men wal­king like Trees, tooke oftentimes the Shadow for the Substance, calling eue­ry Creature a Creator, and mistaking a corruptible Man for an incorruptible God. But for our cleerer proceeding, and easier accesse to our Apostles sense and meaning, when they say, God left not himselfe without witnesse, wee must note, that the witnesse which is here [Page 229]vnderstood, is the witnesse of Nature, and the thing witnessed, is God display­ed by his workes of nature, the mayne doubt concernes the extent of this knowledge, quantum Deitatis, how much of the Godhead may be knowne of vs by this witnesse of Nature. To decide this controuersie, wee must ob­serue that the knowledge of God is two-fold; either of him, as he is consi­dered in himselfe, or as he is considered in his workes; as in himselfe, so either of his essence, or of his persons: as in his workes, so likewise it is either of his workes of Creation, or his workes of Redemption. As for him considered in his persons, or in his workes of Redem­ption, I take, that the witnesse which is here implied, (in as much as it con­fines it selfe to the light of Nature) ex­tends not further, then to yeeld limi­lies to illustrate them; Tho. part. 1. q. 32. art. 1. or as Thomas sayth of these points, sufficit probare non esse impossibile quod sides praedicat, it is enough, if wee can proue that those things are not impossible which Faith [Page 230]preacheth: For first, concerning the workes of Redemption, almost all Di­uines doe assent and agree in this, that Quamuis homo norit Deum esse, Morn. de verit. relig. c. 27. & esse optimum maximum, non norit tamen patrem in filio reconciliatum, though Man by nature knowes that there is a God, and that this God is goodnesse it selfe; yet the Father reconciled in the Sonne, he knowes not. It was a won­der vnto the blessed Angels, much more is it a mysterie vnto naturall men. And touching the doctrine of the three Persons, Thomas in the place aboue ci­ted, resolues vs plainly, that, per ratio­nem naturalem cognosci possint de Deo ea tantum quae pertinent ad vnita­tem essentiae, non autem ea quae perti­nent ad distinctionem personarum, by the light of nature, onely those things may bee knowne of God, which con­cerne the vnitie of his essence, not those which concerne the distinction of per­sons. Many, I confesse, haue ransackt Nature for Mediums to perswade this doctrine of the Trinitie, Morn. de verit. relig. c. 5. one tells vs, [Page 231]that a Spring begets a Riuer, and that from both are deriued smaller Brookes, all which yet make but one Water; another shewes a Roote, from which rises a Bodie, and from thence Bran­ches, and yet all make but one Tree: some more subtile Philosophers pro­duce a Man, which in one Soule hath three faculties; and yet all these, if wee beleeue the Scotists, doe differ but for­mally from the Soule, no not at all, if wee beleeue the Nominals. But this makes not any thing, to denie the de­fects of this witnesse of Nature in re­spect of this high mysterie; for who knowes not that Naturall reason is one thing as it is nuda, bare and naked in it selfe, an other thing as it is vestita, a­dorned and clothed with higher gifts; one thing, being considered sine indu­mento, without the ornaments and per­fections which the knowledge of God out of the Scripture giues vnto it; ano­ther thing, as it is considered cum in­dumento, being inuested with that light which the Word written, like the Sun [Page 232]darting his beames vpon the Moone, reflect vpon it, before it can shine to­wards vs. The former way Natures resemblances of the Trinitie are not of such power and force, as that by them a man in puris naturalibus constitutus, being left to the light of Nature onely, should bee able to come to the know­ledge of that incomprehensible depth, no more (sayth Philip Mornay in his fifth Chapter, De veritate Religionis) then cyphering Characters can shew him the summe they import, which was neuer instructed in their vse, though being considered cum indumen­to, with their perfections and additi­ons which they receiue from the light of the Scripture, they make easie that doctrine, being to that purpose inuen­ted by those (sayth one) qui prius cre­diderunt quam intellexerunt, who did first beleeue before they vnderstood. But though these mysteries of the Tri­nitie and of our Redemption, wrought by that incarnate Sonne of God Christ Iesus, are so remote from this witnesse [Page 233]of Nature, yet in points concerning the essence of God in generall, or his workes of Creation, not illustrations onely or a bare fame may be had from the light of Nature, as Socinus, Ostoro­dius, and the like, Samosatenian Atheists in Polonie doe affirme, but also de­monstrations and direct conclusions may be deduced. The doctrine there­fore which our Apostles in my Text doe insinuate vnto vs, when they say, that God left not himselfe to the Gen­tiles without witnesse, must needs be this.

That so much may be knowne of God by the witnesse of Nature, as is sufficient to confirme vnto vs, though not his Persons, or workes of Redemption, yet his God­head, and also his handie-worke in crea­ting and gouerning of the World.

God is in himselfe inuisible, and yet The inuisible things of him (sayth the Apostle, Rom. 1.20.) that is, his eternall Power and Godhead are seene by the crea­tion of the World, being considered in his workes. To resolue the members of [Page 234]which Verse, were to propose vnto you a whole systeme of naturall Diuinitie, each part being a scale (sayth Beza) which whosoeuer will ascend, Beza in an­not. ad loc: may by it attaine to the knowledge of Gods eternall Power and Diuinitie. O God, when I consider the workes of thine hands, the Sun and the Moone which thou hast created, and that all things which are comprised within the cir­cumference of them, doe receiue their being and perfection from thee alone, how can I chuse but assent that thou thy selfe art most perfect, most essen­tiall? when I confesse that thou art the prime cause, and first moouer of all things, reason were no reason, if from hence it concluded not, that there is nothing left which can moue thee, or make thee mutable; when thou alone madest the fabrike of the World by thy mightie power, & doest now sway each iota thereof by the Scepter of thy Word, it were sacriledge, should I say, thou wert not a Spirit, and that for time, eternall; for place, euery where; [Page 235]for power, omnipotent. Now when in Nature there can bee but one most perfect, one immutable, one infinite and omnipotent Essence; let it not be presumption, if I goe a little farther and inferre, that thou, O God, and none but thou, which dost these things, art that one most perfect, immutable, infinite, and omnipotent Essence. Thus you may perceiue what wings Nature hath yet affoorded Man to soare aloft, if hee would but prye into that glori­ous Cabinet of heauenly treasure: if wee looke into the foure last Chapters of Iob, we shall see God himselfe, as it were reading a lecture of these workes of Nature, that by them he might de­monstrate his wisedome, and by them his power and prouidence might bee conceiued. The old Testament is co­pious likewise in this subiect, there you may see how the deuout Saints, Psal. 148. that they might prouoke themselues and o­thers to sing praises vnto God, in­uited breathlesse creatures to praise him▪ and feigned them voyces and [Page 236]tongues to set forth his power and glo­rie. But the Apostle goes something farther, and sayth, not onely the inuisi­ble things of God are seene by his workes, but he addes moreouer, that they are so farre seene, as to make the Gentiles with­out excuse. And indeed it was the very scope of Saint Paul and Barnabas, in my Text, to teach the Lystrians thus much, that howsoeuer God left not such witnesse of himselfe vnto them as was sufficient to saue them; yet that by his workes of Nature he left them such a witnesse, as that they dishonouring his sacred person by Idolatrie, did take from themselues al matter which might excuse them. For what if Nature con­demned them not quoad totum, y [...]t it did quoad tantum; say, Nature reached not to the knowledge of the Trinitie, or of Christ the Redeemer, yet in that they went not so farre in acknowled­ging God as Creator or Gouernour of all things, as Nature could haue directed them, we may well iudge them vnex­cusable: They might thus farre haue [Page 237]played the Logicians, and that to good purpose; that God is a Spirit which euery where swayes the world by his mightie Word, may bee confirmed by Reason, and therefore our Idolatrie is vitious, by which wee adore him in bo­dily and humane representations; that there is but one God, may bee proued by naturall deductions, and therefore our Poeticall fictions of many gods is vaine and ridiculous; that this God was before the World which he made, and that he is iustice and goodnesse it selfe, which is the Iudge of good and bad, is euident by the light of Nature, erronious therefore are our narrations of the gods parentages and of their a­ctions, which were so prodigious, that onely they deserued (as Euripides sayth) to be banished out of Heauen, Clemens in protreptic. ad Gent. but vnworthie also they were to liue a­mongst mortall men. Thus you see how Nature it selfe past vpon these Gentiles, and found them guiltie of wilfull ignorance; what might they here say for themselues? should they [Page 238]plead, they had no eares to heare the truth, when as brute creatures with more then a Trumpets voice did euery where proclaime it? Should they vrge, they could not see the way which leads to the Schoole of knowledge, when as blind creatures, and such as haue no eyes at all did point it out and shew it vnto them? Shall they obiect, the fee­blenesse of their vnderstandings, where stockes and stones, and things without vnderstanding become masters? O ig­norance intolerable, O blindnesse more then grosse, not to see, or seeing, not to discerne when the Sunne it selfe lodg­eth in his Zenith; Interroga iumenta (sayth Iob) & docebunt te, Iob 12.8. volatilia coe­li & indicabunt tibi, loquere terrae & respondebit tibi, & narrabunt pisces ma­ris; Aske the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowles of the aire, and they shall tell thee; speake to the earth, and it shall shew thee; or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee, who is ignorant of all these, but that the hand of the Lord hath [Page 239]made them? Rom. 1.19. That which may be knowne of God, therefore is manifest in them (sayth the Apostle) for God hath shew­ed it vnto them; [...]. tom. 6. true (ayth Chryso­stome) but by what meanes? what Pro­phet did he send vnto them? what E­uangelist? what Doctor? Why he tells vs, [...]. The inuisible things of him are cleerely seene, being vnder­stood by the things that are made; All creatures are Regij professores, profes­sors of that great King, all are his wit­nesses, all his preachers, and if I may say it, they are all but reall postils of his Diumitie. Writers contend in ex­pressing this point with varietie of si­milies. God may be contemplated in his creatures as in a Glasse, 1. Cor. 13.12. Basil. hom. 11. Hexam. Aug. de Gen. Athan. orat. cont. idola. Aug. 55. serm. de verb. Dom. so Saint Paul; read as in a Booke, so Basill; heard as in an harpe, so Austin; view­ed as in a Picture, so Athanasius. The Apostle sayth not therefore, (as Saint Austin well notes) eos veritatis ignaros, that the Gentiles were ignorant of the truth, sed quod veritatem iniquitate [Page 240]detinuerint, but that they held the trueth in vnrighteousnesse; it seemes, they either squinted vpon the obiect, and could not discerne the nat [...]ue co­lours, or else, when they turned ouer Natures Text, they interpreted it by the Deuils comment.

But I will stand no longer vpon the proofe of a point so euident, I will now come to applie it to our selues. Since it hath pleased God to giue such euidence and witnesse of himselfe, by his works of Nature, wee should shew our selues triuants in his schoole, should we with lesse attentiue eares then is meet, ob­serue their dictates of the God head. Men are happie (sayth Chrysostome) which haue so dextrous and perspicu­ous Teachers, Chrysost. in Psal. 19. for had this testimoniall of Nature beene written in paper or parchment, the learned indeed might haue read it, but the ignorant could haue receiued no benefit from it; the rich might haue bought it, but the poore would haue wanted it: againe, they which vnderstand the language, [Page 241]would haue reaped some profit from it, but the Scythian, and Barbarian, and Indian, and Egyptian, whose Tongues it was not written in, would haue made no vse of it. And indeed, Chrysostome then thought this was enough to argue the happinesse we haue, in that it is not liable to the discommodities of pen and inke; but had that good Father liued in our dayes, he would haue ad­ded to these farre more inconuenien­ces worse then the former. Alas (be­loued) if Guttenbergius which inuen­ted printing, had but committed this testimoniall of Nature to the presse, I omit how Criticks would haue trans­posed whole elements, not of Gram­mar onely, but of the World, at their pleasure; thinke you that in what Na­ture it selfe, so mainely oppugneth Popish transubstantiation, the Coun­cell of Trent would not haue condem­ned it as a prohibited book, at the least not haue permitted it to passe in the vulgar Tongue amongst the Laiks? But thankes be to God, which hath spread [Page 242]this booke of Nature open to euery mans view. Nor are we to imagine, the Characters of the Godhead to be im­printed in the more noble Creatures only, and not in others. S. Austin tells vs that hauing gone through all creatures, Aug. Solilo­quijs. c. 31. and seriously haue inquired of them for God, not one or two, but euery one made him this answere, with an audible voice, Non sum ego, sed per ipsum sum ego quem quaeris in me; I am not he, but by him I am whom thou seekest in mee. And Hugo de S. vict. affirms, Hug. de Sancto Vi­ctore, lib. 2. dearca. c. 3. that euery thing speakes these three words vnto a man, Accipe, redde, fuge; take, restore, flee. The first is, vox famulantis, the voice of a seruant, accipe benesicium, re­ceiue a benefit of God. The second is, vox admonentis, the voice of a moni­tor, redde, ô homo, debitum Deo officium, render, O man, the dutie thou owest to God, for giuing vs vnto thee. The third is, vox comminantis, the voice of a threatner, fuge, ô homo, supplicium, flee, Oman, the punishment which euen we shall inflict vpon thee, if thou beest [Page 243]not gratefull for receiuing vs. Wee may not be so rigid Philosophers, as to make our naturall Philosophie meerely speculatiue, a Christian must ring it fur­ther, and conuert it to a practicall vse. In the booke of Nature we must thinke no page vnwritten on, wee must sup­pose euery creature, euen the basest to speake vnto vs; the starres of the fir­mament to crie out, and by their light to inuite vs to that eternall light which is aboue; the winds in the aiery re­gions to crie out, and admonish vs of the Spirit of the Lord which dwelleth in all things; the flouds and streames of running water to crie out, and sum­mon vs to that crystall riuer and foun­taine of liuing water which is in hea­uen; the earth when it trembles, and when its massie frame is shaken, to crie out, and put vs in mind of the ruine and dissolution of the world. And for as much as God in this world can be discerned by vs but in his hinder parts, that is, in his workes and his effects, [Page 244]him, lest they which he hath now left vnto vs as witnesses to enforme vs, hee one day produce against vs, as witnesses to condemne vs. And so I passe from the Aphaeresis to the Epicu­rosis, from the Assertion to the Confir­mation, which commeth in the next place to be handled. In that he did good, and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruit­full seasons, silling our hearts with food and gladnesse.

The benefits of God, which the Apo­stles doe here produce to confirme the former position, are pointed out by them (as before I shewed you) either in generall, or in particular. In generall, in that he did good; in particular, in that hee gaue them raine from heauen, and fruitfull seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladnesse. As for the generall, wee are to note, that our Apostles pro­ceed not heere with Aristotle, Arist. 8. Phys. à mo­tu ad primum motorem, from motion to conclude a first mouer; nor yet with Patricius, Patrici. Pan. aug. lib. 1. à lumine ad lucis luminis pa­trem, from light to proue the author [Page 245]and father of it; but here they vse a straine of Christian Rhetoricke, and to gaine the beneuolence of their audi­tors, what arguments are most subiect to sense, and greatliest doe affect the heart of man, those they propose to allure them to acknowledge the true God, to wit, in that hee did good. For howsoeuer wee vnderstand things as they are true, or delight in them because they are faire; yet whatsoeuer we af­fect, we palpably feele it either good in it selfe, or good for vs. What the Phi­losopher therefore pronounced in a so­lemne axiome, as it is vndoubted in se­culation, so it is daily experimented in action, bonum est quod omnia appetunt, Arislot. E­thic. lib. 1. cap. 1. goodnesse is that which all things af­fect. But although goodnesse be so de­sirable, yet that goodnesse which is here meant in my Text, is not the goodnesse that is in God; but that goodnesse, which is from God; not goodnesse in the subiect, but in the ob­iect; not that which is tanquam lux in lucido, but that which is tanquam lu­men [Page 246]in diaphano. From this good which is done, our Apostles draw an argu­ment to the Author which doth it: for it cannot be, but that so diuine an off­spring, must argue a diuine Sire, and that so generous an issue must insinuate vnto vs somewhat the image and pour­traiture of its noble Parent. But how proceeds the argument? can the trueth of it be discerned by those only which are purified from offences, and are right beleeuers? Because of Israel it is said, he hath not done so to any Nation, there­fore powreth hee his treasures vpon none, but such as in sincere effectuall and thirstie hearts seeke for him? No, no, (beloued) his goodnesse no lesse extendeth her sphere then his omnipo­tencie her might; what man euer li­ued and enioyed not the heat and light of this visible Sunne; and who euer liued or continued life, but by the beames of his inuisible goodnesse? they were not Iewes but Gentiles, which our Apostles here deale with; not wor­shippers of the true God, but a nation [Page 247]possest with ignorance, and adorers of foule spirits which they contend with: yet they obiecting Gods doing good, as a forceable argument to conuince euen them of their blind superstition, and grosse idolatrie, doe direct vs to this plaine but most profitable obser­uation.

That there are none, if they duely con­sidered it, to whom God exhibites not eui­dent tokens of his goodnesse.

Besides the speciall goodnesse, where­with God seemes in a more especiall manner to endue his elect, the generall goodnesse which he conferres to all his creatures, consists in twofold kind, to wit, creando & sustentando, in creating, and in sustayning them being created. The goodnesse which hee endowes them withall in their creation, is either absolute, or as the Metaphysickes termes it, transcendentall, by which, things are good in themselues, as it is said, God saw euery thing that hee had made, and behold, it was very good, Gen. 1.3. or else it is respectiue, by which [Page 248]things are good, and vsefull in respect of others. Not that euery thing is bo­num vniuersale, vniuersally good for all things (as the Schooles well distin­guish) but that at least it is bonum par­ticulare & contractum, euery thing is good for something: Hie [...]on. de [...]ed [...]is in Thom. p. 1. q. 23. art 3. Vult Deus omni­bus bonum, sed non vult omnibus omne bonum. Whence it comes to passe, that that which stands in an antipathie with one thing, sympathiseth with an­other; and what is poison to one crea­ture, is wholsome food and nourish­ment to another. For God composed the order and series of things, like a verse of Antithetaes, that so by cōtrarie the same ornaments might be in things which are in words. The not obser­uing of which, gaue an aduantage to a Manichie, to perswade an ignorant man (as Saint Austin, Aug. l. 5. de cruit. Dei, cap. 18. de Genesi contra Manichcos relates it) to beleeue, because flyes molested him, quod diabolus fecit muscas, that the Deuill made them. The like doe the Manichies of our dayes, I meane the inconsiderate va­luers [Page 249]of Gods benefits, conceiuing that whatsoeuer squares not with their humours, is not good. But what sayth Saint Austin to this? If (sayth he) an ignorant man chance to enter the shop of a cunning Artificer, hee sees there many instruments whose vse he knowes not, and if by chance hee falls into a furnace, or cuts himselfe with a sharpe toole through mishand­ling it, no doubt but he will iudge ma­ny things there to bee pernicious, and perhaps superfluous; but the Artificer himselfe, because hee is his Craftsma­ster, and is dextrous in vsing them, scofs at the others follie, and contemnes his censure. Now, shall men be so sottish, that in a Tradesmans shop they may not dispraise what they are ignorant of, but iudge all things they see to be ne­cessarie and instituted to some good purpose, and yet in the world whose Maker and Gonernour is God him­selfe, shall they presume to censure the things whose causes they know not, and seeme to vilifie the instruments of [Page 250]so omnipotent an Artificer? Ego ve­re (addes the Father) fateor me ne­scire quare mures & ranae creata sunt aut muscae, aut vermiculae, video tamen omnia suo genere pulchra esse, qu [...]muis ob peccata nostra, multa nobis videantur aduersa. I confesse, I know not why Mice, or Frogs, or Flies, or Wormes were created, but I see that they are all good in their kinde, although for our sinnes some seeme aduerse and perni­cious vnto vs. Thus you see, how God communicates his goodnes to al things creando, by creating them, making them good both absolutly in themselues, and respectiuely in relation to others; now how he seconds it, Sustentando, by su­stayning them, as euery creature is a witnesse thereof vnto it selfe, so doth the Scripture, as an impartiall Iudge, promulge it vnto vs all. For doe wee conceiue his goodnesse to extend to the godly onely, and not to the wicked? our Sauiour will tell vs, that hee makes his Sunne to rise vpon the euill and the good, on the iust and on the vniust, Matt. [Page 251]5.45. or imagine we his bountie to bee confined to men onely, and that it di­lates not it selfe to dumbe creatures also and brute beasts? Harken then to those words of King Dauid, Psal. 14.5. The eyes of allwait vpon thee, O Lord, and thou giuest them their meate in due season; thou openest thy hand, and fillest all things li­uing with plenteousnesse. A true Louer of God therefore (saith Bernard) which way soeuer hee turnes himselfe, hath a familiar admonition of his Creator, hee vseth al things as a Glasse, and from the Creatures to the Creator, thus musing, he is eleuated, Si ista bona dulcia & pul­chra videntur, quae creata cum tempore mutantur, quid bonitatis & dulcedinis habebit author eorum Deus. If those things seeme good & beautifull, which being made of nothing, are changed with Time; what goodnesse and sweet­nesse may we conceiue hath hee, which is Maker and Author of them.

A iust reprehension (beloued) for these stupid and senselesse times of ours, wherein most men are so corrupt by [Page 252]nature, so possest with Ethnicisme, that more blind then these idolatrous Ly­strians, they can bee content to let God euery day showre downe his goodnes in plentie, and yet they will bee fresh Sophisters still, and from sound Pre­mises inferre none but indirect Conclu­sions. If their affaires goe well, they haue but their due; if ill, they will quar­rell with Gods goodnesse. Certainly, should Saint Paul and Barnabas pro­duce Gods goodnesse, to induce the Worldlings of our dayes, to yeeld As­sent to any Assertion, it would bee thought to be but Booke learning, and they would bee held to argue à non con­cessis; For, to say the truth, when com­monly men conuert Gods benefits to their owne hurt, when from his bountie growes their impenitencie, from his forbearance their hardnesse, from his long suffering and goodnesse it comes to passe, that they treasure vnto them­selues (as the Apostle saith) wrath a­gainst the day of wrath, and reuelation of the righteous Iudgement of God; with [Page 253]what Nailes or Goades, thinke you, do they fasten this Doctrine to their con­sciences? How doe they heartily ac­knowledge God to do any good, when they know no other vse of that good, then to conuert it to ill? And yet (belo­ued) when God left not himselfe with­out witnesse, a thousand wayes to make proofe of his God-head, the Apostles you see in my Text, as if they would cul out that which was most profitable to be viewed by vs, propose onely his do­ing good, on which to fixe our Medi­tations. I cannot tell what to pro­nounce of Salomon, the Scriptures say this of him, 1. King. 3.12. that there was none such be­fore him, nor any such after him; and yet I know not, wherein the Lillies of the field excelled him not: Luc. 12.27. For in all his glo­rie he was not arrayed like one of them; were it not in this, that he was sensible and apprehensiue of Gods goodnes, the other were not. But what should a Christian looke abroad, let him looke but within himselfe, and from thence hee may take a plentifull Theame of [Page 254]Gods goodnesse; hee needs not talke of transitorie benefits, those alone which he feeles in his brest, are enough to de­taine his cogitations. Basil. in re­gulis contractiaribus quest. 15. Si miserationum Dei multitudo numerari & magnitudo mensurari poterit, saith Basil, if the mul­titude of Gods mercies might bee num­bred, and their greatnesse measured, then should wee but cast our eyes vpon the multitude and greatnesse of our sinnes, wee might chance to dispaire; but seeing our sinnes may be numbred, and yet his mercies not measured, wee may take courage to our selues, because he ouer-comes our euill with his owne goodnesse. August. Me­ditat. c. 2. Not onely being offended hee strikes not, but to those also which prouoke him, he becomes the Horne of saluation: vnhappie as we are, we sinne, and he forbeares to punish: wee trans­gresse, and yet he suffers; if we repent, he spares vs; if we returne, he receiues vs; if we linger, he preuents vs.

But som wil obiect, how may it be said that God exhibits such euident tokens of his goodnesse to all men, when many [Page 255]feele his rod of correction, and in this life are afflicted with sundrie and diuers calamities? I answere (beloued) and confesse, that some times God seemes to frowne vpon vs, and to menace vs with vtter destruction, but yet when o­thers like drones doe gather honey but from the Hiue, a true Beleeuer should gather it euen from Thistles, and when weaker Vessels beare sayle onely in a Calme; a true Vessell of Christs should sayle best to his wished Port in a storm. To say the truth, it is so appointed from the beginning of the World, that afflictions and fierie trials should al­wayes attend the Church, whilest it wanders in this desart of Sinne, but so farre are they from eclipsing the splen­dor of Gods goodnesse towards it, that rather they doe the more illustrate it. For whereas all other things by vexa­tion and oppression doe wane and de­cay, the Church like the Moone when the Sunne of righteousnesse seemes to be most in opposition with it, giues euer the most light and is at the fullest. It is [Page 256]vsuall with the Fathers, to compare the Church of the Arke, August. l. 5. de Baptismo cap. vlt. because as none were saued from the Deluge, but such as were in the Arke; so none are deli­uered from eternall death, but such as are really existing in the Church; but the similitude holds as well in respect of the Stormes and Tempests that al­wayes doe accompanie it; the more the Flouds of afflictions doe increase, the more it is eleuated & lifted vp towards Heauen. And as it fares with the Church in general, so doth it with each member thereof in particular; wee are all wounded, and need the good Sama­ritan to refresh vs; from the sole of the foot euen to the crowne of the head, there is no soundnesse in vs, but wounds, and bruises, Esay 1. and putrifying sores; if there­fore we would be healed, we must com­mit our selues to our Cherurgeon Christ Iesus, whither he will launce, or seare, or teint vs to the quick, we are to thinke it tends to our recouerie; and if we may not prescribe an ordinarie Physician, by what physick hee shall remooue the [Page 257]disease of our body; how may wee bee so hardie as to prescribe our heauenly Physician, how hee shall deale in the cure of our soules? To thinke that wee need no Cauteries, no bitter Potions, is to thinke that wee haue shooke off that hereditarie disease, which our first Fa­ther deriued to all his Posteritie; and are wee indeede so blinde, as to craue Gods mercy, to bee freed from the true Conductors and Guides to our heauen­ly habitations? Must we with our hearts looke back againe towards Egypt, from whence we are freed, because wee can­not attaine vnto the Land of Canaan, vnlesse we passe through the sandie and penurious desarts of Arabia? The vul­gar, I know, is so mad and inconside­rate, that when it beholds any of For­tunes Minions, or the Worlds Dar­lings, it vseth to say, How greatly is this man bound vnto God, how good hath God beene vnto him; for they doe measure felicitie by those things which are seene by their bodily eyes, but should we looke with the eyes of Faith [Page 258]vnto Gods secret iudgements, we should see, that that poor man, that Lazer, that wretch, that abiect and despised crea­ture owes more vnto Gods goodnesse, then the other; for though all that, which the common sort of men count wretched, were accumulated vpon one man, yet compare but the endlesse and vnspeakable happines which that man shal enioy, and that perhaps by meanes of these afflictions, with the momenta­rie and sophisticate felicitie, which o­thers do now possesse; and who would deeme that poore man wise, if he should change states vpon so hard conditions, when the rich can hardly part with his wealth, but hee must giue the Deuill to boote, and his faire Lordships haue of­ten-times so sore encumbrances annexed to their tenure, as hell flames. But be­sides, say that Gods goodnesse shined not thus vnto vs through the mists of afflictions, yet mee thinks, the reward which one day we shal receiue for them, if with patience wee abide them, may well perswade vs, that it is no Paradoxt [Page 259]to affirme all crosses, which we endure in this life, to be no lesse then tokens of Gods goodnesse. Doth any winne the Prize, that striues not for the Masterie? or is any graced with Conquest, which is loth to enter into the Field? If there were no Foes to combat with, where were the triumphant Palmes of them which follow the Lambe? if no perse­cutions, where were the Crowne of Martyrdom? if no toyling in the Vine­yard, nor sustayning the brunt of the Day, where were the Peny at night? I will conclude therefore this Point, with that of the Apostle, Rom. 8.28. We know that all things worke together for good, to them that loue God, to them that are called according to his purpose. Vita mihi Christus & mors lucrum (saith S. Paul) to mee to liue is Christ, and to die is gaine. If things goe well with vs, wee will say with the Psalmist, Quam bonus Deus Israeli; truely, God is good vnto Israel; if ill, we will yet Iubilat vnto him, Quoniam bonus, and take vp this song in our miseries: It is good for vs [Page 260]that wee are afflicted. And so, I passe from Gods benefits in generall, in that hee did good, to them here specified in particular (which follow in the last place to bee handled) in that hee gaue vs raine from Heauen, and fruitfull seasons, filling our hearts with foode and glad­nesse.

Many of the ancient Copies (saith Beza) haue not [...], Bez. Annot. nobis, to vs, but [...], vobis, to you; and the Syriake and Arabian translation imply [...] or [...], ijs, to them: but later translations for the most part, either omit the pronoune wholy, as the vulgar, or else agree with ours, and render it dans nobis, giuing vs raine from Heauen and fruitful seasons, as Beza and Arias Montanus. Howso­euer, the matter is not great, all concur­ring in this, that the Lystrians or Gen­tiles are here to bee vnderstood, and therefore no maruell, if our Apostles by a vsuall Prosopopaea, speake as it were, in their owne persons, what concerned the persons, of them with whom they now argued the matter. Many good [Page 261]obseruations might from hence bee ga­thered; as first, that seeing God was so bountifull, in conferring such fruitfull seasons and blessed showres from Hea­uen vpon the Gentiles, whom with pa­tience and long suffering, he permitted to goe awry in the way of saluation, and to bee polluted with idolatrie, and all sensuall conuersation; that neither temporall felicitie can bee a note of the true Church, as Bellarmine in his fourth Booke, de notis Ecclesiae and eighteenth Chapter, would faine haue it; nor yet plentie, or scarcitie, can any way argue the truth or falsehood of a Religion; which notwithstanding wee finde sug­gested in this Kingdome to simple and ignorant Papists, as an argument of no small consequence. That Argument which the Iewes tooke vp against Iere­miah, chap. 44. vers. 18. Since we left off to burne Incense to the Queene of Heauen, and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her, we haue wanted all things, and haue beene consumed by the sword, and by the famine; the same vse many deluded [Page 262]soules against vs. All things (say they) were more plentiful and cheaper, when the old Religion was professed in this Kingdome, then they are now; wee may wel retort against them, therefore, that same Argument, which the Apo­stles here in my Text presse the Lystrians withall. God, in times past, suffered them to walke in their owne wayes, to craue suc­cour of Saints, and implore the aide of Idols and carued Images; neuerthelesse, he left not himselfe without witnesse, that it was he which did good, he which gaue them raine and fruitfull seasons, he which filled their hearts with food and gladnes; hee strayned curtesies, as you see, with them, if possibly hee might, by them, turne them from those vanities vnto him alone, which made Heauen and Earth, the Sea and all things that are therein. But because they make England, as before it masked vnder Poperie, to be such a pa­terne of a happie Church. I demand one question, Wherein consisted that plentie which they so talke of? certain­ly, so wealthy it was not when the [Page 263]Pope termed it puteum inexhastum, Matth. Pa­ris, pag. 683 423.626., a Well neuer drawne drie, and yet (saith Matthew Paris) full often almost emp­tied to the bottome by his Procurati­ons, Prouisions and Taxes vpon the Clergie and Laytie. To be briefe there­fore, plentie or cheapnesse can no way proue their Religion; and I cannot but herein condemne them of an ouersight, to make cheapnesse in the Market, or things out of the Church, to be a note of the true Religion, and yet to require no cheapnes in things in the Church, there, Pardons, Dispensations, Masses, Dir­ges, Absolutions, euery thing shall bee set at a racke Rent by his Holinesse, and the Church must bee fayne to borrow its marke from the Market. Bee not de­ceiued (beloued) though we may con­tend with any Nation for these out ward blessings, yet we may not obtrude these to our Aduersaries, but puritie in Doctrine, and sanctitie in life. It was not our Sauiours turning stones into Bread, but vrging the Word written, Matth. 4. which subdued Satan in the wildernes; [Page 264]plentie and want are common both to good and bad; and Saint Austin in his Booke, de ciuitate Dei, 8. chap. giues the reason; Vt nec bona cupidiùs appe­tuntur, quae mali quo (que) habere cernuntur, nec mala turpiter euitentur, quibus & bo­ni plerun (que) afficiuntur: that neither these earthly goods should be greedily affected, which wee see euen wicked men to possesse, nor any euill vpon earth to be basely auoided, wherewith we see euen the godliest full often to be afflicted. But of this I spake somewhat in the former Part, my purpose is to in­sist at this time, especially vpon the [...]ings mentioned in my Text, the first whereof is, as it were, a generall cause, effecting the rest which follow, but yet exists without a man, hee giues vs raine from heauen, and fruitfull seasons; the rest are effects of the former, but yet exist within a man; the one touching the body, he fils our hearts with foode; the other concerning the minde, he fils our hearts with gladnesse. Seeing therefore, God witnesseth himselfe vnto vs, both [Page 265]by giuing vs things, which belong to vs internally and externally, to our bodies and to our mindes, we may well inferre this obseruation.

That whatsoeuer concernes the happi­nesse or felicitie of a man in this life, is wholly deriued from God.

I will prosecute them as they lye in order in my Text: first therefore for outward blessings, which here are poin­ted out by the most eminent species of them, raine from heauen, and fruitfull seasons; Paraphrastes Hierosolymitanus saith, Paraphrast. Hieros. in c. 30. Gen. they are one of the Keyes which God deliuers neither to Angell nor to Seraphin: how God effects them, the Schooles much labour; I list not to di­spute with Fonseca and Suarez in their Metaphysicks, Fonsec. l. 5: Metaph. c. 2. q. 9. Suarez Tom. 1. pisp. 22. whether the action wher­by God produceth raine and fruitfull seasons, be the same in number with the action of the Heauens, and other secun­darie causes; it is sufficient, that Gods prouidence hath a hand in all things: wee attribute vnto it notwithstanding the ordinarie course of nature, effection, [Page 266]direction, cohibition: in a word, God worketh not by second causes, as Ma­gistrates gouerne their Cōmon wealths by inferior Officers; for they so gouern by them, that they doe nothing or very little themselues, and peraduenture ne­uer know what is done; God gouernes not the World so, but in euery particu­lar worke hath his particular stroke. The Heauens indeed are the ordinarie instruments whereby hee effects these things, but yet we must remember that they are but second Agents; concer­ning which it is a memorable saying of the Philosopher, in the second of his Metaphys. and second chapter. Omnia secunda agentia it a essentialiter subijciun­tur primo agenti, Aris [...]ot. 2. Metaph. 2. vt primum agens in eo­rum actione magis agat, quam ipsa agant; all secundarie agents are so essentially subordinated to the first Agent, that the first Agent doth more in their action then they themselues. The chiefe end wherefore God ordayned the heauens, was not for their owne sakes, but for mans vse; as therefore they conduce to [Page 267]execute his Decrees towards man, so he either binds the sweet influences of the Pleyades, or looses the bands of Orion. Iob 38.31. It were long to recount, how often the Lord promiseth in the Prophets, to de­clare his fauour towards men, by wate­ring their Fields with dew and raine from Heauen; and againe to testifie his indignation, by making the Heauens to wax hard like Iron and yeeld no raine, as it did in the time of Ahab; 1. King. 17. but one thing in the Law & Prophets is worth our obseruing; when God fore-tells ei­ther raine, fruitfull seasons, or times of scarcitie; he lookes not vpon the starres aboue, but vpon our sinnes; he giues vs to vnderstand, that the best Almanack, which we should relye vpon, is our o­bedience to him, our loue towards our Neighbours, and our care of our selues. He tells vs not of the conjunctions and oppositions of the Starres, nor the E­clipses of the greater Lights; but what saith he? If thou shalt hearken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God, to obserue and doe all his Commandements, [Page 268]the heauens shall giue the raine into thy land in his season; but if thou wilt not hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God, to obserue to doe all his commande­ments and his statutes, the heauen that is ouer thy head shall be brasse, and the earth that is vnder thee shall be iron, the Lord shall make the raine of thy land powder, and dust, from heauen shall it come downe vpon thee vntill thou be destroyed. Deu­teron. 28. O foolish Astrologers, how is it, that you looke vpwards towards heauen, to descrie the seasons of suc­ceeding yeeres? you should looke downwards into your selues, the con­stellations are on earth which produce these effects; Wee are those wandring Starres which decline from the true E­cliptike of Gods Word; Wee those more earthly Globes which stand in opposition, or at least, eclipse the light of the Sunne of righteousnesse; Wee those irregular Planets which are sta­tionarie, or rather retrograde in the Sphere of Christianitie. There is not Scorpio aboue, nor Saturne with his [Page 269]maleuolent influence, beleeue it, they are below; here are Lions, and Beares, and Dragons, and Serpents, and Serpen­tarius's, and Hydraes, and Dog-starres, and I am almost of Copernicus his opi­nion, that the Sunne stands still in the Centre, and we mouing in a Lunatike Orbe with the Moone, are the causes of such direfull and menacing aspects, as are aboue.

The latter benefits that are here spe­cified in my Text, concerne man more inwardly; the first whereof toucheth his Bodie, when it is said, Hee fills his heart with food, the heart being by a Synecdoche of a part for the whole, ta­ken for the whole man: because as food is the principall staffe of mans life, so the heart hath a principall operation in mans food; for it is Officina sangui­ficationis, the very shop, as Aristotle tells vs, where our food is conuerted into bloud. But how farre God extends his fauour of not onely giuing, but al­so filling (as my Text hath it) our hearts with food, may well bee questioned? [Page 270] Abraham is termed iust, Gen. 12.10. in the holy Scripture, and yet wee reade how hee was constrained to change his habita­tion for famine; and Saint Paul, who bids vs be followers of him, as he was of Christ, gaue yet this testimonie of himselfe, 2. Cor. 11.27. Often was I in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakednesse. Now, if God so deale with his elect and cho­sen vessels, which he loues, how may it be said, that he witnesseth his Godhead euen vnto the Gentiles, a wilde Oliue which he loues not, by such ample bles­sings, as filling their hearts with food? The summe of that which Interpreters haue, for the deciding of this doubt, is this; God is open handed to all Nati­ons, he fills all things liuing with his plenteousnesse; but yet so, that these three rules be obserued: The first is, that this filling bee not alwaies vnder­stood of an immoderate filling, accor­ding to the insatiable desires of the flesh, this, God oftentimes debarres his owne seruants of; but of such a filling, as is sufficient to content our weake na­tures [Page 271]withall. The second is, that wee performe the condition which God re­quires at our hands, that is, that we la­bour and take paines in a lawfull voca­tion. The third, that this exception be inserted, quatenus scil. expedire Deus nouerit, so farre God will fill vs, as he shall see it to be profitable and expedi­ent for vs.

The last benefit of God, mentioned in my Text, concernes the mind, in that he fills our hearts with gladnesse: and here the Heart is likewise taken for the whole Man: for as the heart hath a principall function in conuerting our food to our substance, so hath it no lesse a place in exciting and stirring vp the affection of gladnesse. Philosophie tells vs, that as when a man apprehends a­ny distastefull obiect, the heart con­tracts it selfe, and so the outward mem­bers, wanting the spirits which the heart was wont to send forth, tremble, and waxe pale and wan, and the whole man becomes straight affected with some vntunable passion, so when one [Page 272]conceiues a pleasing obiect, the heart dilates it selfe, and sends forth spirits into the outward parts to prosecute the thing it liketh, whereby the whole man becomes more liuely and gladsome then before, in which respect it may be said, that God which giues content and ioy vnto a man, doth fill likewise his heart with gladnesse. Now, there is a double gladnesse, the one arising from things temporall; the other, from things eternall; both come from God, and therefore neither simply to be dis­proued; but I chiefly commend to your best endeauors the latter, because with­out a relation vnto it, the former is neither good nor solid. For if our true gladnesse were founded vpon things temporall, then (me thinkes) wealth, and honour, or authoritie should haue the principall place in effecting it; if Wealth, then should rich men neuer be sadde; if Honour and Authoritie, then should Princes and Monarchs neuer be pensiue or disquieted; but, O these mor­tall wights, they fixe not their thoughts [Page 273]so strongly vpon the bags they haue, as vpon those they would haue, or haue had and haue not; and loe, their glad­nesse is now turned into sorrow and vexation of spirit. A Princes temples are not so compassed with a Crowne, as his mind besieged with cares, nor is he so lifted vp with the splendour of his traine, as cast downe with the mul­titude of his feares. The heart of man therefore (as some wittily note) is made of the forme of a triangle, but the world is round, implying, that if the heart of man should containe the whole world within it, yet as a circle compre­hended within a triangle, cannot fill the triangle so compleatly, but that alwaies there will be left void spaces in the an­gles or corners for more to be put in; so can it not be, that the heart should be so filled or satisfied with the world, but that alwaies it would craue something aboue it, and something beyond it. Now, if it be true which Mathemati­cians teach vs, that numbers in Arith­meticke doe beare a proportion to fi­gures [Page 274]in Geometrie, this small triangle of man, the Heart, must be filled by the fruition of that glorious Trinitie which created it. Transitorie blessings may indeed a little content it; but yet they leaue corners for sorrowes, and trou­bles, and anguishes to harbour in: the sacred Trinitie fills all the roomes, leaues no chinke for distractions to creepe in; of all the men therefore, that I know, he onely which contemplates that Maiestie, is filled with true glad­nesse; for, how can any sparke of dis­content seize vpon that breast, where there is Fountaine of liuing water, and where God hath founded a whole O­cean of ioy to extinguish it.

To come to my conclusion: You haue seene Natures testimoniall of the Godhead, and how she hath described him, and pourtraited him out in his Robes of goodnesse: you haue beheld him opening the windowes of Heauen, to giue you raine, and fruitfull seasons; and stretching forth his hand, to giue you food: you haue viewed him filling [Page 275]your Cellers with Wine, to glad your hearts; and your Cruzes with Oyle, to giue you cheerefull countenances: what remaynes, but (what was the A­postles counsell to the Lystrians in this place) that with thankfulnes and grate­fulnesse we should turne vnto him, who hath by so many benefits witnessed himselfe vnto vs. Be not deceiued (be­loued) I mind not to disswade you, ei­ther from worshipping, or adoring those gods which the Apostles with such zeale disswaded the Lystrians from: thankes bee to God, you haue not so learned Christ, as to want Instructers in this matter. But, alas, these times of ours, are more dangerous and difficult to correct, then those of old; by for­getting the true Authour of all these worldly blessings, how many doe as­sume the glorie thereof to themselues, and take themselues, as it were, for that Image fallen downe from Iupiter? We complaine not with Micha, Iudg. 18.2. You haue taken away the gods which I made, and what haue I more, but you adore not [Page 276]that God which I am; we doe not, as Hermes writes of himselfe, call spirits by Arte Magicke into Statues, nor al­lure them by direfull spells into the I­mages of deceased Heroes: August. de ciu [...]tate Dei lib. 8. & 26. no, wee are apt enough to conceiue them in our owne braynes, to dresse Altars, and erect Shrines to our owne Genius's. Doth our stocke multiplie and increase, or are our fields fatted with dew and raine from Heauen, we thinke not vp­on the Cause aboue, but our owne pro­uidence or industrie here beneath, these are the gods (O Israel) which brought thee vp out of the Land of Aegypt. Exod. 32.8. Are our Garners stored with food, or our hearts through any earthly promotion filled with gladnesse, we goe no further; what though Saturne be deiected from his Throne, Plutus be confined to Hell, Phehus resigne his Chariot, the world yet shall want no gods to worship, Wee our selues will be Iupiters and Mercuries, Act. 14. come downe in the likenesse of men. A shame it is for vs Christians, amongst whom God should bee all in all, that [Page 277]we can be content to attribute the most to our selues, the rest to fortune: Is it so, that we so lately abandoned Rome, and rescued our selues from the wor­ship of the Beast, and are we now relap­sed againe so suddenly to a new Idola­trie? Doe we thinke much to inuocate and adore those glorious Starres of the Empyriall Heauen, the Saints and An­gels, and shall wee be so sordid, as to giue diuine worship to dust and ashes? Where is the zeale of the Apostles in these our dayes? Whither is the god­ly indignation of those patternes of true humilitie proscribed? I wish you not (beloued) as they did, to rent your clothes; they are but superfluities in our times; rent you your hearts. I de­sire you not to run amongst the people, or to contend with a headie multitude; take a shorter iourney, run but to your selues, crie out but to your selues, and bee the first that shall witnesse to your owne soules, That it is God onely, which hath done you good, and gaue you raine from heauen, and fruitfull seasons, and [Page 278]filled your hearts with food and gladnesse: tell me, whosoeuer thou beest, that ma­kest an Idoll of thy selfe; hath God left himselfe without witnesse, to proue, in despite of pride, that thou owest him for whatsoeuer good thing thou pos­sessest? tell me, if thou beest so stupid, as not to feele the testimonie of thine own conscience, which should be a thousand witnesses vnto thee, whether yet thou canst auoid the clamorous cries euen of tonguelesse creatures? God hath beene bountifull vnto many Nations; France may boast her fertilitie; Spaine, her wealth; Italie, her beautie and mag­nificence: but England hath had an happie and peaceable State, of long continuance, vnder most gracious and vertuous Princes; and these will tell thee, that God hath not witnessed him­selfe so to any Nation, in doing good. But good may many wayes bee enioy­ed, there may bee peace at home, and warre abroad; plentie of gold and sil­uer, enough to lend vnto our neigh­bours, and yet we may haue a famine [Page 279]vpon our Land, lightnings and haile­stones to consume the fruits of the earth, as it was in Aegypt, but the bles­sed times which we haue enioyed will tell thee, that he hath not left himselfe without witnesse likewise, in giuing vs raine, and fruitfull seasons: But say, we haue fruitfull seasons, yet inter pocula extrema (que) labra multa cadunt, intestine commotions may bereaue vs of our haruest, forraine inuasions may make vs turne our Mattockes into Speares, and our Sythes into Swords, but God hath affoorded vs hitherto this testi­moniall of his bountie, that he left not himselfe without witnesse, in filling our hearts with food also. But when we haue our desire satisfied in all these, that God witnesseth himselfe vnto vs, in doing good many wayes, in giuing vs raine, and fruitfull seasons, and filling our hearts with food; yet for all this, our Harpe may be turned into mourning, and our Organ into the voice of them that weepe; there may be subtile whis­perings, rebellious doctrines, Iudas­like [Page 280]practices, traiterous attempts vpon the pillars both of Church and Com­mon-wealth; but hee which keepeth Israel, neither slumbreth nor sleepeth; the wicked hee hath made to fall into the pits they inuented for others, and this generation may tell it vnto ano­ther, that God hath not left himselfe without witnesse vnto vs, in filling our hearts with gladnesse also. To him there­fore, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost, one God, and three Per­sons, bee rendred all Praise, Honour, and Glorie, Might, Maiestie, and Dominion, both now and for euermore.

Amen.

PAVLS Peregrinations, OR The Trauellers Guide.

I Know not, how the Pens of Heathen writers haue so bewitched the iudge­ments of many men, that euen amongst Christians themselues, they haue found not a few Patrons. To omit Viues and Erasmus, who hauing made their Lines their Consorts and Companions in this pil­grimage on earth, pronounce with no [Page 284]small touch of affection, that one day they shall enioy likewise their sweet companie and societie in Heauen. Pe­trarch in the third of his Inuectiues, goes thus farre, Se non credere aliquem de Philosophis aut Poetis idola coluisse, that it cannot sinke into his thoughts, that any either of the Poets or Philo­sophers worshipped Idols. And cer­tainly, I was almost perswaded, that di­uine Philosophie would haue preserued her Professors from vulgar infections, or at least haue wrought her Disciples to a more readie acceptance of higher mysteries, till I found her Royallest Pa­lace, renowned Athens, so defiled with Idols, and Saint Paul himselfe so ban­ded and oppugned by a rout of Epicures and Stoikes. How it should come to passe, that humane learning, forgetting as it were, that diuine Originall it had, should vnnaturally bend it selfe against Gods Diuinitie; whether, because like the Sunnebeames lighting vpon grosse and earthy subiects, it doth recoile back againe vpon the Fountaine and Effi­cient; [Page 285]or that aspiring to discouer the secrets of the God-head, and wanting the light of the Gospell to direct it, the farther it wades, the farther it drawes the minde of man from the marke, and makes its returne the more tedious; or that God, to confound the wise in their wisdome, and the prudent in their pru­dencie, doth oftentimes conceale that knowledge from the Learned, which he reueales to Babes and Sucklings, I stand not now to discusse: In no place can we haue a more notorious instance to confute that old opinion, that Arts and Disciplines haue no Enemies but the Ignorant, then here, where wee see the noblest of Arts of Disciplines, euen Diuinitie it selfe, assaulted by two most famous Sects of Philosophie. Euery where did Saint Paul find [...], Tit. 1.12. Act. 20.29. e­uill Beasts; [...], and grieuous Wolues, and yet I know not which seemed more difficult vnto him, whe­ther that, when he fought with Beasts at Ephesus, after the manner of men, or this, when he is encountred by Philo­sophers [Page 286]at Athens, after the manner of Beasts. That we may allow the Epicures deboistnesse and rudenesse, which yet Epicurus himselfe (if wee may beleeue Seneca) would not haue brookt in his Scholers; Senec. de vita beata, c. 13. yet then, where was that composed grauitie of the Stoiks? where that modestie and ciuilitie, Lips. Ma­nuduct. ad Stoic. Philos. l. 1. d. 10. which Zeno and Chrysippus taught in their Schools? the Theame they argue, no lesse then the saluation of their soules, and yet with lesse seriousnesse discussed by them then Problemes in Sophistrie; Lips. ib. lib. 3 dissert. 7. the A­gents against Paul, such as proclaymed passions to be vices in Nature, and in­compatible with the temper of a wise man; and yet see, who more vainely breakes out now (as if moralitie consi­sted meerly in speculation) into termes of passion, then these? [...]; What will this Bab­ler say? But their furie stayes not here; I see that Arts and Sciences doe not al­waies mollifie the rough inclinations of men, one would thinke that Philosophie her selfe grew cruell, to see such a troup [Page 287]of her followers lay violent hands vp­on Saint Paul, and to dragge him from the place where he disputed as a Doctor in the Schooles, to a Tribunall, where he must change his Formes, and pleade his Cause as a Prisoner at the Barre. To say little of the iudgement place, where you may suppose our Apostle now standing, it was the famous Senate of the Areopage, a noble Court, a more noble Cause; much might we conceiue of the Plea of this blessed Prisoner, which was both partie accused and Aduocate to himselfe; no Demosthenes was entertayned to powre forth his streames of eloquence in his Cause; no thundring Pericles was found, to open his mouth in his defence; for what? that dabitur in illa hora, which Christ bequeathed to his Disciples, was that, which could make Paul a perfect Ora­tor, and an Orator powerfull; he nee­ded no penned Oration to affect the minds of his Auditors, for he at whose voyce the depths and foundations of the Earth are shaken, did speake in him; [Page 288]But I must remember where it was that Saint Paul pleaded his Cause. It was not in the Forum at Rome, Vlpian, in Orat. De­mosth. de falsa legat. where the 12 Accuser had but six houres alotted him to accuse, and the Guiltie nine houres to make his answere; but it was in the Areopage at Athens, where the Aduer­sarie might freely accuse, but the De­fendant onely speake to what was ob­iected, and Laconike-breuitie had been Leeger in that Court so long, that Proems themselues (saith Sigonius) were proscribed the Verse, Sigon. de Repub. A­then. lib. 3. and disvsed by the Orators of that Citie. To frame therefore, any long Preface, in hand­ling our Apostles Cause, especially be­fore another Areopage, might seeme both improper & impertinent. Where­fore, to come to the words themselues; the whole Oration is but ro conuince the Athenians of idolatrie and super­stition, my Text is an instance by way of induction, to confirme his Thesis or Position in that Point; the summe whereof, if wee should consider it in it selfe, is a relation of his Topographicall [Page 289]obseruations in his aboad at Athens, whilest hee walked the streets, not like that Cynick, to find an honest man at noone, by the light of a candle, but to discouer the traps and machinations of Satan, at a mid-night of ignorance by the light of the Gospell. The things therein contayned, according to the A­postles termes, are two: first, [...], what he beheld: and secondly, [...], in beholding what hee had found: the one subordinate to the other. In the things hee is said to behold, wee may consider, first, the things themselues, their deuotions: and secondly, the pru­dencie and cautelousnesse which he vsed in beholding them, as he passed by. In the things he found, wee are likewise to note, what it was, it was an Altar; and the title it had, An inscription to the vn­knowne God. Of these in order, as God shall enable me, and your Christian pa­tience permit mee: and first, for the things hee beheld, and the prudencie which hee vsed in beholding them; which for the better explaning of ei­ther, [Page 290]I shall handle together in the first place. As I passed by, I beheld your de­notions, &c.

Whether it bee lawfull or no, to view and behold the superstitious Rites of Idolators, is much controuerted, both by the Fathers, Aug lib. de Haeres. c. 70. Euseh. lib. 6. hist c 28. Adri n. 4. Seul. q. 1. Schoole-men, and moderne Writers. The Priscillia­nists and Elcesaites, thought it lawfull in any case to dissemble ones faith, and for the outward act to ioyne ones selfe to Idolators. Adrianus, vpon the fourth of the Sentences, agrees with them, so it bee when Gods honour is not dimi­ [...]ished thereby, nor our Neighbours e­duication substracted, who indeed in this could not be so much blamed, were it not that he supposeth some outward act of idolatrie may be committed, and yet neither Gods honour thereby im­pared, nor weake ones offended. The most therefore hold the negatiue part to them, so farre as it toucheth any ioy­ning or communicating with them in their actions, but yet for naked inspe­ction, or meere presence, they hold the [Page 291] affirmatiue and positiue with some limi­tations. These words of Saint Paul con­taine the whole state of the question, should wee but narrowly looke into them. The Position is plainly proued, in that he saith, I beheld your deuotions; the originall hath it, [...], which Vatablus and Erasmus turne, cul­turas vestras, your worshippings; the vulgar, simulachra vestra, your Images; but both somwhat scantling the extent of the word, as Beza notes, Beza An­not. ad loc. for neither doth [...] imply the Image alone, or alone the worshipping of it, but ra­ther both, so that Saint Paul seemes not to limit himselfe in this place, from be­holding either the one or the other. The limitations are found, contayned in the former wordes, As I passed by, &c.

Where we may obserue First, The manner of his see­ing. It was so that hee might giue no offence nor scandall to any; it was [...], as he passed by, &c.

Where we may obserue Secondly, The Person, who beheld. It was not a weake Brother, which was in dan­ger to receiue infection, either for lack of knowledge or cou­rage, it was the Apostle; As I passed by, &c.

Where we may obserue Thirdly, The occasion of his looking on. It was not any ido­latrous motion, but his way or passing by, As I passed by, &c.

So then, you see, with what cautions the Apostle, and by his example, euery good Christian may take a view of the ceremonies of other Religions, it must be for the manner without offence, for the Person without danger of peruer­ting, and for the occasion, it must bee a ciuill respect and not any idolatrous purpose; but first for the Position.

The Position seemes to sound, that to be present at idolatrous ceremonies, or to view and take a full sight of their superstitions, is a thing in it selfe not wholly vnlawfull. But the easier it will appeare, if we make a comparison be­tweene what Saint Paul did now at A­thens, and what the Scriptures doe te­stifie, hath beene done by the Saints at other times. To omit therefore violent coaction, when by constraint or force a man is compelled to be present at such superstitions, of which there is no que­stion; do we not reade how a Prophet of the Lords, was sent to tell his errand to Ieroboam, as hee stood by the Altar, sa­crificing to his Calues, 1. King. 13. how Eliah beheld the Baalites offering in­cense vnto their Baal, and that from early morning to noone-tide, and that without disturbing them, 1. King. 18. how Moses refused not to bee present at the enchantments of the Egyptian Sor­cerers, Exod. 7. nor the three Children at the adoration of the golden Image, Dan. 3. I presse not this (beloued) as if [Page 294]I maintayned any semblance or shew of idolatrie in any man, or the least badge of dissimulation in a Christian, it is the Doctrine of lies (saith Saint Austin, in his Booke de Mendacio) asse­rere quod liceat diaboli culium mentiri in corpore, quando Dei cultus seruatur in corde, to affirme that it is lawfull, to counterfeit the Deuills worship in the body, when wee cloyster vp the worship of God as a reclused Votarie in the soule. Let such juggling be the badge of Equivo [...]tors and mentall Reser­uers. Yet let me say, that hee is no dis­creet Captaine, which plods only vpon his owne ranke, and reflects not his eye somtimes vpon his Enemies order and disposure. Saint Paul knew well, that he was to rescue Athens, not from Romes jurisdiction, but from the Deuills ty­rannie; he vnderstood, how that hee was to subdue the Gentiles to Christ, and to captiuate their minds to the o­bedience of the Faith, and therefore as a politike Generall, hee pryes into the weaknesses of the Aduersarie; he lookes [Page 295]about him, to see what quarter the De­uil had left vnfortified with the strength of seeming Arguments, what Tower hee might batter downe vpon the Ene­mies head. Here the Deuill had erected an Altar, and see, Saint Paul puts him to flight with the stones thereof, on which he had espyed an inscription, To the vnknowne God.

Thus then may you perceiue the li­bertie which Saint Paul assumed, in be­holding these deuotions of the Atheni­ans. But this were to giue the reynes to all licentious impietie, should wee here rest. The limitations therefore or cau­tions vsed by him, are to be considered. The first whereof (as before I shewed you) concernes the manner; it was so that hee might giue no offence to the weake Ones, neither to the Iew nor to the Gentile: Hee well knew, what his new Conuerts might obiect vnto him; thou teachest vs to flye idolatrie, and loe, thou thy selfe art become a wor­shipper of Idolls; he was not ignorant what Peter might haue cast in his teeth, [Page 296]Thou withstoodsts mee to the face at Antioch, for playing the Iew with the Iew, and the Gentile with the Gentile; why doest thou now become an out­ward Professor of Gentilisme? he viewes these things therefore onely, tanquam aliud agens, as if he minded nothing lesse then to giue any obseruance vnto the Idoll; no man could say, Paul, thou art out of thy way; what hee beheld, was [...], as hee passed by. Nei­ther was Saint Paul more rigid or scru­pulous, in this case of conscience, then his fellow Saints: for when the Prophet came to the Altar of Ieroboam, what else did he then declaime against it; or Eliah, then mocke and deride the Baa­lites; or Moses, then contend with the Egyptians; or the three Children, then by refusing to worship the Idoll, pro­fesse against it? Nor was the Case much differing with S. Paul, Act. 28. when he passed the Seas in that Ship, called the Castor and Pollux; no doubt, the Gen­tiles comming aboord, omitted not ac­cording to the Heathen custome, to im­plore [Page 297]the propitious conduct of those gods, and though Saint Pauls behaui­our bee in that place silenced by the E­uangelist, yet wee need not thinke but that he obserued, what once he had gi­uen in Lesson to the Corinthians, that they should take heed, 1. Cor. 8.9, 10, 11. lest by any meanes their libertie should become a stumbling blocke to them that are weake, or that through their knowledge, should the weake Brother perish, for whom Christ dyed. Sometimes indeed, that Rule of Gregories and Beda's concerning scan­dalls, may hold plea, Greg. hom. 7 in Ezech. Bed. in cap. 9. Ma [...]c. that vtilius scan­dalum nasci permittitur, quam veritas relinquatur, it is more profitable that a scandall should bee permitted, then a truth forsaken: but wee must here di­stinguish (say the Schoole-men) first, betweene scandalum pusillorum, Thom. 2.2. q. 43. art. 7. Catet. & Greg. de Valent. ib. Alex. ab Ales, part. 2. q. 169. a scan­dall of weake ones, and scandalum pha­riseorum, a scandall giuen to peruerse and obstinate refragants. Secondly, be­tweene things necessarie and things in­different. In respect of the malicious and wilfull Pharisie, hee giues the scandall, [Page 298]which to please him, will make things indifferent to be necessarie, or necessarie indifferent; but in respect of the weake ones or children in the Faith, which had need (as the Apostle hath it) of Milke, and not strong meats, wee must relinquish and omit, though not any necessarie dutie, yet any indifferent a­ction. In a word, to auoid a scandall (saith Hierome) wee must forsake any thing that may be omitted, Alex. ab Ales ibid: Gloss. inter­lin in 15. Matth. salua tripli­ci veritate, a threefold truth, being not endamaged thereby, to wit, Vita, In­stitia, & Doctrina, of Life, Iustice, or Doctrine.

So then, you see the manner of his beholding, it was without offence; would you see the person which beheld; it was a stout and hardie Champion of our Faith, which had the whole Armor of Christ compleat vpon him, it was Saint Paul himself; As I beheld. It had need bee a pure ray of that Sunne of Righteousnesse, which should insinuate it selfe into the filth of things subluna­rie, and yet receiue no pollution from [Page 299]them, no taintment. These senses of ours are well termed the cinq Ports of the Soule, at which Death lands all her Agents, Pleasure, Profit, Splendor, Ease, and yet of all others we may say, Mors intrat per fen [...]stras, when the rest of the senses are slower in receiuing these Guests, the Sight, as being quic­kest in apprehending, admits them within the Hauen ere the Soule haue warning, or be in a readinesse, to resist them. If Platoes assertion had beene true philosophie, Plato in Timaee. that visus fit extra­mittendo, our seeing is made by darting out the visiue instruments to the obiect, there might perhaps haue beene some hope left, that the things wee see and behold, should haue no hurtfull opera­tion vpon our faculties, but seeing our sight exercises it selfe intramittendo, Arist. lib. 2. de Anim. c. 7. by suffering those Basiliskes to enter into vs, and sease vpon vs, and leaue their poysonous impressions within vs; I ap­peale, if that complaint of the Poets may not iustly too often bee taken vp, Cur aliquid vidi, cur noxia lumina feci? Ouid. [Page 300]But who then, will you aske, may be a competent spectator of these things; I answere, hee which with Paul hath a sufficiet gratia, a couragious heart, and a discerning eye; no man can see the Beame in his Brothers eye, whilest a Beame remaynes in his owne; we reade in latter Astronomers, that in the most glorious of the Planets some spots ap­peare, by the helpe of perspectiue in­struments, which the dulnesse of our sight cannot attayne vnto; and may we not well conclude, that in the mists of superstition, farre more spots and blemishes may lie hid, which the blind­nesse of many mens vnderstandings conceales from them. Wee could not enough deride the folly of him, which would encounter his Foe without Ar­mour, drinke poyson without Anti­dotes, enter a Pest-house without pre­seruatiues; and shall wee deeme them better aduised, which expose their soules to the blowes, drugs, and infe­ctious breaths of Idoll worshippers without sufficient safeguard? and yet [Page 301]me thinkes a greater folly is here com­mitted when men altogether blind, vn­dertake to iudge of colours, and so are many in these dayes, inpoints of difference, so easie to be deluded; the marke oftentimes lies quite contra­rie to their ayme, and yet they doubt not but to hit it: much like blind Ca­tullus, in the Poet,

But let vs come then, in the last place, to sift the occasion which brought our Apostle to come where these deuotions of the Athenians were done: he inti­mates that his way lay by them, they stood, as it were, in his passage, so that, the occasion of his approach thither was not idolatrous, to worship; but ra­ther ciuill, to see them; or rather, to dispatch his affaires. This seems to haue beene the case of Naaman the Syrian, when hee besought Elisha to beseech the Lord for him, if when hee entred [Page 302]the house of Rimmon, and hee (not to worsh [...]p the Idoll) but onely to per­forme his ciuill function, which was, to sustaine his master walking or knee­ling, did bow himselfe when his master bowed before the Idoll; without which action (sayth Abulensis) Non poterat sustentare dominum flectentem genua, Toslat. in 4. Reg. 6.5. he could not haue borne his master vp, when he bended his knee; that then the Lord would be mercifull vnto him in that one thing. This was the doubt, moued (as Sleidan, in the seuenth of his comment. hath it) by a Duke of Saxonie to the Protestant Diuines, when according to his place, hee was cited by Charles the Fift, to beare the Sword before him going to Masse, and it was thus resolued, that hee might lawfully doe it, quod ad suum officium esset enocatus, non ad Missam velut ad culium druinum, because he was cited to bee present at the Masse, onely to performe his office, and not to commit any diuine worship. And to this pur­pose is that which Teriullian concludes, Tertull lib. de ido olat. [Page 303]where handling the question, whe­ther it were lawfull to be present at the inuestitures of Heathens with the virill Gowne, as also at their Sponsals and Nuptials, because Sacrifices were wont to be offered at such solemnities; That for so much as Idolatrie had enuironed the world with euils, Licebit (sayth hee) adesse inquibusdam quae nos homi­ni non Idolo officiosos habent, si pro­pter sacrificium vocatus adsistam, ero particeps idololatriae, si me alia causa coniungit sacrificanti, ero tantum spe­ctator sacrificij, it is lawfull to bee present in some things which import an officious respect to the man, and not to the Idoll, if being called to the Sa­crifice it selfe, I come, I am partaker of the Idolatrie; if some other cause ioynes me to him which sacrificeth, I shall bee onely a spectator of the Sa­crifice. The like iudgement he giues of Seruants, Children, and Subiects, which performe ciuill duties to their Lords and Parents at such ceremonies, Tostat. lot [...] sup. cit. and no lesse thinkes Tostatus, and Pe­ter [Page 304]Martyr of captiue Maids, whose office is, Pet. Mar­tyr in 2. Re­gum 6.5. to beare vp their Mistresses traines to the Temples of Idols, so that no signe or token bee giuen by them of the least respect or reuerence to the Idoll.

Hitherto we haue traced Saint Paul, as he walked the streets of Athens, wee haue obserued his gestures, carriage, and demeanour. I would to God, that whom men presume to follow in see­ing these nouelties, they could as well imitate in his prudent and cautelous seeing of them, Non omnes Pauli su­mus, all haue not Pauls constancie, nor his knowledge, at quot sunt Petri, how many are there which haue Peters timi­ditie? How many which like Balam, aske counsell of God in things they know forbidden by him? It was a no­ble answere of Cyprians, which Austin relates of him, Aug. serm. in natali Cypriani. com. 10. when the Proconsul put it to his choice, whether he would re­nounce his Faith, at least in words, or sustaine death, in re tam iusta nulia est consultatio, in so iust a cause there is no [Page 305]place left for consultation. What, no place for consultation? why then, a Nicodemite of our Age would replie, that Christianitie seemes of all Sects the cruellest, which will beare no cor­riuals, nor allow her professors any guard but naked Trueth, for preserua­tion of their liues and libertie? But these obserue not the magnificencie and bountie of their Mistresse; they ayme at the societie of men, shee tells them of the companie of Angels; they meditate vpon these rotten and decay­ing tenements vpon Earth; shee wishes them rather those firme mansion hou­ses in Heauen, they would content themselues with vnder-offices, shee shewes them the dominion ouer ten Ci­ties; they plead for their Prouinces, she Kingdomes; they desire a life which leads vnto death, shee counsels rather to accept of that death which assures them of life. But this counsell fits them best whom necessarie occasions detaine in Athens, as for those which to satisfie their vnsatiat appetites in curiosities, [Page 306]intrude themselues voluntarily into such perils, Cyprians ser­mon. de lapsis. that of Cyprians sutes more fitly, Hee may complaine of torments which is ouercome of torments, and pre­tend paine for his excuse, whom paine hath vanquished, sed hic non fides congressa cecidit, sed congressionem perfidia prae­uenit, nec excusat oppressum necessitas criminis, vbi crimen est voluntatis: but here Faith fayles not being encountred, but the encounter perfidiousnesse pre­uented, nor doth necessitie excuse the guiltie, where the fault is voluntarie. But they dissemble (they will pretend) to discouer the mysteries of iniquitie. Weake impietie, thou seest them per­haps commit folly, but in the meane time, seest not that thou thy selfe com­mittest greater villanie: thou mayest obserue them woshipping, like these Athenians, a god whom they know not; but alas, thou obseruest not that thou denyest a God which thou know­est: thou mayest perhaps discrie in them some treacherie to thy state, and yet discriest not that thou thy selfe art [Page 307]more treacherous to thy God: thou mayest bee proud that thy papers are replenished with vanities of others, and loe, thy heart more blacke then thy inke is dyed with perfidiousnesse of thine owne. In a word, when thou art returned home; thou hast a few sheets to shew of their absurdities; and whole volumes, were they written, of thine owne impieties. Mistake me not (beloued) I intend not by this dis­course, to condemne trauelling; but to propose Saint Paul, Ortel. pereg. D. Pauli. whose peregri­nations haue filled a Mappe of more then halfe the inhabired World, to be a patterne to trauellers. Ambroslib 1. Epist. ep. 6. Ambrose vp­on those words of Esay, Vae ijs qui de­scendunt in Aegyptum, Woe be to those which goe downe into Egypt: Non vti­que (sayth hee) transire in Aegyptum criminosum est; sed transire in mores Egyptiorum, transire in corum persidiam, escae cupiditatem, luxuriae defor mitatem, qui eò transit, descendit; & qui descen­dit, cadit. I English it. It is not crimi­nous or vnlawfull to goe into Egypt; [Page 308]but, to goe into the manners of the E­gyptians, to goe into their perfidious­nesse, to lust after their Pepins and O­nions, hee which so goes thither, doth descend; Vid. Caluin. opusc. and who descends, falls. I am not ignorant how farre Diuines al­low a Traueller, to sute and conforme himselfe to the fashions of Idolaters; as first, in ciuill things, which are com­mon to their Nation, not notes of their Idolatrie: Tertull. lib. de idololat. such as Tertullian termes, Natiuitatis insignia, non pietatis; gene­ris, non honoris; ordinis, non superstitio­nis: Distinctions of their births or fa­milies, not of any idolatrous honour or authoritie; and markes of their or­der, not of superstition. Secondly, in things which though they be necessa­rily imposed vpon the conscience, yet in themselues are indifferent, as abstay­ning from certaine meats, or obseruing of certaine dayes, which the Apostle mentions in the 1. Corinth. so that we giue no signe of agreement in subie­cting the conscience to them; but in these wee must goe ad aras vsque, till [Page 309]our Faith interposeth her right, when that is toucht or questioned, no man may be still or silent; he which hath a tongue to speake, he must speake; hee which hath eares to heare, hee must heare; hee that hath hands to lift vp, he must lift them vp; neither action, voice, nor gesture may bee deficient in a cause which so neerely concernes our Lord and Master. Tertul. ibid. Quid refert (sayth Tertullian) Deos nationum dicendo Deos an audiendo confirmes. What matters it, whether thou confirmest the Gods of the Nations by speaking or by hea­ring. The Lord might haue commanded his people, as Baruch hath it, when yee see in Babylon gods of siluer, and of gold, and of wood, borne vpon mens shoulders, which cause the Nations to feare; say yee in your hearts, O Lord, wee must worship thee. Ier. 10.11. But Ieremiah in his tenth Chap­ter and the eleuenth Verse, tells the remnant of Iuda, this must not serue the turne; it is not enough that the heart speake, but the tongue also must tell Babels Inhabitants. The gods that [Page 310]haue not made the heauens and the earth, euen they shall perish from the earth, and from vnder these heauens. In which words, one thing is worth the obser­uing, that whereas all the rest of Iere­mie is written in Hebrew, this Verse alone is written in the Chaldaicke Tongue; Caluin. in loc. to note, (say Interpreters) that though the Israelites were now in captiuitie and bondage vnder the Ba­bylonians, yet the profession of their Faith should bee free and ingenuous still, and they should boldly defie the Babylonians Idols, euen in the language of Babel, that these Idolaters might vnderstand it. If therefore wee would (as Saint Paul here in my Text did) walke vp and downe Athens, I meane any place giuen to Idolatrie, if wee would as freely as hee, take an inuen­torie of their superstitions, let vs make his constancie, knowledge, and pru­dencie, companions to vs in our tra­uels; the former, lest wee hurt our selues; the later, lest wee offend our brethren; Tertul. ib. What Tertullian spake of [Page 311]Heathens, Licet conuiuere cum Ethnicis, commori non licet; I may say of any Idolaters, it is lawfull to liue with them, not to die with them. Let vs liue with all men, and reioyce with them in the communitie of Nature, not of Superstition, pares anima sumus non disciplina, compossessores mundi, non erroris, wee are alike in soule, not in discipline or doctrine, ioynt possessors of the world, but not of errour. And so I come from the things hee beheld, their deuotions, to what in beholding he found, an Altar with an inscription to the vnknowne god; but first of the thing it selfe, the Altar, and afterwards of the Title. I found an Altar, &c.

That it was lawfull for the Gentiles to erect Altars, and offer sacrifices needs no prouing, for before the L [...]uitical law were these in practice amongst the Pa­triarchs. Abel and Cain, before the Floud, are mentioned to haue sacrificed though Altars are not there expressed; but since the Floud, Noah is said to haue offered sacrifices, and also to haue built [Page 312]an Altar, Gen. 8. Now, though Altars and Sacrifices were of such antiquitie and generalitie amongst the Nations, yet as Tostatus notes, Tostat. in 16. Leuit. the case betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles, in offering them was differing; for the Gentiles might sacrifice; first, where they would: secondly, with what liuing Creatures they listed, so as cleane: thirdly, with what ceremonies they pleased, so as de­cent; whereas the Iewes were limited and restrayned for the Place, to the San­ctuarie; for the Oblations, to certayne Creatures; and for Rites, to such as were prescribed in the Mount. The mayne doubt is, how the Gentiles, which were ignorant of that immacu­late sacrifice, Christ Iesus, of whose crosse the Altar was but a type and shadow, should light and jumpe vpon so fit a ceremonie. I am not ignorant, that ma­ny men are of diuers minds and opini­ons concerning it, but I take that the summe of all in briefe spoken by them, may bee this. Partly, they might vse them by Tradition, from those which [Page 313]had beene the first planters of Colonies in the World, after the confusion of Babel, and had themselues seene them obserued by Noah and other Patriarchs which then liued: partly, they might creepe in by the Deuils cunning, who the sooner to cloake his deuices, and to paint them ouer with faire colours, turnes oftentimes Gods Ape, and imi­tates him in his best actions: partly, they might bee entertayned by mens policie, which the better to keepe the people in awe, and to knit them the more firmely together, did inuent cer­tayne rites and ceremonies for that pur­pose, amongst which these of Altars and Sacrifices, seemed to worke more impression in mens minds, then the rest: Vt quos ratio non posset, eos adoffi­cium religio duceret (saith the Orator) that whom reason could not perswade, those Religion might master: partly, they might receiue much furtherance from mens consciences, which being guiltie of rebellion to God, did questi­onlesse, promote and aduance these Al­tars, [Page 314]as who should say, that by a Sa­crifice on an Altar, must the Maker of Heauen and Earth bee reconciled vnto his creatures. But naturall reason could not direct them the way, to find out the true scope and buit, at which all the Sa­crifices and Altars did tend, Quamuis homo norit Deum esse, & esse optimum maximum, non norit tamen patrem in fi­lio reconciliatum (say Diuines) though man by the light of nature knowes that there is a God, and that this God is Goodnesse it selfe, yet the Father recon­ciled in the Sonne, he knowes not. No man knowes the Father but the Sonne, nor the Sonne, but he to whom hee hath reuea­led him. These things were wonders to the blessed Angels, much more are they mysteries vnto naturall men. Nature rather shewed the necessitie of a Sacri­fice; then what that Sacrifice should be, it reade, as it were, a Lecture vnto man of his wretchednesse, but bade him go to the Schooles of the Prophets to learne the remedie; so that in con­clusion of all, it brought him vnto [Page 315]death, something must die for him, but there left him. Whereupon it was, that the Gentiles, in this thick mist of igno­rance, being not able to see the marke at which their Altars did ayme, fell foully short & wide in applying them; first, in attributing to the Sacrifices, which they offered vpon the Altar, a vertue, somewhat resembling the Pa­pists opus operatum, to pacifie the indig­nation of God; Thure Deum placa, ap­pease God with Frankincense (saith the Poet) they considered not, that from vs to God the way is vnpassable, if God himselfe be not our way, where­by to come thither. Secondly, they failed in the end, in not respecting in all these things the death of Christ: the Poets question should haue beene bet­ter canuassed by them, Cum sis ipse no­cens moritur cur victima pro te, seeing that thou art guiltie; tell mee why the Beast dies for thee? this indeed should haue beene their protestation, That whereas the silly innocent Beasts did suffer death, it was they themselues [Page 316]which deserued it both in body and soule, and therefore without a further reference, then the shedding of the bloud of a Beast; well might Lucian de­ride Iupiter for delighting in the smell of carkasses: and it was truely said of Hierocles, that their Sacrifices were to the fire but a feeding thereof with fuell and vapours, and to the Priests a super­fluous maintenance of butcherie, I will adde, and to their Altars an institution but of a new shambles.

Thus haue you briefly seene the law­fulnes of Altars amongst the Gentiles, their originall, and withall the abuse of them: let vs now trauell from Athens into England, from the World vnder the Law, to the World vnder the Go­spell, and consider what it is, wherein we are to imitate these Gentiles; con­cerning their Altars, and what it is wherein wee must leaue and forsake them. Altars, as they are properly so taken, for those on which the typicall or supposed reall Sacrifices were offe­red, are now ceased and taken away. [Page 317]Our Sauiour, when he was lifted vp vp­on the Crosse, bad Altars to bee beaten downs; when hee rent the veile of the Temple, the Earth-quake shooke their foundation; when he died, their parts were acted and went out. The Papists, that they may scrue the Pope farther into the mysterie of iniquitie, will haue him maintayn one Lesson, which them­selues confesse to bee a note of Anti­christ, and that is, that Iewish ceremo­nies are not yet ceased, at the least in matters of Sacrifices and Altars. But perhaps they had rather be beholding to the Gentiles for them. For if wee would beleeue Cardinall Baronius, Baron. An­nal. ad ann. Dom. 44. wee may see their lustrall water, and sprink­ling of Sepulchres, in Iuuenals sixth Satyre; Lights in Sepulchres, in Sueto­nius's Octauius; Lamps lighted on Sa­turday, in Seneca's 96. Epist. Distribu­tion of Tapers amongst the people, in Ma­crobius his Saturnals. But more liuely may we see it in their Altars; first, in multiplying the number of them in e­uery Church; God allowes but two [Page 318]Altars to the Temple, & Bruschius rec­kons 51. Bruschius de Monast Germa [...]o, fol 129. Virgil. in one Church in Vlmes, taking their pattern belike from Venus temple, of which the Poet, Vbi templum illi cen­tum (que) Sabeo thure calent arae: but God teacheth no such Arithmeticke, as to multiply Altars, Because Ephraim (saith he) hath made many Altars to sinne, Al­tars shall bee vnto him to sinne, Hos. 8. Secondly, they imitate the Gentiles in dedicating their Altars to such as it is vnknowne, or at the least vncertayne, if euer any such were in the World, as to Saint George, Saint Katharine, and Saint Christopher, doing no otherwise then did the Romans, August. de Ciuit Dei, l. 3. c. 12. who consecrated Altars, Dijs incertis, to their vncertayne gods, or these Athenians, who built them Deo ignoto, to their vnknowne god. But wee need not much seeke to know whom they follow in these deuo­tions, when as it is a mayne Argument vrged by Bellarmine, Bell. lib. 1. de M [...]ssa. c. 20. that Altars and Sacrifices were vsed by the Gentiles, therefore they must still be retayned by Christians: I know not what antiqui­tie [Page 319]they pretend, nor what they can find in the Primitiue Church, to proue the lawfulnesse of them; we denie not, but that the Fathers might terme the Table of the Lords Supper an Altar; and that, first, in respect of the similitude it hath to the Altars of the old Testament, for that on it are placed the Sacraments of Christs Body, which before was figu­ratiuely offered vp by the Priest vpon the Altar. Secondly, because on it were laid the Oblations & Offerings, which well disposed people were wont to be­stow vpon the Poore; and this wee will grant them; but that there were any such Altars in vse in the Primitiue Church, as they pretend, we absolutly denie. We haue an high Priest (saith the Author to the Hebrewes) who needeth not daily as those Priests to offer sacrifice, Heb. 9.25. nor that he should offer himselfe often as the high Priest entreth into the holy place, euery yeere with the bloud of others, for then must he often haue suffered since the foundation of the World, but now once in the end of the World, hath he appeared to [Page 320]put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe, Chap. 9. v. 25, 28.

Well then, Altars of stone and me­tals are now banished the Christian World, by the decree of our Lord Christ Iesus, and herein wee must ob­serue that Precept of our Sauiour to his Disciples; Goe not into the way of the Gentiles, Matt. 10.5. in these things imitate them not: but what, doe we therefore altoge­ther shunne Altars, and Images, and Temples? it was an old imputation in­deede, of Celsus and others, against Christians in the Primitiue Church, as it is now of the Romanes against vs, that wee abandon these Ceremonies, and relinquish them; to which, my an­swer at this time shall be no other then what Origen gaue Celsus; Origen con­tra Celsum lib. 8. Celsus af­firmes (saith he) that we shunne Altars and Images, because hee takes it to bee the beleefe of that inuisible and inexpli­cable Communion wee maintayne; when in the meane time hee perceiues not, that to vs the mindes of the iust are for Altars and Temples; from which [Page 321]doubtlesse, are sent forth those most sweet odours of Incense, Vowes I meane and Prayers from a pure Con­science: Wee are not therefore ambiti­ous in mounting Altars, or framing I­mages, which heretofore haue beene the Tabernacles of Deuils, and Cages of vncleane Spirits; but rather imbrace such liuing Altars, as one whom we see to burne the true fire of Zeale, kindled not by vestall Virgins, but by the Spi­rit of God. Let any man (addes that Father) make an inquirie into those Altars which wee expound, and com­pare them with those which Celsus (I'll say which the Pope would bring in) or the Images which are fixt in the minds of them which worship God, with Phydias's or Policletus's, or whomsoeuer men list to select of cunning Artificers, and he shall plainly see, that these ina­nimate and senselesse Colossos's, shall de­cay and corrupt with time, whereas those liuing Sanctuaries shall bee im­mortall, and continue for euer. Shall we feare (Beloued) lest Altars and Ima­ges [Page 322]be taken away, or Churches loose somewhat of their Grace and Orna­ment? I must tell you with Saint Am­brose, Ambros. lib. 2. de offic. c. 28. that neither our Prayers nor Sa­crifices stand in need of such trimming, Ornatus Sacramentorum redemptio cap­tiuorum est, the best adorning of Sacra­ments, is not Tissues and Silke, or em­broidered Canopies, or spangled Cru­cifixes, or painted Poppets, or any the like facings, wherewith Poperie sets forth her Altars, more like Pageants then places which sauour of Christs simplicitie, but the redeeming of Cap­tiues. Let others therefore (saith Hie­rom) cloathe the walls with Marble, Hieron. ad Demetria­dem. let others bring in vast and mountainous Columnes into Temples, and beguild the heads of them, which yet are not sensible of their ornature; let them in­terlace their Portices with siluer and I­uorie, and beset their Tables with Pearles and Diamonds: truly, set super­stition apart, I reprehend it not, I dis­swade it not, euery man abounds in his owne sense, and it is a great deale bet­ter [Page 323]to doe this, then to suffer ones gold to canker and rust in his Coffers (nay, I am constrained to say, that our times neede spurres and pricks to rouse men vp to bee more mindefull of Gods House then they are) but yet you must thinke of another thing too; Cloathe Christ in the poore, visit him in the sicke, feede him in the hungry, enter­taine him in the destitute, instruct him in the ignorant, offend him not in the weake; then shalt thou raise vp Altars vnto Christ, not of stone, which moul­ter and decay with age, but liuing Al­tars, which shall send vp sweet Sacri­fices of prayse and thanksgiuing, both for themselues and thee. I would haue no man to obiect the Temple of Hieru­salem, wherein were placed the Table and Cherubins, and Censer, and Arke of pure gold; then, were these allowed of the Lord, when the Priests did offer sacrifices, and when the bloud of Beasts made the attonement for their sinnes, although all things were but then in a figure, and written for our instructions, [Page 324]on whom the ends of the World are come, but now what should we admire those Altars, whose couering our Saui­our Christ pronounced to bee but vn­righteous Mammon, or those Censers whose metall Saint Peter was not asha­med to confesse that hee had none of; crie not therefore, Templum Domini, templum Domini, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, as did sometimes the Iewes, Ier. 7. Ier. 7. Hee is the temple of the Lord in whom true faith dwelleth, who is clothed with Iustice as with the vaile of the Tabernacle, in whom not Temperance alone, or Ab­stinence sing their parts, but in whom the whole set of Vertues make a com­pleat Quire; wouldst thou therefore, like the Gentiles, build an Altar, and yet not as did these Athenians to the vnknowne god? why, see matter and stuffe prepared to thine hand, the Pro­phets and Apostles for the foundation, Christ himselfe for the chiefe corner Stone. Wouldst thou lay it ouer with pure and refined metall? why, see the [Page 325]Word of God; it is like gold seuen times purified in the fire. Wouldst haue a Beast to slay? mortifie and kill thy beastly affections, which otherwise would kil thee. Wantest thou a Knife to kill them; take the Sword of Preaching, not into thine hand, but into thy heart, that is it which is sharper then a two edged sword, and cutteth to the diui­ding and separating of soule and spirit. Are all these things prepared, and lack­est thou yet fire to consume them? why, Zeale must be that fire, without which, all these will profit thee nothing. O Be­loued, if these were the Sacrifices of the Romanists, or these the Altars of Pa­pisme, I would change my speech, and most heartily request you to ioyn hands with them, and let the seamelesse coate of Christ to suffer rupture and diuision no more betweene vs: no longer should thy blessed Name (sweet Iesus) beare reproach among the vncircumcised In­fidells for our separation; but if their Altars bee but the Popes Exchequers, and the Priests but like the Publicans, [Page 326]which sit there at the receit of custome, Exite è Babylone, Goe out of Babylon, let vs treate no longer with her vpon Articles of agreement. Erasin. in annot. ad Hieron. Epitaph. Paule. Bernard. in Auolog. ad Gul elmum Abbatem. What Erasmus saith of the Altars of our time, the same verdict S. Bernard giues of the Altars of his time: by the sight of such sumptuous and wonderfull vanities (saith he) men are more incited to offer then to adore. Thus riches are swallowed vp by ri­ches, thus money drawes in money, be­cause I know not by what meanes (but so it is) where men see most, there are they most willing to giue. On Altars therefore, is presented the beautifull portraicture of some Saint, and it is thought so much the more holy, by how much the more beautifull. Men runne to kisse it, they are inuited to in­rich it, and more are astonished at things curious then inclined to adore things religious; O vanitie of vanities, and yet not greater vanitie then madnesse, the Church abounds in the walls, and wants in her poore; shee cloathes her stones with gold, and leaues her sonnes [Page 327]naked, to the cold; the maintenance of the poore, serues to satisfie the eyes of the rich, the curious find matter to delight them, the distressed finde no bread to sustaine them. But are these the deuotions which Rome so vaunteth of? August. in Psal. 41. & Psal. 49. Well might Saint Austin then wish those of his time to forbeare, Sacrifi­cing, and Altars, if this bee all the fruit of them. Alas, he shewes himself farre from allowing such impostures; Si ha­bes Taurum pinguem (saith hee) occide pauperibus, If thou hast a fat Bull, re­serue him not for the Altar, as if Iewish or Gentilish Sacrifices were in vse, but kill him for the poore, though they cannot drinke the bloud of Goates, yet they can eate the flesh of Bulls, and he which said vnto thee, If I hunger, I will not tell it thee, will then tell thee I was hungry, and thou gauest mee to eate. But what Altar then would he haue vs to erect to God? what Sacrifices thinks he, ascend best pleasing in his sight? why, he turnes vs to the Psalmist, Offer vnto the Lord, the Sacrifice of praise, an [Page 328]humble and a contrite heart shalt thou not dispise: So then wouldest thou build an Altar? why, the loftiest Altar thou canst build, is a lowly heart: wouldest thou haue something to offer; see an oblati­on, passing the bloud of Goates and Calues, a Sacrifice of praise and thanks­giuing. Well might we feare, lest God should haue required something with­out vs, something in the house that the Moths had corrupted; something in the Garner, which the Mice or Vermine had consumed; something in the field, which the Foxe or Wolfe had deuou­red: but hee sends vs to our selues, and to our inmost Closet, which none but God can vnlocke. Ara tua conscientia tua, (saith Austen) thine Altar is thy conscience, offer thereon the Sacrifice of praise. Wee are secure, wee goe not into Arabia for Frankincense, neither doe wee rippe vp the bowels of the earth for stones, to beautifie our Altar, if Paul could finde an Altar abroade; know, Christians haue it at home, with­in their owne brests, and thus I come [Page 329]from the thing found by our Apostle, an altar to the Title thereof, An inscrip­tion to the vnknowne God.

Here doth the Apostle warrant that commendable vse among Controuersie Writers, of confuting the Aduersarie by testimonies drawne from their owne writings. It was Elephas's Logicke a­gainst the vaine Boaster; thine owne mouth condemneth thee, Iob 15. Saint Pauls against Heretikes, that such are condemned of themselues, Tit. 3. to say the truth, seldome hath falshood pro­ued true Liege-man to it selfe, but in some circumstance or other hath beene its owne enemie, and borne witnesse against it selfe. Isidore therefore, that I may vse his words, termes the argu­mentation of the Apostle in this place, [...], inexpugnable and be­yond all contradiction, taking lyes in ambushment, and weakning error by setting it at variance within its owne doores. It casts out Deuils through Bel­sebub the Prince of the Deuils, M [...]t. 12.25. and a Kingdome diuided against it selfe, can­not [Page 330]stand. The ground of these conse­quences, is that Maxime in Philosophie, that there is but one truth, which neuer disagreeth with it selfe. Hence was it, that the ancient Fathers, Clemens, Iu­stine Martyr, Origen, Austen, Hierom, refuted the Gentiles, Hieron. E­pist. 84. by the writings of the Gentiles, by Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Trismegistus, and the like; that Iulian the Apostata cryed out, proprijs pennis configimur, Wee are wounded with our owne Quills, out of our bookes they take weapons, which in fight they vse a­gainst vs. Hence it is, that in imitation of their warfare, wee assault Romes Gates with her owne Legions, that we discrie mutinies amongst her Captaines, dissentions in her Cohorts, whisperings within her Camps, and bring them into the field the one against the other; Schoole-man against Schole-man, Ie­suite against Iesuite, Cardinall against Cardinall, Consistorie against Consi­storie, Pope against Pope; and yet, if we would goe further, wee may chance to meete with [...], as Saint Iames [Page 331]termes him a double soul'd man, Bel­larmine Antibellarmine, in the same Author. In a word, should a Councell of all their Writers, both ancient and later, be called, and should some one or other bee question'd for any Tenent in Diuinitie, he should need to vse but S. Pauls policie in the councell at Hierusa­lem. Men and Brethren I am a Pharisie, the son of a Pharisie, of the hope and resur­rection of the dead, I am called in question, or rather, I am a poore Catholike, I hold not the Popes vniuersall authori­tie, nor his jurisdiction in the temporal affaires of Princes; I am not of opinion that men haue free Will, or that the Works of any can be meritorious; he should see streight a dissention would arise and a combustion, which all the holy Water in Rome could not quench; How many would say, Act. 23. We finde no euill in this man, if a Spirit or an Angell hath spoken vnto him, let vs not fight against God. Thus would the multitude, like those Pharisies & Saduces, be diuided. But I leaue this taske to those, who haue [Page 332]displayed to the World sufficiently the Papall warres, and intestine dissentions of Rome in iust Volumes; it is the me­thod of Bellarmine, obserued by him al­most in euery question; first, to set downe the sundrie opinions of the Do­ctors of his Church, before hee relates his owne, and therefore I referre the learned & iudicious thither. The prin­cipall Lesson I would commend vnto you hence, is the citation of Heathe­nish inscriptions or writings in diuine matters. What will some say? is Saint Paul now come to quote inscriptions? why, hee hath taught vs that the Scrip­tures are sufficient to teach, 2. Tim. 3. to instruct, to conuince, to reproue, that the man of God may be perfect in euery good worke; how is it then, that hee flyes at this time to the inscriptions of the Gentiles, and de­dications of vnhallowed Altars? Nay, hee which professed his comming, not to bee in the wisedome of men, in so short a space as one short Oration, twice seekes he to strengthen his cause by citing the hand-writings of the [Page 333]Gentiles? first, an inscription; and see, scarse three verses betweene, and an­other dictate of one of their Poets, [...], we also are his gene­ration. Vers. 28. But the Fathers doe note on these places, the prudencie of our A­postle, which amongst prophane men vseth the testimonie of prophane au­thorities; giuing them as it were, their foode in due season, and applying phy­sicke to the temper of his Patients; be­comming all things vnto all men, vnto the Iew a Iew, vnto the Gentile a Gentile, that hee might win them vnto Christ. For what more cleernesse can there be, then to make men themselues parties in the proofe, Iudges in their owne case, and witnesses against themselues. How can one better confute the Iewes, then by their Paraphrasts dispersed, as well in their Cabals as in their Talmud? how should a man reason better against the Epicure and Atheist, then by bring­ing the world and creatures therein for witnesses; for those are the Records which they loue best, and most beleeue, [Page 334]and from which they are loathest to de­part? how can one soundlier confound the Naturalist, then by the things that euery man reades in his owne nature, which hee findes inscribed in his heart, and haue been vttered by natural men? Thus God himselfe doth often-times sute his manner of calling men to their condition of life. The wisemen which were Astronomers, he called by a starre; Peter a Fisher-man, Matth. 2. Ioh. 21. Euseb. l. 4. c. 8. Basil. Orat. ad Adoles­cent. Ambros. E­pist. 25. ad Eccles. Ver­cell. by a draught of fishes; Iustine, sometimes a Philoso­pher, by a sentence of Plato's, as him­selfe confesseth, and Dionysius Areopagi­ta, of the sect of Stoikes or Epicures (as Ambrose supposeth) by these poems and poesies of naturall wise men. Certainly, seeing it hath pleased our Apostle to quote the authoritie of natures Secre­taries, I meane, the Inscriptions and Sentences of Philosophers, in points of so great moment, as the Diuinitie of Christ, and Mans Creation, and since we see the Spirit of God to haue sweet­ned the waters of cursed Iericho, 2. King. 2. and made wholsome drinke of it for the [Page 335]children of the Prophets, as also to haue quickned and made fertile these wild stocks, and caused them to bud and bring forth fruits of righteousnesse and faith, Vide Lo­rin. in Act. in so noble a person as was Dionysius, a Iudge of the Areopage, as likewise in Damaris, and others with them; I cannot, by the way, but con­demne those, which either thinke the studie or citing of humane Writers in diuine exercises to bee altogether vn­lawfull. The maine preiudice against these citations happens from a wilfull blindnesse of a peruerse generation, which hath not after so many yeeres tutering, learned to distinguish be­tweene the lawfull vse, and the abuse of a thing. I confesse, as it was more in practice in the primitiue Church, then now it is, to cite such Authors, so was there then another reason for the same, then now there is. The Fathers were then to deale with Ethnickes, and sometimes with iudicious and learned Philosophers (as was the case of Saint Paul now at Athens) where it would [Page 336]not haue booted to haue vrged the Prophets or Apostles, which were in no credite with them, and therefore the example of those men can yeeld no sufficient pretence to any man now a-dayes, to make preaching the Gospel to be a rapsodie or medley of Greeke and Latine Poets; Barnard. in Cant. serm. 9. Bernard sayth truly, that humane erudition, too much of it, is but Vinum inebrians, Wine that ma­keth a man drunke, implens, non nu­triens; inflans, non aedificans; rather glutting then nourishing, and puffing vp then edifying; and to such as make their Auditors surfet vpon such raw and immature fruit, wee may say with Hierome, Hieron. ad Eustach. Quid cum Psalterio Horatius, cum Euangelistis Maro, cum Apostolis Ci­cero, What makes Horace with the Psalter, what Virgil with the Euange­lists, what Cicero with the Apostles? Nay, wee all know how vnseemely a thing it is, for a Subiect to sit vpon the same Throne with his Prince, or an Hand-maid to beare equall rule in the house with her Mistresse, or the Dogs, [Page 337]as our Sauiour termes these forrainers, Mat. 15.26 to possesse the roome and place of the Children; yet let mee say thus much, that the Subiect may make way for his Prince, the Seruant attend his Master, and the Hand-maide her Mistresse. There is yet an Atheist in the world, which sayth in his heart, there is no God; to him wee may send Cicero, Cicer. 1. l de nat. deor. & 1. Tuscul. a man as ignorant of the Scripture as he incredulous of them, which shall cer­tifie him of the consent of all Nations, in acknowledging a Diuine power. There are yet of the Sect of the Epi­cures, which bid vs eate, and drinke, and sport; for after death there is nei­ther Heauen nor Hell: to these wee may oppose, Homer, if blind, Homer. I­liad. 1. in princip. yet see­ing farther perhaps then they into the state of men deceased. There are of the Stoickes still remayning, which mind not the prouidence of God, but referre things to destinie; to these the Orator, Cic. l. 2. de nat. deor. Plat. in Ti­maeo & lib. 10. & 11. de repub. or Plato that Atticke Moses will replie, that Gods prouidence extends it selfe vnto all things, and that there is no­thing [Page 338]is so base, which yet he doth not mind or order. Is this now to make the Pulpit a Philosophers Schoole, or rather the Philosophers Schoole a foot-stoole vnto the Pulpit, and an hand-maid vnto Diuinitie, that it may the better proceede in the necessarie worke. I know not what others may conceiue, but me thinkes, this medita­tion should spring vp in the heart of euery good Christian. Good God, are those perillous times to ensue in our dayes, which thou foretoldst by thy A­postle, or are the minds of men decayed with the whole fabricke of the world, that thus Hethens should professe what Christians doe not practise, and the Disciples of Nature proue greater Ma­sters then the Schollers of the Gospell? Mat. 12.41. Beleeue it (beloued) these are those Niniuites which will rise vp in iudge­ment against vs, Mat. 12.42 these those Queenes of the South which will condemne vs, for they had not those lights that wee haue, and yet saw farre more then ma­ny of vs doe; Truly doth S. Hierome [Page 339]obserue vpon Dan. 1. that if you turne ouer the books of the Philosophers, you shal find part of the vessels of the house of God there, in Plato, that God was the maker of the world; in Zeno the Prince of the Stoickes, you may discouer Hel, and the immortalitie of the Soule; al­though they yoaking the truth with falshood, may be said with Nabuchad­nezzer King of Babylon, to haue taken, not all the vessels of Gods house, but some onely, and those not whole nei­ther, but crackt and broken. Some­thing you may find in Plato that is bor­rowed from Moses, whom hee meanes alwaies, as some ghesse; by this phrase, [...], Aretius loc. commun. pag. [...]54. as the old anci­ent speech hath it; something in Ho­mer, that he might be beholding to the same for, especially that in his fourth Iliad. Parents are to be honoured that wee may be long liued; where hee relisheth of the fift Commandement, Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy dayes may be long in the land that the Lord thy God giueth thee. Nay, Da­uid [Page 340]Chytreus affirmes the writings of Philosophers touching manners, Chyt. prole­gom. in Gen. to be as it were, a certaine Commentarie vp­on the fiue former Commandements of the latter Table. Now, tell mee I beseech you, why after the great capti­uitie that Iaphets posteritie hath suffered vnder Sathan, God hauing sent his A­postles, and vs their Successors, in prea­ching the Word, to build an house vn­to him amongst the Gentiles, why I say, we may not lawfully vse those in­struments which once were dedicated to the Tabernacle, or restore those things to the Temple which once were stollen from the Temple, or burn those lamps in our Sanctuarie which were lighted at the Altar; and haue all this while lyen vnprofitably in the treasure-house of the God of the King of Baby­lon. I am not ignorant that this course hath found inuayers in all Ages. Hieron. E­pist. 103. It is related that Hierome was whipt in his sleepe by an Angell for too much addi­cting himselfe vnto Ciceroes workes: Hieron. in Epist. ad Magnum. I am sure, that waking, Magnus scour­ged [Page 341]him, quasi candorem Ecclesiae Eth­nicorum sordibus pollueret, as if he pollu­ted the candor of the Church with the filth of the Ethniks. The Fathers there­fore, not one or two, tooke in hand this subiect, and were constrayned to cleere themselues of those aspersions, which the ignorant & vnlearned cast on them.

To be briefe, I find, that they denie not the vse of humane learning to be lawfully vsed in Diuine and Ecelesiasti­call exercises, so that these foure condi­tions be obserued. The first concernes the end, that it be produced either to il­lustrate and confirme our owne do­ctrine, or to conuince the Heathenish opposers of it; for, Philosophers if they haue spoken any thing consonant to our beliefe, wee are not onely not to bee afraid to meddle with it, Aug. de doct. Christ. l. 2. c. 40. sed etiam ab ijs tanquam ab iniustis possesso­ribus vindicandum, but also, wee are to chalenge it (sayth Austin) as being de­tayned by vniust possessors. Wee are not to shun learning, because they say, Mercurie was the first inuenter of let­ters, [Page 342]neither are we to reiect vertue and iustice, because the Gentiles dedicated Temples to the worship of them. Nay rather, whosoeuer is a good Christian will acknowledge the truth to be his Masters wheresoeuer hee finds it, and thinke it no villanie, so long as it bene­fits his Lords worke, either to goe downe to the Philistines to sharpen his Axe, 1. Sam. 13.20. Ex [...]d. 12.35. or to borrow of the Egyptians gold and siluer for the building of the Tabernacle. Iulian the Apostata (saith Hierome) in the Parthian warre, Hieron. Ep. ad Mag­num. wrote sixe Bookes against Christ, and accor­ding to that of the Poets, woūded him­selfe with his owne sword. Si contra hunc scribere tentauero (saith hee) puto interdices mihi ne rabidum canem Philo­sophorum & Stoicorum doctrinis, id est, Herculis claua repercutiam? If I should attempt to write against him, wouldst thou forbid me to strike this mad Dog, with the doctrines of the Stoickes and Philosophers, that is, with Hercules's Club? To omit the practice of the an­cient Fathers in the primitiue Church, [Page 343] Apollinarius, Dionysius, Tatianus, Cle­mens Alexandrinus, Origen, Tertullian, Cyprian, and others, which Hierome names to haue defended, during the persecutions, the Christian Faith out of the Dictates of naturall men, latter ages haue afforded examples of like indu­strie, Aquinas's foure books against the Gentiles, Lullies demonstrations of the twelue Articles of the Creede, out of the booke of nature, Marneyes truenesse of Religion, maintained by sentences of Philosophers & Poets against Atheists, Epicures, Pagans, Iewes, Mahumetans, and other Infidels: but what doe wee stand vpon humane testimonies, when wee see the victorious Orator S. Paul, who as Origen saith, Orig. hom. 31. in Luc. Sanctificabat pro­phana & faciebat Ecclesiastica, did san­ctifie prophane writings, and make them Ecclesiasticall, not once or twice drawe natures Poignard against the Gentiles, and like warlike Dauid smite off Goliahs head with his owne sword. The Athenians he presseth with Aratus testimonie, the Corinthians with Menan­ders, [Page 344]the Cretans with Epimenides, one of their owne Poets, [...], the Creets are alwayes lyars, euill beasts, slowe bellies, and as if this were not enough, see how hee wrests in this Chapter an inscription, which he spyed by chance vpon an Al­tar, and conuerts it to an argument of Faith.

The second condition is, that the pro­phanenesse or Ethnicisme in them bee castrated, not so much in the Presse, as in the mouth; for by this meanes wee gather the Rose (saith Theodoret) and yet leaue the Bryar; Theod de affect. Grae­cor. wee take the gold, and let the drosse goe; we are to deale in these cases (saith Hierom) as God com­manded the Israelites, Hieron. Ep. ad Magnū. Deut. 21. If they saw amongst the captiues a beautifull woman, and had a desire vnto her, and would make her their wife, they were to shaue her head, and pare her nailes, and put the rayment of her captiuitie from off her, and then they might mar­rie her. So, if we be enamoured vpon se­cular wisedome, and for the beautie and [Page 345]decencie thereof, doe desire of a captiue Maid, to make it an Israelite, Quidquid in ea mortuum est idolatriae, voluptatis, erroris, libidinum, vel vraecide, vel rade, whatsoeuer is dead in it, whether it bee idolatrie, or wantonnes, or error, or las­ciuiousnes, we must either pare or shaue, and then we lawfully beget of her hous­hold seruants vnto the Lord God of Sabbath. Neither need shee distaste her because shee is an alien; for Osee, as we reade, took a wife of whordoms, Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, yet loe, of that Harlot is born vnto him Iezrael, that is, the seede of God.

The third condition is, that wee al­wayes so vse humane learning, that wee euer giue the Scriptures the vpper hād: we are to remember (saith Austen) that as much difference as was between the riches that Salomon had to build the Temple, Aug. lib. 2. de Doct. Christ. and those which the Israelites borrowed of the Egyptians to build the Tabernacle, so much and more, is be­tweene the testimonie, which Nature giues to the God-head, and that which [Page 346]the Scriptures bring to it: which being well considered, the contention (as the Fathers obserue) between Hagar & Sa­rah, may be compos'd, Ambros. 2. de Abra­ham, c. 10. if Hagar flout not Sarah, as if she were barren; nor Sarah exclude Hagar, as being her hand-maid.

The last condition is that, which Re­thoricians doe giue in the like case, that humane learning be vsed in Ecclesiasti­call exercises, Non vt esculentis sed vt condimentis, not as meate but as sauce. It were a madnesse, because lace sets out a garment, therefore to make a gar­ment of lace onely, or because tapestrie and hangings do grace the house, there­fore to omit timber & stones, the more substantiall stuffe in building. Poets and Orators are not the solid meates which must nourish, but the junkers which do prouoke the appetite, [...] (saith Pindarus) sub finem coenae dulcis est placenta, Pindar. whereupon, as Grati­an obserues, Gregorie blames not those Bishops, Grat. de­cret. dist. 37. which studied and applyed these things, Sed qui contra Episcopale officium pro lege Euangelica grammati­cam [Page 347]populo exponebant, but those which contrarie to the office of a Bishop, in stead of expounding the Gospell reade a Grammar Lecture vnto the people, such as for wholsome foode proposed Pepons and Onions, and I know not what old ends of rotten rags to digest; as if hee were no body which compiled not an whole Homers Cent [...]ns, or a Vir­gils Centons, and vented them al at once to his Auditorie. Otherwise, who can denie, that in these things, an intelligent hearer may get some profit by hearing, as well as an other by reading; as for those of the opposite opinion, I could wish them more charitie then to grudge that other men see with two eyes, be­cause they can see but with one, and will leaue them with that counsell of Hierome to Magnus, Ne vescentium den­tibus edentuli inuideant, Hieron. in Epist. ad Mag. & oculos capra­rum talpae contemnant, that if they want teeth, they would not enuy those which eate with them, nor contemne the eyes of Goats, if themselues be Wants and starke blinde. And so I come from the [Page 348] formale of the Title, the inscription, to the materiale or substance of it, to the vnknowne God. I found an Altar with this inscription, to the vnknowne God.

In diuers Authors, I finde a diuerse reading of this Inscription, Pausanias in his Atticks, Pausan. l. 1. remembers such a writing, vpon an Altar in Athens, but he puts it in the plurall number [...], of the vnknown gods. The greek Scholiast re­lates it otherwise: [...], to the Gods of Asia, and Europe, and Lybia, to the vnknown and forren god. And to this, most of the Latine Interpreters do cleaue, yet it fol­lowes not, which Hierome from hence would inferre, Hieron. in Tit. c. 1. that S. Paul quoted but part only of this Inscription, to circum­uent the Athenians therewith, whereas the former part mentioned more gods then one; for how could they but take him tripping, if with fraud as the Ie­suits vse the Fathers, Matth. 4. or the Deuill the Psalmes to Christ, he had mis-repeated a writing so ready at the point of euery mans tongue. But this seemes to haue [Page 349]beene his scope; The Athenians, more like God Almighties then men, made or imagined whole armies and bands of Gods; now amongst all those many whom they knew (and, alas, how could they know any that were not) there was one (and he the only one indeed) whom they knew not; him therefore the Apostle vrgeth by himselfe, because they pretended, that him alone they ignorantly did worship, presuming of some knowledge of the rest. Conc er­ning the occasion which moued the Athenians to frame such an inscription, Writers doe not lesse differ then vpon the words; Chrysost. ad locum. & in Ep. ad Tit. hom. 3. Chrysostome thinkes that they erected this Altar, lest when they had admitted a number of forraigne gods, there might bee yet some left out that might take it ill or vnkindly at their hands, whom they know not. Laert. lib. 1. in Epimen. La­ertius in the life of Epimenides, giues this reason of it. When the Athenians (saith he) were afflicted with a sore pe­stilence, Pythia gaue them this answer, that they should expiate the City, and [Page 350]appease the indignation of some higher powers against it; wherupon they rig'd vp a ship, and sent it by Nicias the son of Niceratus into Creete, to fetch Epi­menides, who comming vnto them in the 46. Olympiad, expiated the City, and caused the pestilence to cease, by this meanes. First, hee brought white and blacke Sheepe into the Areopage, and suffering them to stray which way they listed, gaue in charge to those which followed them, that wheresoe­uer any of them rested of his owne ac­cord, they should there sacrifice it to the vnknowne God: and he reupon (they say) the plague ceased, and the custome began amongst the Athenians of conse­crating Altars with this Title. Howso­euer, I can see no probabilitie, Lorin. in Act. c. 17. for Lo­rinus's dreame of God hidden in the flesh, or conceal'd in Sacramentall spe­cies; and as small for Baronius's conceit, Baron. An­nal. Tom. 1. that the Athenians by vnknowne, meant inuisible, imperceptible, or vnessa­ble; the Apostle, especially in the for­mer Verse, noting ignorance in them, [Page 351]of the God-head, rather then such knowledge, by branding them in the forehead, with a marke of too much su­perstition for their paines. Many good obseruations may from hence bee ga­thered; as first, from the worshippers themselues, we may collect the malice and cunning of Satan, that alwaies would draw vs as neere his confines of darkenesse as hee can; for better consi­ders then wee doe, how that the will wills no more then the vnderstanding vnderstands, that ignoti nulla cupido, the lesse we know God, the lesse we loue him; the farther he is from the reach of our apprehension, the farther from the affection of desiring; the more out of sight, the more out of minde: besides, hee knowes by experience, that igno­rance, the mother of blind deuotion, is the step-mother to all Religion; that on the contrary side, the sunshine of the God-head dispels the mists of super­stition, that God is so sweet and infi­nitely full of delight, that whosoeuer knowes him, cannot chuse but affect [Page 352]him: Lastly, that knowing is the light of the soule, the enemie to fraud, the tamer of the affections, the bridle of perturbations, the rule of zeale, and the Starre which must conduct vs to our heauenly Hierusalem; so that the whole powers of hell, seem'd to haue had a fin­ger in this deuillish stratageme, that when the Gentiles should know their Iupiter, and Mars, and Diana, and Nep­tune, which were no Gods, but Deuils in Hell, the true God which was the maker and gouernour of all things, hee should not haue so much as a name af­forded him, hee should passe among them, for the vnknowne God. Note but the forme of our Apostles arguing, I perceiue (saith hee) that in all things you are too superstitious, there is the question, or [...], the conclusion, his proofe lies in the Verse following, for, as I passed by and beheld your deuo­tions, I found an Altar with an inscription to the vnknowne God; see an argument drawne à proprio, from a proper ad­junct of superstition, which is igno­rance [Page 353]of the true God. All implying as much as this, that deuotion which is practised without the knowledge of God, or presupposing God as vn­knowne, the same deuotion is supersti­tious. A perfect Touch-stone, in my minde, whereby a Christian may with­out much labour and difficultie, make tryall of his Religion, and giue iudge­ment of the faith he professeth. And, a­las, what shall wee then say of the Ro­mane Religion? will it, thinke you, en­dure the touch of this stone, and not discouer it selfe to bee counterfeit? Greg. in Mat cont. Celsum. The Scripture which Origen compares to Iacobs Well, where not onely Iacob and his sonnes, that is, the learned, but al­so the Cattell and the Sheepe, that is, the rude and ignorant doe drinke, and re­fresh themselues, the Pope locking them vp in a tongue vnknowne, that the people may not vnderstand them, doth hee not what lyes in him, make God to bee to the Laitie and common sort vnknowne? Prayers, which are the Masters of request to our heauenly Soueraigne, [Page 354]when the Pope restraines them to Latine, and commands them to be vttered in a strange tongue, is not this to parlie with God, as with a for­raigne Prince, and to present our sup­plications to him, as to a God vn­knowne? Disputations, whereby the falshood is winnowed from the Truth, like Chaffe from Wheat, and the great cause of mans saluation, cleeres it selfe before the face of the world, of false im­putations; the Pope, by forbidding it to the Laytie, vnder paine of Excom­munication, what doth hee but leaue men in suspence and doubtfulnesse of the truth, and as farre as disputes can satisfie, make God in many most need­full cases vnknowne? Faith, the hand which layes hold vpon the heauenly promises, and is the very foundation of things hoped for, the Pope extolling the implicit or vnfolded belief of the ig­norant, what doth he but by this course settle our confidence, and trust, and de­uotions vpon the apprehension of God vnknown? Much more might I adde to [Page 355]the same purpose; but this ignorance of God is so foule a fault, that if a man ex­cell'd Salomon in all the wisedome of the world besides, it would profit him little; nay, I may boldly say, that in the maynest points of his knowledge, the simplest Christian which knowes God, would be able to tuter him, and be his Teacher: and therefore, by these few instances of Popish blindnesse, I hope you may see how little reputation our aduersaries doe gaine by nourishing ig­norance and blinde deuotion in the minds of poore Christians. Not to tra­uell farre for examples, let vs consider the Athenians of whom my Apostle speakes, in my Text, famous for their wisedome and policie, hauing had the most flourishing Empire of all Greece; famous for their iustice and equitie, ha­uing the renowned Areopage, a Court to which Aristides attributed no lesse force in deliuering Iustice, then to the Oracles in fore-telling things to come; famous for their profound knowledge in Philosophie, amongst whom, Socra­tes, [Page 356]Plato and Aristotle, those great lights of Europe were admired and ex­tolled; how shallow yet they were in their professions, how little they wa­ded in many most necessary points of Philosophie, and all because of this vn­knowne God. The Moralist wasted ma­ny a tedious night in the discussion of this one point, what was summum bo­num, the chiefe good and felicitie of a man in this life; Varro numbers in his time, 288. seuerall opinions of Philo­sophers, touching this one thing, and yet scarce any of them which stumbled not at the very Threshold of his Art, and all because that this God was vn­knowne. The Naturalists disputed as much, concerning the subiect of his science, the World, what might be the first cause of it, and yet after all their debatements, and vnreconcileable con­tradictions, hardly was any found which attained vnto it, and all, for that this God was to them vnknowne. The Astronomers, which gaze vpon the Starres, slumber at the first moouer of [Page 357]the Spheares, they which could fore­tell the Eclipses of the Sun and Moone to come; saw not their owne Eclipse which was present, and that because God was as then vnknowne. The Sta­tists and Politicians (it were much to recount the seueral opinions they broa­ched, about the conuersions and period of Empires, whether they were caused by numbers or destinie, or coniunctions of the higher Planets, or an excentricall mo­tion of the Earth, or Comets, or Eclip­ses) few or none archieued vnto the truth herein, the reason whereof can bee no other then this, that this God was to them vnknowne. But lets leaue Philosophie awhile, and consider the Art of Arts, Christianitie, how God stands there in the fore-front of the Schoole, and bids vs learne him first, before we turne ouer a new leafe, if we would bee perfect Schollers in other Precepts: he is the rule wherby we are to order and conceiue of all things ten­ding to his worship; so farre is a man a good Diuine as he knowes him; other [Page 356] [...] [Page 357] [...] [Page 358]subtilities are but hedges to fence the truth from the assaults of Heretikes, they may scratch and teare both sides in handling, but that vnum necessari­um, that one thing needfull, needfull for thee Martha and euery good Chri­stian, is the knowledge of this God: we may take a taste, if we listed, in those Religions which haue swarued from the truth; whence is it, that most of their errors haue proceeded, if not from the not knowing, as they should doe, this God? Did the Schoolè-men consi­der the power of God vprightly, they would neuer attribute vnto him the working of contradictions in the Sa­crament, which argue an impotencie rather then a power in the Diuine Ma­iestie: did the Iesuites truly estimate his truth and veritie, they would not be so impudent, as to make him the Patron of equiuocations and mentall reserua­tions, did the Popish Doctors weigh but in right scales his iealousie, they would not make Saints compartners with him in adoration, or in the worke of [Page 359]our redemption, nor if they knew his Prouidence, would they, many of them, in the saluation of mens soules, allow him a meere prescience onely or fore­knowledge: Nay, we our selues would not doe many things as we doe, if God were not to vs as he was to these Athe­nians, yet vnknowne: we runne to vn­lawfull succours in our aduersities; is not this because wee know him not to be Omnipotent? we play the Hypocrites and double-dealers in his imployments, is not this because we know him not to be simple? we set our hearts vpon vaine pleasures, and decaying treasures, is not this because we know him not to be the soueraigne good? we liue in sinne secure­ly without any repentance, is not this because wee know him not to bee a iust Iudge? we doubt of his promises, is not this because wee know him not to bee true? why, if we were but as learned as to know him, we would admire him for his infinitnesse and perfection, adore him for his vnmeasurablenesse, vnchangea­blenesse and eternitie, seeke vnderstan­ding [Page 360]from his vnderstanding, submit our selues to his will, loue him for his loue, trust to him for his truth, feare him for his power, reuerence him for his holi­nesse, praise him for his blessednesse; so that in fine, hence growes our coldnesse in Religion, hence our back-slidings in pietie, hence our benumb'dnes in Chri­stianitie, in that our deuotions are, as it were, stil directed to the vnknowne God.

Now, hee which conceal'd the truth of his God-head from the Prophets and Wise of the world, and hath reuealed the same vnto the simple, grant that we, vsing the light aright, walke not still as children of the darkenesse, and by turning away from him, the onely God whom we know, settle our hearts and affections vpon false gods whom we know not, through Iesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, bee rendred all Praise, Honour and Glory, Might, Maiestie and Dominion, both now and for euer more. Amen.