A Preparative to Contention, To the reader – Authors note
To the true Chriſtian and indifferent Readers, Peace, Contentation, and Saluation in Chriſt Ieſu, the Author and worker of the ſame.
THere is no man liuing vnderunder the Sun, which feeleth not the painfull effect of Adams ſinne, in the bitter ſence of wofull miſeries. But the godly and beſt diſpoſed perſons, in whatſoeuer time, place, or calling they liue, are conſtrained with Simon of Cirene to beare the Croſſe after their Maiſter Chriſt. For why, there be not only miniſtred vntounto them many mightie cauſes of Diſcontentation, through thoſe greeuous oppreſsiōs vrged on them by the vngodly, whom the Lord maketh his roddes to correct and puniſh his owne when they offende him: wherby the very heart of Mary is pearced with the ſword, as Simeon propheſied: but alſo the holie ſpirit in them is moued, through the horrible ſinnes and greeuous offences of the ingratefull againſt God, to driue the meſtiue mill of lamentation, with flouds of weeping teares. All rhe which (neuertheleſſe) the Lord of merciemercy, and God of conſolation, mittigateth and moderateth in them that feare and louelove him, both by the inward comforts of his ſpirit, and by the externall miniſterie of his word. But as for the vngodly (which are meere ſtraungers from the wombe, and naturally deuoyd of peace, like the raging waues of the ſea that caſt out their own filth) the Lord ſuffreth Satan to rule them at his pleaſure: he giueth them ouer, to be deſtroyed in their owne luſts, as ſuch of whom he hath no regard, and ſuffereth them to ſpeake lyes, to prophane his holy religion, and to ſway in their abhominable ſinnes, vntil their wickedneſſe be full, when he is willing to require them with his iuſt iudgements in diſpleaſure. In the meane time, waxing proud, and climbing on high through hautie preſumptiō of the Lords long ſuffring (which ſhould rather drawe ſinners to repentance) they take no meane pleaſure and glory to oppreſſe and offend the Lords little ones, and daily deuiſe and endeuour to diſturbe & trouble the profitable tranquilitie and peace of the Chriſtian Common-weale: wheras placing the Lord Ieſus on the high Pinacle of the Temple, they aſſaie how they might caſt him downe headlong, to the great griefe of the godly thereby offended, the diſhonour of Chriſt, therby contemned: and the prouocation of the God of heauen, thereby diſpleaſed and vrged to powre downe his terrible vengeance and vnhappie woe vppon them by whome thoſe offences come. The ſtate & condition not only of other times and nations, but alſo of this our owne, yeeld vsus too many pittifull examples of this Argument. Wherein, we ſee how the rough raging waues of humane deuiſes, ſuggeſted and prouoked by the high bluſtring winds of diuelliſh Ambition, hauehave not a litle moleſted and perplexed (I ſay not thoſe Marriners that embarqued Ionas towardes Tharſus only, but alſo) Noah and his familie in the Arke: the Apoſtles of Chriſt in the ſhip, and ſuch as are paſſengers euen in the ſame veſſell with Chriſt towardes the Hauen of happineſſe. Beſides that, we may ſee, how that on the very maine land, litle Dauid hath very much ado to reſcue the ſeely ſheepe from the hungrie Lyons teeth. An houſe is much ſooner throwne downe, then reedified: a Citie is not ſo eaſily reduced into vnitie and concorde, as it is diuided. And ſurely there, where the diſtracted mindes and wandering opinions of ambitious heads, hauehave not only contriued and commenced, but alſo drawne foorth and twiſted the odious threede of Diſcontentation, wee may expect none other thing therof, but vtter ſubuertions of Townes, Cities, Countries, Churches, Kingdomes, without ſpeedie preuention. Therefore, this is that, which in the account of all wiſe men is vnhappie, and after the iudgement of all the godly, moſt vngodly, and the occaſion of greater courage and boldneſſe to the forraign enemy, then the feebleſt reſiſtances of them that be combined in true concord and peace.
But what is that to vsus? I would (indeede) that theſe things did neither touch vsus, nor were found rowſting in our houſes! but, when the vizard of hautie conceit and proper integritie, is remooued from our bleared eyes, we cannot but plainly perceiue, that the Church (notwithſtanding the ſincere preaching of the word of God in the ſame) is intollerably burthened with Sectes opinions, and dangerous Sciſmes: and that the whole Common-wealth is no leſſe vnhappily peſtred with diſcords, diſſentions, ſeditions, and many other huge enormities and euilles of this laſt age and wane of the worlde, wherein the bande of Chriſtian Charitie is broken, he Truth (though ſo ſtrong and aboue all) is entertained but as a wandering Pilgrime on the earth, euen with them that fawne on her preſence: the right faith is ſorely cōtemned by them that hauehave taken vp weapons vnderunder pretence to defende her: and the Prince of darkneſſe groweth ſtronger and ſtronger without reſiſtance, towards the end of his raigne in the world, who hath vehemently enflamed and ſtrongly prouoked the enemies of the Church againſt the Church: to the which they threaten fire and ſword, and daily endeuor deſtruction. And this to compaſſe & effect, they hauehave ioyned hands with mightie Potentates, they hauehave armed wel waged ſouldiers, they hauehave prepared their ſtrong barbed Horſes, their ſwift Chariots, and a thouſand warlike engins, to the terror of the weake in ſpirit, to the affliction of poore Ioſeph, and to the diſhonor of the name of God: who laugheth them to ſcorne, and knoweth wel how to confound them in their owne deuiſes, when it ſhall pleaſe him to expreſſe his diſpleaſure towards them, and his louelove to his children. But what inconueniences may enſue the preſent miſchiefes, who knoweth not, that hath wiſedome to diſcerne thereof? and what good Chriſtian would not endeuour to ſtop and preuent the ſame? Therfore (though after many others, yet with and among ſome others) to meete with thoſe deſperate maladies, and to aſſay to preuent whatſoeuer greater euils may thereof enſue (according to that meane wiſedome and abilitie the Lord hath giuen me) I hauehave confected A Preparatiue to Contentation: and made the ſame Applicatory to this our time, Nation, and the preſent occaſion. An Argument moſt neceſſary to be vrged, and a thing in earneſt expectation of all good mindes, within whom the holy ſpirit of diſcipline is made ſad and ſorrowfull, through the conſiderarion of the manifold diſorders and huge inconueniences of noyſome Diſcontentation, and to whoſe good natures, the true Contentation, is eueryevery way both profitable and acceptable, in the feare of God, and honour of the Prince, (howſoeuer harriſh and vnpleaſant it ſeemeth to the taſte of him that is oppreſſed with the humor of ſingular conceit) as thoſe potions which are in taſte bitter and ſowre, may be more wholſom for the diſtreſſed patient, then ſuch as are ſweet and wallowiſh. And (indeed) although I could not be ſo briefe as Phocian was in the Citie of Athenes: nor (if I could) would I be either ſo copious as Demoſthenes with the Graecians, or ſo eloquent as Cicero with the Romains, to whoſe learned immitatours I referre both the lapping vp of plaine things in obſcuritie, and the handling of publique controuerſies in ample diſcourſes: yet hauehave I wiſhed and indeuoured to be rather modeſt with Paule, and charitable with Iohn, then impudent with Tartullus, and curious with Peter: hazarding al my credit & eaſe, in regard of your profit and peace. Moreouer, albeit I know wel, that to many of you, this my preſent Preparatiue ſhalbe but like the glimmering light of a Candle ſet in the bright Sun ſhining, hauing (indeed) litle need of this meane helpe: yet I perſwade, that ye which louelove brotherly fellowſhip, feare God, and honour the Prince, will not diſdaine it, but rather, that ye will be the more readie vponupon this, and ſuch like occaſiōs, to ſtand vp in the defence of the truth againſt all erronious opinions, vaine deuiſes, and ſyniſter practiſes of man, as it beſt becommeth you with all ſuch as be of the houſhold of faith. Neither doubt I, but that alſo the ſooner by the force of this Preparatiue, the rage and rygour of the Diſcontented wil be aſſwaged, the domeſticall enemy in part, terrified, the ſeditious Aduerſary of our ſtate quailed, or at the leaſt made aſhamed, and the forreine foe the better obſerued and reſiſted: that ſo, both in the one and the other, the Lord of heauen may be worthely glorified. For theſe cauſes hauehave I the rather publiſhed this Preparatiue, the which alſo I pray and beſeech you (Chriſtian Readers) before the Lord Ieſus, and his holy Angels, to take in good part, and to conſtrue therof indifferently, to apply it diſcreetly, and to vſe it in all points charitably, for the better quiet of conſcience, the peace of the Church, and ſafetie of the Common-wealth, in the feare of God: vntounto whoſe goodneſſe, let vsus daily pray for the true Contentation.
More yours then his owne, in the Lord Ieſu. I. C.
An Admonition to the gentle Readers.
WHereas it is ſaid in the 6. Chapter, that the Number of the Beaſt is conteined in certaine Hebrew and Greeke words and voices &c. ye ſhall vnderſtand, that the ſaide Number, is to be gathered and made of the letters and characters of the ſame wordes after the manner of the Hebrewes and Greekes, which vſe their Alphabeticall letters and characters for Arithmeticall figures.
Faults eſcaped.
Moreouer, becauſe it was not my good lot to be preſent at the printing of this Booke, there bee therein too many faults eſcaped, for the which I am ſory, and do beſeeche you gentle Readers either to conſtre all in the beſt ſence, or elſe to reade or correct them thus.
In pag. 6. lin. 2. reade thus Clh. mlc. ail. or thus, Calah. Melech. ael.
In pag. 64. lin. 1. ſupply theſe words omitted H Aitalih. cſchr. chuh. which ye may thus reade ha Italy ceſchar: chehunah. 1. lo: Italy is like a Prince of the prieſthood. Lin. 7. read ha. anoſch cijhovah. Lin. 23. read Royh quohel ha Romah.
In pag. 59. lin. 3.4.5. read it thus, yeares 666. expired: but chiefly from the time that the Diuel was let at libertie after the thouſand yeeres: that is ſithence the yeare of our Lord 1000.
In pag. 113. lin. 1. ſupply (No, thus hauehave I ſaid) &c.