Good Thoughts in Worse Times, Chapter 82 – Errata
V. A Pace a pace.
ROwing on the Thames, the waterman confirmed mee in what formerly I had learnt from the Maps; how that River westward runnes so crooked as likely to lose it selfe in a Labyrinth of its owne making. From Reading to Lon…on, by land, thirty by water an hundred miles. So wantonly that Streame disporteth it selfe, as if as yet unresolved whether to advance to the Sea, or retreat to its fountain.
But the same being past London (as if sensible of its former Lazinesse, and fearing to be checkt of the Ocean, the mother of all Rivers, for so long loytering; or else, as if wearie with wandring and loth to lose more way: Or lastly, as if conceiving such Wildenesse inconsistent with the Gravity of his Channel, now grown old, and ready to bee …urted in the Sea) runnes in so direct a Line, th…t from London to Gravesend, the number of the … are eq…ally twenty both by Land and by Water.
Ala…! How much of my life is lavisht away? Oh the Intricacies, Windings, Wandrings, Turnings, Tergiversations of my dece…full Youth! I have lived in the middest of a crooked Generation *Philip. 2 15., and with them have turned aside unto *Psal. 125 5.crooked wa…es. High time it is now for mee to make Streight *Heb. 12. 13.Paths for my feet and to redeeme what is past, by amending what is present and to come. Flux, Flux (in the Germa…ne Tougue; Quick, Quick) was a Mot…o of B…shop *In his Life. p. 10.Jewels, presaging the approach of his Death. May I make good use thereof, Make haste, Make haste, God knows how little time is l…st me and may I bee a good Husband to improve the short remnant thereof.
VI. Alwaies the Rising Sunne.
I Have wondred why the Romish Church do not pray to Saint Abraham, Saint David, Saint Hezekiah, &c. as well as to the Apostles, and their Successors since Christs time; For those antient Patriarks, by the confession of Papists, were long since relieved out of Lim bo (soon out, who were never in) and admitted to the sight and presence of God, especially Abraham, being Father of the Faithfull, as well Gentile as …ew, would (according to their Principles) bee a proper Patron for their Petitions.
But it seemes that moderne Saints rob the old ones of their honour, a Garnet, or late Bernard of Paris, have severally more Prayers made unto them then many old Saints have together. New Beesoms sweepe cleane; new *Jer. 2. 13.Cisternes of fond mens owne hewing, most likely to hold water.
Protestants, in some kinde, serve their living Ministers, as Papists their dead Sa…uts. For aged Pastors, who have bor… the Heat of the Day, in our Church, are justled out of respect by young Preachers, not having halfe their Age, nor a quarter of their Learning and Religion. Yet let not the former bee disheartened, for thus it ever was and will be, English-Athenians, … for Novelties, new Sects, new Schismes, new Doctrines, new Disciplines, new Prayers, new Preachers.
VII. Charitie, Charitie,
CHurch Storie reports of Saint John, that being growne very Aged (well nigh a hundred yeeres old) wanting strength and voice to make a long Sermon, hee was wont to goe up into the Pulpet, and often repete these Words, Babes k epe your selves from Idols, Brethren Love one another.
Our Age may seeme suffi…iently to have provided against the growth of Idolatry in England. O that some order were taken for the increase of Charity! It were Liberty enough, if for the next seaven yeeres, all Sermons were bound to keepe Residence on this Text. Brethren Love one another.
But would not some fall out with themselves, if appointed to Preach Unity to Others. Vindicative S…irits, if confined to this Text, would confine the Text to their Passion: by Brethren understanding only such of their own Party. But O, seeing other Monopolies are dissolved let not this remain, against the fundamentall Law of Charity. Let all bend their heads, hearts and hands, to make up the breaches in Church and State. But too many now a daies are like Pharaohs Magicians, who could conjure up *Exod. 8. 7.with their Charmes more new Frogs, but could not remove or drive away those multitude of Frogs which were there before. Unhappily happy in making more rents and discentions, but unable or unwilling to compose our former differences.
VIII. The Sensible Plant.
I Heard much of a Sensible Pl…nt, and counted it a senselesse relation (a rational Beast, carrying as little contradiction) untill beholding it, mine Eyes ushered my Judgement into a beleef thereof. My comprehension thereof is this. God having made three great Staires [Vegetable, Se…sible and Reasonable Creat…res] that men thereby might climbe up i…to the knowledge of a Deity, hath placed somethings of a middle nature (as halfe Paces betwixt the Staries) so to make the Step lesse, and the ascent more easie for our Meditations.
Thus this active Plant (with visible motion) doth border and confine on Sensible Creatures. Thus in Affrick, some most agil and intelligent Marmasits may seeme to shake (fore feete shall I say or) hands, with the rudest Salvages of that Countrey, as not much more then one remove from them, in knowledg and civility.
But by the same proportion may not man, by custome and improvement of Piety, mount himselfe neere to an Angelicall nature. Such was Enoch, who whilest liveing on Earth, *Gen. 5. 22.Walked with God. O may our Conversation be in *Philip. 3 20.Heaven. For shall a Plant take a new degree & proce…d Sensible, and shall man have his Grace Stayed for want of sufficiency, and not vvhilest living here, Commence Angel, in his holy and heavenly affections.
IX. Christ my King.
I Reade how king Edward the first, ingenuously surprized the Welch into subjection, proferring them such a Prince as should be
1. The Son of a King.
2. Borne in their owne Countrey.
3. Whom none could taxe for any fault.
The Welch accepted the Conditions, and the King tendred them his sonne Edward, an Infant, newly borne in the Castle of Carnarvan.
Doe not all these Qualifications mystically Center themselves in my Saviour?
1. The King of Heaven saith unto him, thou art my Sonne, *Psal. 2 7.this day have I begotten thee.
2. Our true Countrey man, Reall flesh, whereas hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels.
3. Without spot or blemish, like to us in all things, sin only excepted.
Away then with those wicked men, who *Luk 19. 14.Will not have this King to rule over them. May he have Dominion in and over me. Thy Kingdome come. Heaven and Earth cannot afford a more proper Prince for the purpose, exactly accomplished with all these comfortable qualifications.
X. Tribulation.
I Finde two sad Etymologies of Tribulation. One from (Tribulus) a three forked Thorn, which … that such afflictions which are as full of Paine and Anguish unto the soule, as a Thorn thrust into a tender part of the Flesh is unto the Body, may properly be termed Tribulations.
The other, from Tribulus, the Head of a Flail, or Flagell, knaggie and knotty (made commonly as I take it, of a thick black-Thorne) and then it imports, that Afflictions, falling upon us as heavie as the Flaile, threshing the Corne, are stiled Tribulations.
I am in a Streight which deduction to embrace, from the sharpe or from the heavie Thorne. But which is the worst, though I may choose whence to derive the Word, I cannot choose so, as to decline the thing I must * through much Tribulation, Acts 14. 22.enter into the Kingdome of God.
Therefore I will labor not to bee like a young Colt, first set to Plough, which more Tires himselfe out with his owne untowardnesse (whipping himselfe with his mis-spent mettle) then with the weight of what he drawes; and will labour patiently to beare what is imposed upon me.
XI. Beware.
I Saw a Cannon shot off. The men, at whom it was levelled, fell flat on the ground, and so escaped the Bullet. Against such blowes, falliug is all the fencing, and Prostration all the Armour of proofe.
But that which gave them notice to fall downe was their perceiving of the fire before the Ordnance was discharg'd. Oh the Mercy of that Fire! which, as it were, repenting of the mischiefe it had done, and the murther it might make, ran a Race, and outstript the Bullet, that men) at the sight thereof) might bee provided, when they could not resist to prevent it. Thus every murthering Piece, is also a Warning Piece against it selfe.
God, in like manner, warnes before he wounds; frights before hee fights. Yet forty dayes and Ninevegh shall be destroyed. Oh Let us fall down before the Lord our Maker; Then shall his Anger be pleased to make in us a daily Passe over, and his Bullets levelled at us shall flie above us.
XII. The first - Fruits.
PApists observe (such are curious priers into Protestants carriage) that Charity in England lay in a swound, from the dissolution of Abbies, in the reigne of King Henry the eighth, till about the tenth of Queen Elizabeth.
As if in that age of Ruine, none durst raise Religious Buildings, and as if the Axe and Hammer, so long taught to beat down, had forgot their former Use to build up for pious intents.
At last comes * William Lambert, Esqure, and first founds an Hospitall See Cem… dens B…t. in Kent pag. 327.at Greenwich in Kent, calling that his Society (like politique Joab, after *2 Sa…. 12, 28.Davids name.) The poore people of Queene Elizabeth. And after this worthy man followed many, that wee may almost dazle Papists Eyes with the Light of Protestants Good works. The same Papists perchance may now conceive Charity so disheartened in our dayes (by these civill Warres and the consequences thereof) that no Protestants hereafter should bee so desperate as to adventure upon a publique good Deede. O for a LAMBERT. Junior (& I hope some of his Linage are left Heires to his Lands and Virtues) who shall breake through the Ranks of all Discouragements; so that now English Protestants, being to begin a new Score of good Works, might from him date their Epoche. Such a Charity deserves to bee Knighted for the Valour thereof.
XIV. The Recruit.
I Reade how one main Argument which the Apostle Paul enforceth on Timothy, To make full proofe of his Ministery is this, *2 Tim. 4 6.For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. Thus the dying Saints, drawing neere to Heaven, their marke, is the best spur for the surviving to make the more speed in their Race.
How many excellent Divines have these sad times hastened to their long home? (So called in Scripture *Eccles. 125.not because long going thither, but long [ever] tarrying there.) How many have beene sorrow-shot to their Heart? O that this would edge the endeavours of our Gen…ration, to succede in the dead places of worthy men. Pitzeus in vita StapletoniShall the Papists curiously observe and sufficiently boast, that their Stapleton was borne on the same day, on which Sir Thomas More was beheaded, (as if his cradle made of the others coffin,) and shall not our Nurseries of learning supply the void roomes of our Worthies deceased. No sin I hope to pray, that our Timothyes come not short of our Pauls, as in time, so in learning and religion.
XV. The Mongrel.
I Finde the naturall Philosopher, making a Caracter of the Lions disposition, amongst other In viros prius qu… in terminas saevit. Pin. Nat. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 10.his qualities reporteth that first the Lion * feedeth on Men, and afterwards (if forced with extremitie of hunger) on Women.
Satan is a roaring Lion seeking whome hee may devoure. Only hee inverts the method, and in his bill of fare takes the second course first. Ever since hee over tempted our Grand-mother Eve, encouraged with successe, hee hath preyed first on the weaker Sex. It seemes Hee hath all the vices, not the virtues of that King of Beasts, a Woolfe Lion, having his cruelty without his Geuerositye.
XVIII. Edification.
I Read in a learned Phisitian, how our pro vident Mother, Nature, foreseeing men (her wan ton children) would bee tampering with the edgetooles of Minerals, hid them farre from them, in the bowels of the Earth, whereas shee exposed Plants and Herbs more obvious to their Eye, as fitter for their use. But some bold Empericks, neglecting the latter (as too common) have adventured on those hidden Minerals, oft times (through want of skill) to the hurt of many, and hazard of more.
God, in the new Testament, hath placed all historical and practical matter (needfull for Christians to know and beleeve) in the beginning of the Gospell. All such Truths lie above ground, plainly visible, in the litteral sence. The Prophe ticall and difficult part comes in the close; But though the Testament was written in Greeke, too many reade it like Hebrew, beginning at the end thereof. How many trouble themselves about the Revelatiou, who might bee better busied in plaine Divinity? Safer prescribing to others, and practising in themselves, positive Piety; leaving such Mistical Minerals to men of more judgement to prepare them.
XIX. Mad, not mad.
I Finde St. Paul in the same chapter confesse and deny madnesse in himselfe. Acts. 26. verse 11. And being exceeding mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange Cities, verse 25. when Festus challenged him to be beside himselfe, I am not mad most noble Festus. Whilest hee was mad indeede, then none did suspect or accuse him to be distracted; but when converted, and in his right minde, then Festus taxeth him of madnesse.
There is a Country in Affrica, *Munster Cosmog.wherein all the natives have pendulous Lips. hanging downe like dogs-eares, alwaies raw and sore; Here only such as are handsome are pointed at for Monsters in this Age, wherein polluted and uncleane Lips are grown Epidemicall, if any refraine their tongues from common Sins, alone are gazed at as Strange Spectacles.
XX. The deepest Cutt.
I beheld a Lapidary cutting a Diamond, with a Diamond Hammer and Anvil both of the same kinde.
God In Scipture stiled his servants his *Malac. 18.19.Jewels. His Diamonds they are, but alas, rude, rough, unpolished, without shape or fashion, as they arise naked out of the Bed of the Earth, before Art hath dressed them. See how God by rubbing one Acts 15. 24.rough Diamond against maketh both smooth. Barnabas afflicts Paul and Paul afflicts Barnabas, by their hot falling out, Hierom occasioneth trouble to Ruffinus, and Ruffinus to Hierom.
In our unnaturall war, none I hope so weake and wilfull as to deny many good men (though misled) engaged on both sides. O how have they scratcht. and raced, and pierced, and bruised, and broken one another? Behold Heavens hand grating one Diamond with another; as for all those who un-charitably deny any good on that Party which they dislike, such shew themselves Diamonds indeede in their hardnesse (cruel censuring) but none in any commendable qualitie, in their Conditions.
FINIS.
Page 57, Line 8. for Such, reade Sue.
End of the text · Thomas Fuller, Good Thoughts in Worse Times (1647)