Works of Joseph Hall, Decade 2 – Dedication 12

Works of Joseph Hall · Decade 2 – Dedication 12

p. 295THE SECOND DECAD.

To Sir ROBERT DARCY. EP. I. The eſtate of a true, but weake Chriſtian.

IF you aske how I fare: Sometimes, no man better; and, if the fault were not mine owne, Alwayes. Not that I can command health, and bid the world ſmile when I liſt. How poſſible is it for a man to be happy without theſe; yea, in ſpight of them? Theſe things can neyther augment, nor impaire thoſe comforts that come from aboue. What vſe, what ſight is there of the ſtarres, when the Sunne ſhines? Then onelyonly can I finde my ſelfe happy, when (ouer-looking theſe earthly things) I can fetch my ioy from heauen. I tell him that knowes it, the contentments that earth can afford her beſt Fauourites, are weake, imperfect, changeable, momentany; and ſuch, as euer end in complaint. Wee ſorrow that wee had them; and, while wee hauehave them, we dare not truſt them: Thoſe from aboue are full, and conſtant. What an heauen doe I feele in my ſelfe, when (after many trauerſes of meditation) I find in my hart, a feeling poſſeſſion of my God! When I can walke, and conuerſe with the God of heauen, not without an openneſſe of heart, and familiarity: When my ſoule hath caught faſt and ſenſible hold of my Sauiour; and either pulls him downe to it ſelfe, or rather lifts vp it ſelfe to him; and can and dare ſecretly auouch, I know whom I hauehave beleeued: When I can looke vponupon all this inferior creation, with the eies of a ſtranger, & am tranſported to my home in my thoughts; ſolacing my ſelfe in the view & meditation of my future glory, and that preſent of the Saints: When I ſee wherefore I was made, and my conſcience tells me I hauehave done that for which I came; done it, not ſo as I can boaſt, but ſo as it is accepted; while my weakneſſes are pardoned, and my acts meaſured by my deſires, and my deſires by their ſincerity: Laſtly, when I can finde my ſelfe (vponupon holy reſolution) made firme and ſquare, fit to entertaine all euents; the good with moderate regard, the euill with courage and patience, both with thankes; ſtrongly ſetled to good purpoſes, conſtant and cheerfull in deuotion; and, in a word, ready for God, yea full of God. Sometimes I can be thus, and pity the poore and miſerable proſperity of the godleſſe; and laugh at their moneths of vanity, and ſorrow at my owne: But then againe (for why ſhould I ſhame to confeſſe it?) the world thruſts it ſelfe betwixt me and heauen; and, by his darke and indigeſted parts, eclipſeth that light which ſhined to my ſoule. Now, a ſenſleſſe dulneſſe ouertakes me, and beſots me; my luſt to deuotion is little, my ioy none at all: Gods face is hid, and I am troubled. Then I begin to compare my ſelfe with others, and thinke, Are all men thus blockiſh and earthen? or, am I alone p. 296worſe than the reſt, and ſingular in my wretchedneſſe? Now I cary my carcaſſe vp and downe careleſly, and (as dead bodies are rubbed, without heat) I doe in vaine force vponupon my ſelfe delights, which others laugh at: I endeuor my wonted worke, but without an heart; there is nothing is not tedious to me, no not my ſelfe.

Thus I am, till I ſingle my ſelfe out alone, to him that alone can reviue me: I reaſon with my ſelfe, and confer with him; I chide my ſelfe, and intreat him: and, after ſome ſpirituall ſpeeches interchanged, I renue my familiarity with him; and he the tokens of his louelove to me. Lo, then I liue againe, and applaud my ſelfe in this happineſſe, and wiſh it might euer continue, and thinke baſely of the world in compariſon of it. Thus I hold on, riſing and falling; neither know, whether I ſhould more praiſe God for thus much fruition of him, or blame my ſelfe for my inconſtancy in good; more reioyce, that ſomtimes I am well, or grieue that I am not ſo alwayes. I ſtriue, and wiſh, rather then hope, for better. This is our warfare; we may not looke to triumph alwayes; we muſt ſmart ſomtimes, and complaine; and then againe reioyce that we can complaine; and grieue that we can reioyce no more, and that we can grieue no more. Our hope is, if we be patient, we ſhall once be conſtant.

To Sir EDMVND BACON. EPIST. II. Of the benefit of retiredneſſe and ſecrecie.

SVſpect (if you can) that, becauſe now many cold windes blow betwixt vsus, my affection can be cooler to you. True louelove is like a ſtrong ſtreame, which the further it is from the head, runnes with more violence. The thoughts of thoſe pleaſures I was wont to finde in your preſence, were neuer ſo delightfull, as now when I am barred from renuing them. I wiſh me with you; yea (if I could or might wiſh to change) I ſhould wiſh me your ſelfe. To liue hidden, was neuer but ſafe, and pleaſant; but now, ſo much better, as the world is worſe. It is a happineſſe, not to be a witnes of the miſchiefe of the times; which it is hard to ſee, and be guiltleſſe. Your philoſophicall Cell is a ſafe ſhelter from tumults, from vices, from diſcontentments. Beſides that liuely, honeſt, and manly pleaſure, which ariſes from the gaine of knowledge in the deepe myſteries of Nature; how eaſie is it in that place to liue free from the common cares, from the infection of common euils! Whether the Spaniard gaine or ſaue by his peace, and how hee keepes it; and whether it were ſafer for the States to lay downe armes, and be at once ſtill and free; Whether the Emperors truce with the Turke were honorable and ſeaſonable; and whether Venice hauehave wonne or loſt by her late iarres; are thoughts that dare not looke in at thoſe doores. Who is enuyed, and who pitied at Court; Who buyes hopes and kindneſſe deareſt; who layes ſecret mynes to blow vp another, that himſelfe may ſucceed, can neuer trouble you: Theſe cares dare not enter into that Sanctuary of peace. Thence you can ſee how all that liue publike are toſſed in theſe waues, and pity them. For, great places hauehave ſeldome ſafe and eaſie entrances: and (which is worſt) great charges can hardly be plauſibly wielded, without ſome indirect policies. Alas! their priuiledges cannot counteruaile their toyle. Weary dayes, and reſtleſſe nights, ſhort lifes and long cares, weake bodies and vnquiet mindes, attend lightly on greatneſſe. Eyther Clients breake their ſleepe in the morning, or the intention of their minde driues it off from the firſt watch. Eyther ſuits or complaints thruſt themſelues into their recreations; and packets of Letters interrupt their meales. It is euer Terme with them, without Vacation. Their buſineſſes admit no night, no holiday: Loe, your priuacy frees you from all this, and what euer other glorious miſery. There you may p. 297ſleep, and eat, & honeſtly diſport, & enioy your ſelfe, and command both your praiſes and others. And, whiles you are happy, you liue out of the reach of enuy; vnleſſe my ſelf ſend that gueſt thither: which I ſhould iuſtly condemne as the fault of my louelove. No man offers to vndermine you, none to diſgrace you: you could not want theſe inconueniences abroad. Yea, let a man liue in the open world, but as a looker on, he ſhall bee ſure not to want abundance of vexations. An ill mind holds it an eaſie torment, to liue in continuall fight of euill; if not rather a pleaſure: but, to the well-diſpoſed, it is next to Hell. Certainly, to liue among Toads and Serpents, is a Paradiſe to this. One ieſts pleaſantly with his Maker: another makes himſelfe ſport with Scripture. One fills his mouth with oathes of ſound: another ſcoffes as the religious. One ſpeakes villanie; another laughes at it; a third defends it. One makes himſelfe a Swine, another a Deuil: Who (that is not all earth) can endure this? who cannot wiſh himſelfe rather a deſolate Hermite, or a cloſe priſoner? EueryEvery euill we ſee, doth either vex, or infect vsus. Your retiredneſſe auoids this; yet ſo, as it equally eſcapes all the euils of ſolitarineſſe. You are full of friends; whoſe ſociety, intermixed with your cloſeneſſe, makes you to want little of publike. The Deſert is too wilde, the Citie too populous: the Country is onelyonly fit for reſt. I know, there want not ſome obſcure corners, ſo haunted with dulneſſe, that as they yeeld no outward vnquietneſſe, ſo no inward contentment. Yours is none of thoſe; but ſuch as ſtriues rather with the pleaſure of it, to requite the ſolitarineſſe. The Court is for honour, the City for gaine, the Countrey for quietneſſe; a bleſſing that need not (in the iudgement of the wiſeſt) yeeld to the other two. Yea, how many hauehave wee knowne, that hauing nothing but a coat of thatch to hide them from heauen, yet hauehave pittied the carefull pompe of the mighty? how much more may thoſe which hauehave full hands and quiet hearts, pitty them both? I do not ſo much praiſe you in this, as wonder at you. I know many vponupon whom the conſcience of their wants forces a neceſſary obſcurity; who if they can ſteale a vertue out of neceſſity, it is well: but, I no where know ſo excellent parts ſhrouded in ſuch willing ſecrecy. The world knowes you, and wants you; and yet you are voluntarily hid. LoueLove your ſelfe ſtill; and make much of this ſhadow, vntill our common mother call you forth to her neceſſary ſeruice, and charge you to neglect your ſelfe, to pleaſure her. Which once done, you know where to find peace. Whether others applaud you, I am ſure, you ſhall your ſelfe: and I ſhall ſtill magnifie you, and (what I can) imitate you.

To M^r. IOHN WHITING. EP. III. An Apologeticall diſcourſe of the mariage of Eccleſiaſticall perſons.

I Know not whether this quarrell be worthy of an anſwer, or rather of a ſilent ſcorne; or if an anſwer, whether merry or ſerious. I doe not willingly ſuffer my pen to wade into queſtions: yet this argument ſeemes ſhallow enough for an Epiſtle. If I free not this truth, let me bee puniſhed with a diuorce. Some idle table-talke cals vsus to plead for our wiues. Perhaps ſome Gallants grudge vsus one, who can bee content to allow themſelues more. If they thought wiues curſes, they would afford them vsus. Our mariage is cenſured (I ſpeake boldly) of none but them which neuer knew to liue chaſtly in mariage; who neuer knew that**Bartol. Brixienſis. virg. Carnis, Mentis. Cauſ. 35. q 5. C. Tunc ſaluabitur. Mulier ſuā virginitaté bene ſeruat, ſi ideo nubat vt filios pariat ad iuſtitiam. Profitentur cō tinentiam corporū, in incontinentiam debacchantur animorum. De Rom. Cler. Saluianua. Canoniſts true diſtinction of Virginity. What care we for their cenſure, where God approues? But ſome perhaps maintaine it out of iudgement: Bid them make much of that which Paul tels them, is a doctrine of deuils. Were it not for this opinion, the Church of Rome would want one euident brand of her Antichriſtianiſme. Let their ſhauelings ſpeake for themſelues; vponupon whom their p. 298vnlawfull Vow hath forced a wilfull and impoſſible neceſſity. I leaue them to ſcan the old rule of In turpi voto muta decretum; if they had not rather, Cautè ſi non caſtè. Euen moderate Papiſts will grant vsus free, becauſe not bound by Vow; no, not ſo farre as thoſe old Germans, pro poſſe & noſſe. Or what care we, if they grant it not? while we hold vsus firme to that ſure rule of Baſil the great;**Qui verat quod Deus praecepit, aut praecipit quod Deus veruit, maledictus habeatur ab omnib… qui amant Dominum. In Moralib. ſum. cap. 14. He that forbids what God inioynes, or inioynes what God forbids, let him be accurſed. I paſſe not what I heare men, or Angels ſay, while I heare God ſay, Let him be the husband of one wife. That one word ſhall confirme me againſt the barking of all impure mouthes. He that made mariage, ſayes, it is honourable: what care we for the diſhonour of thoſe that corrupt it? yea, that which nature noteth with ſhame, God mentions with honour,aaHeb. 13. The Mariage bed is honourable.Heb 13 foreign;bbNō quia peccatum ſit conjugibus cōmiſceri: hoc enim opus caſtū non habet culpam in conjuge, &c. Greg. in Pſal. Poenit. foreign. Socr. Hiſt. Eccl. Gregory with the title of opus caſtum; Pap…utius, of foreign, chaſtity. But if God ſhould be Iudge of this controuerſie, it were ſoone at an end; who in the time euen of that legall ſtrictneſſe, allowed wedlocke to the Miniſters of his Sanctuary. Let Cardinall Panormitan be heard ſpeake.ccContinentia non eſt in clericis ſecularibus de ſubſtantia ordinis, nec de jure divino. Pā. Continency (ſaith he) in Clergy men, is neither of the ſubſtance of their order, nor appointed by any law of God. And Gratian, out of Auguſtine, yet more.ddCopula ſacerdotalis nec legali, nec Euā gelica, nec Apoſtolica authoritate prohibetur. 26. q 2. c. ſors ex Aug Their mariage (ſaith he) is neither forbidden by Legall, nor Euangelicall, nor Apoſtolike authority.

God neuer impoſed this law of Continence: who then?eeOnelyOnly ex ſtatuto Eccleſiae. Durand 4. Diſt. 37. q. 1. Thom. in 2.2. q. 88. art. 11. The Church. As if a good ſpouſe would gaine-ſay what her husband willeth. But how well? Heare, O ye Papiſts, the iudgement of your owne Cardinall; and confeſſe your mouthes ſtopped.ffSed credo pro bono & ſalute eſſe animarum (quod eſſet ſalubre ſtatutū) ut volentes poſſint contrahere; quia experientia docente, cō tratius prorſus effect ſequitur exilla lege continentiae; cùm hodie non vivant ſpiritualiter, nec ſint mundi, ſed maculantur illicito coitu cum corum graviſſimo peccato, ubi cum propri uxore eſſet caſtitas. Panormit. de Cler. conjug. cap. Cùm olim. But I beleeue (ſaith he) it were for the good and ſafety of many ſoules, & would bee an wholeſome law, that thoſe which would, might marry; for that, as experience teacheth vsus, a contrary effect followes vponupon that law of Continency; ſince at this day they liue not ſpiritually, neither are cleane, but are defiled with vnlawfull copulation, to their great ſinne: whereas with their owne wife it might be chaſtity. Is this a Cardinall, thinke you, or a Huguenot? But if this red hat be not worthy of reſpect; let a Pope himſelfe ſpeake out of Peters chaire. Pius the ſecond, as learned as hath ſit in that roome this thouſand yeares;ggSacerdotibus magna ratione ſublatas nuptias, majore reſlituendas videri: In the Record of Platina himſelfe, In vita Pi… 2. Mariage (ſaith he) vponupon great reaſon was taken from the Clergy; but vponupon greater reaſon is to bee reſtored. What need we other Iudge? How iuſt this law is, you ſee; ſee now how ancient: For ſome doctrines hauehave nothing to plead for them, but Time. Age hath beene an old refuge for Falſhood. Tertullians rule is true; That which is firſt, is trueſt. What the ancient Iewiſh Prelates did, Moſes is cleare. What did the Apoſtles? Doth nothhforeign, &c. 1 Cor. 9.5. &c.1 Cor 9:5 Paul tell vsus, that both the reſt of the Apoſtles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cophas, had wines, and (which is more) caried them ſtill along in their trauels? For that childiſh eluſion ofiiRhemiſts reade it, a woman, a ſiſter. foreign who can abide, but to laugh at? Doth notkkClemens, citatus etiam ab Euſeb. l. 3. c. 13. Petrum cùm uxorem ſuam ad mortem duci cemeret, hortatum & conſolatum his verbis, foreign. Clement of Alexandria (a Father not of more antiquity, than credit, tell vsus, that Peter, Philip, and Paul himſelfe, were maried? And this laſt (though vnlikeſt) how is it confirmed by Ignatius, in his Epiſtle to the Philadelphians? Yea, their own Cardinall, learnedllIllud ad Philip. foreign. Caietane, doth both auouch and euince it. This was their practice: what was their Conſtitution? Looke in theſe Canons which the Romiſh Church fathers vponupon the Apoſtles, and Franciſcus Turrian their Ieſuit ſweats to defend it in a whole Volume: There you find, Canon. 5. enacted, thatmmforeign (non ejici…t) foreign. Can. Apoſt. 5. no Biſhop, Presbyter, Deacon, ſhall forſake his wife (foreign) in pretenſe of Religion, vponupon paine of depoſition. It would moue laughter, to ſee how the Ieſuits gnaw vponupon this bone, and ſucke-in nothing but the blood of their owne iawes;nnConſtant. 6. l. 3. Can. Qucniam. Canon Apoſtolicae foreign. Not, ſequentes veterem Canonem Apoſtolicae foreign, & conſtitutiones ſactorum virorum, legales anptias amodò valere volumus, &c. while the ſixt generall Councell auerres and proclaimes this ſenſe truly Apoſtolicall, in ſpight of all contradiction.

Follow the times now, and deſcend lower; what did the ages ſucceeding? Search Records: What-euer ſome palpably-foiſted Epiſtles of Popes inſinuate, they maried p. 299without ſcruple of my contrary iniunction. Many of thoſe Ancients admired Virginitie, but impoſed it not. Amongſt the reſt,ooQui à Chriſtianis parentibus en…triti … ſunt, &c. maxi…è ſi ſer…t ex patribus …cerdotali ſede dignificatis, i. Epiſcopatus. presbyteracus, aut di… …onatus…ne gloriétur Orig. Tract. …. in Matth. Origen (though himſelfe a wilfull Eunuch) is faine to perſwade the ſonnes of Clergy men, not to be proud of their parentage. After this, when the Fathers of the Nicene Councell went about to enact a law of Continency, Socrates the Hiſtorian expreſſes it thus:ppViſum erat epiſcopis legē no vam introducere in Eccleſiam. Socr. l. 1. c. 8. It ſeemeth good (ſaith he) to the Biſhops to bring in a new law into the Church. It was then new, and they but would hauehave brought it in; therefore before, it was not: where we know how Paphnutius, himſelfe a Virgin, famous for holineſſe, famous for miracles, riſing (foreign) cryed aloud, that they ought not to lay this (foreign) heauy yoke, vponupon men of the Church. His arguments wan aſſent. He ſpake and preuailed. So this liberty was ſtill continued and affirmed. If this be not plaine enough,qqIn epiſt. ad Dracons. holy Athanaſius, a witr…ſſe paſt exception, ſhall ſerue for a thouſand hiſtories till his Age.

rrMulti ex epiſcopis matrimonia non inferunt; Monachi contrà parentes liberorū facti ſunt: qué admodū viciſſim Epiſcopos filiorum patres, & Monaches generis poteſtatem nō quaeſiviſſe animadvertas. Athana, Epiſtola ad Dracontium.Many Biſhops (ſaith he) hauehave not maried; and contrarily Monkes hauehave been fathers of children: as contrarily, you ſe…iſhops the Fathers of children, and Monkes that hauehave not ſought poſterity. Would you yet hauehave inſtances of the former, and the next Age?**Signa per… Paphnut…um nō minus quā dudum per Apoſtolos fiebant. Ruffin. l. c. 4. Papha…utius, miraculis & pietate clarus, obtinuit in Nicena Synodo habendum pro caſtitate cum propria uxore concubitum. Soer. l. 1. c. 8. Here you hauehavessNumidicus presbyter, qui uxorē conerematam & adhaerentem lateri laetus aſpexit. Cyprian. l. 4. ep. 10. Numidicus the Martyr, a maried Presbyter;ttEx Dionyſio Euſeb. l. 6. c. 41. Cheremon of Nilus, a maried Biſhop;uuEuſeb. l. 7. c. 29. Euſeb. l. 8. c. 9 Gregorius verò apud Nazianzum oppidum in locum patris ſui Epiſcopus ſubrogatus. Ruffin. l 2. c. 9. Demetrianus Biſhop of Antioch, whoſe ſon Domnus ſucceeded Paulus Samoſatenus; Philoromus and Phileas BB. of the Thmuites; Gabinius brother of Eutichianus BB. of Rome; the father of Nazianzene, Baſil, and the otherxxGregor. Niſſen. frater Baſilii, teſte Nicephere, uxoratus, uxorem & liberos habuit: ſed non propterea fuit in rebus & exercitiis divinis inferior vel deterior. Sozom. Gregory, Hilarius, and that good Spiridion Biſhop of Cyprus, of whom Sozomen giues ſo direct teſtimony. To omit others, what ſhould I ſpeak of many Biſhops of Rome, whoſe ſonnes not ſpurious, as now-adaies, but (as Pope Vrban himſelfe witneſſes)zzDe legitimis conjugiis nati. lawfully begot in wedlock, followed their fathers in the Pontificial chaire.aaCùm ergo ex ſacerdotibus nati in ſummos Pontifices legantur eſſe promoti, non ſunt intelligendi de fornicatione, ſed de legitimis connubiis nati; quae ſacerdotibus ubique ante prohibitionem licita erant, in Orientali Eccleſia uſque hodie eis licere probantur. Diſt. 50. Cenoman. The reaſon wherof, that Pope himſelf ingenuouſly rendreth; for that mariage was euerywhere lawfull to the Clergy before the prohibition (which muſt needs be late) & in the Eaſterne Church to this day is allowed. What need we more teſtimonies, or more examples? What euerbbThe Author of the Aethiopicke Hiſtory. Heliodorus, B. of Trica (a man fitter for a wantō louelove-ſtory than a Church-cōtrouerſie) brought into the Church of Theſſalia, Socrates thus flatly writes of thoſe Biſhops of his time:ccNam non pauci illorum, dum Epiſcopatum gerunt, etiam liberos ex uxore legitima procreant. Socrates lib 5. ap. 21. For many of them in the place and function of Biſhops, beget children of their lawfull wines. This was practiſed: See what was decreed in that ſixt generalddThe words of that Councell are thus truly tranſlated by Chemnitius: Quoniam in Romana Eccleſia, loco canonis ſeu decreti, tra…rum eſſe cognovimus, ut ii qui digni habendi ſunt ordinatione diaconi vel presbyteri, profiteantur ſe deinceps cum uxoribus ſuis non congreſſuros; nos ſequentes veterem canonem, Apoſtolicae, ſincerae, exquiſitae & ordinatae conſtitutionis, legitimas ſacrorum virorum cohabitationes conjugales etiam ex hodierno die in poſterum valere ratas & ſirmas eſſe volumus; nullo modo eorum cum uxoribus propri… conjunctionem ſeu copulationem diſſolventes. Itaque ſi quis dignus inveniatur, &c. is minimè prohibendus eſt ad i…une gracum alcendere, ideo quod cum legitima uxore cohabiter. Nec tempore ordination is ſuae ab eo poſtuletur, ſeu cogatur ut abſtinere velit aut debe… legitimo congreſſu cum propriâ uxore. Councel of Conſtantinople, to this purpoſe, to the confuſion of all replyers. If any Proteſtant Church in Chriſtendome can make a more peremptory, more full and abſolute, more cautelous decree, for the mariage of Eccleſiaſticall perſons, let me be condemned as faithleſſe: A place, I grant, miſerably handled by our Aduerſaries; and becauſe they cannot blemiſh it enough, indignely torne out of the Councels. What dare not impudency doe?**Citat. à Nilo Theſſalonicenſi. Againſt all euidences of Greeke Copies, againſt their own Gratian, againſt pleas of antiquity. This is the readieſt way; Whom they cannot anſwer, to burne; what they cannot ſhift off, to blot out; and to cut the knot which they cannot vntie. The Romaniſts of the next age were ſomewhat more equall: who, ſeeing themſelues preſſed with ſo flat a Decree, confirmed by authority of Emperours, as would abide no denyall, began to diſtinguiſh vponupon the point; limiting this liberty onelyonly to the Eaſterne Church, and granting that all the Clergy of the Eaſt might marry, not theirs. So Pope Steuen the ſecond freely confeſſes: p. 300eeA liter ſe Orientalium habet traditio Eccleſiatū: aliter hujus ſanctae Romanae Eccleſiae. Nam cotum ſacerdotes, diaconi, aut ſubdiaconi, matrimonio copulā tur: Iſtius autē Eccleſiae vel occidentaliū nullus ſacerdotum à ſubdiacono vſus que ad epiſcopum, licentiam habet conjugū ſo…tiendi. dul. 31The tradition (ſaith he) of the Eaſterne Churches is otherwiſe than that of the Romane Church. For their Prieſts, Deacons, or Subdeacons are maried; but in this Church or the Weſterne, no one of the Clergy, from the Subdeacon to the Biſhop, hath leaue to marry.

Liberally; but not enough: and if he yeeld this, why not more? Shall that be lawfull in the Eaſt, which in the Weſt is not? Doe the Goſpels, or lawes of equity alter according to the foure corners of the world? Doth God make difference betwixt Greece and England? If it be lawfull, why not eueryevery where? If vnlawfull, why is it done any where? So then you ſee, we differ not from the Church in this; but from the Romiſh Church: But this ſacred Councel doth not only vniuerſally approue this practice (with paine of depoſition to the gaine-ſayers) but auouches it for a Decree Apoſtolical. Iudge now whether this one authority be not enough to weigh down an hundred petty conuenticles, and many legions (if there had beene many) of priuate contradictions. Thus, for ſeuen hundred yeares, you find nothing but open freedome: All the ſcuffling aroſe in the eight Age; wherein yet this violent impoſition found many and learned Aduerſaries, and durſt not be obtruded at once. Loe, euen then, Gregory the third, writing to the Biſhops of Bauaria, giues this disjunct charge;ffNemo ſcorta aut concubinā alat: ſed au… caſtè vivat, aut vaeorè ducat; quā repudiare fas non eſto. Let none keepe an harlot or a concubine: but either let him liue chaſtely, or marry a wife, whom it ſhall not be lawfull for him to forſake: According to that rule of Clerks, cited fromggDiſt. 23. Iſidore, and renewed in thehhAnno 813. Councell of Mentz, to the perpetuall ſhame of our iugling aduerſaries. Nothing can argue guiltineſſe ſo much, as vniuſt expurgations.iiClerici caſtimoniam inviolati corporis perpetuò conſervare ſtudeant; aut certè unius matrimonii vinculo foederenter. Iſid. reg. cleric. Iſidore ſaith, Let them containe, or let them marry but one: They cite him, Let them containe; and leaue out the reſt: ſomewhat worſe than the Deuill cited Scripture. But, I might hauehave ſpared all this labour of writing, could I perſwade whoſoeuer either doubts, or denies this, to reade ouer that one Epiſtle whichkkWhether Huldericus, or (as be is ſomewhere intituled) Voluſianus, I enquire not: the matter admits of no doubt. Huldericus Epiſcopus Auguſtae. Anne 860. Aeneas Syl. in ſua Germ. Hedim. Eccl. hiſt. l. 8. c. 2. Fox in Acts and Monū. hath it fully tranſlated. Huidericus BB. of Auſpurge wrote learnedly, and vehemently, to Pope Nicholas the firſt, in this ſubiect: which if it doe not anſwer all cauils, and ſatisfie all Readers, and conuince all (not wilfull) aduerſaries, let me be caſt, in ſo inſt a cauſe. There you ſhall ſee, how iuſt, how expedient, how ancient this liberty is; together with the feeble and iniurious grounds of forced Continency: Reade it, and ſee whether you can deſire a bettter Aduocate. After him (ſo ſtrongly did he plead, and ſo happily) for two hundred yeares more, this freedome ſtill bleſſed thoſe parts; yet, not without extreame oppoſition. Hiſtories are witneſſes of the bufie, and not vnlearned combats of thoſe times, in this argument. But now, when the body of Antichriſtianiſme began to be compleat, and to ſtand vp in his abſolute ſhape, after a thouſand yeares from Chriſt; this liberty, which before wauered vnderunder Nicolas I, now by the hands of Leo 9, Nicolas 2, and that brand of hell, Gregory 7, was vtterly ruined, wiues debarred, ſingle life vrged:llAuentinus l. 5. Gratum ſcortatoribus, quibus pro vna uxore ſexcentas jam mulierculas inire licebat. A good turne for whoremaſters (ſaith Auentine) who now for one wife might ſix hundred Bed-fellowes.

But, how approued of the better ſort appeares (beſides that the Churches did ring of him each where for Antichriſt) in that at themmAnn 1076. Councell of Wormes the French and German Biſhops depoſed this Gregory, in this name (amongſt other quarrels) fornnMaritos ab uxoribus ſeparat. ſeparating man and wife. Violence did this; not reaſon: neither was Gods will here queſtioned, but the Popes wilfulneſſe. What broyles hereon enſued, letooEx interdicto ſacerdotū conjugio, graviſſima ſeditio gregem Chriſti perculit: nec unquam talis lues populum Chriſti afflixit. Auent. l. 5. Henric. Hunting. de Anſelmo. l. 7. de Anno 1100, in Synodo Londinenſi; Prohibuit ſacerdotibus uxores, ante non prohibitas. Anſelme (ſaith that Hiſtorian) was the firſt that forbade maria…e to the Clergie of England (and this was about the yeare of our Lord 1080.) Till then euer free. Item Fabianus liberos ait fuiſſe ſacerdotes per Annos 1080. Auentive witneſſe.

The bickerings of our Engliſh Clergy, with their Dunſtanes, about this time, are memorable in our own Hiſtories, which teach vsus how late, how repiningly, how vniuſtly, they ſtooped vnderunder this yoake. I had rather ſend my Reader to Bale and Fox, then abridge their Monuments, to enlarge mine owne.

I hauehave (I hope) fetcht this truth farre enough; and deduced it low enough through many Ages, to the midſt of the rage of Antichriſtian tyranny. There left our liberty; there began their bondage. Our liberty is happily renewed with the Goſpel: what God, p. 301what his Church hath euer allowed, wee doe enioy. Wherein we are not alone: The Greeke Church, as large for extent as the Roman (and, in ſome parts of it, better for their ſoundneſſe) doe thus; and thus hauehave euer done.

Let Papiſts and Atheiſts ſay what they will: it is ſafe erring with God and his purer Church.

To my ſiſter, M^rs. BRINSLEY. EPIST. IV. Of the ſorrow not to be repented of.

IT is ſeldome ſeene, that a ſilent grieſe ſpeeds wel: for either a man muſt hauehave ſtrong hands of reſolution to ſtrangle it in his boſome; or elſe it driues him to ſome ſecret miſchiefe: whereas ſorrow reuealed, is halfe remedied, and euer abates in the vttering. Your griefe was wiſely diſcloſed; and ſhall be as ſtrangely anſwered. I am glad of your ſorrow; and ſhould weepe for you, if you did not thus mourne. Your ſorrow is, that you cannot enough grieue for your ſinnes. Let me tell you, that the Angels themſelues ſing at this lamentation; neither doth the earth afford any ſo ſweet muſicke in the cares of God. This heauineſſe is the way to ioy. Worldly ſorrow is worthy of pity, becauſe it leadeth to death: but this deſerues nothing but enuy and gratulation. If thoſe teares were common, hell would not ſo enlarge it ſelfe. Neuer ſinne, repented of, was puniſhed: and neuer any thus mourned, and repented not. Loe, you hauehave done that, which you grieue you hauehave not done. That good God, whoſe act is his will, accounts of our will as our deed. If he required ſorrow proportionable to the hainouſneſſe of our ſins, there were no end of mourning. Now, his mercy regards not ſo much the meaſure, as the truth of it; and accounts vsus to hauehave that which wee complaine to want. I neuer knew any truly penitēt, which in the depth of his remorſe, was afraid of ſorrowing too much; nor any vnrepentant, which wiſht to ſorrow more. Yea, let me tell you, that this ſorrow is better, and more, then that deepe heauineſſe for ſinne, which you deſire. Many hauehave been vexed with an extreame remorſe for ſome ſinne, from the gripes of a galled conſcience, which yet neuer came where true repentance grew; in whom the conſcience playes at once the accuſer, witneſſe, Iudge, tormentor: but an earneſt griefe, for the want of griefe, was neuer found in any but a gracious heart. You are happy, and complaine. Tell me, I beſeech you; This ſorrow which you mourne to want, is it a grace of the ſpirit of God, or not? If not, why doe you ſorrow to want it? If it be, oh how happy is it to grieue for want of grace! The God of all truth and bleſſedneſſe hath ſaid, Bleſſed are thoſe that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe; and, with the ſame breath, Bleſſed are they that mourne: for, they ſhall be comforted. You ſay, you mourne; Chriſt ſaith, you are bleſſed: you ſay, you mourne; Chriſt ſaith, you ſhall be comforted. Either now diſtruſt your Sauiour, or elſe confeſſe your happineſſe, & with patience expect his promiſed conſolation. What doe you feare? You ſee others ſtand like ſtrong Oakes, vnſhaken, vnremoued: you are but a reed, a feeble plant, toſſed and bowed with eueryevery wind, and with much agitation bruiſed; Loe, you are in tender and fauourable hands, that neuer brake any, whom their ſinnes bruiſed; neuer bruiſed any, whom temptations hauehave bowed. You are but flax; and your beſt is not a flame, but an obſcure ſmoake of grace: Loe, here his ſpirit is as a ſoft wind, not as cold water; he will kindle, will neuer quench you. The ſorrow you want, is his gift: Take heed leſt while you vex your ſelfe with diſlike of the meaſure, you grudge at the giuer. Beggers may not chuſe. This portion he hath vouchſafed to giuegive you; if you hauehave any, it is more then he was bound to p. 302beſtow: yet you ſay, What, no more? as if you tooke it vnkindly, that hee is no more liberall. Euen theſe holy diſcontentments are dangerous. Deſire more (ſo much as you can) but repine not, when you doe not attaine. Deſire; but ſo as you be free from impatience, free from vnthankfulneſſe. Thoſe that hauehave tryed, can ſay how difficult it is to complaine, with due reſeruation of thankes. Neither know I whether is worſe, To long for good things impatiently, or not at all to deſire them. The fault of your ſorrow is rather in your conceit, then in it ſelfe. And, if indeed you mourne not enough, ſtay but Gods leiſure, and your eyes ſhall runne ouer with teares. How many doe you ſee ſport with their ſinnes, yea brag of them? How many that ſhould die for want of paſtime, if they might not ſin freely, and more freely talke of it? What a Saint are you to theſe, that can droop vnderunder the memory of the frailty of youth, and neuer thinke you hauehave ſpent enow teares! Yet ſo I encourage you in what you hauehave, as one that perſwades you not to deſiſt from ſuing for more. It is good to be couetous of grace, and to hauehave our deſires herein enlarged with our receits. Weepe ſtill, and ſtill deſire to weepe: but let your teares be as the raine in a ſunne-ſhine; comfortable and hopefull: and let not your longing ſauour of murmur, or diſtruſt. Theſe teares are reſerued; this hunger ſhall be ſatisfied; this ſorrow ſhall bee comforted: There is nothing betwixt God and you, but time. Preſcribe not to his wiſedome: haſten not his mercy. His grace is enough for you: his glory ſhall be more then enough.

To M. HVGH CHOLMLEY. EP. V. Concerning the Metaphraſe of the Pſalmes.

FEare not my immoderate ſtudies. I hauehave a body that controls me enough in theſe courſes; my friends need not. There is nothing whereof I could ſooner ſurfet, if I durſt neglect my body to ſatisfie my mind: But whiles I affect knowledge, my weakneſſe checkes me, and ſayes, Better a little learning then no health. I yeeld, and patiently abide my ſelfe debarred of my choſen felicity. The little I can get, I am no niggard of: neither am I more deſirous to gather, then willing to impart. The full handed are commonly moſt ſparing. We veſſels, that hauehave any empty roome, anſwer the leaſt knock, with a hollow noyſe: you, that are full, ſound not. If we pardon your cloſeneſſe, you may well bear with our profuſiō. If there be any wrong, it is to our ſelues, that we vtter what wee ſhould lay vp. It is a pardonable fault, to do leſſe good to our ſelues, that wee may doe more to others. Amongſt other endeauours, I hauehave boldly vndertaken the holy Metres of Dauid; how happily, iudge you by what you ſee. There is none of all my labours ſo open to all cenſures; none whereof I would ſo willingly heare the verdit of the wiſe and iudicious. Perhaps, ſome thinke the verſe harſh; whoſe nice eare regards roundneſſe more then ſenſe. I embrace ſmoothneſſe, but affect it not. This is the leaſt good quality of a verſe; that intends any thing but muſicall delight. Others may blame the difficulty of the tunes: whoſe humour cannot be pleaſed without a greater offence. For, to ſay truth, I neuer could ſee good verſe written in the wonted meaſures. I euer thought them moſt eaſie, and leaſt Poeticall. This fault (if any) will light vponupon the negligence of our people; which endure not to take paines for any fit variety. The French and Dutch hauehave giuen vsus worthy examples of diligence, and exquiſitneſſe in this kind. Neither our eares nor voyces are leſſe tunable. Here is nothing wanting, but will to learne. What is this, but to eate the corne out of the eare, becauſe we will not abide the labour to grinde, and knead it? If the queſtion bee, whether our verſe p. 303muſt deſcend to them; or they aſcend to it; wiſe moderation I thinke would determine it moſt equall, that each part ſhould remit ſomewhat, and both meet in the midſt. Thus I hauehave endeauored to doe, with ſincere intent of their good, rather then my own applauſe. For it had beene eaſie to hauehave reached to an higher ſtraine: but I durſt not; whether for the graue Maieſty of the ſubiect, or benefit of the ſimpleſt reader. You ſhal ſtill note, that I hauehave laboured to keepe Dauids entire ſenſe, with numbers neither lofty nor ſlubbered: which mean is ſo much more difficult to find, as the buſineſſe is more ſacred, and the liberty leſſe. Many great wits hauehave vndertaken this task; which yet hauehave either not effected it, or hauehave ſmothered it in their priuate deskes, and denied it the common light. Amongſt the reſt, were thoſe two rare ſpirits of the Sidnyes; to whom, Poeſie was as naturall as it is affected of others: and our worthy friend, M. Sylueſter, hath ſhewed me, how happily he hath ſometimes turned from his Bartas, to the ſweet ſinger of Iſrael. It could not be, that in ſuch abundant plenty of Poeſie, this work ſhould hauehave paſt vnattempted: would God I might liue to ſee it perfected; either by my own hand, or a better. In the meane time, let me expect your impartiall ſentence, both concerning the forme, and ſenſe. Lay aſide your louelove, for a while; which too oft blindes iudgement. And as it vſes to be done in moſt equall proceedings of iuſtice, ſhut me out of doores while my verſe is diſcuſſed: yea, let me receiue not your cenſure onelyonly, but others by you: this once (as you louelove mee) play both the Informer and the Iudge. Whether you allow it, you ſhall encourage me; or correct, you ſhall amend me. Either your ſtarres, or your ſpits,Aſteriſcus Veru. (that I may vſe Origens notes) ſhall bee welcome to my margent. It ſhall be happy for vsus, if God ſhall make our poore labours any way ſeruiceable to his Name and Church.

To M. Samuel Sotheby. EP. VI. A Preface to his Relation of the Ruſsian affaires.

TRauell perfiteth wiſedome; and obſeruation giues perfection to trauell: without which, a man may pleaſe his eyes, not feed his braine; and after much earth meaſured, ſhall returne with a weary body, and an empty minde. Home is more ſafe, more pleaſant, but leſſe fruitfull of experience: But, to a mind not working and diſcurſiue, all heauens, all earths are alike. And, as the end of trauell is obſeruation; ſo, the end of obſeruation is the enforming of others: for, what is our knowledge if ſmothered in our ſelues, ſo as it is not knowne to more? Such ſecret delight can content none but an enuious nature. You hauehave breathed many and cold ayres, gone farre, ſeene much, heard more, obſerued all. Theſe two yeares you hauehave ſpent in imitation of Nabuchadnezzars ſeuen; conuerſing with ſuch creatures as Paul fought with at Epheſus. Alas! what a face, yea what a backe of a Church hauehave you ſeene? what manners? what people? Amongſt whom, ignorant ſuperſtition ſtriues with cloſe Atheiſme, treachery with cruelty, one Deuill with another; while Truth and Vertue doe not ſo much as giuegive any chalenge of reſiſtance. Returning once to our England after this experience, I imagine you doubted whether you were on earth, or in heauen. Now then (if you will heare me, whom you were wont) as you hauehave obſerued what you hauehave ſeene, and written what you hauehave obſerued; ſo, publiſh what you hauehave written: It ſhall bee a gratefull labour, to vsus, to poſterity. I am deceiued, if the fickleneſſe of the Ruſsian ſtate, hauehave not yeelded more memorable matter of hiſtory then any other in our age, or perhaps many centuries of our predeceſſors. How ſhall I think, but that God ſent you thither before theſe broiles, p. 304to be the witneſſe, the regiſter of ſo famous mutations? He loues to hauehave thoſe iuſt euils which hee doth in one part of the world, knowne to the whole, and thoſe euils, which men doe in the night of their ſecrecy, brought forth into the Theater of the World; that the euill of mens ſinne being compared with the euill of his puniſhment, may iuſtifie his proceedings, and condemne theirs. Your worke ſhall thus honor him; beſides your ſecond ſeruice, in the benefit of the Church. For, whiles you diſcourſe of the open tyranny of that Ruſſian Nero, Iohn Baſilius; the more ſecret, no leſſe bloody plots of Boris; the ill ſucceſſe of a ſtolne Crowne, tho ſet vponupon the head of an harmeleſſe Sonne; the bold attempts and miſerable end of a falſe, yet aſpiring chalenge; the perfidiouſneſſe of a ſeruile people, vnworthy of better gouernors; the miſcariage of wicked gouernors, vnworthy of better ſubiects; the vniuſt vſurpations of men, iuſt (tho late) reuenges of God; cruelty rewarded with blood, wrong claimes with ouerthrow, treachery with bondage; the Reader, with ſome ſecret horror, ſhall draw-in delight, and with delight inſtruction: Neither know I any Relation whence hee ſhall take out a more eaſie leſſon of iuſtice, of loyalty, of thankfulneſſe.

But aboue all, let the world ſee and commiſerate the hard eſtate of that worthy and noble Secretary, Buchinski. Poore gentleman! his diſtreſſe recals euer to my thoughts Aeſops Storke, taken amongſt the Cranes: He now nouriſhes his haire, vnderunder the diſpleaſure of a forraine Prince; At once in durance and baniſhment. He ſerued an ill maſter; but, with an honeſt heart, with cleane hands. The maſters iniuſtice doth no more infect a good ſeruant, then the truth of the ſeruant can iuſtifie his ill maſter. A bad worke-man may vſe a good inſtrument: and oft-times a cleane napkin wipeth a foule mouth. It ioyes me yet to thinke, that his piety, as it euer beld friendſhip in heauen, ſo now it wins him friends in this our other world: Lo, euen from our Iland vnexpected deliuerance takes a long flight, and bleſſeth him beyond hope; yea rather, from heauen, by vsus. That God, whom he ſerues, will bee knowne to thoſe rude and ſcarce humane Chriſtians, for a protector of innocence, a fauourer of truth, a rewarder of piety. The mercy of our gracious King, the compaſſion of an honourable Councellor, the louelove of a true friend, and (which wrought all, and ſet all on worke) the grace of our good God, ſhall now looſe thoſe bonds, and giuegive a glad welcome to his liberty, and a willing farewell to his diſtreſſe. He ſhall (I hope) liue to acknowledge this; in the meane time, I doe for him. Thoſe Ruſſian affaires are not more worthy of your records, then your louelove to this friend is worthy of mine. For neither could this large ſea drowne or quench it, nor time and abſence (which are wont to breed a lingring conſumption of friendſhip) abate the heat of that affection which his kindneſſe bred, religion nouriſhed. Both rareneſſe, and worth ſhall commend this true-louelove; which (to ſay true) hath been now long out of faſhion. Neuer times yeelded more louelove; but, not more ſubtle. For, eueryevery man loues himſelfe in another, loues the eſtate in the perſon: Hope of aduantage is the loadſtone that drawes the iron hearts of men; not vertue, not deſert. No age afforded more Paraſites, fewer friends: The moſt are friendly in ſight, ſeruiceable in expectation, hollow in louelove, truſtleſſe in experience. Yet now, Buchinski, ſee and confeſſe thou haſt found one friend, which hath made thee many: on whom while thou beſtowedſt much fauour, thou haſt loſt none. I cannot but thinke how welcome, Liberty (which tho late, yet now at laſt hath lookt backe vponupon him) ſhall bee to the Cell of his affliction; when, ſmiling vponupon him, ſhe ſhall lead him by the hand, and (like another Angell) open the iron gates of his miſerable captiuity, and (from thoſe hard Preſtaues and ſauage Chriſtians) cary him by the hayre of the head, into this paradiſe of God. In the meane time, I hauehave written to him as I could, in a knowne language, with an vnknowne hand; that my poore Letters of gratulation might ſerue as humble attendants to greater.

For your worke, I wiſh it but ſuch glad entertainment, as the profit, yea the delight of it deſerues; and feare nothing, but that this long delay of publication will make it ſcarce newes. We are all growne Athenians, and account a ſtrange report like to a fiſh and a gueſt. Thoſe eyes and hands ſtaid it, which might doe it beſt. I cannot blame p. 305you, if you thinke it more honored by the ſtay of his gracious peruſall, then it could be by the earthly acceptation of the world. Euen the caſt garments of Princes are precious. Others hauehave in part preuented you, whoſe labours, to yours, are but as an Eccho to a long period: by whom, we heare the laſt ſound of theſe ſtirres, ignorant of the beginning. They giuegive vsus but a taſte in their hand: you lead vsus to the open fountaine. Let the Reader giuegive you but as much thanke, as you giuegive him ſatisfaction; you ſhall deſire no more.

Finally, God giuegive vsus as much good vſe, as knowledge of his iudgements; the world, helpe of your labourss; your ſelfe, incouragement; Buchinski, liberty.

To Staniſlaus Buchinski, late Secretary to Demetrius Emp. of Ruſsia. EPIST. VII. Of the comfort of Impriſonment.

THe knowledge, that the eye giues of the face alone, is ſhallow, vncertaine, imperfect. For what is it, to ſee the vtmoſt skin, or fauour of the viſage; changeable with diſeaſe, changeable with paſſion? The eare (me thinkes) doth both moſt clearly diſcloſe the minds of others, and knit them faſter to ours: which, as it is the ſenſe of diſcipline, ſo of friendſhip, commanding it euen to the abſent, and in the preſent cheriſhing it. This thing we hauehave lately proued in your ſelfe, moſt noble Staniſlaus: neerer examples we might hauehave had; better we could not. How many, how excellent things hauehave we heard of you, from our common friend, though moſt yours, which hauehave eaſily wonne our beleefe, our affections! How oft, how honorable mention hath he made of your name! How frequently, how feruently hauehave we wiſht you, both ſafety and liberty! And now, loe where ſhe comes, as the Greeks ſay, foreign and viſits her forlorne Client. Although I would not doubt to ſay, that this outward durance of the body, hath ſeemed more harſh to the beholders, then to your ſelfe, a wiſe man (which is more) a Chriſtian; whoſe free ſoule, in the greateſt ſtraits of the outward man, flies ouer Seas and Lands whither it liſteth; neither can, by any diſtance of place, nor ſwelling of waues, nor height of mountaines, nor violence of enemies, nor ſtrong bars, nor walls, nor guards, be reſtrained from what place it ſelfe hath choſen. Loe, that enioyes God, enioyes it ſelfe and his friends; and ſo feeds it ſelfe with the pleaſure of enioying them, that it eaſily either forgets or contemnes all other things. It is no Paradoxe, to ſay that, A wiſe Chriſtian cannot be impriſoned, cannot be baniſhed: He is euer at home, euer free. For, both his liberty is within him, and his home is vniuerſall. And what is it, I beſeech you (for you hauehave tried) that makes a priſon? Is it ſtraitneſſe of walls? Then you hauehave as many fellowes, as there are men. For, how is the ſoule of eueryevery man pent within theſe clay wals of the body, more cloſe, more obſcure! whence ſhee may looke oft, through the grates of her buſie thoughts; but, is neuer releaſed in ſubſtance, till that God, who gaue vsus our Mittimus into this Gaole, giuegive vsus our Deliuery, with Returne yee ſonnes of Adam: Thus either all men are priſoners, or you are none. Is it reſtraint? How many (eſpecially of that other ſex in thoſe your Eaſterne parts) chamber vp themſelues, for ſtate; ſo as they neither ſee the Sunne, nor others them? How many ſuperſtitious men, for deuotion; how many obſcure Aglai, for eaſe and careleſneſſe, keepe themſelues in their owne cottage, in their owne village; and neuer walke forth ſo much as to the neighbour townes? And what is your Ruſsia to all her inhabitants, but a large priſon, a wide Galley? yea, what other is the world to vsus? How can hee complaine p. 306of ſtraitneſſe, or reſtraint, that roues ouer all the world, and beyond it? Tyranny may part the ſoule from the body; cannot confine it to the body. That which others doe for eaſe, deuotion, ſtate, you doe for neceſſity: why not as willingly, ſince you muſt doe it? Do but imagine the other cauſe: and your caſe is the ſame with theirs which both hauehave choſen, and delight to keepe cloſe; yet hating the name of priſoners, while they embrace the condition. But, why doe I perſwade you, not to miſlike that, which I pray you may forſake? I had rather you ſhould bee no priſoner at all, then to bee a cheerfull priſoner vponupon neceſſity. If the doores be open, my perſwaſion ſhall not hold you in. Rather our prayers ſhall open thoſe doores, and fetch you forth into this common liberty of men; which alſo hath not a little (though an inferior) contentment. For, how pleaſant is it to theſe ſenſes, by which we men are wont to be led, to ſee and bee ſeene, to ſpeake to our friends, and heare them ſpeake to vsus; to touch and kiſſe the deare hands of our Parents, and with them at laſt to hauehave our eyes cloſed? Either this ſhall be fall you; or what hopes, what paines (I adde no more) hath this your carefull friend loſt? and we, what wiſhes; what conſultations? It ſhall be; I dare hope, yea beleeue it: OnelyOnly thou our good God giuegive ſuch end, as thou haſt done entrance into this buſineſſe; and ſo diſpoſe of theſe likely endeauors, that whom we louelove and honor abſent, we may at laſt in preſence ſee and embrace.

To my father in law, M.G. VVenyffe. EP. VIII. Exciting to Chriſtian cheerefulneſſe.

YOu complaine of dulneſſe; a common diſeaſe, and incident to the beſt mindes, and ſuch as can moſt contemne vanities. For, the true Worldling hunts after nothing but mirth; neither cares how lawleſſe his ſport be, ſo it be pleaſant: hee faines to himſelfe falſe delights, when he wants: and if he can paſſe the time, and chaſe away Melancholie, he thinkes his day ſpent happily. And thus it muſt needs be; while the world is his god, his deuotion can bee but his pleaſure: whereas the mortified ſoule, hath learned to ſcorne theſe friuolous and ſinfull ioyes; and affects either ſolid delights, or none; and had rather be dull for want of mirth, then tranſported with wanton pleaſures. When the world, like an important Minſtrell, thruſts it ſelfe into his chamber, and offers him muſicke, vnſought; if he vouchſafe it the hearing, it is the higheſt fauour he dare, or can yeeld: He rewards it not, he commends it not: Yea, hee ſecretly lothes thoſe harſh and iarring notes, and reiects them. For, he finds a better conſort within, betwixt God and himſelfe, when he hath a little tuned his heart with meditation. To ſpeake fully, the World is like an ill foole in a Play: the Chriſtian is a iudicious ſpectator, which thinkes thoſe ieſts too groſſe to be laught at; and therefore entertaines that with ſcorne, which others with applauſe. Yet in truth, we finne, if wee reioyce not: there is not more error in falſe mirth, then in vniuſt heauineſſe. If worldlings offend, that they laugh, when they ſhould mourne; we ſhall offend no leſſe, if we droop in cauſe of cheerefulneſſe. Shall we enuy, or ſcorne, to ſee one ioy in red and white droſſe, another in a vaine title; one in a dainty diſh, another in a ieſt; one in a book, another in a friend; one in a Kite, another in a Dogge; whiles wee enioy the God of Heauen, and are ſorrowfull? What dull metall is this we are made of? We hauehave the fountaine of ioy, and yet complaine of heauineſſe. Is there any ioy, without God? p. 307Certainly, if ioy be good, and all goodneſſe bee from him; whence ſhould ioy ariſe, but from him? And if hee be the author of ioy; how are we Chriſtians, and reioyce not? What? do we freeze in the fire, and ſtarue at a feaſt? HaueHave we a good conſcience, and yet pine and hang down the head? When God hath made vsus happy, doe we make our ſelues miſerable? When I aske my heart Dauids queſtion, I know not whether I bee more angry or aſhamed at the anſwer; Why art thou ſad my ſoule? My body, my purſe, my fame, my friends; or perhaps none of theſe: onelyonly I am ſad, becauſe I am. And what if all theſe? what if more? when I come to my better wits, HaueHave I a father, an aduocate, a comforter, a manſion in heauen? If both earth and hell conſpired to afflict me, my ſorrow cannot counteruaile the cauſes of my ioy. Now I can challenge all aduerſaries; and either defie all miſeries, or bid all croſſes, yea death it ſelfe, welcome. Yet God doth not abridge vsus of theſe earthly ſolaces, which dare weigh with our diſcontentments, and ſometimes depreſſe the balance. His greater light doth not extinguiſh the leſſe. If God had not thought them bleſſings, hee had not beſtowed them: and how are they bleſſings, if they delight vsus not? Bookes, friends, wine, oyle, health, reputation, competencie, may giuegive occaſions, but not bounds, to our reioycings. We may not make them Gods riualls, but his ſpokes-men. In themſelues they are nothing; but in God worth our ioy. Theſe may be vſed; yet ſo as they may bee abſent without diſtraction. Let theſe goe; ſo God alone be preſent with vsus, it is enough: He were not God, if he were not All-ſufficient. We hauehave him, I ſpeake boldly; Wee hauehave him in feeling, in faith, in pledges, and earneſt; yea, in poſſeſſion. Why doe we not enioy him? why doe we not ſhake-off that ſenſeleſſe drowſineſſe, which makes our liues vnpleaſant; and leaue-ouer all heauineſſe to thoſe that want God; to thoſe that either know him not, or know him diſpleaſed?

ToM. W.R. Dedic. to M. Thomas Burlz. EP. IX. Conſolations of immoderate griefe for the death of friends.

WHile the ſtreame of ſorrow runs full, I know how vaine it is to oppoſe counſell. Paſsions muſt hauehave leaſure to digeſt. Wiſdome doth not more moderate them, then time. At firſt, it was beſt to mourne with you, and to mitigate your ſorrow, by bearing part; wherein, would God my burden could be your eaſe. EueryEvery thing elſe is leſſe, when it is diuided; And then is beſt, after teares, to giuegive counſell: yet, in theſe thoughts I am not a little ſtraited. Before you hauehave digeſted griefe, aduice comes too early; too late, when you hauehave digeſted it. Before, it was vnſeaſonable; after, would be ſuperfluous. Before, it could not benefit you: after, it may hurt you, by rubbing-vp a skinned ſore a-freſh. It is as hard to chooſe the ſeaſon for counſell, as to giuegive it: and that ſeaſon is, after the firſt digeſtion of ſorrow; before the laſt. If my Letters then meet with the beſt opportunitie, they ſhall pleaſe me, and profit you: If not, yet I deſerue pardon, that I wiſhed ſo. You had but two Iewels, which you held precious; a Wife, and a Sonne: One was your ſelfe diuided; the other, your ſelfe multiplyed: You hauehave loſt both, and well-neere at once. The loſſe of one cauſed the other, and both of them your iuſt griefe. Such loſſes, when they come ſingle, afflict vsus; but, when double, aſtoniſh vsus; and tho they giuegive aduantage of reſpite, would almoſt ouerwhelme the beſt patient. Lo, now is the tryall of your manhood, yea, of your Chriſtianitie: You are now in the liſts, ſet vponupon by two of Gods fierce afflictions; ſhow now what patience you hauehave, what fortitude. Wherefore hauehave you gathered, and laid vp all this p. 318time, but for this brunt? Now bring forth all your holy ſtore to light, and to vſe; and approue to vsus in this difficultie, that you hauehave all this vvhile beene a Chriſtian in earneſt. I know, theſe euents hauehave not ſurpriſed you on a ſudden: you hauehave ſuſpected they might come; you hauehave put-caſes if they ſhould come. Things that are hazardous, may be doubted: but certaine things are, and muſt be expected. Prouidence abates griefe, and diſcountenances a croſſe. Or, if your affection were ſo ſtrong, that you durſt not fore-thinke your loſſe; take it equally but as it falls. A wiſe man and a Chriſtian knowes death ſo fatall to Nature, ſo ordinarie in euent, ſo gainefull in the iſſue, that I vvonder he can for this either feare or grieue. Doth God onelyonly lend vsus one another, and doe we grudge when he calls for his owne? So I hauehave ſeene ill debters, that borrow vvith prayers, keepe vvith thankes, repay vvith enmitie. We miſtake our tenure: vve take that for gift, vvhichwhich God intends for loane; Wee are tenants at will, and thinke our ſelues owners. Your vvife and child are dead: Well, they hauehave done that for vvhichwhich they came.

If they could not hauehave dyed, it had been worthy of vvonder; not at all, that they are dead. If this condition vvere proper onelyonly to our families, and friends, or yet to our climate alone; how vnhappie ſhould we ſeeme to our neighbours, to our ſelues! Now it is common, let vsus mourne that vve are men. Lo, all Princes and Monarchs daunce vvith vsus in the ſame ring: yea, what ſpeake I of earth? The God of Nature, the Sauiour of men, hath trod the ſame ſteps of death? And doe we thinke much to follow him? How many ſeruants hauehave vvee knowne, that hauehave thruſt themſelues betwixt their Maſter and death; vvhichwhich hauehave dyed, that their Maſter might not dye: and ſhall vve repine to die vvith ours? How truely may vve ſay of this our Dauid, Thou art worth ten thouſand of vsus; yea, vvorth a world of Angels: yet he died, and dyed for vsus. Who would liue, that knowes his Sauiour died? who can be a Chriſtian, and vvould not be like him? Who can be like him, that vvould not die after him? Thinke of this, and iudge whether all the vvorld can hire vsus not to die. I neede not aske you, vvhether you loued thoſe whom you hauehave loſt: Could you louelove them, and not wiſh they might be happy? Could they be happy, and not dye? In truth, nature knowes vvhat ſhee vvould hauehave; Wee can neither abide our friends miſerable in their ſtay, nor happie in their departure: We louelove our ſelues ſo vvell, that wee cannot be content they ſhould gaine by our loſſe. The excuſe of our ſorrow is, that you mourne for your ſelfe. True: but compare theſe two, and ſee whether your loſſe or their gaine be greater. For, if their aduantage exceed your loſſe; take heed, leſt while you bewray your louelove in mourning for them, it appeare that you louelove but your ſelfe in them. They are gone to their preferment, and you lament: your louelove is iniurious. If they were vaniſhed to nothing, I could not blame you, tho you tooke vp Rachels lamentation: But now, you know they are in ſurer hands then your owne: you know, that hee hath taken them, which hath vndertaken to keepe them, to bring them againe: You know it is but a ſleepe, which is miſcalled Death; and that they ſhall, they muſt awake, as ſure as they lie downe; and wake more freſh, more glorious, then when you ſhut their eyes. What doe we with Chriſtianitie, if we beleeue not this? and if we doe beleeue it, why doe we mourne as the hopeleſſe? But the matter, perhaps, is not ſo heauy as the circumſtance: Your croſſes came ſudden, and thicke; You could not breathe from your firſt loſſe, ere you felt a worſe. As if hee knew not this, that ſent both: As if he did it not on purpoſe. His proceedings ſeeme harſh; are moſt wiſe, moſt iuſt. It is our fault, that they ſeeme otherwiſe then they are. Doe we thinke, wee could carue better for our ſelues? O the mad inſolence of Nature, that dares controll, where ſhee ſhould wonder! Preſumptuous clay! that will be checking the Porter. Is his wiſdome, himſelfe? Is he, in himſelfe, infinite? is his Decree out of his wiſdome; and doe we murmur? Doe wee, fooliſh wormes, turne againe when he treads vponupon vsus? What? doe you repine at that which was good for you, yea beſt? That is beſt for vsus which God ſeeth beſt: and that he ſeeth beſt, which he doth. This is Gods doing. Kiſſe his rod in ſilence, and giuegive glory to the hand that rules it. His will is the rule of his actions; and his p. 309goodneſſe, of his will. Things are good to vsus, becauſe he wils them: He wils them, becauſe they are good to himſelfe. It is your glory that he intends, in your ſo great affliction. It is no praiſe to wade ouer a ſhallow Ford, but to cut the ſwelling waues of the Deepe, commends both our ſtrength and skill. It is no victory, to conquer an eaſie and weake croſſe. Theſe maine euils hauehave crownes anſwerable to their difficultie: Wreſtle once and goe away with a bleſſing. Bee patient in this loſſe, and you ſhall once triumph in your gaine. Let God hauehave them with cheerefulneſſe, and you ſhall enioy God with them in glory.

To M^r J.A. Merchant. EP. X. Againſt ſorrow for worldly loſſes.

IT is fitter for me to begin with chiding, then with aduice: what meanes this weake diſtruſt? Goe on, & I ſhal doubt vvhether I vvrite to a Chriſtian. You hauehave loſt your heart, together with your vvealth; How can I but feare, leſt this Mammon was your God? Hence vvas Gods iealouſie in remouing it; and hence your immoderate teares for loſing it. If thus; God had not loued you, if hee had not made you poore. To ſome, it is an aduantage to leeſe: you could not hauehave been at once thus rich, and good. Now, heauen is open to you, which vvas ſhut before, and could neuer hauehave giuen you entrance, with that load of iniquitie. If you be wiſe in menaging your affliction, you hauehave changed the world for God, a little droſſe for heauen. Let me euer loſe thus, and ſmart when I complaine.

But you might hauehave at once retained both. The ſtomach, that is purged, muſt be content to part with ſome good nouriſhment, that it may deliuer it ſelfe of more euill humors. God ſaw (that knowes it) you could not hold him ſo ſtrongly, while one of your hands was ſo faſtned vponupon the world. You ſee, many make themſelues wilfully poore: vvhy cannot you be content God ſhould impoueriſh you? If God had willed their pouertie, he vvould hauehave commanded it: If he had not vvilled yours, he vvould not hauehave effected it. It is a ſhame for a Chriſtian, to ſee an Heathen Philoſopher laugh at his owne ſhipwracke; while himſelfe howles out, as if all his felicity vvere imbarked vvith his ſubſtance. How ſhould wee ſcorne, to thinke that an Heathen man ſhould laugh either at our ignorance, or impotence? ignorance, if wee thought too highly of earthly things; impotence, if vve ouer-loued them. The feare of ſome euils is vvorſe then the ſenſe. To ſpeake ingenuouſly; I could neuer ſee, vvherein pouertie deſerued ſo hard a conceit. It takes away the delicacie of fare, ſoftneſſe of lodging, gayneſſe of attire, and perhaps brings vvith it contempt: this is the vvorſt, and all. View it now on the better ſide: Lo, their quiet ſecurity, ſound ſleepes, ſharpe appetite, free merriment; no feares, no cares, no ſuſpition, no diſtempers of exceſſe, no diſcontentment. If I were Iudge, my tongue ſhould be vniuſt, if pouertie went away vveeping. I cannot ſee, how the euils it brings, can compare with thoſe which it remoues; how the diſcommodities ſhould match the bleſſings of a meane eſtate. What are thoſe you hauehave loſt, but falſe friends, miſerable comforters? Elſe they had not left you. Oh ſlight & fickle ſtay, that windes could bereaue you of! If your care could goe with them, here vvere no damage: and, if it goe not with them, it is your fault. Grieue more for your fault, then for your loſſe. If your negligence, your riotous miſ-ſpence had empaired your eſtate, then Satan had impoueriſht you; now vvould I hauehave added to your griefe, for your ſinne, not for your affliction: But now, ſince vvindes and vvaters hauehave done it as the officers of their Maker; vvhy ſhould you not ſay vvith mee, as I with Iob, The p. 310Lord hath taken? Vſe your loſſe well, and you ſhall find that God hath croſſed you with a bleſſing. And if it were worſe then the world eſteemes it, yet thinke not what you feele, but what you deſerue: You are a ſtranger to your ſelfe, if you confeſſe not, that God fauours you in this whip. If he had ſtripped you of better things, and ſcourged you with worſe, you ſhould ſtill hauehave acknowledged a mercifull iuſtice: If you now repine at an eaſie correction, you are worthy of ſeuerity. Beware the next, if you grudge and ſwell at this. It is next to nothing which you ſuffer: what can bee further from vsus, then theſe goods of outward eſtate? You need not abate either health, or mirth, for their ſakes. If you doe now draw the affliction neerer then he which ſent it, and make a forraine euill domeſticall; if while God viſits your eſtate, you fetch it home to your body, to your minde; thanke your ſelfe that you will needs be miſerable: But if you louelove not to fare ill; take croſſes as they are ſent, and goe lightly away with an eaſie burden.

EPISTLES.

THE SECOND VOLVME.

Containing TWO DECADS.

BY IOS. HALL.

LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.

TO THE SAME MOST GRATIOVS PATRONAGE OF THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE, HENRY, PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINE: HIS Highneſſes VNVVORTHY SERVANT humbly proſtrates himſelfe, and his ſecond Labour.

With continuall Apprecations of all Happineſſe.