Works of Joseph Hall, Section 22 – Section 3
SECTION XXII. Of the Impoſsibilitie of the Meanes of Reconciliation.
AND now, ſince no wiſe man can ſuſpect of vsus, that wee will euer grow to that height of madnes, as to run perfidiouſly from the Standerd of God, to the Tents of that Roman Antichriſt; Is there any hope, that the Papiſts will euer bee drawne backe to the ſound and pure iudgement of the Primitiue Antiquitie? Oh, that God would vouchſafe this grace to the Chriſtian World, that wee could but comfort our ſelues with the hope of ſo great happineſſe!
What a ſight were this, how pleaſant, how worthy of God and his Angels, that (as it is ſaid of the Nouatian Faction, and the Orthodox of old) men, women,Socr. l. 2. c. 30. children of both parts, without all guile, and cloſe harbors of diſcontentment, ſhould mutually bring ſtones and matter to the building vp of this Temple of another (yet true) Reſurrection! We will gladly ſpeake vntounto them, and (if need bee) vponupon our knees in Cyprians words;Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 2. Sithence we may not come forth of the ſound and true Church of God, and come vntounto you; Let vsus beſeech and intreat you, by whatſoeuer ſhould bee moſt deare vntounto you, that you would returne to our fraternitie, and into the boſome of that Mother-Church,Theocr. foreign, &c. foreign, &c. whence yee are reuolted; and as he ſaid in Theocritus, yet at laſt be perſwaded: wee are both brothers of one bloud; why will you needs fight more againſt your ſelues, than your brethren?
But alas, ſooner may God create a new Rome, than reforme the old: Yea needes muſt that Church put off it ſelfe, and ceaſe to be what it is, ere it can begin to be once againe what it was: for (as the Comicke Poet ſaid in the like) both ſubſtance, credit,Plau. Moſtellar. Simulenim res, fides, fama, virtus, decuſque deſeruerunt; atque ipſa in vſu. Facta eſt nimio nequior, nec vidcor mihi, &c. fame, vertue, honour, hauehave at once forſaken her; and by long diſ-uſe hauehave left her worſe than nought; neither doe I ſee how theſe houſes can be repaired, but they muſt be pulled downe to the very foundations, and then built from the ground.
But if there be any likelyhood of remedie, yet to be hoped for; ſurely, it muſt needs come either from her ſelfe, or from others. Can it be firſt from her ſelfe; which obſtinately defends her errors, not onelyonly with tongue and pen, but with fire and ſword too? which will not yeeld ſo much as that ſhee can erre? which refuſed to amend thoſe notorious abuſes, which by the moderate verdict of her Elect Cardinals, were condemned? and laſtly, which by the palpable flatteries of her laſt and worſt Paraſites the Ieſuites, is growne not ſecure onelyonly, but prouder than euer ſhee was? Can it be then from others? How oft hath this been indeuoured in vaine? Rome may bee ſacked and battered (as it hath often beene) by militarie forces; but purged by admonitions, conuictions,Socr. l. 5. c. 10. cenſures, it will neuer be. I remember on this occaſion, what Sininnius the Lector aduiſed Biſhop Nectarius in the like caſe; That hee had euer found diſputations ſo farre from reconciling of Schiſmes, that they are ſtill wont to inflame the minds of heretikes to ſuffer contention; What then? Can it be from her ſelfe and others? Alas,Potericatue vero pacem eſſe pati pacis diſſolutores. how ſhould it? vnleſſe either others had power, or her ſelfe had will to bee redreſſed.Synod. Arimi…ens. For certainely if there be any one ſparke of good hope yet aliue, it muſt be in the aid and determination of a generall councell; and ſuch a Synod is no leſſe impoſſible,Ad conſtan. Theod. l. 2. c. 19. than reconciliation it ſelfe. For who ſhall call it? who ſhall ſit Preſident in it? who ſhall bee preſent, and giuegive their voyces? What ſhall be the rule of the deciſions? what the order of execution? Let them bring forth (if they will) the ſiſter, or the daughter of that their Tridentine aſſembly, who can hold from ſmiles and ſcorne? Foſooth they would deale with vsus (as Luther wittily ieſted of the ſummoning of this Councell by Paul the third) much like vntounto them that mocke an hungry dogge with a cruſt and a knife; who in ſtead of giuing him the bread, let him feele the haft: well may we reſolue with Nazianzen, foreign, &c. In Praefat. Concil. Binij.to auoid all ſuch meetings of Biſhops, for that no ſuch Synod euer did good; but tended rather to the decay than aduantage of the Church: I remember Iſidore deriues the Latine word Concilium, à cilijs oculorum; for that all direct the ſight of their mindes into one center. There can therefore bee no Councell held by thoſe which profeſſe a generall and publike diſagreement of iudgement: In vaine ſhould we indeuour any ſuch courſe, vnleſſe eueryevery one of them would reſolue to thinke of peace at home, and would perſwade his heart, laying aſide all preiudice, and wilfull reſpects of faction,Optat. Mileu. l. 7. Decr. 2. q. multi. ingenuouſly to ſubmit himſelfe to the truth when it once appeares, and more to regard their ſoules, than their eſtates: For can wee thinke it equall (as things now ſtand) that the ſame parties ſhould be allowed, witneſſes, plaintiffes, defendants, Iudges in their owne cauſe? Or ſhall wee perhaps hope, that thoſe priuiledges which hauehave hitherto beene trecherouſly and tyrannically vſurped by Papiſts, will now, vponupon better aduiſement, be ingenuouſly giuen vp by them, and renounced? or that they will, now at laſt, thunder and lighten Anathemaes againſt their owne heads? Some fooles may hope for this, which are vnacquainted with that old verſe ſo common in the mouth and pen of Lipſius, Moribus antiquis Res ſtat Romana, viriſ que .
But for vsus (vnleſſe Hee that doth wonders alone, by his ſtretched out arme from heauen, ſhould mightily beyond all hope, effect this) we know too well that it cannot be done; OnelyOnly this one thing (which God hath promiſed) we doe verily expect; to ſee the day,foreign. when the LORD IESVS ſhall with the breath of his mouth deſtroy this lawleſſe-man, long ſince reuealed to his Church; and by the brightneſſe of his glorious comming, fully diſcouer, and diſpatch him. Not onelyonly in the meanes, and way, but in the end alſo,Hier. in Mat. 24. Theocr. e…diſſ. foreign, &c. is Rome oppoſite to heauen: The heauen ſhall paſſe away, by a change of qualitie, not an vtter deſtruction of ſubſtance; Rome, by deſtruction, not by change: Of vsus therefore and them ſhall that old Bucolicke Verſe bee verified;
Out of each others breſt their ſwords they drew:
Nor would they reſt, till one the other ſlew.
Glory to God, Victorie to the Truth, Warre with Hereſie, Peace to the Church. AMEN.
FINIS.
Quo vadis?
A IVST CENSVRE OF TRAVELL, AS IT IS COMMONLY VNdertaken by the Gentlemen of our NATION.
By IOS. HALL.
SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS
Io 3.
ANCHORA FIDEI:
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD, EDWARD Lord DENNY, Baron of Waltham.
RIght Honourable:
IF euer any men had reaſon to be in louelove with the face of a forraine entertainment, thoſe are they, which were admitted to the attendance of the truly Generous and Honorable, Lord HAY, your moſt noble Sonne, in his late Embaſſage to France; in which number my vnworthineſſe was allowed to make one; who can therefore well witneſſe, that no man could either receiue more honour from a ſtrange Countrey, or doe more honour to his owne. What wanted there that might make men confeſſe themſelues more welcome than ſtrangers? Neither doubt J, but that after many ages, France it ſelfe will wonder at the bountifull expreſsions of her owne fauours. But whiles others were inioying the noble courteſies of the time, my thoughts entertained themſelues with ſearching into the proofe of that ordinarie Trauell, wherewith I ſaw men commonly affected; which J muſt needs confeſſe, the more I ſaw, the leſſe I liked. Neither is it in the power of any forraine munificence, to make me thinke ours any where ſo well as at home. Earthly commodities are no part of my thought: I looked (as J ought) at the ſoule; which I well ſaw, vſes not only to gather no moſſe in this rolling, but ſuffers the beſt graces it hath to moulder away inſenſibly in ſuch vnneceſſarie agitation. J hauehave now beene twiſe abroad: both times (as thinking my ſelfe worthy of nothing but neglect) J bent my eies vponupon others, to ſee what they did, what they got: my inquirie found our ſpirituall loſſe ſo palpable, that now at last my heart could not chuſe but breake forth at my hand, and tell my Countrymen of the dangerous iſſue of their curioſitie. J meddle not with the common iourneyes to the minerall waters of the Spa; to which many ſicke ſoules are beholden for a good excuſe: who whiles they pretend the medicinall vſe of that ſpring, can freely quaffe of the puddle of popiſh ſuperſtition; poyſoning the better part, in ſtead of helping the worſe. Theſe J leaue to the best Phyſitian, Authoritie; which, if it may pleaſe to vndertake the cure, may perhaps ſaue as many Engliſh ſoules from infection, as that water cures bodies of diſeaſes. J deale onelyonly with thoſe, that profeſſe to ſeeke the glory of a perfect breeding, and the perfection of that, which we call Ciuilitie, in Trauell: of which ſort I hauehave (not without indignation) ſeene too many loſe their hopes and themſelues in the way; returning as emptie of grace, and other vertues, as full of words, vanitie, miſ-diſpoſitions. J dedicate this poore diſcourſe to your Lo: as (beſides my daily renued obligations) congratulating to you the ſweet libertie and happy vſe of your home; who like a fixed ſtarre may well ouer-looke theſe planets, and by your constant ſettledneſſe, giuegive that aime to inferiour eyes, which ſhall bee in vaine expected from a wandring light. The God of heauen, to whoſe glory J hauehave intended this weake labour, giuegive it fauour in the ſight of his Church, and returne it backe, but with this good newes, that any one of the ſonnes of Iaphet is hereby perſwaded to dwell euer in the tents of Sem. Ʋnto that diuine protection, J humbly betake your Lo: iuſtly vowing my ſelfe
Your Lo: humbly deuoted in all faithfull and Chriſtian obſeruance, IOS: HALL.
QVO VADIS?
SECT. I.
IT is an ouer-rigorous conſtruction of the workes of God, that in moting our ILAND with the Ocean he meant to ſhut vsus vp from other Regions; For God himſelfe that made the Sea, was the Author of Nauigation, and hath therein taught vsus to ſet vp a wooden bridge, that may reach to the very Antipodes themſelues: This were to ſeeke diſcontentment in the bountie of God, who hath placed vsus apart, for the ſingularite of our happineſſe, not for reſtraint.
There are two occaſions wherein Trauell may paſſe, Matter of traffique, and Matter of State. Some commodities God hath confined to ſome Countries, vponupon others he hath with a full hand powred thoſe benefits, which he hath but ſprinkled vponupon ſome. His wiſe prouidence hath made one Countrey the Granarie, another the Celler, another the Orchard, another the Arſenall of their neighbours, yea of the remoteſt parts. The earth is the Lords, which he ment not to keepe in his hands, but to giuegive; and he which hath giuen no man his faculties and graces for himſelfe, nor put light into the Sunne, Moone, Starres for their owne vſe, hath ſtored no parcell of earth with a purpoſe of priuate reſeruation. Salomon would neuer hauehave ſent his Nauie for Apes and Peacocks, but yet held gold and timber for the building of Gods houſe, and his owne, worthy of a whole three yeeres voyage: The Sea and Earth are the great Cofers of God; the diſcoueries of Nauigation are the keyes, which whoſoeuer hath receiued, may know that hee is freely allowed to vnlocke theſe cheſts of Nature without any neede to picke the wards. Wiſe Salomons compariſon is reciprocall: A ſhip of Merchants that fetches her wares from farre is the good Huſwife of the Common-wealth; and if ſhee were ſo in thoſe blinde Voyages of antiquitie, which neuer ſaw Needle nor Card, how much more thriftie muſt ſhee needs bee in ſo many helps both of Nature and Art? Either Indies may bee ſearched for thoſe treaſures, which God hath laid vp in them for their farre-diſtant owners; OnelyOnly let our Merchants take heed, leſt they goe ſo far, that they leaue God behinde them; that whiles thy buy all other things good cheape, they make not an ill match for their ſoules, leſt they end their proſperous aduentures in the ſhipwracke of a good conſcience.
SECT. II.
AND for matter of policie, nothing can be more plaine than that our correſpondence with other Nations cannot poſſibly bee held vp, without intelligence of their eſtate, of their proceedings; The neglect whereof were no other than to proſtrate our ſelues to the mercy of an hollow friendſhip, and to ſtand ſtill, and willingly lie open whiles we are plaid vponupon by the wit of vntruſtie neighbour-hood. Theſe eyes and eares of State are neceſſarie to the well-being of the head; In which number I doe not include thoſe priuate Inter-lopers intelligence, that lie abroad onelyonly to feed ſome vaine Cameleons at home with the aire of Newes, for no other purpoſe ſaue idle diſcourſe; but onelyonly thoſe profitable Agents, whoſe induſtry either fitteth them abroad for publike imployment, or imployeth them after due maturitie, in the fit ſeruices of the Common-wealth: neither my cenſure nor my direction reaches to either of theſe occaſions. It is the Trauell of curioſitie wherewith my quarrell ſhall be maintained; the inconueniences whereof my owne Senſes hauehave ſo ſufficiently witneſſed, that if the wiſe Parents of our Gentry could hauehave borrowed mine eyes for the time, they would euer learne to keepe their ſonnes at home, and not wilfully beat themſelues with the ſtaffe of their age: vponupon them let my pen turne a little, as thoſe that are more than acceſſaries to this both priuate and publike miſchiefe.
SECT. III.
IT is the affectation of too early ripenes that makes them prodigall of their childrens ſafetie and hopes; for, that they may bee wiſe betimes, they ſend them forth to the world in the minoritie both of age and iudgement, like as fond mothers vſe to ſend forth their daughters on froſting, early in cold mornings (though into the midſt of a vaporous and foggie ayre) and whiles they ſtriue for a colour, loſe their health. If they were not blinded with ouer-weening and deſire, they could not but ſee that their vnſetlednes carries in it a manifeſt perill of miſcarriage; grant that no danger were threatned by the place, experience giues vsus, that a weake limbde childe, if he be ſuffered to vſe his legges too ſoone, too much, lames himſelfe for euer; but if he walke in vneuen ground, he is no leſſe ſubiect to maimes, than crookednes. Doe they not ſee how eaſily a young twig is bowed any way? Doe they not ſee that the Midwife and Nurſe are wont to frame the griſtly head of the Infant to any faſhion? May not any thing be written vponupon a blanke? And if they make choice of this age, becauſe it is moſt docible, and for that they would take the day before them, why do they not conſider, that it is therefore more docible of euill, ſince wickedneſſe is both more inſinuatiue and more plauſible than vertue, eſpecially when it meets with an vntutored Iudge; and ſeeing there is ſo much inequality of the number of both, that it is not more hard to find vertue, than to miſſe vice: Heare this then, ye careleſſe Oſtriches, that leaue your eggs in the open ſand for the Sun to hatch, without the feare of any hoofe that may cruſh them in peeces, hauehave your ſtomacks reſolued to digeſt the hard newes of the ruine of your children? Do yee profeſſe enmitie to your owne loynes? then turne them (as you doe) looſe to theſe dangers, ere they can reſiſt, ere they can diſcerne; but if yee had rather they ſhould liue and grow, beſtow vponupon them the kindly heat of your beſt plumes, and ſhelter them with your own breſt and wings, till nature hauehave opened a ſeaſonable way to their owne abilities.