Epistles Volume 2, Decade 6

Epistles Volume 2 · Decade 6

p. 1The Sixt Decade.

EPIST. I. To my LORD DENNY.

¶ A particular account how our dayes are, or should be spent, both common and holy.

EVery day is a little life, and our whole life is but a day repeated: whence it is, that old Iacob numbers his life by dayes, and Moses desires to be taught p. 2this point of holy Arithmeticke, to number not his yeares, but his dayes: Those therefore that dare loose a day, are daungerously prodigall; those that dare mis-spend it, desperate. We can best teach others by our selues: Let mee tell your Lordship, how I would passe my dayes, whether common or Sacred; that you (or whosoeuer others, ouer-hearing me) may eyther approoue my thriftinesse, or correct my errors: To whom is the account of my houres either more due, or more knowne? All dayes are his, who gaue time a beginning, and continuance; yet some he hath made ours, not to command, but to vse. Jn none may we forget him, in some we must forget all, besides him. First therefore, I desire to awake at those houres, not when I will, but when I must: pleasure is not a fit rule for rest, p. 3but health: neyther doe I consult so much with the Sunne, as mine owne necessity, whither of body, or, in that, of the minde. If this vassall could wel serue mee waking, it should neuer sleepe: but now, it must bee pleased, that it may bee seruiceable. Now, when sleepe is rather driuen away, then leaues mee; I would euer awake with God; my first thoughts are for him, who hath made the night for rest, and the day for trauell: and as he giues, so blesses both. Jf my heart be earely seasoned with his presence, it will sauour of him all day after. While my body is dressing, not with an effeminate curiosity, nor yet with rude neglect; my minde addresses it selfe to her insuing Task; bethinking what is to be done, and in what order; and marshalling (as it may) my houres with my work: That done after some p. 4whiles Meditation, I walke vp to my Maisters & companions, my bookes; and sitting down amongst them, with the best contentment, I dare not reach forth my hand to salute any of them, till I hauehave first looked vp to Heauen, and craued fauour of him to whom all my Studies are duly referred: without whome, I can neither profit, nor labour. After this, out of no ouer-great variety, J call forth those, which may best fit my occasions; wherein, I am not too scrupulous of age: Somtimes I put my selfe to Schoole, to one of those Auncients, whom the Church hath honoured with the name of Fathers; whose Volumes, I confesse, not to open, without a secret reuerence of their holinesse, and grauitie: Sometimes, to those later Doctours, which want nothing but age to make them classicall: Alwayes to GODS p. 5Booke. That day is lost, wherof some houres are not improued in those Diuine Monuments: Others I turn ouer out of choyse, these out of duty. Ere I can hauehave sat vntounto wearinesse, my family, hauing now ouercome all household-distractions, inuites mee to our common deuotions; not without some short preparation. These hartily performed, send mee vp, with a more strong and chearefull appetite to my former worke, which I find made easie to me by intermission, and variety: Now therefore, can I deceiue the houres with change of pleasures, that is, of labours. One while mine eyes are busied, another while my hand, & sometimes my minde takes the burden from them both: Wherein, I would imitate the skilfullest Cookes, which make the best dishes with manifold mixtures: one houre is spent in p. 6Textuall Diuinity, another in Controuersy; histories relieue them both. Now, when the minde is weary of others labors, it begins to vndertake hir owne; sometimes it meditates, and windes vp for future vse; sometimes it layes foorth her conceits into present discourse; sometimes for it selfe, ofter, for others. Neither know I whether it workes or playes in these thoughts: I am sure no sport hath more pleasure, no work more vse: Only the decay of a weake body, makes me thinke these delights insensibly laborious. Thus could I all day, (as Ringers vse) make my selfe Musicke with chaunges, and complain sooner of the day for shortnesse, then of the businesse for toyle; were it not that this faint moniter interrupts me stil in the midst of my busie pleasures, and inforces me both to respite & repast: I must yeeld to both; while p. 7my bodie …nd mind are ioyned together in these vnequal couples, the better must follow the weaker. Before my meales therefore, and after, I let my selfe loose from all thoughts, and now, would forget that I euer studyed: A full minde takes away the bodies appetite, no lesse then a full body makes a dull and vnweildy minde: Company, discourse, recreations, are now seasonable and welcome; These prepare me for a diet, not gluttonous, but medicinall; The Palate may not be pleased, but the stomack; nor that for it owne sake: Neither woulde I thinke any of these comforts woorth respect in themselues, but in their vse, in their end; so farre, as they may inable me to better things. If I see any dish to tempt my Palate, J feare a Serpent in that Apple, and would please my selfe in a wilfull denyall: I rise capable p. 8of more, not desirous: not now immediately from my Trencher, to my Booke; but after some intermission. Moderate speede is a sure helpe to all proceedings, where those things which are prosecuted with violence of indeuour, or desire, either succeed not, or continue not.

After my latter meale, my thoughts are slight, onelyonly my memorie may be charged with her Taske, of recalling what was committed to her custodie in the day, and my heart is busie in examining mine hands and mouth, & all other sences of that dayes behauiour. And now the Euening is come, no Trades-man doth more carefully take in his Wares, cleare his Shoppeboord, and shut his Windowes, then J would shut vp my thoughts, & clear my minde. That Student shall liue miserably, which like a Camell lies down p. 9vnderunder his burden. All this done, calling together my familie, we end the day with God. Thus do wee rather driue away the time before vsus, then follow it. I graunt, neither is my practise worthy to be exemplarie, neither are our callings proportionable. The lyues of a Nobleman, of a Courtier, of a Scholler, of a Cittizen, of a Countreyman, differ no lesse then their dispositions: yet must all conspire in honest labour. Sweat is the destiny of all trades, whether of the browes, or of the minde. God neuer allowed anie man to do nothing. How miserable is the condition of those men, which spend the time as if it were giuen thē, and not lent: as if houres were waste Creatures, and such as should neuer be accounted for; as if GOD would take this for a good Bil of reckoning; Item, spent vponupon my pleasures, fortie p. 10yeares. These men shal once finde, that no bloud can priuiledge idlenes; and that nothing is more precious to God, then, that which they desire to cast away, Tyme. Such are my common daies: but Gods day cals for another respect. The same Sunne arises on this day, and enlightens it; yet because that Sun of righteousnesse arose once vponupon it, & gaue a new life vntounto the world in it, & drew the strength of Gods moral precept vntounto it therfore iustly do we sing with the psalmist; This is the day which the Lorde hath made. Now, I forget the world, and in a sort, my selfe; and deale with my wonted thoughts, as great men vse, who, at sometimes of their priuacie, forbid the accesse of all suters. Prayer, Meditation, reading, hearing, preaching, singing, good conference, are the businesses of this day; which I dare not bestow p. 11on anie worke, or pleasure, but heauenly. J hate superstition on the one side, and loosenesse on the other; but I finde it harde to offend in too much deuotion, easie in profanenesse. The whole Week is sanctified by this day, and according to my care of this, is my blessing on the rest. I show your Lordship, what I would do, and what I ought: I commit my desires to the imitation of the weake, my actions to the censures of the Wise and Holye; my weakenesses to the pardon and redresse of my mercifull God.

p. 13EPIST. II. To M^r T. S. Dedicated to Sir Fulke Greuill.

¶ Discoursing how wee may vse the Worlde without daunger.

HOwe to liue out of the daunger of the Worlde is both a great & good care, and that which troubles too fewe. Some, that the World may not hurt p. 14them, run frō it; & banish themselues to the toppes of solitary Mountaines: changing the Cities, for Deserts, houses, for Caues, and the societie of men for beasts; and least their enimy might insinuate himselfe into their secrecy, hauehave abridged themselues of dyet, cloathing, lodging, harbour, fit for reasonable creatures; seeming to hauehave left off themselues, no lesse then companions.

As if the Worlde were not eueryevery where; as if wee could hide our selues from the Diuel; as if solitarinesse were priuiledged from Temptations; as if wee did not more violently affect restrained delights; as if these Hieromes did not finde Rome in their hart, when they had nothing but rockes & trees in their eye. Hence these places of retyrednesse, founded at first vppon necessity mixt with deuotion, hauehave proued p. 15infamously vnclean; Cels of lust, not of piety. This course is preposterous; If I were worthy to teach you a better way, learne to bee an Hermit at home: Begin with your owne heart, estraunge and weane it from the louelove, not from the vse of the world. Christianity hath taught vsus nothing, if wee hauehave not learned this distinction; It is a great weakenesse not to see, but wee must be inamored: Elisha, saw the secret state of the Syrian court, yet as an enemy: The blessed Angelles see our earthly affayres, but as strangers: Moses his body was in the Court of Pharaoh, amongest the delicate Egiptians, his heart was suffering with the afflicted Israelites. Lot tooke part of the fayre Medowes of Sodom, not of theyr sinnes. Our blessed Sauiour sawe the glory of al Kingdomes, & contemned them: and cannot the world look vponupon p. 16vsus Christians, but wee are bewitched? We see the Sun daily, & warme vsus at his beames, yet make not an Idol of it; doth any man hide his face, least he should adore it? All our safetie or danger therefore, is from within. In vaine is the body an Anachoret, if the heart be a Ruffian: And if that bee retyred in affections, the body is but a Cipher: Lo then the eyes will looke carelessely and strangely in what they see, and the tongue will sometimes answere to that was not asked. We eate and recreate, because wee must, not because we would: and when wee are pleased, wee are suspicious: Lawfull delights, we neyther refuse, nor dote vponupon, and all contentments goe and come like strangers. That all this may be done, take vp your hart with better thoughts; be sure it will not be empty, if Heauen hauehave fore-stalled all the p. 17roomes, the Worlde is disappointed, and eyther dares not offer, or is repulsed. Fixe your selfe vponupon the glory of that eternity, which abides you after this short pilgrimage. You cannot but contemne what you find in comparison of what you expect. Leaue not til you attaine to this, that you are willing to liue, because ye cannot as yet be dissolued: Be but one halfe vppon earth, let your better part conuerse aboue whence it is, and enioy that whereto it was ordained. Thinke how little the World can doe for you and what it doth, how deceitfully: what stings there are with this Hony, vvhat farewell succeeds this Welcome.

When this Iael brings you Milk in the one hand, know shee hath a nayle in the other. Aske your heart what it is the better, what the merrier, for all those pleasures wherewith it hath befriended p. 18you: let your own trial teach you contempt; Thinke how sincere, how glorious those ioyes are, which abide you elsevvhere, and a thousand times more certaine (though future) then the present.

And let not these thoughts be flying, but fixed: Jn vaine do we meditate, if we resolue not: when your hart is once thus setled, it shall commaund all things to aduantage. The World shall not betray, but serue it; and that shall be fulfilled which God promises by his Salomon; VVhen the wayes of a man please the Lord, he wil make his enimies also at peace with him.

Sir, this aduice my pouerty affoorded long since to a weake friend; I Write it not to you, any otherwise, then as Schollers are woont to say their part to their Maisters. The world hath long and iustly both noted and p. 19honoured you for eminence in wisedome and learning, and I aboue the most; I am ready with the awe of a Learner, to embrace all precepts from you: you shall expect nothing from me, but Testimonies of respect and thankefulnesse.

p. 21EPIST. III. To S^r. George Fleetwood.

¶ Of the remedies of sinne, and motiues to auoyde it.

THere is none, either more common, or more troblesom guest, then Sin. Troublesome, both in the solicitation of it, and in the remorse. Before the act, it wearies vsus with a wicked importunity; p. 22after the act it torments vsus with feares, and the painful gnawings of an accusing Conscience: Neyther is it more irkesome to men, then odious to God; who indeed neuer hated any thing but it; and for it any thing. How happy were we, if we could be rid of it? This must be our desire, but cannot be our hope; so long as wee carry this bodie of sinne and death about vsus: yet (which is our comfort) it shall not carry vsus, though wee carry it: It will dwell with vsus, but with no commaund; yea, with no peace: Wee grudge to giuegive it house-roome, but wee hate to giuegive it seruice. This our Hagar wil abide many strokes, ere she be turned out of doores; she shall go at last, and the seede of promise shall inherit alone. There is no vnquyetnesse good, but this: and in this case, quietnesse cannot stand with safetie: p. 23neither did euer warre more truly beget peace, then in this strife of the soule.

Resistance is the way to victory, and that, to an eternall peace and happynesse. It is a blessed care then, how to resist sinne, how to auoyd it: and such as I am glad to teach and learne. As there are two grounds of all sin, so of the auoydance of Sinne; LoueLove, and Feare: These if they be placed amisse, cause vsus to offend: if aright, are the remedies of euill: The LoueLove must be of God; Feare, of Iudgement.

As he loues much, to whom much is forgiuen, so hee that loues much, will not dare to dooe that which may neede forgiuenesse. The heart that hath felt the sweetnesse of Gods mercies, will not abide the bitter rellish of sinne: This is both a stronger motiue then Fear, and more Noble; p. 24None but a good heart is capable of this grace: which who so hath receyued, thus powerfully repelles tentations.

HaueHave I found my God so gracious to me that hee hath denyed mee nothing, eyther in earth or heauen: and shal not J so much as deny my owne will for his sake? Hath my deare Sauiour bought my soul at such a price, and shall he not hauehave it? Was hee crucified for my sinnes, and shall I by my sinnes crucifie him againe? Am J his in so many bonds, and shall J serue the Diuel? O God! is this the fruit of thy beneficence to me, that J should wilfully dishonor thee? Was thy blood so little worth, that I should treade it vnderunder my feete? Dooth this become him that shall be once glorious vvith thee? Hast thou prepared heauen for me, and do I thus prepare my selfe for p. 25heauen? Shall I thus recompence thy louelove, in dooing that which thou hatest? Satan hath no Dart (I speak confidently) that can pierce this Shielde: Christians are indeed to oft surprized, ere they can holde it out: there is no small pollicy in the suddainenesse of temptation: but if they hauehave once setled it before their brest, they are safe, and their enemy hopelesse. VnderUnder this head therefore, there is sure remedie against sinne, by looking vpwardes, backwards, into our selues, forwards. Vpwards, at the glorious Maiesty, and infinite goodnesse of that God whom our sinne would offend, and in whose face we sin: whose mercies, & whose holynesse is such, that if there were no hel, we would not offend. Backwards, at the manifold fauours, whereby we are obliged to obedience. Into our selues, at that honourable vocation, p. 26wherewith he hath graced vsus, that holy profession we hauehave made of his calling, and grace, that solemne vowe & Couenant, whereby we hauehave confirmed our profession; the gracious beginnings of that spirit in vsus, which is grieued by our sinnes, yea quenched. Forwards, at the ioy which will follow vponupon our forbearance, that peace of conscience, that happy expectation of glory, compared with the momentary and vnpleasing delight of a present sinne; All these, out of LoueLove; Fear is a retentiue, as necessary, not so ingenuous. Jt is better to be wonne, then to be frighted from sinne: to be allured, then drawne. Both are little inough in our pronesse to euil: Euil, is the onelyonly obiect of feare. Heerein therefore, wee must terrifie our stubburnnesse, with both euils; Of losse, and of sence: that if it be possible, the p. 27honor of the euent may counteruaile the pleasure of the tentation: Of losse, remembering that now we are about to loose a God; to cast away all the comforts & hopes of another world; to rob our selues of all those sweete mercies we inioyed; to thrust his spirit out of doores (which cannot abide to dwell within the noysom stench of sinne) to shut the doores of heauen against our selues. Of sence; That thus we giuegive satan a right in vsus, power ouer vsus, aduantage against vsus. That wee make God to frowne vponupon vsus in heauen; That we arme all his good creatures against vsus on earth; That we do as it were take Gods hand in ours, & scourge our selues with all Temporall plagues; and force his curses vponupon vsus, and ours: That we wound our owne consciences with sins, that they may wound vsus with euerlasting torments; p. 28That we do both make an hell in our breasts before hande, and open the gates of that bottomlesse pit, to re-receiue vsus afterwards: That wee doe now cast Brimstone into the Fire; and least we should faile of tortures, make our selues our owne fiends: These, & vvhat euer other terrors of this kinde, must be layde to the soule: vvhichwhich, if they be throughly vrged to an heart, not altogether incredulous, Wel may a man aske himselfe, how he dare sin? But if neyther this Sunne of mercies, nor the tempestuous Winds of iudgement can make him cast off Peters cloake of vvickednesse; hee must bee clad vvith confusion, as vvith a cloak, according to the Psalmist.

I tremble to thinke hovv many liue, as if they vvere neyther beholden to God, nor affrayde of him; neyther in his debt, nor daunger: As if their heauen p. 29and hell vvere both vponupon earth; Sinning not onelyonly vvithout shame, but not vvithout mallice; It is theyr least ill to do euill; Behold they speake for it, ioy in it, boast of it, inforce to it; as if they vvould send challenges into heauen, & make louelove to destruction: Their leudnesse cals for our sorrowe, and zealous obedience; that our God may hauehave as true Seruants, as enimies: And as vvee see naturall qualities, increased vvith the resistaunce of theyr contraries: so must our grace vvith others sinnes: We shal redeeme somvvhat of Gods dishonour by sinne, if vve shal thence grovv holye.

p. 31EPIST. IIII. To M^r. Doctor Milburne.

¶ Discoursing, how farre, and wherein Popery destroyeth the foundation.

THe meane in all thinges is not more safe then hard: whether to finde or keep: & as in al other morality, it lyeth in a narrow roome: so most in the matter p. 32of our censures, especially concerning Religion: wherein we are wont to be eyther carelesse, or too peremptory: How farre, and wherein Popery raceth the foundation, is worth our inquiry: I neede not stay vponupon wordes. By foundation, we mean the necessary groundes of Christian faith. This foundation Papistry defaces, by laying a new; by casting downe the old. In these cases, addition destroyes: he that obtrudes a new worde, no lesse ouerthrowes the Scripture, then hee that denyes the olde, yea this, very obtrusion denies: he that sets vp a newe Christ, reiects Christ: Two foundations cannot stand at once: The Arke and Dagon. Now Papistry layes a double new foundation: The one, a new rule of faith, that is, a new word: The other, a new Author, or guide of Faith, that is, a newe head besides p. 33Christ: God neuer layde other foundation, then in the Prophets and Apostles: vponupon their Diuine writing, he meant to build his Church; which hee therefore inspired, that they might be like (himselfe) perfect and eternall: Popery buildes vppon an vn-written word, the voyce of old (but doubtful) Traditions. The voyce of the present Church, that is, as they interpret it, theyrs; with no lesse confidence and presumption of certainety, then any thing euer Written by the finger of God; If this be not a new foundation, the old was none. God neuer taught this holy Spouse to knowe any other husband, thē Christ; to acknowledge any other head; to followe any other Shepheard, to obey any other King: he alone may be inioyed without iealousie, submitted to without danger, without errour beleeued, serued without p. 34scruple: Popery offers to impose on Gods Church a King, shepheard, head, husband, besides her owne: A man; a man of sin. He must know all things, can erre in nothing: direct, inform, animate, cōmand, both in earth and Purgatory, expounde Scriptures, cannonize Saints, forgiue Sins: create new Articles of Faith; and in all these, is absolute and infallible as his Maker; who sees not, that if to attribute these things to the son of God, bee to make him the foundation of the Church; Then to ascribe them to another, is to contradict him that sayde, Other foundation can no man lay, then that which is layde, which is Iesus Christ. To lay a new foundation, doth necessarily subuert the old yet see this further actually done in particulars: wherein yet this distinction may cleare the way: The foundation is ouerthrowne two p. 35wayes; either in flat tearmes, when a mayne principle of faith is absolutely denyed as the deity and consubstantiality of the Sonne by Arrius, the Trinity of persons by Sabellius and Seruetus, the resurrection of the bodye by Himeneus and Philetus, the last Iudgement by Saint Peters Mockers; Or secondly, by consequent; when anie opinion is maintained, which by iust sequell ouer turneth the trueth of that principle, which the defendant professes to holde; yet so, as hee will not graunt the necessity of that deduction: so the Ancient Minoei, of whom Ierom speaketh, while they vrged Circumcision, by consequent according to Paules rule, reiected Christ: so the Pelagians, while they defended a full perfection of our righteousnes in our selues, ouerthrew Christes iustification: and in effect sayde, I beleeue in p. 36Christ, and in my selfe: so some Vbiquitaries, while they hold the possibility of the conuersion, and saluation of reprobates, ouerthrow the Doctrine of Gods eternall decree, and immutability. Popery comes in this latter ranks and may iustly be tearmed heresie, by direct consequent: Though not in their graunt, yet in necessarie proofe and inference. Thus it ouerthrowes the truth of Christs humanity, while it holds his whole humaine body locally circumscribed in heauen, & at once (the same instant) wholy present in ten thousand places on earth, without circumscription: That whole Christ is in the formes of bread, with all his dimensions, eueryevery part hauing his own place and figure: and yet so, as that he is wholly in eueryevery part of the breade. Our iustification, while it ascribes it to our owne workes: The Al-sufficiency p. 37of Christs owne Sacrifice, whiles they reiterate it daily by the handes of a Priest. Of his satisfaction, while they holde a payment of our vtmost farthings, in a deuised Purgatory. Of his mediation, while they implore others to ayde them, not only by their intercession, but their merites; suing not onelyonly for their Prayes, but their gifts: The value of the Scriptures, whiles they hold them insufficient, obscure, in points essentiall to saluation, & bind them to an vncertaine dependance vponupon the Church. Besides hundreds of this kind, there are heresies in actions, contrary to those fundamentall practises which God requires of his: As prohibitions of Scriptures to the Laity: Prescriptions of deuotion in vnknowne tongues: Tying the effect of Sacraments and Prayers to the externall worke: Adoration of Angels, p. 38Saints, Bread, Reliques, Crosses, Jmages: All which, are as so many reall vnderminings of the sacred foundation, which is no lesse actiue, then vocall. By this, the simplest may see what we must holde of Papists; neyther as no Heretiques, nor yet so palpable as the worst: If any man aske for theyr conuiction. In the simpler sort, I grant this excuse fayre and tollerable! Poore soules, they cannot bee any otherwise informed, much lesse perswaded: Whiles in trueth of heart, they hold the maine principles which they know, doubtlesse, the merciemercy of God may passe ouer their ignorant weakenesse, in what they cannot know. For the other, I feare not to say, that many of their errours are wilfull. The light of truth hath shined out of heauen to them, and they louelove darkenesse more then light. Jn this state of the Church p. 39hee shall speake and hope idly, that shall call for a publique and vniuersall euiction: How can that be, when they pretend to bee Iudges in their owne cause? Vnlesse they wil not be aduersaries to themselues, or iudges of vsus, this course is but impossible: As the Diuell, so Antichrist, will not yeelde: both shall bee subdued; neyther will treat of peace: what remains, but that the Lorde shall consume that wicked man (which is now clearely reuealed) with the breath of his mouth, & abolish him with the brightnes of his cōming. Euen so, Lord Iesus come quickly. This briefly is my conceit of Popery, which I willingly refer to your clear & deepe iudgement, being not more desirous to teach the ignoraunt what I knowe, then to learne of you what I should teach, & know not. The Lord direct all our thoughts to his glory, & the behoofe of his Church.

p. 41EPIST. V. Written long since to M^r. I. VV.

¶ Disswading from seperation: & shortly oppugning the grounds of that errour.

IN my former Epistle (I confesse) J touched the late seperation vvith a light hand: onelyonly setting downe the iniurie of it (at the best) not discussing the groundes in common: now your daunger drawes p. 40duplicate page p. 41duplicate page p. 42me on to this discourse: it is not much lesse thanke-woorthy, to preuent a disease, then to cure it: you confesse that you doubt; I mislike it not, doubting is not more the way to errour, then to satisfaction; lay downe first, all pride and preiudice, and I cannot fear you: I neuer yet knew any man of this way, which hath not bewraide himselfe far gone with ouer-weening: and therefore it hath beene iust with God, to punish their selfe louelove with error: an humble spirit is a fit subiect for trueth: prepare you your heart, and let mee then answere, or rather God for mee; you doubt whether the notorious sin of one vnreformed, vncensured, defile not the whole Congregation; so as we may not without sinne communicate therewith: & why not the whole Church? wo were vsus, if we should thus liue in the daunger of all men: hauehave p. 43we not sins enow of our own, but we must borrow of others? Each man shal beare his own burden: is ours so light, that we cal for more waight, & vndertake what God neuer imposed? It was enough for him that is God & man to bear others iniquities; it is no taske for vsus, which shrink vnderunder the least of our owne: But it is made ours, you say (thogh anothers) by our toleration & conniuence: indeede, if we consent to them; encourage them, imitate or accompany them in the same excesse of ryot; yet more, the publicke person, that forbeares a knowne sin, sinneth; but if each mans known sinne be eueryevery mans, what difference is betwixt the roote and the braunches? Adams sinne spread it selfe to vsus, because wee were in him, stood or fell in him; our case is not such. Do but see how God scorneth that vniust Prouerbe of the p. 44Iewes, That the fathers hauehave eaten sower Grapes, and the childrens teeth are set on edge? How much lesse are straungers? Js any bond so neere as this of blood? Shall not the childe smart for the Parent; and shall wee (euen spiritually) for others? You obiect Achans stealth, & Israels punishment: an vnlike case, & extra ordinary: for see how direct Gods charge is. Be ye ware of the execrable thing least ye make your selues execrable, and in taking of the execrable thing, make also the boast of Israell execrable and trouble it. Now eueryevery man is made a party, by a peculiar iniunction, and not onelyonly all Israell is as one man: but eueryevery Israelite is a publicke person in this act; you cannot shewe the like in eueryevery one, no, not in any: it was a lawe for the present, not intended for perpetuity: you may as well challenge the Trumpets of Rammes-hornes, p. 45and seauen dayes walke vntounto eueryevery siedge. Looke elsewhere, the Church of Thyatera suffers the Woman Iezabel to teach and deceyue. A great sinne, Yet to you (saith the spirit) the rest of Thyatira, as many as hauehave not this learning: I will put vponupon you none other burden, but that which you hauehave, bolde fast; Hee saith not, Leaue your Church, but Hold fast your owne. Look into the practise of the Prophets, ransacke their burdens, and see if you find this there; yea, beholde our best patterne, the sonne of God. The Iewish Rulers in Christ time were notoriously couetous, proud, oppressing, cruel, superstitious, our Sauiour feared not polluting, in ioyning with them; and was so far frō seperating himselfe, that he called & sent others to them. But, a little Leauen Leauens the whole lumpe: it is true, by the infection of it; p. 46sinne, where it is vnpunnished, spreadeth; it sowreth al those whose hands are in it, not others. If we dislike it, detest, resist, reproue, and mourn for it, we cannot be tainted: the Corinthian louelove-feasts had grosse and sinfull disorder: yet you heare not Paul say, Abstaine from the Sacrament till these bee reformed; Rather he enioynes the act, and controules the abuse: GOD hath bidden you heare and receiue: shew me, where he hath sayd, except others be sinfull. Their vncleannesse can no more defile you, then your holinesse can excuse them. But while J communicate (you say) I consent; God forbid. It is sinne not to cast out the deseruing; but not yours: who made you a Ruler & a Iudge? The vnclean must be seperated, not by the people: Would you hauehave no distinction betwixt priuate and publicke persons? p. 47What strange confusion is this? And what other then the olde note of Corah and his company, Ye take too much vponupon you, seeing all the Congregation is holy, eueryevery one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherfore, then lift you vp your selues aboue the congregation of the Lorde? What is (if this bee not) to make a monster of Christs body: hee is the heade, his Church the body, consisting of diuers limbes? All hauehave their seuerall faculties and imployments; not eueryevery one, al; who would immagine any man so absurd, as to say, that this body shold be al toong, or al hands; eueryevery man a Teacher, eueryevery man a Ruler? As if Christ had sayde to eueryevery man, Goe teach, and whose sinnes ye remit: Howe Sencelesse are these two extreames? Of the Papists, that one man hath the Keyes: Of the Brownists, that euerie p. 48man hath them. But these priuiledges and charges are giuen to the Church: True; to be executed by hir Gouernours, the faculty of speech is giuen to the whole man, but the vse of it to the proper Instrument. Man speaketh; but by his toong; if a voice should be heard from his hand, eare, foote, it were vnnaturall. Now, if the tongue speak not when it ought, shall we be so foolish as to blame the hand? But you say; If the tongue speake not, or speak ill, the whole man smarteth; the man sinneth: I graunt it, but you shall set the naturall body on too hard a racke, if you straine it in all thinges, to the likenesse of the spirituall, or ciuill. The mēbers of that being quickned by the same soule, hauehave charge of each other, and therefore either stand or fall together: It is not so in these. If then notwithstanding vnpunnished p. 49sinnes wee may ioyne with the true Church: Whether is ours such? You doubt, and your solicitors deny: surely if wee hauehave many enormities, yet none worse then rash and cruel iudgment; let them make this a colour to depart from themselues: there is no lesse woe to them that cal good, euil: To iudge one man is bold and daungerous: Iudge then, what it is to condemne a whole church: God knowes, as much without cause, as without shame. Vaine men may libel against the spouse of Christ: her husband neuer diuorc't her: No, his louelove is still aboue their hatred, his blessinges aboue their censures: Do but ask them, were we euer the true church of God? If they deny it, Who then were so? Had God neuer Church vponupon earth, since the Apostles time, till Barrow & Greenwood arose? And euen then p. 50scarce a number? nay, when or where was euer any man in the worlde (except in the Schooles perhaps of Donatus or Nouatus) that taught their Doctrine; and now still hath hee none, but in a blind lane at Amsterdam? Can you thinke this probable? If they affirme it, when ceased we? Are not the pointes controuerted still the same? The same Gouernment, the same doctrine? Their minds are changed, not our estate: Who hath admonished, euinced, eccommunicated vsus; and when? All these must be done; Will it not be a shame to say, that Francis Iohnson, as he tooke power to excommunicate his Brother, and Father; so had power to excōmunicate his Mother, the Church? How base and idle are these conceits? Are we then heretickes condemned in our selues, wherin ouerthrowe wee the foundation? p. 51What other God, Sauiour, Scriptures, Iustification, Sacraments, Heauen, do they teach beside vsus? Can al the Maisters of seperation, yea can al the churches in Christendome, set forth a more exquisite and woorthy confession of Faith, then is contained in the Articles of the Church of England? Who can hold these, and be hereticall? Or, from which of these are we reuolted? But to make this good, they hauehave taught you to say, that eueryevery trueth in Scripture is fundamentall; so fruitfull is errour of absurdities; Whereof stil one breedes another more deformed then it selfe. That Trophimus was left at Miletum sicke, that Pauls Cloake was left at Troas, that Gaius Paules hoast, saluted the Romaines, that Naball was drunke; or that Thamar baked Cakes, and a thousand of this nature are fundamentall: how large is the separatists p. 52Creed, that hath all these Articles? If they say al Scripture is of the same author, of the same authority: so say we, but not of the same vse: is it as necessary for a Christian to knowe that Peter hosted with one Simon a tanner in Ioppa, as that Iesus Christ the son of God was born of the Virgin Mary. What a mōster is this of an opiniō, that al trueths are equal? that this spiritual house should be all foundation, no wals, no roofe? Can no man be saued but hee that knowes eueryevery thing in scripture? Then both they and we are excluded: heauē wold not hauehave so many, as then Parlor at Amsterdam: Can any man be saued that knowes nothing in Scripture? It is far frō them to bee so ouercharitable to affirm it: you see thē that both al truths must not of necessity be known, & some must: & these we iustly call fundamental: which who so holdeth, al his hay & stubble (through the p. 53mercy of God) condemn him not: stil he hath right to the church on erth, & hope in heauē: but whither eueryevery truth be fundamētal, or necessary: discipline (you say) is so: indeed necessary to the welbeing of a church, no more: it may be true without it, not perfect. Christ cōpares his spouse to an army with banners: as order is to an army, so is Discipline to the Church: if the troups be not well marshalled in their seuerall ranks, & moue not forward, acording to the discipline of warre, it is an army stil: cōfusion may hinder their succes, it cannot bereaue thē of their name: it is, as beautiful proportiō to the body, an hedge to a vineyard, a wal to a Citty, an hem to a garment, feeling to an house. It may be a body, vineyard, Citty, garment, house, without them: it cannot be wel and perfect: yet which of our aduersaries vvill say wee hauehave p. 54no Discipline? Some they graunt, but not the right: as if they sayde? Your Citty hath a Bricke-wall indeede, but it should hauehave one of hewen stone; your Vineyard is hedged, but it shold be paled & ditched: while they cauill at what wee want, wee thanke God for what wee hauehave; and so much we hauehave, in spight of all detraction, as makes vsus both a true Church, and a worthy one.

But the mayn quarrel is against but Ministery, and forme of worship let these be examined; this is the Circle of their censure. No Church, therefore no Ministery: and no Ministery, therefore no Church: vnnatural sons, that spit in the face of those spirituall Fathers that begot them, and the Mother that bore them. What woulde they hauehave? HaueHave wee not competent guifts from aboue, for so great a function? p. 55Are we all vnlearned, vnsufficient? Not a man that knowes to deuide the word aright? As Paul to the Corinthes, is it so that there is not one wise man amongest vsus? No man vvill affirm it: some of them hauehave censured our excesse in some knowledge; none, our defect in all: What then? HaueHave we not a true desire to do faithful seruice to God and his Church? No zeal for Gods glory? Who hath beene in our harts to see this? Who dare vsurp vponupon God; & condemn our thoughts? Yea, we appeale to that only Iudge of harts, whether he hath not giuen vsus a sincere longing for the good of his Syon: he shall make the thoughts of al hearts manifest: and then shall euerie man hauehave praise of God: if then wee hauehave both ability and will to do publick good: our inward calling (which is the mayne poynt) is good and perfect: p. 56for the outward, what want wee? Are we not first (after good triall) presented & approued by the learned, in our Colledges: examined by our church-gouernors, ordaind by imposition of hāds of the eldership, alowed by the congregations, we are set ouer: do we not labor in word & doctrine? do we not carefully administer the sacraments of the Lord Iesus? hauehave we not by our publick means won many soules to God? what shuld we hauehave & do more? Al this, & yet no true Ministers? we passe very little to be iudged of thē, or of mans day: but our ordainers (you say) are Antichristian: surely our censures are vnchristian: tho we shold grant it: some of vsus were baptized by hereticks: is the sacrament annihilated, and must it bee redoubled? How much lesse ordination, which is but an outward admission to preach p. 57the gospel? God forbid that we shold thus condemne the innocent: more hands were laid vponupon vsus, then one: & of them, for the principall, except but their perpetual honor, & som few immateriall rites, let an enemy say what they differ, from Super-intendents? & can their double honor make them no elders? Jf they hauehave any personal sales, why is their calling scourged? Looke into our Sauiours times: what corruptions were in the very Priesthood? It was now made annual, which was before fixed & singular Christ saw these abuses, & was silent heere was much dislike, and no clamour; we for lesse, exclaim & seperate: euen personal offences are fetcht into the condemnation of lawfull courses. God giuegive both pardon and redresse to this foule vncharitablenesse. Alas! how ready are wee to tosse the fore-part of our p. 58Wallet, whiles our owne faultes are ready to breake our neckes behinde vsus: all the world sees and condemnes their ordination to be faulty, yea none at all, yet they cry out first on vsus, craftily (J thinke) least▪ wee should complaine: that Church-gouernours should ordaine Ministers, hath beene the constant practise of the Church, from Christs time, to this houre. I except onelyonly in an extreame desolation, meerely for the first course: that the people shoulde make their Ministers, was vnheard of in al ages & Churches till Bol…on, Browne, and Barrow: and hath neyther coulour nor example: Dooth not this comparison seeme strange and harsh? Their Tradesmen may make true Ministers, our Ministers cānot who but they wold not be ashamed of such a position? Or who but you woulde not thinke the tyme p. 59mispent in answering it? No lesse friuolous are those exceptions that are taken against our worshippe of God, condemned for false and Idolatrous, whereof Volumnes of Apologies are written by others: we meet together, pray, read, heare, preach, sing, administer, and receiue Sacraments: wherein offend we? How many Goddes do we pray to? Or to whom but the true God? In what words but holy? whom do we preach but the same Christ with them? what point of faith, not theirs? What sacraments but those they dare not but allow? Where lyes our Idolatry, that we may let it out? Jn the maner of performing: in set Prayers, Antichristian Ceremonies of crossing, kneeling, &c, For the former: what sinne is this? The Original and truth of Prayer is in the heart: the voyce is but as accidentall: if the heart may often p. 60conceiue the same thought, the tongue her seruant may often vtter it, in the same words: and if daily to repeat the same speeches be amisse, then to entertaine the same spirituall desires, is sinnefull: to speak once without the heart is Hypocriticall: but to speake often the same request vvith the heart, neuer offendeth. What intollerable boldnesse is this; to condemne that in vsus which is recorded to hauehave beene the continuall practise of Gods Church in all successions? Of the Iewes, in the time of Moses, Dauid, Salomon, Iehosophat, Ezekiah, Ieremie: Of the auncient Christian assemblies, both Greek and Latine, and now at this day of all reformed churches in Christendom; yea, which our Sauiour himselfe so directly allowed, & in a manner prescribed: & the blessed Apostles Paul & Peter in all theyr p. 61formall salutations (which were no other then set prayers) so commonlie practised: for the other (least I exceed a letter) tho wee yeild thē such as you imagine; worse they cannot be: they are but Ceremonious appendances: the body & substāce is sound. Blessed be God that we can hauehave his true Sacraments at so easie a rate, as the payment (if they were such) of a few circumstantiall inconueniences: Howe many deer children of God in al ages, euen neere the Golden times of the Apostles, hauehave gladly purchased them much deerer, & not complained: but see howe our Church imposes them: not as to bind the Conscience, otherwise then by the common bonde of obedience; not as actions, wherein Gods worship essentially consisteth, but as themselues, Ceremonies: comely or couenient, not necessarie; p. 62whatsoeuer: is this a sufficient ground of seperation? Howe many moderate and wiser spirits hauehave we, that cannot approue the Ceremonies, yet dare not forsake the Church? And that holde your departure far more euill, then the cause. You are inuited to a feast, if but a Napkin or Trencher bee misplaced, or a dish ill carued, do you run from the Table, and not stay to thank the hoast? Eyther be lesse curious, or more charitable. Woulde God both you, and all other, which either fauor the seperation, or professe it, coulde but read ouer the auncient Stories of the Church, to see the true state of things and times; the beginninges, proceedings, increases, encounters yeildings, restaurations of the Gospell, what the holy Fathers of those first times, were glad to swallow, for peace; what they helde, practised, p. 63found, left: whosoeuer knowes but these things cannot seperate: and shal not be contented onelyonly, but thankful: God shall giuegive you still more light: in the meane time, vponupon the perril of my soule, stay, and take the blessed offers of your God, in peace: And since Christ sayeth to you by my hand, wil you also go away? Answere him with that worthy Disciple, Maister whether shall I go from thee, thou hast the words of eternall life?

p. 65EPIST. VI. To M^r. I. B.

¶ A complaint of the mis-education of our Gentry.

I Confesse, I cannot honor blood without good qualities, not spare it; with ill. There is nothing that I more desire to be taught, then what is true Nobilitie: What thanke is it to you p. 66that you are borne wel? If you could hauehave lost this priuiledge of Nature, I feare you had not beene thus far Noble: That you may not plead desert, you had this before you were; long ere you could either know or preuent it; you are deceiued if you thinke this any other then the body of Gentility, the life and soule of it, is in noble and vertuous disposition, in gallantnesse of spirit, without hautinesse, without insolence, without scornfull ouer-lynesse: shortly, in generous qualities, carriage, actions. See your error, and know that this demeanor dooth not aunswere an honest byrth: If you can follow all fashions, drinke all healths, weare fauours and good cloths, consort with Ruffian companions, swear the biggest Oaths, quarrell easily, fight desperately, game in eueryevery inordinate Ordinary, spend your patrimony ere p. 67it fall, looke on eueryevery man betwixt scorne and anger; vse gracefully some gestures of apish complement; talke irreligiously, dally with a Mistris, or (which tearme is plainer) hunt after Harlots, take smoake at a Play-house, and liue as if you were made all for sport, you thinke you hauehave doone enough, to merit, both of your blood, and others opinions. Certainly, the world hath no basenesse, if this be generosity: Wel-fare the honest and ciuill rudenesse of the obscure sonnes of the earth, if such be the graces of the eminent: The shame whereof (methinkes) is not so proper to the wildnesse of youth, as to the carelesnesse or vanity of Parents: I speake it boldly; our land hath no blemmish comparable to the mis-education of our Gentry: Infancy and youth are the seedtimes of al hopes: if those passe vnseasonably, p. 68no fruit can be expected from our age, but shame and sorrow: who should improue these, but they which may commaund them: I cannot altogether complaine of our first yeares. How like are wee to children, in the training vp of our children? GiueGive a childe some painted Babe; he ioyes in it at first sight: and for some daies wil not abide it out of his hand or bosome; but when hee hath sated himselfe with the newe pleasure of that guest, hee now (after a while) casts it into Corners, forget it, and can look vponupon it, with no care: Thus do we by ours. Their first times finde (vsus not more fond, then carefull we doe not more follow them with our louelove, then ply them with instruction. When this delight beginnes to grow stale, we begin to grow negligent. Nothing that I know can be faulted in the ordering p. 69of Child-hood, but indulgence. Foolish Mothers, admit of Tutors, but debarre rods? These, while they desire their Children may learne, but not smart, as is sayde of Apes, kill theyr young ones with louelove; for what can worke vponupon that age, but feare? And what feare without correction? Now at last, with what measure of Learning their owne wil would vouchsafe to receiue, they are too earely sent to the Common Nurseries of Knowledge; There (vnlesse they fal vnderunder carefull tuition) they study in iest, and play in earnest. In such vniuersal meanes of Learning, all cannot fal besides them; what their company, what their recreation would either instil or permit, they bring home to their gladde parents. Thence are they transplanted to the Collegiate Junes of our common Lawes: and there too manie learne p. 70to be lawlesse, and to forget their former little, Paules is their VVestminster, their Study, an Ordinary, or Play-house, or Dauncing Schoole, & some Lambert their Ploydon. And now after they hauehave (not without much expence) learned fashions and licentiousnesse, they returne home, full of welcomes and gratulations. By this time some blossomes of youth appearing in their face, admonish their Parents to seeke them some seasonable match; Wherein the Father inquires for Wealth, the Sonne for Beautie, perhappes the Mother for parentage, scarce any for Vertue, for Religion. Thus setled, What is their care, theyr discourse; yea, their Trade, but eyther an Hound, or an Hawke? And it is wel, if no woorse: And now, they so liue, as if they had forgotten that there were Bookes: Learning is for p. 71Priests, and Pedants; For Gentlemen, pleasure. Oh! that eyther wealth, or wit should bee cast away thus basely: That euer Reason should growe so debauched, as to thinke any thinge more worthy then knowledge: with what shame and emulation may wee looke vponupon other Nations (whose Apish fashions we can take vppe in the Channelles, neglecting their immitable examples) and with what scorn do they looke vponupon vsus? They hauehave their solemne Academies for all those qualities, which may accomplish Gentility: from which they returne richly furnished, both for action and speculation. They account knowledge and ability of discourse as essential to greatnesse, as bloud: neither are they more aboue the vulgar in byrth, then in vnderstanding: They trauel with iudgement, and return with experience: so p. 72do they followe the excercises of the body, that they neglect not the culture of the mind. From hence growes ciuility, and power, to mannage affayres either of Iustice or State; From hence incouragement to learning, & reuerence from inferiors. For those onelyonly can esteeme knowledge, which hauehave it; and the common sort frame either their obseruance, or contempt out of the example of their leaders.

Amongst them, the sons of Nobles scorne not, either Marchandise, or learned professions; and hate nothing so much, as to do nothing: I shame & hate to thinke, that our gallants hold there can be no disparagement, but in honest callings. Thus perhaps I hauehave abated the enuy of this reproofe, by cōmunicating it to more; which J had not done, but that the generality of euil importunes redresse. I wel see that p. 73either good or euil descends: In vain shall we hope for the reformation of the many, while the better are disordered. Whome to solicit heerein, J know not, but all: How gald should I be, to spend my light to the snuffe, for the effecting of this? I can but perswade and pray; these I will not fayle of: The rest to him that both can amend and punish.

p. 75EPIST. VII. To M^r. Ionas Reigesbergius in Zeland.

¶ Written some whiles since, concerning some new opinions then broached in the Churches of Holland; and vnderunder the name of Arminius (then liuing) perswading al great wits to a study and care of the common Peace of the Church, and disswading from al affectation of singularity.

I Receiued lately, a short relation of some newe Paradoxes from your Leiden; you would know what we thinke: I feare not to be censured, as p. 76medling: your truth is ours: The Sea cannot deuide those Churches whom one faith vnites. I know not howe it comes to passe, that most men, while they too much affect ciuility, turne flatterers; and plaine trueth is most where counted rudenesse. Hee that tels a sicke friend he looks il, or termes an angrie tumour the Gowt, or a waterish swelling, Dropsy; is thought vnmannerly. For my part, I am glad that I was not borne to feed humors: How euer you take your owne euils, I must tell you, wee pittie you, and thinke you hauehave iust cause of deiection, and we for you: not for any priuate cares, but (which touch a Christian neerest) the Common-wealth of God. Behold, after all those hilles of carcasses, and streames of bloud, your ciuill sword is sheathed, wherein wee neither congratulate, nor feare your p. 77peace; lo now, insted of that, another while, the spiritual sword is drawn and shaken, & it is wel if no more. Now the politick State sits stil, the church quarrels: Oh! the insatiable hostility of our great enemy, with what chaunge of mischiefes dooth he afflict miserable man? No sooner did the Christian world begin to breath frō persecution but it was more punished with Arrianisme: when the red dragon cānot deuour the child, he tries to drowne the mother; & when the waters fail, he raises war. Your famous Iunius had nothing more admirable thē his louelove of peace: when our busy separatists apealed him, with what a sweet calmnes did he rei…ct them, & with a graue importunity cal'd thē to moderation. How it wold hauehave vexed his holy soule (now out of the danger of passions) to hauehave forseene his chaire troblesom. God forbid that p. 78the Church should find a challenger, in stead of a Champion: Who would thinke but you should hauehave beene taught the benefite of peace, by the long want? but if your temporal state (besides either hope, or beleefe) hath growne wealthy with War, like those Fowles which fatten with harde weather: yet be too sure, that these spiritual broyles, cannot but impouerish the Church; yea, affamish it. Jt were pitty that your Holland should be stil the Amphitheatre of the worlde, on whose Scaffoldes, all other Nations should sit, and see variety of bloudie shewes, not vvithout pitty, and horror. Jf I might challenge ought in that your acute, and Learned Arminius; I vvould thus solicit, and coniure him: Alas! that so Wise a man should not know the vvorth of peace; that so noble a Sonne of the Church, shoulde p. 77not be brought to light, without ripping the wombe of his Mother! what meane these subtle Nouelties? If they make thee famous, and the Churche miserable; who shall gain by them? Is singularity so precious, that it should cost no lesse, then the safety and quiet of our common mother? If it be truth thou affectest; what alone? Coulde neuer any eyes (till thine) bee blessed with this obiect; where hath that Sacred verity, hid her self thus long from all her carefull Inquisitors, that shee now first shewes her head to thee vnsought? Hath the Gospel shined thus long, and bright, and left some Corners vnseene? Away with all newe truths; faire and plausible they may be, sound they cannot: some may admire thee for them; none shall blesse thee. But graunt that some of those, are no lesse true, then nice poyntes; p. 78What doe these vnseasonable Crochets and quauers trouble the harmonious plain-songs of our peace? Some quiet error may bee better then some vnruly truth. Who binds vsus to speak all we thinke? So the Church may be still, would God thou wert wise alone? Did not our aduersaries quarrell enough before, at our quarrels? Were they not rich enough with our spoils? By the dear name of our common parents, what meanest thou, Arminius? Whether tend these new-rais'd dissentions? Who shall thriue by them, but they which insult vponupon vsus, & rise by the fall of truth? who shall be vndone, but thy Brethren? By that most precious, and bloudy ransome of our Sauiour, and by that awefull appearance, we shall once make before the glorious Tribunall of the son of God, remember thy selfe, and the poore distracted p. 79limbes of the Church; let not those excellent parts, wherewith God hath furnished thee, lye in the narrow way, and cause any weake one, eyther to fall, or stumble, or erre. For Gods sake, either say nothing, or the same. How many great wittes hauehave sought no By-paths, and now are happy with their fellowes. Let it be no disparagement to goe with many to heauen. What could hee reply to so playne a charge? No distinction can auoid the power of simple truth. I know hee hears not this of me first: Neither that learned and woorthy Fran. Gomarus, nor your other graue fraternity of reuerend Diuines, hauehave beene silent in so mayne a cause. I feare rather too much noyse in any of these tumults: There may too many contend, not intreat. Multitude of sutors, is commonly powerfull; howe much more p. 80in iust motions. But if either hee, or you, shall turne me home, and bid me spend my little moisture vppon our owne brandes, I graunt there is both the same cause, and the same neede. This Counsell is no whit further from vsus, because it is directed to you: Any Reader can chaunge the person: I lament to see, that eueryevery where peace hath not many Clients, but fewer louers; yea, euen many of those that praise her, follow her not. Of old, the very Nouatian men, Women, Children, brought stones and morter (with the Orthodox) to the building of the Church of the Resurrection, and ioyned louingly with them, against the Arrians: lesser quarrels diuide vsus; and eueryevery diuision ends in blowes, and eueryevery blow is returned; and none of al lightes beside the Church: Euen the best Apostles dissented; neither knoledge, p. 81nor holynesse can redresse all differences: True, but wisedome and charity could teach vsus to auoyde their preiudice. If we had but these two vertues; quarrels should not hurt vsus, nor the Church by vsus: But (alas) self-louelove is too strong for both these: This alone opens the flood gates of dissention, and drownes the sweet, but low valley of the Church. Men esteem of opinions, because their owne; & will hauehave truth serue, not gouerne; What they hauehave vnderunder-taken, must be true: Victory is sought for, not satisfaction; Victory of the Authour, not of the cause: Hee is a rare man that knowes to yeeld, as wel to argue: what shold we do then, but bestow our selues vponupon that which too many neglect, publicke peace; first, in Prayers that we may preuaile, then in teares that we preuaile not? Thus hauehave I beene p. 82bold to chat with you of our greatest and common cares. Your old louelove, & late Hospitall entertainment in that your Island, called for this rememberance; the rather to keepe your English tongue in breath, which was wont not to bee the least of your desires. Would God you could make vsus hapy with newes not of Truce, but sincere amity & vnion; not of Prouinces, but spirits. The God of Spirits effect it both heere and there, to the glory of his Name and Church.

p. 83EPIST. VIII. To W.I. condemned for Murder.

¶ Effectually preparing him, and (vnderunder his name) whatsoeuer Malefactor, for his death.

IT is a bad cause that robbeth vsus of al the comfort of friendes; yea, that turnes their remēbrance into sorrow. None can do so, but those that proceed from p. 84our selues; For outward euils, which come from the infliction of others, make vsus cleaue faster to our helpers, and cause vsus to seeke and finde ease in the very commisseration of those that louelove vsus: whereas those griefes which arise from the iust displeasure of Conscience, will not abide so much, as the memory of others affection; or if it do, makes it so much the greater corrasiue, as our case is more vncapeable of their comfort. Such is yours. You hauehave made the mention of our names tedious to your selfe, and yours to vsus. This is the beginning of your payne, that you had frends: If you may now smart soundly from vsus, for your good, it must be the onelyonly ioy you must expect, and the finall dutie wee owe to you. It is both vaine and comfortlesse to heare what might hauehave beene; neither would J send you backe to what p. 85is past, but purposely to increase your sorrow; who hauehave caused al our comfort to stand in your teares. If therefore our former Counsailes had preuailed, neyther had your hands shed innocent bloude, nor Iustice yours. Now, to your great sinne, you hauehave done the one, and the other must be done to your paine, and we your welwillers, with sorrow and shame liue to be witnesses of both. Your sin is gone before, the reuenge of Iustice wil follow: Seeing you are guilty, let GOD be iust; Other sinnes speake, this cryeth; and will neuer be silent, till it bee answered with it selfe. For your life; the case is hopeles; feed not your selfe with vaine presumptions, but settle your selfe to expiate anothers bloude vvith your owne. Would God your desert had beene such, that we might vvith any comfort hauehave desired you p. 86might liue. But now, alas, your fact is so heynous; that your life can neyther bee craued without in-iustice, nor bee protracted without inwarde torment. And if our priuate affection shoulde make vsus deafe to the shouts of bloud, and partiality should teach vsus to forget all care of publicke right, yet resolue, there is no place for hope. Since then you could not liue guiltlesse, there remaines nothing but that you labour to dye penitent; and since your bodye cannot bee saued aliue, to endeuour that your soule may bee saued in death. Wherein, howe happye shall it bee for you, if you shall yet giuegive eare to this my last aduice; too late indeede for your recompence to the Worlde, not too late for your selfe. You hauehave deserued death, and expect it; Take heede least you so fasten your eyes p. 87vppon the first death of the body, that you should not look beyond it, to the second, which alone is worthy of trēbling, worthy of teares.

For this, though terrible to Nature, yet is common to vsus, with you. You must dye: What doe wee else? And what differs our end from yours, but in hast and violence? And vvho knowes whether in that? It may bee a sickenesse as sharpe, as suddaine, shal fetch vsus hence: It may bee the same death, or a worse, for a better cause: Or if not so, There is much more miserie in lingering: Hee dies easily, that dyes soone: But the other, is the vtmost vengeaunce that GOD hath reserued for his enemies: This is a matter of long feare, and short payne. A few panges let the soule out of prison; but the Torment of that other is euerlasting; after tenne p. 88thousand yeares scorching in that flame, the payne is neuer the neerer to his ending. No time giues it hope of abating; yea, time hath nothing to do with this eternity. You that shall feele the paine of one minutes dying, thinke what paine it is to be dying for euer and euer. This, although it bee attended with a sharpe paine, yet is such as some strong spirits hauehave indured without shew of yeildance. I hauehave herd of an Irish Traitor, that when he lay pining vppon the wheele with his bones broke, asked his friend if hee changed his countenance at all: caring lesse for the paine, then the shew of feare. Few men hauehave dyed of greater paines, then others hauehave sustained and liue. But that other ouer-whelms both body and soule, and leaues no roome for any comfort in the possibility of mitigation. Heere, men are p. 89executioners, or diseases; there fiends. Those diuels that were ready to tempt the gracelesse vntounto sinne, are as ready to follow the damned with tortures. Whatsoeuer becom of your carcasse, saue your soule from these flames: and so mannage this short time you hauehave to liue, that you may die but once. This is not your first sinne; yea, God hath now punnished your former sins with this: A fearefull punishment in it selfe, if it deserued no more: your cōscience (which now beginnes to tell trueth) cannot but assure you, that there is no sinne more worthy of hell, then murder; yea, more proper to it. Turne ouer those holy leaues (which you hauehave too much neglected, & now smart for neglecting) you shall finde Murderers among those that are shut out from the presence of God: you shall finde the Prince of that darknes, p. 90in the highest stile of his mischief, termed a Man-slayer. Alas! how fearefull a case is this, that you hauehave heerein resembled him, for whome Topheth was prepared of old, and imitating him in his action, hauehave endangered your self to partake of his tormēts. Oh, that you coulde but see what you hauehave done, what you hauehave deserued; That your heart could bleed enough within you, for the bloud your handes hauehave shed: That as you hauehave followed Satan our common enemy in sinning, so you could defye him in repenting: That your teares could disapoint his hopes of your damnation. What an happy vnhappinesse shall this he to your sad friendes, that your better part yet liueth? That frō an ignominious place, your soule is receyued to glory? Nothing can effect this but your Repentance, and that can do it. Feare not to p. 91looke into that horrour, which should attend your sinne, and bee now as seuere to your selfe, as you hauehave beene cruell to another. Thinke not to extenuate your offence with the vain Titles of man-hood; what praise is this, that you were a valiaunt Murderer? Strike your owne breast (as Moses did his Rocke) and bring down Riuers of tears to wash away your bloud-shed. Do not so much feare your iudgment, as abhorre your sinne, yea, your selfe for it: And with strong cries lift vppe your guilty hands to that God whom you offended, and say: Deliuer mee from blood-guiltines O Lord. Let me tell you, as without repentance there is no hope, so with it, ther is no condemnation. True penitence is strong, & can grapple with the greatest sin, yea with all the powers of hell. What if your hands be red with blood? Behold, the p. 92blood of your Sauiour, shall wash away yours: If you can bath your selfe in that; your Scarlet soule shall be as white as Snow. This course alone shal make your Crosse the way to the Paradice of God. This plaister can heale all the sores of the soul, if neuer so desperate: OnelyOnly, take heede that your heart bee deepe enough pierced, ere you lay it on; else vnderunder a seeming skinne of dissimulation, your soule shall fester to death. Yet ioy vsus vvith your true sorrowe, whome you hauehave grieued with your offence; & at once comfort your friends, and saue your soule.

p. 93EPIST. IX. To M^r. Iohn Mole, of a long time nowe prisoner vnderunder the Inquisition at Rome.

¶ Exciting him to his wonted Constancie, and incouraging him to Martyrdome.

WHat passage can these lines hope to finde into that your straight and curious thraldome? Yet who would not aduenture the losse p. 94of this paines for him, which is ready to loose himself for Christ? what do we not ow to you which hauehave thus giuen your self for the cōmon faith? blessed be the name of that God who hath singled you out for his Champion, & made you inuincible: how famous are your bonds? How glorious your constancy? Oh that out of your close obscurity, you could but see the honour of your suffring, the affections of Gods Saints, & in som, an holy enuy at your distressed hapines. Those wals cannot hide you: No man is attended with so many eyes from earth & heauen: The Church your Mother beholdes you, not with more compassion, then ioy: Neither can it bee sayde, how shee at once pitties your misery, and reioyces in your patience: The blessed Angels looke vponupon you with gratulation and applause. The aduersaries with an angry p. 95sorrowe to see themselues ouercome by their captiue, their obstinate cruelty ouer-matched with humble resolution, and faithfull perseuerance. Your Sauiour sees you from aboue, not as a meer spectator, but as a patient with you, in you, for you; yea, as an agent in your indurance & victory, giuing new courage with the one hād, and holding out a Crowne with the other; Whom would not these sights incorage? who now can pitty your solitarinesse? The harts of all good men are with you. Neither can that place be but full of angels, which is the continuall obiect, of so many Prayers, yea the God of heauen was neuer so near you, as now ye are remooued from men. Let me speake a bold, but true worde. Jt is as possible for him to bee absent from his Heauen, as from the prisons of his Saints. The glorified spirits p. 96aboue sing to him; the persecuted soules below, suffer for him, and crie to him; he is magnified in both, present with both; the faith of the one, is as pleasing to him, as the triumph of the other; Nothing obligeth vsus men so much, as smarting for vsus; words of defence are woorthy of thankes, but pain is esteemed aboue recompence. How do we kisse the woundes which are taken for our sakes, and professe that we would hate our selues, if wee did not louelove those that dare bleed for vsus: How much more shal the God of mercies be sensible of your sorrowes, and crowne your patience? To whom you may truely sing that ditty of the Diuine Psalmist, Surely for thy sake am I slaine continually, and am counted as a Sheepe for the slaughter. What neede I to stir vp your constancy, which hath already amazed, and wearied your p. 97persecutors? No suspition shall driue me heereto; but rather the thirst of your praise. He that exhorts to persist in well-doing, whiles he perswades, commendeth. Whether shoulde I rather send you, then to the sight of your own Christian fortitude? which neither Prayers, nor threats, hauehave bin able to shake: Heere stands on the one hand, Liberty, Promotion, Pleasure, life, and (which easily exceeds al these) the deare respect of wife and children (whome your onelyonly resolution shall make Widdow and Orphanes) these with smiles, and vowes, and teares, seeme to importune you. On the other hand, bondage, solitude, horror, death (and the most lingering of all miseries) ruine of posterity: these with frowns and menaces labour to afright you: Betwixt both, you hauehave stoode vnmooued; fixing your eyes either p. 98either right forward vponupon the cause of your suffering, or vpwards vppon the Crowne of your reward: It is an happy thing when our owne actions may be either examples, or arguments of good. These blessed proceedings call you on to your perfection; The reward of good beginnings prosecuted, is doubled; neglected, is lost. How vaine are those temptations, vvhichwhich would make you a looser of all this praise; this recompence? Go on therfore happily; keepe your eies where they are, and your heart cannot bee, but where it is, and where it ought: Looke still, for what you suffer, & for whom: For the truth, for Christ: what can be so precious as truth? Not life it selfe. All earthly things are not so vile to life, as life to truth; Life is momentary, Truth eternall; Life is ours, the Truth, Gods: Oh happy purchase, to p. 99giuegive our life for the Truth. What can we suffer too much for Christ? He hath giuen our life to vsus; he hath giuen his own life for vsus. What great thing is it, if he require what he hath giuen vsus, if ours for his? Yea, rather, if he cal for what he hath lent vsus; yet not to bereue but to chaunge it; giuing vsus Gold for our clay, glory for our corruption. Behold that Sauiour of yours weeping, & bleeding, & dying for you: alas! our soules are too strait for his sorrowes▪ we can be made but paine for him; He was made sin for vsus: we sustain for him? but the impotent anger of men, hee strugled with the infinite wrath of his Father for vsus. Oh, who can endure enough for him, that hath passed thorough Death and hell for his Soule? Thinke this, and you shall resolue with Dauid, I will bee yet more vile for the Lord. The woorst of the despight p. 100of men, is but Death; and that, if they inflict not, a disease wil; or if not that, Age. Heere is no imposition of that which would not be, but an hastening of that which will bee: An hastening, to your gaine For behold, their violence shall turne your necessity, into Vertue and profit. Nature hath made you mortall, none but an enemie can make you a Martyr; you must die, though they will not; you cannot die for Christ, but by them: How coulde they else deuise to make you happie? Since the giuer of both liues hath said, Hee that shall loose his life for my sake, shall saue it. Loe, this alone is lost with keeping, and gained by losse. Say you were freed, vppon the safest conditions, and returning: (As how welcome should that newes be, more to yours, then to your selfe) Perhappes, death may meete you in the p. 101way, perhaps ouer-take you at home: neither place, nor time, can promise immunitie from the common destinie of men: Those that may abridge your houres, cannot lengthen them; and while they last, cannot secure them from vexation; yea themselues shall followe you into their dust; and cannot auoide what they can inflicte; death shal equalie tirannize by them, and ouer them: so their fauors are but fruitlesse, their malice gainefull. For, it shall change your prison into heauen, your Fetters into a Crown, your Iailours to Angels, your misery into glory. Looke vppe to your future estate, and reioyce in the present: Beholde the Tree of Life, the hidden Manna, the Scepter of Power, the Morning-Starre, the white garment, the newe name, the Crowne, and Throne of Heauen are adressed for p. 102you. Ouercome and enioy them: oh glorious condition of Martyrs, whom conformity in death, hath made like their Sauiour in blessednesse; whose honour is to attend him for euer, whō they hauehave ioyed to imitate. VVhat are these which are arayd in long white robes, and whence came they? These are (saies that Heauenly Elder) they which came out of great Tribulation, and vvashed their long Robes, and hauehave made their long Robes white, in the bloude of the Lambe.

Therefore they are in the presence of the Throne of GOD, and serue him day and night in the Temple: and hee that sitteth on the Throne, will dwel among them, and Gouerne them, and leade them vntounto the liuelie Fountaines of waters, and GOD shall wipe all teares from their eyes.

All the elect hauehave Seales in theyr p. 103fore-heades: But Martyrs hauehave Palmes in theyr handes: All the elect hauehave White Robes; Martyrs, both white and long. White, for their Glorie, long for the largenesse of their Glorie. Once redde with theyr owne bloude; now white with the bloude of the Lambe: There is nothing in our bloude, but weake obedience; nothing but merrit in the Lambes-bloud. Behold, his merite makes our obedience Glorious. You doo but sprinckle his feet with your bloude; Loe, hee washes your long white Robes, with his. Euerie droppe of your bloude is answered with a streame of his; and euerie droppe of his, is woorth Riuers of ours: Precious in the sight of the Lorde, is the Death of his Saintes: Precious in preuention; Precious in acceptation, precious in remuneration. p. 104Oh, giuegive willingly that which you cannot keepe, that you may receyue what you cannot leese. The way is steepe, but now you breath towardes the top. Let not the want of some few steps, loose you an eternall rest. Put too the strength of your owne Fayth; The Prayers of Gods Saints shall further your pace; & that gracious hand that sustaines heauen and earth, shall vphold, and sweetly draw you vp to your glory. Go on to credite the gospell with your perseuerance, and shew the false-hearted Clients of that Romayne-Court, that the Trueth yeildes reall and heartie professours; such as dare no lesse smart, then speake for her.

Without the wals of your restraint, where can you looke beside encouragements of suffering? Beholde in this, how much you are happier then p. 105your many predecessors. Those hauehave found friends, or wiues, or children, the most dangerous of al tempters. Suggestions of weakenes, when they com masked with louelove, are more powerfull to hurt. But you, all your manie friendes, in the valour of their Christian louelove, wish rather a blessed Martyr, then a liuing and prosperous reuolter: yea, your deare wife (worthy of this honour, to be the wife of a Martyr) preferres your faith, to her affection; and in a courage beyond hir Sex, contemnes the worst miserie of your losse; professing she woulde redeeme your life with hirs, but that she would not redeeme it with your yeildance: and while shee lookes vppon those manie pawns of your chast louelove, your hopefull Children, wishes rather to see them fatherlesse, then their Father vnfaithfull: The greatest part p. 106of your sufferings are hers. She beares them with a cheerefull resolution. She diuides with you in your sorrowes, in your patience; she shall not bee diuided in your glory: For vsus we shall accompanie you, with our Prayers, and followe you with our thankefull commemorations; vowing to Write your name in red Letters, in the Kalenders of our hearts; and to Register it in the monuments of perpetual Records, as an example to all posteritie, The memoriall of the iust shal bee blessed.

p. 107EPIST. X. To all Readers.

¶ Containing Rules of good aduise for our Christian and ciuill carriage.

I Grant, Breuitie where it is neyther obscure nor defectiue, is very pleasing, euen to the daintist iudgments. No maruaile therefore, if most men desire much good coūsel in a narrow room; p. 108as some affect to hauehave great personages, drawne in little Tablets, or, as we see worlds of Countreyes described in the compasse of small Mappes: Neither do I vnwillingly yeild to followe them; for both the powers of good aduice are the stronger, when they are thus vnited; and breuitie makes counsell more portable for memorie, and readier for vse. Take these therefore for more; which as I would faine practise, so am I willing to commend. Let vsus begin with him who is the first and last: Informe your selfe aright concerning God, without whome, in vaine do we know all things: Bee acquainted with that Sauiour of yours, which paid so much for you on earth, and now sues for you in heauen; without whom, wee hauehave nothing to doe with God, nor he with vsus. Adore him in your thoughts, trust him with your p. 109selfe: Renew your sight of him euerie day; and his of you: Ouer-look these earthly things, & when you do at any time cast your eyes vppon heauen, thinke, there dwels my Sauiour, there I shall be. Call your selfe to often reckonings, cast vp your debts, paiments, graces, wants, expences, imploiments, yeeld not to thinke your set Deuotions troublesome: Take not easie denialles from your selfe; yea, giuegive peremptory denials to your selfe; Hee can neuer bee good that flatters himselfe: hold nature to her allowaunce; and let your wil stand at curtesy: happy is that man which hath obtained to be the Maister of his owne heart: Thinke all Gods outward fauors and prouisions the best for you; your own abilities, and actions the meanest. Suffer not your minde to bee either a Drudge or a wanton; exercise it euer, p. 110but ouerlay it not: In al your businesses look throgh the world, at God; whatsoeuer is your leuell, let him bee your scope: EueryEvery day take a view of your last, and thinke either it is this, or may be: Offer not your selfe either to honour, or labour; let them both seeke you: Care you onelyonly to be woorthy, and you cannot hide you from God; so frame your self to the time & companie, that you may neyther serue it, nor sullenly neglect it; and yeelde so far, as you may neither betray goodnesse, nor countenance euil. Let your words bee few, and digested; It is a shame for the tongue to cry the heart merciemercy, much more to cast it selfe vponupon the vncertaine pardon of others eares. There are but two things which a Christian is charged to buy, and not to sell, Time and Truth; both, so precious, that we must purchase them at p. 111anie rate. So vse your friends, as those which should be perpetuall, may bee chaungeable; while you are within your selfe, there is no daunger: but thoughts once vttered must stande to hazard. Do not hear from your selfe, what you would be loath to hear from others. In al good thinges giuegive your eye and eare the ful scope, for they let into the minde; restraine the tongue, for it is a spender: fewe men hauehave repented them of silence: In all serious matters take counsel of daies, & nights and friends; & let leasure ripen your purposes: neither hope to gain ought by suddennesse: The first thoughtes may be confident, the second are wiser. Serue honestie euer, though without apparant wages: she wil pay sure, if slow: As in apparell, so in actions, know not what is good, but what becomes you: how manie warrantable p. 112acts hauehave mishapen the Authors. Excuse not your owne ill, aggrauate not others: and if you louelove peace, auoide Censures, comparisons, contradictions: out of good men chuse acquaintance, of acquaintance, friends, of friends, familiars: after probation admit them, & after admittance change them not: Age commendeth friendship. Do not alwayes your best; it is neither wise, nor safe for a man euer to stand vponupon the top of his strength. If you would be aboue the expectation of others, bee euer below your selfe. Expende after your purse, not after your minde; take not where you may deny, except vponupon Conscience of desert, or hope to requite. Eyther frequent suites, or complaints, are wearisome to any friende: Rather smother your griefes and wantes as you may, then be either querullous, or importunate. p. 113Let not your face belye your heart, nor alwaies tell tales out of it; he is fit to liue amongst frends or enimies, that can be ingenuously close: GiueGive freely, sell thriftily: Change seldome your place, neuer your state: either amend inconueniences, or swallow them; rather then you should run from your selfe to auoide them.

In al your reckonings for the world, cast vp some crosses that appeare not; either those will come, or may: Let your suspicions bee charitable; your trust fearfull; your censures sure. GiueGive way to the anger of the great: The Thunder and Cannon will abide no fence. As in throngs we are affraid of losse; so while the world comes vponupon you, look wel to your soule; There is more danger in good, then in euil: I fear the number of these my rules; for Precepts are wont (as nayles) to driue p. 114out one another: but these, I intended to scatter amongest many: and I was loath that anie guest should complain of a niggardly hand; Daintie Dishes are woont to be sparingly serued out; homely ones, supply in their bignesse, what they want in their worth.

FINIS.

End of the text · Joseph Hall, Epistles Volume 2 (1608)