Epistles Volume 2, Decade 4 – Dedication 2

Epistles Volume 2 · Decade 4 – Dedication 2

p. 113¶ The Fourth Decade.

EPIST. I. To M^r. Walter Fitzwilliams. EP. I. A Discourse of the true and lawfull vse of pleasures; how we may moderate them, how we may inioy them with safetie.

INdeed; wherein standes the vse of Wisdome, if not in tempering our pleasures and sorrowes? and so disposing our selues in spight of all occurrents, that the world may not p. 114blow vponupon vsus with an vnequall gale, neither tearing our sailes, nor slackning them. Euents will varie; if we continue the same, it matters not: nothing can ouerturne him, that hath power ouer himselfe. Of the two, I confesse it harder to manage prosperitie, and to auoid hurt from good: strong and colde windes doe but make vsus gather vp our cloake more round, more close; but to keepe it about vsus in a hote Sunneshine, to run and not sweat, to sweat and not faint; how difficult it is! I see some that auoid pleasures for their danger, and which dare not but abandon lawfull delights, for feare of sinne; who seeme to me like some ignorant Metallists, which cast away the precious Ore, because they can not separate the golde from the drosse; or some simple Iew, that p. 115condemnes the pure streames of Iordan, because it falles into the dead sea. Why doe not these men refuse to eat, because meat hath made many Gluttons? Or, how dare they couer themselues, that know there is pride in rags? These hard Tutors, if not Tyrants, to themselues, whiles they pretend a mortified strictnesse, are iniurious to their owne libertie, to the liberalitie of their Maker: Wherefore hath he created, and giuen the choice commodities of this earth, if not for vse? Or why placed he Man in a Paradise, not in a Desert? How can we more displease a liberall friend, than to depart from his delicate feast wilfully hungry? They are deceiued that call this holinesse; it is the disease of a minde sullen, distrustfull, impotent: There is nothing but euill, which is not from p. 116heauen; and hee is none of Gods friends, that reiects his gifts for his owne abuse. Heare mee therefore, and true Philosophie; There is a neerer way than this, and a fairer: if you will be a wise Christian, tread in it. Learne first by a iust suruey, to know the due and lawful bounds of pleasure; and then beware, either to go beyond a knowen Mere, or in the licence of your owne desires, to remoue it. That God, that hath curb'd in the furie of that vnquiet and foaming element▪ and sayd of olde, Heere shalt thou stay thy proud waues, hath done no lesse for the rage of our appetite. Beholde, our limits are not obscure; which if wee once passe, our inundation is perilous and sinfull. No iust delight wanteth either his warrant, or his termes. More plainly, be acquainted p. 117both with the qualitie of pleasures, and the measure: Manie a soule hath lost it selfe in a lawfull delight, through excesse: and not fewer hauehave perished in those, whose nature is vicious, without respect of immoderation: Your care must auoid both. The taste of the one is deadly, of the other, a full carouse: and in truth, it is easier for a Christian, not to taste of that, than not to be drunke with this. The ill is more easily auoided, than the indifferent moderated. Pleasure is of a winding, and serpentine nature; admit the head, the bodie will aske no leaue: and sooner may you stop the entrance, than stay the proceeding. Withall, her insinuations are so cunning, that you shall not perceiue your excesse, till you be sicke of a surfet: A little honie is p. 118sweet; much, fulsome. For the attaining of this temper, then, settle in your selfe a right estimation of that wherein you delight: resolue eueryevery thing into his first matter, and there will be more danger of contempt, than ouer-ioying. What are the goodly sumptuous buildings we admire, but a little burnt and hardned earth? What is the stately and wondrous building of this humane bodie, whose beautie wee dote vponupon, but the same earth we tread on, better tempered; but worse, when it wants his guest? What are those precious mettals whom wee worship, but veines of earth better coloured? What are costly robes, but such as are giuen of wormes, and consumed of moths? Then, from their beginning, looke to their end, and see laughter conclude in teares; p. 119see death in this sweet pot. Thy conscience scourges thee with a long smart for a short libertie, and for an imperfect delight, giues thee perfect torment: Alas, what an hard penny-worth; so little pleasure for so much repentance! Inioy it, if thou canst; but if while the sword hangs ouer thee in an horses haire, still threatning his fall and thine, thou canst be securely iocund; I wonder, but enuy not. Now I heare you recall me, and after all my discourse (as no whit yet wiser) inquire by what rule our pleasures shall be iudged immoderate? Wee are all friends to our selues, and our indulgence will hardly call any fauor too much. I send you not (tho I might) to your bodie, to your calling for this triall; while your delights exclude not the presence, the fruition p. 120of God, you are safe: the louelove of the medicine is no hinderance to the louelove of health: let all your pleasures hauehave reference to the highest good, and you can not exceed. You see the Angels sent about Gods messages to this earth, yet neuer out of their heauen, neuer without the vision of their Maker. These earthly things cause not distraction, if wee rest not in them, if wee can looke thorow them, to their giuer. The minde that desires them for their owne sakes, and suffers it selfe taken vp with their sweetnesse as his main end, is alreadie drunken. It is not the vse of pleasure that offends, but the affectation. How many great Kings hauehave been Saints? They could not hauehave been Kings without choice of earthly delights; they could not hauehave been Saints with earthly affections. p. 121If God hauehave mixed you a sweet cuppe, drinke it cheerefully; commend the taste, and be thankefull; but reioyce in it as his. Vse pleasures without dotage; as in God, from God, to God; you are as free from errour, as miserie.

p. 123Written to W. F. and DD. to M^r. Robert Jermin.

EP. II. A Discourse of the bloody vse of single combats; the iniustice of all pretences of their lawfulnesse; setting foorth the danger and sinfulnesse of this false and vnchristian manhood.

YOV hauehave receiued a proud challenge, and now holde your selfe bound vponupon tearmes of honour, to accept it. Heare first the answer of a friend, before you giuegive an answer to your enemie; receiue the counsell of louelove, ere you p. 124enter those courses of reuenge: Thinke not you may reiect mee, because my profession is Peace; I speake from him, which is not only the Prince of Peace, but the God of Hosts; of whom if you will not learne to manage your hand and your sword, I shall grieue to see, that courage hath made you rebellious. Grant once that you are a Christian, and this victory is mine; I ouercome, and you fight not: would God the furie of mens passions could be as easily conquered, as their iudgements conuinced; how manie thousands had beene free from blood! This conceit of false fortitude hath cost wel-neere as many liues as lawfull warre, or, as opinion of heresie. Let mee tell you with confidence, that all duels or single Combats are murderous; p. 125blanche them ouer (how you list) with names of honour, and honest pretences; their vse is sinfull, and their nature diuellish.

Let vsus two, if you please, (before hand) enter into these lists of words. Let reason (which is a more harmelesse fight) conflict with reason: Take whom you will with you into this field; of all the Philosophers, Ciuilians, Canonists; for Diuines (I hope) you shall finde none; and let the right of this truth be tried vponupon a iust induction.

I only premise this caution, (lest wee quarrell about the cause of this quarrell) that necessitie must be excluded from these vnlawfull fights; which euer alters their qualitie, and remoues their euill: The defense of our life, the iniunction of a Magistrate, are euer excepted: voluntary p. 126combats are onelyonly questioned; or whose necessitie wee doe not finde, but make. There are not many causes that can draw vsus foorth single into the field, with colour of equity. Let the first be the trial of some hidden right; whether of innocence vponupon a false accusation, or of title to inheritance, not determinable by course of lawes. A proceeding not tolerable among Christians, because it wants both warrant and certainty. Where euer did God bid thee hazzard thy life for thy name? Where did hee promise to second thee? When thou art without thy commandement, without his promise, thou art without thy protection. He takes charge of thee, but when thou art in thy waies; yea in his. If this be Gods way, where did he chalke it out? If thou want his p. 127word, looke not for his aid. Miserable is that man, which in dangerous actions, is left to his owne keeping; yea how plainly doth the euent shew Gods dislike? How oft hath innocence lien bleeding in these combats, and guiltinesse insulted in the conquest? Those very decretals (whom we oft cite not, often trust not) report the inequalitie of this issue. Two men are brought to the barre, one accuses the other of theft, without further euidence, either to cleere, or conuince: The sword is called for, both witnesse, and Iudge: They meet, and combat: The innocent party is slaine: The stoll'n goods are found after in other hands, and confessed. O the iniustice of humane sentences! O wretched estate of the party miscarried! His good name is lost with p. 128his life, which he would hauehave redeemed with his valour: hee both dies and sins, while hee striues to seeme cleere of a sinne. Therefore men say he is guilty, because he is dead, while the others wickednesse is rewarded with glory. I am deceiued, if in this case there were not three murderers; the Iudge, the aduersarie, himselfe. Let no man challenge God for neglect of innocence, but rather magnifie him for reuenge of presumption. What he inioynes, that he vndertakes, he maintaines: who art thou, ô vaine man, that darest expect him a party in thine own braules? But there is no other way of triall: better none than this. Innocencie or land is questioned; and now we send two men into the lists, to try whether is the better fencer: what is the strength of skill of the p. 129champians, to the iustice of the cause? Wherefore serue our owne oathes, where to witnesse, records, lotteries, and other purgations? Or why put we not men as well to the olde Saxon, or Liuonian, Ordalian trials of hote yrons, or scalding liquors? It is farre better some truths should be vnknowen, than vnlawfully searched. Another cause seemingly warrantable may be the determining of warre, preuention of common bloodshed: Two armies are ready to ioyne battell, the field is sure to be bloody on both sides; either part chuses a champian; they two fight for all: the life of one shall ransome a thousand. Our Philosophers, our Lawyers shout for applause of this Monomachy, as a way neere, easie, safe: I dare not: Either the warre is iust, or vniust: if vniust, p. 130the hazzard of one is too much; if iust, too little. The cause of a iust warre must be, besides true, important; the title common, wherin stil a whole state is interessed; therefore may not, without rashnesse and tentation of God, be cast vponupon two hands. The holy story neuer records any, but a barbarous Philistine, to make this offer, and that in the presumption of his vnmatchablenesse. Profane monuments report many, & some on this ground wisely reiected. Tullus challenged Albanus, that the right of the two hosts might be decided by the two captaines; hee returned a graue replie (which I neuer read noted of cowardise) That this sute of honor stood not in them two, but in the two cities of Alba and Rome.

All causes of publike right are p. 131Gods: when we put to our hand in Gods cause, then may we looke for his. In vaine we hope for successe, if we do not our vtmost; wherefore either warre must bee determined without swords, or with many: why should all the heads of the Common-wealth stand vponupon the necke and shoulders of one Champian? If he miscary, it is iniury to lose her; if he preuaile, yet it is iniury to hazzard her: yet respecting the parties themselues, I can not but grant it neerest to equitie, and the best of combats, that some blood should bee hazzarded, that more may bee out of hazzard. I descend to your case, which is yet further from likelihood of approofe; for what can you plead but your credit? others opinion? You fight, not so much against anothers life, as your owne p. 132reproch: you are wronged, and now if you challenge not; or you are challenged, and if you accept not, the world condemnes you for a coward; who would not rather hazzard his life, than blemish his reputation? It were well, if this resolution were as wise as gallant. If I speake to a Christian, this courage must be rectified. Tell mee, what world is this, whose censure you feare? Is it not that, which God hath branded long agoe with Positus in maligno? Is it not that which hath euer misconstrued, discouraged, disgraced, persecuted goodnesse? That which reproched, condemned your Sauiour? What do you vnderunder these colours, if you regard the fauour of that, whose amitie is enmitie with God? What care you for the censure of him, whom you should both p. 133scorne and vanquish? Did euer wise Christians, did euer your Master allow either this manhood, or this feare? Was there euer any thing more strictly, more fearefully forbidden of him, than reuenge in the challenge; than in the answer, payment of euill; and murder in both? It is pity, that euer the water of baptisme was spilt vponupon his face, that cares more to discontent the world, than to wrong God: He sayth, Vengeance is mine: and you steale it from him in a glorious theft, hazzarding your soule more than your bodie. You are weary of your selfe, while you thrust one part vponupon the sword of an enemie, the other, on Gods. Yet, perhaps I hauehave yeelded too much. Let go Christians; The wiser world of men (and who els are worth respect?) will not passe this p. 134odious verdict vponupon your refusall: valiant men hauehave reiected challenges, with their honours vntainted. Augustus, when hee receiued a defiance, and braue appointment of combat from Antony, could answer him, That if Antony were wearie of liuing, there were wayes enow besides to death. And that Scythian King returned no other replie to Iohn the Emperour of Constantinople. And Metellus challenged by Sertorius, durst answer scornfully, with his penne, not with his sword; That it was not for a Captaine to die a souldiers death. Was it not dishonourable for these wise and noble Heathens to turne off these desperate offers? What law hath made it so with vsus? Shall I seriously tell you? Nothing, but the meere opinion of some humorous gallants, that hauehave p. 135more heart than braine; confirm'd by a more idle custome: Worthie grounds, wheron to spend both life and soule; wheron to neglect God, himselfe, posteritie. Go now & take vp that sword, of whose sharpnesse you hauehave boasted, and hasten to the field; whether you die or kill, you hauehave murdered. If you suruiue, you are haunted with the conscience of blood; if you die, with the torments; and if neither of these, yet it is murder, that you would hauehave killed. See whether the fame of a braue fight can yeeld you a counteruailable redresse of these mischiefs: how much more happily valiant had it been to master your selfe, to feare sin more than shame, to contemn the world, to pardon a wrong, to preferre true Christianitie, before idle manhood, to liue and do well!

p. 137To M^r. Mat. Milward.

EP. III. A Discourse of the pleasure of studie and contemplation, with the varieties of Scholar-like imploiments, not without incitation of others thereunto; and a censure of their neglect.

I Can wonder at nothing more, than how a man can be idle; but of all other, a Scholar; in so many improuements of reason, in such sweetnesse of knowledge, in such varietie of studies, in such importunitie of thoughts. Other Artizans do but practise, we still learn; p. 138others run still in the same gyre, to wearinesse, to satietie, our choice is infinite: other labours require recreations, our very labour recreats our sports: we can neuer want, either somewhat to do, or somewhat that we would do. How numberlesse are those volumes which men hauehave written, of arts, of tongues! How endlesse is that volume which GOD hath written of the world! wherein eueryevery creature is a letter, eueryevery day a new page: who can be weary of either of these? To finde wit in Poetrie, in Philosophie profoundnesse, in Mathematikes acutenesse, in Historie wonder of euents, in Oratorie sweet eloquence, in Diuinitie supernaturall light and holy deuotion; as so many rich mettals in their proper mines, whom would it not rauish with delight? After all p. 139these, let vsus but open our eyes, wee can not looke beside a lesson, in this vniuersall BOOKE of our Maker, worth our studie, worth taking out. What creature hath not his miracle? what euent doth not challenge his obseruation? And if wearie of forraine imploiment we list to looke home into our selues, there we find a more priuate world of thoughts, which set vsus on worke anew, more busily, not lesse profitable; now, our silence is vocall, our solitarinesse popular, and wee are shut vp, to doe good vntounto many. And if once wee be cloyed with our owne company, the doore of conference is open; heere interchange of discourse (besides pleasure) benefits vsus: and he is a weake companion, from whom we returne not wiser. I could enuy, if I could beleeue, that Anachoret, p. 140who secluded from the world, and pent vp in his voluntarie prisonwalles, denied that he thought the day long, whiles yet he wanted learning to varie his thoughts. Not to be cloyed with the same conceit, is difficult aboue humane strength; but to a man so furnished with all sorts of knowledge, that according to his dispositions he can change his studies, I should wonder, that euer the Sun should seeme to pace slowly. How many busie tongues chase away good houres in pleasant chat, and complain of the haste of night! What ingenuous minde can be sooner wearie of talking with learned Authours, the most harmlesse, and sweetest of companions? What an heauen liues a Scholar in, that at once in one close roome can dayly conuerse with all the glorious Martyrs p. 141and Fathers? That can single out, at pleasure, either sententious Tertullian, or graue Cyprian, or resolute Hierome, or flowing Chrysostome, or diuine Ambrose, or deuout Bernard, or (who alone is all these) heauenly Augustine, and talk with them, and heare their wise and holy counsels, verdicts, resolutions: yea, (to rise higher) with courtly Esay, with learned Paul, withall their fellow-Prophets, Apostles: yet more, like another Moses, with God himselfe, in them both? Let the world contemne vsus; while we hauehave these delights, wee cannot enuy them: wee cannot wish our selues other than we are. Besides, the way to al other contentments is troublesome; the only recompence is in the end. To delue in the mines, to scorch in the fire for the getting, for the fining of p. 142gold, is a slauish toile; the comfort is in the wedge; to the owner, not the laborers; where our very search of knowledge is delightsome. Study it selfe, is our life; from which wee would not bee barred for a World. How much sweeter then is the fruit of study, the conscience of knowledge? In comparison whereof, the soule that hath once tasted it, easily contemnes all humane comforts. Goe now ye worldlings, and insult ouer our palenesse, our needinesse, our neglect. Yee could not bee so iocund, if you were not ignorant: if you did not want knowledge, you could not ouer-looke him that hath it: For mee, I am so far from emulating you, that I professe, I had as leue be a brute beast, as an ignorant rich man. How is it then, that those gallants, which p. 143hauehave priuilege of blood and birth, and better education, doe so scornfully turne off these most manlie, reasonable, noble exercises of scholarship? An hauke becoms their fist better than a booke: No dogge but is a better companion: Any thing, or nothing, rather than what wee ought. O mindes brutishly sensuall! Doe they thinke that GOD made them for disport? who euen in his Paradise, would not allow pleasure, without worke. And if for businesse; either of body, or minde: Those of the bodie are commonly seruile, like it selfe. The minde therefore, the minde onelyonly, that honourable and diuine part is fittest to be imploied of those which would reach to the highest perfection of men, and would bee more than the most. And what worke is p. 144there of the minde but the trade of a scholar, studie? Let mee therefore fasten this probleme on our Schoole-gates, and challenge all commers in the defense of it; that, No Scholar can not be truly noble. And if I make it not good, let mee neuer bee admitted further than to the subiect of our question. Thus we doe well to congratulate to our selues, our owne happinesse; if others will come to vsus, it shall be our comfort, but more theirs; if not, it is enough that wee can ioy in ourselues, and in him in whom wee are that we are.

p. 145To M^r. J. P.

EP. IV. A Discourse of the increase of Poperie; of the Oath of allegeance; and the iust sufferings of those which hauehave refused it.

YOu say, your religion dayly winneth: Bragge not of your gaine: you neither need, nor can, if you consider how it gets, & whom: How, but by cunning sleights, false suggestions, impudent vntrueths? Who can not thus preuaile against a quiet and innocent aduersarie? Whom, but sillie women, or men notoriously debauched? A spoile p. 146fit for such a conquest, for such Victours. Wee are the fewer, not the worse: if all our licencious hypocrites were yours, wee should not complaine; and you might be the prouder, not the better. Glory you in this triumph, free from our enuie, who know wee hauehave lost none, but (by whom you saue nothing) either loose or simple. It were pitie that you should not forgoe some in a better exchange. The sea neuer incrocheth vponupon our shore, but it loseth elswhere: some we hauehave happily fetch't into the folde of our Church, out of your wastes; some others (tho few, and scarse a number) we hauehave sent into their heauen. Amongst these, your late second Garnet liu'd to proclame himselfe a Martyr; and by dying, perswaded. Poore man, how happy were he, if p. 147he might be his owne Iudge. That which gaue him confidence, would giuegive him glory: you beleeue, and well-neere adore him. That fatall cord of his, was too little for reliques, tho diuided into Mathematicke quantites. Whither can not conceit lead vsus? whether for his resolution, or your credulitie? His death was fearelesse: I commend his stomach, not his minde. How many malefactors hauehave we knowen that hauehave laughed vponupon their executioner, and iested away their last winde? You might know. It is not long since our Norfolke Arrian leap't at his stake. How oft hauehave you learned in martyrdome to regard not the death but the cause? Els, there should be no difference in guilt and innocence, error and truth. What then? Died he for Religion? This p. 148had beene but your owne measure: wee indured your flames, which these gibbets could not acquit. But dare Impudencie it selfe affirme it? Not for meere shame, against the euidence of so many tongues, eares, records. Your prosperitie, your numbers argue enough that a man may be a Papist in Britaine, and liue. If treason be your religion, who will wonder that it is capitall? Defie that diuell which hath mock't you with this mad opinion, that treacherie is holinesse, deuotion cruelty and disobedience. I foresee your euasion: Alas, it is easie for a spightfull construction to fetch Religion within this compasse; and to say the swelling of the Foxes forehead is a horn. Nay then, let vsus fetch some honest Heathen to be Iudge betwixt vsus: Meere nature in him shal speake vnpartially p. 149of both. To hold and perswade, that a Christian King may, yea must at the Popes will be dethroned, and murdered; is it the voice of treason, or religion? And it traitorous, whether flatly or by misinferring? Besides his practises, for this hee died; witnesse your owne Catholikes. O God, if this be religion, what can be villanie! Who euer died a malefactor, if this be martyrdome? If this position be meritorious of heauen, hell is feared in vaine. O holy Sillae, Mary, Catilines, Cades, Lopezes, Gowries, Vawxes, and who euer hauehave conspired against lawfull Maiesty! all martyrs of Rome, all Saints of Beckets heauen. How well doe those palmes of celestiall triumph become hands, redde with the sacred blood of Gods anointed? I am ashamed to thinke, that humanitie p. 150should nourish such monsters, whether of men, or opinions. But you defie this sauage factiousnesse, this deuotion of diuels; and honestly wish both GOD and Caesar his own. I praise your moderation▪ but if you be true, let me yet search you: Can a man be a perfect Papist, without this opinion against it? If he may, then your Garnet and Drurie died not for religion: if he may not, then Poperie is treason. Chuse now whether you will leaue your martyrs, or your religion. What you holde of merit, free will, transubstantiation, inuocation of saints, false adoration, supremacy of Rome, no man presses, no man inquires: your present inquisition, your former examples would teach vsus; merciemercy will not let vsus learne. The only question is, Whether our King may p. 151liue, and rule; whether you may refraine from his blood, and not sin: Would you hauehave a man denie this, and not die? Would you hauehave a man thus dying honoured? Dare you approue that religion, which defends the fact, canonizes the persons? I heare your answer, from that your great Champian, which not many dayes since,The iudgement of a Catholike English man banished, &c. concerning the Apologie of the oath of Allegeance, intitled Triplici nodo, &c. with one blow hath driuen out three (not sleight) wedges: That not Ciuill obedience is stood vponupon, but Positiue doctrine: That you are readie to sweare for the Kings safetie, not against the Popes authoritie: King IAMES must liue and reigne, but Paulus Quintus must rule and be obeyed: and better were it for you to die, than your sworne allegeance should preiudice the See Apostolike. An elusion fit for children. p. 152What is to dally, if not this? As if hee sayd. The King shall liue, vnlesse the Pope will not; That he shal not be discrowned, deposed, massacred by your hands, vnlesse your holy Father should command. But (I aske, as who should not?) What if he doe command? What if your Saulus 5^•• shall breath out (like his predecessours) not threatnings but strong bellowings of excommunications, of deposition of Gods anointed? What if he shall command (after that French fashion) the throats of all Heretikes to bleed in a night? Pardon you in this: Now it is growen a point of doctrinall Diuinitie, to determine how farre the power of Peters successour may extend: You may neither sweare, nor say your hands shall not be steep't in the blood of your true Souereigne; p. 153and to die rather than sweare it, is martyrdome. But, what if heauen fall, say you? His holinesse (as you hope) will take none such courses. Woe were vsus, if our safetie depended vponupon your hopes, or his mercies. Blessed be that God, which malgrè hath made and kept vsus happie, and hath lift vsus aboue our enemies. But what hope is there, that hee who chargeth subiects not to sweare allegeance, will neuer discharge them from allegeance; that those who clamorously and shamelesly complaine to the world of our crueltie, will forbeare to sollicit others crueltie to vsus? your hopes to you, to vsus our securities. Is this the religion you father vponupon those Christian Patriarks of the primitiue age? O blessed Irency, Clemens, Cyprian, Basil, Chrysostome, Augustine, p. 154Ierome, and thou the seuerest exactor of iust censures, holy Ambrose! how would you hauehave spit at such a rebellious assertion! What speake I of Fathers? whose verie mention in such a cause were iniury, were impiety. Which of those cursed heresies of ancient times (for to them I hold it fitter to appeale) hauehave euer beene so desperatly shamelesse, as to breed, to maintaine a conceit so palpably vnnaturall; vnlesse perhaps, those olde Antitactae may vponupon generall tearm…s be compelled to patronize it, while they held it piety to breake the lawes of their Maker? For you, if you professe not to louelove willing errors, by this suspect, and iudge the rest: you see this defended with equall resolution, and with no lesse cheerefull expense of blood. In the body, where you see one monstrous p. 155deformitie, you can not affect; if you can doe so in your religion, yet how dare you? since the greater half of it stands on no other ground. Only God make you wise, and honest, you shall shake handes with this faction of Poperie; and I with you, to giuegive you a cheerfull welcome into the bosome of the Church.

p. 157To my brother, M^r. Sa. Hall.

EP. V. A discourse of the great charge of the ministeriall function; together with particular directions for due preparation thereunto, and carriage therein.

IT is a great and holy purpose (dear brother) that you hauehave entertained, of seruing God in his Church: For what higher, or more worthy imploiment can there be, than to doe these diuine duties, to such a master, and such a mother? wherein yet I should little reioice, p. 158if any necessitie had cast you vponupon this refuge: for I hate … to thinke that any desperate minde should make diuinity but a shift; and dishonour this mistresse by being forsaken of the world. This hath been the drift of your education: to this you were borne, and dedicated in a direct course. I do willingly encourage you, but not without many cautions. Enter not into so great a seruice, without much foresight: when your hand is at the plow, it is too late to loo…e backe. Bethinke your selfe seriously of the weight of this charge: and let your holy desire bee allaid with … trembling. It is a foolish rashnesse of yoong heads, when they are in Gods chaire, to wonder how they came thither, and to forget the awfulnesse of that place, in the confidence p. 159of their own strength; which is euer so much lesse, as it is more esteemed. I commend not the waiward excuses of Moses, nor the peremptory vnwillingnesse of Ammonius, and Frier Thomas, who maimed themselues, that they might be wilfully vncapable. Betwixt both these there is an humble modestie, and religious fearfulnesse, easily to bee noted in those, whom the Church honours with the name of her Fathers, worthy your imitation: wherin yet you shall need no precedents, if you well consider what worth of parts, what strictnesse of carriage, what weight of offices, God expects in this vocation. Know first, that in this place there will be more holinesse required of you, than in the ordinarie station of a Christian: for whereas before you were but as a p. 160common line, now God sets you for a copy of sanctification vntounto others, wherein eueryevery fault is both notable, and dangerous. Heere is looked for a settled acquaintance with God, and experience both of the proceedings of grace, and of the offers and repulses of tentations; which in vaine we shall hope to manage in other hearts, if we hauehave not found in our owne. To speake by aime, or rote, of repentance, of contrition, of the degrees of regeneration, and faith, is both harsh, and seldome when, not vnprofitable. We trust those Physitians best, which hauehave tried the vertue of their drugs, esteeming not of those which hauehave only borrowed of their books. Heere wilbe expected a free and absolute gouernment of affections; that you can so stere your own vessell, p. 161as not to be transported with furie, with selfe-louelove, with immoderation of pleasures, of cares, of desires, with excesse of passions; in all which, so must you demeane your selfe, as one that thinks he is no man of the world, but of God; as one too good (by his double calling) for that, which is either the felicitie, or impotencie of beasts. Here must be continuall and inward exercise of mortification, and seuere Christianitie, whereby the heart is held in due awe, and the weake flames of the spirit quickened, the ashes of our dulnesse blowen off; a practise necessary in him, whose deuotion must set many hearts on fire: Here must be wisdome, and inoffensiuenesse of carriage, as of one that goes euer vnderunder monitours, and that knowes other mens indifferencies p. 162are his euils. No man had such need to keepe a strict meane. Setting aside contempt, euen in obseruation, behold, we are made a gazing stock to the world, to Angels, to men. The very saile of your estate must be moderated; which if it beare too hie (as seldome) it incurres the censure of profusion and Epicurisme; if too low, of a base and vnbeseeming earthlinesse; your hand may not be too close for others need, nor too open for your owne; your conuersation may not be rough and sullen, nor ouer familiar and fawning; whereof the one breeds a conceit of pride, and strangenesse; the other, contempt; not loosely merry, not Cynically vnsociable; not contentious in small iniuries; in great, not hurtfully patient to the Church: your attire (for whither do not censures p. 163reach?) not youthfully wanton, not, in these yeeres, affectedly ancient, but graue and comely, like the minde, like the behauior of the wearer; your gesture like your habit, neither sauoring of giddy lightnes, nor ouerly insolence; nor wantonnesse, nor dull neglect of your selfe; but such, as may beseeme a mortified minde, full of worthy spirits: your speech like your gesture, not scurrilous, not detracting, not idle, not boasting, not rotten, not peremptorie; but honest, milde, fruitfull, sauory, and such as may both argue and worke grace: your deliberations mature, your resolutions well grounded; your deuices sage and holy.**Wherein let me aduise you, to walke euer in y^e beaten rode of the Church; not to runne out into singular paradoxes. And if you meet at any time with priuate conceits, that seeme more probable, suspect them and your selfe; and if they can win you to assent, yet smother them in your brest, and doe not dare to vent them out, either by your hand or tongue to trouble the common peace. It is a miserable praise, to be a witty disturber. Neither will it serue p. 164you to be thus good alone; but if God shall giuegive you the honour of this estate, the world will looke you should be the graue guide of a well-ordered familie: for this is proper to vsus, that the vices of our charge reflect vponupon vsus; the sinnes of others are our reproch. If another mans children mis-carry, the parent is pitied; if a Ministers, censured; yea, not our seruant is faultie without our blemish. In all these occasions (a miserie incident to vsus alone) our griefe is our shame. To descend neerer vntounto the sacred affaires of this heauenly trade; in a Minister, Gods Church is accounted both his house to dwell in, and his field to worke in; wherein (vponupon the penaltie of a curse) he faithfully, wisely, diligently, deuoutly deales with God for his people, with his people for and p. 165from God. Whether hee instruct, he must doe it with euidence of the spirit; or whether he reproue, with courage and zeale; or whether hee exhort, with meeknesse, & yet with power; or whether he confute, with demonstration of trueth, not with rage and personall maliciousnesse, not with a wilfull heat of contradiction; or whether hee admonish, with long suffering, and louelove, without preiudice, and partialitie: in a word, all these he so doth, as he that desires nothing but to honor God, and saue men. His wisdome must discerne betwixt his sheepe and wolues; in his sheepe, betwixt the holesome and vnsound; in the vnsound, betwixt the weake and tainted; in the tainted, betwixt the natures, qualities, degrees of the disease, and infection, and to all these p. 166he must know to administer a word in season. Hee hath Antidotes for all tentations, counsels for al doubts, euictions for all errours, for all languishings incouragements. No occasion from any altered estate of the soule may finde him vnfurnished: He must ascend to Gods Altar with much awe, with sincere and cheerefull deuotion; so taking, celebrating, distributing his Sauiour, as thinking himselfe at table in heauen with the blessed Angels. In the meane time, as hee wants not a thankefull regard to the Master of the feast, so not care of the guests. The greatnesse of an offender may not make him sacrilegiously partiall, nor the obscuritie negligent. I hauehave sayd little of any of our duties; and of some, nothing: yet enough, I thinke, to make you (if p. 167not timorous) carefull. Neither would I hauehave you hereupon to hide your selfe from this calling, but to prepare your selfe for it. These times call for them that are faithfull: And if they may spare some learning; conscience they can not. Goe on happily: it argues a minde Christianly noble, to be incouraged with the need of his labors, with the difficulties.

p. 169To M^rs. A. P.

EP. VI. A discourse of the signes and proofes of a true Faith.

THere is no comfort in a secret felicitie. To bee happy, and not know it, is little aboue miserable. Such is your state: only heerein better than the common case of the most; that the well of life lies open before you; but your eyes (like Agars) are not open to see it: whiles they hauehave neither water, nor eyes. p. 170We doe not much more want that which we hauehave not, than that which we doe not know we hauehave. Let me sell you some of that spirituall eye-salue which the spirit commends to his Laodiceans; that you may cleerly see how well you are. There is nothing but those scales betwixt you and happinesse. Thinke not much that I espie in you what your selfe sees not. Too much neerenesse oft-times hindreth sight: and if for the spots of our owne faces we trust others eies, why not for our perfections? You are in heauen, and know it not: Hee that beleeues, is already passed from death to life: You beleeue, whiles you complaine of vnbeleefe. If you complained not, I should mis-doubt you more, than you doe your selfe, because you complaine. Secure and insolent p. 171presumption hath killed many, that breathes nothing but confidence, and safety; & abandons al doubts, and condemnes them. That man neuer beleeued, that neuer doubted. This liquor of faith is neuer pure in these vessels of clay, without these lees of distrust. What then? Thinke not that I encourage you to doubt more; but perswade you, not to bee discouraged with doubting. All vncertainty is comfortlesse: those that teach men to coniecture, and forbid to resolue, read lectures of misery. Those doubts are but to make way for assurance; as the oft-shaking of the tree, fastens it more at the root. You are sure of God; but you are afraid of your selfe. The doubt is not in his promise; but your application. Looke into your owne heart. How know you that p. 172you know any thing, that you beleeue, that you will, that you approue, that you affect any thing? If a man, like your selfe, promise you ought, you know whether you trust him, whether you rely your selfe on his fidelitie. Why can you not know it in him that is God & man? The difference is not in the act, but the obiect. But if these habits (because of their inward and ambiguous nature) seeme hard to bee descried; turn your eies to those open markes that cannot beguile you: How many hauehave bragg'd of their faith, when they hauehave embraced nothing but a vaine cloud of presumption? EueryEvery man repeats his Creed, few feele it, few practise it. Take two boughs in the dead of winter; how like is one wood to another? how hardly discerned? p. 173Afterwards, By their fruit you shall know them. That faith, whose nature was obscure, is euident in his effects. What is faith, but the hand of the soule? What is the dutie of the hand, but either to hold, or worke? This hand then holds Christ, works obedience and holinesse: and if this act of Apprehension be as secret, as the cause; since the closed hand hideth still what it holdeth; see the hand of faith open; see what it worketh, and compare it with your owne proofe. Deny if you can (yet I had rather appeale to any Iudge, than your preiudiced selfe) that in all your needes, you can step boldlie to the Throne of Heauen, and freelie powre out your enlarged heart to your God, and craue of him, whether to receiue what you want, or that you may want; what p. 174you hauehave, and would not? Be assured from God, this can be done by no power, but (that you feare to misse) of faith. God, as he is not, so he is not called a father without this. In vaine doth he pray, that can not call God father: No father, without the spirit of adoption; no spirit, without faith: without this, you may babble, you can not pray. Assume you that you can pray, I dare conclude vponupon my soule, You beleeue. As little as you louelove your selfe, denie if you can, that you louelove God. Say that your Sauiour from heauen should aske you Peters question, could your soule returne any other answer, than Lord, thou knowest I louelove thee? Why are you els in such awe to offend, that a world can not bribe you to sin? Why in such deep griefe when you hauehave sinned, that no p. 175mirth can refresh you? Why in such feruent desire of inioying his presence? why in such agony when you inioy it not? neither doth God louelove you, neither can you louelove God without faith. Yet more, Doe you willingly nourish any one sin in your brest; do you not repent of all? Do you not hate all, tho you can not leaue all; doe you not complaine that you hate them no more? Doe you not, as for life, wish for holinesse, and indeuour it? Nothing but faith can thus clense the heart; that like a good hus-wife sweeps all the foule corners of the soule, and will not leaue so much as one web in this roomie house. Trust to it, you can not hate sinne for it owne sake, and forsake it for Gods sake, without faith: the faithlesse hath had some remorse and feares, neuer p. 176repentance. Lastly, Doe you not louelove a good man for goodnesse, and delight in Gods saints? Doth not your louelove leade you to compassion; your compassion to reliefe? An heart truly faithfull can not but hauehave an hand Christianly bountifull: Charitie and Faith make vp one perfect paire of compasses, that can take the true latitude of a Christian heart: Faith is the one foot, pitch't in the center vnmoueablie, whiles Charitie walks about, in a perfect circle of beneficence: these two neuer did, neuer can goe asunder. Warrant you your louelove, I dare warrant your Faith: Wha… need I say more? This heat of your affections, and this light of your works, will euince against all the gates of hell, that you hauehave the fire of Faith: let your soule then warme p. 177it selfe with these sweet and cordiall flames, against all those colde despaires, whereto you are tempted; say, Lord, I beleeue; and I will giuegive you leaue still to adde, Helpe my vnbeleefe.

p. 179To M^r. Ed. Alleyne.

EP. VII. A direction how to conceiue of God in our deuotions and meditations.

YOu hauehave chosen, and iudged well: How to conceiue of the Deitie in our prayers, in our meditations, is both the deepest point of all Christianitie, and the most necessarie: so deepe, that if we wade into it, we may easily drowne, neuer finde the bottome: so necessary, that without it, our selues, our seruices are profane, irreligious: we are all borne Idolaters, naturally p. 180prone to fashion God to some form of our owne, whether of an humane body, or of admirable light; or if our mind hauehave any other more likely, and pleasing image. First then, away with all these wicked thoghts, these grosse deuotions, and with Iacob bury all your strange Gods vnderunder the oake of Shechem, ere you offer to set vp Gods Altar at Bethel, and without all mentall representations, conceiue of your God purely, simply, spiritually; as of an absolute being, without forme, without matter, without composition; yea, an infinite, without all limit of thoughts. Let your heart adore a spirituall Maiestie, which it can not comprehend, yet knowes to bee; and, as it were, lose it selfe in his infinitenesse. Thinke of him, as not to be thought of, as one, whose wisdome p. 181is his iustice, whose iustice is his power, whose power is his merciemercy; and whose wisdome, iustice, power, mercy is himselfe: as without qualitie good, great without quantitie, euerlasting without time, present eueryevery where without place, containing all things without extent: and when your thoughts are come to the highest, stay there, and be content to woonder, in silence: & if you can not reach to conceiue of him as hee is, yet take heed you conceiue not of him as hee is not. Neither wil it suffice your Christian minde, to hauehave this awfull and confused apprehension of the Deitie, without a more speciall and inward conceit of three in this one; three persons in this one essence, not diuided, but distinguished; and not more mingled than diuided. There p. 182is nothing, wherein the want of words can wrong and grieue vsus, but in this: Here alone, as we can adore, and not conceiue; so wee can conceiue, and not vtter; yea, vtter our selues, and not be conceiued: yet as we may, Thinke heere of one substance in three subsistences; one essence in three relations; one Iehouah begetting, begotten, proceeding; Father, Sonne, Spirit: yet so, as the Sonne is no other thing from the Father, but another person; or the Spirit from the Sonne. Let your thoughts heere walke warily, the path is narrow: the conceit either of three substances or but one subsistence, is damnable. Let me leade you yet higher, and further, in this intricate way, towards the Throne of Grace: All this will not auaile you, if you take not your Mediator p. 183with you: if you apprehend not a true manhood, gloriously vnited to the Godhead, without change of either nature, without mixture of both; whose presence, whose merits must giuegive passage, acceptance, vigor, to your prayers.

Heere must be therefore (as you see) thoughts holily mixed: of a Godhead and humanitie: one person in two natures: of the same Deitie, in diuers persons, and one nature: wherin (if euer) heauenly wisdome must bestirre it selfe, in directing vsus, so to seuer these apprehensions, that none be neglected; so to conioyne them, that they be not confounded. O the depth of diuine mysteries, more than can be woondred at! O the necessitie of this hie knowledge, which who attaine not, may babble, but prayeth not! Still p. 184you doubt, and aske if you may not direct your prayers to one person of three. Why not? Safely, and with comfort: What need wee feare, while we hauehave our Sauiour for our patterne: O my Father (if possible) let this Cup passe: and Paul eueryevery where, both in thankes and requests: but with due care of worshipping all in one. Exclude the other, while you fix your heart vponupon one, your praier is sinne; retaine all, and mention one, you offend not. None of them doth ought for vsus, without all. It is a true rule of Diuines: all their externall works are common: To sollicite one therfore, and not all, were iniurious. And if you stay your thoughts vponupon the sacred humanitie of Christ, with an inseparable adoration of the Godhead vnited, and thence climbe vp to the holy conceit p. 185of that blessed and dreadfull Trinitie, I dare not censure, I dare not but commend your diuine method. Thus should Christians ascend from earth to heauen, from one heauen to another. If I hauehave giuen your deuotions any light, it is well: the least glimpse of this knowledge, is worth all the full gleames of humane and earthly skill. But I mistake, if your own heart wrought vponupon with serious meditations (vnderunder that spirit of illumination) will not proue your best master. After this weake direction, studie to conceiue aright, that you may pray aright; and pray that you may conceiue, and meditate that you may do both: and the God of heauen direct you, inable you, that you may do all.

p. 187To M^r. Thomas Iames of OXFORD.

EP. IIX. A discourse of the grounds of the Papists confidence in appealing to the Fathers: applauding his worthy offers and indeuours of discouering the falsifications and deprauations of antiquity.

SIr, I know no man so like as you, to make posterity his debter. I doe hartily congratulate vntounto you so worthy labours, so noble a proiect. Our aduersaries, knowing of themselues (that which Tertullian p. 188saith of all heresies) that if appeale bee made to the sacred bench of Prophets and Apostles, they cannot stand; remooue the suit of Religion craftily, into the Court of the Fathers: A reuerend triall, as any vnderunder heauen; where it cannot be spoken, how confidently they triumph ere the conflict. GiueGive vsus the Fathers for our Iudges (say Campian and Posseuine) the day is ours. And whence is this courage? Is Antiquitie our enemie, their aduocate? Certainlie it cannot be truth that is new: We would renounce our Religion, if it could be ouer-look't for time. Let goe equitie, the older take both. There bee two things then, that giuegive them heart in this prouocation: One, the bastardie of false Fathers; the other, the corruption of the true. What a flourish p. 189do they make with vsurped names? Whom would it not amaze to see the frequent citations of the Apostles owne Canons, Constitutions, Liturgies, Masses: of Clemens, Dennys the Areopagite, Linus, Hippolytus, Martial of Burdeaux, Egesippus: Donations of Constantine the great, and Lewis the godly: Of 50. Canons of Nice: of Dorotheus, Damasus his Pontificall; Epistles decretall of Clemens, Euaristus, Telesphorus, and an hundred other Bishops holy and ancient; of Euodius, Anastasius, Simeon Metaphrastes, and more yet than a number more; most whereof hauehave crept out of the Vatican, or Cloisters; and all carrie in them manifest brands of falshood, & supposition. That I may say nothing of those infinite writings, which either ignorance, or wilfulnesse, hath fathered p. 190vponupon eueryevery of the Fathers, not without shamelesse importunitie, and grosse impossibilities: all which (as shee said of Peter) their speech bewraieth; or (as Austen said of Cyprians stile) their face. This fraud is more easily auoided: For as in notorious burglairies, oft times there is either an hat, or a gloue, or a weapon left behinde, which descrieth the authors; so the God of truth hath besotted these impostors, to let fall some palpable error (tho but of false calculation) whereby, if not their names, yet their ages might appeare, to their conuiction. Most danger is in the secret corruption of the true, and acknowledged issue of those gracious parents; whom, through close and craftie handling, they hauehave induced to belie those that begot them; and to betray p. 191their Fathers, either with silence, or false euidence. Plainly, how are the honoured volumes of faithfull antiquitie, blurred, interlined, altered, depraued by subtle treacherie; and made to speak what they meant not? Fie on this, not so much iniustice, as impietie, to race the awfull monuments of the dead; to blot and change the originall will of the deceased, and partially to insert our owne legacies. This is done by our guiltie aduersaries, to the iniury not more of these Authors, than of the present and succeding times. Hence those Fathers are some-where not ours: What wonder? while they are not themselues. Your industry hath offered (and that motion is liuely, and heroicall) to challenge all their learned and elegant pages, from iniury of corruption; to restore them p. 192to themselues, and to vsus: that which all the learned of our times hauehave but desired to see done, you proffer to effect: your assay in Cyprian and Austen is happy, and iustly applauded. All our Libraries, whom your diligent hand hath ransackt, offer their aid, in such abundance of manuscripts, as al Europe would enuy to see met in one Iland. After all this, for that the most spightfull imputation to our Truth is Noueltie, you offer to deduce her pedegree from those primitiue times, through the successions of all ages; and to bring into the light of the world many (as yet obscure) but no lesse certaine and authenticall Patrons, in a continued line of defence. You hauehave giuen proofe enough, that these are no glorious vaunts, but the zealous challenges of an able Champian. p. 193What wanteth then? Let me say for you: Not an heart, not an head, not an hand; but (which I almost scorn to name in such a cause) a purse. If this continue your hindrance, it will not be more our losse than shame. Heare me a little, ye great and wealthy: Hath God loaded you with so much substance; and will you not lend him a little of his owne? Shall your riot be fed with excesse; while Gods cause shall starue for want? Shall our aduersaries so insultingly out-bid vsus; and in the zeale of their profusion laugh at our heartlesse and cold niggardlinesse? Shall heauenly truth lie in the dust for want of a little stamped earth to raise her? How can you so much any way honour God, yea your selues, deserue of posteritie, pleasure the Church, and make you so good friends of p. 194your Mammon? Let not the …e… age say, that she had so vnkinde predecessours. Fetch forth of your superfluous store, and cast in your rich gifts into this Treasurie of the Temple. The Lord and his Church hauehave need. For you, it angers mee to see how that flattering Posseuinus smoothly intices you from vsus with golden offers, vponupon the aduantage of our neglect; as if hee (measuring your minde by his owne) thought that an Omnia dabo would bring you with himselfe on your knees to worship the diuell, the beast, the image of both: as if we were not as able to incourage, to reward desert. Hath Vertue no Patrons on this side the Alpes? Are those hilles onelyonly the thresholds of honour? I plead not, because I can not feare you: But who sees not how munificently our p. 195Church scattereth her bountifull fauors vponupon lesse merit. If your day be not yet come, expect it; God and the Church owe you a benefit; if their payment be long, it is sure. Only goe you on with courage, in those your high indeuors; and in the meane time, thinke it great recompense to hauehave deserued.

p. 197To M^r. E. A.

EP. IX. A Discourse of fleeing or stay in the time of pestilence; whether lawfull for Minister or people.

HOw many hath a seduced conscience led vntimely to the graue? I speake of this sad occasion of pestilence. The Angell of God followes you, and you doubt whether you should flee. If a lion out of the forest should pursue you, you would make no question, yet could not he doe it vnsent. What is the difference? Both instruments of diuine reuenge; both threaten p. 198death; one by spilling the blood, the other by infecting it. Who knowes whether hee hath not appointed your Zoar out of the lists of this destruction? You say, it is Gods visitation. What euill is not? It war hauehave wasted the confines of your countrey, you saue your throats by flight: Why are you more fauorable to Gods immediate sword of pestilence? Very leprosie, by Gods law, requires a separation; yet no mortall sicknesse. When you see a noted leper proclame his vncleannesse in the street, will you embrace him for his sake that hath stroken him, or auoid him for his sake that hath forbidden you? If you honor his rod, much more will you regard his precept. If you mislike not the affliction because he sends it, then louelove the life which you hauehave of his p. 199sending; feare the iudgement which he will send, if you louelove it not. He that bids vsus flee when we are persecuted, hath neither excepted Angel nor man; whether soeuer, I feare our guiltinesse, if wilfully wee flee not. But whither shall we flee from God? say you: where shall he not both find and lead vsus? whither shall not our destinie follow vsus? Vaine men, we may run from our home, not from our graue; Death is subtle, our time is set; we can not, God will not alter it. Alas, how wise we are to wrong our selues! Because death will ouertake vsus, shall we run and meet him? Because Gods decree is sure, shall wee be desperate? Shall wee presume, because GOD changeth not? Why do we not trie eueryevery knife and cord, since our time is neither capable of preuention nor p. 200delay: our end is set, not without our meanes. In matter of danger where the end is not knowen, the meanes must bee suspected; in matter of hope where the end is not knowen, meanes must be vsed. Vse then freely the meanes of your flight, suspect the danger of your stay; and since there is no particular necessitie of your presence, know that God bids you depart and liue. You vrge the instance of your Minister: How vnequally? There is not more lawfulnesse in your flight, than sin in ours: you are your own, we our peoples; you are charged with a body, which you may not willingly leese, not hazard by staying; we with all their soules, which to hazard by absence, is to lose our owne; wee must louelove our liues, but not when they are riuals with our soules, or with others. p. 201How much better is it to be dead, than negligent, than faithlesse! If some bodies be contagiously sicke, shall all soules be wilfully neglected? There can be no time wherin good counsell is so seasonable, so needfull. EueryEvery threatning findes impression, where the mind is prepared by sensible iudgements. When will the iron hearts of men bow, if not when they are heat in the flame of Gods affliction? Now then, to run away from a necessarie and publike good, to auoid a doubtfull and priuate euill, is to run into a worse euill than we would auoid. He that will thus run from Niniue to Tharsis, shall find a Tempest and a Whale in his way. Not that I dare be an Author to any of the priuate visitation of infected beddes: I dare not, without better warrant. Who euer said wee were p. 202bound to close vp the dying eyes of eueryevery departing Christian? and vponupon what euer conditions, to heare their last groanes? If we had a word, I would not debate of the successe. Then, that were cowardlines, which now is wisdome. Is it no seruice, that wee publiquely teach and exhort? that we priuatly prepare men for death, and arme them against it? that our comfortable letters, and messages stir vp their fainting harts? that our loud voices pierce their eares afarre; vnlesse wee feele their pulses, and leane vponupon their pillowes, and whisper in their eares? Daniel is in the lions denne; Is it nothing, that Darius speaks comfort to him thorow the grate, vnlesse he go in to salute him among those fierce companions? A good Minister is the common goods, hee can not p. 203make his life peculiar to one, without iniurie to many. In the common cause of the Church, he must be no niggard of his life; in the priuate cause of a neighbours bodily sicknesse, he may soon be prodigall. A good father may not spend his substance on one child, & leaue the rest beggers. If any man be resolute in the contrary, I had rather praise his courage, than imitate his practise. I confesse, I feare; not so much death, as want of warrant for death.

p. 205To M^r. R. B.

EP. X. A Complaint of the iniquitie of the Times, with a prescription of the meanes to redresse it.

WHILES I accused the Times, you vndertooke their patronage. I commend your charitie, not your cause. It is true: There was neuer any age not complained of; neuer any that was not censured, as worst. What is, we see; what was, we neither inquire, nor care. That which is out of sight and vse, is soon out of minde, and ere long out of memory. Yet the iniquity of others p. 206can not excuse ours. And if you wil be but as iust as charitable, you shall confesse, that both some times exceed others in euill, and these, all. This earthlie Moone the Church hath her fulles and wanings, and sometimes her eclypses; whiles the shadow of this sinfull masse hides her beauty from the world. So long as shee wadeth in this planetarie world, it should be vaine to expect better: it is enough when she is fixed aboue, to be free from all change. This you yeeld, but nothing can perswade you, that shee is not now in the full of her glory. True: or els she were not subiect to this darkening. There was neuer more light of knowledge; neuer more darknesse of impietie: and there could not be such darkenesse, if there were not such light. Goodnesse repulsed, p. 207giues height to sinne: therefore are wee worse than our predecessours, because wee might bee better. By how much our meanes are greater, by so much are our defects. Turne ouer all Records, and parallell such helpes, such care, such cost, such expectation, with such fruit, I yeeld: We see but our owne times: There was neuer but one Noah (whom the heathens celebrated vnderunder another name) that with two faces saw both before, and behinde him: But loe, that Ancient of daies, to whom all times are present, hath told vsus, that these last shall be worst: Our experience iustifies him, with all but the wilful. This censure (lest you should condemne my rigour, as vnnaturally partiall) is not confined to our seas, but; free and common, hath the same bounds with the earth. I p. 208ioy not in this large society. Would God wee were euill alone. How few are those, whose carriage doth not say, that profession of any conscience is pusillanimitie? How few that care so much, as to shew well? And yet of those few, how many care only to seeme? whose words disagree from their actions, & their hearts from their words? Where shall a man mew vp himselfe, that he may not be a witnesse of what he would not? What can hee see, or heare, and not bee either sad, or guilty? Oathes striue for number with words; scoffes with oaths, vain speeches with both. They are rare hands, that are free either from aspersions of blood, or spots of filthinesse. Let me be at once (as I vse) bold and plaine: Wanton excesse, excessiue pride, close Atheisme, impudent p. 209prophanenesse, vnmercifull oppression, ouer-mercifull conniuence, greedy couetousnesse, loose prodigalitie, simoniacall sacrilege, vnbridled luxurie, beastly drunkennesse, bloody treachery, cunning fraud, slanderous detraction, enuious vnderminings, secret Idolatrie, hypocritical fashionablenesse, hauehave spred themselues all ouer the world. The Sunne of peace looking vponupon our vncleane heaps, hath bred these monsters, and hath giuen light to this brood of darknesse. Looke about you, and see if three great Idols, Honour, Pleasure, Gain, hauehave not shared the earth amongst them, and left him least, whose all is. Your deniall driues mee to particulars. I vrge no further. If any aduersarie insult in my confession, tel him, that I account them the greatest part of p. 210this euill; neither could thus complain, if they were not. Who knows not, that as the earth is the dregs of the world, so Italy is the dregs of the earth, Rome of Italy? It is no wonder to finde Satan in his hell; but to find him in Paradise, is vncouth, and grieuous. Let them alone, that will die, and hate to be cured. For vsus: O that remedies were as easy as complaints! That wee could be as soone cleared, as conuinced! That the taking of the medicine were but so difficult as the prescription! And yet nothing hinders vsus from health, but our will: Neither Gospell, nor Grace, nor Glory, are shut vp; only our hearts are not open. Let mee turne my stile from you, to the secure, to the peruerse: tho why doe I hope they will heare mee, that are deafe to God? they will regard p. 211words, that care not for iudgements? Let mee tell them yet (if in vaine) they must break, if they bow not: That if mercy may be refused, yet vengeance cannot bee resisted: That God can serue himselfe of them perforce, neither to their thanke, nor ease: That the present plagues doe but threaten worse. Lastly, that if they relent not, Hell was not made for nothing. What should be done then? Except wee would fain smart, each man amend one, and we all liue. How commonly do men complaine, and yet adde to this heape? Redresse stands not in words. Let eueryevery man pull but one brand out of this fire, and the flame will goe out alone. What is a multitude, but an heap of vnities? The more we deduce, the fewer we leaue. O how happy were it then, p. 212if eueryevery man would begin at home, and take his owne heart to task, and at once bee his owne Accuser, and Iudge; to condemne his priuate errors, yea to mulct them with death! Till then, alas, what auailes it to talke? While eueryevery man censures, and no man amends, what is it but busie trifling? But tho our care must begin at our selues, it may not end there. Who but a Cain is not his brothers keeper? Publike persons are not so much their owne, as others are theirs. Who sits at the common sterne, cannot distinguish betwixt the care of his owne safety, and his vessels: both drown at once, or at once salute the hauen. Ye Magistrates (for in you stand all our lower hopes) whom God hath on purpose, in a wise surrogation, set vpōn earth, to correct her disorders, p. 213take to your selues firme forheads, couragious hearts, hands busie, and not partiall; to discountenance shamelesse wickednesse, to resist the violent sway of euills, to execute holesome lawes, with strictnesse, with resolution. The sword of the spirit meets with such iron hearts, that both it enters not, and is rebated. Loe, it appeales to your arme, to your aide. An earthen edge can best pierce this hardned earth: If iniquity die not by your hands, wee perish. And yee sons of Leui gather to your Moses in the gate of the Campe: consecrate your hands to God in this holy slaughter of vice: Let your voice be both a trumpet to incite, and a two edged sword to wound and kill. Cry down sinne in earnest, and thunder out of that sacred chaire of Moses; and let your p. 214liues speake yet louder. Neither may the common Christian sit still and looke on in silence: I am deceiued, if in this cause GOD allow any man for priuate. Heere must bee all Actors, no Witnesses. His discreete admonitions, seasonable reproofes, and praiers neuer vnseasonable, besides the power of honest example, are expected as his due tribute to the common health: What if we cannot turn the stream? Yet wee must swim against it: euen without conquest, it is glorious to hauehave resisted: In this alone, they are enemies, that doe nothing: Thus, as one that delights more in amendment, than excuse, I hauehave both censured and directed. The fauour of your sentence proceedes (I know) from your owne innocent vprightnesse: So iudge of my seuere p. 215taxation. It shall bee happie for vsus, if we can at once excuse and diminish; accuse and redresse iniquitie. Let but the indeuor be ours, the successe to God.

EPISTLES, THE THIRD AND LAST VOLVME.

CONTAINING two Decades.

By IOSEPH HALL Doctor of Diuinitie.

LONDON Printed for E. Edgar, and A. Garbrand, at the Wind-mill in Pauls Church yard. 1611.

TO THE MOST HIGH AND EXCELLENT PRINCE, HENRIE, Prince of Wales, all happinesse.

Most Gracious Prince,

LET mee not (whiles I desire to be dutifull) seeme importunate, …n my dedications. I now …ring to your Highnesse …hese my last, and perhaps most materiall Letters: wherein, if I mistake not, (as, how easily are wee deceiued in our owne?) the pleasure of the varietie shall striue with the importance of matter. There is no worldly thing, I confesse, whereof I am more ambitious then of your Highnesses contentment; which tha… you place in goodnesse, is not more your glory, then our ioy: Do so still, and heauen and earth shall agree to blesse you, and vsus in you. For me, after this my officious boldnesse, I shall betak… my selfe in silence, to some greater worke, wherein I may approue my seruice to the Church, and to your Highnes, as her second ioy and care. My heart shall be alwaies, and vponupon al opportunities, my tong and pen, shall no lesse gladly bee deuoted to my gracious Master, as one

Who reioyce to be your Highnesses (though vnworthy, yet) faithfull and obsequious Seruant. IOS. HALL