Essayes
in
Divinity;
By the late Dr Donne,
Dean of S Paul's.
being
Several Disquisitions,
Interwoven with
Meditations
and
Prayers:
Before he entred into Holy Orders.
Now made publick by his Son J. D.
Dr of the Civil Law.
London,
Printed by T. M. for Richard Marriot,
and are to be sold at his Shop in
St Dunstan's Church-yard
Fleet-street. 1651.
Dedicatory.
that in owning these
less, yet more lawfull
issues of this modern
Author, you will prove
a greater Mecænas
then those former
Writers ever had, in
giving a livelihood to
these Ofsprings, that
had no provision left
them by their Fa-
ther. And to beg this fa-
vour, they come (Sir)
with the greater con-
fidence,
The Epistle
fidence, because being
writ when the Author
was obliged in Civill
business, and had no
ingagement in that of
the Church, the manner
of their birth may seem
to have some analogie
with the course you
now seem to steer; who
being so highly inter-
essed in the publick Af-
fairs of the State, can
yet allow so much time
to the exercise of your private
Dedicatory.
private Devotions;
which, with the help
of your active wisdom,
hath so setled us, as the
tempestuous North-
windes are not like to
blast in the Spring be-
fore it come to a full
growth, nor the South
to over-ripen, till it
arrive at such a perfe-
ction as may equall the
birth of Pallas;
which could be pro-
duced from nothing but
The Epistle but the very brains
of Jupiter; who
although shee came
arm'd from thence,
yet it had not been
sufficient to have had
a God for her Fa-
ther, if she had not
had Metis to her
Mother. Which
shews us, that the
Union is so insepa-
rable between Coun-
sell and Strength,
that our Armies a-
broad
Dedicatory.
broad of this Book to your pro-tection, and of my self
to your Commands. Your most
humble Servant,
John Donne.
To the Reader.
ITIt is thought
fit to let thee
know, that
these Essayes
were printed
from an exact Copy,
under the Authors own
hand: and, that they
were the voluntary sa-
crifices of severall hours,
when he had many de-
bates betwixt God and
himself, whether he were wor-
To the Reader. worthy, and compe-tently learned to enter
into Holy Orders. They
are now publish'd both
to testifie his modest Va-
luation of himself and
to shew his great abili-
ties; and, they may serve
to inform thee in many
Holy Curiosities. Fare-well.
ESSAYES IN
DIVINITY. In the Beginning God crea-
ted Heaven and Earth. Gen. 1.1. I Dodo not therefore
sit at the door, and
meditate upon the
threshold, because
I may not enter
further; Apoc. 3.7. For he which is holy
and true, and hath the key of Da-
vid, and openeth and no man shut-
teth, and shutteth and no man o-
peneth; hath said to all the hum-
ble in one person, I have set be-
fore thee an open door, and no man Bcan
2
Essayes in Divinity. can shut it, for thou hast a little
strength. Lyra. And the holy Scriptures,
signified in that place, as they
have these properties of a well
provided Castle, that they are ea-
sily defensible, and safely defend
others. So they have also this,
that to strangers they open but
a litle wicket, and he that will
enter, must stoop and humble
himselfe. To reverend Divines,
who by an ordinary calling are
Officers and Commissioners from
God, the great Doors are open.
Let me with Lazarus lie at the
threshold, and beg their crums.
Discite à me, sayes our blessed
Saviour, Learn of me, as Saint
Augustine enlarges it well, Mat. 11. not
to do Miracles, nor works ex-
ceeding humanity; but, quia
mitis sum; learn to be humble.
His humility, to be like us, was a
Dejection; but ours, to be like
him, is our chiefest exaltation;
and yet none other is required at
our hands. Where this Humility
is, Prov. 11.ibi Sapientia. Therfore it is not
such a groveling, frozen, and stu-
pid
Essayes in Divinity.
3
pid Humility, as should quench
the activity of our understanding,
or make us neglect the Search of
those Secrets of God, which are
accessible. For, Humility, and
Studiousnesse, Tho. 2 a,
2 æ. 161.
& 166. (as it is opposed
to curiosity, and transgresses not
her bounds) are so near of kin,
that they are both agreed to be
limbes and members of one ver-
tue, Temperance. These bounds Daniel excee-
ded not; Dan. 10.
11. and yet he was
Vir Desideriorum, and in satisfaction
of so high Desires, to him alone
were those visions discovered. And
to such desires and endeavours
the Apostle encourageth the Co-
rinths, 1 Cor. 12.
31. Æmulamini Charismata
meliora, Desire you better gifts,
and I wil yet shew you a better way.
It is then humility to study God,
and a strange miraculous one;
for it is an ascending humility,
which the Divel, which emulates
even Gods excellency in his good-
nesse, and labours to be as ill, as
he is good, hath corrupted in us
by a pride, as much against rea-
B2 son;
4
Essayes in Divinity.
son; for he hath fill'd us with a
descending pride, to forsake God,
for the study and love of things
worse then our selves. This averts
us from the Contemplation of
God, and his Book. In whose
inwards, and Sanctum Sancto-
rum, what treasure of saving
mysteries do his Priests see, when
we at the threshold see enough to
instruct and secure us? for he
hath said of his lawes, Deut. 6.9. Scribes ea
in limine; And both the people,
and Prince himselfe, Ezek. 46. were to wor-
ship at the threshold. Before we consider each stone
of this threshold, which are 1. The
time, In the begining: 2. The per-
son, God: 3. The Action, He
created: And 4. the Work, Heaven
and Earth; we will speak of two
or three other things, so many
words. Of the Whole Book; Of
the Author of those first 5 Books;
And of this first book. For earth-
ly princes look for so many pau-
ses and reverences, in our acces-
ses to their table, though they be
not there. Of
Essayes in Divinity.
5 Of the Bible.
God hath two Books of life; that
in the Revelation, and else where, Apoc. 3.5.
which is an eternall Register of his
Elect; and this Bible. For of
this, it is therefore said, Joh. 5.39. Search
the Scriptures, because in them ye
hope to have eternall life. And
more plainly, when in the 24. of
Ecclesiasticus Wisdome hath said
in the first verse, Wisdome shall
praise her self, saying, He created
me from the beginning, and I shall
never fail, v. 12. I give eternall
things to all my Children, and in
me is all grace of life and truth, v.
21. They that eat me shall have the
more hunger, and they that drink
me shall thirst the more, v. 24. At
last, in v. 26. All these things are
the book of life, and the Covenants
of the most high God, and the law
of Moses. And as our orderly
love to the understanding this
Book of life, testifies to us that
our names are in the other; so is
there another book subordinate
to this, which is liber creaturarum. B3 Of
6
Essayes in Divinity. Of the first book, we may use the
words of Esay, Isa. 29.11. It is a book that
is sealed up, and if it be delivered
to one (Scienti literas) that can
read, he shall say, I cannot, for it is
sealed. So far removed from the
search of learning, are those e-
ternall Decrees and Rolls of God,
which are never certainly and in-
fallibly produced and exemplified
in foro exteriori, but onely insinu-
ated and whisper'd to our hearts,
Ad informandum conscientiam Ju-
dicis, which is the Conscience it
selfe. Of the Second book, which
is the Bible, we may use the next
verse; The book shall be given (As
interpreters agree, open) Nescien-
ti literas, to one which cannot read:
and he shall be bid read, and shall
say, I cannot read. By which we
learn, that as all mankind is na-
turally one flock feeding upon
one Common, and yet for socie-
ty and peace, Propriety, Magi-
stracy, and distinct Functions are
reasonably induc'd; so, though
all our soules have interest in this
their common pasture, the book
of
Essayes in Divinity.
7 of life, (for even the ignorant are
bid to read;) yet the Church hath
wisely hedged us in so farr, that
all men may know, and cultivate,
and manure their own part, and
not adventure upon great reserv'd
mysteries, nor trespass upon this
book, without inward humility,
and outward interpretations. For
it is not enough to have objects,
and eyes to see, but you must
have light too. The first book is
then impossible; The second dif-
ficult; But of the third book, the
the
the book of Creatures, we will
say the 18th. verse, The deaf shall
heare the word of this book, and the
eyes of the blinde shall see out of ob-
scurity. And so much is this book
available to the other, that Sebund, Ray. Seb. in
prolo.
when he had digested this book
into a written book, durst pro-
nounce, that it was an Art, which
teaches al things, presupposes no o-
ther, is soon learned, cannot be for-
gotten, requires no books, needs
on witnesses, and in this, is safer
then the Bible it self, that it can-
not be falsified by Hereticks.
B4 And
8
Essayes in Divinity. And ventures further after, Tit. 166. to say,
That because his book is made ac-
cording to the Order of Creatures,
which express fully the will of
God, whosoever doth according
to his booke, fulfils the will of
God. Howsoever, he may be too
abundant in affirming, that in li-
bro creaturarum there is enough
to teach us all particularities of
Christian Religion, De im-
manifesto
Deo mani-
festissimo. (for Trisme-
gistus going farr, extends not his
proofs to particulars;) yet St Paul
clears it thus far, that there is e-
nough to make us inexcusable, if
we search not further. Rom. 2. And that
further step is the knowledg of
this Bible, which only, after Phi-
losophy hath evicted and taught
us an Unity in the Godhead,
shews also a Trinity. Greg. Hom.
35. in E-
vang. As then this
life compared to blessed eternity,
is but a death, so the books of
Philosophers, which only instruct
this life, have but such a proporti-
on to this book: Which hath in it
Certainty, for no man assigns to
it other beginning then we do,
though all allow not ours: Dig-
nity,
Essayes in Divinity.
9
nity, for what Author proceeds
so sine teste? (and he that requires
a witnesse, believes not the thing,
but the witnesse;) And a non No-
tis; (for he which requires reason
believes himselfe, and his own
approbation and allowance of
the reason.) And it hath Suffici-
ency; for it either rejecteth or
judgeth all Traditions. It exceeds
all others in the object, for it con-
siders the next life; In the way,
for it is written by revelation; yea
the first piece of it which ever was
written, which is the Decalogue,
by Gods own finger. And as Ly-
ra notes, being perchance too Al-
legoricall and Typick in this, it
hath this common with all o-
ther books, that the words sig-
nifie things; but hath this parti-
cular, that all the things signifie
other things. There are but two other books,
(within our knowledge) by which
great Nations or Troops are go-
vern'd in matter of Religion;
The Alcoran, and Talmud; of
which, the first is esteemed, only B5 where
10
Essayes in Divinity.
where ours is not read. And be-
sides the common infirmity of all
weak, and suspicious, and crasie
religions, that it affords salvation
to all good men, in any Religion,
yea, Epist. Pii
secundi ad
Morisb.
Tunam. to Divels also, with our sin-
gular Origen, is so obnoxious, and
self-accusing, that, to confute
it, all Christian Churches have
ever thought it the readiest and
presentest way to divulge it. And
therefore Luther, after it had re-
ceived Cribrationem, a sifting by
Cusanus, Præfat. ad
lect. ad lib.
de moribus
Turcarum. perswades an Edition
of the very Text, because he
thinks the Roman Church can no
way be shak'd more, then thus to
let the world see, how Sister-like
those two Churches are. But that
man of infinite undertaking, and
industry, and zeal, and blessings
from the Highest, had not seen
the Alcoran when he writ this,
though he mention it: Nor Cusa-
nus his book certainly; for else he
could not have said, that the Car-
dinall had only excerpted and ex-
hibited to the world the infa-
mous and ridiculous parts of it,
and
Essayes in Divinity.
11 and slipt the substantiall; for he
hath deduc’d an harmony, and
conformity of Christianity out of
that book. Melancthon also coun-
sels this Edition, Præmonit.
ad Edit.
Alcor. Ut sciamus
quale Poema sit. And Biblian-
der observes, that it is not only
too late to suppresse it now, but
that the Church never thought it
fit to supresse it; Apolog.
pro Edit.
Alcor. because (saith
he) there is nothing impious in it,
but is formerly reprehensively re-
gistred in the Fathers. As Cusa-
nus hath done from the Alcoran,
Galatinus hath from the Tal-
mud deduced all Christianity, De arcanis
Cathol. ve-
ritatis. and
more. For he hath proved all Ro-
man traditions from thence. We
grudge them not those victories:
but this flexibility and appliable-
nesse to a contrary religion, shews
perfectly, how leaden a rule those
lawes are. Without doubt, their
books would have been received
with much more hunger then
they are, if the Emperour Maxi-
milian, by Reuchlyus counsell,
had not allowed them free and
open passage. If there were not
some
12
Essayes in Divinity. some compassion belong'd
to them who are seduced by them;
I should professe, that I never
read merrier books then those
two. Ours therefore, begun, not
only in the first stone, but in the
intire foundation, by Gods own
finger, and pursued by his Spirit,
is the only legible book of life;
and is without doubt devolv'd
from those to our times. For God,
who first writ his Law in the Ta-
bles of our hearts; and when
our corruption had defaced them,
writ it again in Stone-tables; Exod. 31.
18. and
when Moses zealous anger had
broken them, writ them again in
other tables, Exod. 34.
1. leaves not us worse
provided, whom he loves more,
both because he ever in his pro-
vidence fore-saw the Jews de-
fection, and because in a naturall
fatherly affection, he is delighted
with his Sons purchases. For that
interruption which the course of
this book is imagin'd by great Irenæus.
Tertul.
Clem. Al.
Euseb.
Hiero. &c.
Authours to have had, by the pe-
rishing in the Captivity, cannot
possibly be allowed, if either
Gods
Essayes in Divinity.
13 Gods promise, or that history
be considered; nor, if that were
possible, is it the lesse the work
of God, if Esdras refresh'd and
recompiled it by the same spirit
which was in the first Authour;
Nor is it the lesse ancient, no more
then a man is the lesse old, for
having slept, then walked out a
day. Our age therefore hath it;
and our Church in our language;
for since the Jesuit Sacrobosous, Def. Conc.
Trid. c. 1.
and more late interpreters of the
Trent Councell, have abandoned.
their old station, and defence of
the letter of the Canon, pro-
nouncing the vulgate Edition to
be authentick, (which they here-
tofore assumed for the contro-
verted point) and now say, that
that Canon doth only preferre it
before all Latine Translations;
and that not Absolutè, (so to a-
void barbarismes) but In ordine
ad fidem & mores; and have gi-
ven us limits and rules of allow-
able infirmities in a Translation,
as corruptions not offensive to
faith, observing the meaning,
though
14
Essayes in Divinity. though not the words, If the He-brew text may bear that reading,
and more such: We might, if we
had not better assurances, rely
upon their words, that we have
the Scripture, and nearer perfe-
ction, then they. Of Moses. The Author of these first five
books is Moses. In which num-
ber, compos'd of the first even,
and first odd, because Cabalistick
learning seems to most Occupatis-
sima vanitas, I will forbear the
observations, both of Picus in his
Hepsaplus, and in the Harmony
of Francis George, that transcen-
ding Wit, In Gen. l.
I. c. 8. whom therefore Pere-
rius charges to have audax nimis,
& ad devia & abruta opinionum
præceps ingenium, though they
have many delicacyes of honest
and serviceable curiosity, and
harmless recreation and entertain-
ment. For as Catechisers give us
the milk of Religion, and positive
Divines solid nutriment, so when
our
Essayes in Divinity.
15 our conscience is sick of scruples,
or that the Church is wounded
by schismes, which make solutio-
nem continui, (as Chirurgians
speak) though there be proper
use of controverted Divinity for
Medicine, yet there be some Can-
kers, (as Judaisme) which can-
not be cur'd without the Cabal;
which is (especially for those
diseases,) the Paracelsian Phi-
sick of the understanding, Archange-
lus Apol.
Cabal. and
is not unworthily (if it be one-
ly applyed where it is so medici-
nable) call'd Apoc. 5.9. præambulum Evan-
gelii. [They of the Synagogue
of Satan, which call themselves
Jews, and are not, but do lie] as
though they were still in the de-
sert, and under the incommodi-
ties of a continuall straying and
ignorance of their way, (and so
they are, and worse; for then
they onely murmured against
their guide, for not performing
Gods promises, now, they have
no promise) are not content
with their Pillar of fire, this Mo-
ses, but have condens'd to them-
selves
16
Essayes in Divinity. selves a Pillar of Cloud, Rabbi Drus. in
Not. ad no-
men Tetra.
Moses, call'd the Egyptian,
but a Spaniard. [A Mose ad
Mosem non surrexit qualis Mo-
ses] they say. This man qua-
relling with many imperfections,
and some contradictions in our
Moses works, and yet concur-
ring with the Jews in their opinion
of his perfectness, if he were un-
derstood, accomplish'd and per-
fected their legem Oralem; which
they account to be delivered by
God to our Moses in his forty
dayes conversation with him,
and after delivered to Esdras,
and so descended to these Ages.
His lateness and singularity, makes
him not worth thus many words:
We will therefore leave this Mo-
ses, and hasten to the dispatch
of the other. Who, because he
was principal Secretary to the Ho-
ly Ghost, (I dispute not other
dignities, but onely priority in
time) is very credible, though
he be his owne Historiographer.
Therefore, though his owne
books best show who, and what he
Essayes in Divinity.
17 he was, let us endeavour other-wise to bring those men to some
reverence of his Antiquity, who
bring no taste to his Philosophy,
nor faith to his Story. Pererius In Ge. c. 1.
seems peremtory that no Author
is elder. I thinke it moved him,
that Henoch's booke, mentioned
in the Epistle of Jude, is perish'd:
Epist. Jud. So is the booke of the Battails
of the Lord (for any thing
we know,) and that is not spoken
of till Num. 21.14. and then as
of a future thing. He makes it
reasonable evident, that Linus, Num. 21.14.
Orpheus, and all Greeke learning
came after, and from him. But
if we shall escape this, that Abra-
ham's booke De formationibus is
yet alive, by suspecting and pro-
nouncing it supposititioussuppositious, (yet
Archangelus saies, he hath it, and
hath commented it,and Fran-
cis George often vouches it;) Apol. Ca-
bal. Problem. how
shall we deliver our selves from
Zoroasters Oracles? whom Epi-
phanius places in Nembrots time,
and Eusebius in Abraham's; Fra. Pa-
tricius. since
his language is Chaldaick, his works
18
Essayes in Divinity. works miraculously great, (for Heurnius
de Philoso.
Barbaric.
l. 2.
his Oracles are twenty hundred
thousand verses, and his phrase
more express, and clear, and li-
quid, in the Doctrine of the Tri-
nity, then Moses? For where sayes
this, as the other, [Toto mundo
lucet Trias, cujus Monas est prin-
ceps?] From whence shall we say
that Hermes Trismegistus sucked
his not only Divinity, but Chri-
stianity? in which no Evangelist,
no Father, no Councell is more
literall and certain. Of the fall of
Angels, Renovation of the world
by fire, eternity of punishments,
his Asclepius is plaine. Asclep Di-
al. Of
Regeneration who sayes more
then [Nemo servari potest ante
nogenerationem, & regenerationis
generator est Dei filius, homo u-
nus?]De regene-
rat. & si-
lentio. Of imputed Justice, with
what AutorAuthor would he change this
sentence; [Justificati sumus in Ju-
stitia absente?] De fato. Of our corrupt
will, and Gods providence he
says, [Anima nostra relicta à
Deo, eligit corpoream naturam;
at electio ejus est secundùm provi-
den-
Essayes in Divinity.
19
dentiam Dei.] To say with Goro-pius, that there was no such man,
because the publick pillars and sta-
tues in which were engraved mo-
rall Institutions were called Her-
mæ, is improbable, to one who
hath read Patricius his answers to
him. And if it be true which
Buntingus in his Chronology un-
disputably assumes, that he was
the Patriarch Joseph, as also that
Goropius confounds Zoroaster and
Japhet, then Moses was not
the first Author. But Hermes
his naming of Italy, and the 12.
Constellations in the Zodiaque,
are Arguments and impressions
of a later time. Minerva
mundi. To unentangle
our selvs in this perplexity, is more
labour then profit, or perchance
possibility. Therefore, as in vio-
lent tempests, when a ship dares
bear no main sayl, and to lie stil at
hull, obeying the uncertain wind
and tyde, puts them much out
of their way, and altogether out
of their account, it is best to put
forth such a small ragg of sail, as
may keep the barke upright, and make
20
Essayes in Divinity. make her continue neer one place,
though she proceed not; So in
this question, where we cannot
go forward to make Moses the
first Author, for many strong op-
positions, and to ly hulling upon
the face of the waters, and think
nothing, is a stupid and lazy in-
consideration, which (as Saint
Austin says) is the worst of all Rom. 1.
affections, our best firmament and
arrest will be that reverent, and
pious, and reasonable credulity,
that God was Author of the first
piece of these books, the Decalo-
gue: and of such Authors as God
preordained to survive all Philoso-
phers, and all Tyrants, and all He-
reticks, and be the Canons of
faith and manners to the worlds
end, Moses had the primacy.
So that the Divine and learned
book of Job, must be content to
be disposed to a later rank, (as
indeed it hath somwhat a Greek
taste) or to accept Moses for
Author. For to confess, that it
was found by Moses in Madian,
were to derogate from the other prero-
Essayes in Divinity.
21 prerogative generally afforded to
him. Epist. ad
Paul. de
lib. Di-
vin. Here therefore I will tem-
peratly end this inquisition. Hie-
rom tells me true, [Puerile est,
& circulatorum ludo simile, doce-
re quod ignores.] And besides,
when I remember that it was Deu. 34. 6.
God which hid Moses's body; Jud. 1.5.
And the Divell which laboured
to reveal it, I use it thus, that
there are some things which the
Author of light hides from us, and
the prince of darkness strives to
shew to us; but with no other
light, then his firebrands of Con-
tention, and curiosity. Of Genesis. Picus Earl of Mirandula (hap-
pier in no one thing in this life,
then in the thethe Author which writ
it to us) Sr John
More. being a man of an incon-
tinent wit, and subject to the con-
cupiscence of inaccessible know-
ledges and transcendencies, In fine
Heptaph. pur-
suing the rules of Cabal, out of
the word Bresit, which is the title
of this first Book, by vexing, and
transposing, and anagrammati-
zing the letters, hath express'd and
22
Essayes in Divinity. and wrung out this Sum of Chri-stian Religion [The Father, in and
through the Son, which is the be-
ginning, end, and rest, created in a
perfect league, the head, fire and
foundation (which he calls Heaven,
Air and Earth) of the great man]
(which he calls the World.)
And he hath not onely delivered
Moses form any dissonance with
other sound Philosophers, but
hath observed all other Philoso-
phy in Moses's words; and more,
hath found all Moses's learning
in every verse of Moses. But since
our merciful God hath afforded
us the whole and intire book, why
should wee tear it into rags, or
rent the seamless garment? Since
the intention of God, through
Moses, in this, was, that it might
be to the Jews a Gen. 5.1.Book of the gene-
ration of Adam; since in it is pur-
posely propounded, That all this
Universe, Plants, the chiefest con-
templation of Naturall Philoso-
phie and Physick, and no small
part of the Wisdom of Solomon, 1 Reg. 4.
33.
[who spake of plants, from Cedar to
Essayes in Divinity.
23 to Hyssop:] And Beasts, who have
often the honour to be our re-
proach, accited for examples of
vertue and wisdome in the Scrip-
tures, and some of them seposed
for the particular passive service
of God in Sacrifices (which hee
gave to no man but his Son, and
with held from Isaac:) And
Man, who (like his own eye) sees
all but himself, in his opinion,
but so dimly, that there are mar-
ked an hundred differences in
mens Writings concerning an
Ant: And Spirits, of whom we
understand no more, then a horse
of us: and the receptacles and
theaters of all these, Earth, Sea,
Air, Heaven, and all things were
once nothing: That Man chu-
sing his own destruction, did what
he could to annihilate himself a-
gain, and yet received a promise
of a Redeemer: That Gods mer-
cy may not be distrusted, nor his
Justice tempted, since the generall
Deluge, and Joseph's preservation
are here related, filling an History
of more then 2300 yeers, with such
24
Essayes in Divinity. such examples as might mol-lifie, the Jews in their wandering.
I say, since this was directly and
onely purposed by Moses; to put
him in a wine-presse, and squeeze
out Philosophy and particular
Christianitie, is a degree of that
injustice, which all laws forbid,
to torture a man, sine indiciis aut
semiprobationibus. Of the time
when Moses writ this booke,
there are two opinions which have
good guides, and good followers.
I, because to me it seems reasona-
ble and clear, that no Divine work
preceded the Decalogue, have
before engaged my selfe to ac-
company Chemnitius, who is
perswaded by Theodoret, Exam.
Conc. Trid. Bede,
and Reason (because here is inti-
mation of a Sabboth, and di-
stinction of clean and unclean in
beasts,) that this book was written
after the law; And leave Pererius,
whom Eusebius hath won to
thinke this booke was written in
Madian, induc'd only by Moses
forty years leisure there; and a
likelihood, that this Story might well
25 well conduce to his end, of re-clining the Jews from E-
gypt. And thus much necessarily,
or conveniently, or pardonably,
may have been said, before my
Entrance, with out dispropor-
tioning the whole work. For
even in Solomon's magnificent
Temple, the Porch to the Tem-
ple had the proportion of twen-
ty Cubits to sixty. Our next
step is upon the threshold it self,
In the beginning, &c. C Part
26
Essayes in Divinity.
Part. 1.
In the Be-ginning. INIn the Beginning whereof,
O onely Eternall God, of
whose being, beginning, or
lasting, this beginning is no
period, nor measure; which art
no Circle, for thou hast no
ends to close up; which art not
within this All, for it cannot
comprehend thee; nor without
it, for thou fillest it; nor art it
thy self, for thou madest it;
which having decreed from all
eternity, to do thy great work
of Mercy, our Redemption
in the fulnesse of time, didst
now create time it selfe to con-
duce to it; and madest thy
glory and thy mercy equal thus,
that though thy glorious work
of Creation were first, thy
mercifull work of Redempti-
on was greatest. Let me in thy
beloved Servant Augustine'sConf. li.
c. 3.
own words, when with an
hum-
Essayes in Divinity.
27 humble boldnesse he begg'd the
understanding of this passage,
say, Moses writ this, but is gon
from me to thee; if he were here,
I would hold him, and beseech
him for thy sake, to tell me what
he meant. If he spake Hebrew,
he would frustrate my hope; but
if Latine, I should comprehend
him. But from whence should I
know that he said true? Or when
I knew it, came that knowledge
from him? No, for within me,
within me there is a truth, not
Hebrew, nor Greek, nor Latin,
nor barbarous; which without
organs, without noyse of Sylla-
bles, tels me true, and would en-
able me to say confidently to Mo-
ses, Thou say'st true. Thus did
he whom thou hadst filled with
faith, desire reason and under-
standing; as men blest with
great fortunes desire numbers
of servants, and other Com-
plements of honour. But ano-
ther instrument and engine of
thine, Aq. 2. q.
46. A. 2. whom thou hadst so en-
abled, that nothing was too C2 minerall
28
Essayes in Divinity.
minerall nor centrick for the
search and reach of his wit,
hath remembred me; That it
is an Article of our Belief, that
the world began. And therefore
for this point, we are not under
the insinuations and mollify-
ings of perswasion, and conve-
niency; nor under the reach
and violence of Argument, or
Demonstration, or Necessity;
but under the Spirituall, and
peaceable Tyranny, and easie
yoke of sudden and present
Faith. Nor doth he say this, that
we should discharge our selves
upon his word, and slumber in a
lazy faith; for no man was ever
more endeavourous then he in
such inquisitions; nor he in any,
more then in this point. But af-
ter he had given answers to all
the Arguments of reasonable &
naturall men, for a beginning
of this world; to advance Faith
duly above Reason, he assignes
this with other mysteries on-
ly to her comprehension. For
Reason is our Sword, Faith our
Essayes in Divinity.
29
our Target. With that we prevail
against others, with this we de-
fend our selves: And old, well
disciplined Armies punished
more severely the loss of this,
then that. This word, In the beginning,
is the beginning of this book,
which we finde first placed of all
the holy books; And also of the
Gospel by Saint John, which we
know to be last written of all.
But that last beginning was the
first; for the Word was with God,
before God created Heaven and
Earth. And Moses his In the
Beginning, hath ever been used
powerfully, and prosperously, a-
gainst Philosophers and Hereticks
relapsed into an opinion of the
worlds eternity. But Saint John's
In the Beginning, hath ever had
strength against the Author of
all errour, the Divel himself, if
we may beleeve the relations of
exorcists, who in their disposses-
sings, mention strange obedien-
ces of the Divell at the naked
enunciation of that word. It is C3 not
30
Essayes in Divinity. not then all one Beginning; for
here God Did, there he Was. That
confesses a limitation of time, this
excludes it. Caninius
Conc. To. 1.
De Conc.
Nic. The great Philoso-
pher, (whom I call so, rather for
his Conversion, then his Argu-
ments) who was Arius his Advocate
at the first Nicene Councell, as-
sign'd a beginning between these
two beginnings; saying, that after
John's eternal Beginning, & before
Moses's timely beginning, Christ
had his beginning, being then
created by God for an instrument
in his generall Creation. But God
forbid that any thing should need
to be said against this, now. We
therefore confessing two Begin-
nings, say, that this first was simul
cum tempore, & that it is truly said
of it, Erat quando non erat, and
that it instantly vanished; and
that the last Beginning lasts yet,
and ever shall: And that our
Mercifull God, as he made no
Creature so frail and corruptible
as the first Beginning, which being
but the first point of time, dy-
ed as soon as it was made, flow-
ing
Essayes in Divinity.
31
ing into the next point; so though
he made no creature like the last
Beginning, (for if it had been as
it, eternall, it had been no crea-
ture;) yet it pleased him to come
so neer it, that our soul, though
it began with that first Beginning,
shall continue and ever last with
the last. We may not dissemble, nor
dare reprove, nor would avoid an-
other ordinary interpretation of
this Beginning, because it hath
great and agreeing autorityauthority, and a
consonance with our faith: which
is, that by the beginning here, is
meant the Son our Savior; for that
is elsewhere said of him, I am first
and last, which is, and was, and is to
come. Rev. 1.8. And hereby they would
establish his coeternity, and con-
substantialness, because he can
be no creature, who is present at
the first Creation. But because
although to us, whom the Spirit
hath made faithfully credulous,
and filled us with an assurance of
this truth, every conducing, and
convenient application governs
and commands our assent, because it
32
Essayes in Divinity. it doth but remember us, not teach
us. But to the Jews, who roundly
deny this Exposition, & to the A-
rians, who accept it, and yet call
Christ a creature, as fore-created
for an Assistant in this second Cre-
ation; these detortions have small
force, but as Sun-beams striking ob-
liquely, or arrows diverted with a
twig by the way, they lessen their
strength, being turned upon ano-
ther mark then they were destined
to. And therefore by the Example
of our late learned Reformers, I
forbear this interpretation; the ra-
ther, because we are utterly dis-
provided of any history of the
Worlds Creation, except we de-
fend and maintain this Book
of Moses to be Historical, and
therefore literally to be inter-
preted. Which I urge not with
that peremptorinesse, as Bellar-
mine doth, De Purg.
l. 1. c. 15. who answers all the
Arguments of Moses's silence in
many points maintained by that
Church, with this only, Est liber
Historiarum, non Dogmatum. For
then it were unproperly argued by our
Essayes in Divinity.
33 our Saviour, If ye believed Mo-ses, ye would believe me, for he John 5.
writ of me. There is then in
Moses, both History and Precept,
but evidently distinguishable
without violence. That then this
Beginning was, is matter of faith,
and so, infallible. When it was,
is matter of reason, and therefore
various and perplex'd. In the E-
pistle of Alexander the Great to
his Mother, remembred by Cy-
prian and Augustin, there is men-
tion of 8000. years. The Calde-
ans have delivered observations of
470000 years. And the Egypti-
ans of 100000. The Chineses vex
us at this day, with irreconcilia-
ble accounts. And to be sure,
that none shall prevent them,
some have call'd themselves Abo-
rigenes. The poor remedy of Lu-
nary and other planetary years,
the silly and contemptible escape
that some Authors speak of run-
ning years, some of years expi-
red and perfected; or that the
account of dayes and monthes
are neglected, cannot ease us, nor C5 afford
34
Essayes in Divinity. afford us line enough to fathom
this bottom. The last refuge uses
to be, that prophane history can-
not clear, but Scripture can. Which
is the best, because it is halfe true; Bib. Sanct.
l. 5.
But that the later part is true, or
that God purposed to reveal it
in his Book, it seems doubtfull,
because Sextus Senensis reckons
almost thirty severall supputati-
ons of the years between the
Creation, and our blessed Savi-
ours birth, all of accepted Au-
thors, grounded upon the Scrip-
tures; and Pererius confesses, he
might have encreased the number
by 20. And they who in a de-
vout melancholy delight them-
selves with this Meditation, that
they can assigne the beginning of
all Arts which we use for Neces-
sity or Ornament; and conclude,
that men which cannot live with-
out such, were not long before
such inventions, forget both that
many Nations want those commo-
dities yet, & that there are as great
things perish'd and forgoten, as
are now remaining. Truly, the Crea-
Essayes in Divinity.
35 Creation and the last Judgement,
are the Diluculum and Crepuscu-
lum, the Morning and the Even-
ing twi-lights of the long day
of this world. Which times,
though they be not utterly dark,
yet they are but of uncertain,
doubtfull, and conjecturall light.
Yet not equally; for the break of
the day, because it hath a succes-
sion of more and more light, is
clearer then the shutting in, which
is overtaken with more and more
darknesse; so is the birth of the
world more discernable then the
death, because upon this God
hath cast more clouds: yet since
the world in her first infancy did
not speak to us at all (by any
Authors;) and when she began
to speak by Moses, she spake not
plain, but diversly to divers un-
derstandings; we must return a-
gain to our strong hold, faith, and
end with this, That this Begin-
ning was, and before it, Nothing.
It is elder then darknesse, which
is elder then light; And was be-
fore Confusion, which is elder then
36
Essayes in Divinity. then Order, by how much the
universall Chaos preceded forms
and distinctions. A beginning
so near Eternity, that there was no
Then, nor a minite of Time be-
tween them. Of which, Eternity
could never say, To morrow, nor
speak as of a future thing, because
this Beginning was the first point
of time, before which, whatsoever
God did, he did it uncessantly
and unintermittingly; which was
but the generation of the Son, and
procession of the Spirit, and enjoy-
ing one another; Things, which if
ever they had ended, had begun;
And those be terms incompatible
with Eternity. And therefore
Saint Augustin says religiously
and examplarily, Conf. l. 11.
cap. 12. If one ask me
what God did before this beginning,
I will not answer, as another did
merrily, He made Hell for such
busie inquirers: But I will soo-
ner say, I know not, when I
know not, then answer that, by
which he shall be deluded which
asked too high a Mystery, and he
be praysed, which answered a lie. PART
Essayes in Divinity.
37
PARTPart. 2.
NOw Now we have ended our Con-sideration of this beginning,
we will begin with that, which
was before it, and was Author
of it, God himself; and bend our
thoughts first upon himself, then
upon his Name, and then upon
the particular Name here used, E-
lohim. Of God. Men which seek God by rea-
son, and naturall strength, (though
we do not deny common notions
and generall impressions of a so-
veraign power) are like Mariners
which voyaged before the inven-
tion of the Compass, which were
but Costers, and unwillingly left
the sight of the land. Such are
they which would arrive at God
by this world, and contemplate
him onely in his Creatures, and
seeming Demonstration. Certain-
ly, every Creature shewes God, as
a glass, but glimeringly and tran-
sitiorily, by the frailty both of the
38
Essayes in Divinity. the receiver, and beholder: Our
selves have his Image, as Medals,
permanently and preciously deli-
vered. But by these meditations
we get no further, then to know
what he doth, not what he is.
But as by the use of the Compass,
men safely dispatch Ulysses dan-
gerous ten years travell in so ma-
ny dayes, and have found out
a new world richer then the old; so
doth Faith, as soon as our hearts
are touched with it, direct and in-
form it in that great search of the
discovery of Gods Essence, and
the new Hierusalem, which Rea-
son durst not attempt. And though
the faithfullest heart is not ever
directly, & constantly upon God,
but that it somtimes descends also
to Reason; yet it is thereby so de-
parted from him, but that it still
looks towards him, though not
fully to him: as the Compass is
ever Northward, though it decline,
and have often variations towards
East, and West. By this faith,
as by reason, I know, that God is
all that which all men can say of
Essayes in Divinity.
39 of all Good; I beleeve he is some-what which no man can say
nor know. For, si scirem quid Deus
esset, Deus essem. For all acquired
knowledg is by degrees, and succes-
sive; but God is impartible, and on-
ly faith which can receive it all at
once, can comprehend him. Canst
thou then, O my soul, when faith
hath extended and enlarged thee,
not as wind doth a bladder (which
is the nature of humane learning)
but as God hath displaid the Cur-
tain of the firmament, and more
spacionsly; for thou comprehendest
that, and him which comprehends
it: Canst thou be satisfied with
such a late knowledg of God, as
is gathered from effects; when
even reason, which feeds upon the
crums and fragments of appea-
rances and verisimilitudes, requires
causes? Canst thou rely and leane
upon so infirm a knowledg, as is
delivered by negations? Dyon. 2. ca.
Cœl. Hie-
rar. And be-
cause a devout speculative man
hath said, Negationes de Deo sunt
veræ, affirmationes autem sunt in-
convenientes, will it serve thy turn, to
40
Essayes in Divinity. to hear, that God is that which
cannot be named, cannot be com-
prehended, or which is nothing
else? When every negation im-
plyes some privation, which can-
not be safely enough admitted in
God; and is, besides, so inconside-
rable a kind of proofe, that in ci-
vill and judicall practice, no man
is bound by it, nor bound to
prove it. Can it give thee a-
ny satisfaction, to hear God cal-
led by concrete names, Good, Just,
Wise; since these words can never
be without confessing better, wi-
ser, and more just? Or if he be
called Best, &c. or in such phrase,
the highest degree respects some
lower, and mean one: and are
those in God? Or is there a-
ny Creature, any Degree of that
Best, by which we should call
God? Or art thou got any nee-
rer, by hearing him called Abstra-
ctly, Goodness; since that, and
such, are communicable, and
daily applied to Princes? Art
thou delighted with Arguments
arising from Order, and Subordi-
nati-
Essayes in Divinity.
41
nation of Creatures, which must
at last end in some one, which
ends in none? Or from the preser-
vation of all this Universe, when
men which have not had faith, and
have opposed reason to reason,
have escaped from all these, with-
out confessing such a God, as thou
knowest; at least, without seeing
thereby, what he is? Have they
furthered, or eased thee any more,
who not able to consider whole
and infinit God, have made a par-
ticular God, not only of every
power of God, but of every be-
nefit? And so filled the world
(which our God alone doth bet-
ter) with so many, that Varro
could account 30000. and of them
300 Jupiters. Out of this pro-
ceeded Dea febris, and Dea
fraus, and Tenebris, and Onions,
and Garlike. For the Egyptians,
most abundant in Idolatry, were
from thence said to have Gods
grow in their gardens. And Ter-
tullian, noting that Gods became
mens Creatures, said, Homo inci-
pit esse propitius Deo Apol. l. 5., because Gods
42
Essayes in Divinity. Gods were beholden to men for
their being. And thus did a great
Greek Generall, when he pressed
the Ilanders for mony, tell them,
that he presented two Gods, Vim
& Suasionem; and conformably to
this they answered, that they op-
posed two Gods, Paupertatem &
Impossibilitatem. And this mul-
tiplicity of Gods may teach thee,
that the resultance of all these po-
wers is one God, and that no place
nor action is hid from him: but it
teacheth not, who, nor what he is.
And too particular and restrain'd
are all those descents of God in his
word, when he speaks of a body,
and of passions, like ours. And
such also is their reverend silence,
who have expressed God in Hie-
roglyphicks, ever determining in
some one power of God, without
larger extent. And lastly, can thy
great capacity be fulfilled with
that knowledg, which the Roman
Church affords of God? which,
as though the state of a Monarchy
were too terrible, and refulgent
for our sight, hath changed the King-
Essayes in Divinity.
43 Kingdome of heaven into an Oly-garchy; or at least, given God
leasure, and deputed Masters of
his Requests, and Counsellers in
his great Starr-chamber? Thou
shalt not then, O my faithfull
soul, despise any of these erroneous
pictures, thou shalt not destroy,
nor demolish their buildings;
but thou shalt not make them thy
foundation. For thou beleevest
more then they pretend to teach,
and art assur'd of more then thou
canst utter. For if thou
couldest express all which thou
seest of God, there would be som-
thing presently beyond that. Not
that God growes, but faith doth.
For, God himself is so unutterable,
that he hath a name which we can-
not pronounce. Of the Name of God. Names are either to avoid
confusion, and distinguish par-
ticulars, and so every day beget-
ting new inventions, and the names
often overliving the things, curious and
44
Essayes in Divinity. and entangled Wits have vexed
themselves to know, whether in
the world there were more things
or names;) But such a name,
God who is one needs not; Or
else, names are to instruct us, and
express natures and essences. This
Adam was able to do. And an
enormous pretending Wit of our
nation and age undertook to
frame such a language, herein
exceeding Adam, that whereas
he named every thing by the most
eminent and virtuall property,
our man gave names, by the first
naked enuntiation whereof, any
understanding should compre-
hend the essence of the thing, bet-
ter then by a definition. And such
a name, we who know not Gods
essence cannot give him. So that
it is truly said, there is no name Aq. 1. q. 13.
Ar. 1.
given by man to God, Ejus essen-
tiam adæquatè representans. And
Dial. As.
clep. Hermes says humbly and reverent-
ly, Non spero, I cannot hope,
that the maker of all Majesty, can
be call'd by any one name, though
compounded of many. I have thereforetherfore
Essayes in Divinity.
45
therfore sometimes suspected, that
there was some degree of pride,
and overboldness, in the first na-
ming of God; the rather, because
I marke, that the first which e-
ver pronounced the name, Gen. 3.1. God,
was the Divell; and presently af-
ter the woman; Gen. 4.1. who in the next
chapter proceeded further, and
first durst pronounce that sacred
any mystick name of foure letters. Gen. 32.
29.
For when an Angell did but Mi-
nisterially represent God wrast-
ling with Jacob, he reproves Ja-
cob, for asking his name; Cur
quæris nomen meum? And so also
to Manoah, Why askest thou my
Name, quod est mirabile? Jud. 13.18. And
God, to dignify that Angell which
he promises to lead his people, Exod. 23.
20.
says, Fear him, provoke him not, &c.
For my Name is in him; but he
tels them not what it is. But
since, necessity hath enforced, and
Gods will hath revealed some
names. For in truth, we could
not say this, God cannot be na-
med, except God could be na-
med. To handle the Mysteries of
46
Essayes in Divinity. of these names, is not for the
straitness of these leaves, nor of
my stock. But yet I will take
from Picus, those words which
his extream learning needed not,
Ex lege, spicula linquuntur pau-
peribus in messe, the richest and
learnedst must leave gleanings be-
hind them. Proem. in
Heptap. Omitting therefore
Gods attributes, Eternity, Wisdom,
and such; and his Names commu-
nicable with Princes, and such;
there are two Names proper, and
expressing his Essence: One im-
posed by us, God; The other ta-
ken by God, the Name of four
letters; for the Name, I am, is
derived from the same root. The
Name imposed by us, comes so
near the other, that most Nations
express it in four letters; and
the Turk almost as Mistically
as the Hebrew, in Abgd, almost
in effably: And hence perchance
was derived the Pythagorean oath,
by the number of four. And in
this also, that though it be gi-
ven from Gods Works, not from
his Essence, (for that is impossi ble
Essayes in Divinity.
47 ble to us) yet the root signifies all
this, Curare, Ardere, Aq. 1. q. 13.
Ar. 8. and Con-
siderare; and is purposed and in-
tended to signifie as much the Es-
sence, as we can express; and is
never afforded absolutely to any
but God himself. And therefore
Aquinas, after he had preferred
the Name I am, above all, both
because others were from formes,
this from Essence; they signified
some determined and limited pro-
perty, this whole and entire God;
and this best expressed, that no-
thing was past, nor future to God;
he adds, yet the Name, God, is
more proper then this, and the
Name of four letters more then
that. Ar. 11. Tetragr.
Reuclin. de
verbo. Mi-
rifico. l. 1.
c. 6.Of which Name one says, that
as there is a secret property by
which we are changed into God,
(referring, I think, to that, We are
made partakers of the godly nature)
2 Pet. 1.4. so God hath a certain name, to
which he hath annexed certain
conditions, which being observed,
he hath bound himself to be pre-
sent. This is the Name, which the
48
Essayes in Divinity. the Jews stubbornly deny ever to
have been attributed to the Messi-
as in the Scriptures. This is the
name, which they say none could
utter, but the priests, and that
the knowledg of it perished with
the Temple. And this is the name
by which they say our Blessed Sa-
viour did all his miracles, having
learned the true use of it, by a
Scedule which he found of Solo-
mon's, and that any other, by that
means, might do them. Jehovah. How this name should be soun-
ded, is now upon the anvile, and
every body is beating and ham-
mering upon it. That it is not
Jehova, this governs me, that the
Septuagint never called it so;
Nor Christ; nor the Apostles,
where they vouch the old Testa-
ment; Nor Origen, nor Hierome,
curious in language. And though
negatives have ever their infirmi-
ties, and must not be built on, this
may, that our Fathers heard not
the first sound of this word Jehova.
For (for any thing appearing,)
Galatinus, in their Age, was the first
Essayes in Divinity.
49 first that offered it. For, that
Hierome should name it in the ex-
position of the eighth Psalm, it is De Noie
Tetrag.
peremptorily averred by Drusius,
and admitted by our learnedst Do-
ctor, that in the old Editions it was Rainolds de
Idol. 2,
2, 18.
not Jehova. But more then any
other reason, this doth accomplish
& perfect the opinion against that
word, that whereas that language
hath no naturall vowels inserted,
but points subjected of the value
and sound of our vowels, added
by the Masorits, the Hebrew Cri-
ticks, after Esdras; and therefore
they observe a necessity of such
a naturall and infallible concur-
rence of consonants, that when
such and such consonants meet,
such and such vowels must be ima-
gined, and sounded, by which
they have an Art of reading it
without points; by those rules, Genebr. de
leg. Orient.
siuepunctis.
those vowels cannot serve those
Consonants, nor the name Jehova
be built of those four letters, and
the vowels of Adonay. Elohim. Of the name used in this place, D much
50
Essayes in Divinity. much needs not. But as old age
is justly charged with this sickness,
that though it abound, it ever co-
vets, though it need less then youth
did: so hath also this decrepit
age of the world such a sickness;
for though we have now a clearer
understanding of the Scriptures
then former times, (for we inhe-
rit the talents and travels of al Ex-
positors, and have overlived most
of the prophecies,) and though
the gross thick clouds of Aria-
nism be dispersed, and so we have
few enemies; yet we affect, and
strain at more Arguments for the
Trinity, then those times did,
which needed them more. Here-
upon hath an opinion, that by
this name of God, Elohim, because
it is plurally pronounced in this
place, and with a singular verbe,
the Trinity is insinuated, first of
any begun by Peter Lumbard, L. 1. Sent.
Dist. 2.
been since earnestly pursued by
Lyra, Galatin, and very many.
And because Calvin, in a brave re-
ligious scorn of this extortion, and
beggarly wresting of Scriptures, denyes
Essayes in Divinity.
51 denyes this place, with others u-sually offered for that point, to
concern it, and his defender Pa-
ræus denyes any good Author to
approve it, Hunnius opposes Lu-
ther, and some after, but none Antipar.
fo. 9.
before, to be of that opinion.
But, lest any should think this a
prevarication in me, or a purpose
to shew the nakedness of the Fa-
thers of our Church, by opening
their disagreeing, though in no
fundamentall thing, I will also
remember, that great pillars of
the Roman Church differ with
as much bitterness, and less rea-
son in this point. For, when
Cajetan had said true, that this
place was not so interpretable,
but yet upon false grounds, That
the word Elohim Eloah. Job.
2. & 36. had no sin-
gular, which is evidently false,
Catharinus in his Animadver-
sions upon Cajetan, repre-
hends him bitterly for his truth,
and spies not his Errour: And
though Tostatus long before said
the same, and Lumbard were the
first that writ the contrary, he D2 denies
52
Essayes in Divinity. denies any to have been of Caje-tan's opinion. It satisfies me, for
the phrase, that I am taught by
collation of many places in the
Scriptures, that it is a meer Idio-
tism. And for the matter, that
our Saviour never applyed this
place to that purpose: And that
I mark, the first place which the
Fathers in the Nicen Councel ob-
jected against Arius his Philoso-
pher, was, Faciamus hominem, and
this never mentioned. Thus much
of him, who hath said, Isa. 65.I have
been found by them which have not
sought me: And therefore most
assuredly in another place, If thou
seek me, thou shalt finde me. I have
adventured in his Name, upon his
Name. Our next consideration
must be his most glorious worke
which he hath yet done in any
time, the Creation. PART
Essayes in Divinity.
53 Part. 3.
MUndumMundum tradidit disputatio-ni eorum, ut non inveniat Sirac. 3.11
homo opus quod operatus est Deus
ab initio usque ad finem. So that
God will be glorified both in our
searching these Mysteries, because
it testifies our liveliness towards
him, and in our not finding them.
Lawyers, more then others, have
ever been Tyrants over words, and
have made them accept other
significations, then their nature
enclined to. Hereby have Casuists
drawn the word Anathema, which
is consecrated or separated, and se-
parated or seposed for Divine use, to
signify necessarily accursed, and cut
off from the communion of the
Church. Hereby Criminists have
commanded Heresie, which is but
election, (and thereupon Paul
gloryed to be of the strictest Act. 6.5. He-
resie, a Pharisee;) and the Scep-
ticks were despised, because they
were of no Heresie) to undertake Lært. D3 a
54
Essayes in Divinity. a capitall and infamous significa-tion. Hereby also the Civilists have
dignified the word Priviledge, Acacius
de Privil. l. 1.
cap. 1.
whose ancientest meaning was, a
law to the disadvantage of any
private man (and so Cicero speaks
of one banished by priviledg, and
lays the names, cruel and capitall
upon Priviledg) and appointed it
to express only the favours and
graces of Princes. Schoolmen,
which have invented new things,
and found out, or added Sub-
urbs to Hell, will not be exceed-
ed in this boldness upon words. As
therefore in many other, so they
have practised it in this word cre-
are: which being but of an even
nature with facere, or producere,
they have laid a necessity upon it Scot. 2.
Sent. Dist. 1.
q. 5.
Pererius.
to signifie a Making of Nothing;
For so is Creation defined. But
in this place neither the Hebrew
nor Greek word afford it; neither
is it otherwise then indifferently
used in the holy books. Somtimes
of things of a preexistent matter,
Sirach. 17.
1. He created man of Earth, and he
created him a helper out of himself. Some-
Essayes in Divinity.
55 Sometimes of things but then re-vealed, They are created now, and Isa. 48.7.
not of old. Sometimes of that,
whereof God is neither Creator,
nor Maker, nor Concurrent, as
Isa. 45.5. of Evill; faciens Pacem, & cre-
ans malum: And sometimes of
that which was neither created
nor made by God, nor any o-
ther, as darkness, Isa. 54.7.which is but pri-
vation; formans bucem, & cre-
ans tenebras. And the first that
I can observe to have taken away
the liberty of this word, and made
it to signify, of Nothing, is our Aq. 1. q. 45
ar. 1.
countryman Bede upon this place.
For Saint Augustin was as opposite Aug. contr.
advers. leg.
& proph.
and diamitrall against it, as it is
against truth. For he says, fa-
cere est quod omnino non erat; cre-
are verò est, ex eo quod jam erat
educendo constituere. Truly, it is
not the power and victory of rea-
son, that evicts the world to be
made of Nothing; for neither
this word creare inforces it, nor
is it expressly said so in any Scrip-
ture. When Paul says himself to 1 Cor. 22.
11.
be Nothing, it is but a diminuti-
D4 on
56
Essayes in Divinity.
on and Extenuation (not of him-self, for he says there, I am not
inferior to the very chief of the A-
postles, but) of Mankind. Where
it is said to Man, Your making is
of Nothing, Isa. 41.24. it is but a respective,
and comparative undervaluing;
as in a lower descent then that be-
fore, Isa. 40.17. All Nations before God are
less then Nothing. As in another
place by a like extreme extending
Ex. 15.18. it is said, Deus regnabit in æter-
num & ultra: Only it is once
said, Ex nihilo fecit omnia Deus; Machab. 2.7.
28.
but in a book of no straight obli-
gation (if the matter needed au-
thority) and it is also well transla-
ted by us, Of things which were not.
But therefore we may spare Di-
vine Authority, and ease our faith
too, because it is present to our
reason. For, Omitting the qua-
relsome contending of Sextus
Empiricus the Pyrrhonian, (of
the Author of which sect Laerti-
us says, that he handled Philoso-
phy bravely, having invented a
way by which a man should de-
termine nothing of every thing) who
Essayes in Divinity.
57 who with his Ordinary weapon,
a two-edged sword, thinks he
cuts off all Arguments against pro-
duction of Nothing, by this, Non
fit quod jam est, Nec quod non est;
nam non patitur mutationem quod Ca. de Or-
tu & inte-
rit.
non est; And omitting those Ido-
laters of Nature, the Epicureans,
who pretending a mannerly loth-
ness to trouble God, because
Nec bene promeritis capitur, nec
tangitur ira, Lucret. indeed out of their
pride are loth to be beholden to
God, say, that we are sick of the
Horace. fear of God, Quo morbo men-
tem concusse? Timore Deorum;
And cannot therefore admit crea-
tion of Nothing, because then
Nil semine egeret, but ferre om-
nes omnia possent, And subitò ex-
orirentur, incerto spacio, Lucret. with such
other dotages. To make our ap-
proches nearer, and batter effe-
ctually, let him that will not con-
fess this Nothing, assign somthing
of which the world was made. If
it be of it self, it is God: and it
is God, if it be of God; who is
also so simple, that it is impossible D5 to
58
Essayes in Divinity. to imagine any thing before him
of which he should be compoun-
ded, or any workman to do it. Boet. de
Consol. 5.
pros.
6.
For to say, as one doth, that the
world might be eternall, and yet
not be God, because Gods eter-
nity is all at once, and the worlds
successive, will not reconcile it;
for yet, some part of the world
must be as old as God, and infi-
nite things are equall, and equalls
to God are God. The greatest
Dignity which we can give this
world, is, that the Idæa of it is eter-
nall, and was ever in God: And
that he knew this world, not only
Scientiâ Intellectus, by which he
knows things which shall never
be, and are in his purpose im-
possible, though yet possible and
contingent to us; but, after fai-
ling, become also to our knowledg
impossible, (as it is yet possible
that you will read this book tho-
row now, but if you discontinue
it (which is in your liberty) it is
then impossible to your know-
ledge, and was ever so to
Gods;) but also Scientiâ Visionis, by
Essayes in Divinity.
59 by which he knows only infalli-ble things; and therefore these
Idæas and eternall impressions in
God, may boldly be said to be
God; for nothing understands
God of it self, but God; and
it is said, Intellectæ Jynges à patre,
intelligunt & ipsæ: Zoroast. O-
racul. 4. And with Zo-
roaster (if I misconceive not) Jynx
is the same as Idæa with Plato.
The eternity of these Idæas
wrought so much, and obtained
so high an estimation with Scotus,
that he thinks them the Essence of
this world, and the Creation was
but their Existence; which Reason
and Scaliger reprehend roundly,
when they do but ask him, whe-
ther the Creation were only of ac-
cidents. But because all which can be
said hereof is cloudy, and there-
fore apt to be mis-imagined, and
ill interpreted, for, obscurum lo-
quitur quisque suo perieulo, I will
turn to certain and evident things;
And tell thee, O man, which art
said to be the Epilogue, and com-
pendium of all this world, and the Hymen
60
Essayes in Divinity. Hymen and Matrimoniall knot of
Eternal and Mortall things, whom
one says to be all Creatures, Picus. be-
cause the Gospel, of which onely
man is capable, is sent to be prea-
ched to all Creatures; Mar. 16. And wast
made by Gods hands, not his
commandment; and hast thy
head erected to heaven, and all
others to the Center; that yet on-
ly thy heart of all others, points
downwards, and onely trembles.
And, oh ye chief of men, ye
Princes of the Earth, (for to you
especially it is said, Terram dedit
filiis hominum; for the sons of
God have the least portion there-
of; And you are so Princes of the
Earth, as the Divell is Prince of
the Air, it is given to you to raise
storms of warr and persecution)
know ye by how few descents ye
are derived from Nothing? you
are the Children of the Lust and
Excrements of your parents, they
and theirs the Children of Adam,
the child of durt, the child of
Nothing. Yea, our soul, which
we magnify so much, and by which
Essayes in Divinity.
61 which we consider this, is a veryer
upstart then our body, being but
of the first head, and immediate-
ly made of Nothing: for how
many souls hath this world, which
were not nothing a hundred years
since? And of whole man com-
pounded of Body and Soul, the
best, and most spirituall and deli-
cate parts, which are Honour and
Pleasure, have such a neighbour-
hood and alliance with Nothing,
that they lately were Nothing,
and even now when they are, they
are Nothing, or at least shall
quickly become Nothing: which,
even at the last great fire, shall
not befall the most wretched
worme, nor most abject grain of
dust: for that fire shall be a puri-
fier, not consumer to nothing.
For to be Nothing, is so deep a
curse, and high degree of punish-
ment, that Hell and the prisoners
there, not only have it not, but
cannot wish so great a loss to
themselves, nor such a frustra-
ting of Gods purposes. Even in
Hell, where if our mind could con-
62
Essayes in Divinity. contract and gather together all
the old persecutions of the first
Church, where men were tormen-
ted with exquisite deaths, and of-
tentimes more, by being denyed
that; And all the inhumanities
of the Inquisition, where repen-
tance encreaseth the torture, (for
they dy also, and lose the com-
fort of perseverance;) And all the
miseries which the mistakings,
and furies, and sloth of Princes,
and infinity and corrosiveness of
officers, the trechery of women,
and bondage of reputation hath
laid upon mankind, since it was,
and distil the poyson and strength
of all these, and throw it upon one
soul, it would not equall the tor-
ment of so much time as you
sound one syllable. And for
the lasting, if you take as many
of Plato's years, as a million of
them hath minutes, and multi-
ply them by Clavius his number,
which expresses how many sands
would fill the hollowness to the
first Mover, In Sacro-
bos. you were so far from
proceeding towards the end, that you
Essayes in Divinity.
63 you had not described one mi-nute. In Hell, I say, to escape
which, some have prayed to have
hils fall upon them, and many hor-
rours shadowed in the Scriptures
and Fathers, none is ever said
to have wished himself Nothing.
Indeed, as reposedly, and at home
within himself no man is an A-
theist, however he pretend it, and
serve the company with his bra-
veries (as Saint Augustine sayes Conf. l. 2.
cap. 3.
of himself, that though he knew
nothing was blameable but vice,
yet he seemed vicious, lest he
should be blameable; and fain'd
false vices when he had not true,
lest he should be despised for his
innocency;) so it is impossible
that any man should wish him-
self Nothing: for we can desire
nothing but that which seems sa-
tisfactory, and better to us at
that time; and whatsoever is bet-
ter, is something. Doth, or can
any man wish that, of which, if
it were granted, he should, even
by his wishing it, have no sense,
nor benefit? To speak truth free-
ly,
64
Essayes in Divinity.
ly, there was no such Nothing as
this before the beginning: for,
he that hath refin'd all the old
Definitions, hath put this ingre-
dient Creabile, Piccolo-
min. Defin.
Creat.(which cannot be
absolutely nothing) into his De-
finition of Creation: And that
Nothing which was, we cannot
desire; for mans will is not larger
then Gods power; and since No-
thing was not a pre-existent mat-
ter, nor mother of this All, but
onely a limitation when any
thing began to be; how impos-
sible is it to return to that first
point of time, since God (if it im-
ply contradiction) cannot reduce
yesterday? Of this we will say
no more; for this Nothing being
no creature, is more incompre-
hensible then all the rest: but we
will proceed to that which is All,
Heaven and Earth. PART
Essayes in Divinity.
65 PartPart. 4.
ONeOne sayes in admiration of
the spirit and sublimenesse
of Abbot Joachim his Works, Picus. that
he thinks he had read the Book
of life. Such an acquaintance as
that should he need, who would
worthily expound or comprehend
these words, Heaven and Earth.
And Francis George in his Har-
mony sayes, That after he had cu-
riously observed, that the Ark of
Noah, and our body had the same
proportion and correspondency
in their parts, he was angry, when
he found after, that St Augu-
stine had found out that before.
So natural is the disease of Meum
& Tuum to us, that even con-
templative men, which have aban-
don'd temporall propriety, are de-
lighted, and have their Complacen-
tiam, in having their spirituall Me-
ditations and inventions knowne
to be theirs: for, qui velit in-
genio
66
Essayes in Divinity.
genio cedere, rarus erit. But be-cause to such as I, who are but
Interlopers, not staple Merchants,
nor of the company, nor within
the commission of Expositors of
the Scriptures, if any licence be
granted by the Spirit to discover
and possesse any part, herein, it
is condition'd and qualified as the
Commissions of Princes, that we
attempt not any part actually pos-
sess'd before, nor disseise others;
therefore of these words, so abun-
dantly handled, by so many, so
learned, as no place hath been
more traded to, I will exposito-
rily say nothing, but onely a lit-
tle refresh, what others have said
of them, and then contemplate
their immensity. Al opinions about
these words, whether of Men too
supple and slack, and so miscarried
with the streame and tide of el-
der Authority; or too narrow
and slavish, and so coasting ever
within the view and protection of
Philosophy; or too singular,
and so disdaining all beaten paths,
may fall within one of these ex-
positions.
Essayes in Divinity.
67
positions. Either in these words
Moses delivers roundly the intire
Creation of all, and after doth
but dilate and declare the Order;
which is usually assign'd to Chry-
sostome and Basil, govern'd by
the words in Gen. 2.4. In the day
that the Lord God made the Earth
and the Heavens; and of these, He
that liveth for ever made all things Sirach. 18.
1.
together; and because the literall
interpretation of successive dayes
cannot subsist, where there are
some dayes mention'd before the
Creation of these Planets which
made dayes. Or else, (which
Augustine authorizeth) the Hea-
ven signifies Angels, and the Earth
Materiam primam, out of which
all things were produc'd; which
Averroes hath call'd In 1° Phys.
70. Id ens quod
mediat inter non esse penitus, & esse
Actu. And another hath affor-
ded it a definition, which Divines
have denied to God: for he says,
Arist. 7.
Met.
Piccolom.
de Defin.
Mat. primæ Est nullum prædicamentum, ne-
que Negatio. And therfore that
late Italian Distiller and Sublimer
of old definitions hath riddled up-
on
68
Essayes in Divinity.
on it, That it is first and last;
immortall and perishable; for-
med and formelesse; One, four,
and infinite; Good, bad, and
neither; because it is susceptible
of all formes, and changeable in-
to all. Or else Heaven must mean
that Cœlum Empyræum (which
some have thought to be increate,
and nothing but the refulgence
of God) which is exempt from
all alteration even of motion;
and the Earth to designe the first
Matter. And in this channell
came the tide of almost all accep-
ted Expositors, till later ages som-
what diverted it. For with, and
since Lyra, (of whom his Apolo-
gist Dornike sayes, Dilirat qui
cum Lyra non sentit) they agree
much, that Heaven and Earth in
this place, is the same which it
is now; And that the substantiall
forms were presently in it distinct-
ly, but other accidentall proper-
ties added successively. And ther-
fore Aquinas having found dan-
ger in these words, 1. q. 65.
Ar. 1. Præcessit in-
formitas materiæ ejus formatio-
nem
Essayes in Divinity.
69
nem, expounds it, Ornatum, not
formam. So that this Heaven and
Earth, being themselves and all
between them, is this World; the
common house and City of Gods
and men, in Cicero's words; Nat. De-
or. 2. and
the corporeal and visible image
and son of the invisible God, in
the description of the Academicks:
which being but one, (for Uni-
versum est omnia versa in unum)
hath been the subject of Gods la-
bor, and providence, and delight,
perchance almost six thousand
yeares; whose uppermost first
moving Orbe is too swift for
our thoughts to overtake, if it
Gilbert. de
Magn. l. 6.
c. 3. dispatch in every hour three thou-
sand times the compass of the
Earth, and this exceeds fifteen
thousand miles. In whose firma-
ment are scattered more Eyes (for
our use, not their owne) then
any Cyphers can esteeme or ex-
presse. For, how weake a sto-
mack to digest knowledge, or
how strong and misgovern'd faith
against common sense hath he,
that is content to rest in their
num-
70
Essayes in Divinity. number of 1022 Stars? whose
nearer regions are illustrated with
the Planets, which work so effectu-
ally upon man, that they have of-
ten stop'd his further search, and
been themselves by him deified;
And whose navell, this Earth,
which cannot stir, for every other
place is upwards to it, and is un-
der the water, yet not surroun-
ded, and is mans prison and pal-
lace, yea man himself, (for ter-
ra est quam calco, & terra quam
porto, says Augustin:) Conf. 12. A world,
which when God had made, he
saw it was very good; and when
it became very bad, because we
would not repent, he did: and
more then once; for he repented
that he made it, and then that he
destroyed it; becoming for our
sakes, who were unnaturally con-
stant (though in sinning) unna-
turally changeable in affection:
And when we dis-esteemed his be-
nefits, and used not this world a-
right, but rather chose Hell, he,
to dignify his own work, left
Heaven it self, to pass a life in this
world:
Essayes in Divinity.
71 world: Of the glory of which,
and the inhabitants of it, we shall
best end in the words of Sirach's
Son, When we have spoken much, we
cannot attain unto them; but the
sum of all is, that God is all. Ch. 43.27. But
because, as the same man says,
When a man hath done his best, he
must begin again; and when he
thinks to come to an end, he must go
again to his labour; Cha. 18.6. let us further
consider what love we may bear
to the world: for, to love it too
much, is to love it too little; as
overpraysing is a kind of libelling.
For a man may oppress a favorite
or officer with so much commen-
dation, as the Prince neglected
and diminished thereby, may be
jealous, and ruine him. Ambas-
sadours in their first accesses to
Princes, use not to apply them-
selves, nor divert their eye upon
any, untill they have made their
first Dispatch, and find themselves
next the Prince; and after ac-
knowledg and respect the beams
of his Majesty in the beauties and
dignities of the rest. So should
our
72
Essayes in Divinity. our soul do, between God, and
his Creatures; for what is there
in this world immediately and pri-
marily worthy our love, which
(by acceptation) is worthy the
love of God? Earth and Heaven
are but the foot-stool of God:
But Earth it self is but the foot-
ball of wise men. How like a
Strumpet deales this world with
the Princes of it? Every one
thinks he possesseth all, and his
servants have more at her hand
then he; and theirs, then they.
They think they compass the
Earth, and a Job is not within
their reach. A busie Wit hath ta-
ken the pains to survey the posses-
sions of some Princes: & he tels us,
that the Spanish King hath in Eu-
rope almost three hundred thou-
sand miles, and in the new world
seaven millions, besides the bor-
ders of Africk, and all his Ilands: Malaguz-
zi. Theso.
Polit. par.
2. fo. 60.
And we say, the Sun cannot hide
himself from his Eye, nor shine
out of his Dominions. Yet let
him measure right, and the Turke
exceeds him, and him the Persi-
an;
Essayes in Divinity.
73
an; the Tartar him, and him
Prete-Jan. There came an E-
dict from the Emperour (saith the
Gospel) that the whole world
should be taxed: Luk. 2.1. And when the
Bishop of Rome is covetous of one
treasure, and expensive of another,
he gives and applies to some one
the Indulgences Urbis & Orbis.
And alas, how many greater King-
domes are there in the world,
which know not that there is such
a Bishop or Emperour? Ambiti-
on rests not there: The Turke,
and less Princes, have stiled them-
selves King of Kings, and Lord
of Lords, and chosen to God. Chri-
stian Princes, in no impure times,a Justinian.
Proem.
have taken (nay given to them-
selves) a Numen nostrum, and b Acacius
l. 1. c. 6.
Cassā. Cat.
glo. Mud.
P. 5. Cons.
24.50.
b Divina Oracula, and Sacra
Scripta to their Laws. Of them
also some speak so tremblingly,
that they say, to dispute their A-
ctions is sacriledg. And their c De nova
forma fide-
lit. c. 1.
Extra Jo.
22. ca. cum
Intergloss.
c Baldus says of him, Est omnia, &
super omnia, & facit ut Deus;
habet enim cœleste arbitrium. But
more roundly the Canonists of
E their
74
Essayes in Divinity. their Bishop, Qui negat Domi-num Deum nostrum Papam, &c.
which title the Emperour Constan-
tine also long before afforded
him. Distin. 96.
l. Satis.
And Mar-
tial to Do-
mitian, l. 8.
2. But alas, what are these our
fellow-ants, our fellow-durt, our
fellow-nothings, compared to
that God whom they make but
their pattern? And how little have
any of these, compared to the
whole Earth? whose hills, though
they erect their heads beyond the
Country of Meteors, and set their
foot, in one land, and cast their
shadow into another, are but as
warts upon our face: And her
vaults, and caverns, the bed of the
winds, and the secret streets and
passages of al rivers, and Hel it self,
though they afford it three thou-
sand great miles, Munster
l. I. c. 16. are but as so
many wrinkles, and pock-holes.
A prince is Pilot of a great ship,
a Kingdome; we of a pinnace, a
family, or a less skiff, our selves:
and howsoever we be tossed, we
cannot perish; for our haven (if
we will) is even in the midst of the
Sea; and where we dy, our home
meets
Essayes in Divinity.
75
meetmeets us. If he be a lion and live
by prey, and wast amongst Ce-
dars and pines, and I a mole, and
scratch out my bed in the ground,
happy in this, that I cannot see
him: If he be a butterfly, the
son of a Silkworm, and I a Sca-
rab, the seed of durt; If he go to
execution in a Chariot, and I in a
Cart or by foot, where is the glo-
rious advantage? If I can have
(or if I can want) those things
which the Son of Sirach C. 39.26. calls
principall, water, fire, and iron,
salt and meal, wheat and hony,
milk, and the blood of grapes,
oyle, and clothing; If I can
prandere Olus, Horace. and so need not
Kings; Or can use Kings, and so
need not prandere Olus: In one
word, if I do not frui (which,
is, set my delight, and affection
only due to God) but Uti the
Creatures of this world, Lombard.
l. 1. Dist. 1. this
world is mine; and to me belong
those words, Subdue the Earth,
and rule over all Creatures; Gen. 1.28. and
as God is proprietary, I am usu-
fructuarius of this Heaven and E2 Earth
76
Essayes in Divinity. Earth which God created in the
beginning. And here, because
Nemo silens placuit, multi brevita-
te, Auson. shall be the end. O Eternall and Almighty pow-
er, which being infinite,
hast enabled a limited creature,
Faith, to comprehend thee; And
being, even to Angels but a passive
Mirror and looking-glasse, art to
us an Active guest and domestick,
(for thou hast said, I stand at the
door and knock, Rev. 3.20. if any man hear
me, and open the doore, I will
come in unto him, and sup with
him, and he with me, and so thou
dwellst in our hearts; And not there
only, but even in our mouths; for
though thou beest greater, and more
remov'd, yet humbler and more
communicable then the Kings of
Egypt, or Roman Emperours,
which disdain'd their particular
distinguishing Names, for Pha-
raoh and Cæsar, names of confusi-
on; hast contracted thine immensi-
ty, and shut thy selfe within Syl-
lables, and accepted a Name from
us;
77 us; O keep and defend my tongue
from misusing that Name in light-
nesse, passion, or falshood; and
my heart, from mistaking thy Na-
ture, by an inordinate preferring
thy Justice before thy Mercy, or ad-
vancing this before that. And as,
though thy self hadst no beginning
thou gavest a beginning to all things
in which thou wouldst be served and
glorified; so, though this soul of mine,
by which I partake thee, begin not
now, yet let this minute, O God,
this happy minute of thy visitation,
be the beginning of her conversion,
and shaking away confusion, dark-
nesse, and barrennesse; and let her
now produce Creatures, thoughts,
words, and deeds agreeable to thee.
And let her not produce them, O
God, out of any contemplation, or
(I cannot say, Idæa, but) Chime-
ra of my worthinesse, either be-
cause I am a man and no worme,
and within the pale of thy Church,
and not in the wild forrest, and en-
lightned with some glimerings of
Naturall knowledge; but meerely
out of Nothing: Nothing prexis-
E3 tent
78
tent in her selfe, but by power of
thy Divine will and word. By
which, as thou didst so make Hea-
ven, as thou didst not neglect
Earth, and madest them answe-
rable and agreeable to one another,
so let my Soul's Creatures have
that temper and Harmony, that
they be not by a misdevout conside-
ration of the next life, stupidly
and trecherously negligent of the of-
fices and duties which thou enjoynest
amongst us in this life; nor so an-
xious in these, that the other (which
is our better business, though this
also must be attended) be the less
endeavoured. Thou hast, O God,
denyed even to Angells, the ability
of arriving from one Extreme to a-
nother, without passing the mean
way between. Nor can we pass
from the prison of our Mothers
womb, to thy palace, but we must
walk (in that pace whereto thou
hast enabled us) through the street
of this life, and not sleep at the first
corner, nor in the midst. Yet since
my soul is sent immediately from
thee, (let me for her return) rely,
not
79 not principally, but wholly upon thee
and thy word: and for this body,
made of preordained matter, and
instruments, let me so use the ma-
teriall means of her sustaining, that
I neither neglect the seeking, nor
grudge the missing of the Conveni-
encies of this life: And that for
fame, which is a mean Nature
between them, I so esteem opinion,
that I despise not others thoughts of
me, since most men are such, as most
men think they be: nor so reverence
it, that I make it alwayes the rule
of my Actions. And because in
this world my Body was first made,
and then my Soul, but in the next
my soul shall be first, and then my
body, In my Exterior and morall
conversation let my first and presen-
test care be to give them satisfaction
with whom I am mingled, because
they may be scandaliz'd, but thou,
which seest hearts, canst not: But
for my faith, let my first relation be
to thee, because of that thou art
justly jealous, which they cannot
be. Grant these requests, O God, if
I have asked fit things fitly, and
E4 as
80
80
as many more, under the same li-
mitations, as are within that prayer
which (As thy Manna, which was
meat for all tasts, and served to the
appetite of him which took it, and
was that which every man would)
includes all which all can aske, Sap. 16.20 Our
Father which art, &c. Exodus
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81
Exodus C. 1. V. 1.
Now these are the Names
of the Children of Israel
which came into Egypt,
&c. INIn this book our en-
trance is a going out:Of Exodus
for Exodus is Exci-
tus. The Meditati-
on upon Gods works
is infinite; and whatsoever is so,
is Circular, and returns into it
selfe, and is every where begin-
ning and ending, and yet no
where either: Which the Jews
(the children of God by his first
spouse the Law, as we are by
Grace, his second) express'd in
their round Temples; for God E5 him-
82
Essayes in Divinity.
himselfe is so much a Circle, as
being every where without any
corner, (that is, never hid from
our Inquisition;) yet he is no
where any part of a straight line,
(that is, may not be directly and
presently beheld and contempla-
ted) but either we must seek his I-
mage in his works, or his will in
his words; which, whether they
be plain or darke, are ever true,
and guide us aright. For, as-
well the Pillar of Cloud, as that of
Fire, did the Office of directing.
Yea, oftentimes, where fewest Ex-
positors contribute their helpes,
the Spirit of God alone enligh-
tens us best; for many lights cast
many shadows, and since contro-
verted Divinity became an occu-
pation,Contro-
versies. the Distortions and vio-
lencing of Scriptures, by Chri-
stians themselves, have wounded
the Scriptures more, then the old
Philosophy or Turcism. So that
that is applyable to us, which Se-
neca says of CsæarsCæsars murderers,
Plures amici quam inimici eum
interfecerunt. From which indul-
gence
Essayes in Divinity.
83
gence to our own affections, that
should somwhat deterr us, which
Pliny says of the same business, I-
isdem pugionibus quibus Cæsarem
interfecerunt, sibi mortem consci-
verunt. For we kill our own souls
certainly, when we seek passionate-
ly to draw truth into doubt and
disputation. Short
Texts.I do not (I hope) in underta-
king the Meditation upon this
verse, incur the fault of them,
who for ostentation and magnify-
ing their wits, excerpt and tear
shapeless and unsignificant rags of
a word or two, from whole sen-
tences, and make them obey their
purpose in discoursing; The Soul-
diers would not divide our Savi-
ours garment, though past his
use and his propriety. No gar-
ment is so neer God as his word:
which is so much his, as it is he. His
flesh, though dignified with un-
expressible priviledges, is not so
near God, as his word: for that
is Spiritus Oris. And in the In-
carnation, the Act was onely of
one Person, but the whole Trini ty
84
Essayes in Divinity.
ty speaks in every word. They
therefore which stub up these se-
verall roots, and mangle them
into chips, in making the word
of God not such,Literall
Sense. (for the word
of God is not the word of God in
any other sense then literall (and
that also is not the literall, which
the letter seems to present, for so
to diverse understandings there
might be diverse literall senses;
but it is called literall, to distin-
guish it from the Morall, Allegori-
call, and the other senses; and is
that which the Holy Ghost doth
in that place principally intend:)
they, I say, do what they can
this way, to make God, whose
word it is pretended to be, no God.
They which build, must take the
solid stone, not the rubbish. Of
which, though there be none in
the word of God, yet often un-
sincere translations, to justifie our
perjudices and foreconceived o-
pinions, and the underminings
and batteries of Hereticks, and
the curious refinings of the Alle-
goricall Fathers, which have made the
Essayes in Divinity.
85
the Scriptures, which are stronge
toyles, to catch and destroy the
bore and bear which devast our
Lords vineyard, fine cobwebs to
catch flies; And of strong gables,
by which we might anker in all
storms of Disputation and Perse-
cution, the threads of silkworms,
curious vanities and excesses (for
do not many among us study even
the Scriptures only for ornament?)
these, I say, may so bruse them, and
raise so much dust, as may blinde
our Eyes, and make us see no-
thing, by coveting too much.
He which first invented the cut-
ting of Marble, had (says Pliny)
importunum ingenium; a wit that
would take no answer nor denyal.
So have they which break these
Sentences, importuna ingenia,
unseasonable and murmuring spi-
rits. When God out of his a-
bundance affords them whole
Sentences, yea Chapters, rather
then not have enough to break
to their auditory, they will at-
tempt to feed miraculously great
Congregations with a loafe or two
86
Essayes in
Divinity.
two, and a few fishes; that is,
with two or three incoherent
words of a Sentence. I remem-
ber I have read of a General, who,
having at last carryed a town, yet
not meerly by force, but upon
this article, That in sign of subje-
ction they should admit him to
take away one row of stones
round about their wall, chose to
take the undermost row, by
which the whole wall ruined. So
do they demolish Gods fairest
Temple, his Word, which pick
out such stones, and deface the
integrity of it, so much, as nei-
ther that which they take, nor that
which they leave, is the word of
God. In the Temple was admit-
ted no sound of hammer, nor in
the building of this great patri-
archal Catholick Church, of which
every one of us is a little chappel,
should the word be otherwise wre-
sted or broken, but taken intire-
ly as it is offered and presented.
But I do not at this time trangress
this rule,Of this
Text. both because I made not
choice of this unperfect sentence, but
Essayes in
Divinity.
87
but prosecute my first purpose of
taking the beginning of every
book: and because this verse is not
so unperfect, but that radically
and virtually it comprehends all
the book; which being a hi-
story of Gods miraculous Mercy
to his, is best intimated or Epi-
tomized in that first part, which
is insinuated in this verse, from
how small a number he propaga-
ted so great a Nation. Upon this
confidence, and conscience of
purposing good,Unvocall
preaching. I proceed in these
Sermons; for they are such, in
the allowance of him whom they
have stiled resolutissimum et Chri-
stianissimum Doctorem; Gers. de
laude Scr.
consid. 1a. for he says
Scriptor manu prædicat. And that
to write books, though one gain
and profit temporally by it, yet
if the finall respect be the glory of
God, is latriæ veneratio, and more
honorable to the Church, then the
multiplication of vocal prayers, I-
mo, quam insolens Missarum incul-
catio. Did the Author of that book,
the Preacher, make vocal Sermons?
Though these lack thus much of Ser-
88
Essayes in
Divinity.
Sermons, that they have no Au-
ditory, yet as Saint Bernard did
almost glory, that Okes and Bee-
ches were his Masters, I shall be
content that Okes and Beeches be
my schollers, and witnesses of
my solitary Meditations. There-
fore,Division. after I shal have spoken a few
words in generall of this book,
I will proceed to a neerer conside-
ration of this verse; first, As it
begins to present a Register of
their Names, whom God appoin-
ted to be the foundation of his
many great works; And then, As
it doth virtually comprehend
those particular testimonies of
Gods love to his people.
In the first, we will look Why
God is willing, that those through
whom God prepares his miracles,
should be named. Secondly, why
they are in divers places diversly
named. Then, why their number
is expressed; And why that also
diversly, in divers places. And
lastly, whether there bee no My-
stery in their Number, Se-
venty. In
Essayes in
Divinity.
89
In the second part, wherein out
of this verse radically will arise to
our consideration, all his favors to
his chosen, expressed in this book,
we shall have occasion to contem-
plate Gods Mercy, and that, In
bringing them into Egypt, In pro-
pagating them there, In delive-
ring them from thence, and in
nourishing them in the wilderness.
Secondly his Power, Expressed in
his many Miracles: Thirdly his
Justice, in their pressures in
Egypt, and the wilderness:
And lastly his Judgments, in af-
fording them a law for their di-
rection. Exodus. When this Book became a par-
ticular book, that is,Of Moses
five Books when Mo-
ses his book was divided into five
parts, I cannot trace. Not only
the first Christian Councells,
which establish'd or declared the
Canon of Scripture, and all the
earlyest Expositors thereof, whe-
ther Christians or Jews, but the Sep-
90
Essayes in Divinity.
Septuagint, almost 300. years
before Christ, acknowledge this
partition. Yet, that Moses left
it a continued work, or at least
not thus distributed, it seems e-
vident, both because the Hebrew
names of these books are not sig-
nificant, but are only the first
words of the book, (as we use to
cite the Imperiall and the Canon
laws) And because by Conradus
Pellicanus I am taught,Comment.
in Pentat. that Mo-
ses, according to the 52. Hebdo-
mades, distinguished the Penta-
teuch into so many sections, of
which this is the 13. And Josephus
Simlerus notes, that the first
letter here, which ordinarily hath
no use, but grace, hath in this
place the force of a conjunction.
And so Lyra, and many others ac-
knowledg, that this is but a con-
tinuing of the former History.
Besides the reasons which moved
those times to make this a singu-
lar Book, I may add this, That
God, when he had in that part
of Moses book which we call Ge-
nesis, expressed fully, that by cre-
ating
Essayes in Divinity.
91
ating from Nothing, before Na-
ture was, he needed not her to
begin his glorious work; so in this
he declares especially, that he
hath not so assumed Nature into
a Collegueship with himself, that
he cannot leave her out, or go be-
sides her, and neglect her, or go
directly against her when it plea-
ses him: And therefore this book
is, more then any other, a Register
of his Miracles. Of which book
this is notable, it consisting of
the most particular ceremoniall
parts, wherein the Jews yet persist,
and we faithfully see already ac-
complished, and therefore likely-
est to minister matter of quarrell
and difference between us, of all
other books in the bible, is best a-
greed upon; and fewer differen-
ces between ours and their Copies
then in any other book: so equally
careful have al parties been to pre-
serve the Records of his Miracles
intemerate. PART
Part. 1.
92
Essayes in Divinity.
I Come now to the first Part:Names.
In which, the first Conside-
ration is, Why God would
have them named? These
are the Names,Antiq. l.2.
c.4. &c. Josephus de-
livering the same History, sayes,
that he would not have ascribed
the Names, because they are of
an hard and unpleasant sound, but
that some had defamed the Nati-
on, as Egyptians; and denyed
them to be Mesopotamians. It
hath therefore one good use, to
distinguish them from profane
Nations: But the chiefest is, That
they are inserted into this Book
for an everlasting honour both to
God and them. Amongst men,
all Depositaries of our Memories,
all means which we have trusted
with the preserving of our Names,
putrifie and perish. Of the infinite
numbers of the Medals of the
Emperors, some one haypy An-
tiquary,
Essayes in Divinity.
93
tiquary, with much pain, travell,
cost, and most faith, beleeves he
hath recovered some one rusty
piece, which deformity makes
reverend to him, and yet is indeed
the fresh work of an Impostor. The very places of the Obelises,
and Pyramides are forgotten, and
the purpose why they were erect-
ed. Books themselves are subject
to the mercy of the Magistrate:
and as though the ignorant had
not been enemie enough for
them, the Learned unnaturally
and treacherously contribute to
their destruction, by rasure and
mis-interpretation. Caligula
would abolish Homer, Virgil, and
all the Lawyers Works, and eter-
nize himself and his time in Me-
dals: The Senate, after his death,
melted all them: Of their brasse
his Wife Messalina made the
Statue of her beloved Player; and
where is that? But Names ho-
nour'd with a place in this book,
cannot perish, because the Book
cannot. Next to the glory of
having his name entred into the Book
94
Essayes in Divinity.
Book of Life, this is the second, to
have been matriculatted in this
Register, for an example or instru-
ment of good. Lazarus his name
is enrolled, but the wicked rich
mans omitted. How often in the
Scriptures is the word Name, for
honour, fame, vertue? How often
doth God accurse with abolishing
the Name? Thou shalt destroy
their Name, Deut. 7.24. And, I
wil destroy their Name de sub cœlo,
Deut. 9.14. And, Non seminabitur
de Nomine tuo, Nah. 1.14. With
which curse also the civill Ephesi-
an Law punished the burner of
the Temple, that none should
name him. And in the same phrase
doth God expresse his blessings
to Abraham, Gen. 12.2. and often
elsewhere, I will make thy Name
great. Which, without God, those
vaine attempters of the Tower of
Babel endeavoured: for it is said,
Gen. 11.4. They did it, to get
themselves a Name. Whether
Nomen be Novimen, or Notamen,
it is still to make one known: and
God, which cannot be known by his
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95
his own Name, may nearlyest by
the names and prosperity of his.
And therefore, for his own sake,
he is carefull to have his servants
named. He calleth his own sheep
by name; And,Joh. 10. Scribe Nomen Diei
hujus, says he to Ezekiel, c. 24.2.
Of all Nations, the Jews have most
chastly preserved that Ceremony
of abstaining from ethnick Names.Ethnick
Names.
At this time, when by their pres-
sures they need most to descend to
that common degree of flattery,
to take the names of the Princes by
whose leave they live, they do
not degenerate into it, when al-
most all Christendom hath strai-
ed into that scandalous fashion, of
returning to heathen Names, as
though they were ashamed of
their Examples. And almost in all
their Names, the Jews have either
testified some event past, or pro-
phecied or prayed for some good
to come:Significant.
Names. In no language are
Names so significant. So that if
one consider diligently the sensessense
of the Names register'd here, he
will not so soon say, That the Names
96
Essayes in Divinity.
Names are in the History, as that
the History is in the Names. For,
Levi is coupled to God, which
notes Gods calling. Simeon, hea-
ring and obedient, where their
willingness is intimated. Juda is
confessing and praising, which re-
sults of the rest. Zebulon is a
dwelling, because they are esta-
blished in God: in whom, be-
cause they have both a Civill poli-
cy, and a Military, Dan is a Judg-
ment, and Gad, a Garrison. In
which, that they may be exerci-
sed in continual occasions of meri-
ting, Naphthali is a wrestling. And
to crown all, Asher is complete bles-
sedness. The other Names have
their peculiar force, which will
not come into this room: but I
entred the rather into this Medi-
tation and opinion, because I find
the Scriptures often to allude to
the Name, and somtimes express it,
as 1 Sam. 25.25. As his name is, so is
he, Nabal, a fool. And in Exod. 15.
23. Therefore the name of the place
was called bitter. And the Romans
also had so much respect to the ominous-
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97
ominousness of good Names, that
when in Musters every Souldier
was to be called by Name,Cic. l. 1. de
Divinat. they
were diligent to begin with one
of a good and promising Name,
which Festus reckons to be Vale-
rius, Salvius, Statorius, and such.
And I have read in some of the
Criminalists, that to have an ill
Name, in this sense, not malæ
famæ, was Judicium ad torturam.Hom. 8. in
Gen.
Origen exaggerating pathetically
the gradations of Abraham's
sorrow at the immolation of his
son, after he hath expostulated
with God why he would remem-
ber him of the Name son, and
why of Beloved son, rests most
upon the last, that he would call
him by his Name Isaac, which
signifies joy, in a commandement
of so much bitterness. It may be
then some occasion of naming
them in this place, that as these
men were instruments of this
work of God, so their names did
sub-obscurely foresignifie it. For
Reason, the common soul to all
lawes, forbids that either great F punish-
98
Essayes in Divinity.
punishments should be inflicted
otherwise then Nominatim; Non
nisi nominatim liberi exheredandi:Briss. form.
so. 604.
Or that great benefits should be
in any other sort conferr'd. For
conformably to this case, which
now we consider, of delivering
persons from bondage, the law
is,Lex Fus.
Can. Servis non nisi Nominatim li-
bertas danda est. Of this Honour
to his servants, to be remembred
by Name, God hath been so dili-
gent, that somtimes himself hath
imposed the Name before the
birth,Changed
Names. and somtimes changed it to
a higher signification, when he
purposed to exalt the person. It
is noted,Fr. George
pro fo. 17. that to Abram's Name he
added a letter, whose number made
the whole Name equall to the
words, Creavit Hominem. So that
the multiplying of his seed, was a
work not inferior to the Creation.
And from Sarai's Name he took
a letter, which expressed the num-
ber ten, and repos'd one, which
made but five; so that she contribu-
ted that five which man wanted be-
fore, to shew a mutuall indigence and
98
Essayes in Divinity.
and Supplement. How much
Schismatick disputation hath pro-
ceeded from the change of Si-
mon's Name into Peter?Mat. 15. What
a Majestick change had James and
John into the Sons of Thunder? Mar. 13. yet God not only forbore ever
such vast Names, as Pharaoh gave
Joseph,Ge. 41.41. which is not only Ex-
pounder of secrets, Addition
to Names. but Saviour of
the world: which also the Ro-
man Emperors assumed in many
Coyns, (Æternitas Cæsaris, And
Cæsar salus, And Servator, And
Restaurator Orbis;) but (to my
remembrance, and observation)
he never added other Name, as a
pronomen, or cognomen, or such:
To shew (I think) that man
brought not part of his Dignity,
and God added; but that God,
when he will change a man, be-
gins, and works, and perfects all
himself. For though corrupt cu-
stome hath authorised it now,
And,Robortellus
de Nomi-
nibus. Gaudent pronomine molles
auriculæ; yet the Romans them-
selves, from whom we have this
burden of many Names, till they F2 were
100
Essayes in
Divinity.
were mingled with the Sabins, u-
sed but one Name.Politianus
Miscel. c. 31 And before
that Custom got to be noble,
their slaves, only when they were
manumitted, were forced to ac-
cept three names. In this Excess
of Names the Christians have ex-
ceeded their patterns: for to o-
mit the vain and empty fulness in
Paracelsus Name, which of the
Ancients equalls that grave, wise
Author, which writes himself,
Pulmannus Anicius Manlius
Torquatus Severinus Boethius?
But God hath barely and nakedly,
but permanently engrav'd these
Names. Which shall never be
subject to that obscurity, which
Ausonius imputes to one who was
Master to an Emperor, and re-
warded with a Consulship, but
overswaid with his Colleague, that
men were fain to inquire, Quibus
Consulib. gesserit consulatum. But
wheresoever these Names shall be
mentioned, the Miraculous History
shall be call'd to memory; And
wheresoever the History is remem-
bred, their Names shall be refreshd. Di-
Diversity in Names.
Our next consideration is, Why
they are diversly named? and not
alwayes alike, in Gen. 46. and here,
and in Deuteronomy, and the other
places where they are spoken of?
And this belongs not only to this
case, but to many others in the
Holy Bible. Josua and Jesus is all
one. So is Chonia, and Jechonias.
And how multinominous is the
father in law of Moses? And the
name Nebrycadrozor is observ'd to
be written seven severall wayes
in the Prophets. To change the
Name, in the party himself is, by
many laws, Dolus; and when a
Notary doth it, he is falsarius;
faults penall and infamous. And
therefore laws have provided, that
in instruments of contract, and in
publick Registers, all the Names,
Sur-names and additions shall be
inserted; and they forbid Abbre-
viations; and they appoint a more
conspicuous and more permanent
Character to express them. So ne-
F3 cessary
102
Essayes in
Divinity.
cessary is a certainty and constan-cy in the Names. Some late inter-
preters of the law, Acacius de
privil. Ju-
ris. teach, that
false Latin in Grammer, in Edicts
or Rescripts from the Imperiall
Chamber, or any other secular
Prince or Court, doth not anni-
hilate or vitiate the whole writing,
because all they may be well e-
nough presum'd not to under-
stand Latine; But the Bulls of
the Popes, and decrees in the
Court of Rome are defeated and
annulled by such a corruption,
because their sufficiency in that
point being presumed, it shall be
justly thought subreptitious, what
ever issues faulty and defective in
that kind. So, though Error
and variety in Names, may be
pardonable in profane Histories,
especially such as translate from
Authors of other language, yet
the wisdome and constancy of
that one Author of al these books,
the Holy Ghost, is likely to de-
fend and establish all his instru-
ments, chosen for building this
frame of Scriptures, from any un-
certaine
Essayes in
Divinity.
103
certaine waverng and vacilla-
tion. The Cabalists therfore, which
are the Anatomists of words, and
have a Theologicall Alchimy to
draw soveraigne tinctures and spi-
rits from plain and grosse literall
matter, observe in every variety
some great mystick signification;
but so it is almost in every He-
brew name and word. Lyra,
who is not so refined, yet very
Judaick too, thinks, that as with
the Latin, Cholaus, Choletus,
Cholinus, and Nicolaus is one
Name; so it is in the variation of
names in the Scriptures. But of-
tentimes, neither the sound, nor
letter, nor signification, nor be-
ginning nor ending, nor roote,
nor branch, have any affinity:
as himselfe (though corrupt-
ly) says, that Esau, Seir, and
Edom are one name.Gen. 36. It may be
some laziness to answer every
thing thus, It is so, because God
would have it so; yet he which
goes further, and asks, Why
Gods will was so, inquires for F4 some-
104
Essayes in
Divinity.
something above God. For,
find me something that enclines
God, and I will worship that.
since therefore this variety of
Names fals out in no place, where
the certainty of the person or Hi-
story is therby offuscate, I encline
to think, that another usefull do-
cument arises from this admitting
of variety; which seems to me to
be this,Difference
in things
not essen-
tiall. that God in his eternall
& ever-present omniscience, fore-
seeing that his universal, Christian,
Catholick Church, imaged, and
conceived, and begotten by him
in his eternall decree, born and
brought to light when he travail'd
and labored in those bitter agonies
and throes of his passion, nourced
ever more dilicately and precious-
ly then any natural children, (for
they are fed with their Mothers
blood in their womb, but we with
the blood of our most Blessed Sa-
viour all our lives,) fore-seeing,
I say, that this his dearly beloved
Spouse, and Sister, and Daugh-
ter, the Church, should in her
latter Age suffer many convulsi-
ons
Essayes in
Divinity.
105
ons, distractions, rents, schisms,
and wounds, by the severe and
unrectified Zeal of many, who
should impose necessity upon in-
different things, and oblige all
the World to one precise forme
of exterior worship, and Ecclesi-
astick policie; averring that eve-
ry degree, and minute and scruple
of all circumstances which may
be admitted in either beleif or pra-
ctice, is certainly, constantly, ex-
pressly, and obligatorily exhibi-
ted in the Scriptures; and that
Grace, and Salvation is in this u-
nity and no where else; his Wis-
dome was mercifully pleas'd, that
those particular Churches, devout
parts of the Universall, which, in
our Age, keeping still the foun-
dation and corner stone Christ
Jesus, should piously abandon the
spacious & specious super-edifica-
tions which the Church of Rome
had built therupon, should from
this variety of Names in the Bible
it selfe, be provided of an argu-
ment, That an unity and conso-
nance in things not essentiall, is not F5 so
106
Essayes in
Divinity.
so necessarily requisite as is imagi-
ned. Certainly, when the Gen-
tils were assum'd into the Church,
they entred into the same funda-
mentall faith and religion with
the Jews, as Musculus truly notes;
and this conjunction in the roote
and foundation, fulfill'd that
which was said, Fiet unum Ovi-
le, & unus PastorJoh. 10.16, One fold, and
one shepherd. For, by that be-
fore, you may see that all Christs
sheep are not alwayes in one fold,
Other sheep have I also, which are
not of this fold. So, all his sheep are
of one fold, that is, under one
Shepherd, Christ; yet not of one
fold, that is, not in one place, nor
form. For, that which was stray-
ed and alone, was his sheep; much
more any flock which hearken
together to his voice, his Word,
and feed together upon his Sa-
craments. Therefore that Church
from which we are by Gods Mer-
cy escaped, because upon the foun-
dation, which we yet embrace to-
gether, Redemption in Christ,
they had built so many stories high
Essayes in
Divinity.
107
high, as the foundation was,
though not destroyed, yet hid and
obscured; And their Additions
were of so dangerous a constru-
ction, and appearance, and mis-
applyableness, that to tender con-
sciences they seem'd Idolatrous,
and are certainly scandalous and
very slippery, and declinable into
Idolatry, though the Church be
not in circumstantiall and dedu-
ced points, at unity with us, nor
it self; (for, with what tragick
rage do the Sectaries of Thomas
and Scotus prosecute their diffe-
rences? and how impetuously
doth Molinas and his Disciples at
this day, impugne the common
doctrine of grace and freewill?
And though these points be not
immediately fundamentall points
of faith, yet radically they are, and
as neer the root as most of those
things wherein we and they dif-
fer;) yet though we branch out
East & West, that Church concurs
with us in the root, and sucks her
vegetation from one and the same
ground, Christ Jesus; who, as it is in
108
Essayes in Divinity.
in the Canticle, lies between the
brests of his Church,Cant. 1.12 and gives
suck on both sides. And of that
Church which is departed from
us, disunited by an opinion
of a necessity that all should
be united in one form, and that
theirs is it, since they keep their
right foot fast upon the Rock
Christ, I dare not pronounce
that she is not our Sister; but
rather as in the same Song of
Solomon's,Cant. 8.9. We have a little si-
ster, and she hath no brests: if
she be a wall, we will build upon
her a silver palace. If therefore
she be a wall, That is, Because
she is a wall; for so Lyra expounds
those words, as on her part, she
shall be safer from ruine, if she
apply her self to receive a silver
palace of Order, and that Hierar-
chy which is most convenient and
proportionall to that ground and
state wherein God hath planted
her; and she may not transplant
her self: So shall we best conserve
the integrity of our own body,
of which she is a member, if we labo-
Essayes in Divinity.
109 laboriously build upon her, and
not tempestuously and ruinously
demolish and annull her; but ra-
ther cherish and foment her vitall
and wholsome parts, then either
cut, or suffer them to rot or moul-
der off. As naturall, so politick
bodies have Cutem, & Cuticulam.
The little thin skin which covers al
our body, may be broken without
pain or danger, and may reunite
it selfe, because it consists not of
the chief and principiant parts. But
if in the skin it self, there be any
solution or division, which is sel-
dome without drawing of blood,
no art nor good disposition of
Nature, can ever bring the parts
together again, and restore the
same substance, though it seem to
the ey to have sodder'd it self. It
will ever seem so much as a defor-
ming Scar, but is in truth a breach.
Outward Worship is this Cuticu-
la: and integrity of faith the skin
it self. And if the first be tou-
ched with any thing too corrosive,
it will quickly pierce the other;
and so Schism, which is a departure from
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Essayes in Divinity.
from obedience, will quickly be-
come Heresie, which is a wilfull
deflexion from the way of faith?
Which is not yet, so long as the
main skin is inviolate: for so long
that Church which despises ano-
ther Church, is it self no other
then that of which the Psalm
speakes, Ecclesia Malignanti-
um. Thus much was to my un-
derstanding naturally occasioned
and presented by this variety of
Names in the Scriptures: For, if
Esau, Edom, and Seir were but
one man; Jethro and Revel, &c.
but one man, which have no con-
sonance with one another, and
might thereby discredit and ener-
vate any History but this, which
is the fountain of truth; so Syna-
gogue and Church is the same
thing, and of the Church, Ro-
man and Reformed, and all other
distinctions of place, Discipline,
or Person, but one Church, jour-
nying to one Hierusalem, and di-
rected by one guide, Christ Jesus;
In which, though this Unity of
things not fundamentall, be not
abso-
Essayes in Divinity.
111 absolutely necessary, yet it were
so comely and proportionall with
the foundation it self, if it were
at Unity in these things also, that
though in my poor opinion, the
form of Gods worship, establi-
shed in the Church of England be
more convenient, and advantage-
ous then of any other Kingdome,
both to provoke and kindle devo-
tion, and also to fix it, that it stray
not into infinite expansions and
Subdivisions; (into the former of
which, Churches utterly despoyl'd
of Ceremonies, seem to me to have
fallen; and the Roman Church,
by presenting innumerable objects,
into the later.) And though to all
my thanksgivings to God, I ever
humbly acknowledg, as one of
his greatest Mercies to me, that he
gave me my Pasture in this Park,
and my milk from the brests of
this Church, yet out of a fervent,
and (I hope) not inordinate af-
fection, even to such an Unity,
I do zealously wish, that the whole
catholick Church, were reduced
to such Unity and agreement, in the
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Essayes in Divinity.
the form and profession Establi-
shed, in any one of these Churches
(though ours were principally to
be wished) which have not by a-
ny additions destroyed the foun-
dation and possibility of salvation
in Christ Jesus; That then the
Church, discharged of disputati-
ons, and misapprehensions, and
this defensive warr, might con-
template Christ clearly and uni-
formely. For now he appears to
her, as in Cant. 2.9. He stan-
deth behind a wall, looking forth
of the window, shewing himself
through the grate. But then,
when all had one appetite, and
one food, one nostrill and one
purfume, the Church had obtai-
ned that which she then asked,
Arise ô North, Cant. 4.10.and come ô South,
and blow on my garden, that the
spices thereof may flow out. For
then, that savour of life unto life
might allure and draw those to us,
whom our dissentions, more then
their own stubborness with-hold
from us. Of
Essayes in Divinity.
113
Of Number.
As God Registers the Names
of his Elect, and of his Instru-
ments, so doth he the Number,
He counteth the Number of the
starrs, and calleth them by their
Names, says the Psalmist;Ps. 147.4. which
many Expositors interpret of the
Elect. Of which Saint John ex-
presses a very great Number,Rev. 7.6. when
he says, I heard the number of them
which were sealed 144000. But af-
ter in the ninth verse, A Mul-
titude in white before the Lamb,
which none could Number. In
that place of Genesis,Gē. 14.14
Pererius. when Abram
took 318. to rescue Lot (which
Number hath been, not unuse-
fully observed to accord with the
Number of the Fathers in the first
Necene Councell, where Christi-
anity was rescued from Arius) the
Septuagint have Numeravit, and
Saint Ambrose says, the Hebrew
word signifies Elegit; as though
it were so connaturall in God, to
number and to Elect, that one word
114
Essayes in Divinity.
word might express both. And be-
cause Christ knew how rigorous
an account God took of those
whom he had made Governors of
his,Joh. 17.12. in his prayer, that they might
be after preserved, he says, I have
kept them, and none of them are lost,
except, &c. How often doth
God iterate this way also of ex-
pressing his love to Abraham,
that he will multiply his posterity?
If a man can number the dust of
the earth, then shall thy seed be
numbred, Gen. 13.16. And lest he
should have seemed to have per-
formed that promise when he had
onely multiplyed their Number,
and yet left them to be trod un-
der foot by the Egyptians, because
that comparison of Dust might
import and insinuate so much;
he chuses after another of infinite
Number and Dignity together;
Tell the Starrs, if thou be able to
number them: So shall thy seed be,
Gen. 15.5. David, to let them
see what a blessing their encrease
in number was, bids them remem-
ber what they were, Ps. 105.12.Cum essent Nu-
Essayes in Divinity.
815115
Numero brevi. And Jeremy, as
though they did not else concurr
with God in his purpose to restore
them to greatnesse, when they
were in Babylon, sayes to them,
Jer. 26.6.Nolite esse pauci Numero. Upon
this love of God to see his people
prosper, sayes Rabbi Solomon, Ʋt
homo habens peculium: or, As a
man which hath a Stock of cat-
tell which he loves, reckons them
every day; so doth God his peo-
ple. Hence is it, that so many
times God commands his people
to be numbred. Insomuch, that
that which we call the Fourth
book of Moses,Prologo. in which Saint Je-
rom saith are contained totius A-
rithmeticae Mysteria, hath the de-
nomination from Numbering. In
the first entrance whereof, God
commands his to be numbrd, and
to be numbred by Name: And
the number in that place, when
the old and young,Fr. George
Prob. 376. and women
are added to it, one very curious,
following those rules by which
the Hebrews have learned the
number of the Angels in heaven, hath
116
Essayes in Divinity.
hath found to accord precisely
with that number of Angels inti-
mated in Dan. 7. This Order, of
being first Named, and then Num-
bred; or first Numbred, and then
Named, Antichrist perverts by
Anticipation, and doing both at
once; for his Name is a Number.
The Divel, who counterfeits God,
put a desire into David to num-
ber his people; who was then only
in his right Arithmetick, when he
prayed to finde the number of his
dayes.Psal. 39.5.
1 Chr. 21.
1. But when Satan stood up
against Israel, and provoked David
to number his people, he entred a
work of such glory and osten-
tation, that Joab was nine months
and twenty dayes in doing that
service.2 Sam. 24.
8. But God would number
also; and because David would
not attend his leisure, he chan-
ged his fashion, and brought upon
them that number, which he after
threatens again in Isaiah, Isa. 65.11.Nume-
rabo vos in gladio. Of this
Number.For the Number registred in
this History, As God had well
provided for their Honour, by entring
Essayes in
Divinity.
117
entring their Names in this ever-
lasting record: so (I think) he
provided for his own Honour, of
which he is ever jealous, in expres-
sing the Number; that all poste-
rity might be awakened to a reve-
rent acknowledgment of his great-
ness and goodness, by seeing, from
what a smal Number, in how short
a time, how numerous a people,
through how great pressures,
and straits, were by him propa-
gated and established. For, since
he is content to receive his Ho-
nour from us, (for although all
cause of Honour be eternally inhe-
rent in himselfe, yet that Act pro-
ceeds from us, and of that Ho-
nour, which is in Honorante, he
could have none, til he had made
Creatures to exhibit it;) his great
work of Creation, which admits
no arrest for our Reason, nor
gradations for our discourse, but
must be at once swallowed and
devour'd by faith, without ma-
stication, or digestion, is not so
apt to work upon us, for the pro-
voking of our Acts of Honour, as
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Essayes in
Divinity.
as those other miracles are, which
are somewhat more submitted to
reason, and exercise and enter-
tain our disputation, and spiritual
curiosity by the way, and yet
at last go as far beyond reason,
as the other; as all miracles do
equally. Of that kind this is;
because a mighty People is mira-
culously made, not of Nothing,
(upon which, Consideration can
take no hold) but of a dispro-
portionall, and incompetent lit-
tlenesse. And in these, where
the smallnesse of the roote, or
seed, is a degree of the miracle,
the Spirit of God uses to be pre-
cise in recording it. And there-
fore, in the greatest of that kind,
which is the fulfilling and reple-
nishing the world, after that
great exinanition by the generall
deluge, though Moses say twice
or thrice, that Noah, and his
sonnes, and his and their wives
went into the Ark, and came out;
yet, because the Miracle of pro-
pagating consists in the Number,
Almighty God is pleased, by his ordi-
Essayes in
Divinity.
119
ordinary way of expounding his
word, (which is, to explicate
and assure one place by another)
to teach us, that this Number was
but eight: for St. Peter says, In
the Ark but few, that is, 1 Pet. 3.but
Eight were saved. In like man-
ner, I mean with like precisenesse,
after the Miracle in Mat. 14. was
precisely recorded, how many
loafes, how many fishes, how ma-
ny Eaters, how many baskets of
fragments; In the next chapter,
another Miracle of the same kind,
being to be registred, though
it be lesse then the other, (for
their is more meat, fewer eaters,
and fewer fragments) yet God
seems carefull in the particular
Numbers. This therefore I take
to be some reason of inserting this
Number; which being somewhat
discordantly, and differently set
down, as the collation of places
manifests, and the Spirit of God
doing nothing falsly, inordinatly,
negligently, dangerously, or per-
plexedly, to an humble and deli-
gent understanding; we will in the
120
Essayes in Divinity.
the next Section consider the Va-
riety in this Number. Variety in the Number.
Numbring is so proper and pecu-
liar to man, who only can number,
that some philosophical Inquisi-
tors have argued doubtfully, whe-
ther if man were not, there were
any Number. And error in Num-
bring is De substantialibus, as
lawyers say, and somtimes annuls,
ever vitiates any Instrument, so
much, as it may not be cor-
rected. Nothing therefore seems
so much to indanger the Scrip-
tures, and to submit and render
them obnoxious to censure and
calumniation, as the apparance
of Error in Chronology, or other
limbs and members of Arithme-
tick: for,August. in
Enchirid. since Error is an ap-
probation of false for true, or in-
certain for certain, the Author
hath erred (and then the
Author is not God) if any Num-
ber be falsly delivered; And we
erre, if we arrest our selves as up-
on
Essayes in Divinity.
121
on certain truth (as we do upon
all the Scriptures,) when there is
sufficient suspicion of Error, (ab-
stracting the reverence of the Au-
thor,) and a certain confession
and undeniableness of uncertain-
ty. And as a man delated jurid-
dically, or by fame, or by pri-
vate information of any Crime,
must, when Canonicall purgation
is required at his hands, not on-
ly sweare his own innocency him-
self, but produce others of his
neighbourhood and friendship, to
swear that they think he swears
true; and if they concurr'd not
with him, this would have the
nature of a half-proof, and justifie
a further proceeding to his con-
demnation: so when any pro-
fane Historie rises up against any
place of Scripture, accusing it to
Humane Reason, and understan-
ding, (for though in our supreme
Court in such cases, for the last
Appeal be Faith, yet Reason is her
Delegate) it is not enough that
one place justify it self to say true,
but all other places produced as G hand-
122
Essayes in Divinity.
handling the same matter, must
be of the same opinion, and of
one harmony. I have therefore
wondred that Althemerus, pre-
tending to reconcile all apparant
discordances in the Scriptures,
hath utterly pretermitted all vari-
ety in Numbring: Of Examples
whereof, the comparing of the
Historicall books, would have af-
forded him great plenty, and wor-
thy of his travell. The generall
reasons why God admits some
such diversities in his book, pre-
vail also for this place which is
now under our consideration;
which are, first, To make men
sharpe and industrious in the in-
quisition of truth, he withdrawes
it from present apprehension, and
obviousness. For naturally great
wits affect the reading of obscure
books, wrastle and sweat in the
explication of prophesies, digg
and thresh out the words of unle-
gible hands, resuscitate and bring
to life again the mangled, and
lame fragmentary images and
characters in Marbles and Medals, because
Essayes in Divinity.
123
because they have a joy and com-
placency in the victory and at-
chievement thereof. Another
reason is, That as his elect chil-
dren are submitted by him to the
malice and calumny of the Repro-
bate, and are not only ragefully
tempested with stormes of perse-
cution, but contemptuously and
scornfully (which is oftentimes
the greater affliction) insimulated
of folly and silliness, are in his
knowledg, and often so declared
in this world to abound in the
treasure of riches and wisdome:
So he is pleased that his word
should endure and undergo the
opinion of contradiction, or o-
ther infirmiries, in the eyes of
Pride (the Author of Heresie and
Schism) that after all such dissecti-
ons, & tions, and examinings
of HeteticallHereticall adventures upon it,
it might return from the furnace
more refin'd, and gain luster and
clearness by this vexation. But
the most important and usefull
reason is, that we might ever have
occasion to accustome our selves, G2 to
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Essayes in Divinity.
to that best way of expounding
Scriptures, by comparing one
place with another. All the
doubts about this place determine
in two. First, why the Number
is in so many places said to be Se-
venty, as Gen. 46.27. and in this
place of Exodus, and in Deut. 10.
22. And yet Gen. 46.26. the
Number is said to be but 66. And
in all the process of time from
Moses's to Stephen's martyrdome,
recorded Act. 7. there could be
no other doubt but this one, to
them which understood Hebrew,
and were not misgoverned by the
translation of the Septuagint. And
this first doubt is no sooner offe-
red, then answered; for in the
46. of Gen. the 26 verse speaks of
66, and considers not Joseph
and his two sons, which were al-
ready in Egypt, in which the 27.
verse doth, and adding Jacob him-
self, perfects the Number 70. of
which it speaks. So that here is
no dissonance in the Number, but
only the Spirit of God hath used
his liberty, in the phrase, recko-
ning
Essayes in Divinity.
125
ning some born in Egypt among
the soules which came into Egypt.
The other Doubt, which hath
more travelled the Expositors, is,
why Stephen, referring to Moses,Act. 7.
should say, they were 75. The
occasion of this mistaking (for
so I think it was) was given by false
Copies of the Septuagint's transla-
tion, then in most use. For the
Hebrew text was long before so
farr out of ordinary use, that we
see our Saviour himself, in his al-
legations, follows the Septuagint.
And in my mind, so much reve-
rence is due to that translation,
that it were hard to think, that they
at first added five to Moses Num-
ber. For, that which is said for
that opinion (though by Saint Hie-
rome) which is, that they com-
prehend some nephews of Joseph,
hath no warrant; and all the rest
of the brethren were likely to have
nephews at that time also. And
against this opinion it prevails
much with me, that, by Saint Hie-
romes testimony, that translati-
on in his time, in the other place, G3 Deu. 10.22.
126
Essayes in
Divinity.
Deut. 10.22. had but 70, conform
to Moses: And any reason which
might have induced them to add
5 in Genesis, had been as strong
for Deuteronomy. Junius, scarce
exceeded by any,L. 1. Par.
92. in learning,
sharpness, and faith, thinks that
Stephen neither applyed his speech
to that account of those that were
issued from Jacob's loyns, which
were indeed but 66, nor to the
addition of the three in Egypt,
which, with Jacob himself accom-
plish'd the number of 70; but
that, insisting precisely upon Mo-
ses syllables, he related so many as
were expressed by name by Mo-
ses in that Chapter, to have been
of Jacob's Family; which were
Jacob's four wives, and the two
sons of Judah, which make up 75.
But with that modesty wherein he
asks leave to depart from the
Fathers, I must depart from
him: for Joseph could not cause
these two sons of Judah to be
brought into Egypt, (as appears
in the Text he did, for all the
number there intended,) since they
Essayes in
Divinity.
127
they were dead in Canaan before,
as is evident, Genes. 46. Others
therefore have thought, that Saint
Luke reported not the words out
of Stephen's mouth, but by view
of Moses his text, and that but
in the Translation; because being
but a Proselite, he had no perfe-
ction, nor was accustom'd to
the Hebrew. And others, that
indulgently he descended to that
text which was most familiar, and
so most credible to them. For,
though this be either an apparant
Error in the Septuagint at first,
(which is hard to allow, if we be-
leeve half of that which uses to be
said, in proof; that the Holy
Ghost assisted them) Or a cor-
ruption insinuated after, (as it is
easie, when Numbers are expres-
sed by numerant letters,) yet that
translation, so corrupted, had so
much weight, that all then fol-
lowed it; and it maintained that
authority so long, that even in
Lyra's time the Latin obeyed it.
For he reads in this place of Exo-
dus, 75. though he there confess G4 the
128
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the Hebrew hath but 70. This in
my understanding may safelyer be
admitted, then to decline so farr
as Master Calvin doth, who
thinks it possible that Saint Luke
repos'd the true Number 70; but
some other exscriber, ignorant of
Hebrew, and obedient to the Sep-
tuagint, reformed it deformly
since his writing; for this seems
to me to open dangerously a way
to the infringing, or infirming ma-
ny places of Scripture. The
Number being then certainly 70,
since by the hardness and inso-
lence of the Phrase, there seems
some violence and force, to raise
the Number to 75. (for it may
seem hard, that Joseph, which
sent for these 70, should be called
one of the 70 which came; And
that his two Sons already in E-
gypt, should be two of them which
came into Egypt; And that Jacob
should be one of these 70 which
issued out of Jacobs loins;) in a
few words we will consider,Of the
Number
70. whe-
ther any Mystery reside in that
chosen Number; the rather be-
cause
Essayes in
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129
cause very many remarkable
things, and passages in Hi-
story, seeme to me to have been
limited in that Number, which
therefore seems more Periodick
then any other. But because any overcurious
and Mysterious consideration of
this Number 70. though it be
composed of the two greatest
Numbers (for Ten cannot be ex-
ceeded, but that to express any
further Number you must take
a part of it again; and Seven is
ever used to express infinite,) be
too Cabalistick and Pythagorick
for a vulgar Christian, (which I
offer not for a phrase of Diminu-
tion or Distrust, that such are un-
provided of sufficient defences for
themselves, or are ignorant of a-
ny thing required in such as they,
for salvation; But that there is
needed also a Meta-theology, and
super-divinity, above that which
serves our particular consciences,
in them, who must fight against
Philosophers and Jews) because I
am one, and in a low degree, of G5 the
130
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the first and vulgar rank, and
write but to my equals, I will
forbear it, as mis-interpretable;
since to some palates it may taste
of Ostentation; but to some, of
distraction from better contem-
plations, and of superstition to
others: yet, we may, as well
with reverence to the things, as
respect to the Number, rest a
little upon those works of God, or
his Servants, which this Number,
at least, reduces to our memory. First therefore, Those Fathers
of the world,70. Patri-
archs. to whom God
affords a room by name in the
10th. of Gen. from whom are de-
rived all Nations, all extinguish'd
and forgotten, all now eminent
and in actions, and all yet un-
discovered, and unbeing; They
to whose Sons he hath given the
earth, utterly wasted before, and
hath reserved rooms in Heaven,
from whence their betters are de-
jected, are reckoned there to be
70. After, when the children of
Israel's murmuring kindled Mo-
ses zeal to expostulate with God, 70. Elders. thus
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131
thus, Have I conceived all this
people, or have I begotten them,
that I should bear this? I am not
able to bear all this alone; therefore,
if thou deal thus with me, if I
have found favour in thy sight,
I pray thee kill me, that I behold
not my misery. When by this im-
portunity Moses had extorted
from God another form of po-
licy, the Number amongst which
God would divide Moses's la-
bour, and Moses's spirit, was 70.
The barbarous cruelty of Adoni-
bezek,70. Kings
slain.
Judg. 6.1. confess'd by himself, was
then accomplish'd, and ripe for
God's vengeance, when he had
executed it upon 70. Kings. Mo-
ses,70. years
our life. though his words, Gen. 6.
Mans dayes shall be 120. years,
are by many, and may well be
expounded to be the ordinary
term of mans life after the floud,
(though ordinarily they are said
to designe the years from that
speech to the floud.) And though
at that time when he writ the
89th. Psalm, (for he writ the Penta-
teuch first, and that after his going out
132
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Divinity.
out of Egypt) he was more then
80 years old) yet in that Psalm,
he pitches the limits of mans life
70 years.In 70. Da-
vid died. Though David were
not Author of that Psalm, he was
an Example of it; for, though in
a Kingdom which had but newly
taken that form, and was now
translated to David's Family, and
vexed with the discontentments of
Saul's friends, and his own son's
ambitions, a longer life, and lon-
ger raign might seem to many to
have been requisite, yet he ended
his years in 70. David was thirty
when he began to raign,2 Sam. 5.4 and he
raigned forty;70000. of
the plague. After he had seen
the anger of God, punishing his
confidence in the number of his
men,2 Sam. 24.
31. by diminishing them, limit
and determine it self in 70 thou-
sand. And in that great Captivity
of Babylon,70. years
in Baby-
lon. in which (as many
think) the word of God himself,
the Text of Scriptures perished,
that great and pregnant Mother,
and Daughter of Mysteries, (for
how many Prophesies were ful-
fill'd and accomplish'd in that, and
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133
and how many conceived but
then, which are not yet brought
to light?) the chosen people of
God, were trodden down 70. years.
To which forraign sojourning,
for many concurrences, and main
circumstances, many have assi-
milated and compared the Ro-
man Churches straying into
France,70. in A-
vignon. and being empounded in
Avignon 70. years; And so long
also lasted the Inundation of the
Goths in Italy.70. the
Goths in
Italy. In that dejecti-
on and bondage in Babylon, God
afforded to Daniel that vision
and voice,70. Heb-
domad. then which nothing
is more mysterious, nothing more
important for our assurance, no-
thing more advantageable against
the Jews, which is the seventy
Hebdomades. Then,70. Disci-
ples. those Disci-
ples, supplyers and fellow-wor-
kers with the Apostles, equall to
them in very many things (and,
men dispute, whether not in all)
whom our most Blessed Saviour
instituted,Luk. 10.1. were also of this Num-
ber, 70. And so having refresh'd
to your memory, upon this occa-
sion
134
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sion of the Number 70. these
stories out of the bible, we will
end with this observation, that
when God moved Ptolomeus to
a desire of having the bible tran-
slated,Septuagint. he accited from Jerusa-
lem 72, for that glorious and
mystick work; And these, though
they were 72, either for affecti-
on to conform themselves to a
number so notorious, or for some
true mysterie in it, or for what
else, God knowes; have ever re-
tained the name of Septuagint. And so having delivered what
by Gods grace I received, of this
book in generall, and of the rea-
son of registring the names, and
why there is therein some variety.
Why also they are summ'd and
numbred up; and why variously;
And lastly, noted those speciall
places, which the Number 70.
presented; I will now passe to
that which I destin'd for a second
Part, because it is radically and
contractedly in that first verse,
but diffused and expansively
through the whole book; The Mercy,
Essayes in
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135
Mercy, Power, Justice, and
Judgement of God: of which,
if nothing can be said new,
nothing can be said too of-
ten. Part. 2. THoughThough God be absolutely
simple, yet since for our saks Composi-
tion in
Gods acti-
ons.
in his Scriptures he often submits
himself to comparisons and simi-
litudes, we may (offencelesly
(since there is nothing but him-
self, so large as the world ) thus
compare him to the world:
That his eternall Prescience is the
Cœlestiall world, which admits
no alteration, no generation of
new purposes, nor corruption of
old; and those four, Mercy, Pow-
er, Justice, Judgment, are the
Elementary world, of which all
below is composed, and the Ele-
mented world are his particular
extrinsick actions: In which,
though they be so complexioned, that
136
Essayes in
Divinity.
that all are mingled equally, yet
in every one of them, every one
of these four concur. For, in
every work of God there is mercy
and justice, so, as they Aq. qu. 21.
ar. 4. presup-
pose one another. And as in his
created Elements, so in these there
is a condensing and a rarifying,
by which they become and grow
into one another. For often
that action which was principally
intended for a work of Justice a-
gainst one Malefactor, extends it
self to an universall Mercy, by
the Example. And the children
of God know how to resolve and
make liquid all his Actions. They
can spie out and extract Balmes,
and Oyles from his Vinegers ;
and supple, and cure with his cor-
rosives. Be he what he will,
they will make him Mercifull, if
Mercy be then wholsomest for
them. For so that brave Maca-
bee interpreted Gods daily affli-
cting them; The Lord doth not
long wait for us, as for other nati-
ons, whom he punisheth when they
come to the fulness of their sins; but
Essayes in
Divinity.
137
but he never withdraweth his Mer-
cy from us. And in like manner
out of his Mercies they can di-
stil Justice, when presumption up-
on Mercy needs such a corrective.
For so says Saint Ambrose, De Paradi-
so.
De pœnit.
dist. I. Ser-
pens. Cain
indignus judicatus est, qui puni-
retur in peccato; because he was
not so much spared, as reserved to
a greater condemnation. And
upon like reason, the Emperiall
laws forbid a servant in an Inne
to be accused of incontinency, be-
cause (in those times) custome
had made them all such, and
therefore unworthy of the laws
cognisance. Yet of all these Of Mercy.
four Elements Mercy is the up-
permost and most Embracing.
Miserationes ejus super omnia o-
pera ejus. And, Psal. 144. Quanta Magni-
tudo, as great as his greatness
(which is infinite) is his Mercy.
And as great as his power, which Eccl. 2.17.
is omnipotent: for it is therefore
said, Misereris omnium, Sap. 11. quia om-
nia potes. Before there was any
subject of his mercy, he was mer-
cifull; for Creation it self is one of
138
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of the greatest of his Mercies. And
it is Misericordia Domini, quia Thre. 9.
non sumus consumpti; so that our
preservation is also from mercy. Isa. 30.18.
And therefore will the Lord wait
that he may have mercy upon you;
and, miserans miserabitur, in the
next verse. God is the Lord of
Hostes, and this world a war-
fare. And as the Emperiall Veget. l.3.
cap.5.
Armies had three Signa Milita-
ria to be given them, so hath Gods
mercy afforded us. They had
Signa Vocalia, the express word
of the Commander, which office
the word of God doth to us; And
Semivocalia, which were the sound
of trumpets & other instruments,
and such to us are traditions and
Sermons, partaking of God and
man: And they had Signa muta,
which were the Colours and En-
signes, and such to us are the Crea-
tures and works of God. His
Mercy is infinite in Extent: for it
is in all places; yea, where there is
no place: And it is infinite in Du-
ration; For as it never begun,
(for the Ideating of this world, which
Essayes in
Divinity.
139
which was from everlasting, was
a work of mercy) and as the in-
terruptions which by acts of Ju-
stice it seemes to suffer here, dis-
continue it not, (for though
God say, For a moment in mine Isa. 54.8.
anger I hid my face from thee; yet
he adds there, yet with everlasting
Mercy have I had compassion on
thee;) so also is it reasonable to
think, that it shall never have end.
And because in heaven there can
be no distinct and particular act
of Mercy from God, because
there shall be no demerit in us,
nor possibility of it, after judg-
ment; Therefore, and from the
Psalm, Non continebit in ira sua
misericordias suas, some (but too
licenciously) have concluded a
determination and ending of the
pains of the damned; and others
learned and pious, and accused
by no body for this opinion, evict
from hence, certain intervalla,
and relaxations in the torments
of Hell, Lomb. l. 4.
Dist. 46. ex
August. after the generall Judg-
ment, as all confesse a diminishing
of the pains there, and that the punish-
140
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punishment is citra condignum',
by the benefit of the passion of
our Blessed Saviour. That which
is Mercy in God, in us is Compassi-
on. And in us, it hath two steps.
To rest upon the first, which is
but a sadnesse, and sorrow for
anothers misery, is but a dull, lazy,
and barren compassion. There-
fore it is elegantly expressed in
the Psalm, Psal. 111. Jucundus homo, qui
miseretur, & commodat; for that
is the second and highest step in
Compassion, Alacrity, and Chear-
fulnesse to help. And as God,
delighting most in mercy, hath
proposed to himselfe most wayes
for the exercise thereof, so hath
he provided man of most occasi-
ons of that vertue. Every man
contributes to it, by being Agent,
or Patient. Certainly, we were
all miserable, if none were; for
we wanted the excercise of the
profitablest vertue. For though
a Judg may be just, though none
transgresse; and we might be mer-
cifull, though none wanted, by
keeping ever a disposion to be such, if
Essayes in
Divinity.
141
if need were; yet what can we
hope would serve to awake us
then, which snort now under the
cries of the wretched, the testimo-
ny of our own consciences, the li-
berall promises of reward from
God, and his loud threatnings
for such omissions? Amongst
the Rules of State, it is taught
and practis'd for one, That they
which advance and do good, must
do it immediately from them-
selves, that all the Obligation
may be towards them: But when
they will destroy or do hurt, they
must do it instrumentally by o-
thers, to remove and alienate the
envy. Accordingly, when Princes
communicate to any Jura Regalia,
by that they are authorized to ap-
prehend, accuse, pursue, condemne,
execute, and dispoil, but not to par-
don. God doth otherwise; for,
for our first sin, himselfe hath in-
flicted death, and labour upon us.
And, as it were to take from us
all occasion of evill, he doth all
the evill of which his nature is
capable, which is but Malum pœnæ.
142
Essayes in
Divinity.
pœnæ. But of the treasures of his
mercy, he hath made us the Stew-
ards, by dispensing to one ano-
ther. For first, he hath redeemed
man by man, and then he hath
made Hominem homini Deum.
And proportionall to this trea-
sure, he hath made our neces-
sities and miseries infinite. So
much, that an Egyptian King
forbad Hegesias the Philosopher
to speak publickly of humane mi-
sery, least every one should kill Val. Max.
l. 8. c. 9.
himself. All consists of givers and
receivers: and to contract it
closer, every man is both those;
and therefore made so, because
one provokes the other: for,
Homo indigus, misericors est. And Prov. 19.
it is therefore that Aquinas sayes, 2a. 2æ.
q. 30. ar. 2.
that old men, and wise men, are
aptest to this vertue, because they
best fore-see a possibility of nee-
ding others compassion. And if
thou hadst nothing to give, or
knewest no want in any other,
thou hast work enough within
doors; Miserere animæ tuæ. But
towards our selves, Eccles. 30. or persons al-
most
Essayes in
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143
most our selves, there is not pro-
perly mercy, but grief; therfore Aqu. ibid.
we must go to seek guests.
And to such a chearfull giver,
God gives himself; Paulinus:
Homil. de
Gazophi-
lactio.
l. 4. c. 5. Et quid non
possidet, qui ipsum possidet possi-
dentem? sayes a contemplative
wise man. And for such a giver
to work upon, God makes others
needy; Fecit miseros, ut ag-
nosceret misericordes, sayes the
same man, in the same book. In
the first constitution of the Ro-
man Empire, by the generall cor-
ruption of all men, which is to
give more to them which abound,
they easily fore-saw, that men
would soon decline and stray in-
to a chargeable and sumptuous
worship of their Gods; And
therefore they resisted it with this
law, Deos frugi colunto. This mo-
derated their sacrifices, but yet
withheld them not from the su-
perfluous adorning the Temples
and Images of their Gods. But
in our reformed Christian Religi-
on, which is the thriftiest and
cheapest that ever was instituted, (for
144
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(for our Sacrifices grow within
us, and are our owne creatures,
prayer and praise; and since our
BessedBlessed Saviour hath given himself
for us, we are now as men which
had paid a great fine, and were
bound to no other rent, then
acknowledgements and services)
now that we have removed the
expensive dignising of images, and
relicks, what other exercise is there
left for our charity, then those
nearer images both of God, and
of our selves, the poore? Be mer-
cifull then, as your Father in hea-
ven is mercifull. And how is he?
homines & jumenta salvabis, Deus,
Psal. 35. and by jumenta are un-
derstood men not yet reduced to
the knowledg of God. Give then
thy counsel to the ignorant, thy
prayers to the negligent, but
most thy strength to the oppressed
and dejected in heart; for surely,
oppression maketh a wise man mad,
Eccl. 7.9. how tempestuously will
it then work upon a weaker?
let no greatness retard thee from
giving, as though thou wert a bove
Essayes in
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145
bove want. Alas, our greatness
is Hydroptick, not solid: we are
not firm, but puffed, and swoln;
we are the lighter, and the lesser
for such greatness. Alcibiades
bragg'd how he could walk in his
own ground; all this was his,
Ælian.
l. 3. c. 28. and no man a foot within him;
and Socrates gave him a little map
of the world, and bid him show
him his territory there; and there
an Ant would have overstrid it. Let
no smalnesse retard thee: if thou
beest not a Cedar to help towards
a palace, if thou beest not Amber,
Bezoar, nor liquid gold, to re-
store Princes; yet thou art a
shrub to shelter a lambe, or to
feed a bird; or thou art a plan-
tane, to ease a childs smart; or a
grasse to cure a sick dog. Love
an asker better then a giver: which
was good Agapetus counsel to Ju-
stinian: Yea rather, prevent the
asking; and do not so much joyn
and concur with misery, as to suf-
fer it to grow to that strength,
that it shall make thy brother ask,
and put him to the danger of a H denyal.denyall.
146
Essayes in
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denyall. Avoid in giving,
that which the Canonists expresse
by Cyminibilis, which is a trifling
giver. And give not (as Seneca
cals them) panes lapidosos; which
are benefits hardly drawn, which
have onely the shape, not the
nourishment of benefits: But
give as thou wouldst receive. For
thou givest not, but restorest,
yea thou performest another du-
ty too, thou lendest. Thou dost
not waste, but lay up; and thou
gainest in losing. For to this gi-
ving most properly squares Plato's
definition of liberality, that it
is, studium lucrandi ut decet.
I need not much fear that any
man is too much inflamed to a
wastfull charity by this; yet it
is an affection capable of sin. And
therefore, as waggoners in steep
descents, tie the teame behind,
not to draw it up, but to stop
sodaine precipitations downward,
so, onely to prevent such slipery
downfals, I say, That as the Ho-
ly Ghost forbids, Eccl. 7.18. Be
not just orvermuchovermuch, so one may be
Essayes in
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147
be charitable overmuch. His apt-
nes to give, may occasion anothers
sloth, and he may breed the worms
which shall eat him; and pro-
duce the lean kine, which shall
devoure the fat. And so, as Ad Seve-
rum.
Paulinus says, In charitatem de
charitate peccat. And in another
place,De Mona-
chata. Multa charitas pene deli-
rum, & pietas stultum fecit. For,
God would not, saith Saint Am-
brose, that we should pour out,De Officiis. but
distribute our wealth. So that
for precise Moderation herein
precept will not serve; but that
prayer of that most devout Ab-
bot Antony, (of whom Saint
Augustine says,De Doctri-
na Christi-
ana. that without
knowledge of letters, he rehear-
sed, and expounded all the Scrip-
tures) Deus det nobis gratiam
Discretionis. For, the same B.
Dorothæus which says wisely,
God requires not that you should
fly, but that you should not fall,
Doctrin. 14 sayes also devoutly, That they
Doctrin 1.which do what they are comman-
ded of Christ, pay their tribut just-
ly, but they which performe his H2 coun-
148
Essayes in
Divinity.
counsels, bring him presents. But
in this we may insist no longer:
wee shall best know what wee
should do, by considering what
God hath done, and how hee
express'd his mercies towards his
Israelites. His Mer-
cy in brin-
ging them to
Egypt.He brought them into the Land
of Egypt. For though in the
Scriptures, when God would ex-
cite his children, he uses to re-
member them that he is that God
which brought them out of the Land
of Egypt; yet, that he brought
them into that Land, was more
simply, absolutely, and intirely
a work of Mercy. For, in the o-
ther he exercised his Justice upon
Pharaoh; and his Power in Mi-
racles. And Miracles must not
be drawne into consequence;
No man may argue to himself,
God hath miraculously preserved
me, therefore he will do so still.
Miracles are to our apprehension
incoherent & independent things
with the rest of Nature. They
seem none of the links of that great
Essayes in
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149
great chaine of providence, and
connexion of causes. Therefore he
which hears them, beleeves them
but so far as he beleeves the repor-
ter; and he which sees them, sus-
pects his sense in the apprehen-
ding, and his judgment in the
inquisition and pursuite of the
causes; or goes more roundly to
work, and imputes it all to the
Divell. But this work of bringing
them into Egypt, was only a work
of a familiar and fatherly Provi-
dence: and, though it were grea-
ter then the other (for in com-
ming from Egypt they were but
redeemed from serving, here from
perishing) yet there is nothing in
the History, which a meer natu-
rall man would grudg to beleeve.
From what kind of Destruction
did he then deliver them?Famine. From
famine; One of those three affli-
ctions, which God in a diligent
and exquisite revenge presented to
David's choice. And one of those
two, in comparison whereof, Da-
vid chose a pestilence of uncertain
lasting and intenseness. An affli-
H3 ction
150
Essayes in
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ction so great, as God chooses
that comparison to express his
greatest affliction of all, which is
a famine of his word.Amos. An affli-
ction which defeats all Magistra-
cy; for in it one may lawfully
steal. All propriety; for in it
all things return to their prima-
tive community. All naturall af-
fection; for in it fathers may sell
their children, by humane laws;
and divine books have Examples
where they have eaten them. An
affliction,Sueton. Ca-
lig. 26. which Caligula, to ex-
ceed his predecessors and his own
Examples, studied out, when to i-
mitate the greatest power of all,
praeclusis horreis, indixit populo fa
mem. An affliction with which
our law revenges her self when a
delinquent which had offended
her before, doth after in contempt
of her stand mute at the bar. It
is a Rack, without either Engine
or Executioner; a devouring poy-
son, and yet by substraction; and
a way to make a man kill himself
by doing nothing. Such are all
extreme famines, and such was this
Essayes in
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151
this. For it was no particular
curse upon one country; for fa-
mine was in all the Land,Gen. 41.
54. says the
text. And all Countryes came
to Egypt to buy corn.ver. 57. It was no
naturall disease or infirmity in the
earth or aire: but as the Psalmist
expresses it,Ps. 105.16 God had called a fa-
mine upon the land, and utterly
brake the staffe of bread. Egypt
her self, which uses to brag, Paneg.
Plin. in I-
racund. to Ni-
hil se imbribus coeloque debere, and
whose inundations are fertilities,
felt the barreness, though by Jo-
sephs providence it felt not the pe-
nury. In this affliction, in this
distress, the sons of Jacob must
go into a strange land, where they
had no friend whom they knew,
but (to speak humanely) an ene-
my whom they knew not. And
yet God, as though their malice
against their brother Joseph, and
as though this curse upon the
whole land had been ordained by
him for their advantage, (for so
it may seem by those words of Jo-
seph, You sent me not hither,Gen. 45.8 but
God; and in the Psalm,Psal. 105. God sent H4 a man
152
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Divinity.
a man before them) appears
to Jacob, perswades the jour-
ney, assures him and his safe
going, great propagation, and safe
return. His Mer-
cy in pro-
pagating
them in
Egypt.Propagation is the truest I-
mage and nearest representation
of eternity. For eternity it self, that
is, the Deity it self seems to have
been ever delighted with it: for
the producing of the three Persons
in the Trinity,Propagati-
on of God. which is a conti-
nuing and undeterminable work,
is a propagation of the Deity.
And next to this contemplation,
that God, which is full, and per-
fect, and All, should admit a pro-
pagation, it may deserve a second
place to consider, that that which
is meerly and utterly Nothing,
Of Sin. which is Sin, (for it is but priva-
tion) hath had the greatest pro-
pagation that can be. And be-
tween these two extreme Miracles,
A propagation in that which is al-
ready All, and a propagation in
that which is alwayes. Nothing,
we may wonder at a propagation in
Essayes in Divinity.
153 in that which is but one halfe;
which is, those Religious Orders, Of religi-
ous Or-
ders.
& devout professions, which mul-
tiply without Mothers. Of which
(not to speak of late times, when
that profession was become a dis-
ease and contagion, and so no
wonder though they infected, and
possessed, and devoured whole
teritories; but in their primitive
institution and practice, how in-
finite was the propagation? we
cannot discredit those stories (for
being dis-interessed in our late-
sprung Controversies they could
not speak prejudicially) which
reckon 5000. in some one Mona-
stery; and 500 Monasteries un-
der one Abbot. These who had
no wives, had infinite spirituall
children; and having nothing in
the world, had a great part of it.
Within one mile of Alexandria,
there were 500 Monasteries pene
contigua. So that, it is truly
said of them, they had Oppida ex-
tra Mundum. And when the on-
ly tribe of the Benedictins was in
full height, Azor. l. 12 it had not many lesse H5 then
154
Essayes in Divinity.then 40000 Monasteries. And
not only the Christian Church,
the easiness of whose yoke might
invite them to these counsails, but
the Jews under an insupportable
law, would ever super-errogate in
this kinde. Of whose one sect,
the Esseni,L. 5. c. 17. Pliny says, per multa
seculorum millia, gens æterna, in
qua nemo nascitur; and he gives
no other mother to such an in-
crease then this, Tam fœcunda
illis aliorum vitæ pœnitentia. Of
these men, (if they will accept
that name,) (except such of them
as being all born to sail in the
same ship as we, and to suffer with
us, have so sublimed their wits
with a contempt of ours, that
they steal from us in a Calenture;
or so stupified themselves, that
they forsake their partnership in
our labours and dangers, in a
lazy Scurvie,) I dare not conceive
any hard opinion: For though
we be all Gods tenants in this
world, and freeholders for life,
and are so bound amongst other
duties, to keep the world in
reparation
Essayes in Divinity.
155
reparation, and leave it as well as
we found it, (for, ut gignamus
geniti) yet since we have here
two employments, one to con-
serve this world, another to
increase Gods Kingdome, none
is to be accused, that every
one doth not all, so all do all.
For as, though every parti-
cular man by his diet and tempe-
rance, should preserve his own
body, and so observe it by his
own experience of it, that he
might ordinarily be his own
Physician; yet it is fit, that some
sepose all their time for that
study, and be able to instruct
and reform others; So, though eve-
ry one should watch his own steps,
and serve God in his vocation;
yet there should be some, whose
Vocation it should be to serve
God; as all should do it, so
some should do nothing else.
But, because, our esse must be con-
sidered before our bene esse, and
to our esse properly conduce all
things which belong to our pre-
servation here, (for, the first words
Essayes in Divinity.
156
words that ever God said to man,
were, Gen. 1.28Bring forth, and multiply,
and fill the earth, which was pro-
pagation; And then presently,
subdue it, and rule, which is Do-
minion. And then, Every thing
which hath life, shall be to you for
meat; which is not only suste-
nance, but lawfull abundance and
delicacy.) Therefore to advance
propagation, lawes have been di-
ligent and curious. Some have
forbidden a man to divide him-
selfe to divers women, because,
though God in his secret ends
have somtimes permitted it to the
Patriarchs, and though (being
able to make contraries serve to
one end) he threatens in another
place, that ten women shall follow
one man; yet ordinarily this li-
berality of a mans self, frustrates
propagation, and is in it selfe a
confession, that he seeks not chil-
dren. Maximini-
ano, &
Constanti-
no. And therefore the Pane-
gyrick justly extols that Empe-
rour, who married young, No-
vum jam, tum miraculum, juve-
nis uxorius. And some lawes in the
Essayes in Divinity.
157
the Greek States enforced men
to marry: and the Roman law
pretended to have the same ends,
but with more sweetnesse, by gi-
ving priviledges to the married:
but ever increasing them with
their number of children, of
which to have had none, threw a
man back again into penalty;
for of the estate of such, a tenth
part was confiscate; for to have
children, is so much of the es-
sence of the lawfulnesse of that
act, that Saint Augustine sayes,
Si prolem ex conditione vitant, De bono
Conjugali.non
est matrimonium; for that is a
condition destroying the nature
of matrimony; of which, and
of the fruits thereof, how indul-
gent the Romans were, this one
law declares; That to Minors
they allowed so many years more
then they had, as they had chil-
dren. Of this
propaga-
tion.Of this propagation, which is
our present contemplation, ma-
ny think devoutly, that the smal-
nesse of the first number, and the
shortnesse of the time, are the re-
mar-
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158
markable and essentiall parts. To
advance their devotion, I will re-
member them, that the number
of 430. years divers times spoken
of, is from Abraham's coming to
Canaan;Exod. 12.
41. for the time of this pro-
pagation in Egypt, was but 215.
years. And the number of men,
which is 600000. is only of fight-
ing men,Numb. 1. which cannot well be
thought a fift part of all the souls.
The whole number Josephus, pro-
portioning 10. to a paschal lamb,
as the Rabbins do, brings to be
3700000. yet to me these seem no
great parts of Gods exceeding
Mercy in this History; for from
so many, in such a space, God,
without miracle, by affording
twins, and preserving alive, might
ordinarily have derived more men
then ever were at once upon the
whole earth. But whether his
decree have appointed a certain
number which mankind shall not
exceed, (as it seems to be a reaso-
nable conjecture of the whole,
because in the most famous parts
it is found to have held; Rome, and Ve-
Essayes in Divinity.
159
Venice, and like States never ex-
ceeding that number to which
they have very soon arrived:) Or
that the whole earth is able to
nourish no more, without doubt
it is evident, that the world
had very long since as many souls
as ever it had, or may be presu-
med to have ever hereafter. And
it is a very probable conjecture,
that the reason, why, since wolves
produce oftner, and more then
sheep, and more sheep are killed
then wolves, yet more sheep re-
main, is, because they are che-
rished by all industry. For only
there men increase, where there
is means for their sustentation.
That therefore which God did
mercifully in this, was, that he
propagated them to such num-
bers under such oppressions and
destructions: for the Egyptians
cruelly caused them to serve,Exod. 1. and
made them weary of their lives
by sore labour, with all manner
of bondage: yea, their devoti-
on was scornfully mis-interpreted,
Because you are idle, you say, let us
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160
us go offer to our Lord.Exod. 12. And yet,
the more they vexed them, the
more they grew; Ps. 105.24and hee made
them stronger then their oppressors;
And this, though that desperate
law of destroying all their male
children, had been executed a-
mong them. His Mercy
in bring-
ing them
from E-
gypt. Now follows his bringing them
from Egypt: And though that
were properly a work of Justice,
because it was the performance of
God's promise, yet that pro-
mise was rooted in Mercy: And
though hee brought them out In
Manu forti, as it is very often re-
peated, and by effect of miracles,
and so show'd his power, (for
it is written, Psa. 106.7he saved them for his
Names sake, that he might make
his power to be knowne. And in a-
nother place, Exo. 14.4I will get me honour
upon Pharoah, and upon all his host)
yet respecting the time when he
did it, (to which his promise had
not limited him) and for whom
he did it, we can contemplate
nothing but Mercy. For in the same
Essayes in Divinity.
161
same place, it is said, Our Fa-
thers understood not thy wonders in
Egypt, neither remembred the
multitude of thy Mercies: so
that, diversly beheld, the same Act
might seem all Power, and all
Mercy. And at this time we consi-
der, not that those plagues afflicted
Egypt, but the land of Goshen
felt none; and we hear not now
the cryes and lamentations for the
death of the first-born, but we re-
member, that not a dog opened his
mouth against the children of Isra-
el.Exod. 11. He delivered them then from
such an oppressor, as would nei-
ther let them go, nor live there.
From one who increased their la-
bours, and diminished their num-
bers. From one who would nei-
ther allow them to be Naturals,
nor Aliens. So ambiguous and
perplex'd, and wayward is humane
policy, when she exceeds her
limits, and her subject. But
God, though his mercy be abun-
dantly enough for all the world,
(for since he swet, and bled Phy-
sick enough for all, it were more easie
162
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Divinity.
easie for him, to apply it to all, if
that conduced to his ends,) yet
because his children were ever fro-
ward, and grudged any part to
others in this their Delivery,
pours out all his sea of Mercy
upon them, and withdraws all
from the Egyptians. Therefore he
is said to have hardned Pharaoh's
heart. Which because it is so of-
ten repeated (at least nine times)
was done certainly all those ways
by which God can be said to har-
den us.Indurati-
on. Either Ad captum hu-
manum, when God descends to
our phrase of speech, and serves
our way of apprehending; Or
permissively, when God, as it
were looks another way,Corn. Cel-
l. 5.3. & agrees
with that counsell of the Physici-
an, It is a discreet mans part to let
him alone, which cannot be cu-
red; Or substractively, when he
withdrawes that spirituall food,
which, because it is ordained for
children, must not be cast to dogs;
Or Occasionally, when he presents
grace proportioned to a good end,
in its own nature and quality, which
Essayes in
Divinity.
163
which yet he knows the taker will
corrupt and envenom it, (for so,
a Magistrate may occasion evill,
though neither he may, nor God
can cause any;) Or els Ordinately
and instrumentally, when God,
by this Evill, workes a greater
good; which yet was not Evill
where it first grew, in the Para-
dise of Gods purpose and decree
(for so no simple is Evill) but be-
comes such, when it comes to our
handling, and mingling, and ap-
plying. Yea, that very Act which
God punished in Pharaoh, which
was the oppression, proceeded
from God. For the Psalmist says,Ps. 105.25
He hardned their heart to hate his
people, and to deal craftily with his
servants.Pererius
Ex. 1. That so by this Violence
and this Deceit, they might have a
double title to proffess themselves
of the Egyptians treasure. And ac-
cordingly for all their pressures, he
brought them away sound; and
rich, for all their deceit:Ps. 105.37 He brought
them forth with silver and gold, and
there was none feeble in their tribes.
Yea it is added, Egypt was glad at
164
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at their departing; which God in-timated, when he said,Exo. 11.1 when he
letteth you go, he shall at once chase
you hence. Only to paraphrase
the History of this Delivery,
without amplifying, were furniture
and food enough for a meditati-
on of the best perseverence, and
appetite, and digestion; yea, the
least word in the History would
serve a long rumination. If this
be in the bark, what is in the tree?
If in the superficiall grass, the let-
ter; what treasure is there in the
hearty and inward Mine, the Mi-
stick and retired sense? Dig a lit-
tle deeper, O my poor lazy soul,
and thou shalt see that thou, and
all mankind are delivered from an
Egypt; and more miraculously
then these. For, Almightiness
is so naturall to God, that no-
thing done by his power, is very
properly miracles, which is above
all Nature. But God delivered
us, by that which is most con-
trary to him; by being impotent;
by being sin; by being Dead.
That great Pharaoh, whose E-
gypt
Essayes in
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165
gypt all the world is by usurpati-on, (for Pharaoh is but exemptus,Acacius
de privile-
giis.
and privilegiatus; and that Name,
(I hope not the Nature) is strai'd
into our word Baro) whom God
hath made Prince of the air, and
Prince of Darkness; that is, of
all light and aiery illusions, and
of all sad and earnest wickedness,
of Vanity, and of sin; had made
us fetch our own straw, that is,
painfully seek out light and bla-
sing Vanities; and then burn his
brick, which is, the clay of our
own bodies with concupiscences
and ambitions, to build up with
our selves his Kingdome; He
made us travell more for hell, then
would have purchased Heaven;
He enfeebled us from begetting
or conceiving Male children,
which are our good thoughts,
and those few which we had, he
strangled in the birth: And then,
camest thou, O Christ, thine own
Moses, and deliveredst us; not
by doing, but suffering; not by
killing, but dying. Go one step
lower, that is higher, and nea-
rer
166
Essayes in
Divinity.
rer to God, O my soul, in this
Meditation, and thou shalt see,
that even in this moment, when
he affords thee these thoughts, he
delivers thee from an Egypt of
dulness and stupiditie. As often
as he moves thee to pray to be de-
livered from the Egypt of sin, he
delivers thee. And as often as
thou promisest him not to return
thither, he delivers thee. Thou
hast delivered me, O God, from
the Egypt of confidence and pre-
sumption, by interrupting my
fortunes, and intercepting my
hopes; And from the Egypt of
despair by contemplation of thine
abundant treasures, and my porti-
on therein; from the Egypt of lust,
by confining my affections; and
from the monstrous and unnatu-
rall Egypt of painfull and weari-
some idleness, by the necessities of
domestick and familiar cares and
duties. Yet as an Eagle, though
she enjoy her wing and beak, is
wholly prisoner, if she be held
by but one talon; so are we, though
we could be delivered of all ha-
bit
Essayes in
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167
bit of sin, in bondage still, if Va-nity hold us but by a silken thred.
But, O God, as mine inward cor-
ruptions have made me mine own
Pharaoh, and mine own Egypt;
so thou, by the inhabitation of
thy Spirit, and application of thy
merit, hast made me mine own
Christ; and contenting thy self
with being my Medicine, allowest
me to be my Physician. Lastly,
descend, O my Soul, to the very
Center, which is the very Pole,
(for in infinite things, incapable
of distinction of parts, Highest and
lowest are all one) and consider
to what a land of promise, and
heavenly Hierusalem God will at
last bring thee, from the Egypt of
this world, & the most Egyptiacal
part, this flesh. God is so abun-
dantly true, that he ever per-
formes his words more then once.
And therefore, as he hath fulfil-
led that promise, Out of Egypt
have I called my Son;Mat. 2.15. So will he
also perform it in every one of his
elect; and as when Herod dyed,
his Angell appeared to Joseph in Egypt
168
Essayes in
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Egypt in a dream, to call him
thence; So when our persecutor,
our flesh shall dy, and the slumber
of death shall overtake us in this
our Egypt, His Angels, sent from
Heaven, or his Angels newly crea-
ted in us, (which are good de-
sires of that dissolution,) or his
Ministeriall Angels in his militant
Church, shall call and invite us
from this Egypt to that Canaan.
Between which (as the Israelites
did) we must pass a desert; a
disunion and divorce of our body
and soul, and a solitude of the
grave. In which, the faithful and
discreet prayers of them which
stay behind, may much advan-
tage and benefit us, and them-
selves, if therby God may be mo-
ved to hasten that judgment which
shall set open Heavens greater
gates, at which our Bodyes may
enter, and to consummate and ac-
complish our salvation. His Mer-
cy in their
Preserva-
tion.The next place is, to consider
his Mercy in their preservation
in the Desert. For God hath made nothing
Essayes in
Divinity.
169
nothing which needs him not,
or which would not instantly re-
turn again to nothing without his
special conservation: Angels and
our Souls are not delivered from
this dependancy upon him. As
therefore Conservation is as great
a work of Power as Creation; so
the particuliar wayes of Gods pre-
serving those special people in the
Wilderness, are as great works of
Mercy, as the Delivery from E-
gypt. And though this book of
Exodus embrace not all those, yet
here are some instances of every
kinde; as well of preservation from
extrinsick violences of War, as in-
trinsick of Famine; and mix'd, of
infirmities and diseases. And
because Gods purpose had desti-
ned them to an offensive War at
last, let us mark by what degrees
he instructed and noursed them
to it. They had been ever frozen
in slavery, without use of Arms, or
taste of Honour, or Glory, or Vi-
ctory. And because they were ther-
fore likely to forsake themselves,
and dishonour him, God (faith the I Histo-
170
Essayes in
Divinity.
History) carried them not by the
way of the Philistims Country,Exod. 13.
17.
though that were nearer, lest they
should repent when they see Warr,
and turn again into Egypt. But
presently after, when he had con-
tracted himself to them, and
affirmed and affianced his presence
by the Sacrament of the Pillar,
he was then content that they
should see an Army pursuing
them; which was not so much
terrible to them as they were
Enemies, as that that they were
their Masters. For then they ex-
claimed to Moses,Exod. 14.
11. Hast thou
brought us to die in the wilderness,
because there were no graves in E-
gypt? Did not we say, let us be
in rest, that we may serve the E-
gyptians? So soon did a dejecti-
on make them call their former
bondage, rest; and sink down to
meet and invite death, when the
Lord of life upheld them. And
at this time, God used not their
swords at all, yet gave them a
full victory. But when this had
warm'd them, as soon as the A-
malekites
Essayes in
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171
malekites made towards them,
they fear'd not, murmur'd not,
retir'd not; nay, they expected
not: but saith Moses, to Joshuah, Exod. 17.9
Chuse us men, and go, fight with
Amalek. Which victory, lest they
should attribute to themselves,
and so grow too forward in ex-
posing themselves, and tempting
God; the lifting up, or falling
down of Moses's hands in pray-
er, that day, sway'd and govern'd
the battell. Which therfore God
was especially carefull that the
souldier should know; for so he
commanded Moses, Write that
for a remembrance in the book, Exod. 17.
14.
and rehearse it to Joshuah. To
their other wars this book ex-
tends not: but is full of examples
of his other mercies towards
them, though they murmur'd;
yea, by the words it may well
seem, they were done because
they murmur'd: In the Morning
ye shall see the glory of God, (sayes
Moses to them) for, Exod. 16.
7 he hath heard
your grudging against him. And
again, At evening shall the Lord I2 give
172
Essayes in
Divinity.
give you flesh;Ver. 8. for the Lord hath
heard your murmuring. Exod. 15.
24.They
murmur'd for water, saying, What
shall we drink? and then God
presented water; but lest they
should attribute all that to the
nature of the place, those waters
were too bitter to be drunk. Then
God would sweeten them; yet
not by Miracle; but to encline
them to a reverence of Moses,
he inform'd him, what would do
it naturally; as it appears in ano-
ther place, where the Art of phy-
sick is extoll'd: Was not the water
made sweet with wood, Eccl. 38.5.that men
might know the vertue thereof?
And yet, the next time that they
murmur'd for water, he gave
it them miraculously from the
rock; to shew, that though Mo-
ses was enabled to all naturall
works, yet he withdrew not his
miraculous presence from them.
And then, when they murmur'd
desperately for meat, Oh that we
had dyed in the Land of Egypt, Exo. 16.2.
when we sat by flesh-pots, &c.
the Lord, as though nothing in use,
Essayes in
Divinity.
173
use, or in nature, had been pre-
cious enough for them, rained
down such fowles, as no Natura-
list since can tell what they were:
and such a grain, as though it a-
bide the interpretation of panis
fortium, and panis Angelorum,
yet, saith a curious observer of
those subtilties, the name signifies, Fra. Geor.
problem.
fol. 45.
Quid est hoc? which is easily ga-
thered from the very Text, When
they saw it, they said to one ano-
ther, it is Man; for they wist Exod. 16.
15.
not what it was. In which,Probl. 351 the
same Problamist observes this
wonder, that every man took a
like proportion, and all were a-
like satisfied, though all could not
be of alike appetite and digestion.
And a greater wonder, and by a
better Author is observed in it,
That it was meat for all tasts, Sap. 16.20and
served to the appetite of him which
took it, and was that which every
man would. Yet this heavenly food
they injured with a wearinesse of
it; and worse, with their compa-
risons; for they cried, We remem-
ber the flesh we are in Egypt for I3 nought
174
Essayes in
Divinity.
nought, Num. 11.5. the cucumers, pepons, leeks,
onions, and garlick. As though
they had been lesse worth, or
they had paid more for it. If
then they could chide him into
mercy, and make him mercifull
not only to their sin, but for their
sin, where or when may we doubt
of his mercy? Of which, we will
here end the consideration; not
without an humble acknowledg-
ment, that it is not his least mer-
cy, that we have been thus long
possessed with the meditation
thereof: for thus long we have
been in the Harbour, but we
launch into a main and unknown
Sea, when we come to consider his
Power.
Of all the wayes in which God
hath expressed himselfe towards
us, we have made no word which
doth lesse signifie what we mean,
then Power: for Power, which is
but an ability to do, ever relates
to some future thing: and God
is ever a present, simple, and pure
Act. But we think we have done much
Essayes in
Divinity.
175
much, and gone far, when we
have made up the word Omnipo-
tence, which is both wayes im-
proper; for it is much too short,
because Omnipotence supposes and
confesses a matter and subject to
work upon, and yet God was the
same, when there was nothing.
And then it over-reaches, and
goes down-wards beyond God:
for God hath not, or is not such
an Omnipotence, as can do all
things; for though squeamish
and tenderer men think it more
mannerly to say, This thing can-
not be done, then, God cannot do
this thing; yet it is all one: And
if that be an Omnipotence, which
is limited with the nature of the
worker, or with the congruity of
the subject, other things may in-
croach upon the word Omnipo-
tent; that is, they can do all
things which are not against their
nature, or the nature of the mat-
ter upon which they work. Beza
therefore might well enough say,
That God could not make a body
without place; And Prateolus I4 might
176
Essayes in
Divinity.
might truly enough infer upon
that,Verbo Be-
zanitae. that the Bezanites (as he
calls them) deny omnipotence in
God; for both are true. And
therefore I doubt not, but it hath
some mysterie, that the word Om-
nipotence is not found in all the
bible; nor Omnipotent in the
New Testament. And where it
is in the Old, it would rather be
interpreted All-sufficient, then Al-
mighty; between which there is
much difference. God is so Al-
sufficient, that he is sufficient for
all, and sufficient to all: He is
enough, and we are in him able
enough to take and apply. We
fetch part of our wealth, which
is our faith, expresly from his
Treasury: And for our good
works, we bring the metall to his
Mint, (or that Mint comes to us)
and there the Character of Bap-
tisme, and the impression of his
grace, makes them currant, and
somewhat worth, even towards
him. God is all-efficient: that is,
hath created the beginning, or-
dained the way, fore-seen the end
Essayes in
Divinity.
177
end of every thing; and nothing
else is any kind of cause thereof.
Yet, since this word efficient, is
now grown to signifie infallibility
in God, it reaches not home to
that which we mean of God;
since man is efficient cause of his
own destruction. God is also all-
conficient: that is, concurs with
the nature of every thing; for
indeed the nature of every thing
is that which he works in
it. And as he redeemed not man
as he was God, (though the
Mercy, and Purpose, and Ac-
ceptation were only of God) but
as God and man; so in our repen-
tances and reconciliations, though
the first grace proceed only from
God, yet we concurr so, as there
is an union of two Hypostases,
Grace, and Nature. Which, (as the
incarnation of our Blessed Saviour
himself was) is conceived in us of
the Holy Ghost, without father;
but fed and produced by us; that
is, by our will first enabled and
illumined. For neither God nor
man determine mans will; for I5 that
178
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that must either imply a necessiting
therof from God, or else Pelagia-
nisme) but they condetermine it.
And thus God is truly all-confici-
ent, that is, concurrent in all; and
yet we may not dare to say, that
he hath any part in sin. So God is
also all-perficient: that is, all, and all
parts of every work are his intirely:
and lest any might seem to escape
him, and be attributed to Nature
or to Art, all things were in him
at once, before he made Nature, or
she Art. All things which we do to
day were done by us in him, before
we were made. And now, (when
they are produced in time, as they
were foreseen in eternity,) his ex-
citing grace provokes every parti-
ticular good work, and his assi-
sting grace perfects it. And yet
we may not say, but that God
begins many things which we fru-
strate; and calls when we come
not. So that, as yet our under-
standing hath found no word,
which is well proportioned to that
which we mean by power of God;
much less of that refined and sub-
til
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179
til part thereof, which we chief-
ly consider in this place, which is
the absolute and transcendent pow-
er of Miracles, with which this
History abounds. For whatsoever
God did for his Israelits, beside Mi-
racles, was but an extension of his
Mercy, and belongs to that Para-
graph which we have ended before.
Nature is the Common law by
which God governs us, and Mi-
racle is his Prerogative. For Mi-
racles are but so many Non-ob-
stantes upon Nature. And Mi-
racle is not like prerogative in any
thing more then in this, that no
body can tell what it is. For first,
Creation and such as that, are not
Miracles, because they are not (to
speak in that language) Nata fi-
eri per alium modum. And so,
only that is Miracle, which might
be done naturally, and is not so
done. And then, lest we allow
the Divell a power to do Miracles,
we must say, that Miracle is contra
totam Naturam, against the whole
order and disposition of Nature.
For as in Cities, a father governs his
180
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Divinity.
his family by a certain Order,
which yet the Magistrate of the
City may change for the Cities
good, and a higher Officer may
change the Cities Order; but
none, all, except the King: so,
I can change some naturall things
(as I can make a stone fly upward)
a Physician more, and the Divell
more then he; but only God can
change all. And after that is out
of necessity established, that Mi-
racle is against the whole Order of
Nature, I see not how there is left
in God a power of Miracles. For,
the Miracles which are produced
to day, were determined and in-
serted into the body of the whole
History of Nature (though they
seem to us to be but interlineary
and Marginall) at the beginning,
and are as infallible and certain,
as the most Ordinary and custo-
mary things. Which is evicted
and approved by that which La-
ctantius says, and particularly
proves,De vera
Sap. c. 15. that all Christs Miracles
were long before prophecied. So
that truly nothing can be done a-
gainst
Essayes in
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181
gainst the Order of Nature. For,
Saint Augustine says truly, That Cont. Fau-
stum l. 26.
c. 3.
is Naturall to each thing, which
God doth, from whom pro-
ceeds all Fashion, Number and
Order of Nature: for that God,
whose Decree is the Nature of e-
very thing, should do against his
own Decree, if he should do a-
gainst Nature. As therefore if we
understood all created Nature,
nothing would be Mirum to us;
so if we knew Gods purpose, no-
thing would be Miraculum. For
certainly, those Miracles which
Moses did, after God had once
revealed to Moses, that he would
do them, were not Miracles to
him, no more then the works of
the Conjurers, which ex Ratione
Rei, were as true as his. But the
expressing of his power at this
time was, that in the sight of such
understanders and workmasters,
as the Magi were, he would do
more without any Instrument
conducing to those ends, then
they could do by their best in-
strument, the Divell; and so draw
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draw from them that confession,
Digitus Dei hìc est: for else who
could have distinguished between
his and their works, or denied the
name of Miracle to theirs? for
they (not to depart at this time
from vulgar Philosophy; not that
I bind your faith to it, but that if
we abandon this, it is not easie
and ready to constitute another so
defensible) by their power of
locall Motion, and Application
of Active and passive things, could
oppose matter to heate, and so
produce frogs truly; yea, when
such things are brought together
by such a workman, he can by
them produce greater effects
then nature could. As an Axe
and timber being in the hand of
a Statuary, he can make an I-
mage; which they two, or a
less skilfull Agent could not do.
But God wrought not so: But,
as Arnobius sayes, he did them,Adversus
Gent. l .1.
Sine vi carminum, sine herbarum
aut graminum succis, sine ulla
observatione sollicita: De vera
sap. c. 15. but verbo,
& jussione, as Lactantius notes. By which
Essayes in
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183
which means Arnobius pronoun-
ces, none of the Philosophers
could cure an Itch; Nemo Phi Adv. gent.
l. 2.-
losophorum potuit unquam scabi-
em, unâ interdictione sanare. An-
other expressing of his power,
was in this, that when he would,
he intercepted their power;
which was, when they attempted
to make Cyniphs. For that is
a kind of treason, and clipping
God's coyn, to say, that they
were hindered by naturall cau-
ses, for, if those Cyniphs were
lice, (as many Translations call
them) and if sweat be the mat-
ter of them, and the Divel could
not ordinarily provide store of
that, yet I say, their credit stood
not upon the story, but the fact:
And then the Divel knew natural
means, to warm and distill mul-
titudes of men into sweats: And
last, if they were such vermine,
yet they are agreed to be of that
kind which infest dogs; and they
never sweat. And if by Cyniph
be express'd some flie, not made
till then, and then of putrefacti-
on
184
Essayes in
Divinity.
on (for it were too much to al-
low creatures of a new Species,)
certainly, the Divell can produce
all such. Either then the crea-
ture being meerly new, the Di-
vell understood not of what it was
composed; Or God changed the
form of Dust into another form,
which the Divell could never do;
or else, God manacled his hand
in the easiest thing, to confound
him the more; for after this, it
appears not that the Magi at-
tempted to do any more Mira-
cles. To discountenance then
their deceits, and withall to af-
flict the Land of Egypt, was the
principall purpose of God in these
Miracles: not to declare himself,
or beget faith; for he doth not
alwayes bind miracles to faith,
nor faith to miracles. He will
somtimes be believed without
them; and somtimes spend them
upon unbelievers; lest men should
think their faith gave strength
to his power. For though it be
said,Mark 6.5. Christ could do no great
works in his own countrey, for their
Essayes in
Divinity.
185
their unbeliefe: yet he did some
there; which Saint Hierom sayes,Ema. Sa-
crâ, in hunc
locum.
was done, lest they should be ex-
cusable, having seen no Miracle:
And he did not many, least, as
Theophylact sayes, he should after
many Miracles resisted, have been
forced in justice to a severer pun-
nishment of them. But because the
danger of beleeving false miracles
is extreamly great, and the essen-
tiall differences of false and true,
very few, and very obscure,
(for what humane understanding
can discern, whether they be
wrought immediately, or by se-
cond causes; And then for the
end to which they are addressed,
what sect of Christians, or what
sect departed from all Christians,
will refuse to stand to that law?
If there arise a Prophet, and he give
a wonder, Deut. 13.1.and the wonder come to
passe, saying, let us go after other
Gods, that Prophet shal be slaine.)
I encline to think, that God for
the most part, works his miracles
rather to shew his Power, then
Mercy, and to terrifie enemies, rather
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rather then comfort his children.
For miracles lessen the merit of
faith. And our Blessed Saviour
said to the Pharisees, An evill and
adulterous generation seeketh a sign,
And John Baptist,Mat. 12.38
Joh. 10. in whom there
seems to have been most use of
Miracles, did none. And though
in this delivery from Egypt, for
Pharaoh's hardness, God aboun-
ded in Miracles, yet in their de-
livery from Babylon, (of which in
respect of this, the Prophet says,
The day shall come, Herc. 16.saith the Lord,
that it shall no more be said, The
Lord liveth, that brought his
sons out of the land of Egypt; But
the Lord liveth, that brought his
sons out of the land of the North)
God proceeded without Miracles.
And though in propagation of
Christian Religion in the new dis-
coveries, the Jesuites have recor-
ded infinite Miracles, yet the best
amongst them ingenuously deny
it; Jo. Acosta.
de procur.
Jud. sal.
l.2. c.9. And one gives this for a rea-
son, why Miracles are not affor-
ded by God now, as well as in the
primitive Church, since the occa-
sion
Essayes in
Divinity.
187
sion seems to be the same, That
then ignorant men were sent to
preach Christianity amongst men
armed and instructed against it,
with all kindes of learnings and
philosophies; but now learned
men are sent to the ignorant; and
are superiour to them in Reason
and in Civility, and in Authority;
and besides, present them a Re-
ligion less incredible then their
own. I speak not thus, to che-
rish their opinion, who think God
doth no Miracle now: that were
to shorten his power, or to un-
derstand his counsels; but to re-
sist theirs, who make Miracles or-
dinary. For, besides that it con-
tradicts and destroyes the Nature
of Miracle, to be frequent, God
at first possest his Church, (For-
titer) by conquest of Miracles;
but he governs it now, (sua-
viter) like an indulgent King,
by a law which he hath let us
know. God forbid I should
discredit or diminish the great
works that he hath done at the
tombs of his Martyrs, or at the pi-
ous
188
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Divinity.
ous and devout commemoration
of the sanctity and compassion of
his most Blessed Mother. But to
set her up a Banke almost in
every good Town, and make her
keep a shop of Miracles greater
then her Sons,Miracula
B. Virg. ab
Anno 1581
ad 1605.
fo. 150. (for is it not so, to
raise a childe, which was born
dead, and had been buried seven-
teen days, to so small end?) (for it
died again as soon as it was carri-
ed from her sight) is fearfull and
dangerous to admit. God for-
bid, I should deny or obscure the
power and practice of our blessed
Saviour, and his Apostles, in cast-
ing out Divels in the primitive
Church: but that the Roman
Church should make an Occupa-
tion of it, and bind Apprentices
to it (for such are those little boys
whom they make Exorcists) and
then make them free when they
receive greater Orders, and yet
forbid them to set up, or utter
their ware but where they ap-
point, is scarce agreeable to the
first Examples, I dare not say,
Institution; for I see not that this Order
Essayes in
Divinity.
189
Order had any. Why we do not
so, the reason is, because non fuit
sic ab initio: And no hardnesse
of heart is enough to justifie a
toleration of these devout deceits
and holy lyes, as they are often
called amongst themselves. The
Power of God, which we cannot
name, needs not our help. And
this very History (in expounding
of which Pererius inculcates so
often, Non multiplicanda mira-
cula) which seems the principallest
record of Gods Miracles, though
literally it seem to be directed to
his enemies, by often expressing
his power; yet to his children it
insinuates an Admonition, to be-
ware of Miracles, since it tels
them how great things the Divel
did: And that his giving over in
no great thing, but the least of
all, shows, That that was not a
cancelling of his Patent, which he
had in his Creation, but onely a
Supersedeas not to execute it at
that time. For, (excepting the
staying of the Sun, and carrying
it back (if it be cleer that the body of
190
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Divinity.
of the Sun was carried back, and
not the shadow only) and a very
few more) it appears enough, that
the Divell hath done oftner grea-
ter Miracles, then the children of
God: For God delights not so
much in the exercise of his Power,
as of his Mercy and Justice, which
partakes of both the other: For
Mercy is his Paradise and garden,
in which he descends to walk and
converse with man: Power his
Army and Arsenel, by which he
protects and overthrows: Justice
his Exchequer, where he preserves
his own Dignity, and exacts our
Forfeitures. Even at first God intimated
how unwillingly he is drawn to
execute Justice upon transgressors;
for he first exercised all the rest:
Mercy, in purposing our Creation;
Power, in doing it; and Judg-
ment, in giving us a Law: Of
which the written part was in a
volume and character so familiar
and inward to us (for it was writ-
ten in our hearts, and by Nature) as
Essayes in
Divinity.
191
as needed no Expositor: And
that part which was vocall, and
delivered by Edict and Proclama-
tion, was so short, so perspicuous,
and so easie (for it was but prohi-
bitory, and exacted nothing from
Man) as it is one of the greatest
strangenesses in the Story, that
they could so soon forget the Text
thereof, and not espy the Ser-
pents additions and falsifications.
And then at last God interposed
his Justice; yet not so much for
Justice sake, as to get opportunitie
of new Mercy, in promising a Re-
deemer; of new Power, in raising
again bodies made mortall by
that sin; and of new Judgments,
in delivering, upon more com-
munications, a more particular
law, apparelled with Ceremonies,
the cement and mortar of all ex-
terior, and often the inflamer of
interior Religion. So that almost
all Gods Justice is but Mercy: as
all our Mercy is but Justice; for
we are all mutuall debtors to one
another; but he to none. Yea,
both his Nature, and his will are so
192
Essayes in
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so condition'd, as he cannot do
Justice so much as man can. For,
for his will, though he neither will
nor can do any thing against Ju-
stice, he doth many things beside
it. Nothing unjustly, but many
things not justly: for he rewards
beyond our Merits, and our sins
are beyond his punishments. And
then, we have exercise as well of
Commutative Justice as Distribu-
tive; God only of the later, since
he can receive nothing from us.
And indeed, Distributive Justice in
God, is nothing but Mercy. So
that there is but one limb of Ju-
stice left to God, which is Pu-
nishment; And of that, all the
degrees on this side finall condem-
nation, are acts of Mercy. So
that the Vulture, by which some
of the Ancients figured Justice,
was a just symbole of this Justice;Pierius li.
18.
for as that bird prayes onely upon
Carcasses, and upon nothing
which lives; so this Justice appre-
hends none but such as are dead
and putrified in sin and impeni-
tence. To
Essayes in
Divinity.
193
To proceed then: All ordina-ry significations of Justice will
conveniently be reduced to these
two, Innocence, which in the Scri-
ptures is every where called Righ-
teousnesse: or else Satisfaction
for transgressions, which, though
Christ have paid aforehand for us
all, and so we are rather pardo-
ned then put to satisfaction; yet
we are bound at Gods tribunall
to plead our pardon, and to pay
the fees of contrition and pen-
nance. For, since our justifica-
on now consists not in a pacifica-
tion of God, (for then nothing
but that which is infinite could
have any proportion) but in the
application of the merits of Christ
to us, our contrition (which is a
compassion with Christ, and so an
incorporating of our selves into
his merit) hath aliqualem pro-
portionem to Gods Justice; and the
passion of Christ had not æqua-
lem , but that Gods acceptation
(which also dignifies our contriti-
on, though not to that height)
advanced it to that worthinesse. To K
194
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Divinity.
To enquire further the way and
manner by which God makes a
few do acceptable works; or,
how out of a corrupt lumpe he
selects and purifies a few, is but a
stumbling block and a tentation:
Who asks a charitable man that
gives him an almes, where he
got it, or why he gave it? will a-
ny favorite, whom his Prince on-
ly for his appliableness to him, or
some half-vertue, or his own glo-
ry, burdens with Honours and
Fortunes every day, and destines
to future Offices and Dignities,
dispute or expostulate with his
Prince, why he rather chose not
another, how he will restore his
Coffers; how he will quench his
peoples murmurings, by whom
this liberality is fed; or his No-
bility, with whom he equalls new
men; and will not rather repose
himself gratefully in the wisdome,
greatness & bounty of his Master?
Will a languishing desperate pa-
tient, that hath scarce time enough
to swallow the potion, examine
the Physician, how he procured those
Essayes in
Divinity.
195
those ingredients, how that soyle
nourished them, which humor
they affect in the body, whether
they work by excess of quality, or
specifically; whether he have pre-
pared them by correcting, or else
by withdrawing their Malignity;
and for such unnecessary scruples
neglect his health? Alas, our
time is little enough for prayer,
and praise, and society; which
is, for our mutuall duties. Mo-
rall Divinity becomes us all; but
Naturall Divinity, and Metaphy-
sick Divinity, almost all may
spare. Almost all the ruptures
in the Christian Church have been
occasioned by such bold disputa-
tions De Modo. One example is
too much. That our Blessed Sa-
viours body is in the Sacrament,
all say; The Roman Church ap-
points it to be there by Transub-
stantiation. The needless multi-
plying of Miracles for that opinion
hath moved the French and He-
lvetick reformed Churches to
find the word Sacramentally;
which, because it puts the body there, K2
196
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Divinity.
there, and yet no nearer then
Heaven to Earth, seems a riddle
to the Saxon and such Churches;
whose modesty (though not
clearness) seems greatest in this
Point; since beleeving the reall
being of it there, they abstain
generally (though some bold ad-
venturers amongst them also do
exorbitate) from pronouncing
De Modo. The like tempests
hath the inquisition De Modo,
rais'd in the article of Descent in-
to Hell, even in our Church;
and of the conveyance of Gods
grace (which was the occasion
of this digression) in the Roman
at this day. But to decline this
sad contemplation, and to further
our selves in the Meditation of
Gods justice declared, in this Hi-
story, let me observe to you, that
God in his Scriptures hath Regi-
stred especially three symbols or
Sacraments, of use in this matter.
One in Genesis, of pure and meer
Justice,Cha. 3.22. vindicative, and perma-
nent; which is, The Cherubim and
fiery sword placed in Paradise, to
Essayes in
Divinity.
197
to keep out, not only Adam, but
his Posterity. The second in
Exodus, of pure and only Mercy,Ch. 25.17
which is the modell and fabrick
of the Mercy seate, under the sha-
dow of two Cherubims wings.
The third, partaking of both
Mercy and Justice, and a Memori-
all and seal of both, is the Raine-
bow after the Deluge.Gen. 9.14. The first
of these, which is of meer Justice,
is so figurative, and so mystick, and
so unfit for Example or conse-
quence, and so disputable whe-
ther it lasted long, or ever were
literally, that it seems God had
no purpose to deliver any evident
testimony of so severe and meer
Justice. But that of meer Mercy,
he made so familiar, that only
devising the form himself,
he committed the making of it to
man: and so affiancing and bin-
ding his Mercy to mans work, did,
as it were, put his Mercy into our
hands. Yet that also is long
since translated from us: and there
remains only the middle one,
more convenient, and proportionall, and K3
198
Essayes in Divinity.
and usefull. For, as it betokens
his Justice in the precedent de-
luge, or his Mercy in assuring us
from any future; so is it made of
naturall and well known causes,
(and thereby familiar to us) and
yet became a Sacrament by Gods
speciall institution then. Hom. 28.
in Gen. And,
though it should be true which
Chrysostome says, That it was a
new miracle then, and never ap-
peared before;De Noe &
Arca, cap.
27 yea, though that
could be true which Ambrose,
somewhat against the text, and
directly against the other Exposi-
tors, says, That the Bow mentioned
there was not a Rainbow, but that
A bow in the clouds, signifies only,
The power of God in persecution,
and thereupon he observes, that
God says, A Bow, but says not Ar-
rows, to inflict terror, not wounds;
Every way, I say, it doth the of-
fice of remembring Gods Justice
and Mercy together. And accor-
dingly, in this large and particu-
lar History of Gods Justice and
Persecution, both towards his
children, and his enemies, if we con-
Essayes in Divinity.
199
consider their laborious waste and
maceratings of their bodies by
hot and intemperate labour; All
their contempts, and scorns, and a-
viling, and annihilating in the eye
of the Egyptians; All their Or-
bity, and enfeebling their race by
the Edict of destroying their male
children; All their deviations
and strayings forty years, in a pas-
sage of a few dayes; and all their
penuries and battels in that jour-
ney; And then for the Egyptians,
if we looke upon all their afflicti-
ons, first of plagues hatefull to
their senses, then noisome to their
fruites, then to their cattel, then
to their bodies, then to their po-
sterity, then to their lives, excep-
ting only the drowning of the E-
gyptians in the sea, and the kil-
ling of the Israelites by their own
hands in their guiltinesse of Idola-
try with the Calfe, it will scarce be
found that any of the afflictions
proceeded from meer Justice, but
were rather as Physick, and had
only a medicinall bitternesse in
them. It remains, for determi-
K4 nation
200
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nation of this Meditation, that
we speake a little of Gods Judge-
ments. And at this time, (as by infi-
nite places in the Scriptures we are
directed) we call Gods Judge-
ments, all those lawes and directi-
ons by which he hath informed
the Judgements of his children,
and by which he governes his
Judgements with or against them.
For otherwise this word Judge-
ment hath also three profane, and
three Divine acceptations. Of
the first sort, the first serves con-
templations only, and so, Judge-
ment is the last act of our under-
standing, and a conclusive reso-
lution: which both in private
studies, and at Counsail tables,
many want, though endued
with excellent abilities of obje-
cting, disputing, infirming, yea
destroying others allegations; yet
are not able to establish or pro-
pose any other from themselves.
These men, whether you consult
them in Religion, or State, or Law, one-
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201
onely when they are joyned with
others, have good use, because
they bring doubts into disceptati-
on; else, they are, at least unpro-
fitable: and are but as Simplicists,
which know the venom and pec-
cant quality of every herbe, but
cannot fit them to Medicin; or
such a Lapidary, which can soone
spie the flaw, but not mend it
with setting. Judgement in the
Second acceptation serves for pra-
ctice, and is almost synonimous
with Discretion; when we consi-
der not so much the thing which
we then do, as the whole frame
and machine of the businesse, as
it is complexioned and circum-
stanced with time, and place,
and behoders: and so, make a
thing, which was at most but in-
different, good. The third way,
Judgement serves not only present
practice, but enlightens, and al-
most governs posterity; and these
are Decrees and Sentences, and
Judgments in Courts. The phrase
of Divinity also accepts Judgment
three wayes; for somtimes it is K5 severe
202
Essayes in Divinitiy.
severe and meer Justice, as, [Judg-
ment must begin at the house of
God,]1 Pet. 4.7. And many such. And
Judgment in this sense, is deep
and unsearchable. For, though
Solomon pronounce,Eccl. 7.17. [There is a
just man that perisheth in his ju-
stice, and there is a wicked man
that continueth long in his malice;]
yet he enquires for no reason of
it:Psa. 36.6. For, [Gods righteousness is
like the mountains] eminent and
inviting our contemplation to-
wards Heaven; but, [his Judg-
ments are like a great deep,] terri-
ble and bottomless, and declining
us towards the center of horrour
and desperation. These judg-
ments we cannot measure nor fa-
thome; yet, for all that, we
must more then beleeve them to
be just; for the Apostle says,
We know the Judgement of God is
according to truth.Rom. 2.2. But yet of-
tentimes Judgement signifies not
meer Justice, but as it is attem-
pred and sweetned with Mercy.
For, by the phrase of the Psalmist,
Psa. 72.2. [Judicabit populum in Justitia, & pau-
Essayes in Divinity.
203
pauperes in Judicio] and many
such,Reuch. de
Arte Ca-
bal. l. 1. the Cabalists (as one which
understood them well, observes)
have concluded, that the word
Judgment applyed to God, hath e-
very where a mixt and participant
nature, and intimates both Justice
and Mercy. And thirdly, the Tal-
mudists have straitned the word,
and restrain'd Judgment to signi-
fie only the Judiciall part of the
law: and say, the Holy Ghost so
directed them, in Deut. [These are
the commandments, and the Ceremo-
nies, and the Judgments, which the
Lord commanded.] And they pro-
ceed further; for,Deu. 4.13. Because Gods Co-
venant and his ten Commande-
ments are said simply to be given
them, and without any limitati-
on of time or place, they confess,
they are bound to them ever, and
every where; but, because his
Ordinances and his law, (which
in the Original is, Ceremonies and
Judgments) are thus delivered,Ver. 5.
[You shall keep them in the Land
which you go to possesse] they
therefore now cut off Ceremonies and
204
Essayes in Divinity.
and Judgements, from the body
of the law,Galatinus,
l. 11. c.3. and in their dispersion
bind not themselves to them, but
where they may with convenience
enough. But here we take the
word Judgment intirely, to sig-
nifie all the law: for, so the Psal-
mists speaks,Ps. 147.19 [He showes his word
unto Jacob, his Statutes and his
Judgments unto Israel; he hath
not dealt so with every Nation, nor
have they known his Judgements].
For here Judgements are as much
as all the rest. And God him-
self in that last peice of his, which
he commanded Moses to record,Deut. 32.4
that Heavenly Song which onely
himself compos'd, (for though e-
very other poetick part of Scrip-
ture, be also Gods word, and so
made by him, yet all the rest
were Ministerially and instrumen-
tally delivered by the Prophets,
onely inflamed by him; but this
which himself cals a Song, was
made immediately by himself, and
Moses was commanded to deliver
it to the Children; God choosing
this way and conveyance of a Song
Essayes in Divinity.
205
Song, as fittest to justifie his fu-
ture severities against his children,
because he knew that they would
ever be repeating this Song, (as
the Delicacy, and Elegancy ther-
of, both for Divinity and Poetry,
would invite any to that) and so
he should draw from their own
mouthes a confession of his bene-
nefits, and of their ingratitude;)
in this Song, I say, himself best
expresses the value of this word
thus, [All my wayes are Judge-
ment.] The greatness of this benefit or
blessing of giving them a law, was
not that salvation was due to the
fulfilling of it; nor were they
bound to a perfect fulfilling of it
upon damnation; for, Salvation
was ever from a faith in the pro-
mise of the Messias; and accor-
dingly the Apostle reasons strong-
ly, [The promise of Christ to A-
braham was 430 years before the
law,Gal. 3.17. and therefore this cannot dis-
annull that] and yet this to A-
braham was but an iteration of
the promise formerly given, and itetatediterated
206
Essayes in Divinity.
iterated often. But one benefit
of the Law was, that it did in some
measure restore them towards the
first light of Nature: For, if man
had kept that, he had neeeded no
outward law; for then he was to
himself a law, having all law in his
heart; as God promiseth for one
of the greatest blessings under the
Gospel, when the Law of Nature
is more cleerly restored:Jer. 13.31. [I will
make a new Covenant, and put my
law in their inward parts, and write
it in their hearts:] So that we
are brought neerer home, and set
in a fairer way then the Jews;
though their and our Law differ
not as diverse in species;Tho. 12a.
q. 51.5. but as a
perfect and grown thing from an
unperfect and growing: for to
that first Law all Laws aspire. As
we may observe in the Jews, who,
after the Law of Nature was clou-
ded and darkened in man by sin,
framed to themselves many di-
rective laws, before the promul-
gation of this Law in the Desart.Bretram.
De politica
Judaica.
c.2.
For we may easily trace out, be-
sides Circumcision, (which was com-
Essayes in
Divinity.
207
commanded) Sabboths, Sacrifices
of divers sorts, Expiatory and Eu-
charisticall, Vows, Excommunica-
tion, Buriall and Marriage, before
the written Law. But these had
but half the nature of Law; they
did direct, but not correct; they
did but counsell, not command:
and they were not particular e-
nough to do that office fully; for
they shew'd not all.Ro. 3.20. Therefore
Saint Paul sayes of Moses's Law,
and the sufficiency of it,Ro. 4.15. By the
Law comes the knowledge of sin.
And in another place, Where no
Law is, there is no transgression:
And again, When the Commande-
ment came, sin revived; that is,Rom. 7.9. it
revived to his understanding and
conscience: For, that sin was be-
fore any written commandement,
himself cleers it; Unto the time
of the Law was sin in the world;Ro. 3.15.
but sin is not imputed when there
is no law. Not that God imputes
it not; (for there is always enough
within us for him to try us by;
and his written Laws are but De-
claratory of the former;) but we
impute
208
Essayes in
Divinity.
impute it not to our selves, by
confession and repentance. This
therefore is the benefit of the Law,
that (as Calvin upon this place
sayes) Arguit, objurgat, & velli-
cando nos expergefacit.Lev. 24.10 We read
in Leviticus, That a Blasphemer
was stoned, and after his execution
a law was made against Blasphe-
mers: If it had been made before,
perchance he had not perished. Of-
tentimes lawes, though they be
ambiguous, yea impossible, avert
men from doing many things,
which may, in their fear, be drawn
within the compass of that Law.
Not to go far for Examples; with-
out doubt, our Law which makes
Multiplication Felony, keeps ma-
ny from doing things which may
be so called, for any thing they
know, though perchance no body
know what Multiplication is. And
our Law, which makes it Felony
to feed a Spirit, holds many from
that melancholick and mischie-
vous beleef of making such an ex-
press Covenant with the Divell,
though every body know it is im-
possible
Essayes in
Divinity.
209
possible to feed a spirit. Another
benefit of the law, (taking the
law at large, for all the Scriptures,
as the Apostle doth, [Tell me,
Galat. 4you that are under the law, have
you not read in the law, &c.] and
then cites a place out of Genesis,
before the law was given; And
as Saint John says,Joh. 15.25 [It is written
in the law] and then cites the 35
Psalm) is, that it hath prepar'd us
to Christ, by manifold and evident
prophesies. Which use the Apo-
stle makes of it thus, [Before faith
came (that is to say,Gal. 3.24 the fulfil-
ling of faith, for faith was ever)
we were kept under the law, and
shut up unto the faith which should
after be revealed: wherefore the
law was our schoolmaster to bring
us to Christ.] Lastly, the law be-
nefits us thus, that it wrastles
with that other law which St. Paul
found himselfe not only subject
to, but slave to,Rom. 7.13 [I am Captive
to the law of sin.] And, [I serve
in my flesh the law of sin.] These
then were the advantages of the
law; And had it any disadvanta-
ges?
210
Essayes in
Divinity.
ges? It is true, the laws were ma-
ny; for, as the frame of our body
hath 248 bones, Fra. Geor.
To. 2. prob.
8. so the body of
the law had so many affirmative
precepts; and of the same number
consisted Abrahams name, to
whose seed the Messias, to whose
knowledg all the law conduced,
was promised. It hath also 365
negative precepts; and so many
sinews and ligatures hath our bo-
dy, and so many dayes the year.
But, not to pursue these curiosi-
ties, besides that, multiplicity of
laws, (because thereby little is left
to the discretion of the Judg) is
not so burdenous as it is thought,
except it be in a captious, and en-
tangling, and needy State; or un-
der a Prince too indulgent to his
own Prerogative: All this great
number of lawes are observed
by one, Galatinus.
l. 11. c. 4. who (Capnio says) was
breath'd upon by the Holy Ghost,
to have been reduced by David
to 11, by Esay to 6, by Micheas
to 3, and by Abacuc to one. The
Lawgiver himself reduced them in
the Decalogue to ten, and there-
fore
Essayes in
Divinity.
211
fore the Cabalists marke mysteri-
ously, Fra. Geor.
ibid. that in the Decalogue there
are just so many letters, as there
are precepts in the whole law. Yet
certainly the number and intricacy
and perplexity of these laws, (for
their later Rabins, which make the
Orall law their rule,Buxdorfius
Synag.
Jud. c. 4.
fo.44. insist upon
many both contradictions and
imperfections in the letter of this
law,) was extremely burdenous
to the punctuall observers thereof.
Yet, to say peremptorily that it
could not be observed, seems to
me, hasty. Though Calvin,Marlorate
in hunc lo-
cum. ci-
ting Saint Hierome, [Si quis dix-
erit, impossibile esse servare legem,
Anathema sit] say wisely and tru-
ly, that Hierom must not prevail so
much as he which says, Why tempt
you God, to lay a yoke upon the
Disciples necks,Act 15.10. which neither our
Fathers nor we are able to bear?
Yet that place in Deut. 30.8. hath
as much Authority as this [Do all
the Commandements which I com-
mand thee this day;] therefore
they might be done. And in a-
nother verse it is said of all the com-
212
Essayes in
Divinity.
Commandments, laws and Or-
dinances together, [This Com-
mandement is not hid from thee,
nor far off; It is not in heaven,
that thou shouldest say, who shall
go up, and bring it down; nor be-
yond sea, that thou shouldst say, who
shal go beyond sea and fetch it: but it
is near thee, in thy mouth, and in thy
heart.] For, though the Prophet in
Gods person say,Eze. 20.25 Dedi eis præ-
cepta non bona; it was but in com-
parison of the laws of the Go-
spel: As our Saviour calls his A-
postles evill comparatively;Mat. 7.11 [Yee
which are evill, can give good
things.] For simply,Homil. ad
Rom. 13. in
ver. 25. cap.
7. ad Rom. the law was
good; And, as Chrysostome says,
so easie, that they were easier
things which were commanded by
the written law, then by the law
of Nature: As, to my under-
standing, in the point of concu-
pisence it is evident; which in the
first law of Nature, and now in
the Gospel, is prohibited, but was
not so in the letter of the written
law.Ibid. So much therefore as was
required of them, (for so Calvin says)
Essayes in
Divinity.
213
says) that is, to make the law a
bridle, and a direction to them,
was possible to them: and he
concludes this point, and I
with him, That even the re-
generate do but half that them-
selves, the grace of God perfecting
the rest.
PRAYERS FINIS.
PRAYERS.
214
O Eternall God, as thou
didst admit thy faith-
full servant Abra-
ham, to make the
granting of one petition an incou-
ragement and rise to another, and
gavest him leave to gather upon thee
from fifty to ten; so I beseech thee,
that since by thy grace, I have thus
long meditated upon thee, and
spoken of thee, I may now speak to
thee. As thou hast enlightned and
enlarged me to contemplate thy
greatness, so, O God, descend thou
and stoop down to see my infirmities
and the Egypt in which I live;
and (If thy good pleasure be such)
hasten mine Exodus and delive-
rance, for I desire to be, disolved,
and be with thee. O Lord, I most
humbly acknowledg and confess thine
PRAYERS.
215
thine infinite Mercy, that when
thou hadst almost broke the staff
of bread, and called a famine
of thy word almost upon all the
world, then thou broughtest me in-
to this Egypt, where thou hadst ap-
pointed thy stewards to husband thy
blessings, and to feed thy stock. Here
also, O God, thou hast multiplied
thy children in me, by begetting
and cherishing in me reverent de-
votions, and pious affections to-
wards thee, but that mine own cor-
ruption, mine own Pharaoh hath
ever smothered and strangled them.
And thou hast put me in my way
towards thy land of promise, thy
Heavenly Canaan, by removing
me from the Egypt of frequented
and populous, glorious places, to a
more solitary and desart retiredness,
where I may more safely feed upon
both thy Mannaes, thy self in thy
Sacrament, and that other, which
is true Angells food, contemplation
of thee. O Lord, I most humbly
acknowledg and confess, that I
feel in me so many strong effects of
thy Power, as only for the Ordina-
riness
PRAYERS.
216riness and frequency thereof, they
are not Miracles. For hourly
thou rectifiest my lameness, hourly
thou restorest my sight, and hour-
ly not only deliverest me from
the Egypt, but raisest me
from the death of sin. My
sin, O God, hath not onely caused
thy descent hither, and passion here;
but by it I am become that hell into
which thou descendedst after thy
Passion; yea, after thy glorifica-
tion: for hourly thou in thy Spirit
descendest into my heart, to over-
throw there Legions of spirits of
Disobedience, and Incredulity, and
Murmuring. O Lord, I most
humbly acknowledg and confesse,
that by thy Mercy I have a sense
of thy Justice; for not onely those
afflictions with which it pleaseth
thee to exercise mee, awaken me to
consider how terrible thy severe ju-
stice is; but even the rest and se-
curity which thou affordest mee,
puts me often into fear, that thou
reservest and sparest me for a grea-
ter measure of punishment. O
Lord, I most humbly acknowledg and
PRAYERS.
217and confesse, that I have under-
stood sin, by understanding thy laws
and judgments; but have done a-
gainst thy known and revealed
will. Thou hast set up many can-
dlesticks, and kindled many lamps
in mee; but I have either blown
them out, or carried them to guide
me in by and forbidden ways. Thou
hast given mee a desire of know-
ledg, and some meanes to it, and
some possession of it; and I have
arm'd my self with thy weapons
against thee: Yet, O God, have
mercy upon me, for thine own sake
have mercy upon me. Let not sin
and me be able to exceed thee, nor
to defraud thee, nor to frustrate
thy purposes: But let me, in de-
spite of Me, be of so much use to
thy glory, that by thy mercy to
my sin, other sinners may see how
much sin thou canst pardon. Thus
show mercy to many in one: And
shew thy power and al-mightinesse
upon thy self, by casting manacles
upon thine own hands, and calling
back those Thunder-bolts which
thou hadst thrown against me. Show L thy
PRAYERS.
218thy Justice upon the common Se-
ducer and Devourer of us all:
and show to us so much of thy
Judgments, as may instruct, not
condemn us. Hear us, O God,
hear us, for this contrition which
thou hast put into us, who come to
thee with that watch-word, by
which thy Son hath assured us of
access. Our Father which art in
Heaven, &c.
O Eternal God, who art not only
first and last, but in whom
first and last is all one, who art
not only all Mercy, and all Justice,
but in whom Mercy and Justice is
all one; who in the height of thy Ju-
stice, wouldest not spare thine own,
and only most innocent Son; and yet
in the depth of thy mercy, would'st
not have the wretched'st liver come
to destruction; Behold us, O God,
here gathered together in thy fear,
according to thine ordinance, and
in confidence of thy promise, that
when two or three are gathered to-
gether in thy name, thou wilt be
in the midst of them, and grant them
PRAYERS.
219them their petitions. We confess,
O God, that we are not worthy so
much as to confess; less to be heard,
least of all to be pardoned our ma-
nifold sins and transgressions a-
gainst thee. We have betrayed thy
Temples to prophaness, our bodies to
sensuality, thy fortresses to thine
enemy, our soules to Satan. We
have armed him with thy munition
to fight against thee, by surrendring
our eyes, and eares, all our senses,
all our faculties to be exercised and
wrought upon, and tyrannized by
him. Vanities and disguises have
covered us, and thereby we are na-
ked; licenciousness hath inflam'd
us, and thereby we are frozen; vo-
luptuousness hath fed us, and ther-
by we are sterved, the fancies and
traditions of men have taught and
instructed us, and thereby we are
ignorant. These distempers, thou
only, O God, who art true, and perfect
harmonie, canst tune, and rectify,
and set in order again. Doe so
then, O most Mercifull Father,
for thy most innocent Sons sake:
and since he hath spread his armes L2 upon
PRAYERS.
220upon the cross, to receive the whole
world, O Lord, shut out none of us
(who are now fallen before the
throne of thy Majesty and thy
Mercy) from the benefit of his
merits; but with as many of us,
as begin their conversion and new-
ness of life, this minute, this mi-
nute, O God, begin thou thy ac-
count with them, and put all that
is past out of thy remembrance.
Accept our humble thanks for all
thy Mercies; and, continue and
enlarge them upon the whole
Church, &c. O Most glorious and most gra-
cious God, into whose pre-
sence our own consciences make us
afraid to come, and from whose pre-
sence we cannot hide our selves, hide
us in the wounds of thy Son, our
Saviour Christ Jesus; And though
our sins be as red as scarlet, give
them there another redness, which
may be acceptable in thy sight.
We renounce, O Lord, all our con-
fidence in this world; for this world
PRAYERS.
221
world passeth away, and the lusts
thereof: Wee renounce all our
confidence in our own merits for
we have done nothing in respect
of that which we might have done;
neither could we ever have done
any such thing, but that still we
must have remained unprofitable
servants to thee; we renounce all
confidence, even in our own confes-
sions, and accusations of our self;
for our sins are above number, if
we would reckon them; above
weight and measure, if we would
weigh and measure them; and past
finding out, if we would seek them
in those dark corners, in which we
have multiplied them against thee:
yea we renounce all confidence even
in our repentances; for we have
found by many lamentable experi-
ences, that we never perform our
promises to thee, never perfect our
purposes in our selves, but relapse
again and again into those sins
which again and again we have re-
pented. We have no confidence in
this world, but in him who hath
taken possession of the next world L3 for
222
PRAYERS.
for us, by sitting down at thy right
hand. We have no confidence in our
merits, but in him, whose merits thou
hast been pleased to accept for us, and
to apply to us, we have: no confidence
in our own confessions and repentan-
ces, but in that blessed Spirit, who is
the Author of them, and loves to
perfect his own works and build up-
on his own foundations, we have: Ac-
cept them therefore, O Lord, for their
sakes whose they are; our poor endea-
vours, for thy glorious Sons sake,
who gives them their root, and so
they are his; our poor beginnings of
sanctification, for thy blessed Spirits
sake, who gives them their growth,
and so they are his: and for thy Sons
sake, in whom only our prayers are ac-
ceptable to thee: and for thy Spirits
sake which is now in us, & must be so
whensoever we do pray acceptably to
thee; accept our humble prayers for,
&c. O Eternal & most merciful God,
against whom, as we know &
acknowledg that we have multiplied
contemptuous and rebellious sins, so
we know and acknowledg too, that it were
PRAYERS.
223
were a more sinfull contempt and re-bellion, then all those, to doubt of thy
mercy for them; have mercy upon
us: In the merits and mediation of
thy Son, our Saviour Christ Jesus,
be mercifull unto us. Suffer not, O
Lord, so great a waste, as the effusion
of his blood, without any return to
thee; suffer not the expence of so rich
a treasure, as the spending of his life,
without any purchace to thee; but as
thou didst empty and evacuate his
glory here upon earth, glorify us
with that glory which his humilia-
tion purchased for us in the kingdom
of Heaven. And as thou didst empty
that Kingdome of thine, in a great
part, by the banishment of those An-
gels, whose pride threw them into e-
verlasting ruine, be pleased to re-
pair that Kingdom, which their fall
did so far depopulate, by assuming
us into their places, and making us
rich with their confiscations. And
to that purpose, O Lord, make us ca-
pable of that succession to thine
Angels there; begin in us here in this
life an angelicall purity, an angeli-
call chastity, an angelicall integrity to
224
PRAYERS.
to thy service, an Angelical acknow-ledgment that we alwaies stand in
thy presence, and should direct al our
actions to thy glory. Rebuke us not,
O Lord, in thine anger, that we
have not done so till now; but ena-
ble us now to begin that great work;
and imprint in us an assurance that
thou receivest us now graciously, as
reconciled, though enemies; and
fatherly, as children, though prodi-
gals; and powerfully, as the God of
our salvation, though our own con-
sciences testifie against us. Conti-
nue and enlarge thy blessings upon
the whole Church, &c. FINIS.