AB Iove principium , Virgil. Eclog. 3. In praefat. was the Law of Nature ; the Gentiles were wont to begin from their Oracles and Oratories . It was ever the style of the Civill Law , Reg. Aluredi ad leges suas . to begin à Deo optimo maximo . Our old Saxon Lawes had the ten great Precepts of the Decalogue prefixed in their front . Sr. H. Spelman in concil . And it is said of Scipio Africanus , Aul. Gellius in noct. Attic. that it was his custome before the day broke out , to go into the Capitol , in cellam Iovis ; and there to stay a great while , as if he were advising with his god , concerning the Common-wealth's good . Psalm 119. But the example of David may stand for all , who , in all his streights , Is. Bargrave Parliament-Serm . 1624. in all his undertakings , went to ask counsell of the Lord of Heaven and Earth . Thus it is , that the children of God , are to consult with God , to ●uspicate all their solemn actions , Apoc. 1. 8. to preface all great consultations for the common good , with some such religious Acts , as shall best conduce to the glory of God , making their Creator , who is the Alpha and Omega of all Creatures , the beginning and ending of all their actions .

IT is said of S. Cyprian , that in a Dreame he saw the Proconfull give order to the Clark of Affizes , Pont. Diaconus in vita ejus , ut est vid●re in ●p . praefixâ operibus ex edit . Sim. to write down his Sentence ( which was to be beheaded ) which when the Clark by signes made known to S. Cyprian , the good Bishop desired some delay of the Execution , that he might set his house in order ; and the Clark answered him in his dreame , That his Pe●ition was granted ; and so it fell out accordingly , that that day twelvemonth after he had this dreame , Goulartij . House of mourning , or Fun. Se●m●ns . his head was strook off : Thus it hath been from the beginning , that God hath been so gracious to many of his children by Dreames , or otherwise to give them notice of their departure hence , Quae sensu volvuntur vota diurno , Tempore nocturno reddit amica quies . Claud. to some the hath made known the year , to some the moneth , to some the very day and hour ; and not onely so , but the manner also of their death ; some per viam lacteam by the pleasant passage of Nature , some per viam sanguineam , the blody way of Martyrdome , &c. Dreames therefore , as they are not with Eastern people Superstitiously to be observed , so neither are they amongst us Christians , totally to be neglected as idle and vaine nocturnall phantasies .

IT is mentioned of a City , Conr. Zvingeri . Theat. hum . Vitae . strongly besieged by a potent Enemy , which holding long out , was brought to extream want , no hope of reliefe appeared ; Famine and Sword , the two sad concomitants of War , attended ; the one without affrighting , the other within dismaying , the poor Inhabitants ; insomuch that they were even at their witts end ; and thereupon fell upon a serious consultation , Paul . De Wann . Serm. de Tempt . what was best to be done for their better safety , the result whereof was this , That there should be a considerable number of dead bodies , Speculum Exemplorum . ( of which they had great store lay starved in the streets ) clap'd up in Armour , and set upon the Walls in the still time of the night , that so next morning , the Enemies upon sight thereof , might be somewhat amazed , which fell out accordingly ; for it was thereby conceived , that some fresh supplies were brought in to their assistance ; and thereupon the Siege was raised , Peccati mortificatio , Diaboli flagellum . and the City relieved . This distressed City , so strongly besieged , Sedul . Hybern . is the Soul of Man ; the potent Enemy that lyeth before it is the Devill , that great Commander in chief , over all such Regiments , as the World and the Flesh can possibly raise for his service . And what course must the poore Soul take in such a case ? Surely no other , but , consultation first had with God by Prayer , to set out it 's dead and mortified lusts and affections ; and then no doubt , the Devill , upon the sight thereof , will quit the place , and never for the time to come , adventure his whole strength to so little purpose .

THere is a story , how that one offered to give his Horse to his fellow , Mart. ab 〈◊〉 Norvarri Concilia . in ●ap . de oratione & . horis canonicis . In Dialogo ad Luciferium . upon condition , he would but say the Lords Prayer , and think upon nothing but God . The proffer was accepted , and he began ; Our Father which art in heaven , Hallowed be thy Name . But I must have the Bridle too , said he . No , nor the Horse neither , said the other ; for thou hast lost both , already . And thus it is , that too too many , Men and Women , in their both private and publick addresses , unto God by prayer , are by the suggestions of Sathan , walking with St. Hierom in the Galleries of Rome , having their hearts roving after pleasures of sin , their thoughts taken up with the things of this world , and their whole Man set upon vanity ; Non vox , sed votum , &c. whereas they should rather minde that which they are about , keep close to God , and be so watchfull and intentive over their souls , that their hearts and tongues may go comfortably together : Esay . 6. 5. 5. Psalm . 4. 1. 2. For , the outward worke onely , is but like the loathsome smoak of Sodome ; whereas the inward devotion of the heart , is not unfitly compared to the pleasant perfume , of the sweetest Frankincense .

AS in Nature so in Government , Nothing is permanent that is violent ; It is therefore hard to see an old Tyrant , Aver . Metaph. Thales Miles . Foelix criminibus nullus erit diu . Ausonius . Plin. nat hist. lib. 8. cap. 11. was the saying of a Wiseman ; And good reason had he for so saying . For though for a time he may uphold his State by force and policy , yet in the end divine Justice confounds his practices and infatuates his counsells to his owne ruine and overthrow ; For , as in that mortall warre betweene the great Elephant and poysonfull Dragon , this one with his ta●le enclaspeth that others feet , making him fall , and he in his fall bursteth himselfe , and cursheth that other in pieces : So when Ambition and Envy meet as Combatants in the heart of a Man , Sir Rob. Dallington's Aphorisms . he needes no outward force to assail him ; For the venemous tayle of his Envy entangleth the winged sect of his Ambition , making him fall , Ingens mole sua , &c. and in the fall to burst with his own weight .

THe Dolphin finding himself unable to hurt the Crocodile , Plin. nat. hist. Lib. 8. Chap. 25. by reason of his hard scales which no weapon can pierce , diveth under him , and with his sharp fin striketh him into the belly being Soft and tender , and so killeth him . Thus , what Nature taught the Creature , Experientia docet . Experience hath taught Man ; To strike the Enemy where he may , Militem privatum , non solum debere esse volentem , &c. with most hurt ; and leave things impossible unattempted ; for Prudence is of force , where Force prevailes not ; Policy goes beyond strength , and contrivance before action : Hence is it , that direction is left to the Commander , Execution to the Souldier , who is not to aske Why , Zenoph . Cyropaed , Lib. 2. but to do What he is commanded .

THe Constitution of a Man's body is best known by his pul●e ; Iean . Bodin . de la Republique . Justitia Remp. firmat . if it stirre not at all , then we know he is dead ; if it stirre violently , then wee know him to be in a Fever ; Ant. Bonfinius , Lib. 3. rerum . Hungar. if it keep an equall stroake ▪ then we know he is sound and whole : In like manner we may judge of the state of a Kingdom , or Common-weale , by the manner of execution of Iustice therein , for Iustice is the pulse of a Kingdom ; If Iustice be violent , then the kingdome is in a Fever , in a bad estate ; if it stirre not at all , then the Kingdom is dead ; but if it have an equall stroake , the just and ordinary course , then the Kingdom is in a good condition , Jer: 22. 15. it is sound and whole without the least corruption imaginable .

SOcrates telleth that when a terrible fire in Constantinople had fastned on a great part of the City and tooke hold of the Church , Lib. 7. Chap. 28. the Bishop thereof went to the Altar , and falling downe upon his knees , I. White Serm. at St. Paul●s London . 1612. would not rise from thence , till the fire blazing in the Windowes , and flashing at every doore , was vanquished , and the Church preserved , Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus . Ovid. so that with the flouds of his devotion he slaked the fury of that raging Element : And the same shall be the force of Englands prayers , for Englands peace and welfare , if wee be fervent therein ; Hereticks and Schismaticks may range , Enemies conspire , and the People rise up in tumults ; Psal. 50●●5 . but let us trust in him that never forsaketh them , that faithfully call upon his holy name .

A Man cannot behold the Sun in the Eclipse , it so dazeleth his eyes ; Rich. Holdsworth . Serm. at St. Pauls Lon. 1624. What doth he then ? He sets down a basin of water , and seeth the image of the Sun shadowed in the Water : So seeing we cannot behold the infinite God , nor comprehend him , we must then cast the eyes of our Faith upon his image , Christ Iesus ; When we look into a cleare glasse , it casteth no shadow to us ; Videmus D●um per Christum , &c. but put steele upon the back , then it casteth a reflex , and sheweth the face in the glasse : So when we cannot see God himselfe , Fulgent . we must put the Manhood of our Lord Iesus Christ ( as it were a back to his Godhead ) and then we shall have a comfortable reflex of his glory .

A Tender hearted Father walking with his little Son , B. White Serm at St. Pauls . London . 1617 suppose in the City , when he perceives him gaze up and down , and wander from him , withdraws himselfe behind some pillar , or hides himselfe in some corner of the street ; not that he means to lose him , but to make him cry and seek after him , and keep closer to him afterwards : So doth our heavenly Father with us , he correcteth every son whom he loveth , he hides himselfe , Exigu● percussus fulminis ictu Fortior ut possit cladibus esse suis. Ovid. ep. and , as it were , pulls in the beams of his Gracious favour for a time , when wee are rambling about in our thoughts , and 〈◊〉 in our imaginations ; but it is to make us cry after him the louder , and to keep closer to him for the time to come , and to walke more circumspectly than ever wee did before .

IF a Man stain were found in the field , Deu● . 21. 7. and it not known who slew him , God provided That the Elders of the next City should wash their hands in the blood of an Hey●er , and say ; Our hands have not shed this blood , neither have our eyes seen it : be mercifull O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed , and lay not innocent blood unto thy People of Israel's charge ; Eph. ●●dal . Ser. at Mercers Chappel . London 1642. and the blood shall be forgiven them . So this , one day , will be a comfort to the Consciences of all well minded men , that they may appeal , to the great God of heaven , that they have prayed heartily for peace , have Petitioned humbly for peace , Pa●●m te poscimus omnes . have been contented to pay dearly for peace , and to their powers , have endeavoured to refraine from sins , the only breakers of Peace ; and therefore trust that the Christian , English , Protestant blood which hath already been , and hereafter may be shed , shall never be visited on their score , or layd to their charge .

DAngerous was the mistake committed by Sir Francis Drake in 88. when , neglecting to carry the Lanthorn ( as he was commanded , ) in the dark , Tho. Fuller Holy State . he chased five hulks of the Dutch Merchants , ubi virtus discretionis perditur , &c. supposing them to have been of his Enemies the Spaniards : such and worse Errors may be committed in the Reforming of a Church or Commonwealth ; good mistaken for bad , Greg. lib. 3. moral . and bad mistaken for good ; where the light of knowledge is wanting for direction .

IT was wont to be a Tryall , Rich , Stainihurst , de rebus Hybern . whether land belonged to England , or Ireland , by putting in Toads , or Snakes , or any other venemous Creature into it : and if they lived there , it was concluded , that the land belonged to England ; if they died , to Ireland . Rom. 6. 12. So , if venemous Lusts live in us , if sin reign in our mortall bodies , we belong to Hell ; Jos. Shute , Sermon at S. Mary . Wolnoth L●mbards●●eet , London , 1619. Iohn 14. 2. but if they dy by Mortification , if there be no life in them , then shall we be sure to set up our eternall rest in Heaven , and be made heires of Heaven , and have full possession of those Mansions , which Christ our elder brother hath prepared for us .

THe Physician turns the hour-glasse , and resolves the physick shall work so long ; R. Stock , Serm. at Alhallowes Breads●● . Lon. 1616. the impatient Patient 〈…〉 , and thinks every hour two , till he be refreshed ; but the other knowes the fittest time , and will not till then afford any comfort at all . Thus the children of God cry out in the midst of their heavy pressures , Rev. 6. 10. How long , Lord , how long ? Shall the rod of the wicked lye alwaies upon the back of the righteous ? Psal. 125. 3 , Tempus 〈◊〉 tempus opportunum . But he hath turned the glasse , he will not hearken to their cry ; they must stay their time , he knowes best when and how to deliver them ; had they but so much Faith as to believe it , or Patience to wait for it .

CHildren shoot arrowes on purpose to 〈◊〉 them , and never so much as look where they light ; but Men , when they shoot , aime at the mark , and go after the arrow , to see how neer it falls : So , wicked carnall men , when they have said , not made , their prayers to Almighty God , it is but Opus operatum , Edw. Wilkison Serm. at St. Pauls Lond. 1639. they have no more regard of them : But God's children , when they , upon the bended knees of their ●ouls , dart out their Prayers , when they pour out their requests unto him , they look after their Prayers , eye them up into Heaven , observe how God entertains them ; and wait for a happy return , at his good will and pleasure .

IN a sheet - Almanack , D. Price Serm. at Christ-Church Lond. 1620. and man may uno intuntu , at one view , see all the months in the year , both past and to come ; but in a book - Almanack , as he turneth to one month , so he turneth from another , and can but look onely on the present . This is the true difference betwixt the knowledge of God and Man ; 1 Joh. 3. 20. he looketh in one instant of time to things past , present , and future ; 1 Cor. 2. 11. but the knowledge of Man reacheth onely to a few things past , and present , but knoweth nothing at all of things that are to come , that 's God's peculiar so to do , and a piece of Learning too high for any mortall man to attain unto .