ΚΑΙΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΠΑΛΑΙΑ. Mat. xiii. 52. Things New and Old: OR, A LARGE STOREHOUSE OF SIMILES, SENTENCES, APOLOGUES, ALLEGORIES, APOPHTHEGMS, ADAGES, DIVINE, MORAL, POLITICAL, &C., 1. God to be consulted at all times: but more especially in the beginning of all public concernments. B JOVE PRINCIPIUM was the law of nature; the Gentiles were wont to begin from their oracles and oratories. It was ever the style of the civil law to begin à Deo optimo maximo. Our old Saxon laws had the ten great precepts of the Decalogue prefixed in their front. And it is said of Scipio Africanus, that it was his custom before the day broke out, to go into the Capitol, in cellam Jovis, and there to stay a great while, as if he were advising with his god, concerning the commonwealth's good. But the example of David may stand for all,* who, in all his straits, in all his undertakings, went to ask counsel of the Lord of heaven and earth. Thus it is that the children of God, are to consult with God, to auspicate all their solemn actions, to preface all great consulta tions 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.+ Virgil. Eclog. 3. In præfat. Reg. Aluredi ad leges suas. Sr. H. Spelman in concil. Aul. Gellius in Noct. Attic. *Psalm cxix. Is. Bargave Parliament. Serm. 1624. +Apoc. i. 8. 2. Dreams not to be altogether Slighted. It is said of St. Cyprian that, in a dream, he saw the pro-consul give order to the clerk of assize to write down his sentence (which was to be beheaded), which, when the clerk by signs made known to St. Cyprian, the good bishop desired some delay of the execution, that he might set his house in order; and the clerk answered him in his dream, that his petition was granted; and so it fell out accordingly, that that day twelvemonth after he had this dream his head was struck off. Thus it hath been from the beginning that God hath been so gracious to many of His children by dreams, or otherwise, to give them notice of their departure hence, to some He hath made known the year, to some the month, to some the very day and hour; and, not only so, but the manner also of their death; some per viam lacteam, by the pleasant passage of Nature, some per viam sanguineam, the bloody way of martyrdom, &c. Dreams, 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 vain nocturnal phantasies. Pont. Diaconus in vita ejus, ut est videre in ep. præfixâ operibus ex edit. Sim. Goulartij. House of Mourning, or Fun. Sermons. Quæ sensu volvuntur vota diurno, Tempore nocturno reddit amica quies. Claud. 3. Sin Mortified, the Devil's Terror. It is mentioned of a city, strongly besieged by a potent enemy, which, holding long out, was brought to extreme want, no hope of relief 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 wits' end; and thereupon fell upon a serious consultation 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 (of which they had great store lay starved in the streets) clapped 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, and the city relieved. This distressed city, so strongly besieged, is the soul of man; the potent enemy that lieth before it is the devil, 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 poor soul take in such a case? Surely no other but consultation first had with God by prayer, to set out its dead and mortified lusts and affections; and then, no doubt, the devil upon the sight thereof will quit the place, and never for the time to come adventure his whole strength to so little purpose. Conr. Zuingeri. Theat. Hum. Vita. Paul. de Wann. Serm. de Tempt. Speculum Exemplorum. Peccati mortificatio, Diaboli flagellum Sedul. Hybern. 4. Worldly Thoughts and Distractions, in the time of Prayer, Condemned. THERE is a story, how that one offered to give his horse to his fellow, upon condition he would but say the Lord's 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 many men and women, in both their private and public addresses unto God by prayer, are by the suggestions of Satan walking with St. Hierome 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; whereas they should rather mind that which they are about, keep close to God, and be so watchful and intentive over their souls, that their hearts and tongues may go comfortably together for, the outward work only is but like the loathsome smoke of Sodom, whereas the inward devotion of the heart is, not unfitly compared to the pleasant perfume of the sweetest frankin cense. Mart. ab Aspilcueta Narvarri Concilia, in cap. de oratione et horis canonicis. In Dialogo ad Luciferium. Non vox, sed votum, &c. Essay, 1xv. 5 Psalm cxli. 2. 5. How it is that Tyrants are usually not Long Lived. As in Nature so in Government, nothing is permanent that is violent. It is therefore hard to see an old tyrant, was the saying of a wise man ; 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 counsels, to his own ruin and overthrow; for, as in that mortal war between the great elephant and poisonous dragon, this one with his tail enclaspeth that other's feet, making him fall, and he in his fall bursteth himself, and crusheth that other in pieces : so when ambition and envy meet as combatants in the heart of a man, he needs no outward force to assail him ; for the venomous tail of his envy entangleth the winged feet of his ambition, making him fall, and in the fall to burst with his own weight. Aver. Metaph. Thales Miles Plin. Nat. Hist. Lib. viii. cap. 11. mole sua, &c. Felix criminibus nullus erit diu. Ausonius. 6. Policy above Strength. THE dolphin finding himself unable to hurt the crocodile, 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, experience hath taught man; to strike the enemy where he may, with most hurt; and leave things impossible unattempted ; for prudence is of force, where force prevails not; policy goes beyond strength, and contrivance before action: hence is it, that direction is left to the commander, execution to the soldier, who is not to ask why, but to do what he is commanded. Plin. Nat. Hist. Lib. viii. cap. 25. Experientia docet. Militem privatum, non solum debere esse volentem, &c. Xenoph. Cyropad, Lib. ii. 7. The State of a Kingdom or Commonwealth known best by the administration of Fustice. THE Constitution of a man's body is best known by his pulse; if it stirs not at all, then we know he is dead; if it stirs violently, then we know him to be in a fever; if it keeps an equal stroke, then we know he is sound and whole: in like manner we may judge of the estate of a kingdom, or commonwealth, by the manner of execution of justice therein, for justice is the pulse of a kingdom; if justice be violent, then the kingdom is in a fever, in a bad estate; if it stirs not at all, then the kingdom is dead; but if it have an equal stroke, the just and ordinary course, then the kingdom is in a good condition, it is sound and whole without the least corruption imaginable. Jean Bodin. de la Republique. Justitia remp firmat. Ant. Bonfinius, 8. The Prevalency of Fervent Prayer. SOCRATES telleth that when a terrible fire in Constantinople had fastened on a great part of the city and took hold of the church, the Bishop thereof went to the altar, and falling down upon his knees, would not rise from thence till the fire, blazing in the windows and flashing at every door, was vanquished, and the church preserved, so that with the floods of his devotion he slaked the fury of that raging element; and the same shall be the force of England's prayers, for England's peace and welfare, if we be fervent therein. Heretics and schismatics may rage, enemies conspire, and the people rise up in tumults; but let us trust in Him that never forsaketh them that faithfully call upon His holy name.* Lib. vii. Chap. 28. I. White's Sermon at St. Paul's, London, 1612. Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus. Ovid. *Psal. 1. 15. 9. God only to be Seen in Christ Jesus. A MAN cannot behold the sun in the eclipse, it so dazzleth his eyes. 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 Jesus. When we look into a clear glass, it casteth no shadow to us; but put steel upon the back, then it casteth a reflex, and showeth the face in the glass; so when we cannot see God himself, we must put the manhood of our Lord Jesus Christ (as it were a back to his Godhead), and then we shall have a comfortable reflex of his glory. Rich. Holdsworth's Serm. at St. Paul's, Lon. 1624. Videmus Deum per |