controuersie betweene vs and the Romanists seeking out of the woodden Crosse worshipping of the Crosse yea of the counterfeit of it fighting for the Crosse seeking to the Sepulcher fighting for the Sepulcher worshipping of the Sepulcher setting vp Images in Churches worshipping of Images and of some of them with latria Inuocating of Saints woâ—shipping of their Relikes yea of the Relikes of Theeues and Murderers yea of the bones of Apes and Foxes yea of the Pictures of Adonis and Venus these things were not done in a corner neither were they reueiled in the twy-light but in the sight of the Sunne To be short eleuating of the Sacrament adoring of the Sacrament inuocating of the Sacrament and calling it Lord and God yea dedicating of bookes vnto it Saunders doth so these and a hundred more such abominations had neuer beene so admitted nor so long allowed in the Church of God if they that sate at the Sterne had beene wise and intelligent in Gods matters For when the Emperour or King was wise then the streame of Idolatry and superstition was greatly stopped and stayed though not dryed vp As by Leo Isaurus and his sonne and his sonnes sonne in the East By Charles the great and his sonnes sonne in the West These partly gathered Synods for the crossing of certaine superstitious worshippings partly they either wrote bookes themselues or caused bookes to be written by others in the cause of truth So when either the Empire had such a head as Otho the great or Henâ—y the second and fourth or the two first Frederickes or France such a King as Philip the faire To speake nothing of our late English Worâ—hies then they did not suffer themselues to be out-faced with counterfeit Titles neither could they indure to heare either that the Imperiall Crowne was beneficium Papale as Pope Alexander the third would haue it or that the Crowne of France was at the Popes disposing as Boniface the eighth vanted Much lesse such swelling words of vanity nay of intolerable insolency as Innocent the fourth deliuered to the Embassadors of King Henry the thâ—rd Nonne Rex Angliae vassallus meus est vt plus dicam Mancipium that is Is not the King of England my vassale nay I will say more bond-man or bond-slaue witnesse Mathew Paris They did not onely dispute the case with him as Michael did with Nicholas the first and a successor of Michael with Innocent the third Their Epistles some of them answering and crossing one another are to be seene in the Decretals but also went more roundly and roughly to worke with them taking them downe a pinne or two lower and sometimes putting them besides the Cushion and placing others in their roome It importeth therefore the cause of Religion mightily that Kings be wise and skilfull in Gods Booke that they be able to discerne what is Gods right what their owne yea that they can distinguish wisely betweene the Vicars of Christ and the angels of Satan betweene the Keyes of the Church and counterfet Pick-lockes as Doctor Fulke calls them For where wisedome is not and doth not abound there there is much going out of the way there there is often fâ—lling into the ditch Inscitia mater omnium errâ—rum saith Fulgentius that is Ignorance is the mother of all errors So Bernard calleth Ignorance the mother of all vices So Iustin Martyr Let knowledge be thy heart and truth thy life And Clement Alexandrinus seuen Stromate Knowledge is the food of the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Ignorance is the staruing of the soule or the disease called Atrophia to eate and to be neuer the neere or better for the eating Thus we are to hold in Thesi of the singular vse that is of wisedome as necessary as the ayre we drawe in as faire as the morning starre nay as the Sunne when hee riseth in his might So of Folly or Ignorance that the same is as darke as the night as foule and as vgly as the face of hell This I say in Thesi. Now for application a word or two I doubt not but as in the Romane Common-weale vnder Marcus Antoninus when that saying of Plato was considered of It goeth well with Common-wealths when either Philosophers be made Kings or Kings addict themselues to Philosophy There was a generall applying of it to their State vnder that Marcus and as in Athens when a speech out of a Poet was recited touching the sweet-singing Grassehopper all with one consent applyed it to Socrates And as in the fourth of Luke when that sentence was read out of Esay The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me wherefore he anointed me he hath sent me to preach the Gospell to the poore c The eyes of all in the Synagogue werâ— fastned vpon our Sauiour and all bare him witnesâ—e and he said that that day that Scripture was fulfilled in their eares So as many as doe heare me this day doe reioyce in themselues and congratulate to their Countrey that his Maiestie is not as many other Princes are that haue need to be called vpon with the words of the Prophet Ieremy 31. Chapter Know the Lord or that hath need to aske after the old way which is the good way c. as it is Ieremy the 6 but that hath knowne the Scriptures from his youth as Saint Paul speaketh to Timothie and is able both Preacher-like to exhort by wholesome doctrine and Doctor-like to conuince them that are contrarie-minded Flesh blood hath not reuealed the same it came not either by education or by Institution or by reading or by Conference though these be excellent helps and happy they be that finde them or vse them but by the Spirit of our Father which is in heauen euen as it is also said Zach. 4. Neither by an Army nor by strength but by my Spirit saith the Lord Almighty Therefore as Christ saith Blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare for verily I say vnto you that many Prophets and righteous men haue desired to see those things which you see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which you heare and haue not heard them So we of this Land are to hold our selues happy and thrice happy that the Lord hath giuen vs a King after his heart and our owne heart that can gouerne with Counsaile and rule with Wisedome that hath the Spirit of the liuing God resiâ—â—t in him and his senses exercised in the knowledge feare of the Lord that needs not to be taught but that can teach nor to be exhorted but onely câ—ngratulated This is not to flatter to giue the King his due specially when the giuing of due doth giue encouragement and implyeth exhortation to perseuere in well-doing Did not our Sauiour praise Nathaniel to his face And who such a patterne of veracity and plaine dealing as he Did not the Queene of Sheba praise Salomon to his
or feare or hope or meane to haue one they are in plaine English Bribes But touching them that haue had their suites sped I thinke they may more honestly be offered of the party then honorably receiued of the Magistrate I am sure that Elisha would take no reward of Naaman the Syrian no not after he had healed him of his Leprosie nor allow his man to take any but punished him exemplarily for taking And Erasmus reporteth of Frederick Duke of Saxony that being offered a great masse of gold by the Agents of Archduke Charles euen after he had giuen him his voyce to be Emperour and indeed made him Emperour he would not so much as looke vpon it And when they were instant vpon him at the least to giue them leaue to bestow a largesâ—e vpon his Gentlemen and followers his answere was that they might take some thing if they would but I tell you and I tell them said he that not one of them that taketh a penny shall stay a day in my house This was a godly Heâ—oicall mind but sooner praised then followed It is well now a dayes if nothing be giuen or promised beforehand and when the cause is toward hearing but to barre men from taking indifferently hand ouer head without exception lest hap some of them might haue a suitâ— that may seeme rough-Stoicknesse and rude inciuility Let it be so let it be lawfull to take without scruple such things as the Law alloweth Esculenta Poculenta but yet that you be not too forward to enter further then will stand with conscionable discretion Let me tell you a Story out of Bernard In short thus it was Martin a Cardinall of that name returning from Denmarke where he had imployment all weary and spent at the length got to Florence and there he is honorably receiued and entertained by the Bishop who also at his departure bestoweth an horse vpon him to carry him to Pisa. But what followed The next day the very next day as I remember saith Bernard the Bishop followed after hauing a matter in the Court and the day of hearing being at hand he therefore seeketh voyces and at the length commeth to Martin and craueth his furtherance to whom he said Decepisti me nesciebam tibi imminere negotium Thou hast deceiued me I did not know that thou hadst a cause towards hearing take thy horse againe I will none of him and so presently restâ—red him vnto him Bernard euen so long agoe maruelleth at this example and saith it was alteâ—ius seculi fitter for a lesse corrupt age then that wherein he liued Yet I doubt not but the like is vsually practised by many Iudges of our time and namely by them that heare me this day for I heare well yea very well of them But as Physicions in their Doses doe not intend that the Physicke which they minister should worke an especiall effect in euery part of the Patients body but in that onely that is affected And as Captaines in the warres doe cause alarmes to be sounded not because they thinke all or the most part to be asleepe but lest any should be vnready So the Preachers duty is to lift vp his voyce like a Trumpet and to hold forth as it were the Word of medicinable exhortation if any haue need there it is ready if they haue no need the Preacher hath shewed his good will and the same shall returne as a blessing into his bosome Enough of Bribery whether in higher degrees or lower The fourth and last thing that I proposed for a câ—rrupter of Iustice is Precipitancie Qui non moderabitur irae infectum volet esse dolâ—r quod suaserit mens He that will not master his anger will many times doe that which he would eate his nailes were vndone Thus speaketh one of Anger which is a very bad Counsellour The like may be said of Haste thâ—t it causeth many ouer-sights and trippings Indeed Herodotus doth say so much in plaine words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So we say Hast maketh waste And Kimhi vpon the first of Esay recordeth this for the Apophthegme of the ancient Hebrew Doctors Ashrei hadaijan sheme chammets dino Blessed is that Iudge doth Fermentare is well aduised of his Sentence If Dauid had not beene too hasty hee had not rewarded Ziba with halfe his Masters Estate who deserued an halter for his Sycophancie to the great hinderance of Mephibosheth and to the great distaining of his owne honour For was there not an extraordinary League of friendship betweene Dauid and Ionathan Mephibosheths father So before this if Putifer had not beene too hasty hee would not haue cast Ioseph into prison without due exâ—mining of the matter by which meanes he stripped himselfe of a faithfull seruant and fostered an Adulteresse in his bosome So long after this If Theodosius the great had not beene too hasty hee had not committed that horrible massacre in Thessalonica which afterwards he rued and repented almost in sacke-cloth and ashes Certainely for tryall of small matters such as are pecuniary and the like it is not amisse that there be an hastening to ripenesse which when it is attained vnto it is a wrong to deferre Iudgement any longer lest it befall the litigants as it did a certaine Great man in his exile that they had cause to say with him We had beene vndone if we had beene vndone I meane and they meant if the matter had gone against them they had beene quite vndone and yet though it goe with them they are more then halfe vndone they had spent so much in the suite But now for matters of life and death I am of his minde that thought and said Nulla vnquam de moâ—te hominis cunctatio longa A man cannot be too well aduised of that which he cannot mend or make amends for when once it is done Surely There is hope of a tree if it be cut downe that it will yet sprout againe and that the tender branch there of will not cease but man dyâ—th c. and where is he he lyeth downe and riseth not till the heauens be no more that is till there bee an end of this world What then Doe I speake against Iustice or expedition for or in Iustice No but against Precipitancy in doubfull cases and especially if they concerne life For if a man be a Murderer Burglarer or Robber to day he will be so to morrow and bee found so the third day or the third weeke or the third moneth c. and then when there is good certainty let him suffer a Gods-name How many haue taken it vpon their deaths that they were innocent touching the crime laid to their charge and after their deaths it was made manifest that they were innocent indeed but in vaine Their liues could not be giuen to them againe Now in such a case it is not enough for the Inquest to lay the fault vpon the witnesses
Salomon the wisest of all thought that if he might ioyne in affinity with his neighbour-Princes and take many of their daughters to be his wiues and women he should not onely strengthen the Kingdome in his owne hand but also stablish it in his house long and long also he thought peraduenture that by occasion of his marriages and affinities being so great many of the vplandish people would be trayned wonne to the knowledge of the true God of Israel but how was he deceiued His wiues and worshippingwomen turned his heart from the Lord he could do little or good no vpon them or theirs And as for the secret vnderminers of Salomons State succession where found they entertainment but among his allies Let me instance this point in one or two examples more Constantine the Great that worthy Christian and great Politician though that if he might build a City in the confines of Europe and Asia that might bee aemula Romae a match to Rome and place one of his sonnes there to keepe his Court he should not onely eternize his name but also fortifie the Empire no lesse then if he had enuironed it with a wall of brasse Also Phocas and Pepinus thought the one if hee might dignifie the Bishop of Rome with an extrauagant Title to bee called Vniuersall Bishop the other if he might lade the Church of Rome with Principalities euen with Principalitie vpon Principalitie they should deserue immortally well not onely of that Sea but also of the whole house of God But the way of man is not in himselfe as Ieremy saith neither is it in man to fore-see what will fall out luckily or crosse The building of new Rome was the decay of old Rome so it proued and the diuiding of the Empire was the destruction of the Empire and no lesse as wise men know also the lifting vp of the man of Rome was the hoysing vp of the man of sinne and the locking of him in the chaire euen in the chaire of pestilence Thus there is no policy so prouident no prouidence so circumspect but the same is subiect to errors and crosses and therefore no cause why it should be trusted to and therefore no cause why it should be gloryed in Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome c. If any wisedome might be boasted of surely one of those kindes of wisedomes that I erst reckoned vp vnto you to wit wisedome or skill in the Arts wisedome or knowledge in Diuinity wisedome or policy touching matters of State but these you haue heard are not to be relyed vpon because they are vncertaine because they are vnperfit and therefore much lesse are we to rely vpon any such as is worse or inferiour to these But yet the world is the world it hath done so doth so yea and blesseth it selfe for so doing therefore this wound hath need to be searched ransacked a little deeper Homer I remember crieth out against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Discord O I would it were perished and therefore out of the company of the gods and men So Cyprian against Couetousnesse O detestabilis caritas mentium c. O the same detestable blindenesse of mens minds c. Hieronymus against Luxury or lechery O ignis infernalis luxuria O Lechery a very hellish fire Augustine against error mistaking O errare O delirare O what a vile thing it is to be blinded with error c. Thus euery one cryed out against those sins wherewith their times were most pestered poisoned Surely if I were appointed to touch the sore of the daughter of our people we haue many so res from the crowne of our head to the sole of our feete we are little else but sores and botches and biles but yet if I were to touch that which doth most of all apostumate and ranckle then I ought to cry out O Policy policy Policy I meane falsely so called but indeed cunning and cudgeling This letteth that the Prince and the Realme cannot be serued many times as they should be nor Iustice administred in many places as it ought to be nor the Gospell of the Son of God so propagated as were to be wished Many could wish that in musters presses the likeliest men to doe seruice and not the weakest of friends should be appointed also that they were holpen to their right that suffer wrong also that the incorrigible were cut off by the sword of Iustice also that the Sons deceitfull workers craftily crept in in pretence to aduance the Romish faith but indeed to supplant English loyalty and faithfulnesse that I say their goings out their commings in and their haunts were better marked and so the danger that is threatned by them preuented But yet to put our hand to the worke euery one to doe some seruice in his place as for ensample Constables to precept the ablest and fittest persons for the warres Sheriffes to make returnes of indifferent Iuries for the tryall of rights Iurors to haue God and a good conscience before their eyes and not to turne aside to by-respects c. This we will not be induced to doe What letteth vs Policy for we say If we shall be precise in our office this yeere or in this action at this time others will bee as precise against vs or ours another time and then what shall wee gaine by it And if we should not leaue somewhat to such a person and to such a cause wee should offend such a great One and he will sit on our skirts Thus policy ouerthroweth Polity that is the Common-weale and thus the feare of men casteth out the feare of God as the Wise man complaineth Another vanity nay wickednesse I haue noted vnder the Sun and that is this There be that haue the dore of faith opened vnto them and haue opportunity to heare words whereby they and their houshold might bee saued and the same doe also consent in the inward man to the doctrine taught and published among vs by authority that the same is the truth and the contrary falsehood and yet to giue their names vnto the Gospell soundly or to protest against Popery and superstition zealously they will not be drawne What with-holdeth them Policy for they thinke that continuing doubtfull nay though they should be enemies if but secret ones they shall leese nothing the State holding as it doth these be the times of mercy though certaine vngratefull men crie out against them as though they were bloody for none other cause but for that they are restrained from shedding innocent blood as heretofore they were wont in the dayes of their tyranny and if there should bee a change then their very doubtfulnesse and staggering would be remembred and they aduanced thereby Thus as Demades said to his country-men of Athens when they paused to decree diuine honours to King Demetrius Take heed my masters lest while you be so scrupulous for heauen and
nor yet for the Iustices to lay the fault vpon the twelue men for euery man shall beare his owne burden And as the righteous shall liue by his owne faith so the vnrighteous shall die for his owne faultinesse and a pillow of blood is a very hard pillow for a tender conscience to take rest vpon harder then the pillow of stones in Genesis for vpon that Iacob did sleep But that ought to be done in such weighty cases that concerne life which the Law of God requireth to be done in the case of Idolatry namely They should seeke and make search and inquire diligently and if it be true and the thing certaine c. then thou shalt not faile to slay them c. And as Iob professed that he did in these words The cause which I knew not I searched out Otherwise if the matter be not euident it is better to be slow then forward lest Cinna Cesars friend be slaine in place of Cesars enemy that had railed vpon him as in the Romane Story And lest Histiaeus make the shoo and Aristagâ—ras weare it as in the Greeke Story And lest that one sowe and another reape as in the Gospell I meane lest one commit the offence and another be punished If the least imputation of cruelty did sticke to your reputation Honorable men and brethren if it might be said of you with any probability which was said of Claudius the Emperour that his hands were otherwise weake and feeble but strong and sturdy to shead blood I could vse many reasons to moue and induce you to lenity and clemency so farre-forth as the state of the Common-weale would beare for that is alwayes to be vnder-stood Salus Reipublicae summa Lex but I perswade my selfe of you that you propend thereunto by nature and specially by grace and that you say many times to your selues when you are about to giue Sentence as the successor of Claudius did when a Bill was brought vnto him for the execution of a man condemned Quam vellem nescirem literas Oh that I could not write my name Oh that another had my roome And that it may be said of you as it was of that good Emperour Augustus Qui cum triste aliquiâ— statuit fit tristis ipse cuique fere poenam sumere poena sua est that si You are grieued your selues when you pronounce a grieuous Sentence and you thinke your selues are punished when you punish others I haue stood very long vpon the three first words of my Text I put on Righteousnesse Wherein I haue shewed First the meaning Fitnesse and vsualnesse of the Phrase secondly for the Vettue the bulke of the Phrase how necessary and goodly it is the goodliest Robe that a Magistrate can put on thirdly and lastly what be the hinderances and staines of it First Preiudice Secondly Partiality Thirdly Bribâ—ry and lastly Precipitancy Now Iob is not content to tell vs that he put on Iustice but addeth it clothed me Meaning that he did not cast it behind him like a cloake or throw it about him like a mantle to couer some pâ—rts and to leaue the others vncouered but that it couered him on all parts from top to toe like the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a long Garment downe to the feet mentioned in the Reuelation And like the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Garment wherein one might wrap and roll himselfe mentioned in the Booke of Ester Meteranus in his Belgicke Story writeth of a certaine old woman in the Low-Countries that she being neere her end required her Keeper of all loues and in any case to put vpon her the Cowle of a Fryer Minorite when shee should be ready to yeeld vp the ghost which she had prepared for the purpose And said she if death happen to come on so suddenly that thou canst not put the whole Cowle vpon me yet faile not at the least to put one of mine armes into it that by vertue thereof three parts of my sinnes may be forgiuen me and the fourth expiated in Purgatory Thus Meteranus of the old wiues perswasion touching the vertue of the Fryers Cowle which perswasion Superstition bred Couetousnesse tendered and folly entertained I cannot say so much of the vertue of the Robe of Iustice either commutatiue or distributiue either priuate or publicke though I thinke passing well of it that it should haue power to forgiue sinnes No The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinnes And He hath washed vs in his blood And Wee must be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is by the faith of Iesus Christ euen the righteousnesse of God through faith But this I dare boldly say that it yeeldeth a pleasant sauour vnto the nostrils of our heauenly Father as Esaus garment vpon Iacobs backe did to Izack their father And of all the garments yee can put on after faith and loue there is none to be compared to it There is mention in Saint Mathew of soft clothing but it was onely for them that were in Kings Courts Also in the Psalme of a garment of needle-worke wrought about with diuers colours but it was onely for the Queene Also in the 2. Sam. of garments of many pieces or colours but they were for Kings daughters that were virgins Also of garments of Linnen and Woollen which were forbidden the Israelites who thereby as by an Allegery were forbidden all hypocrisie and insincerity not onely in matters of faith but also in conuersation Also in the booke of Ioshuah of a Babylonish garment which Achan purloyned to his destruction Further there is mention in Stories of garments of gold and of siluer at which Dionysius iested That they were too cold in the Winter and too heauy in the Summer but now they are in speciall request euery ordinary fellow weareth cloth of gold and of siluer nay he is not an ordinary fellow but a No-body that is not so attyred Also there is mention in Story of perfumed garments which were the vndoing of Muleasses King of Tunis for by the smell thereof he was hunted after taken and bereaued of his eyes and of his Kingdome as Iouius writeth Thus the outward garment or ornament is for some persons and purposes and not for others and for some certaine times and not for all But now Iustice is for all sorts of men and for all times of the yeere sweet without fulsomnesse precious without burdensomnesse safe without dangerousnesse indifferent to all degrees to all persons common equall glorious full of Maiestie and full of all good workes We haue not so great vse of fire and water as we haue of Iustice said one or one maysay The Morning-starre or the Euening-starre is not so faire as Iustice said another Faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an Armie with Banners So haue
some applyed that of the Canticles Without Iustice neither City Towne nor house can continue said another Nay very theeues cannot liue without Iustice without parting their booties equally it is confessed generally Nay Remota Iustitia quid sunt regna nisi magna Latrocinia said Augustine Take away Iustice and what are Kingdomes else but great theeueries great haunts or meetings of Theeues Therefore Iustice being so goodly so pleasant so profitable so by all meanes necessary is it any maruell if Iob were not content to say hee put it on but add eth that it clothed him that is he thought himselfe sufficiently well apparelled while he had Iustice on and without it he thought himselfe and all others naked Trauellers write Nâ—than Chytraeus by name that in Padway Iustice is described in a publicke place betweene a paire of Scales and a Sword according to the manner with these two verses proceeding from her mouth Reddo cuique suum sanctis legibus omne Concilio mortale genus ne crimine viuat The verses are but clouter-like vnworthy such an Vniuersity as Padway is renowned to be but the sense is good and for the shortnesse of them they may the better be remembred I giue saith Iustice to euery one his owne I procure and winne all men to be obedient vnto godly Lawes lest otherwise they should proue criminous that is grieuous transgressors It is so where there be not wholesoâ—e lawes which are the parents of Iustice the daughters of Prudence the Nurses of Vertue the Companions of Peace the Harbingers of Prosperity c. there all things goe out of order Seruanis on Horse backe as in the booke of the Preacher and masters euen Princes on foote Like Priest like people as in the Prophet Esay nay the people not so bad as the Priest as Bernard saith Like buyer like seller like borrower like lender as Esay againe saith Nay then no buyer or seller or borrower or lender but all vpon snatching and catching and rapine and wrong blood toucheth blood and He that refraineth himselfe maketh himselfe a prey Therefore blessed be God for Lawes and blessed are the people to whom the mouthes and expounders of the Lawe the Administers of Iustice I say are sent Their very feet vpon the mountaines as they are comming ought to seeme beautifull vnto vs and we are to receiue them as an Angel of God euen as God himselfe for his office they beare and he vouchsafeth them his owne name In plaine and distinct English they ought to be had of vs in speciall honour and regard for many causes First for the Lords sake who is the Author of their authority There is no power but of God Rom. 13. Secondly for the Kings sake who is the immediat sender of them Rulers are sent by the Prince for the punishment of those that doe ill and praise of them that doe well saith St. Peter Thirdly for their worke sake for they watch ouer vs take paines for our good that we may lead a quiet peaceable life in all godlinesse honesty that we mayeate euery man his owne bread drinke euery one of his owne Well cloath our selues euery one with his owne Wooll and sit euery man vnder his owne Vine vnder his owne Fig-tree from Dan to Beershebah euen from one end of the Land vnto the other These be the fruites and commodities of Magistracie and Iustice many and singular euery way But where those be wanting both or one of them Magistracy as in the dayes of the â—udges There was no King in Israel but euery one did that which was good in his owne eyes Iustice and execution as Acts the 18. The Grecians tooke Sosthenes and beat him before the Iudgement seate and yet Gallio the Gouernour cared nothing for these things there the earth is cleane emptied and vtterly spoyled the words in the Originall be sounding and like the voyce of Thunder Hibbok tibbok hibboz tibboz there things goe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is against the streame or rather they are carryed head-long by a maine current of disorder into a bottomlesse swallow of confusion It hath beene questioned and argued whether it were better to liue vnder a tyrannous gouernment where euery suspition is made a crime euery crime capitall or vnder an Anarchie where euery one may doe what he list And it hath beene long since ouer-ruled That it is much better to liue vnder a state sub quo nihil liceat quà m sub quo omnia So then if euen the worst kind of gouernment be a kind of blessing in comparison then what is it to liue vnder a godly and Christian King that doth gouerne with Counsell and rule with wisedome and vnder such Iudges and Iustices that doe not take themselues to be absolute but confesse that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Centurion in the Gospell and to giue an account not onely to him that is Iudge of quicke and dead but also to the Higher powers on earth if they should too farre forget themselues This then being their charge and Commission to administer Iustice indifferently to encourage the vpright to cut off the incorrigible their charge and terror terror I say in respect of the reckoning day sometimes in this world but certainely in the world to câ—me will any man enuy them their Robes the honor the place that they doe enioy Truly if they had no other comfort but the honour outwardly giuen vnto them that were but a cold comfort â—r reward Some lenitiue I grant it may be to flesh and blood to them that are Gloriae animalia as Tertullian first and aâ—ter him Hierome doe call Philosophers But to them that haue learned Christ aright to them that iudge not according to the eye but with righteous iudgement these things are but vaine and vile Praises they esteeme for bubbles and applauses for bablâ—s eminent places but for scaffolds to be gazed on and a great deale â—f attendance for a great deale of adoe trouble Titles of honour but for tittle-tattles Robes of scarlet or purple for depriments and detriments Indeed there was a great King that turning and winding his Diadem said to them that stood by That if a man knew what a deale of cares and troubles were lapped vp and lodged in it he would not thinke it worthy the taking vp And there was a Pope not the worst Pope that confessed to his friends that he liued an happier life when he was a poore Scholemaster in Louaine then since he was aduanced to that high See It is not therfore the high place nor the great state nor whatsoeuer is gainefull for the purse that maketh many Magistrates amends for their trauell toyle for their care and study for their sweating and hazarding their health for the hard censures and bitter exclamations and cursings that they incurre and indure for directing of Iustice and pronouncing
shift for themselues by flight before they had put their Generall Sertorius in safety So the Galles had their Soldurios that is deuoted men which vowed to liue and dye with their Lord as Bodin out of antiquity doth gather So the French Protestants are much commended by the equall for that they bâ—stowed the young Princes of Nauarre and Condie in a strong Castle out of gun-shot before they hazarded the great battell of Moncounter The King is so to the Common-weale as the helme is to the shippe or rather as the shippe is to the passengers while the shippe is safe there is hope to recouer the land be we neuer so farre from it though the Sea and winds doe neuer so much swell and rage but if the Shippe sinke or be dashed on the rockes there remaineth nothing but a fearefull looking for of drowning and destruction Therefore the safety of the King being the safety of all what maruell if the Prophet begin with Kings and aduise them to looke about them This may be one cause Another this We know that there is no cloth that doth so kindely take the colour that the Dyer would staine it with as the people are apt to imitate the guize and carriage of their Prince the similitude is not mine but Nazianzens therefore because the conuerting of him is the conuerting of hundreds at a clap and his auersenesse or stiffenesse the auersenesse or standing out of multitudes this also may be thought to be a cause why he beginneth with Kings When was there a good King in Iuda for there were but few in Israel after that Ephraim departed from the house of Dauid that sought the Lord with all his heart but he drew the people to be well-giuen at the least-wise in comparison On the other side when was there a wicked King that did set set vp Idols in his heart or worshipped the Hoast of heauen or burnt incense vnto Baal but the people were as forward and as sharpely set vpon Idolatry as he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The subiect is wont to emulate and imitate the life of his Gouernour or Prince saith one Historiographer and another Princeps quum Imperio maximus sit exemplo maior est that is Be the Prince neuer so great for command yet he commandeth most by his example It is somewhat strange Circumcision is a painefull thing specially in them that are out of their Infancy it may be gathered hereby for that the Turkes vsing it at this day vpon their children being of sâ—me yeeres doe vse such dissembling towards them for the circumstance of the time when they doe it and yet when the King of Sichem had yeelded thereunto the whole City followed So Diodorus writeth of the Aethiopians that when their King had caught some mayme or marke in any part ofhis body the manner was for all his Fauorites to maime or marke themselues in the same part Is it not written of Rehoboam expressely that when he forsooke the Lord all Israel did so with him Also is it not to be obserued in the Ecclesiasticall Story that when Iulian fell from Christ vnto Paganisme Valens in stead of the truth imbraced a lye the vile Heresie of the Arians a great part of the Empire did so likewise On the other side when Iosiah serued the Lord with all his heart all Iuda did so all his dayes And when Constantine the great and Theodosius the great gaue themselues to aduance the faith of Christ and to purge out the old leauen of Heathenisme there was such a change in the Empire on the sudden that Zosimus and Eunapius being Pagans doe much complaine thereof in their writings therefore me thinkes Fulgensius speaketh to good purpose and agreeable to true experience that although Christ dyed indifferently for all the faithfull yet the conuerting of the mighty Ones of the world is of speciall seruice to winne soules vnto Christ. Hee doth symbolize with that learned Writer that allegorizng vpon those words of Saint Iohn touching the taking of so many great Fishes doth congratulate vnto the Church the happy conuerting of Princes because by their conuetsion many were brought vnto Christs Fold Yea Plutarch a Heathen man saw in a manner as much touching the great force that is in the example of Princes for he in the life of Dio speaking of Plato his sayling into Sicily to doe some good vpon King Dionysius maketh this to be the speciall motiue for that the reforming of the King would be the reforming of the whole Iland So then the Kings piety and sound perswasion being as effectuall for the winning of the soules of his subiects as his bodily safety is auaileable for the conseruing of their worldly estates Our Psalmist without doubt had great reasâ—on to doe as he doth to begin with Kings This may suffice for the naturall placing of the words and withall touching the incomparable good that redoundeth to the common Estate by the Kings piety and safety I come now more closely to the Duty of Kings for of that onely and of the touch of the time Now which shall be for application I shall speake at this time Be wise now therefore O Kings Two kindes of wisedome are required in Kings and Princes wisedome or knowledge in Gods matters otherwise called Diuinity and wisedome or knowledge in matters of the world otherwise called Prudence or Policy Both are contained in the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifieth also good successe to note that God many times crowneth pious prudence prudent piousnes with many a temporall blessing Both are not onely for ornament like the two Pillars that Salomon put in the Porch of the Temple but also for speciall vse like the hands of Aaron Hur which did support the armes of Moses for the discomfiture of the Amalekites For if they be pious only in Gods matters be not otherwise prudent then they are fitter for the Common-weale of Plato then for the corrupt estate of Romulus for the Cloister then for the Court Againe if they be prudent or politicke onely be not pious then they are fitter to be Kings of Babel where dwelleth confusion then of Hierusalem where Gods glory is seene and more rightly to be called the children of this world which goeth to nought and perisheth then the children of God who loue truth in the inwards and caâ—e for none but for such as worship him from a pure heart with a good conscience Well they must bee Diuines as it were this is first required I say not in profession but in knowledge they must know God the onely Lord and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ they must know Christ and him crucified and the power of his Crosse and vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions that they may be conformable vnto his death they must separate and distinguish truth from error cleane from vncleane right from
gnal cisse-din mezareh be gneinaiu col ragn HERE we haue an excellent Person and an excellent function and an excellent worke and an excellent Instrument or meane The Person is a King the function or exercise isto sit onthe Throne of Iudgement the worke or effect is the scattering away of all euill lastly the instrument or mean is his eyes For the first Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God it is said of Ierusalem Ps. 87. And so Glorious things are spoken of Kings in the Booke of God we may say For their innocency they are called Lambes for their care Shepheards for their louingnesse Nursing-fathers for their bounty and liberality Franke-giuers Benefactors Nedibim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their authority Leaders nay Controwlers such as haue a negatiue voyce gnotserim nay Alkumim such as is no standing with or against lastly for the profit that we reape by them Physicians nay Sauiours nay Gods after a sort Behold King Salomon with the Crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals Cant. 3. And so Behold euery true successor of Salomon with the Crowne that the heauenly Father hath adorned him in the day of his coronation it may be said This out of the Booke of God Also in the booke of Nature I meane in the writings of meere naturall men we finde the like titles and Elogies giuen to Kings and Princes A good King differeth not from a good Shepheard said one from a good Father said another Hee is the Image of God the liuely Image of God said another A seeing Law a speaking Law said another Briefely he is a breathing Law a Law that hath life and soule in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said another euen Zeno in Clem. Alexandrinus Finally Sauiours they haue bâ—ene called and by such as would not be counted flattererâ— Flamminius Soter Antiochus Soter c. Now these Titles of high renowne and honour haue beene giuen to Kiâ—gs and such as had Kingly authority both by them that spake so as they were moueâ— by the holy Ghost and by them that spake so as nature dictated vnto them not to the end they should be high-minded and vtter such swelling words of vanity as either the King of Babel doth Esay 14. I will ascend into heauen I will exalt my Throne aboue the starres of God c. Or as the King of Persia doth in Marcellinus Sapor Rex Regum particeps siderum frater Solis Lunae c. that is Sapor King of Kings companion to the starres brother to the Sunne and to the Moone c. these were words of men of corrupt minds and which made their madnesse knowne to all men but for two causes chiefely were those titles giuen vnto them First to moue them to be thankefull to God who had so highly aduanced them euen aboue all that is called high in this world The King hath none aboue him vpon earth said Agapetus to Iustinian Secondly to incite vs to yeeld all honor and feare and reuerence and obedience vnto so diuine a calling Of the calling duty of Kings I cannot speake I need not speake I cannot speake worthily fitly Seemeth it a light thing to be sonne in Law to the King A light thing answered Dauid vnto those that motioned him a match in King Sauls house and so a Preacher may say Seemeth it a small thing to speake of Kings matters in the Kings Court and not be confounded Why the men of Bethâ—hemesh for daring to looke once in the Arke were destroyed with a great destruction 1 Sam. Yea Vzzah for seeking to stay the Arke when it tottered was smitten that he dyed 2 Sam. Yea Theopompus and Theodectes for aduenturing to write of holy matters contained in the holy Scriptures with an vnhallowed pen lost their wits and sight for their labours neither was it restored vnto them vntill they recanted their presumption witnesse Iosephus vpon the report of Demetrius Phalareus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. euen to speake true things of God is many times very dangerous saith Epiphanius out of Origen Gods matters and Princes matters be not the same I grant yet are they very like and as God will not hold them guiltlesse that breake their bounds approach too neere to the mount of his secrets so Kings haue no cause to thanke those that be audaciously officious But the best is a Preacher needeth not to speake one word of instruction either to our King being present or for our King being absent He is as an Angell of God knowing good euill as the woman of Tekoah and Mephibosheth told Dauid He can speake of trees from the Cedar tree that groweth in Libanon to the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall 1 Kings 4. I meane hee is skilfull and expert in all Arts in all Sciences in all Faculties and in the chiefest faculty of all he can speake and iudge and write and moderate in the most difficult and arduous points euen from the diuine Attributes of the Trinity to the deepest mysteries of the Reuelation euen from Antichrist that sitteth vpon the Throne to the begging Fryer that goeth from dore to dore euen from concupiscence that entreth with vs into the world vnto Purgatory that is made the end of all flesh or most flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said one And so his Maiesty can say with Iacob when Ioseph tooke vpon him to aduise him I know I know And againe it may b e said of him as Saint Paul said of Agrippa The King knoweth of these things and none of these things are hidden from the King Erasmus speaking of Basil surnamed the Great saith of him that there is not one in the Latine Church fit to be compared to him but if we will make an equall match for him saith he we need to ioyne the worth of two together the smooth sweet stile of Lactantius and the Scripture-learning of Hierome To this effect Erasmus in imitation of him as I thinke a worthy moderne writer saith the like of Sâ—aliger the father that to paralell him aright and not to doe him wrong we had need to ioyne the worth of two together namely the wit of Xenophon and the valour of Masinissa And euen so if we will counterpoize the sufficiency of his Maiestie for matter of learning and knowledge we must take the worth of a great many of Princes to wit the Poeticall veine of such a one the eloquence of such a one and the Philosophy of a third and the Diuinity of halfe a doozen of the best This is the Kings honor before all Nations and this is our Crowne of reioycing on the behalfe of our King before men and Angels I will therefore speake no more of the dignity of a King nor of the worth of our King and I haue shewed reasons why I need not to deliuer one word of instruction for him But now
of Rome his spouse all the while he is not our true father but a father in Law or rather against all Law nor she the true mother but a step-mother a putatiue mother like her in the 1 Kings that would haue had the child to be deuided For all the world he hath shewed himselfe such a kind of father as Saturne was who deuoured all his children that he could come at and whom Rhea hid not from him and she such a mother as Medea in the Tragedy who murthered all her sonnes that she had by her husband Iason and were sorry she had no more to murther that she might vexe him and grieue him more But as Moses said Our God is not as their god our enemies being witnesses so we may say Our father and King is not as theirs heauen and earth bearing record for their King is King of the Locusts Reu. 9. and himselfe the great Locust but our King is a King of peace and of bounty to speake the least and facilis placidusque pater veniaeque paratus as the Poet said So much of the person of the King I come now to the function and to the effect and to the instrument and I will but touch them slightly lest I should be tedious A King sitting on the Throne of Iudgement c. The Iewes write themselues and others write of them that while their Common-weale stood they had three kinds of Courts or places of Iudicature Batteidin the one in euery City where three chosen for the purpose sate and examined petite or light matters matters of trespasse and of debt this was the least Court but there were many of them The second was a greater Court and authorized to try matters of life and death the same consisted of the number of twenty three and was scattered thorowout the Tribes there were more than one for a Tribe The third and greatest and most solemne consisted of seuenty or as some would haue it of seuenty two those receiued Appeales from the other Courts and besides debated of matters of the State and of the Church This Court was holden at Hierusalem and in respect thereof it is thought the Psalmist speaketh so as he doth Psal. 122. For there Thrones are set euen the Thrones of the house of Dauid He doth not say Throne as of one but Thrones as of many by reason of the multitude of Iudges which made vp Sanhedrin as the Talmudists corruptly call it of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Howbeit as Genes 37. Iosephs sheafe stood vp-right and all the other sheaues did compasse it about and did reuerence vnto it and as Ezech. 1. it is said of the wheeles that when the liuing creatures went they went and when those stood they stood c. for the spirit of the liuing creatures was in the wheeles so we may say that all the fore-named Courts both greater and smaller were subiect vnto the Kings-bench as it were as receiuing their authority and commission from it and so to be commanded by it and not to exercise any iurisdiction ouer it Baronius in his Annals a booke more painefull than faithfull speaking of the Sanhedrin that great Court holden at Hierusalem saith that it had power not onely to determine spirituall matters but also to question and conuent euen Kings he instanceth it Horum namque iudicio Herodes Rex postulatus est and for this and Herods cruelty especially he citeth Iosephus in the Margin I cannot say of this allegation as Saint Paul saith of Epimenides his testimony This Testimony is true for indeed his allegation is not true Herod was no King then when he was conuented nor sonne of a King but subiect to King Hyrcanuâ— who caused him to be sent for vpon complaint and was content that he should make an escape because a kinsman of Caesars had written for him but that Herod was King when he was conuented or that that Court had power ouer Kings to conuent them this we finde in Baronius onely but it is not to be found in Iosephus The truth is Qui Rex est Regem Maxime non habeat that is He that is a King must not haue one aboue him for such a one is a King onely in name but in truth a subiect for vnto Kingly authority or Soueraignety it is essentiall to be supreme and absolute absolute I say from the prescript of all persons but not from the obseruing of his owne Lawes vnto the which he graciously submitteth himselfe For this cause King Salomon erected a Royall Throne as of Iuory and gold to signifie the sincerity of his proceeding and how farre it should be from corruption and with Stayes and Lions to signifie that he would maintaine Iustice euen by force and power if it were impugned So with six steps or greeces and no fewer to shew the eminency of his Court aboue all other whatsoeuer Courts and Consistories and that the statelinesse of the making might procure awe and reuerence to it from all degrees and callings his meaning was not by erecting that Throne to suppresse all other Courts by no meanes for that had beene to pull downe the whole burthen vpon his owne backe which Moses the man of God disclaimed as being too heauy for him but to teach vs that all other Courts were subordinate to it as to the Court of the Lord Paramount 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I meane that all other should receiue orders and iniunctions from it but not presume to giue orders and rules to it So then as wheresoeuer the King maketh his abode there the Court is said to be the Court Royall so wheresoeuer any Court of Iudicature is holden by the Kings authority there the King himselfe may be said to sit interpretatiuè It is not therefore meant in my Text that the Kings personall presence is alwayes necessary for the scattering away of euill but that his authority should be there and that worthy and sufficient men be appointed by him for the mannaging of the affaires of Iustice. Where the King sitteth himselfe if he so please or prouideth that wise and incorrupt Magistrates doe fit there all enormities and abuses are easily chased away and scattered The Kings wrath is as the râ—aring of a Lion The Magistrate vnder him beareth not the sword in vaine What if the wicked be mighty in power in wealth in kindred in friends in alliance yet he thaâ— sitteth vpon the Throne is mightier than they What if they be as thornes that will not be taken vp with the bare hand Yet the Magistrate being fenced with Iron or with the shaft of a Speare 2 Sam. 23. will be too hard for them and they shall be destroyed in the same place It is hard kicking against the pricke saith our Sauiour and it may be well said If a man fall vpon authority it will bruise him but if authority fall vpon a man it will
grind him to powder For this cause we must be subiect not onely for feare but also for conscience sake nor onely to the King as to the chiefe but also to Rulers as to them that be appointed by him for the punishment of those that doe ill and praise of them that doe well His pleasure if it could be knowne should be a kind of law vnto vs his law when it is promulgated should tye vs by a kind of oath of Alleageance Laudo fidem saith Tertullian quae ante credit obsâ—ruandum esse quam didicit I like of such a faith as beleeueth it ought to obserue this or that before it hath learned the euident reason thereof This hath place in some mysteries of Religion and so in some State-matters a kind of simple obedience is many times necessary but Tergiuersation and reasonings and murmurings and contentiousnesse they must be done away with all vnquietnesse What a motiue is this to induce vs to study by all meanes to giue content to our higher Powers for that we may say of them truly which the flattering Oratour said of the Romane Gouernour falsely Act. 24. By their meanes we enioy much peace and many worthy things are done to our Nation by their prouidence and for that we may say with the words of my Text that they sitting on the Throne of Iudgement doe scatter away all euill What doe they doe They scatter away What doe they scatter away Euill all euill It is said of Christ that he hath his Fan in his hand and will thorowly purge his floore c. Math. 3. The like office is here ascribed to a King a good King that he hath his Fan in his hand and before he doe scatter he doth Fan sift winnow trie for that is implyed in the originall word Zarah so then hee doth not scatter away all causes and persons that are brought before him the righteous as well as the vnrighteous like the cruell Tyrant that cryed out A Calvo ad calvum To the pot with them euery mothers sonne and as Benhadad proclaimed Whether they be come out for peace take them aliue or whether they be come out to fight take them yet aliue make bond-men of them all spare none And briefly as Henricus Stephanus writeth of a Iudge that his manner was when an old fellow was brought before him vpon suspition of felony to say Away with him hang him he hath committed many a felony I warrant you if a young fellow were brought Away with him too hang him he will commit many a felony if he be suffered I say good Gouernours doe not goe thus rashly to worke and as it were by whole-sale but they will separate the precious from the vile as the Prophet speaketh and weigh all things in the ballance of Prudence and will order their Iudgement with discretion as Isaak would not blesse his sonne before he had felt him and Salomon full wisely found out the true mother by tendring an offer and Claudius the Emperour almost as wisely found out the true son by making the like offer witnesse Suetonius in Claudio Ch. 15. Thus by searching they found out who hath right on his side who not who deserue punishment who reward then accordingly they proceed to Iudgement and scatter away all euill All Euill If all euill then the euill that is in the Tribe of Leui as well as in other Tribes Here then the Kings Supremacy ouer all persons is proued againe if all euill then the euill of impiety against the first Table as well as of iniquity against the second Table here then the Kings Supremacy in all causes is vouched What if Gallio and Festus in the Acts of the Apostles did put from them or did not care to meddle with Church-matters and matters of faith They were both Pagans and neither of them a member of the Church much lesse head of any Church So what if Constantine the Great tooke so little vpon him in the Councell of Nice albeit that Councell and others were conuocated by his authority and in that Councell he commanded the books of the Old New Testament to be produced forth tryall of controuersies What if Valentinian the second did endure to heare of Ambrose Ad Imperatorem palatia pertinent ad Sacerdotem Ecclesiae that is The Emperour hath to doe in his Palaces but the Bishop or Priest in Churches why Constantine and Valentinian were both Neophytes or young Schollers in the faith and neither of them as yet baptized Should this be a barre either to Theodosius the Great or to Martianus or to Iustinian or to Carolomannus or to his nephew Charles the Great or to the Othoes Fredericks Henries or to the Kings of France England Scotland Denmarke Swedeland or to such Princes and States that haue Iura Regalia that they should not make Lawes for the aduancement of the true faith and Seruice of God for the abolishing of Idolatry for the curbing of superstition for the rooting out of Heresies for the punishing of blasphemous and seditious Heretickes Briefly for the maintenance of the Ministery and for the inioyning of Ministers to their duty and so forth What reason in the world against this or that Princes should looke for a Commission and as it were an Oracle from Rome This for instruction So for Institution or admonition a word or two had need to be spoken for as S. Peter prophesied that in the last times there should come mockers walking after their owne lusts and saying Where is the promise of Christs comming or presence so peraduenture in this prophane age some will demand prophanely Where is the truth of Salomons assertion He saith That a King sitting in the Throne of Iudgement scattereth away all euill Now it is euident that the King sitteth on the Throne of Iudgement by himselfe and others carefully and Iustice was neuer better administred without respect of persons or Country and yet we see not all euils scattered away For when say some was there more impiety iniquity impurity in the world Quando maior avaritiae patuit sinus alea quando hos animos c. that is When was there more couetousnesse more deceiuing and cogging when was there more gluttony and drunkennes chambring and wantonnes strife and enuying neither can they be content to be drunke with wine and strong drinke as in former ages but they must be drunke euery day and almost euery houre of the day with smoake a sinne that our Elders heard not of Neither are they that weare soft clothing in Kings Courts onely as it is said in the Gospell but they iet it not onely in soft clothing but in cloth of gold and of siluer euen in townes and villages and many haue more vpon their backs then they are worth in their coffers Further euery man hunteth his brother as with a net as the Prophet saith Euery one catcheth his fellow seruant by the
Lieutenants Rulers Magistrates men of worth men fearing God and hating couetousnesse as Moses speaketh are necessary euery where where these are sufficient and faithfull there all things are carryed well whether the King be stirring or at his rest but if these any where should either be ignorant and vnsufficient according to the saying of the Prophet Who is blind as my seruant c. or corrupt and vnfaithfull according to the saying of the same Prophet in the same place Seeing many things but thou obseruest them not There the complaint of Dioclesian would soone be taken vp Bonus cautus optimus venditur Imperator that is The good Emperour yea the exceeding good Emperour for all his warinesse is sold by them But as Christ saith in the Gospell Blessed are your eyes for they see c. So we of this Land haue cause to blesse God and thinke our selues most blessed in that God hath giuen vs a King after his owne heart and after our owne heart who doth rule with wisedome and gouerne with Counsell who sitting in the Throne of Iudgement by himselfe and by others doth with the eyes of Maiesty grauity seuerity clemency prudence in himselfe and of circumspection and vigilancy in others his Delegates so scatter away the euill of publike scandall and enormity out of Church and Common-weale what by preuenting them that they grow not vnto a head what by cutting them off when they are growne that there is great hope in the mercies of God in Christ that the euill of publike calamity will be blowne away and scattered from vs long and euen vnto many generations This God the Father grant for Iesus Christs sake to whom with the holy Ghost be honour and glory for euer Amen A SERMON VPON THE THIRTEENTH TO THE ROMANES THE THIRTEENTH SERMON ROMANES 13. verse 3. Rulers are not a terror to good workes but to the euill AS Saint Paul saith of himselfe that he was in a straight betweene two hauing a desire to depart and to be with Christ which was best of all and hauing againe an inclination to abide in the flesh for the good of the Saints So I can say truly that I stucke much and staggered at the first whether it were fit for me to shew my selfe in this place at this time or no. Certainely it were great pitty and argueth but small charity for a man then to deny his voyce vnto the Church when in all likely-hood hee may doe it most good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let two men make a speech tending to one purpose the one of them being young or obscure the other a man of yeeres and of place though their speeches should be neuer so like one to the other yet they will not make the same impression nor worke the like effect Therefore the Learned know that in a City of Greece when a base bad fellow made a good motion which imported greatly the publicke there stept forth a bold plaine man and aduised that a man of credit should take the word out of his mouth and vrge it that so it might find the better acceptance This therefore was a motiue to me one way in respect of my yeeres and place on the other side we haue this treasure in earthen vessels euen the best of vs haue so and as Hierome saith Velimus Nolimus senescimus age stealeth vpon vs and begrayeth our head so the infirmities of age doe likewise attend vs nay accompany vs and grieuously beset vs Hereupon it comes to passe that one complaineth of the want of voyce another of memory another of pregnancy all of vigor and spirits Sic fatus senior telumque imbelle sine ictu Coniicit The old man threw a dart it had beene as good he had throwne a kecke or a straw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your strength is decayed now you are not the same that you were Now in this case were it not better to auoyd blame than to deprecate it as a wise Romane once told one In the primitiue time Prelats were so farre from deprecating or excusing their boldnesse to preach that contrariwise some of them tooke it offensiuely if any offered to preach in their presence But what were their preachings surely rather confessions of their faith to shew that they were Orthodox than laboured disâ—ourses to make demonstration of their learning and eloquence In the later corrupt times vnder Antichrist they took a shorter an easier course when they came to a Cathedrall out of their Diocesse they did not seeke by sermoning or preaching to giue their consent to the doctrine there established but gate leaue to say Masse at the high Altar which cost them but a little paines and which many of their groomes could doe as well as themselues Dixit adhuc aliquid nil sanè quid placet ergo Lana Tarentino violas imitata veneno that is Did he make any speech No What did yee like in him then Hee had a goodly gawdy Robe This was not Honorificare Ministerium but Se which Bernard by all meanes condemneth Well in this distraction and mismaze I thinke the middle-way to be the best way that we neither venter too farre or too oft lest we be taken tardy and lest it should be said of vs as it is in the Gospell This man began to build but could not goe forward nor yet be too long silent lest we should seeme to haue forgotten our first loue as it is in the Reuelation and lest the yonger sort take example nay warrantize from vs to slacke their paines For a man of place if he offend committeth a double offence by fault and default that is one way and the same an hurt to himselfe Againe by the hurt he doth vnto others by his ill president This is enough too much for a Preface For my Text it containeth briefly an answere to a secret obiection that might be made The Apostle had said before euen in the last words that went before my Text that they that resist the power shall receiue vnto themselues damnation Now hereupon some might infer as flesh and blood is apt to wrangle What and must we then vltrò os praebere must we giue our backs to the smiters and our cheeks to the nippers as Esay speaketh must we suffer our selues to be led as an Oxe to the slaughter and as a foole to the stockes as it 〈◊〉 in the Prouerbs Why haue we armes giuen vs if wee may not lift them vp to defend our selues Why eyes and feete but to espy the danger and to auoid it If the case be such betweene the Magistrate and the inferiour it is no matter how soone we be out of the world praestat semel mori quà m semper mori Thus some whom S. Paul thus coldly and mildly answereth in my Text. The matter is not so difficult as you thinke neither the remedy so far off if you would looke about
Athenians for they hauing gotten Pausanias within their danger who had done them many despights yet calling to minde the good seruice he had done against the common enemy at a place called Plataea they let him escape and bid him thanke that place Well-fare also the Spaniards who hauing taken Peter of Nauarre a famous Engineer who had fallen from them to the French and layed him vp in prison in one of the Castels at Naples when they remembred that they had taken the same Castell before by his prowesse they could not finde in their hearts to doe him any violence but suffered him to depart But Saul and his Court are like those Iewes whom Christ reproues Iohn 10. Many good workes haue I shewed you from my Father for which of these doe you stone me As if he should haue said Suppose I had giuen you some probable cause of discontent by a word spoken should that make my good deeds to be forgotten as namely my giuing sight to your blind hearing to your deafe life to your dead c. were this honesty So Abigail suppose thou hadst giuen him some cause of offence as by departing the Courtwithout leaue when thy life was sought for by eating of Shew-bread and taking away a consecrated sword this when thou wast in necessity fleeing to the Land of the enemy when thou couldest not be safe in thine owne Country should this make thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy worthy deeds thy martiall acts offensiue and defensiue to be forgotten and thy selfe to be reputed and condemned for a Traytor This were hard extreme hard Abigail might thinke and we might say and therefore Saul to be condemned of most enuious ingratitude Now if it be such a fault for King Saul to rise vp against Dauid and to persecute him and to seeke his soule who was but his seruant and his subiect what is it then for the subiect to practise against his Soueraigne and to seeke to destroy him This is not so much ingratitude as inhumanity nay impiety For a kinde of piety is due vnto the Prince his person ought to be sacred vnto vs yea his Estate yea his authority yea his honour He is a kind of God vpon earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That which is Soueraigne is thought to be God in some sort Now a King is a liuely Image of God said the Heathen man therefore not onely he that resisteth shall receiue damnation because he resisteth the ordinance of God but also he that offendeth against the Maiesty of a Prince with his tongue he offendeth against the Maiesty of God himselfe for this cause it is said in Exodus Thou shalt not raile vpon the Iudges or Magistrates Elohim neither shalt thou speake ill of the Ruler of thy people that is the King especially And Salomon in the booke of the Preacher Curse not the King no not in thy thought c. for the fowles of the ayre shall carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall vtter the matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is If any man be disposed to fight against God let him dare to fight against my King If any will presume to fight against my King let him presume to fight against God also In which words he seemeth to confound fighting against God and fighting against the King as though they were almost alike hainous Now if euery striuing against the Prince be most vnlawfull and deserueth seuere punishment what is it then to doe some act of hostility against him as for example to blow the Trumpet of sedition as did Sheba to leuy an Army against him as did Absalom to lift vp the hand against him as Achitophel counselled I confesse that there haue beene Princes that haue beene more tender in their eares than in their bodies and whereas they haue pardoned such as had borne armes against them yet they would not pardon such as had beene ouer-lauish of their tongues It is not because a wound that is made with a weapon a plaister may heale but for the gash that is made with the tongue there is no balme in Gilead nothing will cure it so throughly but the scarre will remaine For all that this is but the conceit of some few and more superficiall than solid for words be but wind and neither breake bones nor skinne nor hurt any others but them that are content to be hurt but blowes make a dent that will not so easily be healed vp Therefore the Tenet is that they that doe some acte of hostility be viler Traitors than they that stay themselues at words Now of these kinds of Traitors there haue beene too many found in all ages and Countries and against as worthy Princes as euer raigned Who might compare for policy with Augustus for vertue with Traian yet how many Treasons in their time though in their time Rome was as flourishing as euer it was before or after So to leaue Heathenish times Were not Constantine Theodosius Iustinian Charles Otho so great that they had the name of Great giuen vnto them by common consent as well for their worth as for their power and had not all these their hands full by meanes of seditious practisers As for Lewes surnamed the Pious his portion was by much worse than any of the former for his owne sonnes that came out of his bowels made head and warre against him and tooke him prisoner and kept him in prison certaine yeeres But as 2 Sam. 14. When the woman of Tekoa was demanded by Dauid whether Ioabs hand were not in the businesse that is whether he did not set her on worke confessed and denyed not but said plainely He did So if you will consult impartiall Story it will tell you that either the beginning of that hurly-burly or the progresse had much life from him of Rome who threatned to excommunicate the Prelats that remained faithfull to the Father Now if this were done in a greene tree when the leaues of piety and vertue yet remained I meane before Satan was let loose and men had abandonned themselues vnto all kinds of outrages and villanies what then might be expected in the later decaying ages when Satan had his full swinge what maruell I say if two hundred yeeres after Gregorie the seuenth stirred vp against Henry the fourth Rodolpho a great Prince of Sweden sending him the Imperiall crowne with a verse that euery Scholler hath in his mouth Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodolpho And not content herwith he lastly stirred vp against the said Emperour his owne sonne alluring him with faire promises of this life and of that that is to come to rebell against his father In those dayes was nothing but warres and rumours of warres a Post went to meet a Post and a Messenger a Messenger as the Prophet speaketh and the Powers of heauen and earth seemed to be moued and mens hearts to faile with
is a good entrance to the Omination the later part of my diuision the which I will rather touch than handle the time being so farre spent The soule of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God and the soule of thine enemies shall he sling out as out of the middle of a sling In these words Abigail promiseth or foretelleth wisheth at the least safety and preseruation to Dauids person and estate and describeth the same safety by a Metaphor of safe bindingor safe pursing We know that eares of corne if they lie scattered vpon the ground they may easily be trod out with the foote or licked vp by a beast but if they be bound vp in a bundle and the bundle layd vp in a stacke then they are out of harmes way commonly the originall may signifie a Bundle as in that place of the Canticles that is My Beloued is as a bundle of myrrhe Tseror mor. Again we know that if a piece of money be it of gold or siluer be cast vpon the table or some odde place it may be taken vp by some thiefe or one that is light-fingered but if it be pursed then it is safe The originall may signifie a purse as inthat place of Haggai Chapter 1. He that earneth wages putteth it into a bagge or purse that hath a hole in it In like manner of Phrasing Dauid saith that his teares were put vp in Gods bottle that none of them should be spilt vpon the ground but should be remembred and accounted for And Saint Paul That our life is hid with Christ in God hid that is layed vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in a repository sure and safe And briefely the Prophet Esay phraseth it after the same manner that God had made him a chosen shaft and hid him in his quâ—uer that it should not be broken nor pilfered away by euery one that came in the way Now we vnderstand the meaning of the Phrase but peraduenture for the truth of the matter euery one is not satisfied for some will say How could Abigail speake so confidently that Dauid and consequently such as were faithfull like Dauid should not miscarry since so many worthy seruants of God and his Anointed ones haue dyed a violent death as namely â—osiah to speake of no more before Christs time and after Christs time Gratian and Valentinian Christian and godly Emperours and of late in our fresh memory the two Henries of France that I speake nothing of the Prince of Conde and the Prince of Orange If it be true as it is most true that these had their liues taken away by their enemies then Abigails speech cannot be true in the generall I answere first That Abigail speaketh this as a well-wishing woman but not as a Prophetesse for we doe not read any where that the name of a Prophetesse is giuen vnto her Secondly That prophesies themselues importing a blessing haue either expressed or implyed a condition namely If they will walke in the wayes of the Lord with an vpright heart and with all their heart c. euen as Samuel the Prophet expresseth the happinesse of a King and a State conditionally and not absolutely in those termes If ye will feare the Lord and serue him and heare his voyce both you and your King shall follow the Lord that is you shall prosper in following the Lord a Metonymie of the cause for the effect but if ye doe wickedly ye shall perish both you and your King O that we would consider this we that forget God so oft and so foulely what hurt we doe to our good King not onely our selues by euery worke of impiety and iniquity we doe we strike at his Estate as oft as we strike our brother with the fist of wickednesse we wound our Kings person after a sort as oft as we teare God with our false or vaine oathes we doe what we can to shorten his dayes as oft as we drawe along the cords of vnnecessary contentions of sensuality of drunkennesse of oppression of vncharitablenesse of coozenage of vsury and the like These doe more endanger a Kingdome than either forraine enemies or domestike conspirators For as while we please the Lord he maketh our very enemies to be our friends as it is in the Prouerbs yea the stones of the field to be at peace with vs and the beasts of the field to be at league with vs as it is in Iob. So on the other side if wickednesse be found in vs as Salomon said to Adoniah if an execrable thing be found in the Host as in the dayes of Iosuah then Israel cannot stand before the men of Aye nor Iosuah prosper Then the Lord will raise vp the vildest of the Nations to persecute vs they shall fanne vs and they shall empty vs till we be weeded out of the good Land that God hath giuen vs to possesse It is true the most High it is that translateth Kingdomes taking them from one Nation and giuing them to another as it is in the Prophet Daniel but it is true withall that this is done for the sinnes of the people euen as Salomon expresly setteth it downe Prouerbs 28. For the transgression of a people there be many Princes that is many changes when as on the contrary side when a people doe set their hearts to feare the Lord and to worship him with holy worship when they meddle with the thing that is equall and right and shunne the sinnes of vnfaithfulnesse of Idolatry of presumption of profanenesse and the like then behold he giueth them a good Prince in his mercy and keepeth him vnto them in his fauour preseruing his lying downe and rising vp his going forth and comming home in such sort that the enemy can doe him no violence nor the sonne of wickednesse hurt him Would we then haue our King to flourish and to prosper to liue out of danger and gun-shot Oh then let vs not onely pray for him as Tertullian did for the Emperor that God would giue him Domum tutam exercitus fortes senatum fidelem that is A safe Court valiant Armies and a faithfull Senate but also that he would giue him Populum probum that is A vertuous people a good Commonalty which is a part of Tertullians prayer in the same place and let vs endeauour our selues euery one for his part to make vp this Populum probum that is to be pious and vertuous Let vs haue nothing to doe with the stoole of wickednesse which imagineth mischiefe like a Law let vs haue nothing to doe with the bagge of deceit with false weights false measures since these be an abomination to the Lord as Salomon speaketh and since God is a reuenger of all such things as the Apostle testifieth Finally let vs haue nothing to doe with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reproue