nor friend but his enemie he that hath not contented himselfe with many Lordships and countries he that hath ioyned house to house land to land then a little peece of ground will serue his turne By such reasons doth Salomon proue the miserie of riches and he concludeth that the whole life of the rich man is miserable saying All his dayes he eateth in darkenes with much griefe sorrow anger Finally riches are deceitfull and dangerous they hinder vs from Gods kingdome they drawe our heart to them and make it as a captiue and slaue they ouerloade presse vs with cares they make vs faint-harted and fearefull cowards to endure any thing for the Gospell of Christ they often hinder vs and keepe vs backe froÌ„ wisedomes Schoole and though wee come thither yet they doe choake the seede of the Word in vs. Therefore there is no true Happinesse in them Those bee true Riches which when wee haue them wee cannot loose them Earthly substance compared to Eternall felicity is no helpe but a burden This life compared with Eternall life is rather to be called death then life The sonnes of Adam saith Bernard are a couetous generation What haue you to doe with earthly Riches which are neither true riches nor yet yours Gold and Siluer is red and white Earth which the error of man doth make and account more precious And if they be yours take them with you when you die It is a true saying of these Earthly riches Hic gigâ—untur Hic amittuntur Hic dimiâ—tuntur Heere they are gotten here they are lost and heere they are left Those then which repose Felicitie in Riches haue neither true Wisedome nor true Happinesse nor true Riches They are as much deceiued which put anie happinesse in Earthly pleasures Some of these are Carnall and wicked and haue their beginning from Hell Of this speaketh Salomon when he saith It is a pastime for a Foole to doe wickedly And of this speaketh Esaiah when hee saith The Lorde calleth to weeping and mourning and beholde ioy and gladnes slaying Oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh drinking wine Eating and drinking for tomorrow we shall die Of this speaketh our Sauiour CHRIST when hee saith Woe bee to you that now laugh for you shall waile and weepe In such pleasures the rich man liued in the gospell all his life time vpon earth but after death his soule was tormented in Hell The Apostle saith of the wanton widdowe that shee liuing in pleasure was dead while shee liued and indeed those which were most liuely and lusty in these pleasures are but dead men in grace and goodnes But to let these sinfull pleasures passe wherein yet manie too wholie spend their time and count it their chiefe Felicitie And to come to honest lawfull and ciuill pleasures yet there is no true Felicitie in them Let the best the greatest ioye and delight bee named yet it is but transiorie It is not true and perfect ioy It doth not satisfie and content vs. After wee haue it we loath it It is common both to good euill It doth leade to corruption it doth ofteÌ„times cause grief and sorrow The other pleasures indeed they come from hel and these are but from the earth They are but pettie ioyes bitter sweetings seeming Ioyes earthly and bastardly ioyes in comparison of true and perfect ioy we are not borne to spend our time in mirth ioy but rather to mourne and lament in respect of our sinnes and miseries Blessed are they which mourne saith Christ for they shall be comforted and they that sowe in teares for they shall reape in ioy and there is a godly sorrow that leadeth vs to repentance and so to saluation the true way to godly ioy is to feele godly sorrow Oh that we would remember the greatnes and the multitude of our sinnes the certaintie of death the vncertaintie of the houre of it the account that we are to make in that great day the manifold duties that we owe and are to performe to God to the Church to the common-wealth to our countrie to our families and others and the remembrance of these things no doubt would abate restraine and moderate our lawfull pleasures Let them that reioyce be as though they reioyced not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this world passeth away Loue not this world saith S. Iohn neither the things that are in the worlde If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the Flesh the lust of the Eyes and the Pride of life is not of the Father but is of the worlde and the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer The glorie of this worlde saieth one is deceitfull and is worthily refused It is but like the flower of Grasse and a vapour appearing for a time In what state so euer of this life there is more griefe then pleasure whilest thou doest reuenge defend enuie suspect whilest thou doest alwayes loue that which thou hast not and hauing gotten something thy desire is not diminished What rest is there in thy glorie If there bee anie the ioye passeth away not returning againe and thy griefe remaineth which will neuer leaue thee Oh wicked worlde who doest wont so to blesse thy onely Friendes that thou doest make them the enemies of God There is small ioy to a man when hee seeth his Neighbours house on Fier Hee is vaine which spendeth the dayes of his Repentance in pleasure when he seeth daylie before his eyes both his Friendes and others to die and so seeth that Death is certaine Is hee not vaine then that forgetting the feare of God doeth giue himselfe to vaine delights Parents do more grieue then ioye when they see their Childe borne and die in one day The ioy of this worlde is short It is a foolish thing to delight in our owne Foolishnes It is a vaine thing to fill our hearts with delights which are ended before they beginne It is a vaine ioye of the Byrdes in the middest of Nettes Trappes and Snares set for them And it is a foolish thing in the Fishes to delight in the bayte of the hooke which bringeth present sorrow and death And they are as vaine as those vnreasonable creatures which glorie in the vaine delights of this world Seeing that Death is so neere them The very Heathen haue proued and mocked this follie of men Some saying That we come into the world weeping we goe out of the worlde wailing And yet we liue heere laughing others saying that the desire of pleasures are griefe that the fulnes of pleasure is full of repentings that the end of pleasures is heauy and grieuous that if any may be counted blessed for them then the beasts also may
THE BLESSING OF A GOOD KING Deliuered in Eight Sermons vpon the storie of the Queene of the South her words to Salomon magnifying the gouernment of his familie and kingdome By THOMAS GIBSON Minister Eccles 10. 17. Blessed art thou ô Land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles AT LONDON Printed by Tho Creede for Arthur Iohnson Dwelling at the signe of the white Horse in Pauls Church-yard 1614. TO THE RIGHT HOnourable the Lord Harington Baron of Exton Thomas Gibson wisheth all true happines both in this life and in the life to come MY purpose Right Honourable in the dedication of these sermons was to haue ioyned your Honourable father with that worthy Citie whereof he was a principall member and had speciall command and authoritie which place he much respected and loued and where he was againe much respected and honoured The ioy and ornament of the Citie was his name and countenance the very report and newes of whose decease was the cause of many a watrie eye and of many a heauie heart But their speciall comfort and ioy is that the Lord hath in mercy prouided so gratious an heire so worthy a successor so vertuous a fauourer as of all that are honest religious so most of all such as haue beene the faithfull friends and intire louers of your Honourable father who himselfe was a louer of all learning religion and of all good men a true worshipper of God zealous in the truth a sincere professor friend of the Gospell a fauourer of faithfull Ministers a worthie member both of Church and common-wealth a faithful dutiful seruiceable and rare subiect like Moses in faithfulnes in meekenes and in zeale against Idolatrie like Iob a iust man fearing God and eschewing euill like Nathaniell a true Israelite without guile Finally a man full of grace pietie curtesie humilitie temperance and other both morall and christian vertues I am not able to commend him according to his deserts that requires a larger discourse and it would perhaps proue an increase of sorrow which is rather to be abated then renewed I will therefore bend my selfe to administer comfort for so great a losse a losse so generall to Church and common-wealth Friends and followers Tenants and seruants and for my owne part I cannot but beare a part in sorrow for the losse of so kind a Patron and Benefactor both to me and mine Yet this is the vse of the prayses of the dead not onely for imitation of their vertues but also for the coÌ„fort of friends aliue And is this a small comfort Right Honourable that you had such a father yea a comfort and blessing it is to be of the seed of the righteous It is a further comfort that you enioyed him so long till your selfe came to ripenesse of yeares that he died in a good age full of daies few of his Auncestors liued longer and howsoeuer he left this life in a strange countrey yet no doubt he died in the true faith of Iesus Christ which he sincerely professed all his life and in the honourable and faithfull seruice of his gratious Soueraigne the Lords annointed It is no wonder that old men die rather it is a wonder in these latter daies that any liue so long Moses in his time made account of mans ordinarie age to be threescore yeares and ten Now the world decayes and the daies of our life is shortned We heare daily of the death of Infants children young men yea Princes taken away in the prime and strength of their yeares what maruell then though the ancient â—ie when the apple is ripe it must needs fall when the candle is spent the light must needs goe out This vse we are to make of the death of young or old to remember alwaies our mortall state and the vncertaintie of our life to be alwaies readie and prepared not to regard but contemne the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eie and the pride of life pleasures honours riches and the vanities of this wicked world Many moe comforts we haue against excessiue and immoderate sorrowe for the death of our best and dearest friends as to consider what they leaue a miserable world and whither they goe to the hauen of happinesse The best sort of the Heathen vsed three remedies against such kind of sorrow First to consider that death is common to all and vnauoydable Secondly that it is the end of miserie and hauen of rest Thirdly that it is likely that the soules liue and are blessed We haue the same and more sure comforts We know that our Redeemer liues and that wee shall see him as hee is Wee know not onely the immortality of the soule but the glorious resurrection of the body and that those that dye in the Lord are blessed Nothing comes to passe without Gods pouidence who is wise and mightie We pray that his will may be done both of vs and in vs. It will nothing auaile vs to torment our selues we are borne to dye many thousands are gone before vs and we must follow Pardon my boldnes right Honourable in presuming to put you in minde of these thinges which both by your own priuate reading and publicke heauing of many worthy men you doe already know and vnderstand sufficiently Yet in my loue to your Honour giue me leaue to adde some further instruction It hath alwaies beene the endeuour of Sathan the common aduersarie of mans saluation by all means possible to draw all sorts degrees and ages of men from the true care and studie of religion and vertue to the effecting whereof hee hath from euery estate his pretended colours and faire pleasing shewes of perswasion alluremeÌ„t perswading the elder sort that it is a thing vnseemely vnbefitting their grauitie to become schollers in Christs schoole seeing their heads are filled with other matters namely of the Common-wealth and affaires of this world Hee can tell the middle sort which are in the prime of strength and witte that it is against all equitie and reason that such should bee depriued of the pleasures and delights of the flesh and the world And as for the younger sort hee will easilie make make them beleeue that it is not yet time to serue God that the points of religion are too high for them and able to dull and trouble their tender wits buzzing into their eares that wicked prouerbe A young Saint an olde Diuâ—ll Thus by his will he would haue none religious because he would haue none saued but rather that all should perish and come to vtter ruine and destruction It is a torment and vexation vnto him to see any well disposed in religion but if wee hearken to the counsell of God in his word wee shall soone finde Sathan herein a lyer a murtherer a seducer For the Lord chargeth all sorts and degrees of men to giue themselues and that betimes to religion and vertue commaunding his law to bee read and published to men women and
are preserued and established Therefore Dauid exhorteth his son Salomon To walke in the Waies Statutes and Iudgements of God that so hee might prosper in all things he went about The Lord by Ieremy declaring how happy Iosiah the father had bene and how cursed Iehoiakim the sonne should bee and why the one did speed so well and the other so badly saith Shalt thou raigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not thy father eate and drinke and prosper when hee executed Iudgement and Iustice when hee iudged the cause of the afflicted and the poore hee prospered was not this because hee knew mee saith the Lord but thine eies and thy heart are onely for thy couetousnesse And therefore the Lord threatneth in the next wordes to destroy him This iustice is profitable to the whole Common-wealth both to the good and the bad Therefore the Lord commanding the rebellious sonne to bee put to death So saith hee thou shalt take away the euill from among you that all Israel may heare it and feare Where Iustice is neglected sin raigneth Because sentence against an euill worke saith the Wise-man is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill On the contrary it must follow that where there is true execution of Iustice there the hearts of men are drawne and terrified from euill The blewnesse of the wound serueth to purge the euill and the stripes within the bowels of the belly Againe To the Horse belongeth a whip to the Asse a bridle and arod to a Fooles backe His meaning is that by such sharpe correction foolish men are stayed and kept in order And in another place Smite a scorner and the foolish will beware Meaning that simple and ignorant men will bee warned when they see the wicked punished they will take heed by others mens harmes And the Lord hath ordained iudgements for the scorners and stripes for the backe of fooles To this duty of Iustice the example of God may incite and moue all Christian Magistrates they are in his steed and therefore are to follow his example in punishing offenders Hee is a most iust and seuere Iudge and a very consuming fire against sinne and wickednesse Hee is a God that loueth not wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight hee hateth all them that worke iniquity Againe The Lord will try the righteous but the wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate vpon the wicked hee shall raigne snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this is the portion of their cup. And in another place Surely God will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy pate of him that walketh in his sinnes Most fearefull examples of his iustice and iudgement wee haue vpon the first world vpon Sodom and Gomorrah yea vpon his owne people Israel What kind of offenders wee ought to punish more seuerely wee may haue direction from the Law of God that those whom hee appointed to die should not bee spared for wee must not make our selues more mercifull then God is himselfe wilfull murther is death by the Law of Princes and it is death by the Law of God Yea before the Law written it was said to Noah Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud bee shed for in the Image of God hath hee made him And in the Law Written He that killeth any man hee shall bee put to death And Adultery also is death by the Written Law of God The man that committeth adultery with another mans wife because hee hath committed Adultery with his neighbours wife the Adulterer and the Adulteresse shall die the death Theft was not so seuerely punished but they were to make restitution and restore foure-fold that which they had stolne Theft in our age is more seuerely punished it is certaine that Theft is a grieuous sinne against the Law of God against Equity and Iustice but I see no reason why the Theefe shall dye a shamefull death and the Whore-maister escape with lesser punishment seeing that Salomon compareth the Theefe and the Whore-maister together sheweth in diuers respects that Adultery is a greater and more grieuous sinne then Theft because the Theefe may make restitution and so can neuer the other This is the corruption of Nature that men make more account of money and goods then of religion or honesty and Adulterers being spared and left aliue many questions are raysed and propounded which can hardly bee answered Namely whether the innocent party or nocent party may marry whether they may be reconciled againe or no. Let the Adulterer and Adulteresse according to the Morall Law of God die the death and then these questions will bee idle and superfluous And as Magistrates may punish Murtherers by the same reason they may as well punish Heretickes Idolatours false Prophets for indeed these they murther mens soules they runne a whoring from God and they rob him of his honor We heard partly before that false Prophets and Idolatours were to die the death and wee haue examples of good Kings and Rulers which haue put such to death and if the Magistrate bee the keeper of both the Tables then hee is to punish the transgression of the one as well as the other and if the transgressions of the first Table bee more hainous and grieuous then the transgressions of the second Table there is no reason why they should bee lesse and more slightly punished Moses said to the children of Israel after they had worshipped the golden Calfe Thus saith the Lord God of Israel put euery man his sword to his side go to and fro from gate to gate through the Host and sâ—ay euery man his brother and euery man his companion and euery man his neighbour so the Children of Leuic did as Moses had commanded and there fell of the people the same day about three thousand men For Moses had said consecrate your hands vnto the Lord this day euen euery man vpon his sonne and vpon his brother that there may bee giuen you a blessing this day Iehu slew all the Priests of Baal burnt their Images destroyed the image of Baal and threw downe the house of Baal and made it an house of all filthinesse and vncleanesse Iosiah putteth downe the Idols killeth the Priests the Chemerimes hee burneth the groues brake downe the house of the Sodomites hee defaced the High places hee tooke away them that had familiar Spirits and other abhominations and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord. The like power hath all Christian Kings Princes and Gouernours in their owne Kingdomes and Dominions The Prophet Prophecieth of the latter times saying as from the Lord I will cut off the names of the Idols out of the Land and they shall no more bee remembred And I will
you which will also doe it Brethren pray for vs. Yours alwaies in the Lord Iesus Thomas Gibson THE PRINCIPALL matters handled in euery Sermon The Contents of the first Sermon THe summe of the Bookes of the Kings and Chronicles The exceâ—lencie of the speaker of the parâ—â—e to whom these words are spoken and the excellencie of the matâ—er it selfe Eight marks of good hearers from the example of this Queene Verâ—ue and religion is to be praysed in any Against vaine glorie and hunting after the praise of men Diuers opinions of men touching true happinesse No perfection of happinesse in this life but in another Some description of that happinesse Our chiefe thoughts desires and affections are to be vpon that The Contents of the second Sermon THe diuision and difference of wisedome Salomons chiefe wisedome reuealed in the Prouerbes Ecclesiastes and Canticles True wisedome to be found onely in the Scriptures It consisteth in the knowledge of God and of our selues No perfection of wisedome in this life True wisedome alwaies ioyned with religiâ—n and vertue Three kinds of hearing the word The chiefe felicitie of this life to heare and obey wisedome The necessitie excellencie and profite of diuine â—isedome and of the ministerie of it The vnhappinesse of such as want it or seekâ— to stoppe the course of it or refuse to â—eare it or contâ—mne mockâ— it or profite not by it Causes why men profit not in wisdomes schoole The Contents of the third Sermon THe vanitie of such as repose felicitie in riches pleasures or honours The word of wisedome to bee reuereâ—tly and carefully heard We are to preferre it before all things eagerlie thirsting after it and reioycing in it We are to loue the publike assemblies to be arken to this wisedome read or preached and to despise no meanes of grace Wee are often in secret to conferre and meditate of it and to maintayne the credit of it by godly conuersation Wee are to hate all falshood and follie as enemies to wisedome Wee are to loue wisedome when it is most hated and persecuted in the world A comfort to the true sonnes and daughters of wisedome An application to the Auditors The happinesse of that Citie The necessitie and blessing of often and plâ—sntifull preaching The example of this Queene applyed to the shame of the Iewes and of vs. The Contents of the fourth Sermon THe example of the Niniuites and of diuers others alledged and applyed to the further condemnation of this our age The power of diuine wisedome Signes of true conuersion in this Queene Salomon a figure of Christ but Christ more excellent then Salomon Religion belongeth to all women much more to men and to great persons most of all The Contents of the fift Sermon THe pietie of this Queene in worshiping the true God God to be blessed for all his benefites The loue of thâ—â— Queene not enuying the prosperitie of Salomon but ioying and praysing God for it We are specially to reioyce and prayse God for the Kingdome of Christ God the disposer of Croâ—nes and Kingdomes All things fall in loue to Gods children A testimonie of Gods loue to bee called and fitted to high places Godâ— benefites to Salomon and his great felicitie Salomons great and grieuous fall in his olde dâ—yâ—s Some of the learned doubt of his saluation Arguments to proue his rising and repentance and that he could not finally perish The great danger of prosperitie Great and good Princes subiect to falling Some begin wâ—ll and end ill Instructions for young and old age The haynonsnesse of vncleane lusts and of Idolatrie It is most dangerous to mâ—tch with Idolaters Idolatrie not to bee tollerated for the sauour of any We are not to be offended at the fall of Princes or Preachers Their bad liues scandalous Their callings and doctrines not to be contemned The right vses of the falles of Saints The Contents of the Sixt Sermon A Good King is a rare blessing of God The originall of Kings and of diuers kinds of goâ—ernment The power of a King Miesticall The rushnesse and ficklenesse of people loathing and misliking Gods ordinance Bad Princes are of God in wrath to a people Their sinnes from themselues their callings from God Such Princes not to be resisted Such as are chosen in loue performe their dueties Many glorious titles of Princes in Scripture The like titles giuen to Ministers There is great affinitie agreement betwixt the callings of Magistrates and Ministers Good Rulers are to defend and countenance good Ministers The duetie of Princes and Rulers They must gouerne themselues their families and the people The summe of the seuenth Sermon THe true felicitie of Princes They are chiefely to regard the common good of the people Of lawes of Iudges of execution of lawes All notorious offenders to bee grieuouslie punished Good vses of such punishments Idolaters Heretikes and false Prophets are to dye the death All to bee compelled to the outward seruice of the true God Comforts to Magistrates punishing offenders Great offences not to be remitted Princes 〈◊〉 to be mercifull not cruell They are to comfort countenance the good and by kindnesse to winne the hearts of the people The Contents of the eight Sermon PRinces are to defend their subiects against forrayne enemies and oppressions at home Priuate men are not to reuenge themselues The haynousnesse of oppression Two worthie patternes of Iudgement and Mercie Against oppression by vsurie That the poore are to bee prouided for by the Magistrates Motiues to that duetie Caueats and comforts for the poore The care of religion belongeth to Magistrates Vses of the doctrine of Magistrates Ioy and thanksgiuing for the King We must be willing to learne of any THE FIRST SERMON 1. Kings 10. 8. 9. 8. Happie are thy men happie are these thy servants which stand euer before thee and heare thy wisedome 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee on the throne of Israel because the Lord loued Israel for euer and made thee King to doe equitie and righteousnes THe whole scripture saith the Apostle is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto euery good worke As all and euery scripture serueth for these holie vses so especially these bookes of the historie and Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Ierusalem For here are not onely many examples of vice and vertue but here is described the true knowledge and worship of God the confutation of Idolitrie and false worship the true forme and patterne of all reformation of disorders The dutie and blessing of good Kings the ruine of the wicked the estate of the Church the care and protection of God for it Here we are taught that God is the chiefe Monarch the disposer the chiefe gouernor of kingdomes that the happines of Kings consisteth in maintaining true religion and
owne Macedonians Constantine the great vnhappily ended his empire He pursued the good Bishop Athanasius He brought home the Heritike Arrius and became an Apostata Mauritius of a long time gouerned happily but afterwards he became so cruell so couetous so violent that he was hated of his owne subiects and slaine by Phocas There be many such examples but there is one before our eies the wisest Prince that euer was a long time gouerning religiously and vertuously but in his old daies falling in most grosse and beastly manner Of whom it may be said as it was said of Origen Vbi bene nemo melius vbi male nemo peius where he did well none did better where he did euill none did worse I meane in respect of his vnbrideled and filthy lust seeing therefore that the best and the wisest Princes are subiect to the temptations of Sathan to the allurements of the world flesh and sinne and may decline and fall away from good beginnings and proceedings let all good Christians and good subiects pray hartily and continually to God not onely to make their Princes good but also to hold keepe continue and encrease them in goodnes And seeing that all of vs are subiect to the like temptations let vs all be carefull not onely to begin well but also to holde on and continue to the end remembring that fearefull sentence of God saying If the righteous turne away from his righteousnes and committeth iniquitie and doe according to all the abhominations that the wicked man doth shall hee liue all his righteousnes which hee hath done shall not be mentioned but in his transgression which hee hath committed and in the sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall he die And let vs neuer forget that excellent counsell of Salomons The way of the righteous shineth as the light that shineth more and more vntill the perfect day His meaning is that as the light in the morning when it once appeareth encreaseth more and more till it be perfect day so good men they growe daily in knowledge grace and goodnes Againe he saith age is a crowne of glory if it be found in the way of righteousnes Happie is that young man that hath liued well but more happie is that old man that hat liued well It is not sufficient that we haue bene good except we continue so still the righteous saith Dauid shall flourish like a palme tree and shall growe like a Cedar in Libanon Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth fruit in their age Young men must remember their Creator in their youth the powers of their body and minde is then fittest for the seruice of God They are subiect to death as well as others they must giue their best time and first fruites of their age to God They cannot tell how soone they may die and they must come to iudgement as well as others and the pietie of their young age will be a comfort and a credit to them in their old age and therefore let them be carefull of religion and holy conuersation in their tender yeares and let old men and women take heed of vices and doe nothing that is vnseemely to their age And in very deed the beautie and ornament of the elder sort is the true knowledge of God and heauenly wisedome and an vnblamable life they may set that no age is free from danger If the diuell cannot deceiue vs in our youth he will not leaue vs but will deceiue vs in our age if he can some in this age are guiltie of Salomons sinnes both of vncleannes and Idolatrie Some are ignorant some prophane some vniust some ouercome with lying some with drunkennes and the most in their olde age are subiect to impatience and couetousnes and are vnwilling to die and leaue this sinfull world but let them of all other be examples of wisedome vertue let them flie from the lusts of youth follow after righteousnes faith loue peace with thē that call on the Lord with a pure heart Let the elder men be sober honest discreet sound in the faith in loue and in patience the elder women likewise that they bee of snch behauiour as becommeth holines not false accusers not giuen to much wine but teachers of honest things Oh how pleasant a thing is it when gray-headed men minister iudgement and when the elders can giue good counsell Oh how comely a thing is wisedome to aged men and vnderstanding and prudence to men of honour The crowne of olde men is to haue much experience and the feare of God is their glory They are to giue themselues to continuall prayer and deuotion to reading and hearing of the word to the meditation of the shortnes of their life and of the happinesse and eternity of the life to come Worthy is the example of Barzillai the Giliadite who went to conduct King Dauid ouer Iorden and King Dauid sayd vnto him Come ouer with me and I will feede thee with me in Ierusalem I am this day foure score yeere olde sayth hee and can I discerne betweene good or euill hath thy seruant any taste in that I eate or that I drink can I heare any more the singing voyce of men or women wherefore then should thy seruant be any more a burthen thy seruant will goe a little way ouer with thee I pray thee let thy seruant turne backe againe that I may die in my owne City and bee buried in the graue of my father and of my mother His meaning is that the pleasures of the Courte was not fit for him though he was a man of great account substance yet being old his minde was of death of his graue and buriall Happy is he that hath so liued both in young and olde age that hee can say with good Ambrose seeing his friendes weeping about him at his death I haue not so liued that I am ashamed to liue still amongst you neither am I afrayde to die because we haue a gracious good Lord. Now let young old and all sorts of men and women especially Princes and great persons let all I say take heede of these two vices where with Solomon is touched namely vnbridled lust Idolatrie God is a holy and pure spirit hee hath ordeyned mariage as a bridle and remedie against vnclearle and vnlawfull lust and wee are to liue chastelie in virginitie and single life which is the first degree of chastitie or else to liue in mariage the ordinance of GOD which is the second degree of chastitie But the Deuill he is a foule filthie and vncleane spirit an enemie to mariage to chastitie and honestie and therefore from the beginning hee hath sought to defile and pollute that holy institution of GOD by multitude of wiues by fornication whoredome adulterie and other wandering wanton and vagabonde lustes These are against the law of nature
against the law of God written against ciuill honestie and charitie These destroie and consume the goods the good name the body and soule And as Bertheba sayeth to her sonne Salomon Such vncleanesse is the destruction of Kings so it is the destruction of many others men and women of many great houses townes countries and kingdomes Therefore sayth Iob If my heart haue beene deceiued by a woman or if I haue laide waite at the doore of my neighbour let my wife gâ—inde to another man and let other men bow downe vpon her For this is a wickednes and iniquitie to bee condemned yea this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction whiâ— shall roote out all mine increase And it is most true which the Prophet saith that whoredome and wine take away the heart And indeede such sinfull pleasures they take away witte and vnderstanding grace and religion they take away credit riches and health yea the comfort of soule and body It is a great curse and heauy iudgement of God to be giuen ouer to such vile and filthy lusts And this Salomon confesseth vpon wofull experience saying I haue compassed about both I my heart to know and to enquire to search wisedome and reason and to know the wickednes of folly and the foolishnes of madnesse and I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands hee that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall bee taken by her Behold sayth the Preacher this haued founde seeking one by one to finde the count and yet my soule seeketh but I find it not I haue found one man of a thousand but a woman among them all haue I not found His meaning is not to disgrace good women but that women are easily drawne to wickednes and being wicked they exceed men in wickednes and are of great power to draw allure others to the same And that fewer women are good then men finally he speaketh vpon his owne experience tryall that he for his part amongst so many found none at all good and this is some testimony of his repentance These words being spoken and that booke being written as some thinke as it is probable after his grieuous fall But wee see by that place that it is a token of Gods anger to bee giuen ouer to such vncleannesse and it is a iust iudgement vpon our prophanesse neglect contempt of Gods seruice and therefore the Apostle sayth That because men regarded not to know God hee deliuereth them vp into a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient he gaue them vp to their hearts lusts and to vile affections Because men are carelesse in religion of the true honour of God therefore the Lord giueth them ouer to such filthy and odious sinnes to their vtter dishonour and shame in life and death and after death so that the memoriall of such though they haue beene of neuer so high account in the world is but vile rotten and cursed Therefore let vs hearken to that blessed Exhortation of the Apostle saying Dearely beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstayne from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule And let vs not forget those words of another Apostle Know yee not saith hee that your bodies are the members of Christ shall we then take the members of Christ make them the members of an harlot God forbid Doe yee not know that hee which coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one body for two saith he shal be one flesh but he which is ioyned to the Lord is one spirit Fly fornication euery sin that a man doth is without the bodie but he that coÌ„mitteth fornication sinneth against his owne body Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you whom yee haue of God and ye are not your owne for ye are bought with a price Therfore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods Another sin which we are to auoide and which was Salomons sinne is Idolatry It is saide as we haue heard that he matched with Idolatrous women that for the loue of them he built high places hee wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord continued not to follow the Lord as did Dauid his father that his hart was not perfect with the Lord his God The beginning of his sinne was that hee matched with Idolatrous womeÌ„ contrary to the expresse law of God And therefore it was sin so to match We are to auoide all vnnecessarie society familiarity with the wicked therfore Iehosephet is reproued because he helped the wicked loued them that hated the Lord for he ioyned in the affinitie with Ahab but the wrath of the Lord came vpon him for it Salomon saith The wicked man is an abhomination to the iust he that is vpright in his way is an abhomination to the wicked There can be no sound nor true friendship betwixt those that are diuers contrary in religioÌ„ maners Therfore saith the Apostle be not vnequally yoked with Infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes what coÌ„munion hath light with darknes what concord hath Christ with Belial what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidell and what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols The Lord complained thus of his people saying Iuda hath transgressed abhomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem for Iuda hath defiled the holines of the Lord which he loued hath maried the daughter of a strange god The LORD will cut off the man that doth this both the maister the seruant out of the Tabernacle of Iacob and him that offereth an offering to the Lord of Hoasts Such cursed and crosse matches was the cause that God destroyed the first world with the generall flood And such matches at this day are the causes of prophanenesse Athisme Popery and much wickednesse For what comfort or blessing can they looke for which haue no respect to God in marying But onely regard pleasures and riches The example of Salomon is fearefull that so great wise a man of extraordinary gifts and graces is allured and drawne to Idolatry being ouercome with the loue of heathenish women And yet it may be and it is likely that Salomon himselfe did not worshippe those Idols or thinke them to be gods or that there were any diuine power in them neither did he bring them into the Temple nor commaund any to worship them but this was his fault that hee did not suppresse the worshipping of them but graunted and suffered such Idolatry for the pleasure of his women So that he fell as Adam fell who did eate of the forbidden tree not because that he thought thereby to be like vnto GOD or wiser then hee was made but least he should offend his
wise so that hee preferred the loue and good will of a woman before the word of his God So Aaron knewe well enough that there was no Godhead nor diuine power in the golden Calfe yet fearing least the people should stone him he yeelded to their furie he made an Idoll and promulgated the feast of it In like manner Salomon knowing Idols to be nothing yet being ouercome with the flattring inticements of wicked women he graunted to them diuers kindes of Idolatrie It is dangerous for any Prince to suffer and tollerate any Idolatrous worship for the loue or fauour of any be they neuer so neere or deare vnto them Nay we must all learne generally not to harken to the voyce of our dearest friend though it be our owne lawfull wiues if they goe about to drawe vs to any kind of sinne whatsoeuer This was the cause of Adams fall as we heard euen now This was the cause of that ruine of Ahab and his house because he harkned to the voyce of his wife Iesabell and being perswaded by her most vniustly tooke away Naboths vineyard and also most cruelly tooke his life away from him No naturall affections should cause vs to sinne against God or offend his diuine Maiestie our loue to him should bee greater then to any mortall creature whatsoeuer The Heathen could say Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed maior amica veritas Plato is my friend Socrates my friend but truth is a greater friend So may wee say Our fathers our mothers our brothers and sisters our wiues children are neere and deare friends vnto vs but yet Christ is our greatest and best friend he hath done and can do most for vs And therefore nothing should draw vs from his loue And touching Idolatrie it is most odious and abhominable in the eyes of God It is a spirituall whoring from God A denying and forsaking of his Maiestie it hath beene the ruine of many Nations and Kingdomes And therefore in no case to bee suffered nor tollerated for the loue of any Therefore the Lord saith to his people The grauen Images of their gods yee shall burne with fire and couet not the siluer and gold that is on them nor take it vnto thee least thou be snared therewith For it is an abhomination before the Lord thy God Bring not abhomination into thy house least thou bee accursed like it But vtterly abhorre it and count it most abhominable And in another place we are forbidden to hearken to the Prophet that doth perswade vs to goe after other gods and that such a one being conuicted and condemned by the Iudge is to die the death Nay though it bee our sonne or daughter or wife or brother wee must not consent to him nor pittie him nor shew him mercy but thou shalt kill him sayeth the Lord thy hand shall bee first vpon him to put him to death and then the hands of all the people And this is the direct law of God Hee that offereth to any gods saue the Lord onely shall bee slayne There must bee then no sufferance at all of any kinde of Idolatrie This was Salomons sinne and therefore it is sayde that his heart was not perfect with God as the heart of his father Dauid was For howsoeuer hee sinned in adulterie and murther and in numbering the people yet he repented presently and neuer did the like againe and he had alwaies this sinceritie and perfection of heart that he neuer defiled himselfe with Idolatrie neither did hee suffer the true worshippe of GOD to bee corrupted in his Kingdome but kept it sincere pure and sound Hee alwayes hated and detested all false worshippe his soule hated Idols as lame and blind guides therefore hee taketh them away at the beginning of his raigne And hee caused the gods of the Philistims to bee burnt with fire The sorrowes saith he of them that offer to another god shall be multiplied their offerings of blood will I not offer neither make mention of their names with my lips It hath beene a blot and blemish vpon many good Kings because they suffered the high places to remayne and it is the chiefe commendation of good Iosiah that he tooke away all the abhominations out of all the countries that perteyned to the children of Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God This blessed King a worthie president of full and perfect reformation he tooke away not onely grosse Idolatrie but all Reliques and remnants all occasions prouocations appearances shewes of Idolatrie One thing more very necessarie and pertinent wee are to learne by Salomons fall namely Not to be offended though we doe see Christian Princes learned Preachers and great professors men of gifts aboue others to be seduced and drawne into great and grosse sinnes wee are indeede to be grieued and much to lament when wee see or heare such things but yet wee must not bee discouraged in our profession and in the trueth of religion Men of greatest gifts haue beene subiect to great sinnes As Adam Noah Lot Abraham Moses Aaron Dauid Sampson and Salomon Sathan doth most enuie such hee standeth at the right hand of Iehosua Hee will winnow and sifte to the very branne the Apostles of CHRIST as hee himselfe warneth them Indeede the bad liues of Preachers and professors are scandalous and offensiue and hinder many in the way of saluation and maketh the worde and profession ill spoken of by many yea loathed and reiected as the sonnes of Elie by their wickednesse made the offering of the Lord to be abhorred In seeking and receiuing counsell saith one the honestie of life and the prerogatiue of vertue doth much preuaile Who will seeke for a fountaine in a dunghill who will drinke of filthie water for where there is luxurie intemperance and other vices whoe will thinke any good to bee drawne from thence how can I take him to bee my superior in counsell whom I see inferior in manners And can I thinke him fitte to giue mee counsell that cannot giue it to himselfe he that giueth counsell to others he must shew himselfe an example of good workes in integritie and grauitie that his speech bee sound and vnrebukeable his counsell profitable and his life honest He that liueth wickedly in the sight of the people as much as in him lyeth he killeth him that looketh vpon him hee that followeth him perhaps dyeth he that followeth him not liueth but as much as in him lyeth he killeth both Examples are stronger then words and it is a more full teaching by workes then by word The house and conuersation of a Preacher is set on a hill all see it and looke vpon it it is as it were a guide and teacher to others whatsoeuer hee doth others thinke that they may doe the like that word is willingly receiued of the hearer which is vttered from the
they had him they would not receiue him but many of them despised him And thus they dealt with the Lord many times before and after this They desire deliuerance out of Egypt and when they are deliuered they desire to returne thither againe They desire Manna from heauen when they were in the wildernesse when they had it being sweete and heauenly food they loathed it and made light account of it They desire to turne out of Babilon into their owne countrey when their returne is graunted a great part of them refuse to returne So in this place how importunate and eager are they with the Lord to haue a King but when hee was annoynted and chosen King some wicked men said How shall he saue vs so they despised him and brought him no presents How can such people be pleased being fickle wauering and changeable misliking the best gouernment that is yea such as the Lord himselfe alloweth and appointeth and such as they themselues sometimes haue liked and desired But yet it is sayd that many of those people shouted sayd God saue the King And when Saul went home to Gibiah there followed him a band of men whose heart God had touched Againe it may be obiected how is God the Author of the calling and authority of Kings how doe they sit in his throne When many of them are most wicked in life and vniust and corrupt in gouerning when all things are full of confusion and disorder but we are to looke to the good wee haue of gouernment And wee are to know that both bad Gouernours and corruptions in gouernement the sinnes are not of God but from themselues God doth neyther allow nor commaund them but forbid and detest them And yet there is some profit in bad Magistrates Many good lawes and some forme of iustice amongst them Wicked Gouernours are as plagues punishments for the sinnes of the people Because when they are good we receiue not that goodnesse at the hand of God thankefully submitting our selues to his lawes and ordinances but abuse the goodnesse of God to our sinfull and beastly lusts Therefore doeth God make a scourge of them and turne them to wilde beasts contrary to the nature of their names euen to Lions Beares Foxes and vncleane Swine to auenge himselfe of our vnnaturall blinde vnkindnesse and of our rebellious disobedience So he turneth the fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednes of them that dwell therein Let vs not take the staffe by the end to seeke to auenge our selues of his rod which is the euill rulers The childe as long as he seeketh to auenge himselfe of the rod hath an euill heart for he thinketh not that the correction is right or that hee hath deserued it neither repenteth but reioyceth in his wickednes and so long shall hee neuer bee without a rod yea so long shall the rod bee made sharper and sharper If he acknowledge his faulte and take the correction meekely and kisse the rod and amend with the learning and nurture of his father and mother then the rod is taken away So if we resist euill Rulers seeking to set our selues at libertie we shall no doubt bring our selues into more cruell bondage and wrappe our selues into much more miserie wretchednes For if the heads is ouercome they will make their yoakes sorer If the people ouercome the Rulers then make they away for a more cruell nation which hath no right to the Crowne If wee submit our selues to the chastening of God and meekely acknowledge our sins for the which we are scourged and kisse the rod amend our liues Then God will take the rod away that is he will giue the Rulers a better heart or if they continue their malice and persecute thee for well doing hee will deliuer thee out of their tyrannie When Israel sinned against GOD hee gaue them vp to one Tyrant or other when they repented hee sent them deliuerance A Christian man in respect of God is but a passiue thing a thing that suffereth onely and doeth nought as the sicke in respect of the Chirurgion or Phisition doth suffer onely The Chirurgion slancheth cutteth out the dead flesh searcheth the wounds thrusteth in tents burneth seweth stitcheth and putteth corasiues to draw out the corruption and last of all layeth too healing playsters and maketh whole The Phisition giueth purgations and drinks to driue out the disease and then with restoratiues bringeth health Now if the sicke resist the razor or searching yron doth he not resiste his owne health and is the cause of his owne death So likewise is it of vs if we resist euill rulers which are the rods and scourges wherewith God chastiseth vs the instruments wherewith God doth search our wounds and bitter drinkes to driue out sinne and corasiues to draw out by the roote the coare of the poxe of the soule that fretteth inward Thus a Christian receiueth all things at the hands of God both good and bad both sweete and sower both wealth and woe and he doth take good Princes as a speciall belssing and bad Princes as a iust iudgement sent for sinne But it will bee obiected That the Lord sayth of some Rulers that they raigned not by him They haue set vp a King saith hee but not by me they haue made Princes and I knew it not The meaning is that the people of Israel had set vp Ieroboam by whom they sought their owne liberty as many Tyrants do not respect Gods worde or will but their owne lusts and affections But wee must distinguish the office from the person and wee must know that men do abuse good things through their owne corruption And therfore whatsoeuer is good in gouernment is from God and hee doth vse the Diuell as plagues and punishments for the sinnes of the people It is sayd by Daniel that God changeth the times and seasons He taketh away Kings and setteth vp Kings And Daniel saith thus to the proud King Nebucadnezer O King thou art a King of Kings and the God of heauen hath giuen thee a Kingdome power strength and glorie And when Pilate sayde to Christ Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee haue power to loose thee Iesus answered Thou couldest not haue power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue But it may bee yet obiected That the authoritie and office of Kings is not of diuine institution Seeing Saint Peter calleth it an ordinance of man and that place is abused by the Pope to the disgracing of Christian Princes The meaning is not that the power of Princes and Magistrates is onely a deuise of man and onely from man But as one saith Est ordinatio diuina secundum substantium ordinatio humana secundum modum ac finum It is a diuine ordinance in respect of the substance and it is humane in respect of the manner and end The office and power of the King is from God The
cause the Prophets and vncleane Spirits to depart out of the Land when any shal yet Prophesie his father and his mother that begat him shall say vnto him Thou shalt not liue for thou speakest lyes in the name of the Lord. And his father and mother that begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth He speaketh of the time of the Gospell wherein people shall haue such zeale that they cannot abide nor endure a false Prophet Christian Gouernours haue power from God to compell and drawe men to the outward worship and seruice of God Therefore saith Augustine when men are mad they mislike force and chasticement but when they come to their right minde they are glad that they are corrected for their good recouery Not euery one that spareth is a friend nor euery one that smiteth an enemy Better are the wounds of a friend then the kisses of an enemy It is better to loue with seuerity then to deceiue with too much lenity He that bindeth a mad man and hee that raiseth him vp that is in a deadly sleepe he is troublesome to both but he loueth both God doth not onely teach but punish Let heretickes first bee ouer-throwne and confuted if that will not serue vse religious seuerity The same Father saith first I was of this mind that none were to be compelled to the vnity of Christ that men were to be dealt withall by the word by disputation by reason least those which we knew to bee open Heretickes should become feigned Catholickes but this my opinion was ouercome by examples before mine eyes for this my Citty Hippo being altogether of Donatus side was conuerted to the Catholicke vnity by the feare of Emperiall Lawes Princes and Gouernours are in no case to suffer any hereticall or false worship in their kingdomes And therefore let them hearken to this counsell giuen them by a learned man Let Princes saith he take heed how they suffer any wicked rites and ceremonies to Infidels within their Dominions Salomon was guilty of this fault not that he compelled any of his subiects to worship Idols but that he granted to his Wiues and Concubines being out-landish women places and altars wherein they might worship strange Gods But God was angry with him and requited him according to his fall for as he diuided Gods worship so God diuides his kingdome giuing part of it to his sonne and part of it to Ieroboam This fault of his did spread it selfe to the posterity for Achas Manasses and diuers other wicked Kings had diuers wicked and detestable worships at Ierusalem and were sharply reproued of the Prophets for them And surely the Magistrate cannot be but reproued and condemned when he suffereth Idolatry seeing he hath the sword for the punishment of wickednesse therefore it must be granted that either Idolatry is no sinne or else the Magistrate is to punish it as well as other sinnes The Magistrate must bee carefull to defend the Common-wealth and to prouide as much as may be that no danger nor hurt come vnto it But Idolatry is the cause of famine pestilence warres and other most grieuous iudgements and therefore in no case to be suffered or tollerated in a Christian kingdome and all such transgressors of the first and second Commandement and of the rest of the Commandements of the first table are to bee punished as well as the transgressors of the Commandements of the second Table and indeed false Prophets heretickes Idolaters Papists Iesuites Seminarie Prists do more hurt to a kingdome then murtherers adulterers or theeues seducing killing poysoning the soules of many thousands neither is it to bee counted cruelty to cut off these and such like offendors seeing it is warranted by the authority and commandement of God himselfe It is not cruelty to cut off the cruell though they account it so but hee that smiteth and taketh away the euill in that they are euill is the Minister of God and of the Law therefore the Magistrates doe not defile themselues with bloud in punishing and executing wicked persons for they haue a warrant from the Lord so to do the Lord is with them and doth assist them and such executions of notorious persons by the hand of the Magistrate is as a sacrifice pleasing to God And least it should be a trouble to the Magistrates minde or a corsie to his conscience or any impairing to his credit to deale so seuerely as may be thought with such offendors the Lord himselfe doth comfort and encourage the Magistrate for whereas he commandeth that wicked children cursing their parents shall dye the death and likewise adulterers and other offendors he addeth and repeateth it often to the comfort of the Magistrate His bloud be vpon him as if he should say let not Iudges and Magistrates trouble themselues at the death of such offendors as though they were guilty of their bloud nay their bloud is vpon themselues they are guilty of their owne bloud they haue deserued death and are worthy of it they haue cast away themselues and haue iustly drawne vpon themselues such grieuous punishments by their owne wickednesse and iust deserts It is my commandement and will that such shall dye and therefore I cleare you as innocent and guiltlesse you are in my place you are my seruants and ministers and in this work of iustice you haue done me faithfull seruice But here may be a question propounded whether Princes and Rulers may not remit and pardon the faults of great offendors To remit iust punishments is against the direct law of God and procureth and draweth the wrath of God vpon the Magistrate Cursed be he that hindereth the right of the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow and all the people shall say So be it Againe You shal not doe vniustly in iudgement but thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly The Prophet saith O house of Dauid execute iudgement in the morning and deliuer the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressour least my wrath goe out like fire and burne that none can quench it because of the wickednesse of your workes The Magistrate is the keeper of Iustice he is to do right to euery one and therefore hee may not realease whom hee list To execute iudgement is a good worke it is profitable to the Common-wealth it decaieth and taketh away sin and therefore not to be hindered or stopt of any It is a speciall part of the office of a Magistrate to punish the offendors and therefore he is iustly without partiality to performe it Iust iudgement is the Lords not his and therefore not in his power to remit it he is the Minister of the lawes therefore to do nothing contrary to law When Themistocles was requested of Simonides the Poet to pronounce a certaine vniust sentence in his fauour he answered vertuously As making verses contrary to the Rules of poetry thou canst bee no good Poet so can I bee no good Prince
if I giue sentence contrary to law Solon said that the safety of the Common-wealth consisteth in these two points that rewards be distributed after the desert of vertue and punishments after the quality of the offence Iustice saith one knoweth not father knoweth not mother but knoweth the truth accepteth no person but followeth God God is a iust Iudge against wicked persons and if any do stay Iustice and Iudgement through bribes or rewards their sinne and corruption is the greater and a Iudge may be ashamed to say to any offender What wilt thou giue me to shew thee fauour or doe thee Iustice Is not this as if it should bee said What wilt thou giue me to deny my selfe to loose my Office and to sell God himselfe There bee three things saith one which hinder Iustice the fauour of friends flattering praise and receiuing of rewards But this latter is of greater force then the two other There may be causes why punishments may be delayed or lessened some offenders are greater then others and are ring-leaders to wickednesse these deserue more sharpe punishment Others are seduced and fall by occasion these are more mildly to be dealt withall But the inferiour Magistrates can do nothing in such cases without the direction and counsell of the superiour As there be differences of offenders and offences so there be differences of lawes against the which they doe offend Some lawes haue their ground warrant from the law of God and Nature to the transgressers of these there should bee granted no fauour or remission There be other positiue written lawes of the countrey concerning lesser and smaller matters in these the Magistrates haue power sometimes vpon good occasion to remit and pardon so that it be not against the glory of God To this agreeth the words of his Maiesty to his gracious sonne There be some horrible crimes saith he not to be pardoned as Witch-craft wilfull murther incest poyfoning false coine and so hee concludeth that fauour is to be shewed in lesser matters and specially in such as concerne our owne priuate causes But see here the corruption of our nature we are more seuere in our owne causes then in Gods cause wee striue and contend and make a stirre for our riches possessions glory and credite if any goe about to diminish and impaire them how violent cruell and implacable are we But if it be the cause of God how modest how gentle and milde are we Is not this to preferre our selues before God The children of Israel contrary to Gods commandement suffer the Cananites and the Moabitish women to liue Saul spareth Agag and the remnant of Amalecke And another King of Israel spareth Benhadad contrary to Gods commandement And thus men are willing to spare where God would not haue spared and where they should bee most patient and kinde there they are cruell Whereas in our own causes we ought to be patient and mercifull but as for the cause and glory of God we are to be in it most zealous and seuere And there bee some offenders whom the Lord will haue cut off in all seuerity without any fauour pitty or compassion He saith of Amalecke I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalecke from vnder heauen Yea the Lord sware that he would haue a warre with Amalecke from generation to generation And he chargeth his people Israel that when they had rest from their enemies and possessed the good Land hee had promised them that then they should not forget to execute these his iudgements on those people and roote them quite out The reason why God did so hate and pursue this people was their hard and cruell dealing against the children of Israel and therefore long after when Saul was King hee giueth him this charge saying Goe and smite Amalecke and destroy all that pertaines vnto them and haue no compassion on them but slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxen and sheepe both Cammell and Asse But Saul vpon a foolish pitty spared Agag the King and some of the fattest beasts but the Lord did not spare him but thrust him out of his kingdome for his disobedience And Samuel said to Agag As thy sword hath made women childlâ—sse so shal thy mother be childlesse amoÌ„g other women And Samuel being a Iudge hewed Agag in peeces before the Lord in Gilgall Ahab a King spared another King whom God would not haue spared but the Lord said to him Because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I appointed to dye thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people These be fearefull examples for Kings and Princes that they take warning by them how they spare any vpoÌ„ any sinister respect whom God in his iust iudgement would haue smitten with the stroke of death and this is no cruelty to follow the example and commandement of God himselfe Hee saith to a wicked and rebellious people If I whet my glistering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will reward them that hate mee I will make mine arrowes drunke with bloud and my sword shall eate flesh for the bloud of the slaine and the captiues when I begin to take vengeance of the enemy And the people pray thus to God against the seede of Esau because they conspired with the Babylonians Remember say they the children of Edom ô Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said Raze it to the foundation thereof O daughter of Babel worthy to bee destroyed blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs. Blessed shall he bee that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones No pitty nor mercy is to bee shewed to such as bee sworne enemies to the Church and their owne Countrey to bloudy Babylonians grosse Idolaters And yet as there must bee vpright iustice in all good Magistrates so to this also there must bee ioyned clemency and mercy there is vse and place of both and Iustice and Mercy both of them may bee abused but true Mercy and Clemency is an excellent vertue to all Christian Princes and Gouernours They are in the place of God who is full and rich in mercy and compassion and whose mercie is ouer all his workes they are to follow the example and nature of God whose Image they represent and carry they gouerne and rule not beasts but men and therefore all humanity is to bee vsed towards them they are to punish with griefe and compassion A Physition giueth to a patient his friend some bitter potion which hee could bee content in loue to cast away but onely that hee knoweth that it will bee for the good and health of his friend And thus Magistrates are to thinke of punishments as of medicines whereby the guilty may be amended and others by their examples terrified When the guilty is to be condemned the Magistrate is to thinke
in this distresse Both these examples of Iob and Nehemiah are as looking-glasses and mirrours for Magistrates to looke into wherein they may see what care and counsell what pitty and compassion they are to haue to ease and releiue the oppressions of their people And this will be greatly to their comfort credite and honour And indeed it may be a great discomfort and discredite to Princes to suffer their people to bee abused by oppressours and tyrants especially when it lyeth in their power to helpe and relieue them A reuerend Father and blessed Martyr in a certaine Sermon before a King of worthy memory sheweth wherin the honour of a King consisteth It is saith hee the Kings honour that his Subiects be led in true Religion that his Prelates and Cleargy bee set about their worke in Preaching and Studying and not to be interrupted from their charge Also it is the Kings honor that the Common-wealth bee aduanced and that the dearth of things bee prouided for and the commodities of the Realme bee so employed as it may bee to the setting of his Subiects on worke and keeping them from Idlenesse and herein consisteth the Kings honour and Office Furthermore if the Kings honour as some men say standeth in great multitude of people then these Grasiers Enclosers and rent-raisers are hinderers of the Kings honour For where there hath beene a great many of Housholders and Inhabitants there is now but the Shepeheard and his do so they hinder the Kings honour most of all And indded these bee the words of Salomon In the multitude of the people is the honour of a King and for want of the people commeth the destruction of a Prince Increase and aboundance of people is a great blessing of God and a credite and strength to the Prince They are not Oxen or Sheepe but men that must fight for Prince and Country if the enemies arise and assault the Land And there be many oppressions amongst vs besides these Oppressours in the Church and in the Common-wealth oppressions in euery Court in buying and selling and in other dealings amongst men to the hinderance and vndoing of many poore people But to let passe the many kinds of oppressions which the true Magistrate is to looke into and so farre as hee can to redresse and remoue I speake onely of that one kind of oppression that is biting and cruell vsury which Nehemiah reformed among his people I will speake of this because it is most common and generall yet most pernicious detestable though many do count it no sin at all Vsury had wont to be called the woe and sin of Citties and it seemeth that as pride and other sinnes had their beginnings in great Citties so had vsury but it hath passed from Citties to the Country to Townes and Villages Euery place all sorts of persons in the Land are infected with this pestilence leprosy high low rich and poore men women and children fathers mothers Maisters and Dames sons daughters men-seruants and maide-seruants husband-men trades-men and Labourers yea some that go from dore to dore to beg and craue of others haue learned this trade of vsury Free lending is hardly to be found charity is waxen cold this iniquity hath gotten the vpper hand so that this sinne is not onely now a woe to Citties but a woe to Townes to Villages and to priuate houses It is the ruine and decay of many poore people in most places of the Land nay it is the decay ouerthrow of many worthy and great houses and families in the Land It hath bitten them it hath eaten them it hath deuoured consumed them to nothing It is pittifull and lamentable that such a destroying and murdering sin should bee suffered or tollerated in a Christian Land Those that be true Christians indeed are to abstaine from all appearance of euill How much more from so grosse and apparant euill directly and expresly against the Law of God If thou lend money to my people saith God that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not bee as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with Vsury Againe If thy brother bee impouerished and fallen into decay with thee thou shalt releiue him thou shalt take no vsury of him nor aduantage but thou shalt feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thee thou shalt not giue him thy money to vsury nor lend him victuals for increase Dauid shutteth out the vsurer out of Gods Kingdome as well as the slanderer and him that taketh reward against the innocent Another Prophet putteth Vsury amongst Idols Adultery and other filthy sinnes and threatneth the same punishment to one as to the other Christ saith Whatsoeuer you would men should do to you euen so doe yee to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Againe Giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrow of thee turne not away A Heathen man being asked what Vsury was hee answered what is it to kill a man Another saith that it is robbery Another that it is the death of life The ancient learned fathers do vtterly condemne it One saith that Vsury swalloweth vp mens goods and Lands large Patrimony as it were a Sea yet the Sea is neuer filled The Seas for the most part are for profite and gaine but the Vsurer can no man vse but to his owne hinderance In the Sea there is profite of many things but with the Vsurer shipwracke of all things Againe hee that taketh vsury committeth extortion rauen and pillage If hee will say I haue nothing else to liue by so may the Theefe say the Bawde the Witch the Sorcerer Some compare the loane of mony vpon vse to the poyson of Aspes Whosoeuer is strucken and stung of the Aspe he falleth into a sweet pleasant sleep and so by sweetnesse of that sleepe dyeth for then the venemous poyson disperseth into euery member So he that beginneth with vsury thinketh for a time that hee hath a great benefite but vsury runneth through all his riches and conuerteth all he hath to debt Another father being asked what vsury is saith It is a poyson of patrimony And being asked what is vsury permitted by Law hee saith that it is a Theefe that before hand giueth warning what he mindeth to do Some say that a Vsurer is worse then all sinners hee is worse then a theefe for he robbeth in the night but the Vsurer robbeth day and night He is worse then hel for in hel onely the wicked shall bee punished but the Vsurer spoyleth and punisheth both the good and bad spareth neither holy nor vnholy He is worse then a Iew for one Iew will not take vsury of another but the Vsurer will take vsury of his Christian brother Hee is worse then death for death killeth but the body the Vsurer killeth bodies and soules He is worse then Iudas for he sold Christ