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
we shall not be vtterly ashamed So much of the notes that arise hereby that a King is called a Shep-heard The other title that I promised to gather matter of duty from is the title of Father A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his Lord saith the Prophet Malachi and besides it is not scripta but nata Lex If then the King be a Father where is his honour if Lord where is his feare this may be demanded and challenged by him and for him Now by honour I vnderstand not so much that which is outward in words and in gesture words full of all reuerence gesture full of all submissiuenesse bowing of the knee bending of the body c. Albeit a man cannot stoope too low to Maiesty for in whom all authority is founded as it were originally and to whom it is reduced reciprocally to him no honour ciuill honour may seeme to be giuen superfluously But that honour specially which Saint Paul vnderstandeth when he saith Honour Widdowes that is doe for them and which is to be vnderstood of the commandement Honour thy Father and thy Mother that is to say doe for them by the interpretation of Christ himselfe Marke 7. I grant it is said 2 Cor. 12. Children ought not to lay vp for the parents but parents for the children But I answere that there the Apostle doth argue Ex abundanti and rather sheweth what affectionate parents doe binde themselues vnto voluntarily making their affection a Law to themselues than what may be required of them of duty if they will stand vpon their right The truth is that as no naturall father will suffer his child to want if he haue to giue him so euery naturall child will Fraudare genium pinch his owne belly yea and the bellies of his children too rather than he will not yeeld supply vnto his father Was not the fact of a young woman in Rome who beguiled her child sucking on her brests day after day for many dayes together that she might bring her brests full of milke to her father to suckle him which otherwise should haue beene starued to death was not that fact of hers I say honoured and rewarded by them that knew not God and thereupon a Temple erected to Pitie and this was done to an ordinary father to a priuate father What then is to be done to the Father of the Country to such a Father that a man may say of him in some respect as Tertullian doth of the Father of Fathers Tampater nemo tam pius nemo Not such a Father againe to be found none so pitifull We read of one that was called Pater Patriae an hundred were so called in processe of time but he that was first honoured with that title he was truely honourable of another that was called Pater pauperum of another that was called Pater Reipublicae of another that was called Pater literarum that is a Father of learning Francis the first of France was so called Thus these Princes were dignified with seuerall titles for their seuerall vertues what then is due vnto him in whom all these vertues doe shine and in a good measure due I say for honour for supply for support I speake this to doe mine owne duty not to insimulate any no norvpon any weake conceit as though my poore speech might be holden any way necessary O no his Maiesties owne worth is an hundred times a greater motiue than any words that can proceed from a farre more sufficient man than I am His Maiesty is interessed and rooted as is fit in the hearts of his louing subiects no lesse than Dauid was in the hearts of his when the holy Ghost said of him and them as it is in the 2 Sam. 3. All the people knew it and it pleased them as whatsoeuer the King did pleased all the people Before I end this passage I thinke it not vnfit as a stander-by to helpe to remoue three or foure stumbling-blocks and I hope it will not be imputed to me The speech of a great Prince of old time euen of Traian is well knowne Fisâ—us said he that is the Exchequer or common Treasury is like the spleene of a man for as when the spleene waxeth bigge and swelleth the other parts doe payre and fall away so if the Exchequer doe stroute and be stuft with siluer and gold all parts of the Realme besides will be impouerished and as it were hunger-starued Thus Traian Now say I Howsoeuer this comparison hath beene applauded vnto neither doe I thinke it simply to be condemned specially for some States and some commings-in yet I doe not thinke it to be so fit generally In my iudgement the Exchequer or such a place may fitly be compared to the ventricle to that which we call the stomacke for as if the ventricle be not plyed with necessary meates and drinkes the Messaraike veines sucking continually from it and from the bowels and the Liuer continually sucking from the Messaraikes and the Capillar or small veines dispersed ouer the body sucking from the Liuer there must needes ensue first a hungrynesse secondly a faintnesse thirdly in time a waste and lastly an vntimely death so if the Treasury should not haue as great commings-in and supplyes as it hath so kings and euacuations if it should not haue as well Oesophagum to bring in as Pylorum to send forth and venam portam as well as ve nam cauam it cannot be but the whole Estate will be greatly enfeebled that I doe not say indangered Philopemen was a great Souldier Schollers know out of Liuie and Plutarke yet because he was bare for money he was gibed at by his Aemulus that he wanted a belly he had a head and legges and armes but his belly was pulled-in Maximilian the first was an extraordinary worthy Prince as all confesse that write of him at the least whom I haue read yet because the Empire did not supply him with treasure and besides himselfe was not the best husband but very profuse if Guicciardines taxation be iust hee vndertooke many things and brought little to effect whereby he greatly eclipsed his glory The Hebrewes haue a Prouerb Hacceseph iagnanch â—th haccol that is Siluer answereth all things yea and maketh all things to hold correspondency with it And the wise Grecian said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Money money that is a man without it a body is no body This made Aurelian the Emperour his Councell to tell him that if he would beare himselfe worthily and according to his estate he must be furnished with two things with gold and with iron with gold to reward his faithfull-ones and neere-ones and with iron to beate downe his owne and his Countries enemies Both those are necessary very necessary and it is hard to say whether more It is certaine that many States haue recouered that by gold which they lost by the sword
face And what Queene more renowned in the Booke of God then shee Therefore that which I haue done I might doe and others may doe much more abundantly all the while we doe not stretch our selues aboue the line nor speake any thing but the truth as the Apostle speaketh I insist no longer vpon this poynt touching godly wisedome I proceed now to the other touching Prudence and I will but touch it For who am I that I should take vpon me to informe so high and so incomparable-wise a Presence vt si caecus monstret iter as the Poet saith and as if a man should light a candle in the Sunne as said the Oratour Yet as Augustine some-where hath Meum dicere sit verba doctoris exponere Let me be allowed to speake my speech shall be but the expounding of the words of the true Teacher And as Hierome to Demetrius Pugilum fortitudo clamoribus incitatur that is Though Champions fight neuer so stoutly yet their courage is much inflamed by the showtings acclamations of the standers by So if I taking the view practice of the present estate for the Idaea and patterne of mine aduice doe pray and exhort and beseech and with all humility that that which is done may be continually done and sincerely and zealously I shall doe but that which standeth with duty and good fashion Vela damus quamuis remige nauis eat Bargemen vse many times to hoise vp the sayles though the Boate goe fast enough otherwise Prudence if I haue obserued ought hath three speciall parts or properties that is A good insight in matters Secondly A good fore-sight of dangers to preuent or diuert them Thirdly A good ouersight I meane it ouerseeth and ouerlooketh them that are trusted Dauid had a good insight into matters he was as an Angell of God seeing good and euill as the wise woman of Tecoa told him So had Salomon he discerned which was the true mother and which was the counterfet It was not strange that Elisha did see in Hazael a traiterous bloody mind traiterous towards her Lord and bloody towards the people of God for Elisha was a Prophet neither was it very strange that Iustin Martyr espyed in Crescens to wit an implacable hatred that would not be satisfied but with his death for as yet some relicts of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit remained in the Church as Eusebius writeth But it was most strange that Sâ—lla saw in Cesar being but a boy multos Marios and that Cato and Catulus espied in him being but young an aspiring spirit to oppresse the common Liberty This insight is necessary in some measure for Kings and Gouernours for if they haue but a tender heart and shallow reach like Reâ—oboam in the holy Story like Romanus Iunioâ— in Zonaras if they haue not a laâ—ge heart like Salomon like I say I doe not say equall then it fareth with the Common-weale as it doth with a head-strong horse that wanteth a good rider or a shippe of great burden that hath not a good Pilote or Mastâ—r they are easily fâ—yled or wracked There haue beene Kings that haue bin witty some to paint well like Adrian some to sing well like Nero some to driue the Wagon well like the said Nero some to throw the Dart well and shoote well like Domitian Commodus c. What did this help them for the better ordering of the Common weale Nothing A gâ—od King differeth little from a Shepheard which knoweth his sheepe and knoweth what grounds be wholesome for them and what not From a good house-holder that prouideth that his seruants haue their due and looketh that they doe their duty Lastly from a good father which marketh the disposition of his children some he draweth on by fayre meanes â—thers he holdeth short by feare Thus wisedome hath an eye-siâ—ht to the present estate and to the present humours of them it dealeth with So secondly it doth fore-see dangers vigilantly and carefully Babylon was taken certaine dayes before many were ware of it It is true it was a very vast City but yet the estate cannot bee excused for their security So Honorius the Emperour lying at Rauenna had so little care of his chiefe City Rome the glory of the West and the Chamber of the Empire that when word was brought him of the taking of it by the Gothes he thouâ—ht his Fencer called Roma had beene taken that that had bin all the losse So Saul was not so wise as he might haue beene in that he had so bad watch and ward about him that Dauid his enemy could approach to the place where he lay and take what he listed in somuch that he escaped by the mercy of his Enemy and not by his ownâ— prouidence On the other side Lucullus was happy that had so faithfull a Chamberlaine as he had that repelled Captaine Olthacus from entring his chamber though he pretended most earnest businesse and indeed his businesse was but the same that Baanah and Rechab in the 2. of Sam. had to Ishbosheth namely to kill him If these Princes Saul and Lucullus had foreseene danger they had not in likely-hood falne into such danger Iâ—suah had his Espies in Iericho so had Dauid his Hushai in Absalons Court Iehoram needed not any for Elisha the Prophet was vnto him in stead of all Intelligencers he could tell him what was done in the King of Syria his Chamber So the Romanes had their politicke Agents in Antiochus and Prusias and other Kinâ—s their Courts and so no doubt these had theirs likewise in Rome A King of this Land is censured by a stranger Bellaius for being prodigall of his Treasure to get intelligence Well be it that he did cast away some hundreds of his Crowns vpon Cheaters and coozeners yet it cannot be denyed but that he fished out so much as made for his safety and safety is bought good cheape though a man pay deare for it So our State was traduced in our late Queenes time of famous memory by certaine blacke-mouthed Priests and Iesuites men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning all truth of faith and truth of Story for dyuing to deepe into the secrets of other Common-weales for setting them together by the eares forsooth to secure themselues A slander a vile slander our State did blowe the coles any-where nor stirre them neither but finding them flaming on a light fire not being able to quench the flame they were carefull to prouide that the sparkles might not flee-ouer into our Land to set things in a combustion here and this was wisely done this was necessary to be done Foresight breedeth preuention preuention of scattering dangers bringeth home safety this is the second point of Prudence The third and last that I will speake of there be more but I can handle no more at this time is the ouer-seeing and ouerlooking of them that are trusted Putifar looked to nothing he had in
had corrupted his way vpon earth through lust especially So now the world may seeme to be corrupt and abominable through Drunkennesse Of Wisedome there is deliuered a negatiue Proposition The depth saith It is not in me the Sea also saith It is not in me But of Drunkennesse it may be said affirmatiuely that both depth and dry land both City and Towne are full of it It was once said of God Iouis omnia plena All the world is full of God so by the Latine Poet. By the Greeke also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All streetes are full of Ioue all market places all Seas and Ports but now the like is verified of Drunkennesse which God abhorreth and good men condemne all the world is set vpon this naughtinesse Now if God had no where spoken against it or if secretly or in the chamber as it were we had either beene in no fault or in lesse fault For as where there is no Law there is no transgression so where men are ineuitably necessarily blinde or ignorant they haue somewhat to excuse their sinne withall But now when all the Prophets and holy men of God from Moses downeward as many as haue written or spoken haue sharply inueighed against this sinne when as Augustine speaketh against merit Vniuersa facies atque vt ita dicam vultus sanctarum Scripturarum rectè intuentes id admonere inuenitur vt qui gloriatur in Domino glorietur The whole face and countenance of the holy Scriptures doth admonish them that looke vpon it with a streight eye that he that reioyceth should reioice in the Lord. So the whole Book of God if we will search it as we are commanded to do Iohn 5. doth euery where decipher the odiousnesse of Drunkennesse and what plagues God bringeth vpon them that delight therein ought we not to hold that sin most vile and detestable that is so generally spoken against Looke vpon my Text onely Be not drunke sâ—ith the Apostle Marke he doth not say I aduise you not to be drunke though as Tertullian saith Consilium edictum eius diuini iam praecepti instar obtinuit c. His counsell were of no lesse authority than a commandement but he expressely layeth his commandement vpon vs Be not drunke Where note in the second place That Gods wayes be not like mans wayes as the Prophet saith Men thinke it is an indifferent thing to drinke much or little nay they count it a generous thing to drinke hard and that man is no Gallant that is not a great drinker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is the true Gentleman now adayes that can drinke and drab it best O tempora ô mores saith the Orator O mysteria ô moâ—es saith Ambrose O Lord to what times hast thou reserued me cryed out Polycarpus in Eusebius Men call euill good What remaineth next but that they call good euill But Saint Paul here in Gods name chargeth vs not to be drunke therefore he doth not leaue vs to our liberty but requireth it as a speciall duty that we keepe our selues within the bounds of sobriety Indeed in the words going next before he forbiddeth vs to be vnwise in Gods matters and commandeth vs to vnderstand what is the will of the Lord and therefore adding immediatly thereupon the words of my Text Be not drunke with wine he would haue vs to make this collection That Drunkennesse is a speciall hinderance to the knowledge of God It is so and to the seruice of God and to whatsoeuer is of piety or humanity either It was said in old time Prooue a man to be vngratefull and you prooue him to be altogether naught and so it may be said in all times If you prooue â— man to be a drunkard you prooue him to be filthy and to euery good worke reprobate He may haue a name to liue but indeed he is dead as S. Iohn speaketh he may haue the appearance of a man but indeed he is a beast as Ieremy speaketh He may be thought to be a sound man but indeed he is demoniacall obsessed or rather possessed with a Deuill or rather deuils more miserable than such a one For as Basil saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath a Deuill is pityed but the drunkard is not worthy to bepitied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he wrestleth with a Deuill of his owne choosing To be short The drunkard is no better than an Idoll he hath eyes and seeth not eares and heareth not tongue and speaketh not feet walketh not Nec pes nec manus nec lingua of ficium faciunt If a blind man and a lame man agree together one may helpe the other according to the Embleme the blind man hauing his limmes may carry the lame vpon his backe and the lame man hauing his eyes may direct the blind But now if two drunkards goe together if they can goe they both fall into the ditch and the fall is grieuous and many times foule It is said in the Prouerbs Seest thou a man wise in his owne eyes there is more hope of a foole than of such a one And so we may say in this case Seest thou a man giuen to the cup there is as much hope of an Asse as of him The reason is plaine Euery other sinne that a man committeth leaueth some sting or remorse behind it but the drunkard seemeth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 past sorrow past feeling Againe euery other sinne hath its satiety but the drunkard is neuer weary of drinking as the daughters of the Horse-leech cry Giue giue so he cryeth Giue giue Fill fill Therefore when God would shew his hatred against pride because it could hardly be compared to a worse thing he compareth it to drunkennesse saying Behold the proud man or arrogant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as he that transgresseth by wine he keepeth not at home lo-ijnueh he enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied Indeed thus it is with drunkards they cry out Nos nisi damnosi bibimus moriemur inulti Et calices poscunt maiores If we drinke not till our eyes stare againe and while we haue euer a penny in our purse we shall dye an ignoble death no man will reuenge our death So doe the drunkards exhort one another in the Prophet Come I will bring wine and we will fill our selues with strong drinke and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the practice but what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the duty The Apostle sheweth it in my Text Be not drunke So to the Romanes Walke honestly as in the day time not in gluttony and drunkennesse what followeth neither in chambering and wantonnesse So it is Venter mero aestuans citò despumat in libidines saith Hierome When the Persian Embassadors were well whitled then they fell
man of God But how shall wee know that said they If he be milde and humble in heart said he And how shall we know so much Why said he vse the meanes that he and his may come to the Synode and be there before you and if he rise vp vnto you when you come neere know that he is the seruant of Christ and therefore hearken to him obediently But if he despise you si spreuerit and will not vouchsafe to rise vp vnto you you being the greater number then doe you also despise him and care as little for him Thus they were aduised and accordingly they make tryall and Augustine keeping his place and not daining to rise vp vnto them they condemne him for a proud fellow and became his opposites to the vttermost Beloued that wise man was to blame whatsoeuer opinion of wisedome he had to make a mans manners to be the tryall of his faith and one ceremonious complement to be the tryall of ones life You know Naaman the Syrian when he tooke it in dudgeon that Elisha the Prophet did not come out vnto him in person but onely sent a message to him was reproued for the same of his seruants and required to doe as the Prophet bade him neuer standing vpon circumstances And the Ciuill Law saith well Veritas rerum erroribus gestorum non vitiatur The truth of the case is nâ—t corrupted by the errors falling out in the handling of it yet for all that Augustine is no way to be iustified in his Pontificall stately deportment specially towards strangers and of the same ranke that he was for all his Pall. For as holinesse becommeth Gods house for euer so surely humility graceth mans seate exceedingly be a man neuer so high lifted vp aboue his brethren The Kingdome of God is neither sitting nor standing nor perking nor stouping no more is vertue yet because these are tokens and bewrayers of that which is in man many times therefore doe men obserue them maruellously A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things for of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh yea and so doe all the rest of the parts of the body and all the faculties of the minde shew themselues outwardly A man may dissemble naughtinesse I grant as not be couetous when yet he is an extortioner not to be wanton when yet he is a wedlocke-breaker not to be riotous when yet his heart is euermore in the Tauerne c. But how few doe dissemble vertue how few doe appeare worse then they are indeed The common fault is that men will be counted more vertuous then they are that men loue that which they will not be knowne of and are ashamed to make profession Therefore they that carry tâ—eir noses high into the wind like the wilde Asse in the Wildernesse mentioned by Ieremy and stroute in their gate as though they went vpon stilts or carryed Pomparum fercula they that braue it in silks and veluets nay in siluer and gold aboue their ability and meanes aboue their degree beyond all good order well they may please themselues and such as gaine by them but hardly will they get the reputation of humble men nay they will hardly wash away the imputation of pride and insolency Poterat fortasse minoris piscator quà m piscis emi The Fisher himselfe was not so much worth as he rated the Fiâ—h said the Poet so we may say Many a man is in the middest of his wealth nay of another mans too when he hath his suite on his backe For thus is the Tenant racked the poore repelled the Broker enriched and the Vsurer almost Lorded He that begunne with an hundred nay with tenne increaseth to thousands and hee that began with thousands decreaseth to nothing But as in Tacitus his time there were euery yeere Edicts and Proclamations set forth against the Mathematicians or Astrologers and yet they could neuer get Rome to be rid of them so let the Preachers speake neuer so much against the vanity of apparell now-a-dayes the speech shall be as the sound of one that hath a pleasant voyce as the Prophet saith or rather as of one that speaketh vnpleasantly and most harshly and he shall labour in vaine and for nothing Well if we humble our selues let vs humble our selues euen in our apparell In like manner let vs humble our selues in speech and in demeanor Rehoboam through an vncourteous and rough speech lost tenne Tribes at a clap Demetrius lost a whole Kingdome and the same a rich one euen the Kingdome of Macedony by his arrogant behauiour C. Cesar lost no lesse then an Empire and his life and all by keeping his seat and not vouchsafing to rise vp vnto his Peeres Why should it be thus among Christians I stout and thou stout I dare not venture a cap or a salutation lest I should be a loser Why doe we not rather behold in our brother our owne image yea the image of God and for his sake make our selues equall to them of the lower sort Why did wee not goe one before another in giuing honour and beare one anothers burden and in humblenesse of mind looke not euery one of his owne things but vpon that which is in another and esteeme of that better then of our owne This is true humility and this is thanke-worthy with God when a man not in apparell onely or in word or in gesture humbleth himselfe but when the hidden man which is within is decked with this vertue as with a garment For when humility is once rooted in the heart there will be a correspondency and conformity in the outward behauiour that no exception shall be taken against it for a tree will be knowne by his fruite It is not a good tree that bringeth forth bad fruit neither is it a bad tree that bringeth forth good fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said euen Nature in an Heathen man Humble your selues therefore We haue seene what we must doe what duty we must yeeld euen the duty of humility Now let vs see a little to whom we must doe it in these words vnder the mighty hand of God If we were bid to humble our selues to stockes and stones the worke of mens hands which haue eyes and see not eares and heare not then we might refuse to obey for wee must bow to the Lord our God and him onely must we serue If to a shrewd Master or Mistris as Hagar was bid to submit her selfe to Sarah to our aemulus as Haman was faine to doe honor to Mordecai to our fellow-seruant and the same a stranger as the Egyptians submitted themselues to Ioseph to an enemy of our Countrey or a Tyrant as the Israelites were commanded to stoupe to Nabuchadnezzar then it were another matter then we might complaine as some doe in the Scriptures Why hath the Lord dealt
aduise the high Estates of all ages to strike sayle to our Sauiour and to yeeld obedience to his Law To put the matter out of doubt the Apostles themselues who could not be deceiued hauing receiued the first fruits of Gods Spirit and would not deceiue being indued with grace and sincerity from aboue they I say Acts 4. doe plainely apply this Psalme to our Sauiour that we should no longer be doubtfull in the matter but beleeuing yea as Saint Augustin saith out of Moses Deuter. 32. Inimiâ—us meus testis mâ—us that is My Enemy is my witnesse some of the chiefe of the Iewes doe grant that it may be vnderstood of our Sauiour either in their owne iudgement or in the iudgement of their Fathers or ancient Rabbins The former point is affirmed by Aben-Ezra surnamed the wise the other by Shelomoh somewhat more ancient then he So then the Kingdome that is here spoken of being chiefely to be vnderstood of the Kingdome of Christ and the opposition that is here signified to be chiefely directed against it we may without offring any violence to the Text hence exhort all Kings and Princes vpon whom the ends of the world are come to looke vnto themselues and to the station wherein God hath placed them and to esteeme it the greatest policy to be wise according to godlinesse and the highest Soueraignety to be subiect to Christ. Especially it being granted by all that the Scriptures were not made to serue one age or two onely No for then there must haue beene many Bibles made from the beginning of the world and then there must haue beene a continuall sending downe of the holy Ghost and a continuall sending forth of Apostles Prophets but to be the rule for faith the direction for manners to all posterity Therefore Irenaeus saith well That which the Apostles first taught they afterwards committed to writing to be the ground and pillar of our faith He speaketh indefinitely without limitation of time and therefore would be vnderstood to meane of all times And Tertullian not long after him is bold and saith Latè semper Scriptura diuina diuiditur vbicunque secundùm praesentis reisensum disciplina munietur The Scripture is of a large extent and wide circumference as oft as any thing from it is to be deduced that pertaineth either to information or reformation Hitherto I haue proued both that this whole second Psalme is chiefely to be vnderstood of our Sauiour and that my Text out of the tenth verse may rightly be applyed to the Kings and Princes of these dayes Now I come to the words themselues Now therefore be wise O Kings be instructed O Iudges of the earth Two kinds of persons are here called vpon Kings and Iudges Kings as the chiefe Iudges as they that are appointed by them for the punishment of them that doe iâ—l the praise of them that doe well Two kinds of duties are here vrged to be wise and intelligent this is required of Kings to be instructed and disciplined this of inferior Magistrates I at this time shall speake onely of the first kind of persons that is of Kings and their duties and therein I meane not to speake of Kings by themselues and of wisedome by it selfe that were not to deuide the Text aright but to breake it but of both together as God shall giue grace But first I obserue and it is worâ—hy to be obserued how the Psalmist begins with Kings surely great cause for it not onely for their place eminent and supereminent Imperator homo à Deo secundus soloque Deo minor Tertullian Supra Imperatorem non est nisi solus Deus Optatus Nor onely for their Titles Shepheards Leaders Fathers Sonnes of the Highest the liuely Images of God Gods Vicegerents Gods vpon earth Sine dubio Imperator non est nisi Deus terrenus saith the Gothe to Theodosius witnesse Paulus Diaconus but for two other more maine reasons first for the great dependency vpon their safety for that they neither stand nor fall to themselues Secondly for the great power of their example either to good or euill Touching the first they doe not stand or fall to themselues as I said but are the standing or falling of most in Israel They may be compared to the two Pillars vpon the which the great house of the Philistins did rely which while they stood did beare vp the whole building euen when there were many hundreds vpon the roofe but when they fell they pulled downe all with them and the fall of that house was great Also to the Sun in the Firmament which while it is ouer our Horizon and scatters abroad its glorious beames it giueth light vnto the world and reneweth the face of the earth but when it is whirled from vs or eclipsed by the interposition of the Moone then it causeth or occasioneth darkenesse and filleth all things liuing with horror and amazement Briefely to the head and heart of a man not to the head onely nor to the heart onely but to the head and heart vpon whose liuelinesse and soundnesse the life and motion of the whole body doth depend Smite the Shepheard and the sheepe shall be scattered it is said in Zachary Let me smite Saul King Saul but once and the Kingdome shall be thine and the victory thine said Abishai in effect Let me smite Dauid King Dauid and all Israel shall be gathered to thee said that wicked Counsellor Achitophel 2. Sam. 17. When Alexander was dead the Army was not lessened but by one man euery man knew but yet it was compared by the wise to the Cyclops which had his eye and the same his onely eye boared out In like manner fared it with the great forces that Cyrus the younger led against Artaxerxes when he through his forwardnesse was slaine all went to wracke and of vanquishers they became vanquished So with the Christians at Varna when their King Vladislaus was lost So with the French at Rauenna when their Foisee was ouer-throwne Therefore be wise O ye Kings ye carry about in your bodies not your owne liues alone but the liues of thousands you haue vpon the stake not your owne safety alone but the safety of thousands Thou shalt not goe forth with vs any more to battell lest thou quench the light of Israel for thou art worth tenne thousand When one exhorted Cleomenes to hold his life vile vnto him and to powre it out like water vpon the ground he answered I will not sticke for that if I had none to care for but my selfe but now I must make much of my life to doe my Countrey good When Cesar had giuen forth in speech that he had liued long enough and cared not though he dyed on the morrow Thou speakest reason said Tully if thou liuedst onely for thy selfe but thy Countrey cannot spare thee Sertorius his Souldiers were not wont to
it was cruell but added moreouer Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assembly he meant that by his good will he would haue no commerce with them but would shunne and abhorre them as noysome beasts or serpents And so Brethren doe not ye thinke that ye haue done your duty when ye haue cryed out vpon Saul saying What a cankered wretch was he c But be you ware that you doe not imitate his euill deeds lest ye be made partakers of his plagues He was very enuious as ye heard euen now he was very vnthankefull as you partly heard before for both these he is girded at by Abigail in my Text as I thinke good now further to declare vnto you Yet a man is risen to pursue thee c. As if he said Notwithstanding thou wast his Musician and delightedst him with thy Harpy nay his Physician and easedst him in his mad fits when an euill spirit sent of God vexed him Yet he is risen vp to persecute thee c. Notwithstanding thou didst put thy life in thine hand and encountredst the Philistine and destroyedst him deliuering thereby Saul from a great deale of feare and Israel from a great deale of shame yet hee is risen vp againe against thee c. notwithstanding thou didst marry his owne daughter and instead of receiuing Dowry from him didst pay him as it were for a Dowry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two hundred fore-skinnes of the Philistines yet he is risen vp against thee c. Lastly Notwithstanding thou didst that that few others would haue done namely to spare him when thou hadst him at an aduantage and mightest haue nayled him to the ground and so gotten present possession of a Kingdome yet he is risen vp against thee c. Thus she amplifieth or aggrauateth the offence by the worthinesse of the person against whom it was committed so doth she also by the vnworthinesse of the person offending A man is risen vp She doth not say Geber for that may signifie a strange man nor yet Ish for that may signifie a worthy man Benei-Ish worthy men extraordinary men but Adam an ordinary man a naturall man one that is of the earth that is earthly-minded and appointed and wilt thou feare such a one But why did she not say that the King was risen vp against him did she not take Saul for King any longer now he was become a Tyrant and persecuted the faithfull Yes no doubt for the Iesuites were not then borne nor their doctrine broached to wit that subiects may lawfully take armes against their Prince as soone as they become Tyrants and enemies to the faith in the language of the man of Rome This is not that fire that Christ saith he came to cast vpon the earth the fire of teaching the truth the fire of rebuking sinne the fire of conuicting errors the fire of the Spirit that worketh all in all but this is that fire that Saint Iames speaketh of that inflameth the course or wheele of Nature and it selfe is inflamed of hell Therefore as God saith to Adam Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne so we say of that diuellish doctrine From hell it came and to hell let it returne But yet why did not Abigail call him King was it of contempt No but of caution for she was very wise she lay at the mercy of Dauid and knew that it was as easie for him to kill her as to speake the word therefore she keepeth her selfe in clouds generalities for feare of offending before the time A man is risen You know him as well as I I need not name him and your enemies shall be slinged out whether they be of high degree or low degree I will not meddle This is not to equiuocate as the Iesuites practise yea teach be it spoken to their shame But this is to order ones words with discretion as the Psalmist speaketh For though it be neuer lawfull for a man to lie as Augustine proueth soundly wittily learnedly in his bookes to Consentius yet it is lawfull to conceale a truth so farre forth and so long that Gods glory be not impeached thereby nor charity towards our neighbour violated vpon these two points hang all the Law and the Prophets Well we haue seene against whom the offence of enuious ingratitude was committed namely against Dauid and by whom namely by Saul now if we looke vpon the Text againe we shall finde the extent or grieuousnesse of it A man is risen vp to persecute thee and to seeke thy life Marke Saul was not content to hate Dauid inwardly but he proceeds to action he persecutes him also he is not content to persecute him or driue him out of the Country but he seekes his life Thirdly neither will he trust others to execute his malice but he followes the chase himselfe This is vnlimited malice deepe malice bloody malice the like we read of him aboue in this holy Story that when word was brought him that Dauid was sicke he commanded him to be brought bed and all No question but because he would make sure worke and see the killing of him himselfe The like we reade of a great man in France that when the noble Admirall was cast out of a Garret and his braines dasht out vpon the pauement he would not beleeue that the Admirall was slaine before he had with his handkerchiefe wip'd away the blood from his face and perfectly discerned him then he shouted 'T is he indeed a happy beginning But the eye of Iealousie that saw this vrged the arme of reuenge to cry quittance for it But what had the righteous done what had Dauid done to returne to him againe that he should be tossed from post to pillar nay that his life should be sought out for a prey Truly no other thing but that that Abel did vnto Caine of whom it is said that he slewe his brother because his deedes were good and his owne naught The like is written of Caligula that he hated his brother and quarrelled with him deadly because he tooke counterpoyson lest he should be poysoned by him Briefely the like is written of Fymbria that he indited Scaeuola a good man for that by wrenching aside he auoyded the fatall blow of the dagge So except it were for this one fault that Dauid was not willing that Saul should kill him being vncondemned other fault or offence there could be found none But now what is become of Dauids good deeds so many and so many why be they not remembred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Old good turnes sleepe and men be vnmindfull if a man doe twenty good turnes they are written in the dust but if he crosse vs once or doe vs a displeasure the same is grauen in marble and in great letters that one may runne and reade them Yet well-fare the