charge of the superiours they ought both to keepe them from harme by custodie and in order by discipline The Magistrates dutie is to preserue the innocent people from the iniurie of the oppressor to punish the guiltie by the rod of discipline and so the Minister is to keepe his flocke from rauening wolues and separate the scabbed sheepe from the sound by the rod of discipline and so in all others In regard of which two duties of keeping and ordering of the people the word of God resembleth a good king vnto a diligent pastor or shepheard and a carelesse Prince vnto a negligēt shepheard 1. King 22. 17. Then he said I saw all Israell scattered vpon the mountaines as sheepe that had no shepheard the Lord said these haue no maister let euery man returne to his house in peace Where the people are kept that is duly fed and kept in order that is disciplined aright there be both sheepe and shepheard but where they be either not at all or not in order kept there be sheep without a shepheard From hence blinde Homer borrowed some light and seemeth to see somwhat whose king and chiefe magistrate is entituled and called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shepheard of the people whose fold is custody whose dog is discipline Now if some man shall say that he is so base that he hath no inferiour to him I answer plainly there is no man so base but he hath an inferiour if not amongst others yet in himselfe first in the whole man the bodie is inferiour to the soule and the godly haue performed in themselues these duties to their bodies Set a watch ô Lord before Psal 141 my mouth saith the Prophet Dauid there is custodie And in another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I tame my body and bring it into subiection saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 9. 27. there is discipline Againe in the soule the vnreasonable part is inferiour to the reasonable the affections vnto reason and therefore the Preacher speaking of the hart the seate of affections giueth vs this counsell Omni custodia custodi cor tuum Looke to thy heart and the affections therof with all diligence let reason rule them And euen in reason in the vnderstanding and will of man nature corrupt nature ought to be subiect to grace For that we may instare in proposito to seeke our owne and to neglect anothers wealth is the part of a carnall and naturall man although he be well instructed in the knowledge of truth Contrariwise to seeke anothers good more then our owne pleasure or profite is the property of a man indued with the spirit of Christ and true charitie God for his infinite mercie graunt that his grace may rectifie our reason our reason may reforme our affections and our reformed affections may so gouerne our bodies that we may grow vp into perfect men in Christ lesus to whō with thee ô Father and thy holy Ghost be all honor glory thanksgiuing and praise now and for euer Amen THE PLAINE foot-path to the parádise of God Matth. 21. 5. Ecce rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus Behold thy king cometh vnto thee meeke OVR Sauiour Christ coming into the world alwayes and at all times loued pouertie and humilitie as in his birth in his life in his death after his death In his birth for he had an humble and poore mother in his life for he had poore companions and fellowes in his death for he had a straite bed to wit his crosse which was so narrowe and straite that it affoorded not place for both his feete but that the one was faine to be nailed vpon the other after his death for he had a poore sepulcher for he was not layd in his owne sepulcher but in another mans And yet for all this we ought not to think the more basely of him but rather the more highly to esteeme him because as S. Augustine saith Humilitas virtutum est sublimitas humilitie is the height of all vertues and therefore our Sauiour Christ though he was humilis yet is he not vilis though humble yet not base As also this place enforceth to vs mansuetus he was meeke there is humilitie Rex tuus thy king there is sublimitie Rex tuus thy king there is the height of his estate Mansuetus meeke there is the lowlinesse of his heart And these two be two parts of this text the height of his estate and the lowlinesse of his heart And the third part is betweene these two and is the vse and application of both these vnto vs. Venit tibi commeth to thee saith our Sauiour speaking to the Church the congregation of the faithfull Say he is a king that is his glorie say he is meeke that is his vertue but say as he saith here that he is thy king and cometh vnto thee meeke and that is thy comfort Is he a king then is he to be feated Is he meeke then is he to be loued Is he thy king cometh vnto thee meeke then is he to be reuerenced that is both to be feared and to be loued of thee These be the parts of these in their order The first is the height of his estate Rex tuus thy king but here me thinketh I misse a word not spoken of in my diuision Ecce Behold behold thy king It is true indeed but yet we did not forget it neither for it belongeth to the height of his estate For as we see high states great personages haue their gentlemen-vshers go before thē to make them way so before Rex tuus thy king goeth Ecce behold thy king cometh to prepare way for this high estate in the harts of men whither this king meaneth to come so that this Ecce in this place as it is in most other places is the gentleman vsher word preparing way in the heart for greater matter following So that as when so euer you see any gentleman-vsher you know that he is some great personage that cometh next so when so euer you see this word Ecce Behold you may be sure that it is some great matter that followeth next after it And as this Eccc is a preparatiue word so is it in this place a peaceable word For Behold in this place is as much as be bold for he is not a traitor but he is a king and not a strange king who perhaps is now in league with thee but may hereafter do thee a displeasure if now he see where thou art weakest but he is Rex tuus ô Sion that will build vp the breaches of Sion and repaire the decayed places of Hicrusalem he it is that cometh and therefore Ecce Behold that is be bold to let him enter in Attollite portas List vp the gates saith Dauid in the Psal introibit rex gloriae and the king of glorie shall come in Ecce behold saith our Sauior here in the Gospell Behold that is be bold to lift vp
of the commander which is Christ the sonne of God and in the abilitie of the Apostles who are enabled by Christ and the holy Ghost And from the equity of this commandement we may learne to know the iniquitie of all other commandemēts that swerue from this which consisteth likewise in two points either in vsurpation in coming to authoritie or in tyrannie in vsing it when he commandeth that ought to obey or that is commāded that can not be done And from hence all that be in authoritie either in Church or commonwealth or haue anie place or calling in either of them both may learne to examine themselues both in the cause effect of their calling First whether they haue Christs commandement Christs call for their calling whether he said vnto them Estote Be ye Be ye Bishops be ye Magistrates be ye Ministers or else they crept vnto it by corruption But if they be so blind that they cannot see this simply in it selfe then let them looke vnto it in the effect let them consider how they fit their place and calling how able they are to go through with the workes of God for whosoeuer is called of God is enabled of God for they that haue from him Estote haue Accipite also to whom he saith Be ye to the same he saith Receiue ye Be ye that you may receiue Receiue ye that you may be able to be such as he willeth you to be Estote Be ye thus much of this word single by it selfe now as it is ioyned to the rest of the words of my text Estote Be ye not sicut serpentes as serpents for the serpent is not to be imitated of vs in all things not in the poison of the serpent but in the wisdome of the serpent Estote prudentes Be ye wise as serpents not first sicut serpentes Be ye as serpents then prudentes wise for then the poison should beare sway and the wisdome would be corrupted but first prudentes be ye wise and then sicut serpentes as serpents and so the wisedome preuaileth and the poison which is our corrupt nature is purged and sanctified by that heauenly wisedome Estote igitur prudentes Be ye therfore wise This is the vertue not that which Aristotle maketh the forme of all moral vertues but which Christ maketh the ground of Diuine politiques Estote prudentes be ye wise Some deuide all Diuinitie according to the threefold vse thereof into these three kinds the one is schoole diuinitie and that is in speciall request amongst the Papistes the other is preaching diuinitie that is wholly studied by the Puritanes the third is politicke diuinitie and that is put in practise amongst all but especially in the Popes pallace and colledge of Cardinals where you shall haue some that whē they are good neither for the schoole nor for the pulpit yet because they can lay a plot for a liuing and plot a peece of knauerie of policie I should say as well as anie of Machiuel his scholers haue gotten great place in the Church are highly esteemed of for their gouernmēt which gouernment of theirs is pure policie but as for poore Diuinitie they seeme either not to haue it or care not for to vse it O say they it is not good in policie when their conscience telleth them it is good in honesty These be wise men but without learning or honestie And I assure you beloued when I consider the course of the world what plots policies and circumuentions be in the world then I thinke men be too wise but when againe I behold the want of religion and the feare of God which is the beginning of wisedome as the Scripture saith when I see they want the beginning of wisdome then I begine to think that they are not wise at all then say I to my selfe Surely Policie hath smothered Diuinitie this policie that is accounted the wisedome of the world is the diuels policie to steale from man the wisedome of God For this I dare auouch that Machiuel his policie is as good as Achitophels diuinitie but Christs diuinitie is better policie For this containeth the purity and quintessence of all without anie drosse or dregs at all Diuinitie disputing preaching practising hath here the right vse and this maketh the good Christian right professor and true Protestant Let vs therefore now heare and learne this Estote igitur prudētes Be ye therfore wise Now I beseech you vnderstand and consider that this heauenly wisedome to which we are in this place inuited is of diuers kinds or rather hath diuers degrees The first is prouidence wherby we do prospicere looke before vs whereunto we are stirred vp Prou. 6. Vade ad formicam ô piger Go to the pismire ô thou sluggard she prepareth her meate in sommer and gathereth her foode in haruest And in the 10. of the Prouerbs verse 5. He that gathereth in sommer is the sonne of wisedome but he that sleepeth in haruest is the sonne of cōfusion An example hereof we haue in Ioseph in auoiding spirituall euil in the case of Potiphars wife and in storing hoording vp temporal goods in the place of Pharaos officer Gen. 41. The second kinde or degree of this wisedome is circumspection not only prospicere to looke before vs but on euerie side of vs the definition is cautela contrariorum vitiorum a diligent heed of auoiding contrarie vices and the worke is to order the affections To beware of contrarie vices it behoueth vs to be circumspect lest in shunning couetousnesse we fal into prodigalitie or in auoiding rashnesse we become too fearefull and therefore it is wisedome to be circūspect that is to looke round about vs to order all our affections And to this purpose the holy Ghost speaketh Prou. 4. Omni custodiâ custodi cor tuum Looke to thine heart and the affections thereof with all diligence being about to say Custodi keepe he first saith Omni custodiâ with all diligence keepe thine heart least thou shut the doores on this side of the heart against thine enemies and open the gates vnto them on the other This kind of wisdome they haue not who do so shun pouertie or other present euill that they fall into eternall euill not vnlike vnto starting horses which starting and shunning shadowes plunge them selues into true danger from whence they cannot get out And this kind or degree of wisedome is commended vnto vs in the first of Ezechiel in the similitude of a wheele that did runne round about and in the similitude of the rings in the wheele which were round in a round but especially in the eyes in the rings and their rings were full of eyes the minde of a circumspect man is like eyes in a ring and rings in a wheele which be round see round and runne round The third kind of this heauenly wisdome is discretion and the worke hereof is not only as the first kind prospicere to looke before vs nor
the gates of thy heart venit rex tuus tibi thy king cometh vnto thee so that this Ecce behold hath a double office outwardly and inwardly Outwardly to prepare the cares which be the first gates that Christ by the preaching of the word passeth thorough to come into our hearts and also it hath an office inwardly and that againe is of two sorts to prepare the vnderstanding to know his greatnesse that he may be reuerently receiucd because he is a king and againe to prepare the will to be willing to acknowledge his kindnes that he may be most louingly entertained and embraced because he is thy king but so that as his kindnes in that he would be ours saith Behold I do not dlsdaine so his greatnesse in that he is a king saith Behold doe not you presume Behold his goodnesse saith he is thine and therefore be bold Behold his greatnesse saith he is a king and therefore be not too bold Greatnesse and goodnesse begot this child of admiration Ecce Behold Behold thy king But now leauing these circumstances let vs come to the substance of the text wherein first we must consider what manner of king this is and how it cometh to passe that he is ours Iustine Martyr taxeth the Iewes as grosse headed and earthly minded for expounding all the promises of the Messias to be meant visibly and grosly of some great worldly Prince mightie potentate or glorious captaine and warrior who should subdue all natiōs and bring them in subiection vnto the Iewes when as the might power and authoritie he vsed at his first comming was saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a secret vertue and power not pompous plausible or visible to the eyes of the world and this he proueth to be paralleled before in the destruction of Amelech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for with a secret hand or might God fighteth against Amelech spiritually Amelech is Satan You may therefore vnderstand that the secret vertue of God was in Christ crucified whom the diuels do tremble at and all principalities and powers in the world do feare And this power of God in Christ as without all shew of pompe it did and doth worke the destruction of our enemies so in like sort secretly and couertly doth it work our saluation by ruling vs inwardly not with glorious shewes but with his truth There is indeed a specious and flourishing kind of gouernment ordained of God which is regnum inter nos the kingdome that is amongst vs but that whether it be ciuill authoritie is disclaimed by our Sauiour in the case of the two brethren no not Iudex inter nos not so much as a Iudge much lesse Rex inter nos a king among vs. Or else Ecclesiasticall in his subiection to the high Priests authoritie is not stood vpon and yet Rex yet was he a King by the testimonie of the heathen both wise men vbi est ille qui natus est rex Iudaeorum where is he that is borne king of the Iewes and mightie Iesus of Nazareth the king of the Iewes This kingdome therfore being not in sight must needs be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that secret Luke 18. power not regnum inter nos but intra nos not the kingdome that is amongst vs but which is within vs. And this as it is with lesse noise and shew so is it with greater maiestie and power then that other All the authoritie of the kings in the world let them trie the vttermost they can do either by threatnings or promises loue or feare cannot plucke one of these subiects from God or remoue a true Christian from Christ witnesse Ioseph in the prison Ieremie in the dungeon the three children in the fornace Daniel in the Liōs denne and all the Apostles S. Iohn in wil the rest in deed infinit Martyrs in the primitiue Church euen in death it self T ertullian stādeth vpō this point against the heathen Iustin Martyr buildeth vpō this groūd against the Iewes but S. Paule is verie maruellous in this case against all the world Rom. 8. 38. 39 For I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Take the particulars and know the reasons Rom. 14. 17. For the kingdome of God is not meat nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost these be they that vphold the kingdome of Christ in vs not meate and drinke for the Apostles rule is surely true meates 1. Cor. 6 for the bellie and the bellie for the meats but God shall destroy both it and them howbeit the kingdome of God and the good that there is neuer shal decay Indeed all other kingdomes without besides or contrarie to Christ take away these things from them let them haue no meate and drinke and they will soone come to nothing but the kingdome of God when all meate all men all the world and all the kingdomes in the world are ouerthrowne and consumed then shall it flourish in the perfect beautie for righteousnes peace ioy in the holy Ghost and such like spirituall fruites of the kingdome of Christ they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Iustine Martyr speaketh This then is the first point in this king to be considered the manner of his kingdome Hereunto are to be added three other to the manner of the kingdom the nature of his subiects the coronation of the king the glorie of all both of king kingdome and subiects is to be annexed For the nature of the subiects vnderstand that the two kinds of kingdomes internos and intranos haue two kinds of subiects deliuered vnder two similitudes of two kind of sonnes in two promises vnto the patriarkes The one similitude resembling one kind of sonnes or subiects is deliuered in that promise as the dust of the earth Gen. 13. 16. 1. Sam. 13. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the sand on the sea which is innumerable The sand on the sea side saith Iustine Martyr as it is innumerable so is it vnprofitable and vnfruitfull too for no fruite groweth theron this innumerable vnprofitable seed of Abraham was the children of Abraham according to the flesh of this seed the Pharises were and bragged thereof to our Sauiour Christ We are the seed of Abraham Abraham is our father Ioh. 8. 39. Another kinde of subiects children and seed of Abraham are deliuered in another promise vnder another similitude and in another place sicut stellae coeli Gen. 26. 4. and in the 15. of Genes he willeth Abraham to looke vp to heauen and to tell the starres if he could and saith sic erit semen tuum And these are the seed children and subiects which our Sauior Christ himselfe speaketh of when he reiecteth the Pharises as the bastard brood of