Secondly Perfectionis affirmationis when what is most excellent in things create wee applie to God by way of Analogie and resemblance So wee call him iust mercifull high glorious Thirdly of excellence or super-heminence as this here implies A title therefore sutable to his nature for to seeke him among the highest things we know is ridiculous to pin or determine him there impious vltra vltra quaerendus still aboue and beyond all we must enquire for him sayes Bernard And as sutable so there is none of his titles more auncient so soone I thinke as we find mention of any height amongst men regall or sacerdotall as hoth are referred to him so with this title annext Gen. 14 Melchizedek king of Salem and priest of the most high God It is held throughout the old Testament and not left of in the new So Luke 1. Iohn is called the Prophet of the highest and Luke 6.35 Doe good c. and so be Children of the highest So that as Dauid speakes of his greatnesse God is great and there is no end of his greatnesse So he is high too and no end of his highnesse We haue those on earth that are to day high to morrow low as the graue and therefore though men haue and doe weare this title of most high yet God weares it with a difference sayes the Prophet But thou O Lord art most high for euermore Psal 92.8 And as it belongs to him for euer so to euery person in Trinitie to the Father first acknowledged both by the powers of heauen and hell In Luke 1.32 A celestiall Angell testifies of Christ He shall be called sonne of the highest and in Luke 8.28 the Confession of a spirit infernall Iesus thousonne of the most high God So the sonne himselfe is styled the same S. Luke still 1.78 Oriens ex alto the day spring from on high And in Ephes 1.21 He is sayd to sit at his Fathers right hand farre aboue all principalities and powers hauing put all things vnder his feete and giuen him to be head ouer all things So the holy Ghost is not onely called virtus ex alto power from on high Luk. 24.49 but of him sayd The power of the most high shall ouer-shadow thee Luke 1.35 In so much that God himselfe seemes to receiue delight and complacencie in this title for whether men prayse him on earth it must be with an Hosanna in the highest or Angels and Hosts from heauen it must hee with a Gloria Deo in excelsis Glorie to God in the highest Now this title is applied to God either in respect of his essence or his attributes and diuine vertuer First in essence and nature he is Altissimus among the causes efficient exemplarie finall he in all these hath the preheminence as primum principium and vltimus finis In puritie of nature water aboue earth aire aboue water then fire then light and he Pater luminum the Father of lights Beasts aboue plants men aboue beasts aboue men Angels and spirits and he Pater spirituum the Father of spirits In sublimitie of nature there being in him the perfection of all his creatures and that in a most eminent and vnspeakeable degree So that none is Highest but he onely nay none like the Highest He that said he would be fell the lowest I saw Satan fall from heauen like lightning As thus in essence so last of all in Diuine vertue Now there is incident to God none of thosevertues which suppose imperfection as Faith Hope c. But such as these mercy bountie power iustice wisedome holinesse and in all these is GOD superlatiue nay infinitely aboue all degrees of comparison we may choose to shew it in these foure for all the rest mercie wisedome iustice power His mercie first is highest ouer all his workes Psal 144. For his power made nothing but what his mercy mooued him to of an vnknowne height it is then as appeares by Psal 103.11 As high as heauen is ouer the earth for it is stablished in the heauens Psal 88. and the earth is full of his mercie Psal 32. In both places hee is Pater misericordiarum a father of mercies 2. Cor. 1. according whereto the Church prayes O God whose nature and propertie is to haue mercie c. For if we inquire a reason of his mercy at large to all his creatures to men as his image to good men as his sonnes what can bee returned but ô altitudo O the height of the exceeding riches of his mercie Againe his wisedome is another ô altitudo Rom. 11. Mans knowledge is farre aboue the beasts in quibus non est intellectus But we come to no height no perfection in enigmate in part and but darkely like the Foxe licking the Viall when he could not come at the liquor it selfe And if yet euen from men wee see so manie wise lawes of Princes and Bookes of Councellors and Iudges in which there is extant a strange light of humane reason what shall we thinke of the Highest in whom is the highest law out of which as out of a fountaine these are drawne and thither as waters to the Sea returned For there is one Law-giuer and one Iudge Iam. 1. By whose onely wisedome it is that Kings doe raigne and Princes decree Iustice Pro. 8. What euer the Creature hath is a deriuatiue from that Primitue as Art is conueighed sayes Aquinas from the mind of the Artizan into his workemanship So that this whole Vniuersitie of Gods worke is as it were a certaine common place of wisedome But that poore deale whereof men are capable is receiued in long time and but by drops by many acts we vnderstand one thing hee in one act all distinctly they are naked and bare in his sight with their substances formes differences wee read of wise men from the East and of the high wisedome of Salomon excelling all the East but nor he nor those three attained to the first three not to Alti here in the end of this verse Downe then with all humane presumption and ascribe vnto the Lord as the glory so the wise dome due vnto his name for as his name is here so is his wisedome higher than the highest There is no Iudge aboue God nor none that hath vnderstanding like the highest 2. Es 7.19 We come to his Iustice and Power of which it is here especially vnderstood that he is Altissimus His Iustice first so high that he is sayd to be Iudge alone and this height of Iustice is best discerned by the armes or top branches Proemium poena Reward and punishment whosoeuer shall but regard those foure conditions of Hell torments for varietie the most for their greatnesse insufferable for puritie vnmixt with the least allay of comfort or hope of mitigation for their continuance euerlasting will easily discouer in them Gods Iustice to be highest And contrary for reward it excels all a good measure pressed downe yet running ouer Great is
THE POORE MANS APPEALE In a Sermon preached at Leicester Assises before the Iudges By T. P. PRO. 22.22.23 Rob not the Poore because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in the gate For the Lord will plead their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoyle him AT LONDON Printed by Edw Griffin for Arthur Iohnson and are to be sold at his shop neere the great North doore of St. Pauls 1620. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Sir HENRY HOBART Knight and Baronet Lord chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Court of Common Pleas and Chauncellor to the most excellent Prince CHARLES Prince of WALES Grace and Peace MY LORD THat reuerend Regard your Honor gaue this Sermon when it was deliuered you as a message from the Highest was but a iust Regard But for your vouchsafing to peruse and giue the frame thereof approbation both it and I haue therein largely tasted of your fauourable Regard Both your Regards it then had and I now in regard of both conceiued an hope that the publike inscribing it thus to your Lordships name would passe at least for a pardonable transgression and might peraduenture in the noblenesse of your interpretation be accepted as I intend it for an act of my dutifull regard to your Honor. Whereof how can I forbeare presumption remembring who hath said Yee are Gods and are all children of the most High Your Lordship then cannot vnresemble your heauenly Father who gently takes the meanest oblations of the poorest and lowest being himselfe rich ouer all and Higher then the highest He the Iudge of all The Lord Chiefe Iustice of Heauen and Earth blesse and direct you so as we may long enioy from him thorough you the beames and influence of his Iustice in earth and you after this life iustly finisht the bright beames of his Glorie and that blessed Regard and reward of his euerlasting Mercie in the highest Heauen So prayes Your Lordships true honourer T. P. THE POORE MANS APPEALE ECCLESIASTES 5.8 If in a Countrie thou seest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of Iustice and Iudgement Bee not astonied at the matter For he that is higher then the highest regardeth and there bee higher then they I Shall haue some vse of the whole verse but these words For hee that is higher then the highest regardeth I choose forth for the Text as being axis and Cardo the hindge vpon which all turnes For they are a reason of the former the substance of the latter Their parts are visible two persons and an action First the persons Altus desuper altum c. or Altus superior Alto sayes Tremelius Two persons then and two titles high ones both yet largely differing Superior stands betwixt them here like an Istmus or Hiatus rather large in extent as the space betwixt earth and heauen For thou couldst haue none sayes Christ to Pilate not the lowest degree except it were giuen thee desuper from aboue So that the one depends of the other the one absolute and in recto Altus the high one by way of excellence the other in obliquo and with relation to a Superiour Alto an high one too but not like Altus no the case is altered Alius is primus and summiu the first the chiefest high one comes therefore before Superior as hauing none but Alto is set after and would soone come all to nothing if not gouerned by Superior here So much and so iustly is Altus superior Alto. In summe the latter of these titles belongs to men that is plaine by the addition here or reddition rather For it is the same againe another way And there be higher then they then who then those men spoken of before But for the first title here it does it can belong to none but God He onely is the high one or that high one It is a peculiar of his and his prerogatiue onely So Dauid Thou whose name is Iehovah thou alone art most high ouer all Psal 83. vlt. And that Solomon here intends this onely high God is apparent too in the last straine of the verse where he names him Alti in the plurall which tho some interpret of God and his Angels yet Iunius better of God alone excusing the difference of number partly by the sacred mysterie of three persons in the God-head and partly by an Hebraisme expressing by the positiue plurall a singular superlatiue so raysing the title from Altus to Altissimus or as the english here higher then the highest So high indeed that all words forsake vs in the vtterance But of that when we trie this Title We know now the persons The action remaines and is ascribed to Altissimus God regards Observ How meanes he what does he regard It is left here indefinite Regards and no more but may be diuersly vnderstood first by making this indefinite and vniuersall too the same with Hesiods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sees all things and Dauids Quo fugiam Whither shall I goe from thy presence And so his regard is the same with prouidence or diuide this Sea into two armes of mercy and iustice acts of his speciall prouidence ouer all men and all their actions or apply it lastly to this particular in the text and wee shall finde that God in both these hands of mercie and iustice takes and with both these eyes beholds oppression Oppression why is that the matter here yes If thou seest oppression bee not astonished for hee that is c. It is true hee mentions heere rapinam too stealth or defrauding of iustice but vpon the point it comes all to one for bee it violence or be it cunning by fraud or by force it forces not it is oppression that is the Ocean which deuoures and the common sinke that swallowes both these flouds of wickednesse both these filthy channels of corruption But oppression is an action and actio est vis illata so is oppression right and does inferre a passion wee must haue a patient then and we must finde out the agent for if oppression be obserued if God regard it hee can not but regard them These in reason are like Plaintiffe and defendant in law which is grounded on reason These would be brought in then before we can proceede with our action The Law will allow the Plaintiffe first cal him we need not If thou seest the oppression of the Poore Hee 's adest there he is the Poore Alas poore man poore and opprest too that 's an heauy case who is there to speak for him not any man no for no mā regards him the poore is despised of his own neighbour heere he seemes to stand poore silly soule with a face couered ouer with teares his very heart broken his tongue cleaues to his roofe onely his hands and hi◠eyes are lift vp towards heauen I there is his refuge there is one that vnderstands the language of his sighs and bends an eare to the voyce of his weeping and though the high ones
your reward in Heauen Earthly Monarches thinke they goe far when they speake like Herod euen to the halfe of my Kingdome And what a poore thing is that Not an inch in the mapp and in the forme of the Heauens nothing The goodly houses they bestow are but as Childrens Kings halls made of shells and dust and what pleasures the Courts of Princes can afford vs Heb. 13. let Moses refusall tell vs pleasures of sin common to vs with beasts and but for a season for a moment But whom God exalts and aduances hee rewardes with his owne kingdome a kingdome of glory his owne cittie a cittie of pure gold in that mansion to remaine with him at the same Table and yet higher to sit with him vpon the same throne Apoc. 3. This is more then euer was Omnis potestas impatiens consortis And Pharoah to Ioseph his prime fauorite Lucan onely in the throne I will be aboue thee What might be added of the high nature of those ioyes which the Angels enioying doe adore and of their eternitie At his right hand are pleasures for euermore To giue vs heauen if wee could doe his Law were Iustice high enough though but for one instant of time but when it is added For euermore it is Iustitia in excessu in excelso too T' is Iustice at the Highest And finally no lesse admirable is the Power of God which is so high in him sayes Beza it makes him euer Agent and neuer Patient and that can neuer cease being the same it is Bellarmine would proue the Popes supremacie by his twelue great names giuen him by his Parasites more easie were it from Scripture recounting the glorious names of God as also from his miracles to draw vp this Power to a supreame head But it is a beaten way and a subiect so full that who euer handles it cannot choose but handle it well I will onely instance in that height of Power which is exprest and prooued by place Power terrestriall is declared by ascending to thrones and if exaltation be measured so then the Lord alone as Esay sayes shall be exalted For hee dwells sayes Esdras aboue the Aire super altitudinem aëris 2. Es 6. Nay super altitudinem coelorum a second super aboue the height of the heauens 2. Es 4. That is a maine height For who can find out the height of Heauen sayes Syracides the pride of the height as hee termes it Ecclus 43. I but there is another super yet aboue the heauens and the heauens of heauens What aboue all I farre sayes the Apostle gone vp on high farre aboue all heauens Ephes 4.10 The Queene of Sheba viewing the high throne of Salomon of which the Text sayes There was none like it in any kingdome 1. Reg. 10.20 and obseruing all his royaltie Non habebat vltra spiritum shee was astonished But an higher than Salomon is here For Salomon in all his royaltie was not clothed like the Lillit of the field much lesse like the Lord of Heauen who dwells in light inaccessible and cloths himselfe with light as with a garment As Salomon had no such roabe so no throne like Gods For he prepares his throne in Heauen sayes the Psalme Solium excelsum a throne high and lift vp Esay 6. a glorious high throne sayes Ieremie 17.12 Before which throne all thrones are cast downe sayes Daniel for it is a fire flaming aloft and towring vp higher than the highest Now as the throne so is the Power of God that the embleme of this And therefore King Dauid will not repent his kneeling to God Psal 95. For as he adds the Lord is a great God and a great King aboue all Gods Nor will Salomon for all his owne highnesse rob God of his honour but stand to the title which he hath giuen him here It is no more than right He is a King euen Rex regum a king ouer all kings and higher than the highest Most high aboue all the earth and much exalted aboue all Gods Psal 97.9 But of what vse is this Title for vs Vses of manifold vse We may draw all to Timor Amor Feare and Loue. First Feare and that first in gesture when wee present our selues before him It is exacted by himselfe We may beleeue him when he sweares it I haue sworne by my selfe sayes the Lord that euery knee shall bow to me Repeated in Rom. 14.11 Esay 45.23 And hee giues vs such examples as we cannot refuse Christ Iesus himselfe who best knew this height the infinite distance betwixt the Creator and the creature as hee was most humbled in soule so he profest it in lifting vp his eyes to Heauen in prayer in kneeling falling on his face The glorious Angels adore with couering their faces and falling downe before him The Church begins her Lyturgie with that inuitement O come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord And yet I know not how it comes to passe we seeme many of vs ashamed of doing this reuerence to God Hic homo erubescit timere Caesarem said Macaenas So rude is our behauiour and such a sacrifice of fooles we offer him as if we neither thought vpon our owne condition which is but dost and ashes with one blast disperst past gathering vp againe nor remembred him to be our God for then we would not stand like Elephants or stonie Pillars in his Temple but prostrate our selues and thinke no abasement too much not the lowest being done to him that is the Highest So in our tongues secondly forbearing that sawcinesse and familiaritie some vse in Prayer wherein as the heart must be Faith so the lungs would be Feare least it catch an heate So coole a forme is that of holy Church Graunt vs O Lord those things which for our vnworthinesse we dare not presume to aske Remember sayes Salomon God is in Heauen and thou on the earth Let thy words be warie and few The same feare should possesse vs when we speake of or sweare by his name not vainely falsely For holy and reuerend is his name 2. Vse Amor Loue And this is natiue and radicall in the very temper of oursoules and as a sparke would breake to flame but that the world and the Diuell choake and keepe it downe and this fraile corruptible masse weighs downe the immortall spirit for these two are contrary one to another The bodie of the earth carthie but the soule from heauen heauenly tho forced like the Sunbeames to conuerse with filth and dost yet haeret originisuae cleaues still in affection to God and hath restlesse motions of desire to returne to him that made it but clogd with sinne and feebled in all her powers shee must begge and wait now a superinduction of graces that so being stablished in faith and rooted in charitie and borne vp by the assistance of Gods spirit as by the wings of a Doue she may flye vnto her rest
This is exemplarie in holy Dauid whose heart once touched with these diuine graces he lifts vp thē his eies and hands and heart and voyce O Lord whom haue I in heauen but thee or whom doe I desire in comparison of thee As the Hart after the riuers as the thirsty drye ground after shewres so longs pants gasps my soule after the liuing God So will the heart of euery man that is like him a man after Gods owne heart make him his chiefe trust and marke of highest regard for he that loues any thing better then mee is not worthy of mee sayes Christ hee is highest and will haue the highest place in our affection and hath therefore made it his first and great commandement Loue the Lord thy God with all thy minde and might and loue him aboue all things They were stonie hearted Iewes that cryed wee will not haue him rule ouer vs not rule then nothing if hee may not bee the head stone hee will not lye in any part of the building and if wee venture to build without him wo be to our foundation Let valabour then to lift vp our heart together with our hands vnto God in the heauens Let vs call daily for his grace and crye vnto him to draw vs after him and hee hath promised to heare from his holy place and send downe his hand from aboue to mount vs vpon those blessed stayres of iustification sanctification glorification and then wee are where wee would be with him that is higher then the highest The action heere referred to God is regarding 2. Part. an action sutable to the title High places and noble actions should goe together God is not then such a God as Eliah makes Baal perhaps hee sleepes no hee regards First generally all things For in him they liue moue are and as the eyes of all things look vp towards him so his downe on all in heauen earth vnder the earth His prouidence extending it selfe like that tree in Dan. 4. from one end of heauen to another whose branches reach out shade and sustenance to all those creatures reckoned vp in Ps 104. For as the soule minds all the bodies actions and the Sun penetrates all corners so this true soule of the world and this Sunne of righteousnesse but with a remarkable difference sayes Saint Iames he does it without varrying or shadow of turning vnmoued euer the same hee sits in midst of heauen and yet they bee the eyes of the Lord that runne too and fro through the whole earth Zach. 4.10 raigning aboue and yet containing all below compassing all about and yet piercing all within and what is yet more maruellous this generall regard and discerning of Gods to extend euen to all things al the stars al the sons of men all the Cattell on 10000. hills all those number les shoales of fishes in the seas all foules of the ayre euen to seueralls minuities the little sparrowes not one of them is forgotten all the miseries of all his seruants all their teares in his bottle in Man alone to regard all the members of his body gressus sayes Dauid the steps of his feete capillos sayes our Sauiour hayres on his head all the sinnes of his soule and all in order all our workes not a word in our tongue nay in our heart from whence imaginations rise as fast as sparks from a furnace not a thought but our heauenly father who sees in secret sees it though nere so secret nay long before either birth or conception and as hee calls so hee knowes too and regards the things that are not as if they were O Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name for it is higher than the highest how excellent is thy knowledge in all the world for there is nothing was nor can nor shal be nothing but thou O Lord knowest it altogether 2. Now this generall runnes into two speciall respices or obseruats the one of mercy ouer the good and the other of iustice ouer the wicked His eyes behold Ps 11. and his eyelids trye the children of men but with a different regard hee watches ouer all but ouer some for preseruation ouer others for destruction Ier. 31 and in Ier. 44. hee calls it a watching for good and a watching for ill with the first hee daily watched ouer his owne Israel in a cloud and fiery pillar but through them both it is said hee looked on the hoast of Aegypt and troubled it Exod 14.24 T is true he delights most in the first of these watchings and then his highnesse i◠best pleased when ioind with a mercifull regard when hee shewes vs the beauty of his holinesse causes the light of his countenance to arise But if our sinnes prouoke him to anger he will suffer his displeasure to arise and tho wee be his owne people tender as the apple of his eye and his chiefe treasure aboue all nations yet then as hee threatens Israell Leuit. 26 9. hee will set his face against vs then as Daniel hath it he will watch vpon the euill and bring it vpon vs. So that it is a true title Seneca giues him Deus bonorum malorumque obseruator custos Our good and our euill Hee that is higher then the highest regardeth 3. Lastly regards this particular sin Oppression the patient first in mercie and first of all as pauperem then most of all as pauperem pressum the poore oppressed God regards the Poore And the maiesty of the title prefixt makes this action glorious what hee whose excellence hath no stint vpward aboue the clouds starres heauens of heauens still higher then the highest to looke downe de super so low a solio ad solum from his throne of glory in excelsis to regard the cries of the poore de profundis yet so it is thou God seest mee sayes poore Agar Gen. 16. And the euer-blessed Virgin Thou hast regarded the low or poore estate of thy handmaid And this seemes a kinde of state in God and then his highnesse is in full Maiesty when hee shewes his powerfull regard ouer the meanest and the most despised on earth such as men sell for shooes and count not worth looking after yea God is expressed in Scripture as if hee laboured for the aduancement of the Poore and then most of all when they are most wretched so in Psalm 113. hee is said to lift at it to raise the poore euen out of dung to set him with Princes c. It is a great mercy to behold an hūble God who being highest yet bowes down himselfe to regard the poore but much more pauperem pressum the poore oppressed Pouerty is but a shallow plash of misery but Oppression breaking in raises it to a floud euen a red sea of bloudy cruelty deepe and deadly but then one deepe calls vpon another and it seemes not to be in the power of God to withhold his mercifull regard as we see by visiting his Israell in Aegypt
world nor your sweet and wholesome acts of Iustice like the Sun-beames in a burning glasse bowd contracted by passion or partiality be merciful as your heauenly father is merciful sans hope of earthly reward or sting of vainglory and being in the place of God learn his action heere of regarding for this end sits he in heauen and he hath not set you here to be regardlesse like Gallio Act. 18. one that cared for nothing as so many Scarcrowes in a garden of Cucumers but to regard the poor in mercy the high Oppressor in iustice say not you to him as Ioseph to old Iacob not so my father reaching rather your hand clean cōtrary of iudgment to the poor of fauor to the oppressor but in mercy respect the poore needy that are sick and need your physick not purges or lettings bloud with the whip so much as your cordials of prouision your gentle laxatiues your blessed lenitiues restoratiues And in justice regard their aduersaries look that such as ar the grand thieues sit not neer you on the bench while the petite ones plead at the bar for mercy I know that simple people think you may do wōders but my prouocatiō tends no further then to vrge the execution of that lawful power which to you throgh our excellent Soueraign is conuaid frō him that is higher then the highest And that therin you would oppress the oppressor beware lest as the Apostle saies in another case the strength of sinne is the Law so these high ones do not strengthen their hands in this sin of oppression either by the shelter or conniuence of the Law or Magistrate which if you do not he regards that is higher then they or you and which if you labour to do by despising as the Prophet speaks the gain of oppression shaking your hands frō taking of bribes stopping both eies and eares from seeing euill or bearing bloud then he regards in mercy great is your reward in heauen for your defence shall be the munition of rocks and you shall inhabit loca altissima the highest place Es 33.16 And this speech to you my gracious Lords is but like a second impulsion to a wheel already moud and I admonishing to do what you ar obserud to do already do in my admonition bear along both praise approbation Consider then what I haue said and that Lord Iudge of heauen and earth who is only wise giue you vnderstanding in all things And next let vs learn to aply this text we that ar now in his sight speaking hearing for he regards out instant actions sees our reuerēce knows our thoughts When we part from hence the Text will follow vs in our houses chambers closets his eye is euer on vs let then the eyes of our soules be euer fixt on him euer even in midst of night silent darknes suppose our selues in a Theater since he sees vs euery where vpon our walls and garments in our rings and on our fore-heads and in the palmes of our hands ingraue this posie Altissimus obseruat Doe you in speciall that are to attend the Courts of Iustice iudgement Councellors in your pleas and witnesses in your depositions Ere you ope your mouths hearken to the voice of Salomon here nay lend but an eare to the call of your owne consciences and they will preach this text vnto you He that is higher then the highest regardeth And you of the Iewry be not like those Physitians who vse to erect a figure by that minute in which they are consulted and thereby giue their iudgement For that 's too vsuall with ordinary Iurors to haue regard to certaine aspects and relations and predominancies and to giue verdicts according as they find Superiors enclin'd Their Landlord may chance to frowne else and take away their leases or cast them out of their houses I but Salomon tels vs of a superior here far aboue all Lords by Land or by Water one that can depriue them of inheritance in the kingdome of Heauen and able to cast them both bodies soules into Hell And therefore feare him feare not their regarding but hi-regarding His that is higher then the highest To whom be prayse and glory now and for euer Amen Gloria Deo in Excelsis FINIS