branches In Cattaile there appeareth no small force of the breede So is it amongst Men for in these things we are like to other creatures it auayleth much from what stock one descendeth I confesse that Aurelius was vnhappie vnto Roome in nothing sed quiagenuit but in Commodus his incommodious sonne That amongst the Kings of Iuda for the most part good Fathers had bad Children Ne virtus videretur esse haereditaria that vertue might not seeme to come by inheritance And bad Fathers begat good Ne vitium esset infinitum least vices should exceede aboue measure Yet for all this commonly it commeth to passe that inclinations of minds do follow the originals and dispositions of bodyes and the Poet Horace sayth truly Est in iuuencis est in equis patrum virtus c. Fortes creantur fortibus bonis As the matter is affected whereof we are moulded so groweth there euen in nature diuers and distinct differences betwixt vs some are noble some ignoble some ingenuous some base some quick of apprehension some dull some fit to rule some to serue Neither is this repugnant vnto the lawe of Nature who although she hath made those things which are Necessary common to all yet out of the variety of those which receiue them caused by Priuate beginning and opinionate matter doth there arise diuerse conditions of Singulers and many fold dispositions and affections of men If children often times carry the markes of their fathers grandfathers great grandfathers in there bodies may we not iudge that they retaine in there minds the propensions inclinations and as it were the sparkes of there auncestors Which if it sometimes hapneth other wise yet in a dubble respect that matters not first Because that is to bee considered which commeth to passe often not which seldom chaunceth Nature being wont for the Most part to obserue her lawes Secondly because it must be graunted that education discipline and vsage are very forcible to the informing of manners and confirming of habits which we doe not say doe of Necessity follow the bodies temperature and yet againe it may not be denied but that the pure naturalls in some are better then in others for the procreation of morall or ciuil vertues the region where we liue our behauiour in our youth or kinds of life of diet of affections of minds and differences of such like thinges produce a variety of Next causes and then a conclusion in Reason and experience is this That from hence must arise a diuersity of effects It is not Reason nor experience alone which pleades In this cause Seneca comming to his farme and seeing his house which he had builded decayed a tree which he had planted rotten a boy which hee had brought vp now with a gray head saith thus to him selfe Quocunque oculos converto video documenta meae etatis I find documents of my age on euery side To like effect may I speake in this case of nobility Quocunque oculos conuerto video argumenta verae nobilitatis Reason instructeth Experience teacheth behold I am cooÌ„passed with a cloud of honorable wittnesses King Prince Nobles are present besids all these Diuine writ doth warrant the same In the sixt of Ezech. and the third verse GOD speaketh to mountaines hills rockes and vallies and vnder these to for Riuers Hier reads Rocks men of diuerse ranckes to vallies to common people Torâ—â—ks to soldiers To hills to gentlemen To mountaines to nobles Abrahams posterity were of two sorts I will multiply thee as the dust of the earth Here is an obscure and a dusty generation I will make thy seed as the starrs of heauen here be true Nobles like starrs shining and growing light vnto the world These in the first of Num. and the sixteene are called the famous in the congregation in the second of Samuel the 23. and 23. verse the worthyes of the land in the. 5. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay and 13. the glory of the Kingdome in the Epist of Iude the 8. verse Dignity Glories or Maiesties in the 26. of Ezek. and 11. verse The strength of Israel Hath God giueÌ„ these names to things which haue no being it was one of the high degrees of misery in Iudaths captiuitie to haue her Nobles slaine Ieremy the 39. And Paule in the 1. to the Corin the 1. and 26. speaking of bad ones tells vs heauy newes That not many Nobles are called here are many but not many called To hold any longer a Taper to the Sunne were but a poynt of follie my text is cleare These were Noble men There be differences or degrees of Nobility These were More noble men then those of Thessalonica The Kinds of nobility are foure I ascribe nothing to Fortune though I will vse the word One is by nature an other by riches or as we say of fortune a third Morall a fourth Divine first that by Nature is by Aristotle in his politiques thus defined Est virtus Generis et alicuius familiae congruens quedam facultas procreandi viros ingenuos et ad vertutem faciles sucessione confirmata It is a power incident vnto a stocke or a certayne congruent ability of a house or famely to beget an ingenuous progeny apt to imbrace honorable vertues and confirmed by succession This Kind then is not so much in one indiuidual to be considered as in a continued race or line of many and such is the nature of it as that it may and is many times retayned without the other three it is not impossible to bee Noble by birth and thereby procliveto honest and honorable designes and yet bad education to fall to vice and thereby become voyd of Morall and deuine nebility yea and some times of that also which coÌ„meth by Fortune Such as be vicious staine the noblenes of their houses yet doe they not altogether extinguish there Nobility because being noble by Nature still they retaine a power to beget others which are procline to morall honesty For as Laban will either be a Laban or a Nabal or Nabal either a Nabal or a Laban turne them backwards and forwards they will remaine rude rustickes ether a foolish clowne as Nabal or a frowning clowne as Laban for Mercury cannot be carued out of euery blocke So is it with Nobility by birth it will not soone degenerate as one man cannot well be sayd to get it vnto his stocke so beeing once gotten it cannot be ouerthrowne or lost by the wicked life of one Now as on the one side Vice doth greatly blemish it so on the other Vertue in a Noble personage by nature is farre more excellent and worthier estimation then in a man by birth ignoble for in him it is more firme and constant more deepely rooted and as it were wreathed and strengthened with the virtues of his Auncestors so as by a kind of necessity he is constrayned to tread in their steps yet in this is virtue more admirable more properly
acknowledge CHRIST to be their Sauiour Secondly they are indued with his spirit Thirdly they abhorre to serue sinne Lastly they are strong in faith all which are couched in the words of my text for he that receiueth the word must needs acknowledge CHRIST he that receiueth it with all readinesse hath assuredly his spirit he that searcheth the Scriptures dayly attendeth not vnto sinne he that searcheth with these Baereans to confirme himselfe groweth from faith to faith from strength to strength till he commeth to be a perfect man in Christ Iesus To receiue the word doth not barely signifie to take it but to retaine it Actes the 3. Chapter and 21. verse and like good ground to fructifie Mark the the 4. Chapter To search is not an idle but an earnest inquiry to search with lights Zophany the first Chapter to looke into hearts and reynes Psal the 7. into euery cranny and corner very narrowly To receiue readily argues a willing minde to search dayly an industrious spirit to search for to learne an humble and an honest heart The summe of all then is this The best Nobles makes best account of the Gospell of Christ they heare it with a glad heart they study it to amend their lines by it they say vnto it as Elisha said vnto Elias I will not forsake thee and with noble Iosua they meditate in it day and night Let your Lordships therefore bee pleased to giue me leaue as Peter speaketh in his second Epistle and third Chapter to stirre up and warme your pure mindes and though you haue knowledge yet to put you in remembrance of these dutyes If you care to be in the number of those who are the best If you tender the continuance of that Honour which the Lord hath already powred vpon you or expect any future accesse thereunto as Hierome sayd to Saluâ—na Semper in manibus sit diuina lectio Let the word of GOD dwell in you aboundantly Persist in honoring the highest with your hearts by giuing glory vnto him with your liues by adorning his doctrine with your countenance and riches by incouraging the practises and profession of pietie and as when the Lyon roareth the beasts of the Forrests doe tremble and quake so when the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda speaketh though but by a meane messenger you that be of his Court yeeld him reuerence These be the paths beaten by the noblest Christians in these standeth the whole duty of men most honorable vpon performance whereof and no condition els the Sonne of GOD himselfe made challenge to the glory of his Father Iohn the 17. Chapter and 3. verse I haue glorified thee on earth and now glorifie me with thy selfe in heauen Blessed be the GOD of glory who hath bedecked this Land with such glorious lights so many noble Christians and if that Kingdom be happy whose King is the sonne of Nobles Eccle. the 10. Chap. and 17. vers then assuredly great is our happines hauing in the middest of Nobles so Noble a King in all kinds of Nobility Noble by nature a King not by election but by birth descended from a most ancient and matchlesse samely Noble by fortune hauing his lap filled with all her fauours being owner of Kingdomes Countries and Cities wealthy and populous which adds a splendor and Maiesty vnto him Noble morrally possessed with heroicall vertues and beawtifyed with a true Idea of a princely minde Diuinely Noble the Defender of the true faith who is the Sonne of Adam who is the Sonne of GOD. Noble by an exact conspiration of all kindes together Whose spirituall and immortali seed is Nobilitie from Heauen whose Materiall is Nobility from Nature whose immediate forme is nobilitie of manners whose instrumentall and externall fulgor is nobility of Fortune This is the most perfit and most rare Nobility in the world shining in some fewe Christian Princes and Nobles from GOD Nature Vertue Fortune The Lord blesse your Royall Maiesty that as you haue receiued the word from your youth so you may defend the faith with constant resolution and loue the Gospell vnto your liues end The Lord blesse all your Nobles that as they be by their best title Christian so their fruites may be euer answerable to their calling The Lord blesse the worthy Prince with the rest of the young and Honorable Branches of this Land and make them know that if Angels fall they become Princes of darkenes that if young Nobles degenerate they become the common calamities of their Countrey that they are as so many Lucifers fallen from Heauen The Lord for his mercies sake blesse vs all that hauing GOD to our Father in this life we may raigne with Father Sonne and Holy Ghost in the life to come Amen FINIS
A SERMON OF NOBILITIE Preached at White-hall be fore the King in February 1606. By GEORGE MERITON Doctor of Diuinity one of his Maiesties Chaplaines in Or dinary and Parson of Hadleigh in Suffolke Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Them that honour mee I will honour but they which dispise mee shall bee despised 1. Sam. 2. 30. Imprinted at London for Thomas Clarke and are to be sold at the signe of the Angell in Saint Paules Church-yard 1607. To the Right Noble Thomas Earle of Suffolke Barron of Walden Lord Chamberlaine to his Maiesty One of the most Honourable Priuy-Counsell and Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter c increase of true honour and euerlasting happinesse NOble Earle vouchsafe I beseech you to accept of that Printed which was not long since Preached It is a Sermon of Nobility and vnto none may it more iustly bee offered then vnto your selfe whome Nature Vertue King and God adornes with eminent Honours It is also a small testimony of my vnfayned duty who am the Son of him that was once your L poore Tenant borne vnder the roofe of your Honors house and in my youth esteeming my selfe as one of yours First affections makes deepe impressions and therfore I shall euer remaine Your Honors to be commanded GEORGE MERITON TO THE CHRISTIAN REAders all Christian Graces NOble or Gentle Readers I haue here published a short Sermon of Nobility It is published and perhaps I was drawne herevnto by some authority or else prouoked by much intreaty if by neyther of these yet know that it is now a fashion to preach and then to print And though I bee but merum rus a Countrey Minister I would not bee thought to bee worne out of fashion It is a short Sermon For it was preachea not at the Crosse but at the Court The one place requiring length the other expecting breuity It is a Sermon of Nobility Before Nobles of a noble Argument Wordes of good worth if vnseasonably vttered sustaine that reproch which Iudas receiued from the Priests and Rulers in Ierusalem quid haec ad nos what are these to vs but that which is fitly spoken in his time and place is saith the Wise-man Like Apples of Gold and pictures of Siluer Prouerb 25. 11. Pretious in it selfe yet as Iohn sayd of CHRIST Iohn the first Chapter and 15. verse He that commeth after me is preferred before me so must wee thinke of these two how socuer the account of the world be otherwise that the latter is farre the better Martha did well in making prouision for the foode of the body but Mary did much better who receiued from Christs mouth the foode of her soule The one it is but the staffe of life mortall Leuit. the 26. the other the seed of immortalisty the first of Peter and the first Chapter and powerfull to saluation vnto all belecuers Rom. the 1. Chapter and 16. verse From the former vpon a fullnesse we ought to forbeare for the fullnesse of bread was a sinne of Sodom Ezek. the 16. Chapter but of the latter there is neuer ynough thy belly shall eate it sayeth GOD and thy bowels shall be filled with it Ezek. the third Chapter and third verse In this Chapter I meete with two sorts of men The first are certaine troublesome Iewes of Thessalonica which like worldly men sauour bread the things of this world more then the things of GOD. The second are a company of honorable men of Berea more honorable then those of Thessalonica who iudge rightly of the word of GOD and shew their loue vnto it by a ready receiuing and dayly searching The meeting of these noble Gentlemen is profitable vnto vs yeelding by their presence and practise a threefold instruction First that there are Nobles These were noble men Secondly that there are differences or degrees of nobility These were more noble men then those of Thessalonica Thirdly that they haue and are knowne by their fruites They receiued the word readily they searched it dayly c. A Treatise of Nobility if I erre not in conceipt will not be vnprofitable to such as are yong Nobles who may hereby be more stirred vp to propagate and inlarge the same will not be distastfull to old Nobles who seeing the seed and true forme of Nobility shining in themselues may behold with a glad heart the fruit of it in their posterity neither will it be vnfitting ingenuous men for Nobility and the condition of all such kind of persons are by a happy knot conioyned together Heare therefore with patience most honorable and ingenuous Deus faxit argumentum hoc tam sit commodum quam est accommodum and GOD make this argument as profitable vnto you as it is fit and sutable for you There be Nobles These were Noble men Stoicks the old brokers of parity and their successors the English Switzers of these our dayes supposing Nobility to be but a meere fiction or deuice of men in higher place haue made a foolish doubt whether there be such a thing in the world or no Let vs indure awhile to heare them to speake Nature say they is an equal parent vnto all a stepmother vnto none God made but one Adam not one of siluer to be the father of Nobles and another of earth to beget the common sort none are barred of their way to vertue or hindered of their course to true felicity Not Scythia or any other region vnder heauen doth hurt the minde neither is one kindred to be accounted more auncient then another God tooke his first King from seeking of Asses and his second from following the Sheepe great with young to set vp pictures in Galeries and the names of Famelies in a long row with Coates and Crests Notos magis facit quam nobiles doth giue knowledge of men but no honour vnto them the flower and the branne comes both out of the same roote and euery man in himselfe is but as a figure of 1. giue him riches there is a cipher 0. then may he stand for tenne giue him riches and authority there be two ciphers 00. then may he stand for a hundred adde sauour of his Prince there is a third cipher 0 then may he stand for a thousand Thus euery man in himselfe is but as a figure of 1 distinguished only by empty ciphers No more for shame Me thinks I heare either the prophecy of Esay fulfilled in his third Chapter and 5. verse That the vile should presume against the Honorable Or else as Esdras speaketh in his first booke and 3. Chapter that they be the words of men in wine who neither remember their King nor their Gouernours Did but reason instruct or common experience rule these sellowes they would abhorre their tongues as blabbs of their owne basenesse In mettals of the same kinde which Plato resembleth vnto the soules of men some are found to be purer then others In Plants there is a great difference of seeds and
honours are of a higher strayne darkening the royalties of the world as the Sunne obscureth the light of lesser Starres It was a high step of earthly honour to which Moses was mounted when he was called The Sonne of Pharaoes Daughter doubtlesse it is a great blessing of GOD to bee borne of any honorable parents the Sonne of GOD though hee came poore into the world yet would hee not descend of anignoble stocke and Paul in the Epistle to the Romans when hee would magnifie the dignity of CHRIST in both natures saith of him that he came of The linage of Dauid according to the flesh Nobility it is in earth the image and splendor of GODs diuinity O what is then Christian Noblenes how matchlesse ablessing is it to be allyed vnto diuine nature to call the high GOD of heauen our father was it such an honour that Dauid should become the Sonne of Saule a wicked King of Israell and can it seeme a smale thing to become the Sonnes of the holy one the GOD of Israell O behold what loue the father beareth vs that we should be called not seruants any more but friends Iohn the 15. and 15. verse Nay more the Sonnes of GOD not so much the Sonnes of Men as the Sonnes of GOD. It was not our birth day when wee first sam light and were borne into the world but when GODS countenance did first shine vpon vs when saluation in CHRIST IESVS was offered vnto vs. The Graecian virgins reckoned their age from their marriage saith Homer and then began Christians to liue when first we are espoused vnto our husband CHRIST Let other men therfore shew the images of their Ancestors let them fetch their pedigree from Hercules or if they thinke it so fit let them deriue themselues from lupiter so as we may haue this honour of the Saints to call the immortall GOD our Father so as we may say Our Father which art in heauen Which we may boldly do if we feele the power of the spirit within vs if GOD hath anoynted vs with the oyle of gladnes aboue others if wee haue our partes in Diuine Nobility Nobility hath and is knowne by fruits They received the word readely they serehed it dayly c. I may not belong in measuring out of frutest to prescribe in this poynte were with doting Phormio to entreat of warfare before Captaine Hamball in generall therefore a word or two for the finishing of my text Nobles may not resemble the Noblest trees such as were consecrated to the Heathenish Gods for they for the most part were either barren or without good fruit as the Oke the Beech the laurell the mirtle They may not be like Beastes wherof the Noblest are the cruelest nether are these the vertues of Noble men to dice well to drinke well to waste lauishly to wanton it veneriously to forget that they were euer borne or that they shall euer die say not wee haue Abraham to our father stand not so much vpon the bloud you haue as vpon the good you doe fruites you must bring forth good ones toe euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Luke the 3. there is danger els vnto your selues and the seed of the wicked shall not be renowned for euer Esay the 14. and 20. verse here is Daunger els vnto your progenie Againe to whom much is giuen much is of theÌ„ required where the Lord soweth liberally there he expecteth a plentifull crop and the better the frutes arc the more they argue a true Nobility Iustice Wisdom bounty Magnificence greatnes of mind seene in iminent daungers fortitude gentlenes clemency with many such like are good fruits common to all the kinds by which they are made profitable not to them-selues alone but do shine as stars are helpfull vnto others And hence it commeth to passe that euen by instinct of nature we doe willingly obey a generous and noble personage this caused the sheepheardes to yeeld obedience vnto Romulus though brought vp as a sheepheard amongst them they beheld in him a noble spirit notable vertues directed not so much to priuat as to publike good There is a question moued by Piccolo â—ineus a Philosopher of our age concerning men being noble by Nature and quality of mind yet oppresied with pouerry and hauing the world to frowne vpon them what calling they may choose and life professe wherein they may be fruitefull His answere is good that in noe case they may practise any base or mechanicall trade wherein men of low degree may be imployed with prayse and coÌ„mendation but either saith he they must addict them-selues vnto atteÌ„dance vpoÌ„ their Prince in some honorable office for the pleasure of a king is not a wealthie but in a wise seruant Pro. the 14. and 35. or they may giue them-selues vnto Chevalry and leade a martiall life for it is a peece of happines to a country if there can be happines in war when as Captaines are gentlemen and gentlemen Captaines or lastly they may bee Priests I wot well that this sort of people for the space of many yeares haue had little honour by Parliament giuen vnto them except standing by a rogue whilst he is whipt and keeping a beggars regester may be called honour Yet to be a Mayor of a Towne or Citty or a Iustice of Peace in the Countrey I might goe higher cannot sort so well with noble estate as Priesthood may heerein may Nobles liue and deuote them-selues vnto Gods seruice without disparidgement The Prophet Samuel was a Priest a man of God an honorable man sayth the text the first of Samuel and the 9. Chapter The Patriarks were Priests and Kings in their families Vos genus electum regale Sacerdotium Ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood the first of Peter the second Chapter and 9. verse Ecce cum regia dignitate Sacerdotium Hieron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 copulauit Priesthood is ioyned with regalitie Rex non est merè laicus a King may be a Priest without dishonour Many of your Auncestors Right Honorable haue liued in this order and thereby not onely retained their noblenes but amplified also and enlarged the same which craueth vnto vs the continuance still of a good regard at your Honours hands What kind of men may better entertaine the word of God then the Ministers of the word Who vse more diligently to search the Scriptures then Ministers the interpreters of the Scriptures and yet are these the onely notes whereby the Apostle doth commend vnto vs heere the most Honorable men The fruites then of the best Nobles are these with readynesse to receiue the word with dilligence to search it Two actions to Receiue to Search Two conditions readily dayly the obiect of both the word of GOD the end of both to be confirmed in the truth Zegedine tells vs of foure fruites whereby true Christian Nobles may bee discerned First they