wisedome there is wisedome it selfe If true loue then we shall loue God more then our selues and one another as our selues If thou louest companie there is the best all thy good friends and kindred the blessed Saints Martyrs and Angels If thou desirest honor and glorie there we shall be as the Angels of God our bodies shall be like the glorious bodie of Christ and this mortalitie shall put on immortalitie If thou desirest riches there is an heritage and kingdome that neuer fadeth away If thou louest mirth musicke and melodie there is a consort of Angels singing Alleluia glory honor and praise be to the Lambe for euer If thou wouldest haue certaintie safetie and securitie there we are sure to loose none of these things no enemie can assault vs no enemie can hurt vs the Citie of God saith a Father is eternall no man is borne in it because no man dieth in it felicitie is there fullie yet no goddesse but a Gods gift of this habitation haue we a promise by faith As long as wee are here in this pilgrimage on earth and long for that rest aboue the Sunne riseth not there both vpon good and bad but the Sunne of righteousnes onely ouer the good how great shall that felicitie be where there shall be no euill thing where no good thing shall be hidden there we shall haue leisure to vtter forth the praises of God which shall be all things in all for what other thing is done where we shall not rest with any slothfulnes nor labor for any want I knowe not There shall be true honor where no man shall be praised for error or flatterie there is true peace where no man suffereth any thing which may molest him either of himselfe or any other hee himselfe shall be the reward of vertue which hath giuen vertue and hath promised himselfe vnto vs then whom nothing can be better or greater there shall be the great Saboth hauing no euening there we shall rest and see we shall see and loue we shall loue and we shall praise And behold what shall be in the end without end for what other thing is our end but to come to that kingdome of which there is no end Oh most blessed incomparable and vnspeakeable felicitie but this is not to be found in this present world nor so long as we liue in thiâ— life no perfection no perpetuitie in earth why then should wee set our heart vpon the things of this world and vpon the loue of this life true felicitie we all desire but that is in heauen in an other life why doe we not then set our heaâ—t and affections aboue and not vpon the earth seeing we are strangers here why doe we not loue and long for our owne home and countrie if our treasure be there why is not our heart there why are we not rauished with the desire of our resurrection restitution glorification and full redemption this is the delight and desire of the godly Oh wretched man that I am saith Paul who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death And in an other place Wee knowe that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed wee haue a building giuen of God that is a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens therefore we sigh desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heauen And againe he saith That he desired to be loosed and to be with Christ and the bride the true spouse of Christ all true faithfull Christians crie in their soule Come Lord Iesu come quickly What a desire had Dauid to seeke and serue God in the Temple in the assemblie of Gods Saints on earth saying As the Hart bayeth for the riuers of waters so panteth my soule after thee ô God my soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God And againe O Lord of hostes my soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and flesh reioyceth in the liuing God blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will euer praise thee a day in thy courtes is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednes If Dauid had such a desire such loue such zeale such longing to the tabernacle to the company of Gods people in the publike assemblies on earth how much more should our affections be set and fixed vpon the heauenly tabernacle O Lord saith Dauid How manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches he confesseth the abundance of Gods mercies in this world in his workes of creation prouidence and preseruation of all mankinde and yet if all the world be so full of his mercies his Church militant here on earth hath farre greater mercies as his word and Sacraments election calling redemption and sanctification so that we may say how great is thy goodnes ô Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare and done to them that trust in thee And if the earth be full of so many temporall and generall mercies and the Church so full speciall and spirituall blessings how full is the life to come the kingdome of heauen of all perfect glorious and heauenly blessings Indeede the holy meetings of the Saints worshipping and praising God truely according to his worde hath some resemblance and shadow of our eternall happines in heauen and our felicitie there must begin in this life and there is a way and meanes to leade bring vs thither And of this happines speaketh this worthie woman in this place and our thoughts and meditations may applie this sentence further For if shee esteme and account the seruants and Courtiers of Salomon to bee happie because they enioy the sight and presence of so glorions a King Are not we to esteeme it as the best most perfect happines to enioy the presence of Christ the true Salomon and to bee with him in his house in euerlasting glorie Ierusalem the citie of God the beautie and ioy of the world the temple of Salomon most glorious and beautiful his owne house and Pallace most sumptuous costly and pleasant So that happie might they be counted which were citizens of such a Citie which might worship God in that Temple And indeed many came farre neere to their great cost and paines to offer seruice to God in that place and happy might they seeme to be which liued and dwelled in such a Pallace but all these were nothing in comparison of that Citie of that Temple of that Pallace whereof wee speake Those were earthly outward mutable and transitorie and subiect to ruine destruction these are Celestiall durable and euerlasting Our Pilgrimage being ended we shall be indeed citizens of that heauenlie and holy Ierusalem which shall be all of pure golde like vnto
a few small fishes he fed about foure thousand soules He is like that good Samaritane who when hee saw that man that fell among the theeues beeing robbed and wounded came nere vnto him and when hee saw him he had compassion on him and bound vp his wounds and powred in oyle and wine and put him vpon his own horse and brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him Finally wee know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that he being rich for our sakes became poore that through his pouerty wee might bee made rich All the Apostles had speciall care of the poore they put one another in minde of thisâ— duty Paul confesseth that hee had warning from others to remember the poore which thing also he was diligent to doe Hee doth in many places put the Church in minde of this duty Concerning the gathering for the Saints saith hee as I haue ordained in the Church of Galatia so doe yee also Euery first day of the weeke let euery one of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that there bee no gathering when I come And in another place hee bestoweth two whole Chapters in perswading them by sundry reasons to the cheerefull relieuing of the poore Saints You may see that the primitiue Church had both ordinary extraordinary gatherings for their own poore and for strangers these collections were very fitly on the Lords day Such workes of mercy are workes of the Sabaoth then we heare the word which doth stirre vs vp to this duety then are publicke prayers and petitions to God which should moue vs to heare the petitions of others as we will haue God to heare vs then wee cry and craue for mercy to him and therefore wee should snewe mercy to others then are the Sacraments administred which doe moue vs to loue and charity one to another then the examples of others should prouoke vs to kindnesse and liberality towards our brethren then wee remember and call to minde the remembrance of God towards vs which should moue vs to bee beneficiall to others then wee professe the communion of Saints and therefore should bee ready to impart such gifts as wee haue to the comfort and benefite one of another Christians are all one Corporation and one houshold and therefore should haue a care of the helping and relieuing one of another The end of riches is not onely to serue our owne necessities but specially the glory of God and also the necessity of others The possession of riches is vncertaine our life vncertaine our state vncertaine being subiect to the same calamities that others are And therefore while wee haue time let vs doe good to all men and specially to the houshold of faith And consider I pray you who it is that hath need and requireth thy helpe It is Man euen one like thy selfe of the same nature and it may bee of the same Spirit and Grace And what doth hee aske of thee but onely that which God doth giue thee not onely foâ— thine owne vse but for the good of others Nay it is God himselfe that asketh and is become petitioner to thee for the poore It is God I say that asketh who hath giuen thee body and soule and goods who hath giuen his sonne for thee who loueth the poore and whatsoeuer is done to them for his sake hee accounteth it as done to himselfe And he asketh nothing but his owne for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is and all the beasts of the forrest are his and all the beasts on a thousand mountaines And he doth not aske it to thy hurt and hinderance but to thy greater gaine and aduantage He that is mercifull rewardeth his owne soule And he that hath mercie on the poore lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen This is the best vsury to put out money and riches to good and holy vses to put them into the hands of God to bestow them according to his will and then they shall be increased and multiplied We are all debters to God we owe him all we haue he hath ordained all things for our vse and therefore it is reason we should trust him and commit all we haue into his hands A wise creditor will trust a faithful debter with any thing And shall not wee trust our God who is most sure of his word and the best pay-maister of all others He is God the faithfull God which keepeth couenant and mercy vnto them that loue him and keep his Commandements euen to a thousand generations This God said vnto Abraham I am thy Buckler and thy exceeding great reward God saith to thee Giue and I will giue thou hast had mee a giuer make me now thy debter The poore man saith a Father is a fruitfull field and quickely and plenteously returneth that which it hath receiued The Husband-man buyeth Oxen Horse and feedeth them he tilleth the ground he casteth in his seede and all vpon hope of a doubtfull haruest but almes is a seed to be sowen the crop and haruest will certainly follow Againe If thou wilt bee a good Merchant and an excellent vsurer giue forth that thou canst not keepe that thou maist receiue that thou canst not loose Giue a little that thou maist receiue an hundred times as much giue a temporall possession for an euerlasting inheritance What a folly is it â—aith another there to lay vp thy goods from whence thou must depart and not rather to send them before thee to the place where thou must go to inhabite Let thy goods be where thy country is hee that hoordeth vp treasure in earth hast nothing to looke for in heauen Why lookest thou vp to heauen where thou hath laid vp nothing Charge them that are rich in this world saith the Apostle that they bee not high-minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs aboundance of all things to enioy that they do good and bee rich in good worke and ready to distribute and communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life God hath ordained saith one for men two Crownes for the poore the Crowne of Patience for the rich the Crowne of Liberality As the poore do depriue themselues of their Crowne by Impatiency and murmuring so ought the rich by helping the poore to striue to obtaine the Crowne of Liberality Worthy is the example of the Primitiue Church of whom it is said there was such order and charity amongst them that none of them lacked for as many as were possessours of lands and of houses sold them and brought the price of the things that were sold and laid it downe at the Apostles feete and it was distributed to euery one as he had need The nuÌ„ber of beleeuers at that time was about fiue thousand
Iustice that impietie in religion and false worship is the ouerthrowe of kingdomes and as the whole storie is of great vse and instruction to the Church so especially the Chronicle of Dauid the father and Salomon the sonne they being the first Kings that God gaue to Israel next to Saul yea indeed the first that God gaue his people in loue men qualified with extraordinarie graces the one a Prophet the other a Preacher both of them tipes and figures of Christ Iesus the true Dauid and Salomon Their storie is large and long as you may reade in the two bookes of Samuel and a great part of the first booke of the Kings and further in the first booke of the Chronicles and the nine first Chapters of the second booke Touching Salomon in those bookes there is set downe the fauour of God towards him in appearing familiarly twise vnto him the singular blessings of wisedome honor and riches bestowed vpon him the care of Salomon in building the Temple Gods house according to his minde his ioy praise and sacrifices for the same now this chapter in hand containeth two generall heads First a profitable and pleasant storie of the Queene of the south Secondly the magnificence and greatnes of Salomon This text is a branch of the first part and containeth a worthie commendation of Salomon First commending the happie gouernment of his familie secondly of his whole kingdome whatsoeuer is in these two short sentences of scripture all is worthie and excellent and of great force to drawe reuerence and attention whether we consider the person that speaketh the partie to whom it is spoken or the matter and subiect it selfe the speaker no simple nor base person though the weaker vessell a woman yet of great estate and maiestie a famous Royall Queene the person to whom this is spoken is no lesse a man then Salomon a most worthie and glorious King of Israel beloued and chosen of God excelling all the Kings of the earth in riches honor and wisedome A liuely tipe and figure of Christ Iesus the sonne of God the King of all Kings and Lord of heauen and earth The matter and subiect here handled and commended is neither riches nor pleasure nor the pompe nor the glorie of the world but wisedome diuine wisedome which she saw and heard in Salomon and for the enioying whereof she tooke so tedious so long and costly a iourney after her conference with Salomon and after she heard him speake so diuinely to her selfe and other strangers to his courtiers seruants and people her heart being inamoured with loue of this wisedome and feeling the power and vertue of it working in her soule she crieth and exclaimeth Happie are these thy men happie are these thy seruants which stand euer before thee and heare thy wisedome c. Before we come to this speech it selfe it shall not be amisse to say some thing of the speaker a woman a Queene of excellent vertues the whole speech it selfe commends her for here she speaketh reuerently of Salomon commending and magnifying his wisedome she confesseth and worshippeth the true God she acknowledgeth him to be the disposer of kingdomes and Israel to be his people she putteth Salomon in minde of the dutie of a King She is a tipe of the calling of the Gentiles and finally she is commended by Christ himselfe in the Gospell as we shall see hereafter And though all the world and all the Kings of the earth sought to see Salomon and to heare his wisedome yet this woman is especially named commended and a whole storie is written of her because it was a great matter and almost a wonder that a woman should take so great so troublesome and tedious a iourney and it seemeth her zeale and pietie exceeded all the rest In the beginning of this chapter it is set downe whence she came namely from Sheba being as Christ saith from the vttermost part of the earth that the fame of Salomon moued her to come that she came with a great traine and brought with her sweet odours gold and precious stones the end of her comming was to proue SalomoÌ„ with hard questions in matters of religion and as she spared neither paines nor cost but cheerfully tooke vpon her so great a iourney so when she is come she is carefull to learne and enquire of the true knowledge of God to be satisfied and resolued concerning all points she stood in doubt of she confesseth her ignorance and neglecteth no occasion to doe her soule good And now after Salomon had answered all things to the full she highly commends him she stirreth vp his courtiers subiects and seruants to be thankfull for such a Maister Lord and King she reioyceth praising God for him and after in token of thankfulnes she bestoweth vpon him gold odors and precious stones she could not then perfectly learne true religion in her owne countrie Ierusalem was the seate and schoole of religion the scripture not being then in all tongues as it was after in the time of the Apostles therefore she commeth so farre to learne true wisedome both for her priuate comfort and the publike good of her people and now hauing found felt and inioyed it she both blesseth God the Author and Salomon the teacher In this example we are to obserue diuers worthie notes and markes of gracious and good hearers First in that she seekes for wisedome and such things as concerne the name of the Lord and that from Salomon who was so wise in so great a measure Good hearers must follow her example not to seeke for follie or fables but for true wisedome and that from the true Salomon Christ Iesus in his word and Gospell For the scriptures onely as the Apostle saith are able to make vs wise vnto saluation And the Psalmist saith The lawe of the Lord is perfect conuerting soules and giueth wisedome to the simple Salomon himselfe giues this counsell Incline thine eare heare the words of the wise and applie thine heart to my knowledge Secondly good hearers after this worthie patterne must refuse no paines nor labor for the attaining of this wisedome The wise man will haue vs call and crie for it to seeke it as siluer and search for it as for treasures And againe buy the truth but sell it not likewise wisedome and instruction and vnderstanding when Christ was borne at Bethlem in Iudea there came certaine wise men from the East to Ierusalem to seeke for him this woman and they in many things are much alike they were some great men she a Queene they came to Ierusalem so did she they came to seeke Christ she came to Salomon the figure of Christ they enquire of the Priests to be satisfied where Christ should be borne she seeketh to be satisfied of her doubts from Sâ—lomon a preacher they seeing the starre leading them to Christ reioyced she hauing comfort and knowledge from Salomon reioyceth also they offer gold Incense
shops in lawe in physicke in mathematickâ—s c. Many knowe little some nothing or very weakely or vnperfectly In the matters of God how ignorant and senseles are we Nichodemus a great Docter in Israel cannot vnderstand or conceiue the doctrine of regeneration it is a thing incredible to him that a man should be borne againe The naturall man perceiueth not the things of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned yea the spirituall man himself though he discerneth all things that are reuealed to him by the spirit yet he hath not full and perfect knowledge in this life perfect felicitie is in the life to come and though wisedome be not that felicitie yet it is the way to attaine vnto it and the studie of it is sweete good and profitable it is as sault to season and as honie to sweeten all cares troubles and sorrowes whatsoeuer it is as a precious medicine to cure all maladies to comfort vs in the greatest distresse and dangers and though those which be ignorant and knowe nothing may seeme to be happie because of their ignorance and because they are free from the care and sorrowes of wisedome yet their cares and griefes are worse and greater they are in danger and know it not they cannot discerne good from euill and therefore let them remember this counsell let them lighteÌ„ themselues with the light of knowledge before they goe out of the darkenes of this world lest they passe froÌ„ darkenes to darkenes yea to euerlasting darkenes Some may yet obiect How is there happines in wisedome whereas many which professe and preach it and are of great knowledge yet prophane without religion conscience or pietie their life most vngodly and wicked are these men happie We answere that they are farre from true happines and wisedome Salomon accounteth all men vnregenerated and wicked to be very fooles and so vnhappie wretches Ambrose teposeth a happie life in honestie that is in the tranquilitie of conscience and securitie of innocencie and therefore confuting the Philosophers of whom some placed a happie life in not sorrowing as Ieronimus some in the knowledge of things as Herillus some in pleasure as Epicurus some haue ioyned to this honestie as Calipho and Diadorus some in vertue as Aristotle and his sect But the Scripture sayth he placeth a blessed life in the knowledge of Diuinitie and the fruite of good working It is eternall life sayth Christ to know God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent Dauid sayeth Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatlie in his commandements so that innocencie and knowledge maketh men happie Againe wisedome hath no fellowship with vices it hath an inseparable coniunction with other vertues No man is wise which knoweth not God The foole not the wise man sayeth There is no God How is hee a wise man which knoweth not his Creator How is hee wise which feareth not God seeing the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome Onely that wisedome which is of God is wholesome and sauing which according to the definition of Saint Iames is both pure and peaceable for the wisedome of the flesh is voluptuous not pure the wisedome of the world is tumultuous and troublesome not peaceable the wisedome of God is first pure not seeking her owne but that which is Iesus Christs not doing her owne will but considering what is the will of God Secondly it is peaceable not abounding in her owne sense but resting more vpon the counsell and iudgement of others Againe the sunne doth not warme all whom it shineth vpon so wisedome doth not alwayes giue power to those whom it teacheth to doe that which it teacheth It is one thing to knowe riches another thing to possesse them It is not knowledge that maketh rich but the possession of it There be some which desire to knowe to that end onely that they might know and this is filthie curiositie and there be which desire to know onely to sell their knowledge for money for honor and this is filthie lucre and there be which desire to know that they themselues may be knowne and this is filthie vanitie and there bee that desire to know to edifie others and this is charitie and there be that desire to know to be edified of others and this is prudence The first wisedome is a laudable life and a pure minde before God whereby the pure are ioyned to the pure and the holie are coupled to the holie That is excellent wisedome not which flyeth in words but which consisteth in vertues so that happines consisteth not onely in knowing but also in working if you know these things saith Christ happie are you if you doe them Againe blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepeth it and the hearers of the lawe are not righteous before God but the docrs of the lawe shall be iustified And S. Iohn faith Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophecie and keepe those things written therein And S. Iames saith Who so looketh in the perfect lawe of libertie and continueth therein he not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shall be blessed in his deed Indeed God bestowed vpon prephane men and very reprobates many great and excellent gifts they may haue the word of wisedome the word of knowledge a kind of faith gifts of healing operations of great workes and prophecie discerning of spirits diuersities of tongues the interpretation of tongues and these are the workes of Gods spirit and yet these may be vnhappie and cursed men and neuer partakers of true felicitie Saul prophecieth so doth Balaam so did Caiphas Iudas was a preacher and an Apostle but not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my Fathers will which is heaueÌ„ saith our Sauiour Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great works then will I professe to them I neuer knewe you Depart from me you that worke iniquitie God doth bestow such great gifts vpon wicked men that his power might be knowne in vsing such instruments to his owne glory to the good of others and to their coÌ„demnation so the Lord also maketh a differeÌ„ce betwixt those gifts which he bestoweth vpon the wicked and such speciall graces as he doth giue to his owne children to these he giues the knowledge of saluation by remission of their sinnes through his tender mercy wherby the day springeth froÌ„ on hie visiting theÌ„ he giueth them light eueÌ„ the Sun of righteousnes shining froÌ„ heauen to guide their feete in the way of peace that is to all true happines and felicitie These are his beloued which he hath chosen to saluation from the beginning sanctifying
them by his spirit and giuing them the faith of truth euen the faith of his elect calling them by the Gospell to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ these be the sure notes and markeâ— of those which are truely wise and truely happie yea happy here and happy for euer Therefore let vs pray with the Prophet euery one of vs saying Looke vpon vs 〈◊〉 Lord be mercifull vnto vs as thou vsest to do to loue those that loue thy name We must not thinke then that this woman ascribeth happines to the bare hearing of Wisedome but this hearing includeth knowledge Faith and practise Therefore the Schoolemen make three kindes of hearing The one sensituâ— with outward eare an another Intellectuall that is with vnderstanding the third they call Auditus obeditiuus that is hearing with obedience The foolish Virgins they haue Lampes but no oyle in them they haue onely a bare profession and knowledge without inward grace or practise but the wise Virgins haue their Lamps full of oyle full of Faith obedience holinesse Such as be only hearers and not practitioners of wisedome they be like vnto a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse and when he hath considered himselfe hee goeth his way and forgetteth immediatly what manner of one he was such are foolish and vnfruitfull hearers With true wisdome there is always ioyned true religion sanctification Therefore saith one Wisedome is no other thing but Truth it selfe in the which the true Felicitie shall be found It is in no place it is euery where it admonisheth abroad it teacheth at home it maketh all better and none worse Againe he that loueth himselfe being a Foole shall not profite in wisedome Neither can it be possible to be such a one as he desireth to be except he hate himselfe as hee is Both these must be ioyned together Religion and wisdome but men are deceiued that will seeke religion without wisedome and therefore they fall into false Religions because they haue left true Wisedome And some giue themselues to wisedome without religion but therefore their wisdome is false vaine because they haue no â—are of the religioÌ„ of the true God who would guide instruct them in the way of the best and happiest wisedome Of this vniting of religion and wisdome together Lactantius writeth excellently Where Wisedome saith hee is coupled with Religion there must of necessitie bee true religion and true wisedome because in worshipping God wee haue wisdome that is wee must knowe what is to bee worshipped and how and in being wise we must worship God that is we must performe in truth and deed that which we know where then is wisedome with religion to be found euen there where the one true God is worshipped where the life and all our actions are referred to one head and he concludeth thus in wisedome is religion in religion is wisedome they cannot be separated nor put asunder because to be wise is nothing else but to honor the true God with iust and holy worship And most worthily after he saith thus Wisedome pertaineth to sonnes which requireth loue religion to seruants which requireth feare as they are to loue and honor their father so these are to feare and reuerence their maister God being one because he taketh vpon him both these persons of a father and a maister we ought to loue him because we are his children and to feare him because we are his seruants And therefore it cannot be that religion should be separated from wisedom nor wisedome from religion because the same God is he who must be knowne which is a part of wisedome and must also be honoured which is a part of religion but let religion goe before and let wisedome follow because we must first know God and then we must worship him the fountaine of wisedome and religion is God himsâ—lfe Therefore prophane and wicked men are not truely wise and so not truly happie the Lord complaineth of such people they are a nation voyd of counsell neither is there any vnderstaÌ„ding in them Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Bernard alledging this place They would vnderstaÌ„d saith he the things which are of God the things which are of the world and they would foresee the torments of hell then they would abhorre hell desire heauen and contemne the earth And this is true knowledge saith he to know that the Lord will come to iudgement though we cannot knowe when he will come And where as some wil say that all men know this euen the wicked themselues but saith he this knowledge worketh repentance amendment of life and a care desire to liue honestly And S. Iohn saith That euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure so that true knowledge and true sanctinÌ„cation goeth together Therefore S. Iohn saith in an other place Hereby we are sure that we knowe him if we keepe his commandements he that saith I knowe him and keepeth not his commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him So that this standeth as an infallible true principle that those which are truly wise are truly happie in this life and in the way to that full and perfect happines in the life to come But now at last to obserue and prosecute the chiefe maine point and doctrine of this place which is this that the way and meanes to make a people happie is rightly to heare and obey wisedome this is the principall ioy and happines of Gods Children in this life And therefore saith Salomon Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome and the man that getteth vnderstanding for the merchandises therof is better then the merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold it is more precious then pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared to her length of daies is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory her waies are the waies of pleasure and all her pathes prosperitie she is a true life to them that lay hold on her and blessed is he that retaineth her see the fruits of wisedome immortalitie durable riches eternall glory true Ioy and peace she is a tree of life to the soule like that tree in paradise a signe of Gods fauour â—or like to the tree of life shewed to Moses in Marah which sweetned bitter deadly waters or like the tree of life in the Reuelation 22. vers 2. which brought forth twelue fruits and the leaues thereof were for the curing of the gentiles or like any liuing good tree which bringeth forth good fruit to the preseruation of life Therefore the wise man saith Take hold of instruction and leaue not keepe her for she is thy life And againe Hee that regardeth instruction is in the way of life Such a tree is wisedome It is compared also to
a precious fountaine and well of lâ—fe Therefore saith Salomon The mouth of the righteous is a well spring of life and the instruction of a wise man is as such a well to turne away from the snares of death And againe vnderstanding is a wel-spring of life to them that haue it The necessitie and commoditie of wisedome all trees plants hearbes all fruits and creatures haue neede of water for comforting nourshing and sustaining them but this water is farre more excellent then all fountaines wells or water in the world this is true Aqua vitae the water of life that other water commeth out of the earth this from heauen that common to the most vile wicked and to all creatures and beasts this peculiar and proper to the sonnes and daughters of God that water not to be found euery where sometimes it quite fadeth and faileth in time of drought but this is offred to all and doth neuer vtterly decay that water cannot preserue life against violence diseases and age This doth defend vs against Sathan and sinne and maketh vs alwaies strong and liuely those waters may be stayed and stopped by the policie malice of man as the Philistimes stopped the wells which Abrahams seruants digged in his time but this well can no mortall man stop This wisedome is also compared to foode to bread to a feast and banquet of most dilicate costly dainties wisedome hath built her a house and hewne out her seuen pillars she hath killed her victuals drawne her wine prepared her table she inuiteth and calleth her guestes to eate and drinke with her corporall foode is pleasant to the tast the foode of wisedome is pleasant to the soule bodily foode nourisheth poore weakely bodies wisedome reuiueth and raiseth vp wounded soules and afflicted consciences by earthly foode we growe stronger and higher by this spiritual foode we growe in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ other foode onely for the bellie but for a time this foode for the inward man and endureth both in life and death it is durable foode and nourishment that abideth and sticketh by vs it is the bread and foode of life and finally it maketh vs truly happie and blessed and therefore to be chiefely esteemed and desired Wisedome is the beginning saith Salomon get wisedome therefore and aboue all thy possessions get vnderstanding exalt her and she will exalt thee she shall bring thee honor if thou imbrace her shee shall giue a comely ornament to thine head yea she shall giue thee a crowne of glory And again thus speaketh wisedom Oh yee foolish men vnderstand wisedom and ye ô fooles be wise in hart giue eare and I will speake of excellent things and the opening of my lippes shall teach things that be right receiue mine instruction and not siluer knowledge rather then gold for wisedom is better theÌ„ precious stones and all pleasures are not to be compared to her shee is then excellent vpright perfect true iust plaine easie and sweet she promiseth grace fauour friendship riches of the minde As knowledge temperance patience righteousnes she promiseth honor and glory to all her friends and followers as a Princesse shee shall either make thee honourable in the eyes of prophane people as shee did Ioseph in Pharaohs sight or she shall make thee gratious and glorious in the eyes of good men of Angels and of God himselfe she will make vs Kings Priests Prophets Oh most blessed bountifull and gratious wisedome happie yea thrise happie are all thy true disciples and followers Let vs therefore harken to that counsell of wisedome My sonne heare my words and hide my commandements with thee keepe my commandements and thou shalt liue and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes binde them vpon thy fingers and write them vpon the table of thine heart say to wisedome thou art my sister Againe Harken oh children to me for blessed are they that keepe my waies heare instruction and be yee wise refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching dayly at my gates and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores for hee that findeth me findeth life and shall obtaine fauour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me hurteth his owne soule and all that hate me loue death The way therefore to make a people happie is to heare and obey this wisedome this is that which the seruants of God haue chiefely desired wished for in this life Salomon himselfe when he was put to his choise to aske what he would passed by all other things this is his onely desire prayer to God to giue him an vnderstanding heart This was Iobes felicitie I haue not departed sayth he from the commandement of his lips and I haue esteemed the words of his mouth more then mine appointed food This was Ieremies felicity Thy words were found by me and I did eat them and thy word was vnto me the ioy reioicing of my heart And this was Dauids chiefe happines One thing saith he haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord to visit his Temple But most liuely and fully hee sheweth that this was his chiefe ioy and felicitie in the 119. Psalme thorow that whole Psalme for this is the chiefe scope and drift of that large and sweete Psalme that that man is onely truely happie that frameth his religion and life according to the blessed rule of the word of God he commendeth the diginitie profit and sweetnes of that word he prayeth many times for the vnderstanding and practise of it he setteth forth the great account and estimation he had of it the speciall loue and delight he had in it I haue had sayth he as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellers the lawe of thy mouth is better to mee then thousands of gold and siluer thy word is a lanthorne to my feete and a light to my paths thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the ioy of mine heart I reioyce at thy word as one that findeth a great spoyle But to let all the rest passe let vs consider and view a litle one whole part of that Psalme wherein he proueth that his chiefe happines was in this word of wisedome Oh how loue I thy law Hee cannot vtter the great loue that hee bare to it as who should say I loue it aboue all things in the world there is nothing so deere and so precious to mee and because many protest their loue to Gods word and yet indeed loue it not they shew forth no fruites of loue Dauid proues his loue by his often meditation of the word It is saith he my meditation continually As if he should say
true wisedome This is the ioye and Felicitie of Gods children in this life This doctrine serueth for many excellent vses And first it serueth to set out the miserable estate of such as are destitute of this gratious meanes For if they be happy that heare this wisdome vnhappy are they and cursed which cannot heare it which are cleane without it haue no taste or knowledge of it Where Prophâ—cying faileth or where there is no Vision of wisedome there the people perish And in an other place Where no counsell is the people fall But where manie Counsellors are there is health Againe The Lorde complaineth in these words by the Prophet saying My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge Because thou hast refused Knowledge I will refuse thee that thou shalt bee no Priest to mee And seeing thou hast forgotten the Lawe of thy God I will also forget thy children The Lorde threatneth it as one of his greatest Iudgements to send in his wrath to anie people Blinde Guides dumbe Dogges Idoll Shepheards and scarcitie and famine of his word And as our SAVIOVR CHRIST saith That if the blind leade the blind both shal fall into the ditche Ignorance blindnes is a wretched vnhappy thing both in Minister people Knowledge a part of Gods Image Ignorance defaceth it Knowledge the Eye of the soule Ignorance the very blindnes and darknes of the soule It is the cause of all sinne and error And if it bee Eternall life to knowe God it is eternall death destruction and damnation not to know him And heauy is that sentence of the Apostle against such when he saieth That when the LORD IESVS shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels hee will in flaming fire render vengeance vnto them that do not know GOD which obey not the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Some are maliciously ignorant misliking and hating the Truth Some are sloathfull idle carelesse They will take no paines for Wisedome Some are proude thinking scorne to learne and that they neede not bee taught but knowe enough alreadie These are none of the sonnes and daughters of Wisedome but rather those Fooles of whom Salomon often speaketh in the Prouerbes And indeed the Diuell may begge them for fooles these haue no part in this happines but are vnhappy here and shall be most vnhappy hereafter This doctrine also serueth for the reproofe of such as seeke to hinder and stoppe the course of wisedome these are vnhappy themselues and seeke to hinder the happines of others they are like to the malicious Philistimes which stopped the welles of Isaack as fast as he digged them and would haue kept his cattle from water so these would hinder men from the sweet water of life He that withdraweth the corne saith the wise man the people curse him but blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne Couetous and cruell men are most vile and wretched creatures which keepe backe the corne from the poore hoping for a greater dearth much more vnhappy are they which keepe from the people the bread of life the decay of tillage is a hindrance to the common-wealth and the cause of want and dearth and they that doe it doe offend against God and men and they sinne much more which pulleth downe Gods plough and hinder the sowing of the blessed seede of his word which is as needfull for the soule as husbandrie is for the body The righteous man regardeth the life of the beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell pitty and compassion is to be shewed to the very dumbe creatures that doth vs seruice we must see them fed and it were crueltâ—e to pine them how much more are we to be mercifull to men to the bodies of men and most of all to their soules And if it be crueltie to pine and famish the bodies of men yea of any creature how much greater crueltie is it to pine famish and murther the precious soules of men in keeping from them the blessed and spirituall foode of their soules Were it not an vnmercifull cruell thing to take from a poore souldier his sword his buckler his whole armour and to leaue him naked and open to the force and rage of most cruell enemies As vnmercifull are they which take from the poore people the sword of the spirit the word of God being the armour of proofe and so leaue them altogether weake and vnarmed against their spirituall enemies by the power of the word and the right vse and handling of it Sathan Antichrist sin â—rror heresies all corruptions are weakned and ouerthrowne how shall we then doe if we be depriued of such a weapon and most cruell are they that depriue and robbe the poore people of it such are the Papists which keepe from the people the blessed booke of true wisedome wil not haue it read to the people in their own toÌ„gue but in a strange an vnknowne language wheras the Apostle had rather in the Church to speake fiue words with vnderstanding then ten thousand in a strange toÌ„gue he would haue vs not to be children in vnderstanding but of a perfect â—ipâ—age Christ coÌ„mandeth to preach the Gospel to al nations therfore he gaue theÌ„ the gift of all tongues that they might preach to euery nation in their owne tongue Others also â—oyne with the Papists which by any meanes sâ—eke to hinder stâ—ppe the free course of the Gospell such were the Pharises whom Christ threatneth saying Woe be to you scribes Pharises hypocrites because you shut vp the kingdom of heaueÌ„ bâ—fore men for you your selues go not in neither suffer you theÌ„ that would enter to come in And in an other place it is said that they had taken froÌ„ the people the key of knowledge such were the wicked malicious Iewes who killed the Lord Iesus their owne Prophets and persecuted the Apostles and forbad them to preach to the gentiles that they might be saued to fulfill their sinnes alwaies for the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost Such a one was Alexander the copper Smith of whoÌ„ S. Paul saith That he had done him much euill the Lord reward him according to his workes of whom be thou ware also for he withstood our preaching sore Againe this also serueth to reprooue all those which may heare and will not such are all Recusants Papisticall or Anabaptisticall which refuse to come to our assemblies and will not be partakers with vs either of the word or Sacraments they haue other meetings haue gathered to themselues other kinde of teachers and haue made quite separation from vs and yet without any iust cause or reason and the true messengers of wisedome doe truly deliuer the
word they are strongly illuded by Sathan and made his Agents as much as may be to 〈◊〉 the right wayes of the Lord. Finally this Doctrine that happinesse consisteth in the right hearing of wisdome it maketh directly against all contemners mockers yeâ— against all vnprofitable and vnfruitfull hearers There hee some in the Church which doe heare sometimes yet are no friends to wisdome but either openâ—y or closely despise it scoffe at it These men are in most fearfull and cursed state for their conteÌ„pt is not against man but against himselfe He that despiâ—eth these things despiseth not man but God who hath giueÌ„ vs his holy spirit These men they will not beleeue they haue no part in the promises of grace and saluation they liue in Gods displeasure they expose theÌ„selues to his curse both temporall and â—ternall and therefore our Lord saith That whereas hee had sent to his people Messengers rising early and sending and they mocked the Messengers of God despise his words and misvsed his Prophets that his wrath should rise against them and there was no remedie he could for â—eare no longer hee must needes punish them And to such contemners our Sauiour Christ threatens That the kingdom of God shâ—lbe taken away from them and giuen to a Nation which shall bring forth the frutes therof And the Apostles Paul Barnabas spake boldly to such contemners said It was necessary that the word of God should first haue bin spoken to you that is to the Iews but seeing you put it froÌ„ you iudge your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life loe we turne to the Gentiles and let vs heare the voyce of wisdome who crieth without vttereth her voyce in the streets she calleth in the high streets in the prease in the entring of the gates vttereth her wordes in the Citie saying O ye foolish how long will ye loue foolishnes the scornfull take their pleasure in scorning the fooles hate knowledge turne you at my correction Loe I will powre out my minde vnto you and make you vnderstand my wordes because I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched forth mine hand and none would regard but ye haue despised all my counsell and would none of my correction I will also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth when your feare commeth like sudden desolation and your destruction come like a whirlewinde when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you then shall they call vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord they would none of my counsell but despised all my correction therefore shal they eate the fruite of their owne way and be filled with their owne deuises In the which place we may plainely obserue a proofe and testimonie of the mercie and iustice of God his mercie in calling and inuiting to wisedomes feast such as be vnworthie â—uch as be contemners enemies and scoffers yet he doth intreat them and earnestly desire them to leaue their follie and to be partakers of true wisedome but then followeth his seueritie and iustice against such as despise and contemne his louing and kinde offer The wisedome of all wisedome protesteth and voweth that he will hauâ— no pittie of such but rather will take delight to destroy them Nay he protesteth that though they cry and call vpon him in their greatest extremitie yet he will not heare them the reason is because they haue so long contemned his great mercies that their hearts are hardned they cannot repent therefore God cannot heare for he heareth not the prayers of impenitent sinners Againe these men haue no faith and therefore cannot be heard for faith is grounded vpon Gods word which they despise contemne and mocke A like heauie senteÌ„ce hath Salomon in another place saying He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shal be abominable not onely the sinnes and wicked deeds of coÌ„temners and wicked men but those which seeme most good and haue greatest shew of holinesse are odious in Gods sight the sacrifice of the wicked are abomination to the Lord the prayers that they make though neuer so earnestly in their most neede though it be in the houre of death the Lord will not heare them but reiect and abhorre them And is it not great reason and equitie he doth but serue them as they serue him they wil not heare him when he calleth and cryeth to them by the mouth of his Ministers and why should he heare them when they call and cry in their greatest necessities and heauie are the threatnings of the Apostle If the words spoken by Angels were stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recoÌ„pence of reward how should wee escape if wee neglect so great a saluation which at the first began to be preached of the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him God bearing witnes therto both with signes wonders with diuers miracles gifts of the holy Ghost according to his own wil. And in another place he saith He that despiseth Moses lawe dyeth without mercy vnder two or 3. witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be worthie which treadeth vnder foot the Son of God Againe See that you despise not him that speaketh for if they escaped not which refuse him that spake on earth meaning Moses who spake rudely in coÌ„parison of Christ much more shall we not escape if we turne away from him that speaketh froÌ„ heauen But not only contemners are here reproued but also idle vnprofitable hearers many are in the schoole of wisedome no enemies no contemners but frierâ—ds well-willers they thinke well they speake well like well of the meanes of saluation they commend it they heare dayly seeme greatly to ioy in it yet they profit litle either in knowledge or sanctification But it is not simplie a blessing to heare wisedome except we be better by it nay it is rather a woe then a blisse to be vnder the meanes and to profit litle or nothing by it There be sayeth a Father three degrees of woe He that hath not that he loueth cannot be sayd to be blessed neither he that hath that he loueth if his loue be hurtfull to him neither he that hath that which is good and profitable if he loueth not that which he hath soâ—e desire the Ministrie and haue no meanes to come by it this is a woe some loue superstition Idolatrie ignorance and they doe enioy it they haue such blinde guides as they like of this is a greater wo some are vnder good Ministers yet they profit little by it these are not happie but in a fearefull state It is a grieuous sinne not to profit according to the time and meanes it is an vnkindnes
guestes to be partakers of her dainties which do hunger and thirst after spirituall graces The Prophet Dauid saith of himselfe My hart breaketh for the desire to thy iudgmeÌ„ts alway Such a desire as worldlings haue to their riches as voluptuous men haue to their pleasures who are neuer satisfied such a desire I say haue the Saints of God to this wisedome The kingdome of heauen saith our Sauiour froÌ„ the time of Iohn the Baptist hitherto suffreth violence the violeÌ„t take it by force his meaning is that the hearts of men were then inflamed with an earnest zeale and greedie desire to heare the word they did not coldly for fashion but with an earnest violent affection follow seeke after this wisdome not the idle carelesse sort but such as be spiritually violent take receiue the kingdome of heauen he that taketh any thing by violence he doth vehemently desire it will not want it vseth all power indeuour to obtaine it neither doth he feare to expose himselfe all that he hath to danger so that he may enioy it the matter then being so waightie it must not be lightly desired sought for but with great vehemencie zeale And therefore the Apostle exhorteth that as new borne babes we should desire the sincere milk of the word that we may growe thereby Infants they desire milke that egerly they cry yell for it nothing will stay them till they haue it their desire is daily continuall Such desires affections we must beare to true wisedome as good foode is sweet to the hungry when it is eaten so is wisedome to the soule if it be inwardly receiued and digested there wil follow exceeding delight and ioy but because most hearers professe their loue to the word shew their loue by desiring it delighting in it as it may seeme to the eyes of the world let vs see some further signes to approue our true loue to wisedome the account that we make of it first then they that truly loue truly esteeme this wisedome they must needes loue the publike assemblies and specially the publike ministrie and preaching of wisedome some thinke it enough to pray and read at home but Gods ordinance must bee acknowledged priuate duties must giue place to the publike this is the gate of heauen the house of God the court of the Saints here shineth most clearely the louing countenance and face of God in his temple Doth euery man speake of his glory O Lord saith Dauid I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth And againe I reioyced when they said vnto me we will goe into the house of the Lord he loued ioyed in such meetings because of Gods presence because of the sacrifices and Sacraments they are ministred for that he had there the coÌ„pany of Gods people publike ioynt prayers the word of wisedome there read expounded and as this was Dauids ioy practise being a worthy Prophet and King so it is said in an other place that the Prince shall be in the midst of the assemblies he shall goe in with the people when they goe forth they shall goe forth together And as Salomon built an house for God confecâ—ated it to holy vses so he himselfe resorted thither with the Priests people to offer publike seruice to God Christ himselfe the Apostles Saints did commonly frequent publike assemblies such as contemne these they doe not reade nor vnderstand aright hauing so many precepts presideÌ„ts against them Others there be which are content to come to publike meetings to prayer to the reading of the scriptures but they thinke this sufficient that they need no more at all as for preaching they care little for it nay many do scorne and hate it these doe not rightly esteeme or loue the word if they loued it read they wold loue it preached the rather seeing it is more to edification by preaching we are assured of the authoritie of the scriptures we better vnderstand them many darke senteÌ„ces of scripture are explained places which seeme contrarie are recoÌ„ciled the hid treasures of wisedome are layed open to our further comfort scriptures are applied to time place persons affections are more moued many are called conuerted such as are called are further confirmed and increased by the power of preaching for it is ordained of God not onely for conuersion of soules but for confirmation augmentation and continuance in grace and therefore most needfull for all persons be they neuer so wise strong or holie these be the speciall prerogatiues priuiledges of preaching And therefore the Apostle accounteth esteemeth of it as the most necessarie and profitable gift in the Church the cause why men doe contemne hate preaching is because they are in loue with their sinnes which are discouered by it Therefore Ahaâ— hated Michaiah the Prophet as he confesseth because he prophecied not good vnto him but euill Light is come into the world men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are euill for euery man that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to light least his deeds should be reproued but he that doth truth commeth to the light that his deeds might be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Againe they hate this light of preaching and contemne it because it is an enemie to their carnalliberties sincere sound preaching reproueth many delights vanities corruptions which flesh and blood would faine retaine nourish and therefore carnall men say Let vs breake this bond and cast this cord from vs Let vs shake off this yoake of Christ but the godly do therfore the more loue it because it doth reproue their sins is an effectuall meanes to bring them to true repentance mortification they loue the word read they loue it preached reading is not to be neglected contemned it is coÌ„mended both in the law the Gospell thereby we are the better acquainted with the scriptures we are made thereby more profitable hearers reading helpeth our iudgements affections memories preaching helpeth reading and reading helpeth preaching they that best loue preaching and seeke most for Sermons if they doe it with right affections they read most and with more comfort and profit All the parts of Gods seruice are to be practised by a Christian no part of his seruice is to be neglected or contemned this is an other sure signe of our true loue to wisedome often in secret to meditate of it to conferre of it with others to reade the word or to cause it to be read vnto vs by these priuate exercises Dauid proueth his loue to the word as we haue hard before loue will drawe our affection to speake and thinke often of that which we loue this is a more sure signe then
body wee may haue too much surfet of it to our hurt yet it is not so in this spirituall foode wee may be too wise in the world too wise in our owne conceit but we can neuer haue too much of this spirituall wisedome so long as we liue in this world and he that is most wise or holie hath his wants and doth dayly desire increase of grace Corporall food saith one when wee haue it not doth breed in vs a great desire to haue it when we haue it and eate it and fill our selues with it we oftentimes loath it but on the contrary spirituall dainties and foode when wee haue them not we loath them when we haue them in truth we the more desire them In bodilie foode appetite breedeth fulnesse and fulnesse breedeth loathing in spirituall foode appetite breedeth fulnesse and fulnesse breedeth appetite and desire for spirituall daynties when they feede and fill they doe increase in the minde an earnest and ardent desire Therefore oh worthie Citizens confesse and acknowledge this great blessing of God vpon you be thankful to God for it others confesse this blessing vpon you they are glad reioyce for it and would be more glad to haue the like blessing in some sort amongst themselues they take paines to come to take some part with you in this grace and many neighbours and strangers haue receiued much comfort and profit by these blessed gracious meanes which you enioy in such abundance It may be some amongst you do scarcely confesse this blessing they thinke it needlesse or that they may well spare it but most vnkind vnthankfull are these without grace or vnderstanding Others say happie are you but they can neither feele nor see any such happines It may be some of Salomons Courtiers and seruants thought it no great happines to haue such a maister such a diuine teacher to be partakers of such heauenly wisedome but yet this woman a stranger a Gentill pronounceth them happie and happie were they indeed if they knew their owne happinesse And I doubt not but many of you doe acknowledge with ioy this to be the chiefe happinesse of your citie to haue so long time so sincerely in such varietie of gifts so plentifullie the true wisedome of Christ preached and published amongst you Indeed the Lord hath not dealt so with euery nation with euery towne or citie Nay the Lord hath stricken many countreys and townes with palpable darknes but there is light cleare light the day light yea the cleare light of the sunne in this worthie place where you dwâ—ll Many places haue long endured the most bitter famine of the soule they haue bin depriued destitute many yeres of the sweet bread of life but here hath bin many yeares plentie and others come hither to get food and sustenance for their soules We therefore brethren as helpers exhort you that you receiue not this grace of God in vaine but receiue with meekenes the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your â—oules And here by your patieÌ„ce let me stir you vp to more care and diligence in resorting to Sermons on the weeke day There is great negligence and slacknes in some not onely of the common prophane sort but also of some professors of the Gospel a fault I say in neglecting so many Sermons which they might heare if slothfulnesse worldlinesse or some idle conceit did not hinder them If wee did sincerely loue this wisedome and esteeme it as our chiefe felicitie wee would neglect no time nor meanes which is offered to vs hee that truely loueth the word doth loue it at all times A Sermon in the weeke day tryeth our true loue to the word On the Saboth day men are compelled to come by force of lawe all sorts of men come then Publicans and Pharises Atheists and time-seruers but to come on the weeke-day when law doth not bind vs when we haue other occasions to hold vs back it is a more sure signe of our sincere loue zeale to the word And though the Saboth day be chiefly ordeined for diuine seruice and Sermons that day we are wholie to giuâ— ourselues to such exercises without distraction and though the Lord giue vs liberty to worke the sixe daies yet we owe him all the dayes of our life and euery day we are to prefer heauenly things before earthly and the soule before the body when occasion is offered whensoeuer the Lord calleth though it bee to the losie of the best things we haue Euery one is to answere with Abraham Heere I am and with Samuell after hee knew it to be the Lordes voyce speak Lord for thy seruant heareth And with the Aposties to be ready to forsake all when CHRIST calleth Euery day we are to preferre Heauen before earth things most necessarie before things lesse necessary things publike before things priuate This care and pollicie we haue in the matters of the world Euery day wee must remember and practise these holy scriptures Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy minde with all thy soule That wisedome is the beginning that wee must first seeke Gods kingdome and labour for the meate that neuer perisheth and that there is one thing needfull Oh that wee would often thinke with our selues how much we are bouÌ„d to God how many duties he requireth of vs how many graces we want how weake we are in faith and knowledge Oh that wee would seriously remember the vanity of riches and pleasures the shortnes of this life the comforts of the Worde the great necessity and vse of it in all the occasions of our life And that we would consider how dull and forgetful we are what measure of knowledge zeale loue and sanctification is required of vs what account wee are to make for not hearing for losse of many Sermons which we might haue heard and what a blessing the plentifull preaching of the word is then would wee thinke no time too much nor too long that is spent about it but would say with this woman Happy are they that may alwayes heare such wisedome And if it be a happy thing to heare then are they vnhappy which heare not Those that keep themselues from hearing they hinder their owne happines Some say they goe to a Sermon when they haue nothing to doe As who should say they would not goe if they had anie thing to doe at all but these doe not rightly esteeme of wisdome preferring it before all things Nay as it seemeth they preferre all things before it There is a promise of blessednes made to such as come though they be neuer so small a number But there is no such promise made to them which vppon light occasions absent themselues from holy meetings Nay our Sauiour Christ threatneth such that they shall neuer taste of his heauenly Supper There is nothing lost by seruing of God at any time to such onely he promiseth
and bodies he did not thunder or threaten hâ—aâ—ie iudgements but freely promise remission of sinnes and freely offereth the inheritance of eternall life and yet they say he hath a diuell and they pursue and hate him to death so farre are they from being drawne to repentance by his heauenly doctrine Therefore most iustly doth our Sauiour both alledge the example of this woman and the example of the Niniuites to their shame and condemnation This may seeme very hard and heauie to some but it is most true and confirmed by common sense and reason that those shall be most seuerely punished which are not moued by such meanes as haue moued many other those I say are in most heauie case which haue moe and greater meanes of repentance and yet haue not repented this will lye heauie vpon all contemners of the word vpon all false Christians vpon all vnprofitable and vnthankefull hearers though they come of Christian parents though they professe heare and be partakers of the Sacraments yet this will not serue the turne if they be inferiour to them in grace and goodnes and so condemned by their example that had either no knowledge of religion or lesse meanes then they such men sometimes to their shame the Lord sendeth them not onely to the heathen but also to the very bruite beasts to learne of them Heare ô heauens and hearken ô earth for the Lord hath sayd I haue nourished and brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood His meaning is that the very bruite and and dull beasts are more kind and more dutifull to their Maisters and feeders then many people are to God their Creator preseruer and redeemer And in an other place he complaineth saying I hearkned heard but none spake right no man repented him of his wickednes saying What haue I done euery one turneth to the rase as the horse rusheth into the battel euen the storke in the aire knoweth her appointed times and the Crane the Turtle and the Swallow obserue the time of the comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. The meaning is that these birds doe better knowe and obserue the seasons of Summer Winter cold and heate then his people did the times of mercy and iudgements The greater means the longer time and the more plentifull we haue it the heauier shal be our iudgement if we profit not by it And therefore our Sauiour Christ did most of all vpbraide and threaten those cities where he preached most and wrought most miracles because they repented not Woe be to thee Chorazin sayth he woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agoe in sack cloth and ashes but I say to you it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon at the day of iudgment then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp to heauen shalt be brought downe to hell for if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodom they had remained to this day but I say to you It shall be easier for them of the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee In these places he did many of his greatest workes and that a long time yea so many so great workes as might haue moued the very Infidels to repentance his works doe comprehend his doctrine for the more confirmation of his doctrine these people they heard Christ teaching they receiued and entertained him they saw his miracles they accepted his benefits both corporall and spirituall the benefits and priuiledges were very great which he vouchsafed them he did not deale so with euery Nation Citie or Towne It is a great mercie to haue a Prophet though it be to our cost paines but Christ came to them freely vndesired vnsought for It is a mercie to haue the word without miracles but they had both his word and miracles It is a fauour to see Christ and to heare him though it were but once but they heard and saw him many times and yet they are vnthankefull and disobedient But let vs more neerely consider what Christ speaketh of the citie of Capernaum it was a famous citie of Galilie and had some speciall prerogatiue aboue the rest for the Sonne of God beginning his kingdome and priesthood he did choose that citie as his Pallace and Sanctuarie there he liued and dwelt amongst them This is the chiefe glorie of Cities to entertaine Christ and his Gospel This doth as it were lift them vp to heauen but if they repent not but still continue their sinnes and abuse the mercies of God their iudgement shall be the heauier The grace of God is tyed to no place nor person he will spare none if they abuse his mercies and this maketh much to the shame and condemnation of the Pope of Rome who glorieth that he is Christs Vicar Peters successor and that Rome is the Metropolitane and Mother-Church of all the world Though this be most false yet if it were true he must know that the more promises and priuiledges they haue they must looke for the greater iudgements Idolatrie pride vncleanesse vnthankfulnesse incredulitie and other like sinnes haue bin the ruine and destruction of many famous Cities which haue had greater promises greater priuiledges then euer Rome had Memorable and fearefull is the example of Ierusalem which was called the citie of God the holie citie a figure of the spirituall and heauenly Church of the which the Psalmist speaketh excellent things God is knowne in Iuda his name is great in Israel that there are thrones for iudgement euen the thrones of the house of Dauid Pray for peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee The Prophet Esai saith The law shall goe forth of Syon the word of the Lord from Ierusalem What Citie had euer greater priuiledges and yet according to Christ prophecying it is long since come to miserable ruine and desolation the Iewes that were once the people of God haue beene long since reiected the naturall branches are cast off and they are become a lamentable spectacle to all the world for the contempt of Gods word and abusing of his mercies The like fearefull examples we haue in the seuen Churches of Asia of the which S. Iohn speaketh in his Reuelation they were planted by the Apostles themselues they professed the Gospell of Christ they had the word and Sacraments they had all the prerogatiues priuiledges and markes of true Churches yet are they long since quite ouerthrowne for their vnthankfulnes and disobedience to the Gospell What then shall become of Papists Athists Recusants despiâ—ers mockers Pagannes and Infidells when as such as haue receiued the Gospell and entertained it shall be in harder and heauier estate in the day of iudgement then
or if they come to the Sermon their mindes are at home they are like Idols that haue eares and heare not eyes and see not they doe not consider and marke nor beleeue those things which are spoken of the contempt of this world against couetousnesse oppression and deceit If they be somewhat neerely touched they gruntle like Swine they barke like Dogges such as are learned and haue knowledge beeing delicate and dainetie they thinke the plaine and simple stile of preaching agreeing to the Scripture to haue small sweetnesse or delight in it they stand vpon eloquence and mans wisedome it is grieuous to them to heare a plaine simple Preacher though he speake with power of the spirit Great persons men of state and countenance which are scarcely accounted men but halfe Gods they thinke it a discredit to heare many sermons I am afraid saith a Father that the Queene of the South comming froÌ„ the farthest part of the world to heare the wisedome of Salomon that she shall iudge men of this age and the men of Niniuie repenting at the preaching of Ionas shall condemne those which despise a greater then Ionas so many among the people shall condemne many Ministers in the Church withdrawing themselues from their Ecclesiasticall dutie and doing those things which doe not beseemeâ— a Minister yea they doe not beseeme a simple Christian An other complaineth both of Ministers and people saying Woâ— be vnto you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites which shut the kingdome of heauen before men By these words the Lord will shew that the Priests of the Iewes did all things for couetousnes and who knew by the scriptures that Christ was come and they considered because Christ was beleeued and receiued that the custome of sacraficing and offering would cease and that the sacrifice of righteousnes would preuaile but they did shut the doore of truth when they decreed that if any should say he was the sonne of God he should be shut out of the Synagogue so now hereticall ministers they doe shut the doore of truth for they know if the truth be made manifest the Church would leaue them and they should be cast downe from their places What then is the ignorant people to be excused No for if thou wouldst buy thee garments thou seekest to sundry Chapmen and where thou maist haue the best garments and the easiest price those thou takest and therefore thou must seeke and search for teachers and enquire where truth is and where is error It is not forbidden to know the confessions of all men and to choose that which is best according to the saying of the Apostle Proue all things and hold that which is good If for worldly busines thou wouldest goe to a place thou knowest not thou dost not cease from thy purpose because thou knowest not the way but thou doest trie this and that way thou dost aske seek and enquire and so findest the right way If thou wilt enter into the truth of the scriptures sometimes pray sometimes search the scriptures sometimes seeke by good workes sometimes enquire of this minister sometimes of that that so thou maist see who they be that haue the keyes of knowledge If these things be not done it is because the word of God is not beleeued nor the promise of blessednes desired nor the last iudgement feared Where is this care of searching and the truth to be found where is that diligence of inquiring Men are readie to heare receiue and beleeue any thing like children they are carried away with any kinde of doctrine they are still ignorant and fall into many errors because with this woman they will not diligently and carefully seeke for the truth where it may be found All others are carefull and painefull to learne and seeke the true knowledge and skill as much as they can of their trades and sciences onely Christians are idle careles and ignorant in their profession Harken I pray you saith the same father is it not an absurd thing that the Physition the Shoomaker and Weauer and generally all workemen striue for the profession of their Arts but a Christian cannot bring a reason of his religion those Artes being neglected are but the losse of money the contempt of religion is the losse of the soule and yet we are so madde that we imploy all our care and thoughts that way and we make no account of the necessarie defence of our soule for this cause the heathen knowe not their error but take offence and mocke vs for they being in error doe all things for the defence of their errors We being professors of the truth can say nothing for defence of it and for this cause the very heathen doe condemne our doctrine of weakenes they suspect in vs some fraude and foolishnes and so they speake euill of Christ as of a liar we are the cause of this blasphemie Saint Peeter commandeth vs to be readie to giue a reason of the faith that is in vs to euery man that asketh And S. Paul doth exhâ—rt vs That the word of God may dwell plentifully in vs. But what say the foolish people to this they say blessed is the simple soule and he that walketh simplie walketh boldly this is the cause of all euill that many cannot rightly and truly applie the scriptures for by the simple is not meant the foole but he that is honestly and vprightly minded for if it were so vnderstood in vaine were the saying of Christ Be wise as serpents and innocent as doues Let vs blush and be ashamed that the Samaritan woman was so carefull in learning that her worldly busines could not hinder her from the doctrine of Christ We enquire nothing in the knowledge of heauenly things but are carelesse and neglect all things Which of vs I pray you when we come home doth any thing worthy of a Christian who doth search repeate or remember the scriptures The scriptures are giuen not onely that you should haue them in your bookes but also in your hearts I doe not forbid to get you bookes nay I doe admonish you and entreate you that you get them yet so that you doe oftentimes repeat both the letters and the sense in your minde that by it that may be made pure For if in whatsoeuer house the Gospell of Christ is the diuell dare not enter how much lesse shall the diuel ore sinne touch that soule which is familiar with the diligent reading of it therefore sanctifie thy soule and sanctifie thy body this shall come to passe if thou haue alwaies in thy minde and tongue the Gospell of Christ Seeing therefore there is such ignorance impenitencie prophanenes disobedience and vnthankfulnes amongst vs not onely the former examples but many others shall rise vp in iudgement against vs in the last day The Gâ—ecians shall condemne vs in that day for they reuerently esteemed and heard their Philosophers disputing doubtfully of vice and vertue but wee
age against the true ministers of the Gospell Againe this woman accounteth it the chiefe happinesse in earth to heare true wisedome we preferre euery profit before it wee speake and thinke basely of it we haue neither true desire nor delight to be exercised in it either publikely or priuately we esteeme too much of follie we haue no true resolution to hazard life or goods for this wisedome nay we deface and discredit it by our bad liues and therefore we doe not truely loue it nor make it our ioy or happines and therefore this woman shall rise in iudgement against vs and her example doth make much to our shame and condemnation Finally this woman was with Salomon but some short time she could not stay long hauing a kingdome it may be she stayed some fewe weekes or monethes and in so short time she is called and conuerted by the force and power of Salomons wisedome we haue had a long time a greater wisedome then Salomons and yet it hath had no such power for the good and conuersion of many and let vs here set downe our rest a little The word of the Lord is mightie through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into Captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ It is able to conuert soules and to redresse the waies of young men be they neuer so leaude wilde or wanton This wisedome is of that power if it enter into thy heart and delight thy soule that it will preserue thee from the waies of wicked men and women It is a preseruatiue against all sinne It is compared to a hammer and to a fire which are of great force by the hammer and fire the smith buckles and bends the hard yron to his vse and purpose and is not the hammer of Gods word able to bruise and buckle breake our stonie and hard hearts the fire hath power to enflame to consume to purge and shall not the fire of Gods word be as powerfull to kindle zeale in our hearts to consume sinne and to purifie and clense vs within This word is compared to a shaft or an arrowe which striketh and entreth deepely and is not the word able to strike our hearts and to pearce them through It is compared to raine which sinketh and soaketh into the earth and softneth the hard ground and shall not so many sweet showers and deawes from heauen enter into our hearts soften them and make them fruitfull in grace finally it is the power of God to saluation and sharper then any two edged sword and can it not wound vs and cut downe out sinnes the enemies of our soule The Apostle saith That such is the power of prophecying that it is able to conuert an Infidell there hath beene great power of naturall philosophie in drawing men from the hatred of sinne to the loue of vertue A Philosopher could say when he saw a vitious man that he himselfe had beene as bad if he had not giuen himselfe to the studie of Philosophie And shall not the profession studie and preaching of heauenly wisedome be of greater power to vs there is an example of one Polemon of Athens a wild and Luxurious young man delighting and reioycing in infami◠like some of the swaggering youths of our daies this young man spending a whole night in drinking and wantonnes after the Sunne rising returning home from his riotousnes he entred into the schoole of Xenocrates the Philosopher not to learne but to laugh and deride him The Philosopher omitting the matter he was intreating of began to speake of modestie and temperance and he did it with such grauitie and authoritie that he so moued the young man that he shewed open signes of sorrowe and repentance and after forsooke his luxurious life A worthy example to the shame condemnation of many both old and young in our age which heare daily many worthy sermons full of grace and power and yet they are impudent desperate gracelesse and hard harted nothing can moue them to sorrowe and humiliation for their sinnes If such be the power of naturall Philosophie farre greater is the power of heauenly wisdome As one doth most soundly and truly describe it Onely the heauenly doctrine saith hee the which alone is wisedome bringeth to passe those things which the Philosophers were neuer able to doe The commandemēts of God because they are sincere and pure of how great force they are in the hearts of men daily experience doth shew it Bring me a man inclined to anger ill tongued vnruly and rash with a few of Gods words I wil make him as quiet as a lambe Bring me a couetous person a greedie scraper and a niggard hence forth will I make him liberall Bring me one that is fearefull of death and of paine straightway he will despise both gallous and fire and dangers yea the torments of the Brazen Bull Bring me him that is a leacher an adulterer a ruffion and a rioter henceforth shalt thou see him sober chaste and continent Bring me a cruell person one that thirsteth after blood soone shal that furie be changed into clemencie and mercy Bring me an vniust man vnwise sinfull he shall straitway be iust wise innocent harmelesse so great is the might of godly wisdome that being powred into the hart of men it will at once euen at one push expell and driue out foolishnes Hath euer yet hitherto any of the Philosophers performed these things Or if he were willing were he able to doe it who when they haue spent their whole time in the studie of Philosophie yet neuerthelesse are not able if nature doe a little withstand it to make themselues or any others the better therewith Their wisedome therefore how much soeuer it can doe yet doth it not roote out vices but hide them but a fewe of Gods commandements doe so throughly and wholy change man and so make him new that thou canst not knowe him to be the same man he was The meaning of this worthy man is that the wisedome of the word excelleth infinitely the wisedome of nature be it neuer so absolute And howsoeuer Philosophers sometimes might make some men ashamed of their vices and to forsake them yet they could neuer throughly conuert any because they could not teach them true religion and the feare of God which is the beginning of all true wisedome Many examples we haue of the power of Gods word in the calling and conuerting of mens soules By this both this woman and the Niniuites were conuerted Peter preaching euen to those Iewes that crucified Christ their hearts were pricked and they said Men and brethren what shall we doe And by that sermon he wonne three thousand soules to God Oh the mightie power of the word if the Lord lay his helping hand to it Paul preached to Lidea she gaue attendance to Pauls preaching the Lord
Preacher with compassion of minde He hath learned to speake truely that hath first learned to doe well And then doth the seede of the word bring forth fruite when the pietie of the Preacher doeth water it in the breast of the hearers Wee must first bee cleansed our selues and so cleanse others wee must first be wise and so make others wise we must first bee made lighte and so lighten others wee must first come to God our selues and so bring others to God wee must first be sanctified so sanctify others This law is layde vpon the Preachers that they lighten them by liuing which they are carefull to perswade by speaking For the authoritie and power of speaking is lost when the voyce is not helped by worke No man can stand in the valley and speake from the mount Where thou standest from thence speake and from whence thou speakest there stande If thy minde bee in the earth how doest thou speake from heauen be in heauen if thou speake from heauen If thou wilt not doe righteousnesse why doest thou make thy selfe a teacher of righteousnes why doest thou call thy selfe a maister of that whereof thy selfe will be no scholler nor Disciple Finally there be three kindes of negligent Prelates Some who liue well and suffer their people to liue ill Some who liue ill compell their people to liue well Some who liue ill will haue their people to liue ill Those which liue wel suffer their people to liue ill they goe before them in example but they doe sinne because they reproue not their errors Though they liue well yet they must of necessitie giue account of the flocke committed to them to the Lord of the flocke Those which liue ill and compell their people to liue well They do call those that goe astray but they kill those which are rightly strong They call by words they kill by examples Of the third sorte we are not to speak at all But though this be true that the sinnes of Preachers and professors bee thus offensiue to other and hurtfull to themselues yet neyther preaching nor profession is to be cast off or condemned Phisitions oftentimes liue contrary to their owne rules and Lawyers liue lawlesse And yet both Phisicke and Law is good A warrant from the King is not to bee despised though the Officer bee naught In all professions and callings some are good and some bad The callings are not to bee condemned because of the badnesse of them which are in them All fleshe is grasse and the glorie thereof like the flower of the fielde All men are subiect to sinne and error but the word of the Lord abideth for euer It is pure holy iuste and good though those which professe and teach it be neuer so bad Gold is not the worse though a Thiefe handle it no more is the word of the Lord which is more pure then gold being seuen times tried in the fire though wicked men professe and teach it This is the counsell of our Sauiour Christ saying The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses seate all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes do not Excellently saith one vpon that place he that doth euill doth iniurie to the seate Sitting in iudgement if thou liue well and teach well thou shalt be iudge of all If thou liue ill and teach well thou shalt be iudge of thy selfe onely for by teaching well thou doest teach thy people how they ought to liue but by liuing ill thou dost teach God how he ought to condemne thee If they liue well meaning the preachers it is their gaine If they teach well it is your gaine speaking to the people Take that therefore which is yours and trouble not your selues about that which is an other mans for often there proceedeth good doctrine from an euill man euen as the vile earth bringeth forth precious gold Is that precious gold contemned because the earth is vile and base euen therefore as the gold is chosen and the earth is left so receiue you the doctrine and leaue the manners Let vs receiue the doctrine not the maners Hearbes are not necessarie for Bees but flowers so gather you the flowers of doctrine and leaue the conuersation Augustine speaking of this example of Salomon saith thus If Salomon be reiected of God why are his writings of such authoritie in the Church that wee may know saith he that the words of God are not therefore true because they were spoken by Salomon but because they proceeded from God by Salomon whatsoeuer therefore he wrote well it must be ascribed to God and as for his sin it must be left to himselfe The same may be said of Balaam who though he was an euill man yet he deliuered good and wholesome Oracles Dauid sinned grieuously yet his Psalmes are most blessed diuine sacred ful of sweet comforts and instructions to be imbraced beleeued reuerenced and practised of all good men Peter his fall was most greeuous in denying his maister yet his sermons his doctrine and writings are in no case to be reiected but to be receiued and followed of all Christians as holy and canonicall scripture inspired by the holy Ghost Thus the falls of the Saints are abused sundrie waies some men doe excuse all their faults some by them take occasion to disgrace and discredit the Saints and some take occasion thereby to practise the like sinnes in themselues but these are all deceiued and doe erre foulely For they are not written to any such purpose but rather that we may learne and see the corruption of all men by nature and that we may know the Saints were but men and therefore not to trust in them but in God And this vse doth one make of this example of Salomon that God suffered him to erre least we should erre Many things are written specially in the Psalmes of Christ in the person of Salomon Now we might take those things to be spoken altogether of Salomon himselfe but that we see he hath so grieuously fallen whereupon we are constrained to passe those excellent Oracles from Salomon to the Messias for seeing we are admonished in the scriptures that Christ knew no sinne and we see that Salomon sinned so hainously we may vnderstand thereby that Salomon was not the Messias And by such examples the mercy of God is made manifest to repenting sinners And they may gather comfort from thence that if they haue the like repentance they shall haue the like fauour mercy And therefore saith one I consider Peeter I cōsider the theefe vpon the crosse I looke vpon Zacheus and I see nothing else in them but examples set before our eies of hope and repentance By these examples also we are stirred vp to humilitie and watchfulnes to worke our saluation with feare and trembling and vpon view of these things let him that standeth take heed least he fall
are made better by weedes the plantes and seedes are hidden choakt but the good husbandman is carefull to plucke them vp so by good lawes men are made better and the wicked which hinder hurt others are restrained suppressed and as husbandmen haue many things to hinder their planting and sowing as wild beasts tempests haile floods drought so haue gouernours hinderances and enemies to their gouernment which they will carefully auoyde as well as they can This comparison of husbandrie as it setteth out the necessitie and excellencie of gouernment so it sheweth the great care and labour that is ioyned with it for who is more carefull and painefull then the husband man let therefore magistrates be humbled in consideration of the vertues and duties of their great calling and yet for their further humiliation let them remember their owne infirmities and wants to performe their dutie as they ought Let them remember that they are subiect to the temptations of the diuell of the flesh and the world and let them knowe that they are subiect to the common miseries of this life and to other miseries and crosses incident and peculiar to their calling and let them in no case forget that they must giue account to the great Iudge and gouernour of all the world how they haue behaued themselues in their places and callings It shall be said to them to euery one of them Come giue account of thy stewardship thou mayest be no longer steward And for their further humiliatiō they must knowe that they cannot tell how long they shall enioy those places of honour and dignitie being subiect to death as well as others and they cannot tell how soone they may be taken away Agathon had wont to say that a magistrate must alway remember these three things First that he ruleth men secondly that he must rule according to lawes and thirdly that he shall not alwaies rule The consideration of this latter poynt of the shortnes and vncertaintie of this life that we must certainely die and we knowe not how soone is able to humble the mightiest potentate in the earth The highest of them all may say I my selfe am also mortall and a man like all other and am come of him that was first made of the earth and in my mothers wombe was I fashioned as others are and when I was borne I receiued the common ayre crying and weeping at the first as all others doe I was nourished in swadling cloathes and with cares For there is no king that hath any other beginning of birth all men haue one entrance to life and a like going out Dauid calleth death the hie way of all the earth and he himselfe putteth gouernours in minde of their mortall state for howsoeuer he saith that God standeth in the assemblie of gods he iudgeth among gods And againe I haue said yee are gods and yee all are children of the most high this he speaketh of magistrates magnifying and extolling their office and giuing them three times in that Psalme the glorious and sacred titles of Gods yet least they should be puffed vp with the excellencie of their callings presently he telleth them ye shall die as a man and you Princes shall fall like others He would haue them remēber that though they be gods yet they are but mortall gods of this mortall state of Princes we to our great discomfort haue had wofull experience not long since in this our Land A worthie young Prince of great hope the flower and Iewell of our land the comfort of his parents and of all good Christians and subiects the heire apparent of sundrie kingdomes how soone hath the Lord taken him away in the prime of his tender young and flourishing age happie no doubt is he that is so soone taken away from a miserable world but vnhappie are we whose sinnes hath caused the Lord to take such a Iewell from vs it cannot but prognosticate some heauie iudgement to this our nation and countrie and great cause haue all christian hearts amongst vs to mourne and lament for such a great losse This Church may say as Naomi said vpon the death of her husband when they called her Naomi she answered them call me not Naomi that is beautifull but call me Marah that is bitter for the almightie hath giuen me much bitternesse Why call you me Naomi seeing the Lord hath humbled me and the almightie hath brought me to aduersitie Wee may mourne and say with Dauid mourning for the death of Ionathon Tell it not in Gath nor publish it in the streetes of Ashkelon least the daughters of Philistimes reioyce least the daughters of vncircumcised triumph And as he saith in an other place after the death of Abner there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel But blessed be God who is still more mercifull to vs then we deserue and in iudgements remembreth mercy who though for our sinnes hath cut off so precious a branch yet the blessed tree is yet aliue and standeth and flourisheth and also some sweet branches to our great comfort and hope Now the Lord of mercy blesse them all and multiplie and encrease them and continue them and theirs if his will be to the end of the world to their owne comfort the shame of their enemies and to the common good of this Church and common-wealth yet let vs not forget that heauie iudgement but so remember it that it may drawe vs to true repentance for that is the true vse of all iudgements and let vs learne to depend wholy and onely on God and not vpon any mortall man Remembring that counsell of Dauid put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man for there is no helpe in him his breath departeth and he returneth to his earth then his thoughts perish blessed is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lord his God which made heauen and earth the sea ' and all that therein is which keepeth his fidelitie for euer And let this and the like examples of the death of great persons put all in minde though they be neuer so high of the mortall state of all the children of men of what state or conditions soeuer they be And thus though gouernours and magistrates take occasion by the dignitie of their places yet both this and many other causes may moue drawe and induce them to true humilitie And now let vs drawe neerer to the description of the seuerall duties required of Christian gouernours both in this and in many other places of scripture the Lord doth not onely in his word set downe generally the rules of all christianitie but also the seuerall duties of all states degrees and callings as of fathers children maisters and seruants husbands wiues kings subiects wherein we may see the fulnes equitie of scripture applying it selfe and speaking to all sorts of men Againe we learne this
if I giue sentence contrary to law Solon said that the safety of the Common-wealth consisteth in these two points that rewards be distributed after the desert of vertue and punishments after the quality of the offence Iustice saith one knoweth not father knoweth not mother but knoweth the truth accepteth no person but followeth God God is a iust Iudge against wicked persons and if any do stay Iustice and Iudgement through bribes or rewards their sinne and corruption is the greater and a Iudge may be ashamed to say to any offender What wilt thou giue me to shew thee fauour or doe thee Iustice Is not this as if it should bee said What wilt thou giue me to deny my selfe to loose my Office and to sell God himselfe There bee three things saith one which hinder Iustice the fauour of friends flattering praise and receiuing of rewards But this latter is of greater force then the two other There may be causes why punishments may be delayed or lessened some offenders are greater then others and are ring-leaders to wickednesse these deserue more sharpe punishment Others are seduced and fall by occasion these are more mildly to be dealt withall But the inferiour Magistrates can do nothing in such cases without the direction and counsell of the superiour As there be differences of offenders and offences so there be differences of lawes against the which they doe offend Some lawes haue their ground warrant from the law of God and Nature to the transgressers of these there should bee granted no fauour or remission There be other positiue written lawes of the countrey concerning lesser and smaller matters in these the Magistrates haue power sometimes vpon good occasion to remit and pardon so that it be not against the glory of God To this agreeth the words of his Maiesty to his gracious sonne There be some horrible crimes saith he not to be pardoned as Witch-craft wilfull murther incest poyfoning false coine and so hee concludeth that fauour is to be shewed in lesser matters and specially in such as concerne our owne priuate causes But see here the corruption of our nature we are more seuere in our owne causes then in Gods cause wee striue and contend and make a stirre for our riches possessions glory and credite if any goe about to diminish and impaire them how violent cruell and implacable are we But if it be the cause of God how modest how gentle and milde are we Is not this to preferre our selues before God The children of Israel contrary to Gods commandement suffer the Cananites and the Moabitish women to liue Saul spareth Agag and the remnant of Amalecke And another King of Israel spareth Benhadad contrary to Gods commandement And thus men are willing to spare where God would not haue spared and where they should bee most patient and kinde there they are cruell Whereas in our own causes we ought to be patient and mercifull but as for the cause and glory of God we are to be in it most zealous and seuere And there bee some offenders whom the Lord will haue cut off in all seuerity without any fauour pitty or compassion He saith of Amalecke I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalecke from vnder heauen Yea the Lord sware that he would haue a warre with Amalecke from generation to generation And he chargeth his people Israel that when they had rest from their enemies and possessed the good Land hee had promised them that then they should not forget to execute these his iudgements on those people and roote them quite out The reason why God did so hate and pursue this people was their hard and cruell dealing against the children of Israel and therefore long after when Saul was King hee giueth him this charge saying Goe and smite Amalecke and destroy all that pertaines vnto them and haue no compassion on them but slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxen and sheepe both Cammell and Asse But Saul vpon a foolish pitty spared Agag the King and some of the fattest beasts but the Lord did not spare him but thrust him out of his kingdome for his disobedience And Samuel said to Agag As thy sword hath made women childlâ—sse so shal thy mother be childlesse amoÌ„g other women And Samuel being a Iudge hewed Agag in peeces before the Lord in Gilgall Ahab a King spared another King whom God would not haue spared but the Lord said to him Because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I appointed to dye thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people These be fearefull examples for Kings and Princes that they take warning by them how they spare any vpoÌ„ any sinister respect whom God in his iust iudgement would haue smitten with the stroke of death and this is no cruelty to follow the example and commandement of God himselfe Hee saith to a wicked and rebellious people If I whet my glistering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will reward them that hate mee I will make mine arrowes drunke with bloud and my sword shall eate flesh for the bloud of the slaine and the captiues when I begin to take vengeance of the enemy And the people pray thus to God against the seede of Esau because they conspired with the Babylonians Remember say they the children of Edom ô Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said Raze it to the foundation thereof O daughter of Babel worthy to bee destroyed blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs. Blessed shall he bee that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones No pitty nor mercy is to bee shewed to such as bee sworne enemies to the Church and their owne Countrey to bloudy Babylonians grosse Idolaters And yet as there must bee vpright iustice in all good Magistrates so to this also there must bee ioyned clemency and mercy there is vse and place of both and Iustice and Mercy both of them may bee abused but true Mercy and Clemency is an excellent vertue to all Christian Princes and Gouernours They are in the place of God who is full and rich in mercy and compassion and whose mercie is ouer all his workes they are to follow the example and nature of God whose Image they represent and carry they gouerne and rule not beasts but men and therefore all humanity is to bee vsed towards them they are to punish with griefe and compassion A Physition giueth to a patient his friend some bitter potion which hee could bee content in loue to cast away but onely that hee knoweth that it will bee for the good and health of his friend And thus Magistrates are to thinke of punishments as of medicines whereby the guilty may be amended and others by their examples terrified When the guilty is to be condemned the Magistrate is to thinke
thus with himselfe This punishment this party hath deserued and God hath decreed it for him and therefore it is for his good It is cruelty to delight in the punishment and torment of others as that King did who had seuenty Kings the Thumbes of their hands and feet cut off gathering bread vnder his table This cruelty is against the nature of God and it is a vice not of a man but of a wilde beast It is cruelty also to bee excessiue and too much rigorous in punishing transgressors and therefore it is said If so be the wicked be worthy to bee beaten the Iudge shall cause him to lye downe and to bee beaten before his face according to his trespasse to a certaine number Where there is mercy and discretion there punishments are according to the trespasses But it is cruelty for small faults and offences to enioyne extreme seuere and rigorous punishments and it is the greatest cruelty of all to punish in body or goods such as haue not deserued it and such as are honest and innocent Therefore Magistrates must remember that not onely he that iustifieth the wicked but he also that condemneth the iust euen they both are an abhomination to the Lord. This proceedeth from cruelty and rashnesse and it is contrary to loue mercy and iustice and it is against the end and the calling of the Magistrate who is ordained not only for the punishment of euill doers but for the praise of them that doe well he is to be a defence a protection a succour cōfort to such Nay God himselfe doth professe that hee is a father and protector to such and saith Thou shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous Surely it is not good saith Salomon to condemne the iust nor that Princes should smite such for equity Righteous men are Gods children seruants and members deare and pretious in his eyes hee saith of them Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye It is a grieuous sinne and a signe of reprobation to hate or persecute the seruants of God therefore Cain hateth Abel Esau hateth Iacob and seeketh to kill him Ismael persecuteth and mocketh Isaac Saul hateth pursueth Dauid It is comfort and credit euen to Princes to haue the loue and the testimony of the faithfull This is the commendation of Demetrius that hee had good report of all men and of truth it selfe yea the Apostles themselues bare record of him The complaints and cryes of Gods seruants will bee hard and heauy against their persecuters Yee shall not saith God trouble any widdow nor fatherlesse childe If thou vexe or trouble such and so hee call and cry vnto me I will surely heare his cry then shall my wrath bee kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall bee widdowes and your children fatherlesse As God hath a speciall care of widdowes and fatherlesse children so hee hath a care of all his sonnes and daughters hee will regard their iust complaints which they offer into his bosome and in time will hearken to their cryes It is a sin not to encourage countenance and defend such but it is a greater sinne to spoyle them and vndo them or to offer them any wrong He will reproue Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme Kings are the Lords annoynted in a speciall respect but yet all the people of God are also in their place the Lords annointed because of the oyle of spirituall graces plentifully powred vpon them and because they are precious and deare in the eyes of God And therefore the Lord said to Pharaoh Israell is my sonne euen my first borne wherefore I say to thee let my sonne goe that hee may serue mee If thou refuse to let him goe behold I will slay thy sonne euen thy sirst borne Marke saith a learned Father vpon that place marke the Title that God giueth to his Church and meditate on it earnestly hee calleth it his Sonne yea his first borne noting therein to all flesh that it is to him as a man-childe to the father yea as the the first borne which commonly is loued most tenderly and in greatest honour Now then thinke with your selfe what hurt is in you to the fruite of your body and to your first borne thinke how you could endure to stand and looke vpon the abuse offered by any to the whole or any part as to see but a legge or an arme cut off by bloudy butchers then thinke of God to his Church and euery part of it whose affection so much excelleth yours as God excelleth man and holinesse and perfection misery sinne and corruption And a little after Tell Pharaoh hee had best take heede what hee doth for I will make his Sonne and first borne feele it if hee hinder mine and will not let them goe to serue mee The world you know contemneth and despiseth vs counting vs the Refuse of the people or what may bee base and vile but this loue is life and this regard with God is honour most high In the comfort whereof wee may suppe vp these earthly scornes if his Grace bee with vs. And so much the rather wee may doe this because hee accounteth all the reproches iniuries stormes and hard dealings done to his seruants as done vnto himselfe And therefore there came a voyce from heauen to Saul then a Persecuter but after Paul a Preacher that voyce sayd then vnto him Saul Saul Why persecutest thou mee And when hee sayd Who art thou Lord The Lord said I am IESVS whom thou persecutest It is hard for thee to kicke against prickes Christ was then ascended into heauen Saul did not neither could if he would persecute him but because hee persecuted his poore members on earth Christ taketh their cause to bee his owne and he counteth the cruelty offered to them to be offered to himselfe All good Princes and Gouernours euen in pollicy as much as may be are to seeke and procure the good will loue and liking of all their subiects and much more of the better sort Rulers are so to gouerne the people as the soule gouerneth the body and as God gouerneth the world that is not onely iustly but also kindly and gently In God there is not onely power iustice and wisdome but also he is full of goodnesse and mercy Pastors sheapheards are not only with discretiō but also with lenity to lead guid their flocke A good father doth bring vp and rule his children in as much loue and kindnesse as may be A good ruler must be of the same mind to the people as the good father of a family is to the houshold And what is a ruler of a City or a kingdome but the father of many childrē he is not to abate his authority by too much lenity nor the peoples loue by too much seuerity Hearts of honest men are gotten by mercy
all that iudge the world â—ong men maids old men children let them praise the Lord his Name is onely to bee exalted and his praise aboue the earth the heauens Dauid before his death chargeth his son Salomon to walke in the Waies of God and to keepe his Statutes that so he might prosper in that he tooke in hand Princes we heard are fathers of the Country of the Church Common-wealth Now the Apostle exhorts fathers to bring vp their children in the feare of the Lord. Dauid Prepared a place for the Arke of God and pitched for it a Tent and gathered all Israel together to Ierusalem to bring vp the Arke of Gâ—d to his place which he had ordained for it so he they brought it with great ioy Salomon after he had built a famous house for God Hee blessed the people hee praiseth the Lord hee prayeth to God for those that should pray in the Temple Asah destroyeth Idolatry and commandeth his people to serue the true God and they made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soule and whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel shall be slaine whether hee be great or small man or woman they sware vnto the Lord with a loud voyce and all Iuda reioyced at the oath Iehoshaphat he walked in the waies of his father Dauid sought the Lord God of his fathers and walked in his CoÌ„mandements and tooke away Idolatry and sent forth Teachers with the book of the Law of the Lord who went about through the Citties of Iudah taught the people In time of distresse he prayed vnto the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah and humbled his soule and asked counsell of the Lord. Hezekiah repaireth the Temple aduertiseth the Leuits of the corruption of Religion the King and his Princes sacrifice ian the Temple he coÌ„mandeth the Passe-ouer to be kâ—pt exhorteth his people to returne to the Lord. Good Iosiah destroyeth Idâ—lâ— repaireth the Temple took away all the abhominationâ— out of all the countries that pertaine to the children of Israel compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God Nehemiah reproueth and reformeth the prophanation of the Sabboath The Lord stirred vp Cyrus King of Persia to build him an house in Ierusalem And see the zeale of that King in furthering the building of that house Nebuchadnezzar maketh a decree that euery People Nation and Language which speake any blasphemy against the God of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego should be drawne in â—â—eces their houses should bee mâ—de a Iâ—kes because there is no God that can delâ—â—â—r after this sort Darius maketh a Decree that in all the Deminions of his Kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel for hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer The King of Niniue after hee heard the Preaching of Ionah hee beleeued God hee proclaimed a fast and commanded his Subiects to cry mightily vnto God and to turne from their euill way Thus wee see by all these examples that good Princes are to haue a care of Religion both in themselues and others And here is a further blessing of a good King that wee haue not onely by his meanes iustice peace and ciuill honesty protection of body and goods but also true Religion and the worship of the true God and the Gospell of Christ commanded and enioyned and established amongst vs by many good Lawes and Statutes Now for a conclusion of the duties of good Gouernours let them remember these counsels directions and examples A worthy King by his last will gaue this aduise to his son and successour saying Be deuout in the seriuce of God bee in heart pittifull charitable to the poore comfort theÌ„ with thy good deeds keep the good Lawes of the Realme take no Subsidies nor releise of thy Subiects but vpon vrgent necessity for to profite the Common-wealth vpon iust cause voluntarily Iulius Pollux Gouern or of the Emperour Commodus in his youth giueth him these titles calling him Father of the people Gentle Louing Merciful Wise Iust courteous Couragious despising Mony not subiect to Passion but commanding ouer himselfe ouercomming Lust vsing reason quick of coÌ„ceit Sober Religious carefull for his Subiects Constant no deceiuer adorned with Authority ready in his affaires prouided to doe well slow to reuenge Affable gracious in speech open-hearted a louer of the vertuous desirous of peace valiant in warre an example of good manners to his subiects a maker of good lawes and an obseruer of the same There was a worthy Table as is recorded found at Thebes by Marcus Aurelius and at his death giuen to his sonne as a precious Iewell conteining these protestations and sentences following I neuer exalted the proud rich man neither hated the poore that was iust I neuer denied iustice to the poore for his pouerty neither pardoned the wealthy for his riches I neuer benefited nor gaue reward for affection nor punished for passion onely I neuer suffered euill to escape vnpunished neither goodnesse vn-rewarded I neuer committed the execution of manifest iustice to another neither determined that which was difficult by my selfe alone I neuer denied Iustice to him that asked it neither Mercy to him that deserued it I neuer punished in anger nor promised benefite in mirth I was neuer carelesse in prosperity neither faint-hearted in aduersity I neuer did euill vpon mallice nor commited villany for couetousnesse I neuer opened my gate to the flatterer nor gaue care to the backe-biter I alwayes sought to be loued of the good and feared of the wicked Lastly I alwayes fauoured the poore that were able to doe little and God who was able to do much fauoured me A mirrour for Magistrates a patterne for Princes and happy are they that in the end of their gouernement can truely say thus at least let Gouernours striue and endeuour to the vtmost of their power to learne and practise these lessons and to performe all other duties of their callings And thus we haue heard the chiefe and principall doctrines concerning the Magistrate as the necessity authority and dignity and duty of their callings This doctrine is necessaâ—y and profitable often to bee vrged and serueth for many good vses By this the Magistrate may be encouraged and comforted in the execution of all the parts of his calling hauing his allowance and warrant from God By this hee is stirred vp and prouoked to zeale and religion and holinesse of life seeing hee carrieth vpon him the name the place and Image of God By this doctrine he may see the greatnesse the difficulty and the heauy burden of his calling which may bee a cause sufficient to humble him in the sight of God and men In consideration wherof he may say with the Apostle who is sufficient for these things And let him pray with
prouidence that there shall bee some poore as long as the world endureth Let them therefore bee content with their state seeing God who knoweth what is best for them hath so decreed it in his Wisedome It may bee if they had riches they would abuse them in pride and wantonnesse he can if he see good turne their want into plenty Let them know that many worthy men haue beene in want and necessity Let them take their pouerty as a crosse and let them be patient and humble the rather because sometimes their owne idlenesse and loosenesse of life hath caused it let them repent of their sinnes past let them take heed hereafter of pride enâ—y slothfulnesse and vnlawfull shifts and meanes Let them depend vpon God and cast their whole care vpon him and though they bee poore in the world let their chiefe care bee to bee rich in grace in knowledge and in faith and so they shall bee sure to bee greatly in the fauour of God Let euery one of them say with the Apostle I haue learned in what state I am there-with to bee content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to bee full and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth mee Let them bee kind and pittifull to those which bee in like case with them seeing they are in the same misery Let them bee thankefull towards their Benefactors and though some rich-men bee hard-hearted vnmercifull to theÌ„ let them not curse but blesse and pray to God for them who is able to mollifie and soften their hard hearts for it may bee God in his iustice doth turne the hearts of men from them because they haue turned their eares and hearts from him they haue beene hard hearted against God against Gods word and against their brethren and therefore the hearts of others are iustly hardened against them Let them remember and follow the example of poore Lazarus which though the rich man dealtmore cruelly with him theÌ„ did his dogs had no pitty at all of so poore a creature yet this poore man did neither grudge repine nor curse and therefore being full of faith and patience he was receiued into Abrahams bosome And finally seeing that God hath such a great care of the poore in making so many Lawes for them in giuing so many preceps for their reliefe and taketh their cause to be his owne and seeing he hath appointed Ministers to speake for them and Officers and Magistrates yea Kings and Princes for their defence and reliefe Let the poore I say bee carefull to serue feare that God which is so carefull of them let them reuerence and loue the Ministers louingly embrace that word which doth perswade moue prouoke all men to the duties of mercy loue liberality Let them honor the Magistrates who are appointed as fathers vnto them who take care and watch and take continuall paines to comfort and helpe them And let them say in their soules blessed be God for good Gouernours And thus we haue heard many good parts of good Gouernours that by their meanes the wicked are punished the good are praised and countenanced euery man possesseth his owne oppressions and wrongs are suppressed the poore and needy are comforted and relieued and all these benefits duties this gracious Queene includeth in these words Equity and Righteousnesse One duty yet remaineth which is also a part of Equity and that is to establish and mainetaine true Religion this is the first chiefe duty of a good Prince though I haue referred it to the last place Good Princes are not onely to haue a care of iustice in punishing the wicked of mercy in defending the good and releeuing the distressed but also to plant and maintane the worship of God in their Kingdomes Thus much wee haue heard already that Religion Diuine Wisedome belongeth to all sorts degrees of men to rich and poore to yong old to men women children and most of all to Princes Gouernours who are to be giudes and ringleaders to others We haue examples before our eyes of a religious Queene comming so great and long a iourny to be resolued in the truth of religion reposing the greatest happines in true heauenly wisedome Here also is the example of Salomon a mirrour of Religion and Diuine Wisedom to all the world who also planted and established the true worship of God in his Kingdome We haue heard also that God is the authour of the callings of Kings and Princes that they are in his steed and carry his Name and Image therfore they of all others are to be most Religious to be most carefull that the true God who hath so highly aduanced them may bee worshipped and serued in their Kingdomes And this is Equity and Righteousnesse to command establish the Law and Seruice of their Creator and Protector And further wee haue heard that it is the duty of Gouernours to ouerthrow and roote out all false worship all false doctrine heresie and idolatry as all these are to bee remoued so in steed of these good Princes are to plant true Religion to establish faithfull Teachers in their Kingdomes They must be examples of Religion and Piety to others they must guide their families so carefully religiously that they may be patternes and presidents to others If Religion be first in their owne hearts also planted in their houshold and families they will be also carefull that all the people committed to their charge may feare God be truely Religious This is part of the counsell of Iethro Moses father in law wishing him that hee should prouide not onely men of courage and iust men hating couetousnesse but also such as feared God There be generall places in the Scripture as Loue God with all thine heart with all thy soule with all thy strength Feare God and keep his CoÌ„mandements Seeke for Gods Kingdome Labor for the meat that neuer perisheth These such like commandements exhortations as they belong to all Christians so also to Magistrates They are keepers of both the Tables of the Commandements therfore to maintaine the one as well as the other they must see as well the duties to God performed to him as the duties to meÌ„ one to another They must haue a care not only of iustice peace ciuil honesty but also of the sincerity of Religion The King is commanded to haue the book of the Law to reade in it continually that so he may learne to feare both his God and to keep al the words of the Law Dauid saith Be wise ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare reioyce in trembling kisse the sonne least hee bee angry And in another place he saith Kings of the earth all people Princes