â—useb in vita Constant l. 1. l. 4. Zach. 9. 10. confesse and therefore we should all pray to God that he would speake peace vnto the heathen from sea to sea as the Prophet speaketh that so euery man may sit vnder his owne vine vnder his owne sig tree and that 2 Sam. 7. 1. there may be none to make vs afraid no decay no leading into captiuitie no complaining in our streets but that hauing peace within our walls and peace in all our borders we may haue plenteousnesse within our palaces as the Prophet Dauid speaketh Psal 144. 13. Warres iustly vndertaken are lawfull And yet if peace may not be had I denie not but warres are iust and lawfull when they are vndertaken vpon iust and lawfull causes for there is a time for warre and a time for peace saith the Wiseman And the Eccl. 3. 8. Lord is a man of warre saith Moses Exod. 15. 3. and we read of the warres of the Lord and therefore I confesse that warres are many times of equitie many times of necessity and many times approued by diuine authority But for me or any other inferiour subiect to discusse the cause or determine the time of warre we shall with Shemei goe beyond the riuer Kydron 1 Reg. 2. 37. and deserue the sentence of iust reproofe for I am to handle points of diuinity and not of polliâ—ie and you are to follow and to obey and not to guide and direct God hath giuen the We should take heed of ouer-bold medling with Sâ—â—te businesse care and laid the charge of kingdoms and common-wealths vpon kings and gouernours that doe raigne oy him and are guided by him as Salomon speaketh and as the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophâ—ts so the secrets of a State must be knowne only to the States-men and by them so farre as they see cause reuealed vnto others And therefore it is our parts not to be euer prating and pratling of the warres of the mariages or of any other secret matters of Princes but seeing the hearts of kings are in the Pro. 21. hands of the Lord who can turne the same as pleaseth him we should euer pray vnto the Lord and that first of all i. before we doe it for any other we should desire of God that he would guide our Kings to doe those things that shall tend most for his glorie and our comfort and then if peace ensue and continue we should humbly imbrace it and most heartily be thankfull for so happy and so inestimable a blessing if warre beginne we should be readie to follow and most willing to spend goods liues and all but all to this end that peace may follow For though the haughty and disordered spirits doe itch and long for warres and say with the Poet. Non pacem petimus superi date gentibus Lucan Pharsal l. 2. iras Nunc vrbes excite feras coniuret in arma mundus We seeke not peace we wish for warres we long to see the glittering Desire of warre is a signe of a bloudy minde swords quia dulce bellum inexpertis because the warres and rumors oâ— warres are like a pleasant harmony to them that knowes it not yet to all humble minds and to all wel-affected Christians that doe loath to bathe their swords and to make them drunken with the bloud of men to see the tender babes snatcht from the mothers breasts and either bleeding vpon the stones or sprawling vpon the pikes and to behold the high-waies strawed with breath-lesse carkasses and doe euen tremble to make many widdowes and fatherlesse children to desolate towns and ruine countries and to bring forth such bitter fruits of warre and therefore desire rather to enioy that little pittance which God hath giuen them through peace then all the wealth of the world through the furie of warres and outragious violences to these I say peace is happy peace is blessed for these will say with Drunces Nulla salus bello pacem nos poscimus Virgil Aeneid omnes We know no good that can be got by warre and therefore we will pray for the peace of Ierusalem and for peace especially among all Christian kings and princes For as When the Lion and the Bore doe Whitmaeus in Emblem fight The Rauens hope for gaine by that sight Sic modo dum faciant discordia praelia Georgius Sabinus Reges Turcius Europae diripit hostes opes And therefore it were to be wisht that all Christian kings would be kings of peace and would euer remember that saying of Sylius Italicus Faedera mortales ne saeuo rumpite ferro Syluius c. 13. Sed castam seruate fidem fulgentibus ostro Haec potior regnis That sacred peace should not be violated nor Christian leagues be broken for that truth and fidelity is better then the brauest kingdomes and peace better then all the pearles of the world And therefore I say that all godly All godly men desire peace men that doe feare the furie of warre and doe know the benefit of contentment and desire the fruits of peace will euer pray for peace and neuer vndertake the warre if peace and quietnesse may be gotten by any meanes as Timotheus said vnto the Thebanes Quia iniquissima pax iustissimo bello est anteferenda Plutarch in Apoth because the worst peace is to be preferred before the best warre saith Cicero for the warres how iustly soeuer they be vndertaken yet they will proue at last to be trouble some and sorrowfull to the best men saith S. Augustine Aug. de Ciuit. Dei c. 19. and they will make men to be as meat vnto the fire faith the Prophet Esay i. they shall be like stubble Esay 9. 19. deuoured and consumed with the fiery heat of warre And as we are to pray that peace Aboue all things we should auoid ciuill warres may continue among all kingdomes so are we especially bound to pray and to vse all our furtherance to haue peace preserued in euery kingdome that there be no ciuill wars and dissentions in any common-wealth for this is the readiest way to ouerthrow the greatest kingdomes Francia flos florum foex foecum Francia facta est They say France was a glorious kingdome and the flower of allother nations but it would be a tragedy to relate the miseries that ciuill broyles and dissentions brought vpon that country The like may be said of the kingdome of Argiers and of our selues in former ages in the times of the Barons warres And therefore to maintaine this peace we should all keepe faith and true allegeance vnto those kings and gouernours vnder whom we liue for that falshood and treacherie is the Appianus Allexand in fine l. de Bel. Roman cum Mith. greatest poyson that can be vnto any king or to ouerthrow the greatest state as that most warlike and learned king Mithridates said when he was betrayed of his
my Treatise of The resolution of Pilate and therefore now I will but only desire all men to consider that seeing Christ was a king and yet refused all pompe of worldly vanities yea rex fieri noluit this king would not be made a king in this world because his kingdome was spirituall and so not of this world he was a king of righteousnesse then why should not we his subiects imitate this our king herein It is reported of king Alexander That we should not too eagerly seeke for the things of this world that his souldiers would imitate him euen in his stoopings And if they imitated him in his vices why should not we imitate our king Christ Iesus in his vertues His kingdome is spirituall and he is a spirituall king and therefore if we would be his subiects we must be spirituall men and we must vtterly despise these worldly vanities For it is possible we should doe both we cannot serue God and mammon we cannot be filled with temporall and spirituall things at once For if thy hand be full of counters thou must throw away the same before thou canst fill it with gold saith Saint Chrysostome euen so if thy heart be full of the riches of this worldly kingdome there can be no roome for spirituall riches Why then doe we not seeke to be rich Ieron de vita solit in ep ad Heliodor in Christ nam affatim diues est qui cum Christo pauper est for he is truly rich that is poore in spirit poore with Christ saith Saint Ierome and therefore seeing our kingdome is not of this world cibus potus sunt diuitiae nostrae meat and drinke food and raiment is all the riches that we should desire all other things we should willingly leaue vnto the subiects of this world apud quos solummodo splendor tectorum attenditur labes animorum non attenditur For they only respect the gainesse of their houses and the greatnesse of their lands but they neuer looke to the foulenesse of their soules And further I must desire you to note this one thing that Christ is an eternall king and his kingdome an euerlasting kingdome gloriosum imperium sine fine dabit and so shall all his subiects haue an euerlasting kingdome for that good is no good that wanteth perpetuity but our life in this How short is the life of man world is very short it is but a span long it is euen as nothing orimur morimur as soone as we are borne we draw to our end cùm vir crescit vita decrescit and while a man growes more and more in yeares his yeares grow fewer and fewer vnto him sic breuis vita ipsa breuitas semper incerta and so our life is but a very little little while and that little while is alwaies vncertaine for Irus erit subito qui modo Croesus erat There are twenty waies for the vanities of this world to vanish away and therefore Saint Augustine saith Si Aug. l. confess quid arisisset prosperum taedebat apprehendere quia pene priusquam teneretur auolabat If any worldly wealth did offer themselues vnto me I was euen loth to accept them for I saw they were ready to flie from me before I could lay hold vpon them But the kingdome of Christ is a kingdome vnshaken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it knoweth no Chrysâ—st in 5. Rom. That the kingdome of Christ is without ending end it hath no bounds and the riches of this kingdome are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 graces giuen without repentance neuer to be taken away I will therefore conclude this point with that sweet demand of Saint Augustine Quae maior est insania quà m pro momentanea delectatione perdere aeterna gaudia nosmetipsoâ— obligare ad aeterna supplicia O what great madnesse is it or what greater madnesse can there be then for a little momentarie delight to depriue our selues of an euerlasting kingdome and to cast our selues headlong to euerlasting destruction And so much for the kingly office of Christ and his kingdome 3. He was annointed to be a Prophet That Christ was annointed to be a Prophet for I will raise them a Prophet from the midst of their brethren like vnto thee him shall they heare And therefore he is called pacis annunciator Dei fidelissimus testis the proclaimer of our peace and Gods most faithfull witnesse And therefore the Lord saith that whosoeuer would not heare that Prophet that soule should be cut off from his people Now the parts of his Propheticall office are The true exposition of the law The ioyfull declaration of the Gospel The infallible prediction of future things All these he did himselfe while he was on earth and now likewise by his spirit inwardly by the preachers outwardly he informeth his Church of all truth vnto the end of the world for whosoeuer heareth you heareth me saith this great Prophet qui omnes Prophetarum prophetias signauit adimpleuit primo aduentu which sealed and fulfilled Tertull. l. contra Iudaeos all the prophesies of his precedent Prophets by his first comming saith Tertullian and now left none but his owne to be accomplished And thus you see first how Iesus That all Christians are annointed with the graces of Gods Spirit was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes In respect of the sweetnesse of which oyle the Church saith meliora sunt vbera tua vino fragrantia vnguentis optimi thy loue is better then wine it is sweeter then the sweetest ointment And with this ointment he annointeth all his members and from this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are likewise called Christians quia excellenter vnctus corpus suum perungit because he being most excellently annointed did annoint all his body saith Saint Augustine and so Saint Iohn Aug. in Psal 103. saith we haue an ointment from that holy one i. from Christ the annointed that is the sweet gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit as Theodoret doth expound Theodor. in Cant. it and as the Prophet Dauid did meane when he saith that the pretious ointment was powred vpon the head and ran downe vpon the beard euen vnto Aarons beard and ran downe to the skirts of his clothing for this cannot be interpreted literally of any materiall oyle 1. Because we neuer read that Aaron Anton. p. 1. to 6. c. 2 §. 5. was so annointed that the oyle ran downe to the borders of his garments 2. Because the words immediatly following like the dew of Hermon that fell vpon the hill of Sion must necessarily bee spiritually vnderstood for the dew of Hermon cannot possibly descend vpon the hill of Sion 1. Because they are farre distant the one from the other 2. Because mount Sion is farre higher then mount Hermon as Hugo Cardinalis doth obserue And therefore this must bee vnderstood of that spirituall oyle of gladnesse the most
labours saith Saint Bernard 2. The imperfect peace which the Saints haue here in this life is three-fold as the same Saint Bernard noteth Idem ser 5. in festo omnium sanct 1. With God 2. With men 3. With our selues De 1. Our forefathers sinning against God made vs all enemies vnto God and God saith he will be auenged of his Esay 1. enemies and therefore we cannot be deliuered vnlesse we be reconciled for there is no way to flye no place to hide Psal 139. 7 8 9. vs no Atturney to plead for vs as old Ely sheweth and therefore O man 1 Sam. 25. why striuest thou with God durum est contra stimulum calcitrare it is hard to striue against the streme it is hard to preuaile against thy God for he is a consuming fire and neuer any escaped out of his hands Christ therefore became our mediator and vndertooke the discipline of our peace by his most bitter sufferings for our transgressions and so he became peace to them that were afarre off and peace to them that were neere i. both to the Iewes and to the Gentiles as S. Ierome expoundeth it In respect of this our Sauiour after his resurrection when he bade peace be vnto Iohn 20. 20. you shewed them his hands and his feet as if he should haue said behold hereby how deerely I haue bought and purchased your peace by such bitter sufferings for your transgressions And so Christ hath made our peace with God if we beleeue in him for being iustified by faith we haue peace with Rom 5. 1. God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And this is the first and the chiefest peace and the fountaine from whence all other peace doth flow 2. The second is peace with men and Of peace with men this is a fruit and effect of our peace with God and it is nothing else but a sweet harmony and consent of mindes to will and to doe the same things and to helpe and further each other in all godly actions And so we read of the Christians of Act. 2. 46. and Act. 4. 32. Caluinus in 2. Cor. the primitiue Church that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one heart and of one minde and this must prius pertinere ad opinionum consensum first pertaine to consent in iudgement and opinion to teach and to beleeue the same points of doctrine and then mutua sese charitate amorum contunctione complecti to loue each other with mutuall loue and charity 〈◊〉 foederis haec species id habet concordia Alciat signum Vt quos iungit amor iungat ipsa manus For this is the propertie of true peace to haue a sweet harmony of consent and concord in all things to will the same things to speake the same things and to doe the same things and as the Apostle speaketh to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace And here we must vnderstand that That there be diuers kindes of peace with men this peace with men is of diuers kindes according to the seuerall estates and degrees of men but for methods sake we may diuide it into a 1. Ciuill peace and 2. Ecclesiasticall peace 1. The ciuill peace is either 1. Domesticall 2. Politicall 3. Vniuersall The 1. is when man and wife doe louingly liue and peaceably agree together in all honestie and godlinesse and so when parents and children masters and seruants and all that are in a house doe performe each one his dutie for the continuance of peace and quietnesse within the house without which the house cannot continue saith our Sauiour Matth. 12. 15. The 2. is when Magistrate and subiect high and low rich and poore neighbours equals and all that doe remaine and dwell either in Citie Countrey or Common-wealth doe each one performe his dutie to liue in peace and quietnesse for the preseruation either of Citie or Common-wealth without which the strongest Ibid. kingdome cannot stand saith our Sauiour The third is when Kings Countries and nations are in league and in peace Zach. 9. 10. one with another for the publique good the generall commerce of all nations and the vnspeakable benefit of all the world 2. Ecclesiasticall peace is when the Mich. 4. 3. Ministers and Preachers of Gods word doe 1. Agree in opinions among themselues 2. Liue in peace and quietnesse among their neighbours and parishioners Both which doe exceedingly make for the happinesse of the Church for the inlargement of the Kingdome of Christ and the propagation of his Gospell Of the peace of conscience And these are the chiefest kindes and principall sorts of peace among men which is the second kinde of peace that the Apostle wisheth vnto the Saints peace with men 3. The third is peace with our selues another fruit an effect of the former peace with God and it is nothing else but a quieting of our mindes and consciences not only for that we are at peace with all men which is an exceeding great content vnto the minde of man but especially for that we are at peace with God and therefore neede not feare the vengeance and the wrath of God That nothing in the world can discontent the mindes of the Saints Ioh. 14. 27. because we are reconciled vnto him our debts are paid and our sinnes are satisfied for by Iesus Christ And therefore as our Sauiour saith let not your hearts be troubled neither feare for I haue ouercome the world I haue vanquished your enemies I haue washed away your sinnes and I haue made your peace with God so the Saints doe follow his aduice they doe set their hearts at rest and because they know that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus they doe exultingly say with the blessed Apostle who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Rom. 8. 1. it is God that iustifieth who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall tribulation Ibid. v. 33. 34. c. or anguish or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword no not these nor any of these nor all these nor yet principalities nor powers nor height nor depth nor life nor death nor things present nor things to come nor any thing else shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus for that in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loued vs and therefore Terra tremit mare mugit sic ruit ortus orcus Si modo firma fides nulla ruina nocet Let the Sea make a noise and let the Earth be moued into the midst of the Sea yea let the Heauens vanish and Hell perish yet the Saints neede not feare to perish nam conscia mens recti famae mendaciaridet For their consciences being at peace assuring them they are at peace with God and knowing they are at peace with men they neede not feare what man
will of the reasonable creature and prepare the same that it may will that which is good but nothing can effectually change the will of man but he that made the will and therefore if there be any aptnesse or preparation in man for the receiuing of grace that very aptitude is through the helpe of grace for no man commeth to me vnlesse my Iohn 6. Father draw him saith our Sauiour i. no man hath any vertue or abilitie in himselfe to come to me but only by the helpe of those graces that my Father giues him for that euery good and Iames 1. perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights And therefore though the heathens All the good we haue are gifts from God out of their ignorance called their virtues and good qualities which they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of hauing as though they had them from themselues yet we that are better instructed in Gods truth doe call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifts from God for we say that no men are worthie but such as are made worthie none good but such as are made good none meete but such as God the Father Coloss 1. 12. hath made meete to be pertakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light because as Iohn Baptist saith a man can receiue nothing except it be giuen him from aboue and therefore we say that the very thoughts of our hearts if they tend to good are from him that infuseth Thom. 1. 2 ae q. 76. art 2. all grace immediatly as saith Aquinas i. from God the Father c. Hereby we see that God giues grace and glorie and that he is the fountaine of all grace Iuvat integros accedere fontes Atque haurire Lucret. l. 1. p. 24. And therefore wee should goe to the spring head to seeke for grace Nam licet allata gratus sit sapor in vnda Dulcius ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae For there is the surest drawing there is the sweetest drinke and although the grace of God before the comming of Christ quasi in vase aliquo Ambrose claudebatur was like an ointment kept close in an Alablaster box yet now vt vnguentum effusum it is like an ointment powred out or though before it was vt fons signatus as a fountaine locked vp yet now vt fluuialibus vndis Exstumuit torrens fluit acrius amne perenni Like a violent floud-streame it floweth more generally ouer the face of all the earth to renue it then Noahs floud did to destroy it and therefore vir bonus haurit gratiam euery good man will come vnto this springing well to draw grace from this fountaine of grace Ideo enim lex data est vt gratia quaereretur Aug. de spirit lit gratia data est vt lex impleretur for to this end was the Law giuen that that wee should earnestly seeke for grace and grace is giuen that we might keepe and fulfill the Law 2. As he is the sole authour of all grace so of all peace 1. With himselfe for he himselfe hath wrought our peace with himselfe and therefore it is called the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding and we pray for that peace which the world cannot giue vs nor any thing in the world purchase vnto vs for the Lord will not be pleased with a thousand of Rammes nor with tenne thousand rivers of oile nor yet with the fruits of our bodies for the sinnes of our soules it will cost vs more to redeeme our soules then that it must be the pretious bloud of Iesus Christ 2. It is he that worketh our peace God worketh each kinde of peace with men that worketh each kinde of peace among all sorts of men for he maketh warres to cease he knappeth the speare in sunder be breaketh the sword the shields and the battell he maketh men to be of one minde in a house and so he maketh peace in our borders peace in our houses peace in all places and filleth vs with the fruits of peace health wealth and prosperitie to teach vs that he is not only the author of inward and spirituall graces but also of all outward peace and temporall blessings For as the image of a Prince is seene as well in a penny as in a piece of greater price so we may see the goodnesse of God as well in the things of this life as in the things that concerne eternall life and therefore our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray not only for the inestimable things of eternall life vt adueniat regnum that his kingdome come but also for the meanest things of this mortall life that he would giue vs our daily bread Yet some haue doubted whether these outward temporall things be good or not and some Diuines haue doubted whether wee may pray for temporall things as Barrad sheweth vpon those words All these things shall be cast vnto you but wee are resolued by our Sauiours testimonie If you that are euill can giue your children Luke 11. good things for that is not only good quod facit bonum which maketh a man 1 Iohn 3. good but that also de quo fit bonum whereby a man may doe good saith S. Augustine and therefore albeit riches honours doe not alwaies make a man good yet because a man may doe alwaies good with them we say they are good and giuen only of God And so they that haue no fruits of grace are compelled to subscribe that the fruits of peace come from God for when they see themselues destitute of them and by all their wits are vnable to procure them then they crie out quis ostendit nobis bona who can shew vs Psal 4. any good as if they should say none can doe it vnlesse God doth the same 3. It is he that worketh our peace with our selues for in me you shall haue peace i. such contentment of minde and such firme resolutions that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate you from the loue of God for I will giue you that hidden manna that secret ioyes and sweet contentments that none in the world knowes the excellencies thereof but only they that haue it and so we see these two points sufficiently proued 1. That in our selues there is no goodnesse 2. That from God proceedeth all goodnesse both grace and peace both temporall and spirituall blessing for application then I say that The first point may serue to exclude Rom. 3. 27. our boasting and to teach vs true humilitie to say with Iacob I am not worthy Gen. 37. of the least of thy blessings with Iohn Baptist I am not worthy to vntie the latchet Matth. 3. of thy shooe with Paul I am not worthy 1 Cor. 15. to
Instruction For parents are Fathers are bound to instruct their children bound to instruct their children Eph. 6. 4. And therefore Abraham did teach his sonnes to feare the Lord and so did Iosuah Dauid and all other good fathers teach and instruct their children to doe that which was iust and honest and the verie Heathens did account Plutarch in Lacon Apoth those parents worthie of iust reproofe that were carelesse in the good education and instruction of their children And therefore God being our father hath such a care to teach his children that he sent wise men and Prophets and came himselfe and sends vs in his owne name and with his owne booke to teach all nations both what they should Matth. 28. vlt. doe and what they should beleeue And no doubt but euerie wise childe will receiue instruction as Salomon speaketh and especially when they haue so good a teacher 2. Correction For a father must Parents are bound to correct their children Ecclus. 30. 8. not be too indulgent vnto his children but they must be sure to giue them due correction for If thou bring up thy sonne deliciously he shall make thee afraid if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauinesse saith the sonne of Syrach and therefore Salomon saith Withdraw Pro. 23. 13. not correction from thy childe if thou smite him with the rod he shall not die And therefore God correcteth and chasteneth euerie childe that he receiueth so that whosoeuer is exempted à passione August flagellorum exceptus est à numero filiorum from his part of affliction he is excepted from the number of Gods children hee is a bastard and no sonne Heb. 12. saith the Apostle And therefore this should make vs all to reioyce in tribulations because they are infallible arguments to proue vs to bee the sonnes of God 3. Though a father is bound to Fathers are verie indulgent to their children correct his childe yet he is so affected to his sonne that pro magno peccato panlulum supplicium patri satis est for a great offence a small punishment will be sufficient for a father to impose vpon his sonne And therefore though Absolon sought to depriue his father of his kingdome yet Dauid was most ready to forgiue him if hee had sought for any pardon And though the prodigall childe had cast off his father and wastefully spent all his patrimonie yet when he returned he was ioyfully receiued and most kindly entertained of his louing father euen so if we turne vnto our heauenly father he will be willing to forgiue vs and most ready to receiue vs because he is our father and in that respect the father of mercies as the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. calleth him And therefore this facilitas ad veniam tender hearted affection and fatherly loue of God towards vs should teach vs virtutem redeundi at length to say with the prodigall sonne I will returne and goe to my father For if the loue and affection of naturall fathers bee so great vnto their children as I shewed in the fore-said examples then surely the loue and compassion of our heauenly father is a great deale more for though the mother should forget the childe of her wombe yet will not I forget you saith the Lord. 4. A father careth for his sonnes and 2 Cor. 12. Fathers are bound to prouide for their children layeth vp for his children saith the Apostle and so God careth for vs your heauenly father knoweth you haue need of these things saith our Sauiour And according to our need hee is willing to supply our wants for if you that are euill can giue your children good things how much more shall our heauenly father giue to them that want it neither is he only carefull for vs but also for our children and therefore is called Pater orphanorum the Father of the orphans of the poore the father lesse and widowes of our selues and of our seed after vs. Neither is he only carefull to prouide for vs the things of this life but he prouideth for vs the goods of eternall life not lands and riches and such like corruptible things but an inheritance 1 Pet. 1. immortall and an heauenly kingdome that shall neuer haue ending And therefore I would to God wee would leaue and cast off all distrustfull care from vs and as the Apostle wisheth vs to cast our care vpon God that careth for all curis tabescimus omnes For this musing care and carking after the things of this life depriues vs of all true comfort it distracts our mindes it wearies our bodies and it makes vs vnfit and vnable to doe any true seruice vnto God And yet all to no end for when we haue done what we can we are at our liues end like the mill-wheele at the yeeres end after all her tumbling and turning at the same place where she was at the beginning for Naked we came into the world and naked wee shall returne againe And then as Diogenes said vnto Croesus quid tibi diuitiae Auson epig. 55. Nunc prosunt regum rex ô ditissime cum sis Sicut ego solus What good will all the wealth in the world doe vnto vs and therefore seeing God our father careth for vs let vs cast all our care vpon him 2. As this doctrine teacheth vs what What duties wee owe to our heauenly father to hope for at the hands of God so it teacheth vs what we owe to God for as he dignified vs with the name of sons so he requireth of vs the duties of sons And especially these foure 1. Feare 2. Obedience 3. Loue. 4. Imitation 1. If you call him Father then passe the time of your dwelling here in feare 1 Pet. 1. 13. How dearly children should loue their father and because we are sonnes it must be a filiall feare 2. As the name of a Father doth expresse his loue to vs so it should excite Aug. l. 2. c. 8. de sermone Domini our loue towards him againe For Quid charius filijs debet esse quà m pater What thing in the world should be so deare vnto the children as their father And therefore if I be a father where is my loue saith the Lord Defessum fertur portare ciconia patrem Aelian l. 10 c. 16. Hinc illa piet as sancta notatur aue It is reported of the Storke that he loues his sire so well that when he growes old and feeble the young one will carry it vpon his backe And if the bruit beasts doe shew such loue vnto their sires oh what loue should we shew vnto our heauenly father 3. Children are bound to honour and To obey God is the chiefest honour we can shew to God to obey their father for a wise sonne maketh a glad father saith the Wiseman But a sonne can neuer glad his father better then by doing his will and by obeying his voice
excellent graces of Gods spirit that was powred vpon the head Christ Iesus without measure and thence ran downe vpon the beard i. the Apostles and Preachers and so to the skirts of his clothing i. to all faithfull Christians bee they neuer so meane And therefore if wee be Christians i. annointed with the graces of Gods spirit odor bonus sumus Deo wee smell sweetly in the sight of God we are like the smell of a pleasant field which the Lord hath blessed and he will finde in vs a sauor of rest But if we liue in loathsome sinne we shall smell most odious in the nosthrils of God And 2. you see how Christ was annointed to be King Priest and Prophet which should teach vs two especiall lessons 1. The dignitie the superiority and Dignity of Kings Priests Prophets the excellency of Kings Priests and Prophets and that in many respects For 1. They only were annointed a sufficient argument of soueraignty for if you powre Water Wine Vineger and Oyle together they say Oyle will needes be vppermost 2. They were not onely annointed with oyle sed oleo sancto but with holy oyle he tooke it not from the Apothecaries shop or the Merchants ware-house but from the Sanctuarie to teach vs that sacred is their office whereunto they are designed sacred the power wherewith they are indued and sacred the persons whereunto it was applied and therefore this should teach all men to render vnto these their due respects and to beware of the contradiction of Corah lest wee fall into the same destruction But it may be some will say what if these annointed proue wicked if Kings proue Tyrants Priests Heretikes and Prophets lewd and lying Prophets are we still enioyned to the same reuerence and obedience I answer that some indeed are of minde if this annointing proue defectiue this oyle may be wiped off and as the Iewes gaue there bill of diuorcement so we should haue our writ de iusta abdicatione of renunciation But if this were allowed all Kings That inferiours must neuer stand against their superiours would be soone made Tyrants and all Priests Hereticks in the iudgement of the disobedient and therefore we say Proue what they will thou art bound to obey in all ciuill and outward actions and neuer to rebell in any action For the anointing of these men did not giue them grace to execute their offices but onely a iust title to enioy their offices neither doth it include any thing but a iust title of administration nor excluaâ— any thing but vsurpation for we read that Cyrus was Christus annointed though no christian and Iulian was vnctus though worse then a Pagan and so Saul was the annointed of God when he was forsaken of the spirit of God and yet Dauid would not touch Saul though he was a tyrant and the Christians would not lift vp their hands against Iulian though he was an Apostata because they were annointed i. appointed of the Lord though they were none of the true seruants of the Lord. For the Lord many times will place wicked men ouer vs for our correction as well as godly men for our consolation and therefore when God placeth any we must not seeke to displace him though he were neuer so wicked vnlesse it be by our priuate praiers and publike patience Yet I denie not but in cases of great In cases of extremity we may flie to saue our liues extremities where losse of life or danger of soule is imminent we may with Lot fly and haste away to saue our selues â—s Dauid did from Saul but to take armes against the Lords annointed or any waies to proue imurious vnto them to their persons places or dignities we may no waies doe it though wee had power to doe it as that most excellent example of Dauid towards Saul doth most excellently declare And therefore S. Ambrose saith Ambros orat in Auxent Wee must not rebell against the most wicked Kings that in such a case we may refuse the doing of the fact if it be contrarie to the word of God but we may not refuse to submit our selues to the penaltie we may sigh and mourne but we may not stirre vp rebellion we may humbly intreat and beseech but we may not stubbornely fight for we are bound to yeeld our true allegeance though we be forbid to yeeld to any wicked performance And what is said of Kings I say the same of Priests that their people should haue no hand in their deposition nam sapientis est sapientes indicare and they euer hate vs because we hate their vices And so much for the dignitie and soueraignty of Kings Priests and Prophets 2. Seeing Christ was annointed to be King Priest and Prophet and that Christ was annointed King Priest and Prophet to make euery christian a King a Priest and a Prophet 1 Apoc. 6. Acts 2. 24. from Christus we be all christians it must needs therefore follow that we were all annointed to be Kings Priests and Prophets and that as he hath appointed Kings Priests Prophets to be such ouer many so he hath annointed euery man to be such ouer himselfe for so the Scripture sheweth he made vs kings and Priests vnto God his father and againe I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie saith the Lord. And therefore this should teach euery man 1. As a King to rule and raigne ouer That euery man should rule as a King ouer his owne affections Virgil. Aeneid l. 1. his owne affections and as the Poet saith of Aeolus Luctantes ventos tempestatesque sonoras Imperio premit ac vinclis carcere fraenat to bridle all our vntamed lusts and to suppresse all the vnruly motions of our flesh for this is most certaine that against all the temptations of sin there is no better remedie then the mortification of our flesh and the suppression of our affections but if we be tam grauiter temptats so violently assaulted and so strongly beset against that we cannot vtterly expell them nor perfectly subdue them then let vs euer looke to this vt minimè superati that they may Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 1. c. 10. neuer subdue vs and depriue vs of our kingdome For if they once get the vpper hand ouer vs we shall be no longer Kings but the bond-slaues of sin and Satan And therefore vt barbara gens optima flens pessima ridens as barbarous men are best subdued but the worst of all when they haue their libertie so these barbarous lusts of our flesh must be subdued if euer wee would be happy Idem in Psal 137. Kings these Babylonish children must be taken and dashed against the wals as S. Augustine expoundeth those words of the Psalmist if euer wee would be happy 2. As Priests we should all offer vp those christian sacrifices that are holy Perkins in expos Symb. and acceptable