thou wert created after the likenesse of God is not condemned but crowned 3. That Image of God after which Adam was created is by his fall vtterly lost and extinguished for otherwise this Image needed not to be renewed or reuiued in vs as it is by Christ in whom all true beleeuers are new creatures and new men and a new lumpe but the substance of the reasonable soule with all the naturall powers thereof are not altogether lost in vnregenerate men ergo this Image principally consisted in the gifts of grace To this purpose S. Augustine sayd that the whole man both in his inward and outward parts inueterauit is waxen old and decayed by sinne but the inward man is new reuiued by grace and the outward man hereafter shall be restored in the resurrection Another question is moued here whether the man only was created after this image of God not the woman and the reason of this doubt is grounded vpon the words of S. Paul man is the Image and glory of God the woman the glory of man Answere is made by Moses in the very next verse to my text God created man in his Image male and female created he them As for the place man is the glory of God woman the glory of man It is to be construed of the preheminence and authority giuen vnto man aboue the woman in which one respect the Image of God is expressed in the man more then in the woman But if we consider the principall part of that Image consisting in holinesse and righteousnesse the woman was created according to it as well as the man in Christ as the blessed Apostle teacheth vs there is neither male nor female but all are one women are the daughters of God so well as men are the sonnes of God Now beloued because the day present is a Sabbath and the Sabbath in the beginning was instituted in honour of the creation and man of all the creatures is the most excellent It is our duty so long as either man or woman hath any being all the dayes of our life but vpon the Sunday more principally to magnifie the Lord for his infinite rich mercy who created vs not liuelesse as stones are nor senselesse as the plants are nor witlesse as the beastes are but according to his owne likenesse in nature knowledge holinesse righteousnesse glory appointing vs to be Lords of this ample vniuerse making all things for man and man for himselfe 2. This ought to teach vs to take heed of corrupting our selues by sin or our neighbours through our lewd examples and to hate our sinnes as a serpent by meanes whereof the likenesse of God is so miserably defaced in vs for man in his originall integrity created to the likenesse of God is by the foulenesse of sin a deuill and a very vermine humana sub cute plurimae latent ferae sayd Carolus Bouillus The Scripture saith as much in calling a subtile dissembler a foxe Luke 13. 32. a soule-murthering prophet a rauenous wolfe Mat. 7. 15. a vaine man a wild asses colt Iob. 11. 12. A proud man in honour like horse and mule without vnderstanding Psal. 32 10. A voluptuous man giuen ouer to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse a Sow wallowing in the myre 2. Pet. 2. 22. In a word the children of men set on fire to doe mischiefe whelpes of Lyons Psal. 57. 4. and generations of vipers Mat. 3. 7. 3. This should make vs to labour earnestly for true faith in Christ Iesus by whom this Image shall againe be restored and as new borne babes doe desire the sincere milke of the word that wee may grow from strength to strength and from vertue to vertue till wee bee of full growth in Christ and haue this Image throughly repayred in vs. 4. This should incite vs to giue the God of our saluation humble and hearty thankes for redeeming vs with his precious blood when we were thus vtterly lost and made by sin vnlike to God and our selues as the Fathers in their deuotions vse to speake If we doe owe to God our selues for creating vs after his Image then vndoubtedly more then our selues for redeeming vs and restoring in vs his defaced Image through originall sinne in Adam and actuall sinne in our selues 2. SAM 24. 14. Let vs fall now into the hand of the Lord for his mercies arâ—… great and let mee not fall into the hand of man THree things vsually succeed one another in the Church great blessings great sins great punishments The people mentioned in this History had receiued great blessings of the Lord He dealt not so with any nation as the Prophet sings in the 147. Psalme verse last In the ruffe of their prosperity turning the graces of God into wantonnesse They committed many great sinnes and now the righteous Iudge of the whole world threatneth to bring great punishments vpon them and yet in his wrath remembring mercy He giues Dauid their King by the Prophet Gad a free though hard choice whether he would haue seuen yeeres of famine come vpon the land or flee three moneths before his enemies or that there be three dayes of pestilence Now Dauid being in a great strait returns in the words read to Gad and so consequently to God his resolution and the râ—…ason of his resolution 1. His resolution Let vs fall into the hand of the Lord and not into the hand of man 2. The reason of his resolution is for his mercies are great For the better vnderstanding of the whole text one clause needeth explanation and that is what is here meant by falling into the hand of the Lord Because Susanna did wish and Saint Paul as it should seeme writ the quite contrary Susanna sayd to the lustfull Elders It is better for me to fall into your handes and not to doe it then to sinne in the sight of the Lord answere is made that Dauid makes his comparison here betweene diuers kindes of punishment but Susannes comparison is there betweene the doing of euill and the suffering of euill as the schoole speakes betweene malum culpae and malum poenae She therefore resolued worthily that it was better to suffer reproach and shame before men then to commit an horrible sinne in the sight of the Lord. So the renowned Eleazar answered those who menaced him with exquisite torments If hee would not breake one commandement of Gods law that he would suffer himselfe to be sent into hell and the graue that is that he would rather be killed and cut in pieces and to sinke a thousand degrees vnder the ground with infinite dolours and agonies then to fall into such a fault So reuerend Anselme protested that if hee should behold all the paynes of hell deuoyd of sinne on the one side and on the other the horrour but of one deadly sinne onely deuoyd of punishment and that I must of necessitie chuse one of these two I
But instantly and that constantly resolue with Dauid here let vs fall into the hand of God and not into the hand of man As we feele more sensible comfort of the Sunnes heate when we are cold So the greater our danger and extremity the greater is that power and piety that deliuereth vs. These vertues are the brightest starres in the sphere of maiestie manifesting Dauids duty to God and man and the reason of all this high and holy resolution is because the mercies of the Lord are great great in their nature as being riches of his goodnesse Rom. 2. 4. Exceeding riches of his grace Ephes. 2. 7. Great in their number as being multitudes of mercies Psal. 51. 1. Great in their continuance as being for euer and euer Psal 103. 17. That is as the doctours expound it from euerlasting predestination to euerlasting glorification euery way so great that our Prophet saith in the 145. Psal. at the 9. verse His mercies are ouer all his workes Of which I find a two fold construction and each of them exceeding comfortable 1. His mercies are ouer That is greater then all his works not in propriety for all the vertues of God are equal as being essential attributes But in effect and extent greater For whereas Gods indignation is but vpon the 4. generation of such as hate him his mercies are vpon thousand generations of those that loue him and keepe his Commandements Among the 13. properties of God Exod. 34. Almost all of them appertaine to his mercy whereas one concernes his might and only two his lustice The 2 construct on is his mercies are ouer all that is shâ—…wed in all and towards all his works for the latter clause his mercies c is nothing else but a repeâ—…ition of the former The Lord is good vnto all His goodnesse is the same with his mercy and all is all his works The mercies of God then are great to the whole vniuerse more specially to the reasonable creatures and among those principally to such as loue him and feare him and call vpon him faithfully As our Prophet in the before cited Psalme verse 18. 19. 20. His mercies compasse them about on all sides and at all seasons on euery side for hee maketh an hedge about them and about their houses and about all they haue Iob. 1. 10. They bee his enclosed vineyards of whom hee saith Esa. 5. What could I haue done more for my vinyard which I haue not done for it and his mercies are toward them at al seasons as the blessed Virgin in her Magnificat throughout all generations To speake more distinctly the mercies of God toward vs are seene in two things especially donando et condonando That is in giuing vs whatsoeuer is good for vs and in forgiuing whatsoeuer is euill euill of sinne euill of punishment for sinne pardoning all our offences against himselfe against our other selfe against our owne selfe lastly his mercies are great in Inferendis Differendis Auferendis supplicijs Mercifull in inferring punishment for when as we deserue to be scourged with Scorpions he chastiseth vs only with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men 2. Sam. 7. 14. We confesse that we sinne greatly So Dauid verse 10. of this chapter But the Lord saith I was but a little displeased Mercifull in deferring punishment as being full of pitty slow to wrath long suffering of great goodnesse cito struit tarde destruit making the whole world in sixe dayes and yet was in destroying one citie seuen dayes Mercifull in remouing punishments as in this present example For the Rabbines haue a fable that the plague threatned here 3 dayes continued only for one houre Ioscphus writes that it continued only from morning till noone others conceiue that it continued onely till the time appointed for euening sacrifice that day when it begun They who stand vpon the precise letter of the text say that the time was shortned for the Lord repented him and sayd to the Angel that destroyed the people it is enough And that was in the beginning of the third day For had not the Lord stayed the Angels hand hee would haue gone on siniting till that day had beene expired and finished It is reported of one that hauing a booke of 2 leaues only hee could not in all his life read it ouer one leafe was red wherein was registred the Iudgements of God in consideration whereof he cryed out enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord c. The other was white in which were written the mercies of God in admiration whereof hee cryed out what is man that thou art so mindfull of him as being lesse then the least of thy mercies If he could not read them in his whole life how shall I repeate them in this munite of time Giue mee leaue onely to conclude in the words of our mother Church O God whose nature and property is euer to haue mercy and to forgiue grant vs thy grace that in all time of our tribulation in all time of our wealth in the houre of death and as the day of iudgment we may put our whole trust and confidence in thee resoluing always as Dauid here let vs fall into the hand of the Lord and not into the hands of man for thy mercies are great 2. KINGS 19. 36. 37. So Senacherib King of Ashur departed and went his way and returned and dwelt in Niniue And as he was in the Temple worshipping Nisroth his god Adramelech and Sharezer his sons slew him with the sword THis scripture reports two things specially to wit the flight and fall of Senacherib King of Ashur a great Monarch and a great boaster of his greatnesse saying in the pride of his heart verse 23. By the multitude of my chariots I am come vp to the top of the mountaines by the sides of Lebanon and will cut downe the tall Cedars thereof and the firre trees thereof and I will goe into the lodging of his borders and into the forrest of his Carmel I haue digged and drunke the waters of others and with the plant of my feete haue dryed all the riuers of besieged cities Affronting Gods people with insolent language Let not Ezechia deceiue you neither let Ezechia make you to trust in the Lord saying the Lord wâ—…ll surely deliuer vs. Hath any of the gods of the nations deliuered his land out of the hand of the King of Ashur Where is the God of Hamath and of Arphad where is the God of Sepharuaim Hena and â—…ua How haue they deliuered Samaria out of mine hand Now the Lord when this huge Leuiathan had in his owne conceit swallowed vp Iuda put a hooke into his nostrils and a bit into his mouth and so brought him backe againe the same way that he came making him in the mids of his fury first to fly then afterward to fall His flight is reported here to bee full of
pride of their hearts who shall bring vs downe to the ground Though thou exaltest thy selfe as an Eagle and make thy nest among the starres Yet thence will I bring thee downe saith the Lord The Lords hand found out Nabuchadnezzar being at rest in his owne house flourishing in his owne palace saying in vaine boasting Is not this great Babel which by the might of my power I haue built for the honour of my maiesty While the word was in his mouth a voyce came downe from heauen O King Nabuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken Thy kingdome is departed from thee and they shall driue thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the beastes of the field and the very same houre was the thing fulfilled vpon Nabuchadnezzar and he was driuen from men and did eate grasse as oxen and his body was wet with the dew of heauen till his hayres were growen like Eagles feathers and his nayles like birdes clawes When Phocas had built a strong wall about his palace for security hee heard in the night a voyce O King though thou build as high as the cloudes yet the city may be taken easily for the sin within marres all The Lords hand found out Simon Magus as hee was presuming to fly vp into heauen in the publique theater of Rome and there he gaue him such a fall as that hee could neuer rise more The Lords hand found out Siluester the second who to get the Popedome gaue himselfe to the deuill as hee was in a chappell singing of a masse the Lords hand found out Nitingall a blasphemous popish priest in the very pulpit No place be it neuer so high or so holy so deepe or so darke so foule or fayre can exempt the wicked from the wrath of the Lord It is true that Gods dwelling is in Sion onely Psal. 76. 2. as Hugode S. victor gloseth it in mundo est vt imperator in regno in ecclesia vt pater familias in domo in anima fideli vt sponsus in thalaâ—…o He dwelleth in the world as an Emperor in his kingdome for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is Psal. 24. 1. He dwels in the Church as a master in his house for the house of God is the Church of God 1 Tim. 3. 15. In a faithfull soule as the bridegrome in his chamber there he suppes and refresheth himselfe apoc 3. 20. but our iniquities on the contrary make a separation betweene God and vs Esay 59. 2. And so God is sayd in the holy scripture to be faâ—…re from the wicked and the wicked to goe farre from God The which is proued in the prodigall câ—…ild who tooke his iourney into a farre country that is far from God farre from goodnesse Answere is made by St. Augustine in one word Deus non ibi deest vbi longe est quia vbi non est per gratiam adest per vindictam Although in respect of saluation and grace God be farre from the wicked yet in respect of his power and punishment alway so nigh that his out stretched arme can euery where reach and ruine them God dwels in Sion only but is present in Babylon also Secondly we note from this circumstance Gods exact Iustice who would haue Sennacherib to perish in the same place where hee had offended most he was a great Idolater and he committed that Idolatry most in the chappell of his Idoll Nisrock And therefore Gods reuengefull hand did find and confound him in the right vbi so the Prophet Elia sayd to King Ahab Hast thou killed and gotten possession also thus saith the Lord in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs euen licke thy blood also The corps of Mr Arden slaine by the consent counsel of his own wife was laid as a spectacle to men and Angels in the very same field which he had vniustly taken from a poore widdow and it is well ordered in our State that where men commit outragious murthers there they should dye the death for it The iudgements of God is at all times terrible but being executed in the same place where the malefactour acted the fault it is more fearefull it putteth him in mind of his offence with all the circumstances thereof and so makes his conscience to denounce his owne condemnation Euery day should be to the good man a Sabbath and euery corner of his mansion a priuy chappell as occasion is offered for deuotion O then I beseech you by the mercies of the Lord Iesu take heed of sinne in your secret closets and chambers for nothing is hid from Gods al-piercing eyes which are as a flame of fire who can make your very table a snare to take you withall and the thinges which should haue beene for your wealth an occasion of falling hee can make the stone out of the wall and the beame out of the timber to cry for Iudgement against you Dauid afflicted heauily said euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares He had offended most in his bed hee did act his repentance therefore most in his couch Imitate Dauids example who was a man according to Gods owne heart when thou commest into the roome defiled with any filthinesse of thine sinne no more but water the place with teares otherwise God may smite thee with a sudden and vnhappy death as hee did Sennacherib in his temple where he transgressed most It was in God also great Iustice that he should perish by the sword who had abused the sword in shedding innocent blood It was a iust iudgement vpon the cruell Egyptians to be drowned in the sea because they cast all the male children of the Hebrewes into the riuer It was a iust iudgement vpon Adonibezek that the thumbes of his hands feet were cut off hauing before â—…one the like cruelty to seauenty kings and constraining them to gather crumbs vnder his table Iudg. 1. 6. It was a iust iudgement vpon the tyrant Maxentius that hee was ouerthrowen in the same bridge which he craftily built as a snare for the destruction of Constantine It was a iust iudgement vpon Pope Alexander the 6. who was poysoned at supper with the very same wine his seruant mistaking a bottle which hee had prepared as a deadly draught for his familiar friend Cardinall Adrianus It was a iust iudgement vpon the chiefe plotter of the most execrable gunpowder treason that being pursued he should himselfe bee first scorched with powder and afterward killed with a gunne and so the mischiefe fell vpon his owne head and his wickednesse vpon his own pate Non est lex aequior vlla Quam necis artifices arte perire sâ—…a No iudgement more sit then that they who dig a pit for others should fall into the mids of it themselues as Dauid phraseth it Psalme 57. 7. The third circumstance to be further examined is the
which they martch The second sort are Priests and Ambassadours and Messengers all which enioy free liberty by the lawes of nations The third are they which are vnfit to fight as women and children Deut. 20. 14. And among children old men may be numbred according to the Prouerb bis pueri senes It is true that Moses sometime commanded women and children to bee slayne but he had a speciall reuelation for it from God and so he might not dispute with his maker but we must euer follow not the singular example but the generall rule to the Law to the Testimony Esay 8. 20 Thus I haue shewed how Magistrates are the Ministers of God for our temporall good consisting in a quiet and a peaceable life Now the God of all goodnesse hath appoynted them also Ministers for our spirituall good that wee may lead this quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie they bee defendors of the faith and Lord-Keepers of both the tables of the Law Keepers of the first table that wee may liue in all godlinesse and keepers of the second table that we may liue in all honesty PSAL. 42. 9. One deepe calleth another AS the Scriptures excell other writings in verity so the Psalmes other Scriptures in variety and in the whole booke you shall hardly find any one sentence that admits so many sweete constructions as this our present text The which is so profound that as one deep surge saith Augustine so one deepe sense calleth another according to my shallow iudgment I haue diued into the most of them and the best of them euermore desirous in an argument of this nature rather to follow then lead for as the spiders web is not the better because wouen out of her owne breast so the bees hony neuer the worse for that gathered out of many flowers It was one of the wishes of Augustine that hee might haue seene S. Paul in the Pulpit If you will haue but a little patience you may heare diuers of the most ancient Fathers and other great lights in the Churches firmament matchlesse for their learning and spotlesse for their life preach vnto you this day First Abysse or gulfe signifieth in holy language great afflictions as Ezechiel 26. 19. and Ionas 2. 5. The plainest exposition then in the iudgement of Bucer Caluin Agellius Acerâ—…ensis Estius and other interpreters as well Pontifician as Protestant is briefly this The troubles of Dauid were so many for their number and so grieuous for their nature that as in swelling seas one waue walloweth and tumbleth vpon another euen so one tentation and affliction followed and occasioned another without intermission vntill all kindes of stormes had gone ouer his head in this Hymne at the third verse he doth auow that his teares were his meate day and night and Psalme 69. 1. Saue mee O God for the waters are come in euen vnto my soule I sticke fast in the myre where no ground is and Psal. 130. 1. Out of the deepe haue I called vnto thee O Lord. Now then in that Dauid a good man and a good Magistrate had innumerable crosses which had almost drowned and ouerwhelmed his soule we learne that Blessed is the man whom God correcteth for whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth Heb. 12. 6. As some simples are made by art medicinable which are by nature poysonable so the fiery tryals of Peter 1. Pet. 4. 12. and the watrie troubles of Dauid here mentioned in nature destructiue by grace become preseruatiue For the God of our gladnesse and comfort saith Esay 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee and when thou walkest in the mids of the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee whatsoeuer storme doth arise feare not I am as an hiding place from the windes and a refuge for the tempest O warme Iacob feare not I will helpe thee saith the Lord and thy redeemer the Holy one of Israel Esay 41. 14. I can doe this because the Lord I will doe this because thy redeemer I shall doe this because the Holy one of Israel And so God being with vs affliction is good for vs and as Martin Luther Crux est theologia nostra sincerissima When all is done tribulation is the plainest and most sincere diuinity It is an obseruation in Court that a Prince learnes no Gentle-man like quality so well as good horse-man ship and the reason hereof is euident because when hee commeth into the fence-schoole his master will spare him and when he commeth into the dancing-schoole his teacher will humour him and when hee commeth into the Tennis-court his play-fellow will fauour him And when hee commeth into the Chappell his diuines also will often flatter him and sow pillowes vnder his elbowes But in riding If he looke not vnto himselfe and sit fast his horse will not forbeare him and so beloued albeit our friends our children and seruants vse to dissemble speaking good of euill and euill of good Yet honest Dr. Crosse will euer deale plainly with vs and make vs vnderstand our selues and our sinnes One writes of Venice feated in the Sea that it is impossibile in impossibili So God embrodereth one blessing vpon another and aboue all that we can Imagine sweetly disposeth of trouble for our comfort Saepe facit opus quod non est suum vt ita faciat opus quod est suum He chideth vs a little which is not his property that in Fine hee may shew mercy which is most agreeable to his nature Doe wee professe our selues patients vnder our earthly Physitians and shall wee hinder the working of bitter pils giuen by our heauenly who knowes what is best for vs As pride doth breed sores of salues So God on the contrary makes salues of sores and therefore let vs fing with our Prophet in this Psalme Why art thou so vexed O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me O put thy trust in God for I will yet thanke him which is the helpe of my countenance and my God Hitherto concerning the plaine construction of our text I come now to the mystical interpretation which are many Hierome vpon the place and Leo the great Ser. 9. de pass dom Vnderstand this of the profound mysteries in the Bible saying the depth of the old Testament calles vp the depth of the new Testament the old cals to the new saith Hugo Cardinalis ad sui complementum For Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Mat. 5. 17. and the new calls vnto the old ad testimoniuâ—… to witnesse for it according to that of Christ. Iohn 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for they beare witnesse of me The old Testament is the graue wherein as Origine sayd the new Testament is buried the old being as Zeno sayd of Logicke like the fist shut and â—…e new like Rhetoricke as the hand open the old
into one ballance and thy soule into the other and thou shalt vnderstand that the saying of thy soule is better in it sefe and much more better vnto thy selfe then all the world yea more worth then as many worldes as there be men in the world thy soule is better in it selfe for all the things of the world are vanities of vanities Mâ—…ndus transit et concupiscentia eius The pomps of the world and the world it selfe is mutable but the soule is an immortall and heauenly substance breathed into thee by God and if thou dwell in his Courts and continue faithfull in his seruice to death it shal be blessed euerlastingly And to thy selfe it ought to bee more precious then all the treasures of Empires for according to the â—…ules of charity that ought to bee dearest vnto thee which is neerest vnto thee but nothing as diuine Plato said is so much thy selfe as thy soule The sauing whereof is the principall and mayne businesse and all other affayres are to bee respected or reiected as they more or lesse tend to the furthering of this one most important employment If therefore thou loue thy profit desire to dwell in the Courts of the Lord for the Church as Iohn Baptist shewes thee is Christ and Christ is the way to God and godlinesse is great gaine by which is obteyned an inheritance which is immortall vndefiled and neuer fading away granted in our election promised in our vocation assured in our iustification actually possessed of vs in our glorification 2 One day spent in the Courts of the Lord is better then a thousand in the tentes of vngodlinesse in respect of pleasure An old disciple of Christ being asked the cause why he was euer such a merry man answered When I was a yong man I studied how to liue well and when I was an old man I studied how to dye well and so desiring to seeke God in his kingdome of grace and hoping to see him in his kingdome of glory one day to me was better then a thousand vnto those who weary themselues in the wayes of wickednesse and destruction Doe ye desire to please your eare no musicke is comparable to the Gospels harmony that is newes of great ioy that comforts Hierusalem at the very heart Doe yee desire to please your taste O taste and see how gracious the Lord is it is hee that feedeth and filleth euery liuing thing with his plenteousnesse and his word is sweeter then hony or the hony combe Psal. 19. 10. Doe ye desire to please your eye what beauty like to that of Christ as being fayrer then all the sonnes of men or what beauty like to that of the Temple for ouâ—… of Sion hath God appeared in perfit beauty Psal. 50. 4. That which Ouid sayd of one kind may bee verified of euery sort of worldly delight breuis est et non vera voluptas it is short and not sound Heb 11. 25. The pleasures of sinnes are but for a season as the night doeth ouertake the day and the day driue away the night so worldly lusts runne one after another and the best of them all endures not long it is but a baite and a bayt is but a bit it may stay the stomacke for a while but it is not able to giue full content the eye sayth Solomon is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing the reioycing of hypocrites is but a moment Iob. 20. 5. Againe worldly delights are no true pleasures but bitter sweets hauing like the peacocke faire feathers but foule feete or like the Meremayd quoth Horace Mulier formosa supernè desinet in turpem piscem or like a tragedy mirthfull in the Prologue dolefull in the Epilogue and therefore we should doe by pleasures as great Princes doe by banquets come and looke a little vpon them and turne away To speake more particularly the lips of a strange woman drop as an hony combe sayth Solomon and her mouth is more soft then oyle but the end of her is bitter as wormewood and sharpe as a two edged sword her feete goe downe to death and her sleppes take hold on hell Laeâ—…a venit Venus tristis abire solet It may bee that the beginnings of ryotus meetings are good fellowship and merriment but euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull and the end of such mirth is heauinesse it is like Ioabs kisse attended with a secret stab happily the gamester is pleased enough at play but when he hath made away all he is ready to make away himselfe also As for the pleasures of other sinnes an enuious man is a murtherer to himselfe a prodigall man is a thiefe to himselfe a proud man a witch to himselfe a couetous man a deuil vnto himselfe for as the riuers of sweete waters runne their course to dye in the salt sea so the hony of all earthly pleasures doe end in the gall of griefe On the contrary the goodman and godly delights in the law of the Lord and exerciseth himselfe therein day and night hee serues God with gladnesse other it may bee they haue legem in corde they know the Law but he sayth Hugo de victor hath Cor in lege his heart is set on the law to performe the workes thereof and to him it is ioy to doe well and his ioyes are solide being ioyes of the soule ioyes in the holy Ghost whatsoeuer happeneth outwardly his heart is established and his mind setled intus bene And his ioyes are permanent a good conscience being a continuall feast a dayly Christmas a standing Holiday a ioy that no man or deuill is able to take away whatsoeuer he doeth or suffereth all things worke together for his good he takes pleasure in reproaches in necessities in anguish for Christs sake when he is weake then is hee strong afflicted on euery side but not in distresse death it selfe which other account the worst of all is to him best of all ipsa paenarum vltima mors Christiano ludus est as Prudentius sings of S. Vincent and a Protestant Martyr being at the stake in the middest of furious and outragious flames cryed out Behold yee Papists yee looke for miracles and here now yee may see a miracle for in this fire I feele no more payne then if I were in a bed of downe yea it is to me like a bed of roses Godlinesse in euery sickenesse is a Physitian in euery contention an aduocate in euery doubt a schoole-man in all heauinesse a Preacher and a comforter vnâ—…o whatsoeuer estate it commeth it sayth as the blessed Apostles peace bee to this house Peace be to this man Peace to this heart which occasioned one to say that the life of a good christian is a perpetuall Halleluiah In the duell of Essendon as we read in our English Chronicle betweene Canutus and Edmund Ironside for the
prize of â—…he Kingdome of England after long and equall combat finding each others worth and valour they cast away their weapons embraced and concluded a peace putting on each others apparell and armes as a ceremony to expresse the attonement of their minds as if they made transaction of their persons one to the other Canutus being Edmund and Edmund Canutus Our iniquities had made a separation betweene God and vs Esay 59 2. And in this warre as the Scripture speakes God did fight against vs and we were his enemies Now Christ our Make-peace did end this quarrell and that was by putting on our clothes and by giuing vs his clothes he tooke vpon him our flesh and in his body did beare our sinnes and wee by faithes hand put on Christ and the long robe of his righteousnes so the Church sings I am my beloueds and my welbeloued is mine Christ and we being married as S. Paul teacheth Ephes. 5. are but one flesh and as it were but one person in law for Christ in taking our nature vpon him is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone substantially and we likewise by putting him on vs are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone spiritually so that our sinnes are his sinnes and his righteousnesse our righteousnesse Iere. 23 6. The Lord our righteousnesse Psal. 4. 1. O God which art my righteousnesse Being iustified then by faith wee haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ and this peace is a pleasure that passeth all vnderstanding sinne makes a trembling and heauy heart but assurance that our sinnes are forgiuen in Christ is the rest of our soule making vs like Diues euery day faring deliciously 3 One day spent in the courts of the Lord is better then a thousand in respect of honour Caesar sayd he had rather be the first in a countrey village then the second in Rome though it were then esteemed the worlds Epitome but our Prophet desires rather to bee a doore-keeper in Gods house then to command in the tents of vngodlinesse of the meanest account in the one then of highest honour in the other as one glosseth it I had rather be a Clauiger a subiect yea abeict sitting at the very threshold in the Courts of the Lord then to be a steptrifer Mahumet the great or Soliman the Magnificent in the tents of infidelity So Moses refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with Gods people So Daniel esteemed the Lyons den better then Darius Pallace So the three children aduentured to meete heauen in the hell of a fiery furnace so the renowned Emperour Theodosius more reioyced in that hee was a member of the Church then head of the State So the blessed Saints in the dayes of Queene Mary desired rather to be pilgrimes among the reformed Churches abroad then Prelats in the kingdome of Antichrist at home To serue God is perfit freedome as diuine Plato determined iudiciously Goodnesse is not in greatnesse but on the contrary Greatnesse is in goodnesse A great Lord conuicted of treason against his Soueraigne hath his blood attaynted himselfe and his posterity disgentred vntill they be restored in blood Adam in Paradise commiâ—…ted high treason against the King of heauen and earth and in him all of vs haue sinned and so by consequent our blood is attainted till it be restored againe by Christ who loued vs and washed vs from our sins in his blood As good Queene Elinor sucked the venome out of the wound giuen her husband Edward the first by an Assassine with a poysoned weapon So Christ our husband hath expelled the poyson out of our woundes inflicted by the deuill our aduersary who was a murtherer from the beginning euery christian then as hauing his woundes healed and his blood purged is a gentleman and the best christian is the best gentleman according to the scripture teaching vs that the men of Berea who receiued the word with all readinesse were more noble then they of Thessalonica The burgesses of Gods city bee not of base Linage but truly Noble For by their second birth all of them are the sonnes of God and the Church is their Mother and Christ their Brother and the Holy Ghost their Tntor Angels their attendants Heb. 1. 14. all other creatures their subiects Psal. 8. 6. The whole world their Inne 1. Pet. 2. 11. and heauen their Home Iohn 14. 2. Fauours of Princes serue sometime more for the benefit of those that giue them then for the profit of those that receiue them and the best honour an earthly Prince can conferre vpon his chiefe fauorite is to make him a Viceroy in some part of his Empire but Christ which is the King of glory maketh all his followers Kings vnto God his father Apoc 1. 6. Kings because God reigneth in vs and because through his sanctifying grace we haue dominion ouer our concupiscenses not suffering sinne to reigne in our mortall bodies and we are not only Viceroyes ouer one prouince but in this respect Lords ouer the whole world more then conquerours a great deale greater then William the Conquerour or Alexander the great or the great Turke for whereas they conquered in many yeres a few parts of the world Hee that is borne of God ouercommeth in one houre with one act all the pompe of the world and all the power of hell also It is but Caesars Veni vidi vici this is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen our faith 1. Iohn 5. 4. The difference betweene the christians honour and the worldlings honour is very plaine The kings daughter is all glorious within Psal. 45. 14. But the worldlings is all glorious without now the Phylosopher hath taught truly That ciuill honour is not in the power of the person honored but in the power of the person honouring and therefore the worldlings glory depending vpon the breath of vaine men and possession of vaine matters is altogether vncertaine But the Christians dignity which is within hauing done good in Israel and toward God and his house cannot be taken away but it flourisheth and remaineth for euer Psal. 112. 9. For conclusion of all I say to you all in briefe that this Doctrine should encourage vs diligently to visit the Temple which is Gods house the Palace where his Holinesse more specially resides Heretofore Hierusalems Temple was instar parochiae sayth Hospinian as a great parish So now euery Parochiall Church is instar templl where God is to be worshipped in the publique congregation and dutifully to honour his anoynted Kings and Princes which are the chiefe gouernours of his house and reuerently to respect his Clergie Bishops Pastors and Curates which are the disposers of his secrets and stewards of his house and cheerefully to delight in his Saints which are the domesticall and
more need his deuotion in frequenting publique prayers his constancy in his studies his studious vigilancy for the publike affaires both of the Church the Common wealth So that hee might with as little Ostentation haue spoken of himselfe as Luther did of himselfe Ego sum oneratissâ—…mus psalterium exigit â—…ntegrum hominem totum eundem Concio ad Populum totum preculae instituti mâ—…i cultus totum negotioâ—…um alienorum occupatio I am burdened more then any man my paines in my Pesthâ—…ls require a whole man My Preaching to the people a whole man My priuate and publique deuotions a whole man common affaires belonging to my place in the Church in the common wealth a whole man So that I may compare his life to such an one as S Augustine wished Eudoxius the Abbot to lead Inter ignem et Aquam Inter Apicem Superbiae et voraginem Desidiae Neither inclining to Pride on the right hand nor idlenesse on the left Wheresoeuer he liued leauing some remarkeable token of his goodnesse Witnesse his mother Camebridge who will still remember him as truely for his learning as Trithemius did for Algerus Vir fuit in sanctis Scripturis jugâ—… studio exercitatus veterum quoque Lectione Diues atque in Secularibus literis magnifice doctus ingenio cautus et disertus eloquio And for his life the like Testimony may be easily procured that there was none in the Vniversity more obseruant of Order Habit â—…xercises both publique and priuate I haue heard it from his owne mouth and hee had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he neuer missed publique Sermon at St. Maries during all the time of his abode there saue twice I am loath to defile mine owne nest Yet I feare Aetas Parentum peior Avis tulit nos nequiores Witnesse likewise the Church in generall for whom willingly hee would haue spent himselfe so that few are left behind but are loosers by his death Heauen only a gainer in whose blessed mansions hee now rests fully satisfied with the melodious harmony of that Supernall Quire Part of which musicke I thinke he heard before he departed this life for the night before he dyed all his discourse was of musicke and being demanded whether he heard any or what musicke he meant his answere was O Gabriel Gabriel Sure the blessed Choristers of Heauen were ready to carry his soule with ioy into his Masters ioy I will conclude with him as S August concerning his deare beloued Nebridius Nunc vivit in sinu Abrahae Boysius meus dulcis amicus meus nam quis alius tali animae Locus My deare friend now rests in Abrahams bosome for sure there is no othe place for so Diuine a soule Thus gentle Reader haue I giuen thee a short suruey of the life of him whom perhaps thou knewest though not in his person yet in his workes If I haue come short of what his desert might iustly challenge as the relation of Salomon did to the Queene of Saba I must craue craue pardon for my weakenesse in this kind it being thanke worthy for him that hath no better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or if I haue shot my few arrowes ouer the marke with Ionathan I shall be well content with S. Augustines censure vpon Tully for his large commendations of Caesar So it may bee with his glosse Dicebat hoc tam Magnus Laudator aut tam Magnus Adulator sed si Laudator talem noverit si autem adulator talem esse debere ostendebat To conclude if this last worke of his finde but that acceptation with thee which vttered Viva Voce it gaue to the auditors or if this Prol s Posthuma haue but some resemblance with his former off-spring that it be not thought altogether Spurious I doubt not but thou wilt bee easily induced together with mee and others that haue bene bettered by the godly example and heauenly labours of this holy man to glorifie the Author of euery good and perfit gift who will not cease to raise vp such excellent instruments for his owne glory and the Churches good To whose blessed Protection I commit thee Euer Resting Thine in what hee may R. P. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS Sermons on Proper Lessons 1 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the second Sunday in Aduent ESAY 5. 18. Woe vnto them that draw inquitie with cords of vinitie and sinne as it were with a cartrope Pag. 1 2 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the first Sunday after Epiphany ESAY 41. 14. Feare not worme Iacob c. 16 3 The first Lesson at Evensong on the fourth Sunday after Epiphanie ESAY 58. 7. Breake thy bread to the hungry 31 4 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on Sepâ—… Sunday 〈◊〉 1. 26. And God said let vs make man in our image after our likenesse 50 5 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the seventh Sunday after Trinitie 2 SAM 24. 14. Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of man 70 6 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the thirteenth Sunday after Trinitie 2 KING 19. 36. So Sennacherib King of Ashur departed and went his way and returned and dwelt in Niniue and as he was in the Temple worshipping Nisroch his God Adâ—…amelech and Sharezar his sonnes slew him with the sword 89 7 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the nineteenth Sunday after Trinitie DAN 13 16. Shadrach Mesech and Abednago answered and said vnto the King c. 106 8 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the one and twentieth Sunday after Trinitie ABACVCK 2. 9. Woe be to him that coveteth an evill couetousnesse to his house 121 Other Sermons vpon seuerall Occasions 1 On Rogation Sunday PROV 22 28. Remoue not the ancient bounds which thy Fathers haue made 135 2 At the Sessions ROM 13. 4. He is the Minister of God for thy good 160 3 A Funerall Sermon PSAL. 42. 9. One deepe calleth another 197 4 Before the King at Christchurch PSAL. 84. 10. One day in thy Courts is better then a thousand 211 5 On PSALM 105. 4. Seeke the Lord and his strength seeke his face euermore 228 6 IOHN 8. 6. Iesus stopped downe and with his singer wrote on the ground 254 7 IAMES 5. 16. Confesse your faults one to another 27â—… SERMONS ON Proper Lessons ESAY 5. 18. Woe vnto them that drawe iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as it were with a Cart rope IN this Text two poynts are to beediscussed especially First the goodnes of God who soundes a woe before he sendes a woe Secondly the wickednesse of man in drawing iniquity Touching the first in holy writ we finde two kinds of woes a woe of Condoling and a woe of Condemning Condoling as Psalm 1â—…0 Woe is mee that I am constrayned to dwell with Misery Mica 7. 1. Woe is mee for I am as the Grape gleaning of the Vintage And in this Prophesie
of Condoling woe and shall be free from Condemning though our spirituall enemies are stronger and our greiuous sinnes are greater then wee yet as God said to Rebecca the greater shall serue the lesser In Christ all thiâ—…gs are ours and all things quoth Paul euen Sin it selfe quoth Augustine euen the Deuill himselfe quoth Luther worke together for our good yea for the best if we loue God in his Christ. Heale vs thenô Lord and wee shall be healed saue vs and we shall be saued Deliuer vs from eternall woe that we may bee blessed with euerlasting happinesse in thy kingdome of glory where wee shall euer be sure to be free from sorrow because free from sin Ceasing to draw iniquity with cordes of vanity and sin as it were with cart-ropes ESAY 41. 14. Feare not worme Iacob c. CHrist is Alpha and Omega Reu. 1. 8. As Esay speakes in this Chap. at the 4. verse the first and the last and that vnto vs as well as in himselfe being yesterday and to day and the same for euer Heb. 13. 8. And therefore the Church allots a proper Scripture for euery Sunday throughout the whole yeare begins and ends her deuout seruice with the comming of Christ. For the first sentence declared in the Gospell appointed for the first Sunday is behold thy King commeth vnto thee And the conclusion of the last Gospell on the last Sunday this of a truth is the same Prophet that should come into the world which occasioned Petrus Machado to terme this order annulus Christianus as it were the Christians round or ring So the Church in obseruing this high and holy time makes the birth of our Lord and appurtenances of the same the first and the last obiect of all her solemne deuotions other holy dayes in deed come between the feasts of his Natiuity Circumcision and Epiphany but all of them are called Christmas dedicated onely to Christs honour and the reason as some coniecture why Saint Stephen and Saint Iohn and the blessed Innocents are mentioned aboue the rest of the Saints is to shew that Christ came into the world to saue men of all sorts of whatsoeuer degree the Chiualrie represented by Saint Stephen a resolute Knight and warriour in the Lords battaile The Clergie represented by S. Iohn stiled the Diuine The Commonaltie or Infantrie represented by the children Herod slew Or intimating that Christ was borne for men of euery seueral age for men of perfect strength as Saint Stephen For old men on their Crouches as Saint Iohn who liued after Christ was dead as Hierom reports in his life 68. yeeres being as Baronius avoweth at his dying houre 106. yeeres old Lastly for Infants in their Cradles as the blessed Innocents Or it may bee these Saints are honourably remembred at Christmas rather then other because Christ saith if any will follow me let him forsake himselfe take vp his Crosse Mat. 16. 24. The seruant is not greater then his Master if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also Ioh. 15. 20. Now Bernard other Doctours say there bee 3. kinds of suffering or martyrdome in Christs cause The 1. In will in act as that of Saint Stephen the 2. In will but not in act as that of Saint Iohn the third in act but not in will as that of the Bethelemitish Innocents And so Christ as it is sayd Cant. 5. 10. Is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand as one featly but I censure not hovv featly Candidus in Iohanne rubicundus in Stephano electus ex millibus in Innocentibus This Scripture then is chosen aptly for a Christmas Sunday promising that in type which wee now see performed in truth namely that Christ our Lord is the deliuerer of Sion out of her Captiuity the Comforter abettor strength helper in a word the redeemer of his people from the hands of all their enemies from the bands of all her sinnes In this verse which is Capitulum Capitis as it were the Chapters abridgment two points are to be considered especially 1. The weaknesse of the Church in respect of her selfe as being a worme and as a dead man 2. The strength of the Church in respect of her Sauiour saying feare not I will helpe thee this I haue sayd and this I will haue done being powerfull and able because the Lord pittifull and willing because thy redeemer faithfull and true because the holy one of Israel The Lord calleth elsewhere Iacob his chosen Israel his possession Iuda his Sanctuary Israel his dominion an holy Nation a Kingdome of Priests an holy tree springing of an holy root a people peculiar to himselfe enclosed as it were from the Commons of the whole world But heere considering their present affection and miserable condition vnder Captiuity hee takes a better course with them in omitting these glorious titles and comparing them vnto wormes and men that are dead for this he shewes more That he greatly cares for them although they seeme most abiect in the worlds eye Feare not I am with thee be not affrayd I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Howsoeuer now thou beest nothing yet I wil so succour thee that all the men of thy strife shall be confounded ashamed perish and come themselues to nothing Behold I will make thee a roller and a new threshing instrument hauing teeth and so thou shalt thresh the mountaines and grind them to powder and make the hills as chaffe A word spoken in his place saith Salomon is like aples of gold with pictures of siluer He therefore which is set apart for the gathering together of the Saints and the worke of the ministrie must as St. Paul exhorts diuide the word of truth aright He must as the Baptist in preparing way for his Lord exalt the vallyes and make the mountaines low Men are made mountaines two wayes either assuming too much vnto themselues out of their owne merit or else presuming too much vpon Gods mercy and on the contrarie men are vallyes in contemplating their great faults and little faith humbled in their sin and in their suffering for sin And therefore the man of God ought to digg downe Mountaines by denouncing Iudgments and to raise vallyes by pronouncing mercy He must as Ambrose sayd bee like a Bee applying the I awes sting to the proud in heart but the Gospells honie to the poore in Spirit It is written in the Law that if a man goeth vnto the wood with his neighbour to hew wood and his hand strikes with the axe to cut downe the tree If the head slip from the helme and hit his neighbour that he dye the same shall flie to one of the Cities appoynted for refuge and liue Such as handle the word indiscreetly without any distinction of times or places or persons or circumstances of sin makes the head
and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour vnto God for thee I am heire of all things and I am thine a childe borne vnto thee a Son-giuer vnto thee Feare not Iacob I am with thee and with mee thou shalt haue all things also Doubt not of my promise seeing I am the holy one of Israel It is true that God is holy formaliter and effectiue holy in himselfe and making other holy see my Booke Fol. 782. But I Subscribe to their conceite who by Sanctus vnderstand verax et firmus in promissis I am holy that is firme and faithfull in my promise I am not as man that I should lye neither as the Sonne of man that I should repent Harke O Israel I haue made a couenant with thee that I will bee thy God and thou my people I will not alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth I will not shrinke from it I can not deny my selfe I keepe my promise for euer I begā this feast as you may remēber here with a Christmas carroll and I purpose to conclude with a Christmas close If God bee with vs who can bee against vs The world will bee against vs and the flesh against vs and the Deuill against vs. The world cryes Ego deficiam the flesh Ego inficiam the deuill Ego interficiam But it makes no matter so long as thy Redeemer cryeth Ego reficiam I am the beginning and the ending which is and which was and which is to come Was in thy Creation Is in thy preseruation and will boe in thy glorification I who am alway the same in my povver pleasure promise will bee with thee till the Worlds end and then thou shalt be with me world without end Feare not worme Iacob I can do this because the Lord I will do this because thy Redeemer I shall do this because the holy one of Israel ESAY 58. 7. Frange esurienti panem tuum Breake thy bread to the Hungrie IT was our blessed Sauiours apophthegme recorded by Saint Luke Acts. 20. 35. Beatius est dare quam accipere More blessed is it to giue then to receiue more blessed in respect of the life present because giuing bindeth others vnto vs whereas receiuing bindeth vs vnto others and more blessed in respect of the life to come Because hee that giueth vnto the Poore lendeth vnto the Lord and hee will in due time recompence him Pro. 19. 17. and that an hundred fold more the which is termed by Saint Augustine the best and greatest vsurie Or more Blessed in making vs like to the most blessed who giueth vnto all men aboundantly being indeed as one said solus liberalis onely liberall and the reason hereof is very plaine because God which is onely good of himselfe and absolutely good in himselfe giues that which is his owne whereas men in giuing all that they haue yea all that they are giue that which is anothers euen his in due right from whom alone cometh euery good and perfect gift Or in one word more blessed because to do good is better a great deale then to suffer good Now therefore that wee may bee blessed in doing happily so blessed a worke which is neuer vnseasonable the poore being with vs alway These foure words in our text recommend foure rules especially concerning the giuing of Almes First Quo modo dandum the manner how we may deale them and that is noted in the word Frange breake thy Bread Secondly Cui dandum the party to whom our dole should bee giuen and that is expressed in the word Esurienti to the Hungrie Thirdly Quid dandum what is to be giuen and that is deliuered in the word Panem deale Bread Fourthly De quo dandum vpon whose cost and that is ioyned in the word Tuum thy Bread There bee two parts of equitie the first is that wee wrong no man and the second is that wee doe good vnto all men especially vnto such as are in want and aduersitie The first is taught in the verse going afore Is not this the feasting that I haue chosen to loose the bandes of wickednesse to take off the heauie burthens and to let the oppressed goe free and that ye breake euery yoake The second is inioyned in our text now read deale thy bread to the Hungrie And these two must alway goe together for it is not enough to refraine from oppression and violence vnlesse therewith wee shew bowels of compassion and workes of mercy towards our poore brethren in distresse Pure religion and vndefiled before God is to visit the Fatherlesse and Widdowes and that thou bring the poore which are cast out vnto thine house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh The word breake shewes the manner how bread ought to bee dealt the whole loafe may not bee lauishly spent vpon others or wretchedly hourded vp only for thy selfe but it ought to bee broken and imparted First to thy selfe and then vnto others It is Christs iniunction indeed that we should giue omni petenti to all that aske but as Augustine glosseth it acutely non omnia petenti not all they will aske Wee may not giue so much at one time that we leaue nothing for another time this vndiscreet liberalitie doth ouerthrow liberalitie liberalitas liberalitate perit As Hierom told Paulinus they that precipitate themselues to pleasure their poore neighbours are like powder in festiuall dayes which to reioyce others spendeth it selfe And therefore Solomon aduiseth vs to giue frugally so well as frankly Pro. 5. 15. Drinke waters out of thine owne Cesterne and running waters out of thine owne Well And then that others may drinke of thy Cup and taste of thy bounty let thy fountaines slow forth and riuers of waters in the street but let them be thine euen thine onely and not the strangers with thee Let the Cocke run abroad but keepe thy Cesterne to thy selfe let the waters flow forth in the street but let the Well-spring bee thine still and not the strangers with thee The morall of Acteons fable deuoured by his Doggs is nothing else but that open handed Gentle men are many times vndone by fauning parasites who like Pondes are full in Winter but in Summer when neede is of them are drie or like to Swallowes creeping vnder the roofes of our houses in the spring but when once cold weather is come they bee gone flowen away leauing as you know nothing behind them but dung foule speeches And therefore bee not so cruell vnto thy selfe as to giue thine Honour quoth Solomon vnto others Pro. 5. 9. Where Melancthon and other Diuines obserue that riches are called Honour because they giue reputation and Honour in this world Wherevpon as I coniecture in our common law some Lordshippes are termed Honours And great persons in vnthrifty courses are said to loose so much of their Honour
the children of Israel after they be numbred and euery man shall giue a ransome for his soule That is for his life which hee should now loose when hee was particularly visited of God If hee redeemed not himselfe with money now the reasons of this law deliuered by diuines are these 1. To put Israel in minde that this exceeding great multiplication of people waâ—… onely from the Lord according to his gracious promise made to their forefathers I will make of thee a great nation I will make thy seede as the dust of the earth so that if any can number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed also be numbred Gen. 13. 16. 2. To shew the speciall care hee had ouer his people numbring them and as it were noting euery person in his booke God careth for his people saith St. Peter and so careth as a father careth for his child saith Dauid and so careth for euery child as if hee had no more then one to care for saith Augustine 3. To signifie that no man is Lord of his owne life but that hee depends vpon God in whom he liues and moues and hath his being Acts. 17. 28. 4. This temporall offering prefigured the spirituall tribute which euery one that hath giuen vp his name to God in holy Baptisme ought to pay the which is to serue God in spirit and trueth Iohn 4. 23. 5. By this Law God taught his people to iudge themselues for their sinnes that they might not be iudged of him Ezek. 20. 43. 1. Cor. 11. 31. 6. This redeeming of their soules with money taught them also faith in Christ who was to redeeme his people not with siluer and gold but with his owne precious blood 1. Pet. 1. 19. The people then in omitting this duty for so many good endes enioyned transgressed the commandement of the Lord and so prouoked his iust indignation against them But graunt that the people did not offend in this one particular Yet their manifold other sinnes vndoubtedly were the cause why the Lord permitted Dauid to fall into this errour according to that of Gregory the great Secundummerita subditorum disponuntur actarâ—…gentium Almighty God disposeth the hearts of Soueraignes according to the merrits of their subiects If they be not nursing Fathers vnto the Church and the ministers of God for our good It is because we gouerne our owne families ill and our owne persons worse It is a common fault indeed the common fault when any mischiefe happeneth vnto them or plague comes neere their dwelling Instantly to speake ill of those which are in authority Now this murmuring against our gouernours ariseth as one notes from fiue defects in our selues The first is want of humility for when our hearts are sowred with the leauen of our owne pride conceyting that we could manage state affaires a great deale wiser as Alphonsus the 10. said If he had beene with God in the beginning hee could haue better dâ—…sposed of many things in the world then often times a bitternesse ariseth out of the stomacke into the mouth So that we cannot forbeare to prophane sacred maiesty The second is want of wisedome to discerne the policies of Princes for the disguising of a purpose with a pretence is not forbidden in the Bible Solomon pretended to diuide an infant to good purpose But did not and Paul pretended to Iudaize but did not arcana reipublicae mysteria regni State plots are not easily digested of countrey stomacks as Father Latimer sayd they be no meate for mowers The 3. is want of compassion in not weighing the temptations of Princes hauing al meanes of misdoing and nothing to keepe them from outragious sins but only the feare of the Lord. A bosome friend is bold to tell a priuate person of his fault But alas who dares say to the Pope of Prince Domine cur ita facis If his domesticall chaplaine I meane his conscience chide him not his other chaplaines are of his closer and they quoth old Latymer will keepe his follies close a miserie fatall vnto great potentates whom flattery will neuer suffer to know themselues in health or sicknesse We should therefore construe Princes actions euer to the best according to the lawes of the Thames When two wherries meete the banke is theirs by right that haue wind and tide against them The 4. is want of thankefulnesse Princes are shieldes vnder whose shelter wee lead a quiet and a peacefull life in all godlinesse and honesty Sweet peace is the greatest of all blessings temporall and freedome of the Gospell is the greatest of all blessings spirituall as being the power of God vnto saluation Yet there be refractorie fling-braines enioying both vnder the gouernment of pious princes which are ready to quarrell their authority concerning the tithing of mint and other small matters of ceremonies indifferent inioyned to preserue the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Hippodamus in â— Aristotle was censured for writing of common wealths being but an architect yet Carpenters and Masons among vs are busie builders of new Churches and framers of new disciplines but the greatest of all is want of equity when as we blame the King for our owne faults as for example wee desire confident proceedings in the businesse of religion and yet we weaken them with our owne diuisions and dissentions If euery man in his place shall examine himselfe and lay his hand on his owne heart he shall vnderstand easily that the bad ordering of his owne selfe and his owne things is part of the cause why the wrath of the Lord is kindled against Israel If Dauid of himselfe takes the whole blame to himselfe it is as I haue shewed his humility But if we cast it vpon him it argueth in vs a great want of meekenesse wisdome piety thankefulnesse equity 3. In the resolution of Dauid here Diuines obserue his zeale for in warre the conquering enemy doth insult and blaspheme where is now their God Is not the Lord in whom they trust able to defend his Israel as with a shield And in famine good people should be forced to beg their bread of strange nations and to receiue curtesies of enemies which the Grecians aptly terme Dora adora giftes and no giftes And the Latines panis lapidosus a loafe so hardly digested as a stone And that had bene dishonorable not only to their countrey heretofore flowing with milke and hony But also to God as if the sheepheard of Israel had not meanes to feed the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his hands And therefore Dauid here desires to depend vpon God only Let vs fall into the hand of God Many professours in these dayes of relapse began to be luke-warme yea some were so cold in their deuotion and zeale that they seemed frozen in the dregges of their profit and pleasure
so little regarding the light of Israel and honour of this our braue victorious nation that they resolued vpon the conclusion of the match not onely to be sonnes of the Pope but also the seruants of a strange people Yet God be thanked England had her Dauids who did not cease night and day to call and cry to the Lord For thy sonnes sake for thy Sions sake let not our insulting enemies a bloody generation drunken with the bloâ—…d of the Saints haue their desires ouer vs For their mercies are full of cruelty But let vs fall into thy handes for thy Iudgements are full of mercy And it is vndoubtedly Gods owne worke who brings light out of darkenesse and can doe whatsoeuer he will and will doe whatsoeuer is best for his people sometime by weake meanes and sometimes by no meanes and sometime by contrary meanes against whom there is no wisedome nor vnderstanding nor counsell That our Dauids prayer is heard our religion established our peace setled good men incouraged our open enemies discomfited and our false friends discouered and worthily deluded To whom I 〈◊〉 now no more but only this If you be good Christians and setled Protestants so remaine If you were once anâ—… 〈◊〉 now fallen returne If you neuer were repâ—… If you neuer will be perish Were it not for the honour of God and glory of his people the cast happily might prooue measurable whether it bee better to bee slayne by the sword in warre or by the pestilence in peace But a good man and a good magistrate especially considering barbarus has segetes That the blasphemous aduersaries of God roare in the middes of the congregations and set vp their banners for tokens breaking into Gods inheritance defiling the holy Temple and making Hierusalem â—…n heap of stones And how they giue the dead bodies of his seruants to be meate vnto the foules of the ayre and the flesh of his Saints vnto the beastes of the land I say the new borne babe in Christ vnderstanding these things easily resolues as Dauid here Let vs fall into the hand of the Lord and not into the hand of man 4. Learned Expositours obserue the wisedome of Dauid in chusing é malis minimum of three mischiefes the lesser Abuleâ—…sis vpon the place notes aptly That God made these 3. punishments inequall in time 7 yeares of famine 3 moneths of warre 3 dayes of pestilence that hee might make them equall in magnitude and so put Dauid into his doubts so well as his dumps The time being equall the plague doubtlesse is more grieuous then warre and warre more grieuous then famine But seuen yeeres famine may bee so bad as three moneths fleeing before cruell enemies and three moneths of bloody warre so bad as three dayes of plague Yet Dauid chose the pestilence for these reasons 1. In the rebellion of Absolon he had â—…ryall of the sword for there fell in that ciuill warre 20. thousand of the people And he had felt 3. yeeres famine for the sinne of Sauls house But he neuer yet had experience of the plague as then Ignoti nulla cupido so nulla formidâ—… 2. The plague is Gods immediat hand his sword 1. Chron. 21. 30. His arrow Psal. 91. 5. The physitians haue termed it fulmen coeleste The thunderbolt of heauen and the canonists Bellum Dei contra homines the warre of God against men Happily you will obiect is there any euill in the city and the Lord hath not done it Amos. 3. 6. It is true that warre and famine are from the Lords hand but herein hee doth vse other instruments as the sword of men in warre and other deuouring creatures in famine and so consequently whereas in the pestilence wee seeke onely to the mercies of God in warre and famine we are to wrestle with the cruelties of men also whose heart saith Esay is to destroy To take the spoyle to tread their enemies downe like the mire in the streetes saith the Lord was a little displeased but they helped forward the affliction Zach. 1. 15. As if he should haue sayd my purpose was only to try you but theirend to destroy you now we beare more then patiently the Lords rod then the hand of man 3. Dauid did chuse that punishment which was most agreeable to his sinne his fault in numbring the people was to try his power and to put his affiance therein and therefore being sorry for his errour he desired the plague that he might not trust any more to the arme of flesh but altogether rely vpon the Lord. For had he chosen warre men of valour would haue resisted and imagined that their sword should haue saued them And if he had chosen famine money-men would haue trusted in their purse making gold their hope and saying to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence Hee that hath siluer may buy bread and hee that hath enough bread need not to starue for hunger but a man infected and afflicted wiâ—…h the plague hath no weapons or meanes to relieue his distressed estate but onely prayers and teares Mysticallâ—… this numbring of the people saith Ruperius vpon the place figures carnall Israelites boasting in the works of the Law for to thinke that a man is iustified by works when as Abraham was iustified by faith is to trust in chariots and horse Lastly Diuines obserue Dauids faith and affiance in the Lord as being assured that all things worke together for the best vnto those that feare him he well vnderstood that God haâ—…h a left hand of Iustice so well as a right hand of mercy But the godly feele each hand gentle both hands of God are right hands vnto them Is there dearth in the land Daniel will thriue with water and pulse so well as other with wine and Iunkets Is there persecution in the Church To suffer death in Christs cause quoth holy Bradford is the high way to heauen on horsbacke Though Esaâ—… bee stronger then Iacob yet the greater shall serue the lesser The number of Gods elect is small the number of reprobate fooles infinite The Church is a little flocke of lambes in the mids of wolues and yet populus maior seruit minori many that are bad serue those few which are good non obsequendo quoth Augustine sed persequendo not by doing good but by doing mischiefe to them and so they turne Goldsmiths of God to make crownes for all such as in his battailes haue fought a good fight If other troubles arise touching our goods or good name Dauids resolution is It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble For affliction holdes men in as hauing little outlets or leasure for idlenesse and luxury Doth sicknesse and of all sicknesse in many respects the most vncomfortable the pestilence come nigh our dwelling Yet let vs not be afrayd for any terrour by night or the arrow that flyeth by day
Bernard out of that text reasoned thus with an Archbishop in France Let euery soule be subiect Ergo yours I pray who doth exempt you Bishops â—…i quiâ—… tentat excipere conatur decipere So Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumen Theophilact vpon the place Clergie men are not excepted Ergo not exempted Concerning causes Ecclesiasticall it is auowed and prooued by Protestant Diuines that a King and euery other supreame gouernour is Custos vtriusque tabulae the Lord-Keeper of both tables of Gods Law that wee may lead vnder him a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty We doe not imagine this of our owne heads we find it annexed vnto the Crowne by God himselfe who when he first gaue his people leaue to chuse them a King withall appoynted that the Law truly coppied out of the Leuites originall which was keptin the Tabernacle should be deliuered vnto the King sitting on his Royal seat with this Charge that booke shall remaine with the King hee shall read in it all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lord his God obserue all the words of the Law written therein and these statutes to doe them This was not done till hee was placed in his throne so saith the text therefore this touched not the Kings priuate conuersation as a man but his Princely function as a Magistrate which stands in commanding other and not in guiding his owne person as a man he serues God one way sayth Augustine as a King another way as a man in ordering well his own life but as a King in seeing that other liue soberly toward themselues righteously toward their neighbours holily toward God So that Kings as Kings serue God in doing that for his seruice which none but Kings can do Well then if the whole Law were committed to the King as King at his Coronation It is plaine that the publishing preseruing and executing of the first table touching the sincere worship of God is the chiefe part of the Princes Charge And according to this commission and authority the godly Kings of Israel and Iudah remoued Idols razed hill alters slew false Prophets purged the land from all abominations not sparing the brazen serpent made by Moses wheÌ„ they saw it abused and by the same power they caused the Temple to be cleansed the Law to bee read the Passeouer to be kept the Leuites to Minister in their courses inuented by Dauid and by the same power Solomon deposed Abiather the chiefe Priest and set Zadock in his roome And of the Christian Church it is sayd Esay 49. 23. Kings shall bee thy nursing Fathers and Queenes thy nursing mothers And it is apparant that Constantine Iustinian Charles the great and many moe religious Princes enacted Ecclesiasticall lawes and were super-visors of the Bishops in their seuerall Empires For although a King may not administer the Sacraments or preach the word or execute the Ministers office de facto Yet as our diuines haue determined it belongs to the Kings cure de iure to see that all things concerning Gods holy worship should bee done in the Church orderly vos intra sayd Constantine the great to his Bishops ego autem extra ecclesiam à Deo Episcopus constitutus sum The last enemies vnto ciuill Magistrates are such as arme themselues and stand in actuall rebellion against authority For whatsoeuer faire pretence of doing good traytors may seeme to haue the State doubtlesse is in a miserable case when as commotioners are become commissioners and coÌ„mon woe named common wealth and a Ket obeyed more then a King Rebels are like a Bile in a body or like a sinke in a rowne gathering together all the nastie vagabonds and idle loyterers to warre with almighty God and his lieurenants and so being a beast of many heads they place treason aboue reason and make might to rule right If thy gouernour bee good vse him as thy nursing Father If bad commanding as a Tyrant that which is euill simply take vp against him a buckler and not a sword obey ferendo non feriendo suffering the payne not resisting the power impetere or competere are both vnlawfull albeit Kings deface in themselues Gods first Image in their owne soules yet no man hath leaue to deface Gods second Image imprinted in their name iudelibly Hitherto touching the Magistrates authority now for his vtilitie For thy good Higher powers are protectours of Gods Church ordeined for our temporall good and spirituall good and so consequently for our eternall good all which our Apostle sheweth in his 1. Epist to Timothie Chap. 2. verse 2. Pray for Kings and for all in authority that wee may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty our temporal good consists in a quiet and a peaceable life our spirituall good in godlinesse and honesty so that Magistrates are called of God to be Iustices of the peace for our temporall good and defenders of the faith for our spirituall good Concerning the first holy writ mentioneth a two-fold peace to wit an inward peace which is the peace of conscience proper onely to the Church and not commonicable to the world for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God and an outward peace which is common vnto both and therfore the Lord sayd to his people whom Nabuchodonosor had carried away captiue from Hierusalem to Babel seeke the prosperity of the city whither I haue caused you to bee carried away captiue pray for it for in the peace therof you shal haue peace This owtward peace may bee disturbed either by Domesticall enemies or by forreine foes as our Apostle sayd in another case fighting without and terrours within In respect of intestine iarres vnder the gouernment of Princes we lead a life a life which is quiet and in respect of forreine wars vnder the gouernment of Princes wee lead a life which is peaceable a Prince protects the persons of his subiects from murtherers and the goods of his subiects from theeues and the good name of his subiects from liâ—…ellers and slanderers hee beares not the sword for nought but is the Minister of God to take vengeance on such as are disturbers of his subiects quiet a-against his Crowne and Dignity Now that a Christian Magistrate may put to death a traytor a murtherer and other notorious offenders we proue first by the Scriptures secondly by the Fathers and thirdly by reason The Scriptures afford precepts and examples hereof afore the Law vnder the Law and after the Law before the Law Gen 9. 6. Who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed The which is not a meere Prophecy that euery murtherer should come to mischiefe but a plaine precept that the Magistrate being armed by Gods authority must execute such a bloody malefactor And we read a patterne hereof in the 38. of Gen verse 24. Iuda sayd bring her
foorth and let her be burnt Where Iudah as some conceiue being a Patriarch and head of his family did adiudge that Thamar his daughter in law which had played the whore should be burnt for her fault or as other he required that shee should be brought before the Iudges sitting in the gates of the city that they might condemne her to dy Vnder the Law there be many precepts in this kind recorded in one chapter as Exod. 21. Hee that smiteth a man and hee dye shall dye the death he that smiteth his father or his mother shall dye the death hee that killeth a woman with child shall pay life for life Now Moses Iosua Samuel Dauid and other good gouernours executed these lawes vpon their delinquent subiects and ye know that Naboth accused by two false witnesses of blasphemy was by Queene Iesabels art and King Ahabs authority stoned to death and the Scribes and Pharisees hauing taken a woman in adultery brought her vnto Christ and said that she should be stoned to death according to the Law When Christ himselfe was come which is the end of the Law he gaue this absolute determination All that smite with the sword shall perish with thâ—… sword The which cannot be so well expounded as thus hee that strikes with the priuat sword of reuenge shall be punished with the publique sword of Iustice for the publique sword of the Magistrate was at that time drawen out against Christ and therefore Peter ought to put vp his priuat sword of reuenge and obey the higher powers 2. We proue this doctrine by the iudgement of the most ancient and Orthodoxe fathers Augustine writes Lib. de Ciuitate Dei chap. 21. That publique persons in authority when as according to the Iust courses of law they sentence malefactors to death offend not against the precept thou shalt not kill and in another place repeating the words of Christ all that strike with the sword shall perish with the sword He doth explaine them thus Such as vpon their owne authority strike with the sword shal perish with the sword But if God put a sword into their hand then they may yea then they must strike for Princes punish malefactors with death not as masters of their liues but as Ministers of God and it is not in them any murther but an act of Iustice. Hilary writing vpon the same words of Christ maintaineth also that it is lawfull to kill in two cases especially 1 In our owne Iust necessary defence 2 When we are called to Magistracie S. Hierome in his commentary vpon the words of Ieremie Chap. 22. 3. Execute yee iudgement and righteousnesse doe no violence nor shed innocent blood in this place saith expressely that the putting to death of homicids witches sacrilegious persons is not effusion of blood but execution of right Lastly wee proue this assertion by reason and common experience for an husbandman pruneth idle twigs and luxurious branches which hinder the growth of his vine and the chirurgeon cutteth off a rotten member which otherwise would infect the whole body So the Magistrate being the great husband and Physitian of the State may destroy some corrupt part for the preseruation of the whole Melius est vt pereat vnus quam vnitas in the wordes of our common law better it is to suffer a mischiefe then an inconuenience More safe that one should be ruinated in his particular then the whole kingdome in conueâ—…ienced in the generall And the sword of an officer thus vsed is not as Augustine speaks Ferrum inimici vulnerantis sed medici sanantis Yea but if Christ will haue mercy Mat 9. 13. How may Christians execute Iustice Answere is made that Christ in that place speakes not of publique Iustice but of priuat behauiour now then albeit a Magistrate bee neuer so mercifull in his owne cause yet is he in his office the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill and there is a pity which is cruell and a Iustice which is merciful optimum miserecordiae genus nocentes occidere It is in a Prince the best kind of mercy to put a few notorious offendors to death that all the rest vnder him may lead a quiet life Concerning a peaceable life Princes are protectours of their Realmes against all forreine forces as they beare the sword of Iustice to defend their people from all domesticall desturbers of the peace So likewise the sword of war to defend their people from all forreine foes inuading their lands and encroching vpon the liberties of their kingdomes For albeit the Manichees in old time and Anabaptists in our time haue thought it vnlawfull for Christians to bee warriours yet all Orthodox diuines hold the calling of souldiers to be both honest and honorable and this they prooue by concluding arguments out of the Scriptures and Fathers God in his word giueth vnto souldiers not a Commission onely but a commendation also bidding them to fight and blessing them in lawfull warres a Commission is granted Iudg. 3. 1. These are the nations which the Lord left that hee might proue Israel by them euen as many of Israel as haue not knowen the warres of Canaan onely to make the generations of the children of Israel to know and to teach them warre and 1. Sam. 15. verse 2. 3. Thus saith the Lord of hostes I remember what Amalek did vnto Israel now therefore goe and smite Amalek and destroy ye all that apperteineth vnto them haue no compassion on them but slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and sheepe both Camell and Asse But a more generall and expresse Commission is deliuered Ecclesiast 3. 8. There is a time of warre and a time of peace there is no season alotted for any wicked act because we must serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life warre then haâ—…ing an appointed time must of necessity be good and so Iust warres are stiled often in holy â—…cripture the battels of the Lord And God preâ—…bed in his law diuers Military rules as Deut. â—…0 1. When thou shalt goe foorth to warre against thâ—…e â—…mies and shalt see horses and charets and people 〈◊〉 then thou be not afraid of them for the Lord thy 〈◊〉 is with thee who brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and Numbers 10. 9. When yee goe to warre yee shall blow an alarum with the trumpet and Num. â—…1 2. Harnesse some of you to warre that ye may execute the vengeance of the Lord against Midian and verse 27. Diuide the prey betweene the souldiers that went to warre and all the congregation And Dauid in the 144. Psalme verse 1. Blessed be the Lord my strength who teacheth my hands to warre and my fingers to fight Peter Martyr biddeth vs obserue the great Emphasis in the pronoune my manus meas my hands and my fingers because Dauid was a
man according to Gods owne heart The foolish Anabaptists obiect here that God indeed granted that license to the Iewes but hee denied it vnto Christians and answere is made that Iohn the Baptist who prepared the way for Christ allowed the calling of souldiers for when they did aske him Luke 3 4. What shall wee doe he did answere Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages Where Diuines obserue generally that Iohn approued the vocation of souldiers and condemned only three foule abuses in war Violence Calumnie Couetousnesse as Bernard sweetly contentos fore suis stipendijs indixit non omnem militiam interdixit Hee sayd in his exhortation a little before bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Now then either he was a deceiuer or else souldiers continuing in their calling may bring foorth good fruits and escape the wrath to come According to this Commission the Saints of God haue warred and obteined prayse for the same being renowned because valiant in battell Heb. 11. 34. As Abraham Moses Iosua Gideon Samson Dauid and Naaman the Syrian is Chronicled for his fortune and fortitude in warre Fortune because he was the deliuerer of his countrey Fortitude because hee was a mightie man in valour 2. Kings 5. 1. And in the New Testament when the Centurion sayd vnto Christ I haue souldiers vnder mee Christ Highly commended his great faith but in no sort condemned his fashion of liuing and act 10. Wee read of Cornelius a Captaine who was a deuout man and one that feared God with all his houshold who gaue much almes and prayed vnto God continually neither did St. Peter who shewed him the way to saluation in Christ any way dislike his office but on the contrary protested that he was accepted of God It doth not follow which is obiected by some Polititians that because the religion of Christ teacheth peace therefore it is vnfit for warre and because it perswadeth patience therefore it makes men cowards for howsoeuer the first building of the Temple was without the noyse of any iron toole to signifie that it should bee the house of peace Yet in the second as it is reported Nehâ—…miah 4. 17. They built with one hand and held their swords in the other to shew that in a good cause it should not be vnlawfull for to fight and warre Nay the Lord of hostes vsually giues a blessing to Iust warres as when Abraham returned from the slaughter of the foure Kings Melchisedec King of Salem and a Priest of the most High God blessed him and sayd Blessed be the most High God possessour of heauen and earth which hath deliuered thine enemies into thine hands At the prayer of Moses Israel preuailed against Amalek when Duke Iosua fought at Beth-oren the Lord cast downe great stones from heauen vpon his enemies and they were moe who dyed with the hailestones then they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword and when hee was about to sacke Iericho an Angel appeared vnto him as a Captaine with a drawen sword to fight for him Iosua 5. In Ecclesiasticall hystorie wee find that God by miracles euidently shewen in the heauens encouraged Constantine the great to fight and that the Angels fought for Theodosius the yonger against the Saâ—…acens and that Honorius army was so blessed by the Lord of hostes against Rhadagaisus King of the Gothes that not so much as one Romane was killed or wounded whereas one hundred thousand of the Gothes were discomfited To the Testimonies of holy Scripture wee might adde the sayings of the most ancient and learned Fathers Tertullian in his Apology told the Gentiles Nauigamus et nos vobisâ—…um et militatamus c. We Christians are Sea-men and souldiers and husbandmen and merchant as well as yee St. Ambrose numbreth among other vertues Warlike fortitude and in his oration vpon the death of Theodosius Hee câ—…mmends him exceedingly for his skill in exercising of armes Chrysostome in an Homily concerning their excuses who came not to the wedding dinner you pretend saith hee that you are a souldiour the Centurion in the Gospels history was a good souldidiour and yet a good Saint St. Augustine in diuerse places of his workes both alloweth and commendeth highly the calling of warriours Bernard in his ser ad militis Templi Chap. 3. Miles Christi saith he securus interimit securior interit A souldiour beares not the sword for nought but is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill and so when hee kils a malefactor Non homicida sed malecida Anabaptists obiect it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord Answere is made that the vengeance which is exercised by publique persons is not priuat grudge but the vengeance of God because Magistrates are the lieutenants and Ministers of God And whereas they further vrge the word of Esay they shall breake their swordes into matroks and their speares into sithes nation shall not lift vp a sword against nation neither shall they learne to fight any more S. Hierome answers that this Prophecie concerned only the very time when our blessed Sauiour the Prince of peace was borne For then as hystory reports there was an vniuersal peace throughout the whole world or as other it shewes that the Gospel of Christ sets not only God and man at peace but also man with man The summarie pith is briefly this that Christs people shall be meeke and hauing troden vnder their feet cruelty shall endeauour to liue peaceably but because part of Christs Kingdome is in this world that part hath here but a beginning the good being mingled with the bad and the good not absolutely good but imperfitly perfit therefore Christ inioyned Luke 22. 36. Hee that hath none let him sell his coate and buy a sword for albeit Christians may not offend other yet they may defend themselues in offending others so simple as doues in defending themselues so wise as serpents and therefore Caluin calles them braine-sicke Bedlams who by this place take from the Church the vse of the sword and condemne all manner of warre Yea but Christ himselfe sayd All that take the sword shall perish by the sword Diuines answere that a Prince takes not the sword of himselfe but hee receiueth it from God and hee giueth it to his Captaines and the Captaines to the souldiers and so by consequent all fighting in a lawfull warre put on Gods armour and are sayd expresly to fight the battailes of the Lord. Other obiect the weapons of the Church are the shield of faith sword of the spirit breast-plate of righteousnesse helmet of saluation as S. Paul armes a Christian. Ephes. 6 Answere is made that S. Paul in that place describes not any warre with men but a spirituall warfare which is against the deuill We wrestle quoth he not against flesh and
being nothing else but a type of the new and the new nothing else but a trueth of the old The whole saith Iacobus de Valentia consists of one Syllogisme the Law and the Prophets are the Maior all that Christ did and sayd the Minor the writings of the blessed Euangelists and Apostles inferre the conclusion or the Gospell is hidden in the Law like the conclusion in the premises But albeit the Scriptures be deepe yet as Gregory speakes it is a riuer wherein the little lambe may wade so well as the great Elephant swimme it is the rolle of a booke spread abroad and written within and without Ezec. 2. 9. 10. In some places it is rolled vp from the most searching wits in other spread abroad to the capacities of the most simple Testamentum est testatio mentis Gods word therefore being his Testament reueales as much of his will as is to bee knowen In it wee may find the Father from whom and the Son by whom and the holy Ghost in whom are all things and therefore should bee much in our handes in our eyes in our eares in our mouthes but most of all in our hearts as Fulgentius saith it affordes enough abundantly for men to eate and children to sucke Maximus compares it to a man The old Testament resembling the body and the new Testament the soule or the letter of the Prophets is the body and the meaning is the soule and as the mortall part of man is seene but that which is immortall vnseene So the letter of the Scriptures is plaine but the spirit in some places inuolued and not easily discerned One deepe calling vpon another deepe S. Augustine and Hugo de S. Vict vnderstand it thus the depth of Gods knowledge findeth out the depth of mans heart for the Lord searcheth vs out he knoweth our downe-sitting and our vprising hee is about our paths and about our bed and spieth out all our wayes and vnderstandeth all our thoughts long before Psal 139. It is the duty then of euery Christian especially tempted to sinne to resolue with holy Ioseph How can I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God Is there any thing so secret that shall not be disclosed If I commit it in the wood shall not a bird of the aire cary the voice that which hath wings declare the matter Ecclesiastes 10. 20. If I sinne in the forrest am I now to learne that a beast hath spoken Or if birdes and beasts happily should hold their peace would not as Christ sayd in the like case the very stones cry Luke 19. 40. If in my closet or study shall not my bookes of deuotion especially the Bible witnesse against mee There is one that accuseth you quoth our Sauiour to the Iewes euen Moses that is Moses law the which as it was once spoken by God so it dayly speakes in Gods cause to God Or if all these be silent shall not the sinne it selfe like the blood of Abel cry for reuenge Plutarch aduiseth vs so circumspectly to demeane our selues as if our enemies alway beheld vs. Seneca counselleth vs to liue so well as if Cato Laelius or some reuerend person of great wisedome and account ouerlooked vs. Thales Milesius in the committing of any sinne wished vs when wee were alone to bee afraid of our selues and our owne conscience which is instead of a thousand witnesses a thousand Iuries a thousand Iudges te sine teste time saith Ausonius S. Paul exhorts women to carry themselues in Gods house reuerently because of the Angels obseruing their behauiour But our text tels vs yet a better way then all these which is to remember alway that the depth of Gods science calleth vnto the depth of our conscience If any be deiected in his mind for that hee cannot remember the good lessons hee dayly reads in bookes and heares in sermons let him bee comforted againe because this one precept concerning Gods omni-presence comprehends amnia media et remedia all meanes and medicines for the curing of his sicke soule If he beare still in mind this one poynt that all things are naked to Gods eye Heb. 4. 13. Yea hell it selfe Iob 26. 6. To his eye which is all eye Ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne Ecclesiasticus 23. 19. He hath already commenced Doctor in Israel and is a liuing and a walking library knowing so much as may serue for the well ordering of his whole life Gregory the great construeth our text thus one iudgement of God calleth vp another for his iudgements are a great depth Psal. 36. 6. So deepe that they be past finding out Rom. 11. 33. When as therefore for feare of Gods iudgement we iudge our selues one deepe occasioneth another and that at the noyse of the water pipes or cloudes which are the preachers exhorting vs as S. Paul his Corinthians If yee would iudge your selues yee should not be iudged Arnobius expoundeth it thus one deepe calleth another deepe When Christ on earth and in the nethermost hell also called to God the Father in the Highest Heauen the strong crying of our Blessed Sauiour vnto God with teares Heb. 5. 7. Was a very deepe base and Gods counter-verse was sung with an exceeding high voyce from heauen of heauen This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3 17. One deepe calleth another deepe when as truth flourished out of the earth and righteousnesse looked downe from heauen Psal. 85. 11. Hugo Cardinalis and Lyra thus Abyssus abyssum inuocat that is peccatum peccatum prouocat As one deepe calleth another deepe So one sinne prouoketh and calleth vp another sinne Pride to maintaine her selfe calleth vp Nigardise Gluttony calleth vp Wantonnesse Malice calls vp Murther Vnthriftinesse calls vp in great ones Oppression In the poore theeuery an vncleane thought calls vp vnsauoury wordes and bad wordes corrupt good manners and corruption in manners breeds a custome in sin and custome in sinne brings men to sencelesnesse in sinne such as giue themselues ouer or sell themselues to commit iniquity proceed from euill to worse Ieremy 9. 3. and fall from one wickednesse to another Psalme 69. 28. First there is walking in the counsell of the vngodly then standing in the way of sinners last of all sitting in the seate of the scornefull Hee that blowes a feather into the ayre or throwes a piece of paper into the riuer knowes not where it will settle So hee that begins with a sinne knowes not when or where it will end Herod happily began with a little dalliance but afterward he committed incest and that darling sinne caused him to adde yet this aboue all the rest of his faults to shut vp Iohn in prison And so Dania glutted with a large meale lusted after Bath saba and that fire did rage till hee had committed vncleannesse with her and for the couering of that foule fact
O Father of mercies wee know that thou canst not deny thy selfe and nothing is more thy selfe then thy mercy which is aboue all thy workes it is it wee want most it is it wee craue most it is it thou doest vse to giue most haue mercy then vpon vs according to the multitudes of thy louing kindnesses of old that forthe dayes wherein wee haue suffered for euill we may now from thy fulnesse receiue grace for grace PSAL. 84 10. One day in thy courts is better then a thousand THe most excellent thing in the world is man and the most excellent thing in man is the soule and the most excellent thing in the soule is religion and the most excellent thing in religion is to seeke God here that wee may see him hereafter in whose most amiable dwellings one day sayth our Prophetâ—… is better then a thousand For by the Courts of God in the iudgement of most and best expositors is here meant either the Church militant which is heauen on earth or the Church tâ—…umphant which is heauen in heauen and the least of time â—…pent in either of them is better then a thousand days or moneths or yeeres or ages elsewhere to wit as may bee supplied by the verse following in the tents of vngodlinesse Concerning the first it is well obserued by Placidus Parmensis and other that this one day is Christs day which Abraham reioyced to see Iobâ—… 8. 56. The day of sulâ—…ation and acceptable time 2. Cor. 6. 2. Wherein all of 〈◊〉 haue receiued from his fulnesse and grace for grace the day which the Lord hath made and all his Saints are glad in it Psal. 118. 24. One houre whereof among the faithfull in the true worship of God is better in respect of profit then a thousand in the market better in respect of pleasure then a thousand in the theater better in respect of honour then a thousand in the palaces of Princes For profit our euidence is cleare 1. Tim. 6. 6. Godlines is great gaine that is gaine of great things as Caietan or greater gaine so Theophilact or the greatest and enough gaine so Caluin as if the Blessed Apostle should haue sayd gaiâ—…e and more then gayne riches and better then riches as when the Scripture would difference the true liuing God from dumbe and dead Idols it calleth a great God and a great King aboue all gods So speaking of godlinesse which is the riches of the soule termes it great riches heauenly riches inâ—…stim able riches vnchangeable riches euerlasting riches For to spend our time well is the best husbandry saith Seneca to giue to the poore the best vsury sayth Augustine to coâ—…et spirituall giftes hereby to winne soules is the best auarice saith Hierome to buy the truth is the best bargaine sayth Solomon to bee rich in good workes is the best opulencie saith Paul 1. Tim. 6. 18. Other gaines are not without their inconueniences and incommodities as hauing in them an emptinesse and neuer enough as Bernard told his brethren nec verâ—… sâ—…t 〈◊〉 vestrâ—… but godlinesse affordeâ—…â—…way contentation either in dâ—…ed or desire In deed as hauing prâ—…mia reposita and prâ—…posita the promises both of the life present and of that which is to come the blessings of the right hand and of the left hand Prouerb 3. 16. The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger sayth our Prophet But they that feare the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good The couetous that goe about like roaring Lyons seeking whom they may deuoure by their oppression and cruelty sometime misse their prey yea the more they haue the greater is their hunger and thirst after the thinges of this world The Chronicle reportes of Peirce Gaueston that the more he was inriched the worse was his estate But they who seeke the Lord which is vnto those that serue him all in all things haue their meale so multiplyed in the barrell and oyle in the cruse that they want no manner of thing that is good habent omnia qâ—…ia habent habentem omnia It may bee some good thing is wanting in their estate but happily not good for them it was good for Naaman that he was a leper good for Dauid that hee was in trouble good for Bartimeus that he was blind as a nurse knowes what is best for her infant so God our heauenly Father knowes what is best for vs his children If he giue the subsâ—…iue saluation hee will afford like wise the adâ—…ectiue things necessary for this life Mat. 6 33. Caetera ad jeintur 〈◊〉 If hee giue his Son for vs how shall hee not with him giue vs all things also Rom 8. â—… Howsoeâ—…er godlinesse affordes contentation in respect of the desire because godly men If they haue not estatâ—… according to their minds they wil haue mindes according to their estates hauing nothing and yet possessing all things 2. Cor. 6. 10. The couetous is only poore and the content is only rich omnia famulantur famulanti Deo The seruant of God is Lord of all as Christ sayd If the soâ—…e make you free then are you free indeed so deare Christians If godlinesse make you rich then are yee rich indeed a great deale more rich then they which of their corne and wine and oyle haue full encroase the Pompous Prelate who sayd hee would not loose his part in Paris for his part in Paradise nay Leo the 10. who got so much and in the Holy sea spent so much of S. Peters inheritance that Guicciardine writes in his history Whereas other were Popes no longer then they liued he was sayd to be Pope many yeeres after hee was dead was not so rich as Martine Luther a poore preacher who professeth of himselfe that of all faults hee was euer least subiect to the dirty sin of euil coueting If any then aske the question in the third of Malac 14. what profit is it to serue God answere is made by the father of lies in this truely Iob. 1. 9. doth Iob serue God for nought hath hee not made an hedge about him and about all that he hath on euery side the like may be sayed of euery man which is vpright and feares God is he not rich and his godlines gaine being blessed in his field blessed in his fold blessed in his corne blessed in his cattle loe thus shall the man be blessed that fâ—…areth the Lord On the contrarie sinnes are termed by Saint Paul vnprofitable works of darknes what fruite had ye saith he to the Romans in those things wherof ye are now ashamed he doth answere himselfe in the same place the wages of sin is death bad worke sad wages But our Sauiours question in the 16 of S. Matthew puts this matter out of all question what shall a man gayne though he winne the whole world and loose his owne soule put the whole world
ordinary seruants of his house and eagerly to hunger and thirst after his Sacred word and blessed Sacraments which are the foode of his house and to put on holinesse and righteousnesse which are the hangings and ornaments of his house But aboue all euen with all our heart soule mind to loue the Lord Iesus which is the founder and foundation of this house that after we haue soiourned in his earthly tabernacle wee may rest vpon his heauenly mountaine where wee shall be abundantly satisfied with the pleasures of his house For as Bernard sweetly si sic bonus es sequentibus te qualis futurus es consequentibus If thou Lord be so good vnto those that seeke thee what wilt thou be vnto such as find thee doubtlesse one day spent in the kingdome of glory surpasseth a thousand in the kingdome of grace T is true the profit pleasure honour of a good christian is better a thousand times then all the treasures and iollities of the wicked yet so long as wee dwell in houses of clay clothed with flesh and blood in this valley of teares euer and anon wee shall haue troubles on euery side fightings without and terrours within and through many tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of God but when once wee shall arriue there all teares shall be wiped from our eyes all cares from our hearts assoone as we shall enter into the vpper Courts of the Lord we shall haue fulnesse of ioyes and pleasures at his right hand for euermore This one day sayth Augustine is the day of eternity which is alway the same one and no more for the heauenly Hierusalem hath no need of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine because God and the Lambe are the light of it Apoc. 21. 23. and in his light all the children of light enioy that day which is euerlasting without any night or end And now most gracious Soueraigne vpon bowed knees I beseech your Highnesse by the mercies of God suffer a few wordes of exhortation as you haue most christianly heard a great many poynts of doctrine 〈◊〉 Kings are stiled Gods and their houses should be like Churches as Eusebius writes of Constantines Court euery chamber a chappell euery person a Priest offering vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God Aboue all I most humbly beg of your Maiestie to continue your studiousnesse of peace that howsoeuer you mainteyne iust and honourable warres abroad yet peace may be within your walles at home which is the greatest gaine pleasure honour of all Christian Courts and Kingdomes The deuill is the authour of confusion and schisme but the Lord is the God of order and King of peace he vnited heauen and earth two diuerse diuided parts of the vniuerse and made them both one world he vnited sea and land two diuerse deuided elements and made them both one globe he vnited soule and body two diuerse diuided substances and made both one man he vnited Iewes and Gentiles two diuerse people and made them both one Church hee vnited Adam and Eua two diuerse diuided sexes and made them both in marriage but one flesh and that which is yet more wonderfull he vnited God and man two diuerse diuided natures and made them both one Christ. As the Lord therefore sayd to Moses In the Lords Name giue mee leaue to speake to you Most high and mighty Prince fac secundum exemplar Imitate God as his deare Sonne and seruant diuide et impera sauours too much of the serpent vtraque fecit vnum is our comfort Your great grandfather King Henry the 7 vnited the Roses and that was an happy worke Your renowned Father vnited the kingdomes and that was a more happy worke But if your selfe borne for all greatnesse shall vnite the different factions and fractions about some points in religion and make your people from Dan to Bershe-ba speake the same thing and pronounce the same Shiboleth it will vndoubtedly proue the most happy worke of all As your blessed marriage began with a league of peace so wee pray night and day that your issue may bee children of peace your Nobles and men of Councell Princes of peace your Clergie studients and messengers of peace your Iudges and Iustices gardians of peace your Commons and people followers of peace all of vs in our seuerall offices and orders honouring the God of peace and aduancing his Gospell which is glad tidings of peace wee may take vp euermore the wordes of my text One day spent in the Courts and countreyes of our Lord King Charles is better then a thousand else where PSAL. 105. 4. Seeke his face euermore MAn was elected before there was any time created in the beginning of time redeemed in the fulnesse of time for this end to seeke God on earth and to see God in heauen Our text poynteth at both exhorting the seed of Abraham and the children of Iacob That is all faithfull people so to seeke Gods face that in fine they may see Gods face for euermore For the better vnderstanding whereof I must euidently cleare two poynts especially 1. What is to be sought and that is expressed to be Gods face 2. How to be sought to wit by what meanes and that is implyed to bee by contemplation in this world and by vision in the next In what measure how much earnestly seeke the Lord seeke his strength seeke his face how long euermore For the first a great many and a good many Diuines vnderstand here by Gods face Gods fauour as if the Prophet should haue sayd in all time of wealth and in all time of woe call vpon the Lord seeke him and his strength onely seeke not to witches because they seeke to the deuill and the deuill is a murtherer from the beginning an accuser of the faithfull our aduersarie walking about like a roaring lyon seeking whom he may deuoure Seeke not to Bell or Baal or any false God for an Idol cannot helpe it selfe much lesse other Wisd. 13. 16. The Apostle saith an Idol is nothing and the Philosopher saith of nothing comes nothing seeke not to secular powers and potentates O put not your trust in Princes nor in any child of man for there is no helpe in them Psalm 146. 2. The king of Egypt is a broken staffe of reed hee that leaneth on him and trusteth in him is sure to fall to the ground alas man is like a thing that is nothing when his breath is gone foorth hee returneth againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish Seeke not to your owne strength trust not as Goliah did in your sword and shield for cursed bee the man that makes flâ—…sh his arme Iere. 17. 5. Seeke not to your owne wit for the Lord catcheth the Wizards in their owne craftinesse and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish Seeke not to your owne worth and holinesse as the Pharisee stood vpon
his merite Luke 18. For blessed is the man that feareth alway but hee that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prouerbs 28. 26. Seeke not to the strength of your owne purse doe not sacrifice to your owne net make not gold your hope saying to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence for riches auaile not in the day of wrath noâ—… helpe in the time of vengeance Seeke not to the blessed spirits of iust men in heauen for Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not Esay 63. 16. They doe not vnderstand our wants in particular howsoeuer vndoubtedly solicitous for our good in generall grant they did clearely see what we lacke and that they be so well able as willing to helpe yet because the Scriptures afford neither precept nor promise nor paterne for inuocation in this kind seeking to the dead saints is an open iniurie to the liuing God at the best it is wil-worship at the worst adoring of old saints is an adopting of new sauiours To summe vp all in a word with our Prophet in the 73 Psalme verse 14. Whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire in comparison of thee all other hopes and helpes are miserable comforters in respect of thee which art a present helpe in trouble vnder the shadow of thy wings will I reioyce my soule hangeth vpon thee mine eyes are euer looking vnto thee to the throne of grace will I goe boldly that I may find mercy thou Lord art my strength and onely refuge thy face will I seeke euermore Hugo Cardinalis vnderstandeth here by Gods face that happinesse which is euerlasting in heauen They who seeke for Gods temperall blessings onely seeke his hinder parts as it were but they who first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof are sayd to seeke his priora because potiora the multitude who followed Christ in the 6. of S. Iohn for loaues and not for loue sought Gods hinder parts only but the blessed Apostle who sayd I forget that which is behind and endeauour my selfe vnto that which is before following hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesu sought Gods face euermore Temporall goods as riches and honour are the blessings of Gods left hand but length of dayes that is euerlasting life the blessings of his right hand Prouer. 3 16. New creatures in Christ and new men are like the new Moone when the Moone decreaseth it is close aboue open below but when it increaseth it is open aboue close beneath euen so beloued if our mindes as nature framed our hearts are close downeward vsing the world as if wee vsed it not and enlarged vpward in seeking the things aboue then as S. Paul speakes our conuersation is in heauen and as Dauid here we seeke Gods face for euermore Arnobius and diuers moe by Gods face doe vnderstand Christ Iesus as being the brightnesse of Gods glorie and expresse character of his person Heb. 1. 3. And as our Prophet Psalm 67. vers 1. The light of his countenance God is manifested in his sonne as a man is knowen by his face for no man saith our Lord commeth vnto the Father but by me Iohn 14. 6. I am the way the trueth and the life non est quà eas nisi per me non est quò eas nisi ad me as Augustine sweetely Christ is the beginning of blessed and heauenly vision and therefore the way the meane and therefore the trueth the end and therefore the life No man knowes the Father saue the Sonne and to whomsoeuer the Sonne will open him It is true that we may see Gods hinder parts by the light of nature for the power of God is manifested in the creation of the world the heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke but we cannot see Gods face that is the most vnsearchable riches of his mercy but in by his Son only none know the Father that is a distinction of the Persons in the Sacred Trinity but by the reuelation of God the Sonne in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2. 3. Or none know that God is their Father but by the spirit of the Sonne crying in our hearts Abba Father Galat. 4. 6. Wee speake the wisdome of God in a mysterie quoth Paul which none of the Princes of this world knew Hoc magnus Plato nesciuit eloquens Demosthenes ignorauit saith Hierome deepe Plato was altogether ignorant eloquent Demosthenes was vtterly silent in this argument they being secretaries of nature groped after God and found out also so much of him as may serue to condemne them but wee blessed are the eyes that see the things which we see seeking God in his Sonne in whom he is well pleased vnfainedly beleeue that he is our Father and that we are his children and further his heires euen heires annexed with Christ in his kingdome of glorie Rom. 8. verse 16. 17. The Turke seekes not God aright for that he seekes him in Mahumet the Iew seekes not God aright for that he seekes him in a Messias which is yet to come the Popeling seekes not aright for that he seekes him in moe Mediatours then one the Hereticke destroying either the natures of Christ or offices of Christ seekes not God aright the carnall Gospeller and worldling seekes not God aright for although he professe Christ in word yet in his workes he denieth him and the power of his Gospel as Augustine pithily the difference betweene an Hereticke and a bad Catholicke is briefly this the one is an Hereticke in his faith and the other is an Hereticke in his manners Lord shew vs the light of thy countenance that is indue vs with true knowledge of thy word and with a liâ—…ely faith in thy Sonne which is thine owne Image that so wee may seeke thy strength and see thy face euermore It is euident by the first of the Chronicles 16. Chap. That Dauid was authour of this Hymne and that it was indited for Asaph to be sung when the Lordes Arke was placed in the mids of the Tabernacle that Dauid had pitched for it and therefore most expositours interpret here Gods face to be Gods Arke by which hee declared his poweâ—… and presence fauour and goodnes toward his people So we read 2 Chron 6. 41. Psal. 63. 3. Psal. 78. 61. Psal. 132. 1. Arise O Lord into thy resting place thâ—… and the Arke of thy strength The like is sayd of Gods holy Temple that it was his house Esay 56. 7. His amiable dwelling place Psal. 84. 1 Yea the very chamber of his presence Psal. 95. 2. Let vs come before his presence with thankesgiuing And they who worshipped in the Courts of the Lord are sayd to stand and appeare before him as Deut. 16. 16. Three times in the yeere shall all
the males appeare before the Lord thy God and Exâ—… 23. 15. None shall appeare before me empty The meaning then of Dauid is plaine that the seed of Abraham the children of Iacob should giue thankes vnto the Lord and call vpon his Name tell his wonderous workes make songs of him and prayse him and seeke his strength in that holy place which himselfe hath appoynted euen where his Arke rested and resided As if hee should haue sayd goe not to Baal-Zebub the God of Ekron goe not to the calfe in Samaria seeke not to Bethel enter not into Gilgal goe not to Beer-sheba but seeke the Lord and ye shall liue seeke him while hee may bee found and where he may be found run not a whoring after your owne inuentions doe not serue him according to your owne voluntary religion and priuat spirit but let his holy word be a lanterne to your feete and a guide to your pathes euermore seeke him and his strength in his Tabernacle where he sheweth his fauour and face to Abraham his seruant to Iacob his chosen The ceremonies of Moses in their beginning were Mortales as being to continue but for a time when once Christ appeared in the fulnesse of time they were Mortuâ—… being only shadowes as S. Paul speakes of good things to come but now since the sound of Christes holy Gospel is gone throughout all the earth euen vnto the ends of the world they be mortiferae not only dead but also deadly so buried and abolished that they must neuer be raysed vp againe in the Church of God Legalia saith Augustine ante passionem Christi viua statim pòst mortua hodie sepulta Christ is the end of the Law not only of the morall in fulfilling all righteousnesse or of the Iudicial in satisfying Gods Iustice for vs but of the ceremoniall also giuing himselfe for vs to be both an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God of which all the legall offerings and sacrifices were types and figures Here then is a question asked seeing we haue neither such an Arke nor such a Tabernacle nor such a Temple as the Iewes had vnder the Law where shall we now seeke the strength of the Lord and his face Answere is made that albeit the houre is come foretold by Christ vnto the woman of Samaria that the seed of Abraham according to the Spirit doe not adore God at Hierusalem or vpon his Holy mountaine yet they worship him in his Church of which Hierusalem was a type the which is called expresly Gods house wherein his Honour delights to dwell and in the ministration of his blessed word and Sacraments hee sheweth vs the light of his countenance more clearely then vnder the ceremonies of Moses for in our prayers we confidently speake vnto him and in the word preached and read hee plainly speaketh vnto vs in both If we seeke we may see his face frequent then his house when it is the houre of prayer frequent then his house when it is the houre of preaching take heed that yee doe not neglect so great saluation hee that reiecteth these things reiects not man but God I beseech you suffer the wordes of exhortation and doctrine despise noâ—… Prophecying despise not I say the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience reuerence his blessed ordinances abhorre not his heauenly Manna quench not his spirit turne not O turne not his graces into contention and wantonnesse lest he hide his face from vs in his sore displeasure remoouing his golden Candlesticks from our Church and giuing his Gospell vnto some other people who will bring foorth better fruits of the same The Papists haue gods of lead and gods of bread but the faces of these gods as our Prophet telleth vs in the 115. Psalm haue mouthes and speake not eyes and see not noses and smell not neither speake they through their throat they that make them are like vnto them and so are all such as put their trust in them Images as they teach are the Laymens Gospel a wodden block is to them instead of the written booke they see their makers face better in a pulpit then out of the pulpit Beloued be not deceiued God is not mocked If yee seeke his strength and his face goe to his Law and his Testimony yee may behold a liuely Crucifix in the Scripture for what is the Center of the whole Bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but onely this one poynt Christ 〈◊〉 Ye may behold in each Sacrament a liuely Crucifix for the blessed Communion is a commemoration of Christs death vntill his comming 1. Cor. 11. 26. And sacred baptisme saith Aquinus is a Commemoration of Christs Passion which is past a Demonstration of his grace which is present and a Prognostication of his glory which is to come Yee may likewise behold a liuely Crucifix in the Churches Liturgie framed according to the tenour of Gods owne Spirit forasmuch as our prayers contemplate God the Father in his Sonne begun in his Name bounded vpon his nature concluded with his Merits as our onely Mediatour and Aduocate When the parents of Christ had lost him at the feast of the Passeouer and sought him in many places in fine they found him at Hierusalem in the Temple So when your soule longeth after God and is athirst for his presence Come to the Church and sav with our Prophet Psal. 27. 9. Thy face Lord will I seeke It is reported of Cain Gen. 4. 16. That he went out from the presence or from the face of Iehoua As Gods face signifieth his all seeing prouidence none can flie from it Ieremie 23. 24 Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I who â—…ill heauen and earth shall not see him saith the Lord The meaning of that text then is happily that Cain went out from the place of Gods word and publique worship For Adam his father being a Prophet as it is probable had taught his children how to sacrifice and serue the Lord On the contrary to come before God in 1. Chron. 16. 29. is explained Psal. 96. 8. To be comming into his courts and worshipping in his Sanctuary When our backs are turned toward the Temple no wonder if God turne his face from vs and absent himselfe in displeasure But if wee serue the Lord with gladnesse and enter into his gates with thankesgiuing If our songs are of him and our hearts reioyce in his holy Name when we remember the marueilous workes that hee hath done his wonders the iudgments of his mouth when one day spent in his Courts is accounted better then a thousand in the tents of vngodlines when wee search earnestly for him in the Scriptures and in the publique Ministry thereof his ordinary power to saluation and the strength of his arme Then as it is sayd in our text wee seeke him and his forces and his fauour and his face euermore There is a fift exposition of these words and that is of
whether it be good or bad A sweet speech according to Godsowne heart for as S. Ambrose doth auow whosoeuer speakes a thing which is true speaketh it from the spirit of trueth Not to trouble you with any further discourse the consideration of this one poynt that God is omni-present conteineth in it all other rules for the well ordering of whole life so that if any be deiected in his mind for that he cannot remember the good lessons hee dayly reades in bookes and heares in Sermons let him be con tented againe because this one prescript comprehends omnia media et remedia all meanes and medicines for the curing of his sicke soule but because Gershon a great clearke professeth hee hath sometimes beene foure houres together in working his heart ere hee could frame it to he Diuine meditation of God I purpose to treate first of the meanes how to get it and then of the fruites arising from it For the first euery good gift is from aboue comming downe from the Father of lights and prayer is like the fiery chariot of Elia where by we mount vp and conuerse with God on high It is the key of Paradise gates and the hand of a Christian able to reach from earth to heauen and to take foorth vnsearchable riches ouâ—… of the Lords treasure the Scripture saith as much in plaine termes aske and yee shall haue seeke and yee shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you what soeuer ye shall aske the Father in my Name he will giue it you Feruent prayer then vnto which almighty God denyes nothing is a maine meanes of this holy deuotion and pious exercise Another way to seeke Gods face continually is to haue some remarkeable sentences concerning this argument written in the roomes wee most vse for example that of Solomon Prou. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord in euery place behold the euill and the good Or that of Dauid I haue set God alwayes before me Or that of Paul Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and open to his eyes with whom wee haue to doe Or that of Augustine God is all eye Totus oculus qui minime fallitur quià minime clauditur saith Bernard Or that of Lipsius eum nulla vis humana elidet aut acumen eludet God commanded in the 15 of Numb 38. and Deut 22. 12. That his people throughout their generations should make them fringes vpon the borders of their garments and put vpon the fringes of the borders a ribband of blew silke that when they looked vpon them at any time they might remember all the commandements of the Lord and doe them He did inioyne likewise to bind the wordes of his Law for a memoriall vpon their hands and as fronâ—…lets betweene their eyes And these scrolles of paitchâ—…ents wherein the commandements were written are termed by the Hebrew Doctor Tephillim prayermonuments and by Christ Mat. 23. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Interpreters coniecture quasi conseruatoria because they kept and preserued men in awfull obedience to the law and howsoeuer the Pharisees abused these things vnto superstition and vaine-glory yet God assuredly will be well pleased if we shall vse sincerely the like monuments and figures for the like good purposes and ends especially to put vs in mind of his holy presence A third profitable meane to seeke Gods face continually is a particular examination of our selues at our vprising and downe-sitting and if wee find that wee haue walked all the day long in Gods sight to make songs of him and prayse him for his strength and grace If otherwise to be sory for this omission and hereafter to bee more studious of this good worke The last and best helpe to further this deuotion is our vnfeined loue of God for as S. Augustine sayd animus velut pondere amore fertur quocunque fertur ibi est vbi amat non vbi animat A man is where he loues not where he liues as Origene writes of Mary Magdalene visiting Christs Sepulchre ibi non erat vbi erat quià tota ibi erat vbi magister erat So beloued it is with vs al our mind is where our pleasure is and our heart is where our treasure is Matth. 6. 21. If then we loue God aboue all things our hearts will likewise reioyce in his holy Name more then in all things If wee remember the marueilous workes that hee hath done his wonders and the iudgement of his mouth what do we but seeke his strength and his face euermore The fruites rising from this holy deuotion are manifold The first is purenesse of heart which is such an excellent vertue that Solomon saith He that loueth purenesse of heart the King shall be his friend That is the King of glory the King of heauen and earth the King of kings is a louer of him Now that purenesse is attayned by this exercise as Dauid telleth vs in the 10. Psalme reporting the wayes of the wicked man to bee most impure because God is not in all his thoughts and the fathers of our law put these words into the enditement of a malefactour that in committing his foule fact he had not God before his eyes When Christ entred into my soule saith Bernard hee mooued and mollified and wounded mine hard and stony heart he did roote out and destroy throw downe build and plant he did enlighten that which was darke water that which was dry coole that which was too hot and inflame that which was too cold He did exalt valleys and depresse mountains the crooked wayes he made straight and the rough places plaine and so saith he with our Prophet Psalme 103. My soule did prayse the Lord and all that is within mee prayse his holy Name We find in Ecclesiasticall history that Paphnutius conuerted Thais and that Ephram conuerted another famous strumpet from vncleannesse onely with this argument that almighty God seeth all thinges in the darke when all doores are fast all windowes shut all curtaines close And as this exercise causeth vs to repent sin which is past so likewise to preuent sinne which is to come for if once we can contemplate God as present we shall instantly consider him as our Father and so honour him or as our Lord and so feare him and he that doeth either of these will flee sinne as a serpent as for example Ioseph assaulted by his mistrisle to lie with her answered How can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God Susanna tempted by the libidiâ—…ous Elders to the like folly gaue the like answere sighing and saying I am in danger on euery side For if I doe this thing it is death vnto me and if I do it not I cannot escape your hanâ—… it is better for mee to fall into your hands and not to doe it then to sinne in the sight of the Lord A learned doctour in â—…ur time
Pharisee standing vpon his typtoes in the Temple went home lesse iustified then a poore publican who stooping downe would not lift vp so much a his eye into heauen Luke 18. So Saul when he stooped downe being little in his owne eyes became the greatest euen the head of all the tribes of Israel appoynted and anoynted by God to be King yea the first King of his owne people On the contrary Nebuchadnezar in the contemplation of his might and Maiestie conceiting himselfe to be some diuine thing and thereupon enioyned his people to worship his golden Image was in the top of his pride cast out from the conuersation of men and his dwelling with the beastes of the field hee did eate grasse as oxen his body was wet with the dew of heauen his haires growen like the feathers of eagles and his nayles like the clawes of birds vntill hee knew that the Lord ruleth in the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer hee will and Antichrist is therefore stiled the man of sinne for exalting himselfe aboue all that is called God Whereas Christ our patterne here being higher then the highest humbled himselfe and stooped so low that hee did appeare rather a worme then a worthy the very scorne of men and outcast of the people Psalm 22. 6. his first instruction in his first publique sermon is blessed are the poore in spirit and he did as he did quod iussit gessit as Bernard sweetely his whole life was nothing else but an open booke rather a free-schoole of humility His ingresse into the world was so stooping that he was layd in a cratch his egresse out of the world so stooping that he died on a crosse intrauit per stabulum exiuit per patibulum his progresse into the world so stooping that he was at once the first and the last Alpha for his Maiestie Omega for his meekenesse ringing as it were the bell himselfe to his owne Sermon of this argument learne of me for I am humble and meeke Proud Pharisee seeing I stoope why doest thou stroute looke down to the ground consider the rocke out of which thou wast hewen Et cum sis humillimus cur non humilimus The second action of Christ here to be considered is writing with his finger on the ground where two questions are to be discussed 1 Why he wrote on the ground 2 What he wrote on the ground The first hath in it If I may so speake the three questionets 1 Why he did write 2 Why with his finger 3 Why he wrote on the ground Hee did write to shew that he would not bee rash and light in his censure hereby teaching all iudges to deliberate and write their sentence before they deliuer publish it vnto the world Demosthenes vsed to say that he would if it were possible speake not only scripta but sculpta licking his phrases as the beare doeth her whelpes and weighing euery word in a prudentiall ballance which hee was to vent in the seates of Iustice. It is obserued truly that vertues are stronger in the aduerbe then in the adiectiue To doe that is well is better then to doe that is good for a man may doe that is honest against his will and knowledge whereas in all vertuous actions there is a free election and therefore that iudge who doth huddle his sentence before hee chew the câ—…d after all parties are fully heard may iudge the right but not aright 2 He wrote and deliberated a while before he spake that he might hereby giue them an occasion and space to repent them of their accusation and question O the depth of the riches of the mercies of Christ hee laâ—… ours to saue those who sought to destroy him Albeit their feete were swift to shed his blood yet is hee slow to wrath and ready to forgiue them and the same mind should be in vs as S. Peter exhorteth euer ready to follow his steps who is the way the trueth and the life To render good for good is the part of a man to render euill for euill is the part of a beast to render euill for good is the part of a deuill to render good for euill is the part of a Saint mercifull as our father in heauen is mercifull The second questionet is why he wrote with his finger and that as Augustine Rupert and Other doctours obserue was to shew that he was greater then Moses and worthy of more glory not a subiect to the law but Lord of the law for that it was his finger that wrote it and his hand that deliuered it vnto Moses Intimating hereby likewise that the law should bee considered in the Gospel and Moses consulted as accompanied with Christ. If wee contemplate Moses alone that will be terrible Exod. 34. 30. But if wee contemplate Moses in Christs company that will be comfortable Mat. 17. 4. Domine bonum est nos hic esse Master it is good for vs to be here this sight is pleasant and profitable The third questionet is why he wrote on the ground and that was first as Aretius obserues to shew the Pharisees how they trampled the commandements of Moses vnder their feet they had as Hugo de S. Vict writes legem in corde but they had not cor in loge they were Doctores Theoretici but not practici they knew the Lawes of God and preached them vnto the people yet hated to bee reformed by them or ruled after them 2 Christ wrote on the ground as Melancton notes to let the Pharisees vnderstand that they who depart from the Lord shal be written in the earth Ierem. 17. 13. The names of Gods elect are registred in the booke of life Philip 4. 3. recorded in heauen Luke 10. 20. But the wicked who make their heauen on earth are written in the dust and so they suddenly consume perish and come to a fearefull end their name rots and their seed is rooted out their stately pallaces are no where to be found and their memoriall is perished with them Psalm 9. 6. All their hope is like dust that is blowen away with the wind like a thinne froth that is driuen away with the storme like the smoke which is dispersed here and there with a tempest and passerh as the remembrance of a guest that tarryeth but a day Wisedome 5. 14. 3 Christ wrote on the ground saith Hugo Cardinalis insinuating that the sencelesse and speechlesse earth shall in the day of iudgement accuse the wicked put in articles and fight against them according to that of Iob If my land cry out against me or the furrowes thereof exclaime Iob 31. 38. God is the Lord of hostes and euery creature is a souldiour in pay with him hauing not only defensiue weapons ad muniendum to protect his seruants but offensiue likewise ad puniendum to punish his enemies
men and for ought I know commendable to prouide some new clothes against the receiuing of the communion at Easter now S. Paul exhorteth vs to put on under mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind mâ—…ekenesse long suffering for bearing one another and forgiuing one another which Christ himselfe termeth a nâ—…w sutâ—… Iohn 13. 34. A new commandement I giue vnto you that you loue one another This vndoubtedly was an old precept from the beginning but he calleth it new For that he would haue this alway fresh in our memory fresh in our practise leâ—… all our things be done in loue that one chiefly which is called a Communion in respect of the common Vnion among our selues and as being a signe and a seale of our communion with Christ our â—…eace The second kind of confession is for the satisfaction of our owne selues if at any time wee feele our consciences heauily burdened with any grieuous temptation I know Christ is the Priest vnto whom euery sinner infected with a spirituall leprosie must open and shew himselfe being a Priest for euer after the order of Melcâ—…isedec an high Priest that is touched with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4. 15. So Chrysostome saith I will thee not to bewray thy selfe before others openly but I counsell thee to obey the Prophet saying Open thy way to the Lord And againe Confesse thy sinnes vnto the Lord who is able to cure thee and not vnto thy fellow-seruant that may vpbrayd thee with them And S. Augustine what haue I to doe with men that they should heare my confession as if they could heale my griefes Yea but what if after all my contrition and confession vnto God I feele not an absolution or any comfort to my poore distressed soule What if after I haue cryed vnto the Father of mercies O God be mercifull vnto me a sinner He do not answere my spirit I am thy saluation What if for one scandall which I haue giuen I haue such an insupportable burden in my conscience as if a milstone were hanged about my necke S. Iames in such a case doeth aduise here Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed For the prayer of a righteous man preuaileth much if it be feruent For as a vehement burning feuer is no way to bee cured but with opening a veine whereat the infected blood hauing vent may carry away with it the putrified matter that did molest the body So against strong temptations and afflictions of the mind there is no remedy more secure then to open the heart vnto a wise friend and to let out those raging passions that did disquiet our soule Now because preachers of the word ought to be more skilfull and expert then others in applying the good tidings of the Gospell vnto the poore to binde vp the broken hearted and to comfort such as mourne in Sion It is fit that wee should haue recourse to some learned Pious and discreete Pastour who can and will Minister a word of consolation in due season For Almighty God hath giuen power and commandement to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins Vnâ—…o them he sayd Whatsoeuer yee bind in earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose in earth shall bee loosed in heauen And vpon this ground there is in the Church of England a general absolution after a generall confession of sins and a particular absolution after a particular confession and wee teach also that this acte of absoluing belongs vnto the Minister ordinarily Tanquam ex officto But when none of that order is or can bee present another may doe it with good effect according to that old saying In casu necessario quilibet Christianus est sacerdos In one worâ—…â—…ee may confesse our faults vnto good people which are power-full in the Scriptures apt to teach admonish and aduise for our comforts But especially to Godly Pasâ—…ours as being put apart to preach the Gospell of God and to be disposers of his holy secrets This I know to be the Tenet of our Church agreeable to the confessions of other reformed Churches as to the confession of Heluetia Cap. 14. of Bohemia Cap. 5. of Aspurge art 11. of Saxone art 16. As you may reade Harmon confessionum Sect 8. This acknowledgement of our faults is farre different from auricular Popish confession First in that it is not vpon constraint but voluntary Secondly because wee are not enioyned to confesse vnto the Parish Priest or to any one confessour appoynted by the Diocesaâ—… and Ordinary But wholly left at our owne choise Thirdly Because wee are not tyed to any certaine time but only when wee find our selues in our conscience rightly disposed and to bee in the state of true repentance Yet because men are negligent and carelesse in performing of this duty the Church exhorteth vs to confesse at two times aboue the rest To wit In sicknesse and in Lent In sicknes euery Christian ought to make a speciall confession if hee feele his conscience troubled with any weighty matter earnestly desiring the standers by to pray for him and the discreete Pastour if need be to absolue him As for Lent Although our whole life should be nothing 〈◊〉 but a Lent to prepare our selues against the Sabâ—… our death and Easter of our resurrection Yet seeing the corruption of our dayes and wickednesse of our natures is so much exorbitant as that it is an hard matter to hold the common sort of people within the lists of Piety Iustice and Sobriety It is fit there should bee one time at the least in the yeare and that of a reasonable continuance for the recalling of them vnto some more stayed courses and seuere cogitations and happily these things might haue beene more fitly restored in the reformed Churches vnto their Primitiue sincerity rather then abolished as in some places vtterly The fourth â—…hing required in confession is that it be not defensiue buâ—… accusatiue noted in the word Peccata Now there be diuers partitions of sinnes as First In respect of their beginning so some sinnes are called Originall as being deriued from our first parent Adam other actuall as issuing from our owne corrupt will Secondly In respect oâ—… their obiect and so some sinnes are called carnall aud other spirituall according to that of S. Paul The Virgin careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body soule For al things in which al offend are either felt by the senses as meate drinke lust so 〈◊〉 be carnall sinnes or apprehended by the vnderstanding as honour knowledge power and â—…o called spirituall wickednesses the first makes vs lâ—…ke beastes the second like deuils Thirdly In respect of the parties iniuried in 〈◊〉 and so some be called sinnes