with other mens pouertie immortall with other mens death Wherefore one being asked how a man might be free from enuie answered if he had no great and worthy gifts or did nothing famous or praise worthy non â—ola miseria careâ— invidia Onely miserie is free from enuie This sinne is almost common in all One Prince enuieth the glory of an other One rich man the wealth of an other One minister the gifts of an other And the meanest sort the better state of an other But loue enuieth not but reioyceth at the prosperitie of others Enuie saith one is the daughter of pride But this mother pride cannot be barren wheresoeuer she is she doth continually bring forth Suppresse the mother and there will be no daughter This woman is so full of loue and humilitie that though Salomon doth farre excell her in wisedom in glory in wealth yet she grieueth not at it but reioyceth praysing and blessing God for it And if she doe thus reioyce for the gouernment of Salomon how much more cause haue we to praise God continually for the gouernment of Christ for his kingdome of grace and glory And if Salomons subiects and seruants wheâ— he was annoynted King reioyced with such great ioy that the earth range with the sound of them How are we to reioyceâ— for the spirituall and heauenly kingdome of Christ Dauid praying for the prosperous state of the kingdome of Salomon who was but a figure of Christ concludeth thus Blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which onely doth wondrous things and blessed be his gloriouâ— name for euer and let all the earth be filled with his glory so be it euen so be it Dauid being a long time reiected of Saul of the people at length obtaining the kingdome he exhorteth the people to ioy and thanksgiuing saying The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner this is the Lords doing and it is maruellous in our eies This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce be glad in it Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord we haue blessed you out of the house of the Lord. Praise yee the Lord because he is good for his mercy endureth for euer Dauid was a figure of Christ that place is a plaine prophecie of Christ was most liuely fulfilled in him And therefore the subiects of Christ are most hartily to reioyce for the gouernment of their Lord and King Christ Iesus Reioyce greatly â— daughter Syon saith the Prophet shout for ioy ô daughter Ierusalem behold thy King commeth vnto thee he is iust and saued himselfe poore and riding vpon an asse and vpon a colt the foâ—le of an asse This prophecie was fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ when this King Christ Iesus hauing righteousnes saluation in himselfe for the good of his Church he came I say very porely basely to the Citie of Ierusalem yet the multitude spread their garments in the way others cut downe branches from the trees strewed them in the way And the Disciples began to reioyce and praise God for all the great workes that they had seene Saying blessed be the King that commeth in the name of the Lord peace in heauen and glory in the highest places Hosanna the sonne of Dauid Hosanna thou which art in the highest heauens The fathers Patriarkes Prophets Ioyed greatly with the desire and expectation of his first comming Abraham reioyced to see his day and he sawe it and was glad yet he sawe it but in figure He sawe it a farre off with the eyes of faith Olde Simeon being iust man waited for the consolation oâ— Israel And when he sawe Christ in the flesh he tooke him vp in his armes and praysed God Nay not onely he but all the faithfull reioyce at Christs coÌ„ming as Zacharie and Elizabeth Iohn the Baptist in the wombe The Virgin Marie the wise men the Shepheards and Angels reioyced exceedingly at his comming Laâ—ding and praysing God And this is a sure signe of our loue to him to looke waiâ—e for his second comming then shal we haue fulnesse of Ioy when this our King shall haue fulnesse of glory When he shall sit 〈◊〉 the throne of God at the right hand of his father with all the Angells Saints and blessed soules and all his enemies shall be trod vnder his feete then shall we be glad and reioyce and giue glory vnto him because the mariage of the lambe is come and his wife hath made her selfe readie Now let vs come to the causes of this womans Ioy and thanksgiuing The first â—s that Salomon was King set in the throne of God And here she secretly admonisheth Salomon and Israel to be thankfull to God for if she a stranger blesseth God for Salomons preferment how much more ought Salomon and Israel to do the same she sendeth them to the fountaine of all graces bestowed vpon the King and subiects she acknowledgeth God the chiefe Monarch and disposer of Crownes And herein she speaketh diuinely according to the scripture in diuers places By me Kings Raigne saith wisedome and Princes decree in iustice By me Princes rule and the nobles and all the iudges of the earth And Daniell saith it is God that changeth times and seasons He taketh away Kings and setteth vp Kings Elihu saith in Iob His eies are with Kings in their throne where he placeth them for euer and thus are they exalted And Hanna an other holy woman can teach vs thus much The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth lowe and exalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the seate of glory For the pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world vpon them And Dauid saith that preferment promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the West but God is the iudge he maketh lowe and hee maketh high CHRIST sayeth to Pilate Thou couldest haue no Power ouer mee except iâ— were giuen thee from aboue And the Apostle saieth The Powers that are they are â—â— God The true God saith Augustine giueth the heauenly kingdome only to the godly but the earthly kingdomes both to good and bad as himselfe liketh Whose pleasure is all iustice he is to haue all power of giuing or taking away Soueraignetie ascribed to himselfe alone and no other For though wee haue shewed some things that he pleased to manifest vnto vs yet farre is it beyond our power to penetrate into mens merites or scanne the deserts of kingdomes aright Hee that gaue Marius rule gaue Caesar rule He that gaue Augustâ—â— it gaue Nero it Hee that gaue Vespasian rule or Titus has sonne both sweete natured men gaue it to Domiâ—â—an that cruell blood-sucker And to be briefe He that gaue it to
sinne they must needes rise againe by repentance and so be saued And I haue neuer read in all the scripture that God doth professe any such loue to a reprobate God saith of Iacob I haue loued him because he was chosen I haue hated Esau because he was reiected Againe we haue heard alreadie that Salomon was a figure and tipe of Christ Iesus the sonne of God the Sauiour of the world Againe he was also as we haue heard inspired by the holy Ghost and a writer of the holy scripture Some reprobates haue spoken the truth and haue preached and prophecied as Balaam and Iudas but the Prophets and writers of holy scripture are all elect and saued so far as we know Our Sauiour Christ saith that the wicked shall see Abraham Isaacke and Iacob and all the Prophets in the kingdome of God and themselues thrust out of doores Now Salomon was a preacher a Prophet a writer of scripture and therefore we doubt not but he hath his part in the kingdome of heauen Finally the booke of the Preacher is called by the Hebrewes the repētance of Salomon and so it seemeth by the first beginning and entrance of it where he cryeth out Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie They be the words of one that had tasted of all the pleasures in the world that could be deuised and yet at last being wearie of all and renouncing all he reposeth all true felicitie of this life in true religion and the feare of God This may serue to satisfie vs touching the repentance and saluation of Salomon And now because we vpon some iust occasion haue made some digression not impertinent nor vnprofitable and because this fall of Salomon is abused by many let vs before we proceed further deliuer some good instructions and vses touching this his fall First then consider how dangerous the prosperitie the great wealth and honours of the world are and therefore let vs not too much desire them nor set our hearts or delights too much vpon them For thorough the corruption of our nature many wax proud contemning God and men iniurious to themselues and others being wanton luxurious and Lasciuious And therefore the Lord saith to his people Israel When thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the land which he hath giuen thee Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements and his lawes and his ordinances which I commaund thee this day least when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein and thy beasts and thy sheepe are increased and thy siluer and thy gold is multiplied and all that thou hast is increased then thine heart be lifted vp and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and out of the house of bondage And in an other place he complaineth of that people saying He that should haue beene vpright when he waxed fatte spurned with his heele Thou art fatte thou art grosse thou art loaden with fatnes therefore he forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation How should I spare thee saith the Lord thy children haue forsaken me and sworne by them which are no Gods though I fed them to the full yet they committed adulterie assembled themselues by companies in the harlots houses They rose vp in the morning like fed horses for euery man neighed after his neighbours wife Again I did knowe them in the wildernes in the land of drought as in their pastures so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted Therefore haue they forgotten me Oh that the great men of the world the Potentates Princes States Nobles and all the wealthy of the earth would remēber this who by their power and wealth take libertie to sinne and to liue licentiously without controulement and are infatuated by worldly cares and pleasures whereas the end of all outward blessings is to make vs more thankfull and more holy God gaue his people the lands of the heathen and they tooke the labours of the people in possession the end of this and of all their former blessings is that they might keepe his statutes and obserue his lawes And seeing that great prosperitie is so dangerous let vs pray with the wise man Giue me not pouertie nor riches feed me with food conuenient for me least I be full and denie thee and say who is the Lord or least I be poore and steale and take the name of my God in vaine Great abundance is dangerous and extreame pouertie is dangerous the competent estate is the best and let vs be content with it and let euery one harken to that counsell of the Lord saying Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man glory in his strength neither the rich man in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me Againe by this example we see that great and good Princes are subiect to falling some haue good beginnings and continue long and yet in the end they decline and fall away Nero in the first fiue yeares of his raigne was of such liberatie clemencie and gentlenes that he passed all Princes that were before him he either for gaue or else diminished all taxes and payments He was so gentle and fauourable to all degrees that he would admit them to come to salute him and also did salute them himselfe by name He made many good lawes but although he did these and such like things with great honour at the beginning of his raigne yet at the last forgetting the Imperiall dignitie he opened his wantonnes his fleshly pleasures his riot his Auarice his crueltie Oftentimes he attempted to kill his owne mother Agrippina She escaped often at last the Centurion comming towards her with a naked sword in his hand slew her she putting forth her belly cried out That hee would strike that part first for this bellie saith she is to be pierced through with Iron which brought forth such a monster Then the Centurion thrust his sword into her bellie and so slew her with many woundes after this horrible murther was done Nero being both without feare and shame beheld the Carkasse of his mother being slaine He killed Seneca his maister and Burrus one of his gouernours What will you more he ceased not to kill whom he pleased and that for what cause soeuer he pleased Tyberius who succeeded Augustus raised vp of himselfe at the beginning of his raigne no small hope of goodnes but afterwards proued a very Tyrant and most filthy man Alexander the great at the first ruled iustly and valiantly but after he was so effeminated with the daintie delicates of Pasia that he became proud leacherous a drunkard a murtherer by the which vices he both shortned his owne daies and made himselfe to be detested of his
a precious fountaine and well of lâ—fe Therefore saith Salomon The mouth of the righteous is a well spring of life and the instruction of a wise man is as such a well to turne away from the snares of death And againe vnderstanding is a wel-spring of life to them that haue it The necessitie and commoditie of wisedome all trees plants hearbes all fruits and creatures haue neede of water for comforting nourshing and sustaining them but this water is farre more excellent then all fountaines wells or water in the world this is true Aqua vitae the water of life that other water commeth out of the earth this from heauen that common to the most vile wicked and to all creatures and beasts this peculiar and proper to the sonnes and daughters of God that water not to be found euery where sometimes it quite fadeth and faileth in time of drought but this is offred to all and doth neuer vtterly decay that water cannot preserue life against violence diseases and age This doth defend vs against Sathan and sinne and maketh vs alwaies strong and liuely those waters may be stayed and stopped by the policie malice of man as the Philistimes stopped the wells which Abrahams seruants digged in his time but this well can no mortall man stop This wisedome is also compared to foode to bread to a feast and banquet of most dilicate costly dainties wisedome hath built her a house and hewne out her seuen pillars she hath killed her victuals drawne her wine prepared her table she inuiteth and calleth her guestes to eate and drinke with her corporall foode is pleasant to the tast the foode of wisedome is pleasant to the soule bodily foode nourisheth poore weakely bodies wisedome reuiueth and raiseth vp wounded soules and afflicted consciences by earthly foode we growe stronger and higher by this spiritual foode we growe in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ other foode onely for the bellie but for a time this foode for the inward man and endureth both in life and death it is durable foode and nourishment that abideth and sticketh by vs it is the bread and foode of life and finally it maketh vs truly happie and blessed and therefore to be chiefely esteemed and desired Wisedome is the beginning saith Salomon get wisedome therefore and aboue all thy possessions get vnderstanding exalt her and she will exalt thee she shall bring thee honor if thou imbrace her shee shall giue a comely ornament to thine head yea she shall giue thee a crowne of glory And again thus speaketh wisedom Oh yee foolish men vnderstand wisedom and ye ô fooles be wise in hart giue eare and I will speake of excellent things and the opening of my lippes shall teach things that be right receiue mine instruction and not siluer knowledge rather then gold for wisedom is better theÌ„ precious stones and all pleasures are not to be compared to her shee is then excellent vpright perfect true iust plaine easie and sweet she promiseth grace fauour friendship riches of the minde As knowledge temperance patience righteousnes she promiseth honor and glory to all her friends and followers as a Princesse shee shall either make thee honourable in the eyes of prophane people as shee did Ioseph in Pharaohs sight or she shall make thee gratious and glorious in the eyes of good men of Angels and of God himselfe she will make vs Kings Priests Prophets Oh most blessed bountifull and gratious wisedome happie yea thrise happie are all thy true disciples and followers Let vs therefore harken to that counsell of wisedome My sonne heare my words and hide my commandements with thee keepe my commandements and thou shalt liue and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes binde them vpon thy fingers and write them vpon the table of thine heart say to wisedome thou art my sister Againe Harken oh children to me for blessed are they that keepe my waies heare instruction and be yee wise refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching dayly at my gates and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores for hee that findeth me findeth life and shall obtaine fauour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me hurteth his owne soule and all that hate me loue death The way therefore to make a people happie is to heare and obey this wisedome this is that which the seruants of God haue chiefely desired wished for in this life Salomon himselfe when he was put to his choise to aske what he would passed by all other things this is his onely desire prayer to God to giue him an vnderstanding heart This was Iobes felicitie I haue not departed sayth he from the commandement of his lips and I haue esteemed the words of his mouth more then mine appointed food This was Ieremies felicity Thy words were found by me and I did eat them and thy word was vnto me the ioy reioicing of my heart And this was Dauids chiefe happines One thing saith he haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord to visit his Temple But most liuely and fully hee sheweth that this was his chiefe ioy and felicitie in the 119. Psalme thorow that whole Psalme for this is the chiefe scope and drift of that large and sweete Psalme that that man is onely truely happie that frameth his religion and life according to the blessed rule of the word of God he commendeth the diginitie profit and sweetnes of that word he prayeth many times for the vnderstanding and practise of it he setteth forth the great account and estimation he had of it the speciall loue and delight he had in it I haue had sayth he as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellers the lawe of thy mouth is better to mee then thousands of gold and siluer thy word is a lanthorne to my feete and a light to my paths thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the ioy of mine heart I reioyce at thy word as one that findeth a great spoyle But to let all the rest passe let vs consider and view a litle one whole part of that Psalme wherein he proueth that his chiefe happines was in this word of wisedome Oh how loue I thy law Hee cannot vtter the great loue that hee bare to it as who should say I loue it aboue all things in the world there is nothing so deere and so precious to mee and because many protest their loue to Gods word and yet indeed loue it not they shew forth no fruites of loue Dauid proues his loue by his often meditation of the word It is saith he my meditation continually As if he should say
wickednes are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deceiued Then spake they that feared the Lorde euery one vnto his Neighbour and the Lorde hearkened and heard it and a Booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lorde and thought vpon his Name And they shall be to mee saith the Lord of Hostes in that day that I shall doe this for a Flocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Then shall you returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not Against all blasphemous false and wicked speeches of the worlde let the friends of wisedome oppose for their comfort these sweete words and comfortable promises of God the Father and Founder of wisedome and the defender liberall rewarder of all such as truely loue it And nowe before I passe to other matter by your Patience in respect of the premises Let mee make some Application to this Citie God hath blest you with many speciall fauours and mercies a long time farre aboue and beyond many other places I will not speake of your outward Priuiledges Freedomes Donations order of gouernment wherein it may be you excell some others But I will speak of your chiefest Priuiledge the beautie and Ornament of your Citie and the best flower of your Garden and that is indeed the plentifull and sincere preaching of the Gospell In respect whereof some doe truly thinke and say with this woman Happy are you which may daily heare such wisedome And they may truely say in respect of so many heauenly visions This is the house of God this is the gate of heauen and though many other places are in some sort partakers of this happines yet but fewe are equall with you in this gracious blessing First then consider how long a time you haue had a certaine setled and resident ministrie for the space of no lesse then fiftie yeares many in the meane time haue beene destitute as poore sheepe without a shepheard Some haue had this meanes of saluation very seeldome and sometimes interrupted and eclipsed O happy are you that haue had so great a blessing so many yeares continued and the greater blessing it is not onely that you haue had this word of Wisedome preached amongst you but also soundly and sincerely by faithfull Pastors and teachers diuiding the word of Truth aright Others it may be haue had the Word preached but corruptly and erroniously mixing Chaffe and Wheate together and flattering the people in their sinnes This is also a further blessing that you haue the Word preached not onely so long and so sincerely but also in such variety of gifts teachers of strangers of yout owne Countrey-men of young and olde variety of teachers amongst your selues this is a speciall blessing Thus you haue experience of the diuers graces and gifts of God in diuers men and heerein God is good vnto you if one can doe you no good another may A worthy Father holdeth it profitable that of the same questions many Bookes should bee made by sundry men in a differing stile though not in a differing faith all stomaches wee see are not alike One kinde of dressing pleaseth one which hath no relish with an other and yet the same meate ordered after another fashion may fitte his appetite As differences of meates so of humors and dispositions of men the same matter diuersly handled may find entertainment with diuers men which yet disgested after one only fashion would haue acceptance with feare All fishes are not taken with the same baite all birds are not caught by the same kind of voyce and singing I speake not this to please vaine and curious humors who without iust cause distaste and dislike their faithfull teachers Loue your Pastors reuerence the gifts of God in any be they more or lesse yet know that it is a blessing which many want to be in such sort as you are partakers of the labours of sundrie teachers And herein also your blessing is the greater because you haue such preaching so often and so plentifully both vpon the Saboth day and at other times howsoeuer some may thinke this too much and some murmer at it and some loathe it so that much preaching is loathsome odious to some yet is this a rare blessing which God hath not imparted to many In other things we count plentie a blessing and we neuer care how much we haue the more the better we neuer thinke we haue too much or enough God himselfe doth promise it as a blessing to his children to haue store and abūdance of victualls of Cattell of Corne and the men of this world doe confesse it a great blessing to enioy these and such like things plentifully Is it not a farre greater blessing to haue in such abundance the blessed foode of our soules the want penurie and scarcitie of this foode is a curse and iudgement therefore to haue it plentifully is a speciall and a rare blessing God doth promise it as a rare mercy to his people and a speciall token of his loue to giue them such Pastors as shall feede them with knowledge and vnderstanding Againe he sayth I haue set watchmen vpon thy walls oh Ierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease you that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence and giue him no rest till he repaire and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world The Ministers must be watchfull in praying continually for the people and they must be as carefull to put the people in minde of their dutie and the people must take it as a blessing to haue such remembrancers wee are dull slothfull in attention in vnderstanding in memorie and practise the best remedie is often preaching importunate calling vpon The words of the wise sayth Salomon are like goades like nayles fastned by the masters of the assemblies which are giuen by one Pastor His meaning is that whereas we are dullards and slobacks in all goodnes by the goade of preaching we are set on prickt forward and quickned in all good wayes and whereas we are wauering and fickle we are by the naile of preaching if it be wel and often driuen we are I say by this setled and stayed in the truth And though this goade and naile be commonly vsed amongst vs yet in respect of our weakenes we haue great neede of it neither are we to contemne it because it is so common and plentifull Good and necessary things are not to be loathed though they be cōmon The sunne moone stars water fier bread drinke are common yet can we not liue without thē neither do we contemne them and though the word be compared to corporall foode in many things they agree together as we haue heard before yet herein they differ that of the foode of the
and bodies he did not thunder or threaten hâ—aâ—ie iudgements but freely promise remission of sinnes and freely offereth the inheritance of eternall life and yet they say he hath a diuell and they pursue and hate him to death so farre are they from being drawne to repentance by his heauenly doctrine Therefore most iustly doth our Sauiour both alledge the example of this woman and the example of the Niniuites to their shame and condemnation This may seeme very hard and heauie to some but it is most true and confirmed by common sense and reason that those shall be most seuerely punished which are not moued by such meanes as haue moued many other those I say are in most heauie case which haue moe and greater meanes of repentance and yet haue not repented this will lye heauie vpon all contemners of the word vpon all false Christians vpon all vnprofitable and vnthankefull hearers though they come of Christian parents though they professe heare and be partakers of the Sacraments yet this will not serue the turne if they be inferiour to them in grace and goodnes and so condemned by their example that had either no knowledge of religion or lesse meanes then they such men sometimes to their shame the Lord sendeth them not onely to the heathen but also to the very bruite beasts to learne of them Heare ô heauens and hearken ô earth for the Lord hath sayd I haue nourished and brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood His meaning is that the very bruite and and dull beasts are more kind and more dutifull to their Maisters and feeders then many people are to God their Creator preseruer and redeemer And in an other place he complaineth saying I hearkned heard but none spake right no man repented him of his wickednes saying What haue I done euery one turneth to the rase as the horse rusheth into the battel euen the storke in the aire knoweth her appointed times and the Crane the Turtle and the Swallow obserue the time of the comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. The meaning is that these birds doe better knowe and obserue the seasons of Summer Winter cold and heate then his people did the times of mercy and iudgements The greater means the longer time and the more plentifull we haue it the heauier shal be our iudgement if we profit not by it And therefore our Sauiour Christ did most of all vpbraide and threaten those cities where he preached most and wrought most miracles because they repented not Woe be to thee Chorazin sayth he woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agoe in sack cloth and ashes but I say to you it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon at the day of iudgment then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp to heauen shalt be brought downe to hell for if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodom they had remained to this day but I say to you It shall be easier for them of the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee In these places he did many of his greatest workes and that a long time yea so many so great workes as might haue moued the very Infidels to repentance his works doe comprehend his doctrine for the more confirmation of his doctrine these people they heard Christ teaching they receiued and entertained him they saw his miracles they accepted his benefits both corporall and spirituall the benefits and priuiledges were very great which he vouchsafed them he did not deale so with euery Nation Citie or Towne It is a great mercie to haue a Prophet though it be to our cost paines but Christ came to them freely vndesired vnsought for It is a mercie to haue the word without miracles but they had both his word and miracles It is a fauour to see Christ and to heare him though it were but once but they heard and saw him many times and yet they are vnthankefull and disobedient But let vs more neerely consider what Christ speaketh of the citie of Capernaum it was a famous citie of Galilie and had some speciall prerogatiue aboue the rest for the Sonne of God beginning his kingdome and priesthood he did choose that citie as his Pallace and Sanctuarie there he liued and dwelt amongst them This is the chiefe glorie of Cities to entertaine Christ and his Gospel This doth as it were lift them vp to heauen but if they repent not but still continue their sinnes and abuse the mercies of God their iudgement shall be the heauier The grace of God is tyed to no place nor person he will spare none if they abuse his mercies and this maketh much to the shame and condemnation of the Pope of Rome who glorieth that he is Christs Vicar Peters successor and that Rome is the Metropolitane and Mother-Church of all the world Though this be most false yet if it were true he must know that the more promises and priuiledges they haue they must looke for the greater iudgements Idolatrie pride vncleanesse vnthankfulnesse incredulitie and other like sinnes haue bin the ruine and destruction of many famous Cities which haue had greater promises greater priuiledges then euer Rome had Memorable and fearefull is the example of Ierusalem which was called the citie of God the holie citie a figure of the spirituall and heauenly Church of the which the Psalmist speaketh excellent things God is knowne in Iuda his name is great in Israel that there are thrones for iudgement euen the thrones of the house of Dauid Pray for peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee The Prophet Esai saith The law shall goe forth of Syon the word of the Lord from Ierusalem What Citie had euer greater priuiledges and yet according to Christ prophecying it is long since come to miserable ruine and desolation the Iewes that were once the people of God haue beene long since reiected the naturall branches are cast off and they are become a lamentable spectacle to all the world for the contempt of Gods word and abusing of his mercies The like fearefull examples we haue in the seuen Churches of Asia of the which S. Iohn speaketh in his Reuelation they were planted by the Apostles themselues they professed the Gospell of Christ they had the word and Sacraments they had all the prerogatiues priuiledges and markes of true Churches yet are they long since quite ouerthrowne for their vnthankfulnes and disobedience to the Gospell What then shall become of Papists Athists Recusants despiâ—ers mockers Pagannes and Infidells when as such as haue receiued the Gospell and entertained it shall be in harder and heauier estate in the day of iudgement then
and a sincere loue to the word And aboue all things let vs pray hartily and continually to the father and founder of all good gifts for the blessings of all good lessons and instructions to our soules let vs confesse our owne weakenes and say in our soules with the spouse to her husband Christ Drawe me and we will runne after thee Finally let vs pray with Dauid be beneficiall to thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy lawes I will runne the waies of thy commandements when thou shalt inlarge my heart Teach me ô Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it to the end Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy lawe yea I will keepe it with my whole heart Direct me in the path of thy commandements for therein is my delight Incline my heart to thy testimonies and not to couetousnes turne away my eyes from regarding vanitie and quicken me in thy way Looke vpon me and be mercifull to me as thou vsest to doe to those that feare thy name Direct my steppes in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God Let thy good spirit lead me vnto the land of righteousnes And in an other place Teach me thy way ô Lord and I will walke in thy truth Knit my heart to thee that I may feare thy name And let vs pray with the Prophet Ieremie Heale me ô Lord and I shal be whole saue me and I shall be saued for thou aâ—t my praise turne thou vs vnto thee ô Lord and we shall be turned And indeed the calling and conuersion of a sinner is the great worke of God as great as the worke of our creation And indeed what is our conuersion but an new creation for God that commandeth light to shine out of darknes is he which shineth in the he arts of his children conuerted It is he that must make both the eare and the heart tractable and flexible It is he that both must make vs willing to doe good and also able to doe good It is he that must inwardly perswade the heart and by his spirit teach vs inwardly before we can be truely conuerted Let therefore ministers of the word giue attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine Let them stirre vp the grace of God that worthy thing in them Let them be faithfull and wise stewards in disposing the secrets of God Let them preach sincerely diligently and feruently Let their affections and life be vpright and holie Let them be wholy possessed with the desire of Gods glory with the loue of Christ and with loue to the soules of the people and then their ministrie shall be acceptable to God If not powerful to conuert yet to confound their recompence shall be with the Lord their labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. We are vnto God saith the Apostle the sweet Sauiour of Christ in them which are saued and in them which perish to the one we are the Sauiour of death vnto death and to the other a Sauiour of life vnto life and who is sufficient for these things And seeing that Paul is nothing Apollos is nothing but the effect and blessing is of God Let them striue and wrastle with them by humble and hartie prayer continually vehemently priuately and openly for the assistance of his spirit and the blessing of their labours that he would perswade Iapheth that he might dwell in the tents of Shem that he would circumcise the hearts and eares of the people and take from them the vaile that hindreth as ignorance prophanes vnbeleefe hardnes of heart and such like That he would power water vpon the thirstie and floods vpon the drie ground That hee would take away their stonie hearts and giue them hearts of flesh that so they might walke in his statutes finally that he would giue them vnderstanding hearts that they might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome That they may discerne the things that differ that they may be pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ That they may walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things that the same signes of conuersion may be seene in their people as were truely found in this woman And indeed many if not all the notes of good hearers which in the beginning I obserued in her are true signes and notes of her calling In that she takes so great paines and bestowes so much cost to seeke for true wisedome In that she is so carefull to enquire and search out the truth of religion In that she speaketh and thinketh so reuerently of Salomon her teacher reposing true happines in true wisedome and stirreth vp others to be of her minde these and sundrie other are signes and tokens of her conuersion She speaketh not like a Pagan Heathen or Idolater but like a worshipper of the true God she blesseth him and confesseth him to be the disposer of kingdomes and acknowledgeth Israell to be Gods people and howsoeuer before either by secret inspiration or by report she heard of the true God of his worship and of Salomons wisedome yet now she doth fullie taste the truth of it in her owne soule the secrets of her hearts are made manifest shee worshippeth God and saith plainely that God was in that place The diuine wisedome of Salomon had parswaded this daughter of Iapheth to come to the tents of Shem to be a member of the visible Church and to imbrace the truth of religion and no doubt she went ioyfully home and indeuoured by all meanes possible to establish the lawe and worship of the true God in her owne countrie Our Sauiour as you haue heard commended this woman and ioyneth her with the Niniuites who no doubt truely repented though many of them fell away afterwards It is true that all the Kings of the earth sought the presence of Salomon to heare his wisedome that God had put in his heart as we may see in this chapter I doe not say that all these were called and conuerted It may be many of them came to heare and see newes rather for humane then diuine wisedome to see the glory and royaltie of Salomon the beautie of the Temple and his Pallace which he had builded or vpon some other sinister respects Among so many this woman is especially named singled out and commended yea a whole storie is recorded of her and not of the rest the cause of her comming was religion She lost not her labour but got fruit and profit by her comming and sheweth plaine testimonies of her conuersion Indeed something is said of King Hyram that he euer loued Dauid and when he hard the words of Salomon he reioyced greatly and said Blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen to Daâ—id a
Constantine the Christian he gaue it to Iulian the Apostata All these did the true sacred onely wise God dispose and direct as he pleased And if the causes be vnknowne why he did thus or thus is hee therefore vniust His meaning is that God is iust in the disposing and placing Kings or Kingdomes An other cause of this womans ioy and thanksgiuing is Because she saw the loue of God to Saâ—omon and to Israel in placing such a king The cause of all blessings and fauors is not any merit in vs but the loue of God The Lord chose Israel aboue other nations not for any worthines in them but because hee loued them All things come from God to his childdren in loue blessings honors riches crosses c Nothing to the wicked in loue their blessings are ioyned with a Curse they are giuen with his lefte hand Except wee haue true Religion Faith and regeneration we cannot be assured of Gods loue And hence we learne That it is a testimony of loue to be chosen to great places either in the Magistracie or Mâ—nistery so that wee be made willing and fit to discharge such places else not The Apostle counteth it a blessing to be made an able minister of the New Testament Againe hee counteth it a mercie of God to be called to the Ministerie But Salomon saith as snowe in summer and raine in haruest are not meete so is honour vnseemely for a foole Now let vs see the manifold testimonies of Gods loue to Salomon Before he was borne God chose him to build his house preferred him before his father in that worke and promised to establish his kingdome So soone as he was borne he was called Iedidiah because the Lord loued him He had a good father Dauid a good mother Bethseba and Nathan the Prophet as his tutor and teacher While his father liued he was annoynted King with ioy and consent of his father and people He was a yonger brother therefore had no right to the crowne by birth yet was chosen extraordinarily to be King by God himselfe in like sort was both Saul and Dauid chosen but afterward Kings were created by election or blood God appeared twise to him and spake familiarly with him He gaue him his desire and more too He was King not of heathen or infidels but of Israel Gods chosen of Ierusalem that holy Citie He built a most glorious Temple prefiguring the true spirituall Temple of God He had peace in all his countries from Dan to Bersheba The Amorites Hittites Perezites Hiuites Iebusites which the children of Israel were not able to subdue he made them all tributaries and bondmen He had wisedome and vnderstanding exceeding much and a large heart euen as the sand that is on the Sea shore being wiser then any man and hee was famous throughout all Nations round about and there came of all people of the earth to heare his wisedome and hee exceeded all the Kings of the earth and all the world both in riches and wisdome and all the world sought to see Salomor to heare his wisedome which God put in his heart So that whatsoeuer God promised to Salâ—mon he performed faithfully to the full that none either before him or after him were or should be like him Wee thinke him famous whose â—ame passeth but through a couÌ„trey or kingdom but his passed through the world and that not lightly but with such a power that not onely his subiects but strangers Infidells Kings and Queenes came from the farthest part of the world to see admire him As this Queene in this place But some may obiect and say Is Salomon aboue all men and kings was he wiser then Adam or Moses I answere these were not Kings neither had they that kinde of glory and power that he had But was hee more wise then the Egiptiâ—n kings or more mightie and wise then his father Dauid or more powerfull glorious and worthie then the Babylonian Persian and Macedonian Kings Was hee more famous then Alexander the Conqueror of the world or mightier then Iulius Caesar or Augustus or richer then Croesus Hee is compared onely with the Kings of Israel He had not onely wisdom not onely glorie not onely power but all those together and herein is no king comparable to him what should we say more his felicitie was admirable vnspeakable and is largely set out in this chapter and in the former chapters of this book So that he had sundry singular testimonies of Gods loue towards him But some will say why did God loue him or how could hee loue him and why did he bestow so many gifts vpoÌ„ him to his own ruine destruction as it may seem For into what horrible moÌ„strous sinnes did he fall as we may see in the next chap of this book thus it is written of him King Salomon loued many outlaÌ„dish womeÌ„ both the daughter of Pharaoh the women of Moab Ammon Edom Sydon Heath Of the nations wherof the Lord had said to the children of Israel Goe not you in to them nor let them come to you To them I say did Salomon ioyne in loue And he had seueÌ„ hundreth wiues that were Princesses three huÌ„dreth concubines And his wiues turned away his hart after other Gods so that his hart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the hart of Dania his Father And his Idolatrie in following diuers gods is after described also the anger of God against him threatning to rent his kingdome and stirring vp diuers aduersaries against him to vexe him a long time one after another and rent his kingdome and gaue away ten Tribes from him to â—eroboam to the great trouble discredit and vexation of Salomon Wee haue spoken much already of Salomons great felicity but now all is turned into miserie his wisedome into folliâ— his honor into shame the great ioy that many had of him is now no doubt turned into generall sorrow and lamentation What a fearfull fall is this of such a great person of such a King a Prophet a Preacher and that in his olde age euen then he falleth into follie and vncleannesse euen then his heart was turned from the Lorde after other Gods The loue of out-landish women drewe his heart from the loue of God His sinnes are directly against the writteÌ„ law of God against his owne doctrine he is most vnkinde vnthankful to God who had twise appeared vnto him and had bestowed so many priuiledges excellent graces vpon him And therefore the Lorde is iustly angrie with him and grieueth him and vexeth him with diuers aduersaries all the daies of his life He troubled and vexed the Lord therefore the Lord vexeth him Hee diuided Gods worship and therefore the Lord diuided his kingdome This fall of Salomon is most fearfull horrible and lamentable Nay it is incredible that such a man hauing spent his younger time in building Gods house in
against the law of God written against ciuill honestie and charitie These destroie and consume the goods the good name the body and soule And as Bertheba sayeth to her sonne Salomon Such vncleanesse is the destruction of Kings so it is the destruction of many others men and women of many great houses townes countries and kingdomes Therefore sayth Iob If my heart haue beene deceiued by a woman or if I haue laide waite at the doore of my neighbour let my wife gâ—inde to another man and let other men bow downe vpon her For this is a wickednes and iniquitie to bee condemned yea this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction whiâ— shall roote out all mine increase And it is most true which the Prophet saith that whoredome and wine take away the heart And indeede such sinfull pleasures they take away witte and vnderstanding grace and religion they take away credit riches and health yea the comfort of soule and body It is a great curse and heauy iudgement of God to be giuen ouer to such vile and filthy lusts And this Salomon confesseth vpon wofull experience saying I haue compassed about both I my heart to know and to enquire to search wisedome and reason and to know the wickednes of folly and the foolishnes of madnesse and I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands hee that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall bee taken by her Behold sayth the Preacher this haued founde seeking one by one to finde the count and yet my soule seeketh but I find it not I haue found one man of a thousand but a woman among them all haue I not found His meaning is not to disgrace good women but that women are easily drawne to wickednes and being wicked they exceed men in wickednes and are of great power to draw allure others to the same And that fewer women are good then men finally he speaketh vpon his owne experience tryall that he for his part amongst so many found none at all good and this is some testimony of his repentance These words being spoken and that booke being written as some thinke as it is probable after his grieuous fall But wee see by that place that it is a token of Gods anger to bee giuen ouer to such vncleannesse and it is a iust iudgement vpon our prophanesse neglect contempt of Gods seruice and therefore the Apostle sayth That because men regarded not to know God hee deliuereth them vp into a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient he gaue them vp to their hearts lusts and to vile affections Because men are carelesse in religion of the true honour of God therefore the Lord giueth them ouer to such filthy and odious sinnes to their vtter dishonour and shame in life and death and after death so that the memoriall of such though they haue beene of neuer so high account in the world is but vile rotten and cursed Therefore let vs hearken to that blessed Exhortation of the Apostle saying Dearely beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstayne from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule And let vs not forget those words of another Apostle Know yee not saith hee that your bodies are the members of Christ shall we then take the members of Christ make them the members of an harlot God forbid Doe yee not know that hee which coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one body for two saith he shal be one flesh but he which is ioyned to the Lord is one spirit Fly fornication euery sin that a man doth is without the bodie but he that coÌ„mitteth fornication sinneth against his owne body Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you whom yee haue of God and ye are not your owne for ye are bought with a price Therfore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods Another sin which we are to auoide and which was Salomons sinne is Idolatry It is saide as we haue heard that he matched with Idolatrous women that for the loue of them he built high places hee wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord continued not to follow the Lord as did Dauid his father that his hart was not perfect with the Lord his God The beginning of his sinne was that hee matched with Idolatrous womeÌ„ contrary to the expresse law of God And therefore it was sin so to match We are to auoide all vnnecessarie society familiarity with the wicked therfore Iehosephet is reproued because he helped the wicked loued them that hated the Lord for he ioyned in the affinitie with Ahab but the wrath of the Lord came vpon him for it Salomon saith The wicked man is an abhomination to the iust he that is vpright in his way is an abhomination to the wicked There can be no sound nor true friendship betwixt those that are diuers contrary in religioÌ„ maners Therfore saith the Apostle be not vnequally yoked with Infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes what coÌ„munion hath light with darknes what concord hath Christ with Belial what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidell and what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols The Lord complained thus of his people saying Iuda hath transgressed abhomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem for Iuda hath defiled the holines of the Lord which he loued hath maried the daughter of a strange god The LORD will cut off the man that doth this both the maister the seruant out of the Tabernacle of Iacob and him that offereth an offering to the Lord of Hoasts Such cursed and crosse matches was the cause that God destroyed the first world with the generall flood And such matches at this day are the causes of prophanenesse Athisme Popery and much wickednesse For what comfort or blessing can they looke for which haue no respect to God in marying But onely regard pleasures and riches The example of Salomon is fearefull that so great wise a man of extraordinary gifts and graces is allured and drawne to Idolatry being ouercome with the loue of heathenish women And yet it may be and it is likely that Salomon himselfe did not worshippe those Idols or thinke them to be gods or that there were any diuine power in them neither did he bring them into the Temple nor commaund any to worship them but this was his fault that hee did not suppresse the worshipping of them but graunted and suffered such Idolatry for the pleasure of his women So that he fell as Adam fell who did eate of the forbidden tree not because that he thought thereby to be like vnto GOD or wiser then hee was made but least he should offend his
they had him they would not receiue him but many of them despised him And thus they dealt with the Lord many times before and after this They desire deliuerance out of Egypt and when they are deliuered they desire to returne thither againe They desire Manna from heauen when they were in the wildernesse when they had it being sweete and heauenly food they loathed it and made light account of it They desire to turne out of Babilon into their owne countrey when their returne is graunted a great part of them refuse to returne So in this place how importunate and eager are they with the Lord to haue a King but when hee was annoynted and chosen King some wicked men said How shall he saue vs so they despised him and brought him no presents How can such people be pleased being fickle wauering and changeable misliking the best gouernment that is yea such as the Lord himselfe alloweth and appointeth and such as they themselues sometimes haue liked and desired But yet it is sayd that many of those people shouted sayd God saue the King And when Saul went home to Gibiah there followed him a band of men whose heart God had touched Againe it may be obiected how is God the Author of the calling and authority of Kings how doe they sit in his throne When many of them are most wicked in life and vniust and corrupt in gouerning when all things are full of confusion and disorder but we are to looke to the good wee haue of gouernment And wee are to know that both bad Gouernours and corruptions in gouernement the sinnes are not of God but from themselues God doth neyther allow nor commaund them but forbid and detest them And yet there is some profit in bad Magistrates Many good lawes and some forme of iustice amongst them Wicked Gouernours are as plagues punishments for the sinnes of the people Because when they are good we receiue not that goodnesse at the hand of God thankefully submitting our selues to his lawes and ordinances but abuse the goodnesse of God to our sinfull and beastly lusts Therefore doeth God make a scourge of them and turne them to wilde beasts contrary to the nature of their names euen to Lions Beares Foxes and vncleane Swine to auenge himselfe of our vnnaturall blinde vnkindnesse and of our rebellious disobedience So he turneth the fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednes of them that dwell therein Let vs not take the staffe by the end to seeke to auenge our selues of his rod which is the euill rulers The childe as long as he seeketh to auenge himselfe of the rod hath an euill heart for he thinketh not that the correction is right or that hee hath deserued it neither repenteth but reioyceth in his wickednes and so long shall hee neuer bee without a rod yea so long shall the rod bee made sharper and sharper If he acknowledge his faulte and take the correction meekely and kisse the rod and amend with the learning and nurture of his father and mother then the rod is taken away So if we resist euill Rulers seeking to set our selues at libertie we shall no doubt bring our selues into more cruell bondage and wrappe our selues into much more miserie wretchednes For if the heads is ouercome they will make their yoakes sorer If the people ouercome the Rulers then make they away for a more cruell nation which hath no right to the Crowne If wee submit our selues to the chastening of God and meekely acknowledge our sins for the which we are scourged and kisse the rod amend our liues Then God will take the rod away that is he will giue the Rulers a better heart or if they continue their malice and persecute thee for well doing hee will deliuer thee out of their tyrannie When Israel sinned against GOD hee gaue them vp to one Tyrant or other when they repented hee sent them deliuerance A Christian man in respect of God is but a passiue thing a thing that suffereth onely and doeth nought as the sicke in respect of the Chirurgion or Phisition doth suffer onely The Chirurgion slancheth cutteth out the dead flesh searcheth the wounds thrusteth in tents burneth seweth stitcheth and putteth corasiues to draw out the corruption and last of all layeth too healing playsters and maketh whole The Phisition giueth purgations and drinks to driue out the disease and then with restoratiues bringeth health Now if the sicke resist the razor or searching yron doth he not resiste his owne health and is the cause of his owne death So likewise is it of vs if we resist euill rulers which are the rods and scourges wherewith God chastiseth vs the instruments wherewith God doth search our wounds and bitter drinkes to driue out sinne and corasiues to draw out by the roote the coare of the poxe of the soule that fretteth inward Thus a Christian receiueth all things at the hands of God both good and bad both sweete and sower both wealth and woe and he doth take good Princes as a speciall belssing and bad Princes as a iust iudgement sent for sinne But it will bee obiected That the Lord sayth of some Rulers that they raigned not by him They haue set vp a King saith hee but not by me they haue made Princes and I knew it not The meaning is that the people of Israel had set vp Ieroboam by whom they sought their owne liberty as many Tyrants do not respect Gods worde or will but their owne lusts and affections But wee must distinguish the office from the person and wee must know that men do abuse good things through their owne corruption And therfore whatsoeuer is good in gouernment is from God and hee doth vse the Diuell as plagues and punishments for the sinnes of the people It is sayd by Daniel that God changeth the times and seasons He taketh away Kings and setteth vp Kings And Daniel saith thus to the proud King Nebucadnezer O King thou art a King of Kings and the God of heauen hath giuen thee a Kingdome power strength and glorie And when Pilate sayde to Christ Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee haue power to loose thee Iesus answered Thou couldest not haue power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue But it may bee yet obiected That the authoritie and office of Kings is not of diuine institution Seeing Saint Peter calleth it an ordinance of man and that place is abused by the Pope to the disgracing of Christian Princes The meaning is not that the power of Princes and Magistrates is onely a deuise of man and onely from man But as one saith Est ordinatio diuina secundum substantium ordinatio humana secundum modum ac finum It is a diuine ordinance in respect of the substance and it is humane in respect of the manner and end The office and power of the King is from God The
maner of choosing and gouerning the common-wealth is in many things humane and the end is for the good and preseruation of man and so are lawfull Pastors though their calling be diuine yet they are chosen approued and ordeined for the benefite of men And thus the Apostle defineth a High Prieste To bee taken from among men and is ordeyned for men in things perteyning to God And so is a King taken from among men ordeyned for men in things pertayning both to God men That is for the good both of the Church and Common-wealth As for the Popes office and vsurped supremacie it is meerely humane nay it is diabolicall and against the examples and authoritie of holy Scripture Hee hath no true nor iust warrant from the Law Prophets Euangelists nor Apostolicall writings But of this it may be wee shall speake more hereafter It is sufficiently proued already and it shall appeare more plainely hereafter that the office and power of Princes is diuine sacred Now because some Kings are giuen of God to his people in loue and mercy and some in wrath iudgement Let them try themselues whether it may be sayd of them as it is sayde of Salomon in this place That God in loue to them and in loue to his people hath set them in his owne throne Let them know then that such a King as is giuen of God in loue is both qualified with gifts fit for his calling and will and must necessarily performe the duty of his place as this Queene testifieth of Salomon in the words following It is sayd of Dauid that as hee was chosen from the sheepe-folds to feede Gods people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel so hee fedde them according to the simplicitie of his heart and guided them by the discretion of his hands And it is sayde of him in another place that hee raigned ouer all ISRAEL and executed iudgement and iustice and hee himselfe protesteth that he gouerned his Court Church and Common-wealth according to the true rules of mercy and iudgement And it is sayde of Salomon that all Israel feared him for they saw that the wisedome of God was in him to doe iustice and to performe faithfully the duty of his place and calling A learned writer vpon that Psalme 78. sayeth God did choose Dauid to this end that hee should feed his people and therefore he fed them He chose Saul to afflict his people therefore he afflicted them For marke what the Lord sayd to the people that would needes haue a King hee threatneth them and giueth them that King in his wrath This sayth he shall be the manner of the King that shall raigne ouer you Hee will take your sonnes and appoynt them to his Chariots and to bee his horsemen and some shall runne before his Chariot Also hee will make them as Captaynes ouer thousands and Captaynes ouer fifties and to eare his ground and to reape his haruest and to make instruments of warre and the things that serue for his Chariots He will also take your daughters and make them Apothecaries and Cookes and Bakers And hee will take your fields and your vineyards and your best Oliue trees and giue them to his seruants And he will take the tenth of your seede and of your vineyards and giue it to his Eunuches and his seruants And he will take your men seruants and your maide seruants and the chiefe of your young men and your Asses and put them to his worke Hee will take the tenth of your sheepe and you shall be his seruants and you shall cry out at that day because of your King whom you haue chosen you and the Lord will not heare you at that day But it may be some will say May Kings thus oppresse the Common-wealth no they haue no such authoritie by their office But this King was sent in wrath from God to plague this people and therefore hee doth plague them Samuelthreatneth to that people the deminution of those liberties which the Israelites enioyed before vnder the Iudges He admonisheth them of the hard estate which was to ensue This was Gods doing in his iustice for the sinnes of the people For God is in heauen hee may doe whatsoeuer hee will his wayes are all iust and righteous But as for Kings they nâ—ay not doe what they list they are bound to the lawes of God to the lawes of charitie equitie and righteousnesse But those which are giuen in wrath they shall vexe and afflict the people Christ sayd to Peter Feede my sheepe It was sayd to Antichrist Deuoure destroy beate downe seduce the people because they receiue not the loue of truth that they might bee saued Therefore he destroyeth seduceth and deceiueth as many as hee can The Lord threatneth in Zacharie I will raise vp a shepheard in the Land which shall not looke for the thing which is lost nor seeke the tender lambes nor heale that which is hurt nor feede that which standeth vp he shall eate the flesh of the fat and teare their clawes in peeces Our Sauiour Christ sayth That a thiefe commeth to steale kill and destroy So that by their deedes practises and fruites both of Princes and Ministers it may bee easily gathered whether they bee sent to a people in loue or wrath But of the dutie of such Gouernours as are giuen in loue wee shall speake hereafter Now as the dignitie of Kings appeareth in that their calling is so diuine and from God himselfe so in this also that they are in his place and throne and haue so many honourable titles giuen vnto them in the Scripture They are called nurcing fathers and mothers shepheards of the people leaders keepers helpers Gouernours yea in some sense Sauiours and God doth giue them his owne name counting them gods not by nature for so they are men like other men borne and conceiued as other and shall dye like men But they are gods by office they are the Vicegerents and Images of God This is a great honour great excellencie and dignitie to be admired and reuerenced of all men Yet let mee admonish you that the same or the like titles and dignities may be applyed to the faithfull Ministers of God though they be accounted and taken by most men as vile base contemptible and the very off-scourings of the world And many which doe magnifie and almost adore great persons Gouernours and Magistrates it may bee for feare â—latterie fauour and lucer euen these doe vilâ—sie scorne contemne and disgrace the calling of the Ministers as much as they can But let them know that there is some likenes and affinitie betwixt the calling of a Magistrate and the calling of the Minister As good Princes are the blessings of God so are good ministers as we haue heard before when wee intreated of true wisedome As the calling of the Magistrate is sacred and diuine so is the calling of the Minister it is the holy Ghost that
ô Iuda and you inhabitants of Iersalem put your trust in the Lord your God and you shall be assured beleeue his Prophets and you shall prosper Now let vs come to the dutie of a king and of all gouernours set downe in fewe words by this blessed Queene she putteth Salomon in minde oâ— the end why God did thus highly preferre and aduance him it was to execute iudgement and iustice to doe equitie and righteousnes This is the end and calling of aâ— gouernours and rulers appoynted by God himselfe and let vs in respect of the place and persons applie our speech to subordinate magistrates who are the kings deputies and rule in his name vnder him they must faithfully doe their duties and iustly discharge their places and the trust committed to them And by the king being the chiefe magistrate the scripture doâ—â— vnderstand all other gouernours officers assistance and helpers to him he cannot rule and gouerne alone by himselfe so great a kingdome and people he hath need of many eies many eares many heads and hands to helpe and assist him in gouernment Moses by the counsell of Iethrohâ—s father in lawe prouideth sundrie officers and iudges vnder him for hearing and iudging of causes King Iehosephat setteth iudges in the land throughout all the strong Cities in Iuda Citie by Citie and telleth them and teacheth them what they are to doe in their places S. Peter exhorting vs to submission to the king as to the superior so he maketh mention of gouernours vnder the king for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well We haue hard before the excellencie of kings and magistrates namely that God is the author of their place that they are in Gods stead and called by his name This no doubt is a great honour and dignitie to be aboue others to be chiefe in a kingdome in a citie towne or countrie to represent the person of a king yea to represent the person of God this may be an occasion to lift vp the hearts of many aboue their brethren because of the greatnes of their place and many in this their office doe onely respect the highnes the glory and worship of it and therefore are conceited in themselues But as it is Honâ—â— so it is Onus As the place of the magistrate is an honour so it is a burden a great and heauie burden and the consideration of this may serue to humble good magistrates both in the sight of God and men to remember in what low and base astate they haue beene heretofore though they be now aduanced They may say to God in the humilitie of their soules with Iacob I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed to thy seruant for with my staffe came I ouer this Iorden and now haue I gotten two bands And may not some say with Dauid that the Lord hath chosen and taken them from the Sheepefoldes to feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel May not many truly say that though they be now of great wealth yet they haue beene as poore as others though they be now gouernours and rulers of others yet they haue beene subiect to those whom they gouerne Nay the greatnes of their place the honor and dignitie that they are in should not make them proud for if they looke well to the great and manifold duties required they shall haue no cause to be lifted vp but rather to be humbled and cast downe they are not called to the place of gouernment to be proud idle to take their pleasure and ease to liue in â—otousnes in luxurie and licensiousnes but faithfully and carefully to performe all the duties which God requireth of good gouernours in holie scripture to gouerne well is a matter of great difficultie care labour and danger many times in pleasing men they displease God and in pleasing God they displease men so that they can hardly so behaue themselues but that they shall displease the one or the other What wisedome humane and diuine is required in good gouernors or else they must see with other mens eies he must speake with other mens tongues and they must be wise by other mens heads gouernours without true wisedome are like a ship without an anker like birdes without winges A wise gouernour is like salt to season others he is as the eie and the heart of the people What courage and magnanimitie is required in good rulers for the suppressing of the rebellious and wicked and for doing of iustice without partialitie and what care diligence prouidence labour and toyle for the right gouernment of so many and so many sorts of men The heathen could say that the greatnes of gouernment is the greatnesâ— of care he is in dutie to warrant the sleepe of his subiects by his owne watchfulnes their peace by his labour their ease by his industrie their leisure by his busines the head watcheth and prouideth for the gouernment of the whole body how carefull and watchfull are nurces for the feeding and ordering of their children how watchful are good Shepheards for the leading and feeding of their sheepe and how carefull is a good householder and maister for the gouernment of the whole familie so that it is an old saying Therein but one seruant in an house meaning that the maister is seruant to all in respect of his care and prouidence ouer all In very deed saith one it seemeth to me that it is the art of all artes the discipline of all disciplines to gouerne man which of all creatures is most variable in manners and diuers in will An other saith that to gouerne is not onely a dignitie but an art yea the greatest of all other for if they rule ouer other things which are without man the skill and the cunning is better then all the things themselues how much more is the gouernment ouer men most excellent seeing that men doe excell all other things There are diuers kindes of artes one excelling an other there is the art and skill of husbandrie of carpentrie and building which are very necessaire and doe serue for the helpe and conseruation of this life there be other artes which are lesse then these As to be shepheards taylors smithes but amongst all these husbandrie is most necessarie which God himselfe ordained and commaunded so soone as he had made man for it is possible for a man to liue without most of the other arts but without husbandrie it is impossible to liue without it all the rest are to no purpose yet kings doe gouerne husbandmen and there is some likenes betweene husbandrie and gouernment the gouernor is a setter of plants some he proyneth some he cherisheth and causeth to growe some he cutteth downe and pulleth vp by the rootes good gouernours are like husbandmen by husbandrie the badnes of the earth the wildnes of the plants
walles in a Citty which are for beauty and defence but a Citty may stand without wals it cannot stand without Lawes such good Lawes of equity and righteousnesse they are the very Life and Soule of a Citty or Kingdome To Lawes there must bee ioyned of necesssity Iudges and Officers which giue vigour and life to Lawes the Office of these is to doe Iudgement and Iustice that is to know Causes and then to pronounce sentence accordingly that so euery man may haue right this is properly Gods Office they are in his place therefore to deale vprightly Worthy is that counsell of Moses to the Iudges in his time saying Heare the controuersies betweene you brethren and iudge righteously betweene euery man and his brother and the stranger that is with him yee shall haue no respect of persons in iudgement but shall heare the small as well as the great yee shall not feare the face of Man for the Iudgement is GODS The like counsell giueth good King Iehosaphat to his Iudges saying Take heed what yee doe for yee execute not the iudgements of man but of the Lord and hee will bee with you in the cause and iudgement Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God neither respect of persones nor receiuing rewards And remember that counsells Consider the matter consult and giue sentence Iudgement must proceed from the light of reason and not from Passion both parties must be heard euery one must haue freedome to speake that there may bee true and vpright iudgement the corruptions of Iustice are these negligence and want of skill vnnecessarie and vniust delaies desire of gaine respect of friends and kindred foolish pitty and sometimes slauish feare but all these and such like hinderances of Iustice good Magistrates must auoide and cast off To Lawes and Iudgement there must be added Execution for what are Lawes without of Execution but euen like bels without clappers Lawes are like vnto young children and Infants which are left desolate without parents and yet haue portion and patrimony but would soone consume it or others would deceiue them of it except they haue faithfull Tutors and Guardians to guide and protect them so haue Lawes need of faithfull Patrones and Keepers or else they will bee brought into contempt by the forgetfulnesse negligence and corruption of some and the malice of others For what better is it to haue Law-makers and faithfull Intepreters of the same except they bee carefully kept and defended Therefore due punishments to offenders are to bee iustly and rightly executed To this purpose saith Salomon A King that sitteth on the throne of Iudgement chaseth away all euill with his eyes Againe A wise King scattereth the wicked and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them And in another place Take the drosse from the siluer and there shall proceed a vessell for the finer take away the wicked from the King and his Throne shall bee stablished in righteousnesse The Apostle saith If thou do euill fear for hee beareth not the sword for nought for hee is the Minister of God to take vengeance of him that doth euill This is one speciall end of the Magistrates calling to punish to restraine and represse the wicked The Magistrate is a minister of Iustice and Law the iudgements is the Lords and not his the impunity of the wicked is hurtfull to themselues by this meanes they runne into further sinne and they do encourage others to do the like it were better to turne loose wilde Boares Beares and Woulues amongst the people then such pestilent men by the punishment of such the Common-wealth and the Church is freed from the note of infamy and it is no small honour to God And by this many others are terrified from sinne and are brought to repentance and so to saluation yea the danger of infection is remoued and taken away a little leuen sowreth the whole lumpe and a few wicked men do much hurt in drawing seducing and infecting others yea by such execution of Iustice the wrath of God his heauy iudgements vpon a Land are stayed remoued When Achan was put to death for taking the excommunicate thing which was commanded to bee destroyed when hee I say was stoned to death then the Lord turned frō his fierce wrath which before was kindled against his people The Prophet Dauid saith thus of the people of Israel That they ioyned themselues vnto Baal Peor and did eate the offrings of the dead thus they prouoked him to anger with their owne inuentions and the plague brake in vpon them but Phinies stood vp and executed iudgement and the plague was staied and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse from generation to generation for euer When disobedient Ionas is cast out of the Ship stormes and tempests cease the sea is quiet the Ship and those that are in it are safe Magistrates do punish because God by these examples will bee knowne to bee a God who descernes betwixt things vniust and iust and is iustly angry with sinne and because hee would haue these momentary punishments vpon few to forewarne all of iudgements to come and of eternall punishments and by this meanes also hee prouideth for the commodity of others for the wicked are taken away so that they can hurt no more And this part of Iustice is for the credite and honour of the Magistrate Therefore saith Salomon Hee that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse and the multitude shall abhorre him but to them that rebuke him shall be pleasure and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse Againe They that forsake the Law raise the wicked but they that keepe the Law set themselues against them Wicked men vnderstand not iudgement but they that seeke the Lord vnderstand all things Againe This Iustice is a sweete sacrifice pleasing to God it is the Magistrates sacrifice it is more acceptable then other sacrifices Therefore saith the wise man To do iudgement and iustice is more acceptable to the Lord then sacrifice And the Lord saith thus to hypocrites that abounded in sacrifices but neglecting Iustice I hate and abhorre your feast daies and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies though you offer mee burnt offerings and meate offrings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace offrings of your fat beasts take thou away from me the multitude of thy songs for I will not heare the melody of thy Viols and let iudgements runne downe as waters And in another place to such hypocrites as abounded with plenty of sacrifices it is said He hath shewed thee ô man what is good and what the Lord hath required of thee surely to do iustly to loue mercy to humble thy selfe and to walke with thy God By this Iustice the states of Citties and Kingdomes
if I giue sentence contrary to law Solon said that the safety of the Common-wealth consisteth in these two points that rewards be distributed after the desert of vertue and punishments after the quality of the offence Iustice saith one knoweth not father knoweth not mother but knoweth the truth accepteth no person but followeth God God is a iust Iudge against wicked persons and if any do stay Iustice and Iudgement through bribes or rewards their sinne and corruption is the greater and a Iudge may be ashamed to say to any offender What wilt thou giue me to shew thee fauour or doe thee Iustice Is not this as if it should bee said What wilt thou giue me to deny my selfe to loose my Office and to sell God himselfe There bee three things saith one which hinder Iustice the fauour of friends flattering praise and receiuing of rewards But this latter is of greater force then the two other There may be causes why punishments may be delayed or lessened some offenders are greater then others and are ring-leaders to wickednesse these deserue more sharpe punishment Others are seduced and fall by occasion these are more mildly to be dealt withall But the inferiour Magistrates can do nothing in such cases without the direction and counsell of the superiour As there be differences of offenders and offences so there be differences of lawes against the which they doe offend Some lawes haue their ground warrant from the law of God and Nature to the transgressers of these there should bee granted no fauour or remission There be other positiue written lawes of the countrey concerning lesser and smaller matters in these the Magistrates haue power sometimes vpon good occasion to remit and pardon so that it be not against the glory of God To this agreeth the words of his Maiesty to his gracious sonne There be some horrible crimes saith he not to be pardoned as Witch-craft wilfull murther incest poyfoning false coine and so hee concludeth that fauour is to be shewed in lesser matters and specially in such as concerne our owne priuate causes But see here the corruption of our nature we are more seuere in our owne causes then in Gods cause wee striue and contend and make a stirre for our riches possessions glory and credite if any goe about to diminish and impaire them how violent cruell and implacable are we But if it be the cause of God how modest how gentle and milde are we Is not this to preferre our selues before God The children of Israel contrary to Gods commandement suffer the Cananites and the Moabitish women to liue Saul spareth Agag and the remnant of Amalecke And another King of Israel spareth Benhadad contrary to Gods commandement And thus men are willing to spare where God would not haue spared and where they should bee most patient and kinde there they are cruell Whereas in our own causes we ought to be patient and mercifull but as for the cause and glory of God we are to be in it most zealous and seuere And there bee some offenders whom the Lord will haue cut off in all seuerity without any fauour pitty or compassion He saith of Amalecke I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalecke from vnder heauen Yea the Lord sware that he would haue a warre with Amalecke from generation to generation And he chargeth his people Israel that when they had rest from their enemies and possessed the good Land hee had promised them that then they should not forget to execute these his iudgements on those people and roote them quite out The reason why God did so hate and pursue this people was their hard and cruell dealing against the children of Israel and therefore long after when Saul was King hee giueth him this charge saying Goe and smite Amalecke and destroy all that pertaines vnto them and haue no compassion on them but slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxen and sheepe both Cammell and Asse But Saul vpon a foolish pitty spared Agag the King and some of the fattest beasts but the Lord did not spare him but thrust him out of his kingdome for his disobedience And Samuel said to Agag As thy sword hath made women childlâ—sse so shal thy mother be childlesse amoÌ„g other women And Samuel being a Iudge hewed Agag in peeces before the Lord in Gilgall Ahab a King spared another King whom God would not haue spared but the Lord said to him Because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I appointed to dye thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people These be fearefull examples for Kings and Princes that they take warning by them how they spare any vpoÌ„ any sinister respect whom God in his iust iudgement would haue smitten with the stroke of death and this is no cruelty to follow the example and commandement of God himselfe Hee saith to a wicked and rebellious people If I whet my glistering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will reward them that hate mee I will make mine arrowes drunke with bloud and my sword shall eate flesh for the bloud of the slaine and the captiues when I begin to take vengeance of the enemy And the people pray thus to God against the seede of Esau because they conspired with the Babylonians Remember say they the children of Edom ô Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said Raze it to the foundation thereof O daughter of Babel worthy to bee destroyed blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs. Blessed shall he bee that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones No pitty nor mercy is to bee shewed to such as bee sworne enemies to the Church and their owne Countrey to bloudy Babylonians grosse Idolaters And yet as there must bee vpright iustice in all good Magistrates so to this also there must bee ioyned clemency and mercy there is vse and place of both and Iustice and Mercy both of them may bee abused but true Mercy and Clemency is an excellent vertue to all Christian Princes and Gouernours They are in the place of God who is full and rich in mercy and compassion and whose mercie is ouer all his workes they are to follow the example and nature of God whose Image they represent and carry they gouerne and rule not beasts but men and therefore all humanity is to bee vsed towards them they are to punish with griefe and compassion A Physition giueth to a patient his friend some bitter potion which hee could bee content in loue to cast away but onely that hee knoweth that it will bee for the good and health of his friend And thus Magistrates are to thinke of punishments as of medicines whereby the guilty may be amended and others by their examples terrified When the guilty is to be condemned the Magistrate is to thinke
thus with himselfe This punishment this party hath deserued and God hath decreed it for him and therefore it is for his good It is cruelty to delight in the punishment and torment of others as that King did who had seuenty Kings the Thumbes of their hands and feet cut off gathering bread vnder his table This cruelty is against the nature of God and it is a vice not of a man but of a wilde beast It is cruelty also to bee excessiue and too much rigorous in punishing transgressors and therefore it is said If so be the wicked be worthy to bee beaten the Iudge shall cause him to lye downe and to bee beaten before his face according to his trespasse to a certaine number Where there is mercy and discretion there punishments are according to the trespasses But it is cruelty for small faults and offences to enioyne extreme seuere and rigorous punishments and it is the greatest cruelty of all to punish in body or goods such as haue not deserued it and such as are honest and innocent Therefore Magistrates must remember that not onely he that iustifieth the wicked but he also that condemneth the iust euen they both are an abhomination to the Lord. This proceedeth from cruelty and rashnesse and it is contrary to loue mercy and iustice and it is against the end and the calling of the Magistrate who is ordained not only for the punishment of euill doers but for the praise of them that doe well he is to be a defence a protection a succour cōfort to such Nay God himselfe doth professe that hee is a father and protector to such and saith Thou shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous Surely it is not good saith Salomon to condemne the iust nor that Princes should smite such for equity Righteous men are Gods children seruants and members deare and pretious in his eyes hee saith of them Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye It is a grieuous sinne and a signe of reprobation to hate or persecute the seruants of God therefore Cain hateth Abel Esau hateth Iacob and seeketh to kill him Ismael persecuteth and mocketh Isaac Saul hateth pursueth Dauid It is comfort and credit euen to Princes to haue the loue and the testimony of the faithfull This is the commendation of Demetrius that hee had good report of all men and of truth it selfe yea the Apostles themselues bare record of him The complaints and cryes of Gods seruants will bee hard and heauy against their persecuters Yee shall not saith God trouble any widdow nor fatherlesse childe If thou vexe or trouble such and so hee call and cry vnto me I will surely heare his cry then shall my wrath bee kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall bee widdowes and your children fatherlesse As God hath a speciall care of widdowes and fatherlesse children so hee hath a care of all his sonnes and daughters hee will regard their iust complaints which they offer into his bosome and in time will hearken to their cryes It is a sin not to encourage countenance and defend such but it is a greater sinne to spoyle them and vndo them or to offer them any wrong He will reproue Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme Kings are the Lords annoynted in a speciall respect but yet all the people of God are also in their place the Lords annointed because of the oyle of spirituall graces plentifully powred vpon them and because they are precious and deare in the eyes of God And therefore the Lord said to Pharaoh Israell is my sonne euen my first borne wherefore I say to thee let my sonne goe that hee may serue mee If thou refuse to let him goe behold I will slay thy sonne euen thy sirst borne Marke saith a learned Father vpon that place marke the Title that God giueth to his Church and meditate on it earnestly hee calleth it his Sonne yea his first borne noting therein to all flesh that it is to him as a man-childe to the father yea as the the first borne which commonly is loued most tenderly and in greatest honour Now then thinke with your selfe what hurt is in you to the fruite of your body and to your first borne thinke how you could endure to stand and looke vpon the abuse offered by any to the whole or any part as to see but a legge or an arme cut off by bloudy butchers then thinke of God to his Church and euery part of it whose affection so much excelleth yours as God excelleth man and holinesse and perfection misery sinne and corruption And a little after Tell Pharaoh hee had best take heede what hee doth for I will make his Sonne and first borne feele it if hee hinder mine and will not let them goe to serue mee The world you know contemneth and despiseth vs counting vs the Refuse of the people or what may bee base and vile but this loue is life and this regard with God is honour most high In the comfort whereof wee may suppe vp these earthly scornes if his Grace bee with vs. And so much the rather wee may doe this because hee accounteth all the reproches iniuries stormes and hard dealings done to his seruants as done vnto himselfe And therefore there came a voyce from heauen to Saul then a Persecuter but after Paul a Preacher that voyce sayd then vnto him Saul Saul Why persecutest thou mee And when hee sayd Who art thou Lord The Lord said I am IESVS whom thou persecutest It is hard for thee to kicke against prickes Christ was then ascended into heauen Saul did not neither could if he would persecute him but because hee persecuted his poore members on earth Christ taketh their cause to bee his owne and he counteth the cruelty offered to them to be offered to himselfe All good Princes and Gouernours euen in pollicy as much as may be are to seeke and procure the good will loue and liking of all their subiects and much more of the better sort Rulers are so to gouerne the people as the soule gouerneth the body and as God gouerneth the world that is not onely iustly but also kindly and gently In God there is not onely power iustice and wisdome but also he is full of goodnesse and mercy Pastors sheapheards are not only with discretiō but also with lenity to lead guid their flocke A good father doth bring vp and rule his children in as much loue and kindnesse as may be A good ruler must be of the same mind to the people as the good father of a family is to the houshold And what is a ruler of a City or a kingdome but the father of many childrē he is not to abate his authority by too much lenity nor the peoples loue by too much seuerity Hearts of honest men are gotten by mercy
so Iehoshaphat set himselfe against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir which were come against Iudah and the Lord gaue him a meruailous victory against these enemies This blessed King feared God and both he and his subiects gaue themselues first to fasting and prayer and repentance and so the Lord blessed their Armies against their enemies It is lawfull for Kings to defend and maintaine their owne liberties and to recouer by warres that which hath beene vniustly taken away from them And as in warres there must bee a good cause and a good affection if we looke to speede so the authority and example of the chiefe Gouernours doth much encourage the people and put life into them And as Rulers are to defend their people from the force and violence of enemies abrode so they must not suffer them to bee oppressed at home by their owne Countrey-men And indeed this is most vnnaturall and intollerable that one subiect should oppresse another that Christians Countrey-men and brethren should vexe and torment one another by hard and cruell dealing in the time of the Gospell vnder Christian Gouernours Wee haue not this many yeares blessed be God beene much troubled with violence of forraigne foes but haue liued peaceable a long time And though our enemies haue sometimes made attempts and assaults against vs yet the Lord himselfe hath fought for vs to his great glory and to the shame of our Aduersaries Our greatest troubles exactions and oppressions are amongst our selues one with onother Now this is a speciall part of the Magistrates calling to relieue and defend the oppressed And he may more easily and sooner with lesse charge and danger defend his owne subiects against domesticall oppressours then set himselfe in combate against mighty many and cruell enemies abrode Priuate men may not reuenge their owne wrongs but they are in place to doe it for them It is their office to relieue the oppressed and to auenge their cause As a father ouer his children is both Lord and Iudge forbidding that one brother should auenge himselfe of another but if any cause of strife bee betweene them hee will haue it brought to himselfe or his Assignes to haue it iudged and corrected So God forbiddeth all men to auenge themselues and takes that office into his owne hand Therefore saith the Apostle Dearly beloued auenge not your selues but giue place to wrath For it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord. But yet in the next Chapter the same Apostle sheweth that God hath appointed Princes and Magistrates as reuengers of wrongs For hee saith that the Prince is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare For hee beareth not the sword for naught for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill It is almost impossible that a manshould be an equall and indifferent iudge in his owne cause lusts appetites do so blind vs. And when thou auengest thy selfe thou makest no peace but stirst vp more debate God therfore hath giuen lawes to all nations and hath in all countries placed Kings Gouernours and Rulers in his owne stead to rule the world through them and hath commanded all causes to bee brought before them and they are to determine and iudge of such causes according to the rules of equity and righteousnesse This is part of the counsell which Salomons mother gaue vnto him Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of the children of destruction Open thy mouth iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore The Prophet saith to the Gouernours of Israel Learne to doe well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdow Therfore such as were distressed were wont in their distresse to flye to the refuge of the chiefe Magistrate for their protection and defence The Shunamite returning from the land of the Philistims called vpon the King for her house and for her land which had beene wrongfully taken away from her and the King said to an officer Restore thou all that are hers and all the fruits of her lands since the day she left her land euen till this time Hee caused that to be iustly restored which was wrongfully holden away from her And herein good Magistrates should follow the example of God and resemble his Nature whose Name and Image they carry The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall Hee executeth iustice for the oppressed which giueth bread to the hungry The Lord looseth the Prisoners the Lord giueth sight to the blinde The Lord raiseth vp the crooked the Lord loueth the righteous the Lord keepeth the strangers hee relieueth the fatherlesse and widdow but hee ouer-throweth the way of the wicked Therefore saith the Lord rob not the poore because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement for the Lord will defend their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoile them Againe hee saith Remoue not the ancient bounds and enter not into the fields of the fatherlesse for hee that redeemed them is mighty he will defend their cause against thee When the Children of Israell were sore afflicted by Phaâ—aoh and the Aegiptians the Lord in pitty said I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Aegypt and haue heard their cry because of their Taske-maisters for I know their sorrowes therefore I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hands of the Egyptians c. And afterwards when they were vexed by sundry enemies one after another though they sinned against him grieuously and sundry times yet when they cryed vnto him in their distresse and repented them of their sinnes hee heard their cry and sent them Iudges and Deliuerers to deliuer them and ease them of their oppressions Most excellent and worthy is that worthy speech of that good Queene Elizabeth our gracious Soueraigne of famous memory A speech I say recorded by reuerend Iewel in his answere to Pope Pius his seditious Bull Thus shee speaketh to the Councell and Iudges Haue care of my people you haue my place doe you that which I ought to doe They are my people euery one oppresseth them and spoyleth them without mercy they cannot reuenge their owne quarrels nor helpe themselues See to them see to them they are my charge I charge you as God chargeth mee I care not for my selfe my life is not deere to mee my care is for my people O blessed and gracious speech beseeming a gracious Prince a patterne of piety Wee may obserue in that speech the tender care pitty and loue of her Maiesty to her distressed Subiects and that in those times being in the beginning of her Maiesties raigne about fifty yeares ago there were sundry oppressions and wrongs in the Land How more grieuously are they increased and augmented since that time Citties Townes and Countries are full of exclamations of the
Salomon Giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people that he may discerne betweene good and bad For who is able to iudge this so mighty a people This doctrine serueth also to reproue conuince and condemne all rebels traytors and seditious spirits which make insurrection against their lawfull Soueraigne And hereby all good subiects are encouraged to loue honour and obey their lawfull Rulers and with this Queene to blesse and praise God for the happinesse of good Gouernement And considering the manifold blessings which wee receiue by good Rulers as Iustice peace punishment of euill doers defence against forraigne and domesticall foes reliefe for the poore comfort to the good fruition of liberty yea freedome of the Gospell and true Religion Considering I say so many and so great benefites which wee enioy vnder Christian Magistrates let vs all with this Queene blesse God for so happy gouernement And indeede all true English Christian hearts haue iust cause to reioyce and praise God for his Maiesties happy reigne amongst vs both for his entrance and continuance What feares what perplexities and doubts had we at the death of our late Soueraigne What boasting what hopes and triumphing of the Aduersaries who made account they had that day which they long looked and gaped for They had spoken it often and thought it often in their hearts saying and thinking with Esau The dayes of mourning for my father wil come shortly then wil I slay my brother Iacob The best had cause to feare in respect of the horrible and manifold sinnes of the Land deseruing such a iudgement But blessed bee God who cared for vs though we little cared for him He presently prouided another gracious Soueraigne for vs the next in bloud a Christian Prince a man of wisedome and experience in Gouernement After Moses succeded Iosuah after Dauid Salomon Let vs say with the Prophet Thou hast saued vs ô Lord from our aduersaries and hast put them to confusion that hate vs therefore will we praise God continually will confesse thy name for euer It may be said of diuers other Countries There is no peace to him that goeth out and in amongst them but great troubles are to all their inhabitants But it may be said of vs as the Lord saith to Dauid Behold a Sonne is borne to thee which shall bee a man of rest for I will giue him rest from all his enemies round about therefore his name is Salomon And I will send peace and quietnesse vpon Israel in his daies c. And that which the Prophet Ieremy speaketh is fulfilled amongst vs Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I wil◠raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch and a King shall reigne and prosper and shall execute iudgment and iustice in the earth In his daies Iudah shall bee saued and Israell shall dwell safely How much are wee beholden to God that so soone and suddenly turned our sorrow and feare into ioy and gladnesse and doth still continue and confirme the same vnto vs Though weeping was in the euening yet ioy came in the morning As the cold waters to a weary soule so good newes from a farre countrey did cheere and refresh our hearts Wherefore praise the Lord ô Ierusalem praise thy God ô Sion for he hath made the barre of thy gates strong and hath blessed thy children within thee Hee setteth peace in thy borders and satisfieth thee with the flowre of Wheate He sheweth his word to Iacob his statutes and his iudgements to Israel He hath not dealt so with euery Nation neither haue they knowne his iudgements Praise yee the Lord. O that we had hearts to think seriously of these benefits which we enioy vnder his Maiesty and that we were truly thankfull for them then might we hope for the continuance and increase of these blessings But our iniquities haue turned away these things and our sinnes haue hidden good things from vs. O that we had such hearts and tongues that wee might continually with ioy say in our soules Blessed be God for his so great and vndeserued blessings bestowed vpon this sinfull land blessed be his name for all good Lawes good Gouernours and good Gouernement vnder his gracious Maiestie One thing more I obserue worthy of commendation both in this Queene and in Salomon It is worthy of memory in her that shee made choyce of such a Teacher and Schoole-maister And indeede shee could not at that time make a better choyce in the world Dionysius made choyce of Donatus for his Schoole-maister in Grammer and Victorinus for Rhetoricke and Gregery Nazianzene for Theology Theophrastes made choyce of Aristotle to be his teacher Aristotle made choyce of Plato and Plato made choyce of Socrates These were all wise in their choyce but this Queene goeth beyond them all choosing Salomon for her Teacher who excelled all men in the world both in humane and Diuine wisedome And as she made choyce of him so she was content to bee taught by him and profited much by his instructions as wee haue already heard Yea she so profited that in some sort she teacheth him and putteth him in minde of his duety Shee remembreth Gods mercies towards him and admonisheth him of the end of his place and calling And it is worthy of commendation in Salomon that as hee was willing to teach her so he is content to bee taught by her And if Salomon had but remembred this her admonition it might haue beene a pretious preseruatiue against those horrible and grosse sinnes into which he most fearfully fell in his old dayes But he forgot the loue and mercies of God towards him he forgot his high place and dignity he forgot the end why God had placed him and the rules of Equity and Righteousnesse Yet this is worthy of commendation in him that at this time hee doth not as some would haue done reiect the admonition of this woman being farre his inferiour He might haue said Doest thou take vpon thee to teach me seeing thou camest to learne of me I know my duty wel enough I need no teaching But Salomon doth take in good part her good counsell and doth still most louingly and kindly entertaine her From hence we are to learne that wee must be content to receiue good counsel admonition and instruction from any though they be farre our inferiours Such as bee truely humble and lowly in their owne eyes are content to receiue good doctrine from meane persons they are not ashamed to learne of any yong or old learned or vnlearned good or bad men or women they are not ashamed to confesse their ignorance wants and infirmities they do not contemne the plaine stile of teaching which is agreeing to Scripture they can be content to receiue good drinke not onely in cups of gold siluer but also in cups of pewter wood and stone Worthy is that counsell of an ancient Father There is no age
THE BLESSING OF A GOOD KING Deliuered in Eight Sermons vpon the storie of the Queene of the South her words to Salomon magnifying the gouernment of his familie and kingdome By THOMAS GIBSON Minister Eccles 10. 17. Blessed art thou ô Land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles AT LONDON Printed by Tho Creede for Arthur Iohnson Dwelling at the signe of the white Horse in Pauls Church-yard 1614. TO THE RIGHT HOnourable the Lord Harington Baron of Exton Thomas Gibson wisheth all true happines both in this life and in the life to come MY purpose Right Honourable in the dedication of these sermons was to haue ioyned your Honourable father with that worthy Citie whereof he was a principall member and had speciall command and authoritie which place he much respected and loued and where he was againe much respected and honoured The ioy and ornament of the Citie was his name and countenance the very report and newes of whose decease was the cause of many a watrie eye and of many a heauie heart But their speciall comfort and ioy is that the Lord hath in mercy prouided so gratious an heire so worthy a successor so vertuous a fauourer as of all that are honest religious so most of all such as haue beene the faithfull friends and intire louers of your Honourable father who himselfe was a louer of all learning religion and of all good men a true worshipper of God zealous in the truth a sincere professor friend of the Gospell a fauourer of faithfull Ministers a worthie member both of Church and common-wealth a faithful dutiful seruiceable and rare subiect like Moses in faithfulnes in meekenes and in zeale against Idolatrie like Iob a iust man fearing God and eschewing euill like Nathaniell a true Israelite without guile Finally a man full of grace pietie curtesie humilitie temperance and other both morall and christian vertues I am not able to commend him according to his deserts that requires a larger discourse and it would perhaps proue an increase of sorrow which is rather to be abated then renewed I will therefore bend my selfe to administer comfort for so great a losse a losse so generall to Church and common-wealth Friends and followers Tenants and seruants and for my owne part I cannot but beare a part in sorrow for the losse of so kind a Patron and Benefactor both to me and mine Yet this is the vse of the prayses of the dead not onely for imitation of their vertues but also for the coÌ„fort of friends aliue And is this a small comfort Right Honourable that you had such a father yea a comfort and blessing it is to be of the seed of the righteous It is a further comfort that you enioyed him so long till your selfe came to ripenesse of yeares that he died in a good age full of daies few of his Auncestors liued longer and howsoeuer he left this life in a strange countrey yet no doubt he died in the true faith of Iesus Christ which he sincerely professed all his life and in the honourable and faithfull seruice of his gratious Soueraigne the Lords annointed It is no wonder that old men die rather it is a wonder in these latter daies that any liue so long Moses in his time made account of mans ordinarie age to be threescore yeares and ten Now the world decayes and the daies of our life is shortned We heare daily of the death of Infants children young men yea Princes taken away in the prime and strength of their yeares what maruell then though the ancient â—ie when the apple is ripe it must needs fall when the candle is spent the light must needs goe out This vse we are to make of the death of young or old to remember alwaies our mortall state and the vncertaintie of our life to be alwaies readie and prepared not to regard but contemne the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eie and the pride of life pleasures honours riches and the vanities of this wicked world Many moe comforts we haue against excessiue and immoderate sorrowe for the death of our best and dearest friends as to consider what they leaue a miserable world and whither they goe to the hauen of happinesse The best sort of the Heathen vsed three remedies against such kind of sorrow First to consider that death is common to all and vnauoydable Secondly that it is the end of miserie and hauen of rest Thirdly that it is likely that the soules liue and are blessed We haue the same and more sure comforts We know that our Redeemer liues and that wee shall see him as hee is Wee know not onely the immortality of the soule but the glorious resurrection of the body and that those that dye in the Lord are blessed Nothing comes to passe without Gods pouidence who is wise and mightie We pray that his will may be done both of vs and in vs. It will nothing auaile vs to torment our selues we are borne to dye many thousands are gone before vs and we must follow Pardon my boldnes right Honourable in presuming to put you in minde of these thinges which both by your own priuate reading and publicke heauing of many worthy men you doe already know and vnderstand sufficiently Yet in my loue to your Honour giue me leaue to adde some further instruction It hath alwaies beene the endeuour of Sathan the common aduersarie of mans saluation by all means possible to draw all sorts degrees and ages of men from the true care and studie of religion and vertue to the effecting whereof hee hath from euery estate his pretended colours and faire pleasing shewes of perswasion alluremeÌ„t perswading the elder sort that it is a thing vnseemely vnbefitting their grauitie to become schollers in Christs schoole seeing their heads are filled with other matters namely of the Common-wealth and affaires of this world Hee can tell the middle sort which are in the prime of strength and witte that it is against all equitie and reason that such should bee depriued of the pleasures and delights of the flesh and the world And as for the younger sort hee will easilie make make them beleeue that it is not yet time to serue God that the points of religion are too high for them and able to dull and trouble their tender wits buzzing into their eares that wicked prouerbe A young Saint an olde Diuâ—ll Thus by his will he would haue none religious because he would haue none saued but rather that all should perish and come to vtter ruine and destruction It is a torment and vexation vnto him to see any well disposed in religion but if wee hearken to the counsell of God in his word wee shall soone finde Sathan herein a lyer a murtherer a seducer For the Lord chargeth all sorts and degrees of men to giue themselues and that betimes to religion and vertue commaunding his law to bee read and published to men women and
gouernment some by countenance some by cost some by counsell some by baser seruices which yet are accepted if they be done with right affections Indeed we are to desire more and the greatest gifts of all if we would haue them but let vs doe our vttermost endeuour so farre as we can and the Lord will accept it Earnest and affectionate is that speech of a learned Father Lord Iesu grant that I may haue some monument in thy tabernacle I will wish if it would be that some part of that gold might come from me whereof the propitiatorie is made or with which the Arke is couered or whereof the candlesticke is made or if I haue no golde nor siluer at least I may be found to offer something that may helpe forward the pillars and sockets of them or that I may haue some brasse in this tabernacle whereof the rings may be made and other things prescribed by thy word O that it were possible for me to be one of the Princes or to offer pretious stones to the adorning of the Priests garment but because all these are aboue my power at least let me finde fauour to offer goates haire in the tabernacle of God that I be not found emptie and vnfruitfull in all A holy gratious and deuout speech we are all to be of the same minde and affection to desire increase of graces but yet to vse those well which we haue knowing that God will accept them being rightly vsed yea he accepteth the meanest gifts they are as welcome to him as the greatest of the richer sort Non omnes possumâ—â— esse Cesares We cannot be all Caesars To some the Lord hath giuen ten taleÌ„ts to some fiue to some one he accepts of the least being faithfully vsed employed he accepteth alloweth of the two mites of the poore widdow cast into the treasurie as well as of the great abundant gifts of the richer sort We are to follow this good nature of God to take in good part that which is offered to vs with a louing mind Thus ciuil honest men being of good natures do take in good part any smal thing giueÌ„ them by those whom they know to be their friends and would giue more if abilitie serued Right Wor let me entreate the same kindnes and fauour in accepting these few fermons which are as two mites into the treasurie in respect of the multitude of learned bookes and sermons which you daily reade and heare I confesse it may seeme needles and superfluous for me the vnworthiest of thousands to offer any such thing to such a people as haue such store and abundance and plentie of instruction It may seeme I say as needlesse as to cast water into the sea But seeing many more needles things are published and all are as they may to further the building of Gods tabernacle I pray you pardon this my bolde attempt The causes why I presume to dedicate these my poore labours to you are these First because the effect and summe of these sermons was preached in the presence and hearing of many of you though I confesse I haue made since some additions aâ—d amplifications Againe because abiding some while amongst you I sound no litle kindnes and fauour and I receiued much spirituall comfort and profite to my soule in many publike and priuate exercises amongst you which did cause me greatly to affect and loue that place and now at last by this poore present to testifie my loue and thankfulnes to you And I doubt not but the matters handled in these sermons will be acceptable to al good Christians amongst you And how can the doctrine of good gouernment be vnpleasing to that Citie where there are so many religious wise and good gouernours who are carefull to performe all the parts of their calling carefull I say to punish offenders to countenance the good to relieue the oppressed to maintaine and defend the Gospel of Christ the preachers and professours of it And must not the commendation of true wisedome be acceptable and delightful to so many friends followers sonnes daughters of wisedome There are no doubt amongst you many good and gratious hearers receiuing the seede of wisedome in good ground vnderstanding and beleeuing the word bringing forth the fruits of it some thirtie some sixtie some an hundred fold Many olde young rich poore men women and children Maisters and Dames seruants professing and louing the Gospell and greatly reioycing in it Many seeking and searching for true wisedome from the true fountaine being carefull to aske to enquire for resolution and satisfaction from the mouth of God Many reuerencing and louing all faithfull teachers stirring vp prouoking others to doe the like reposing their chiefe felicitie in heauenly wisedome desiring thirsting hungring after it as the true foode of their soule watching daily at the gates and giuing atteÌ„dance at the postes of the doores of wisdome sparing neither for paines nor cost to enioy it hating all errours falsehood folly and striuing for the maintenance of the truth resolued to hazard goods and life for the defence of the Gospell Many like Mar choosing the good part which shall neuer be taken from them Many like Lydia whose hearts the Lord hath opened to giuâ— attendance to Pauls preaching Many like Eunice and Lois the Grandmother and mother of Timothiâ— hauing a care with them to bring vp their children in the true faith All such hearers as I doubt not there are many such among you must needs be glad to heare their Mistresse their Ladie their Princes their mother so highly commended magnified And will not this storie of so worthie a Queene comfort and encourage all that are readie with her to bestow paines and cost for the attaining the same wisedome esteeming it more pretious then all things else in the world Giue me leaue therefore right worthie Citizens to comforte and set you on in the pathes of wisdome wherein many of you haue alreadie a long time most gratiouslie and profitably walked As for any further instructions and admonitions I referre you to the Sermons following I now end praying heartily for you all with the Apostle That the God of patience and consolation would giue you that yee be like minded one towards another according to Christ Iesus that you with one minde and with one mouth may praise euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement that you may discerne things tâ—at differ one from another that ye may be pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ that ye may walke worthie of the Lord and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes And the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout And I pray God that your whole spirit soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse to the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Faithful is he which calleth
and Myrrhe to Christ she offereth and giueth to Salomon precious things they were a figure of the calling of the Gentiles so was she a tipe of the same long before they came a great iourney from the East to seeke for Christ she came from the South a great and dangerous voyage to heare and enioy the wisedome of Salomon Marie Magdalen Ioanna the wife of Cusa Herod his steward with many others follow our Sauiour Christ to heare his sermons the Eunuch the treasurer of Ethiopia came to Ierusalem to worship God It is lawful then to seeke for instruction abroad if we lacke it at home Merchants venter vpon the seas to farre countries for trafficke many goe to the Indies for gold Such as lacke prouision at home goe to markets and faires for it if our cattle want foode or water we will seeke farre and neere for them how farre doe men runne what paines do they take for humane learning how carefull are they to get mony how painefull to finde it if they loose it many flie to Rome and Rhemes not for wisdome but for foolishnes not for truth but for errors not for foode but for poyson many trudge many a mile on pilgrimage to worship Idols stockes stones yea some to ioyne with the enemies to worke treason against their lawful Prince this example will not serue their turne There is a lawfull peregrination to visit good men to conferre to learne artes tongues religion the Iewes were commanded to goe to Ierusalem sundrie times in the yeare but it was about the true worship of God Elkanah the Priest went euery yeare to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hoasts in Shilo S. Paul went to Ierusalem to visit Peter and to conferre with him the popish peregrinations are vnlawfull they make it a principall part of Gods seruice there is no commandement for them they visit dead mens bones Images and reliques This superstition as many other was inuented many yeares after Christ others trauell and take vpon them great and dangerous iournies to the hurt of bodie and soule But the paines and trauell of this woman is to learne diuine wisedome teaching vs to refuse no paines in seeking for the meanes of our saluation but to labour with all care and diligence for the profite the comfort and the good of our soules Thirdly a good hearer must bee inquisitiue and carefull to learne This woman a Queene is not ashamed to confesse her ignorance to aske questions and to bee taught The wise man saith Hear◠ô yee children the instruction of a Father giue eare to learne vnderstanding The Apostle complaines of some women that were euer learning but were neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth There are many hearers but fewe learners The care of this woman is not onely seene by her cost and labour in comming but by opening her heart and mouing doubtes asking questions conference and reasoning with good men are gratious meanes to further vs in the true knowledge of God The people must looke for the Law of God at the Priests mouth The Apostles aske of Christ their maister the interpretation and meaning of harde parables The CorinthiaÌ„s write to S. Paul to be resolued in certaine doubts And heere by the way obserue two notes of a good teacher in Salomon they must be able and apt to teach secondly readie and willing not nice strange and stately The graces of God are giuen for the good of others the ende and vse of the ministrie is to instruct and resolue doubts But manie in the Church are vnable to teach others are vnwilling others both vnable and vnwilling these are all confuted by Salomons example who both abounded in wisdome and was willing to impart it to others He was as readie to answere as this woman was to aske hee was as readie to teach as shee was to learne Fourthly after her hearing and learning she comends her teacher highly and speaketh reuerently of him So must good hearers haue a reuerent estimation of such as instruct them from the mouth of God Dauid receiuing good counsell from Abigail blesseth both her and her counsell The woman in the Gospell hearing the gratious words that proceeded out of the mouth of Christ cried out Blessed is the Wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke The holie Apostle Saint Paule commends the Galathians for this cause that they esteemed him as an Angell of God yea euen as Christ Iesus In an other place Wee beseech you brethren that yee knowe them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admâ—nish you that you haue them 〈◊〉 singular loue for their workes sake And wheÌ„ you feele the power and fruit of their ministrie say with this woman Blessed be God blessed be such men blessed be such seruants which haue called me comforted and strengthned me happie are those people which may daily heare such wisedome Fiftly she acknowledgeth the chiefe felicitie of this life not to consist in riches honor pleasure but in wisedome So good hearers ought to esteeme it the greatest happines vnder heauen to haue a resident and teaching minister expounding and applying to them the wisedome of the true SalomoÌ„ Chrst Iesus But of this point I meane to speake more largely and fully after Sixtly she stirreth vp Salomons Courtiers and seruants to know this their happie estate it may be some of them scarcely acknowledged any such thing as many carelesse and vnthankfull people in our daies hauing good pastors yet neither feele nor confesse any blessing at all strangers can say happie are such a people though they themselues knowe no such thing good hearers must by this example not onely heare the word of wisedome and highly esteeme it themselues but stirre vp others to the like affectioÌ„ towards it they would haue others partakers of the same graces with them and indeed if they find it a blessing and comfort to themselues they will imparte it to others and labour to make others partakers of the same coÌ„forts with them Esaiah prophecieth that such shal be the zeale of the people vnder the Gospell that they shall say one to another Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob he will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his 〈◊〉 And Zâ—cariah saith They that duell in one 〈◊〉 shall goe to another to call their brethren saying 〈◊〉 let vs goe pray before the Lord and seeke the Lord of Hoasts Euery one shall answere I will goe also Andrew being called calleth Simon Peter his brother and â—hilip calleth Nathaniel the woman of Samaria being once acquainted with Christ Iesus calleth her neighbours saying Come see a man that hath told me all things that euer I did she had beene a companion with them in sinne now she would haue them companions with her in
without abatement all goodnes without any euill where youth flourisheth that neuer waxeth olde life that knoweth no ende beautie that neuer fadeth loue that neuer cooleth health that neuer diminisheth ioy that neuer ceaseth where sorrow is neuer felt complaint is neuer heard matter of sadnes is neuer seene nor euill successe is euer feared for that they possesse thee ô Lorde which art the perfection of their felicitie If God would graunt thee to enioy this felicitie but halfe an houre thou wouldest contemne a thousand worlds to haue it especially to haue it for euer And though this world were indeed very good the things of it of great waight and price and that thou mightest enioy it in health safetie and honour yet shouldest thou esteeme it as ridiculous and vaine in respect of that most happie fruition of God How much more being as it is most vile base vncertaine transitorie shouldest thou despise the greatest Treasures or pleasures of it in comparison of that Felicitie that is the greatest and most true good which is receceiued from the Creator himselfe and not from the creature the which if wee doe once receiue none can take it from vs in comparison of which all ioy is sorrowe all pleasure is paine all sweetnes is sower all beautie is filthines His countenance is pleasant his words sweete his face delectable to looke vpon Yet there we may alwayes beholde him there wee may alwayes haue him and delight in him This is the chiefe whole felicity of man to know and loue his louer Hee that is sure of this will sell all that hee hath to get this treasure will count all the things of this life drosse and dung in comparison of that The hope and assurance of this hath made the Saintes of God to contemne the worlde to mortifie the flesh to to hūble their soules to fight against temptations to endure reproches scoffings and torments and to die cheerfullie and willingly hauing respect to the crowne of glorie the place of pleasure euerlasting life This made Moses to refuse to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter to chuse rather to suffer aduersity with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sin for a season esteming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt Many would thinke this a foolsh refusall a foolish choyce but the cause that moued him followeth he had respect to the recōpence of reward Againe he forsooke Egypt and feared not the fiercenes of the King for he endured as he that saw him which is in visible I haue beene long and large in this point but pardon me I cannot content and satisfie my selfe and the matter is waightie and of great importance and the chiefe end of our creatiō of our calling redemption and sanctification and yet few doe regard it Oh that all which I haue said might drawe our hearts from the vanities of the world to settle and fixe them vpon eternall happines This text indeed speaketh of that chiefe happines which may be had in this life and is a meanes whereby we may come to the other yet this is a consequent of that and the first degree of life eternall in this life Besides that there may be some fit resemblance and illusion betwixt the glory happines and wisedom of Salomon and of Christ so that in the closet of our soules we may say to our Sauiour in these words Sonne of God Sonne of Dauid the true Salomon the King of that heauenly Ierusalem the King of peace and glory happie are thy seruants and Saints in heauen the Citizens of that Citie the worshippers of that Temple the attendants and inhabitants of that pallace which doe alwaies behold thy maiestie thy holines and wisedome If this woman admired the order in Salomons house the glory and beautie of his pallace and his wonderfull wisedome how admirable is thy glory beautie and wisedome in the heauens If she count them happie which enioy these things how happie are they which enioy thy presence in thine eternall kingdome and are they not most happie which haue left a noysome filthy prison to enioy a pallace that haue past from the turbulent sea to a most safe heauen of rest are they not happie which haue left all toyle and labour and be now at ease and are they not happie which haue ended their pilgrimage and are now at home in a pleasant countrie in that blessed land of Canaan and though their bodies be still in their graues subiect to dust and rottennesse yet are those bodies happie in comparison of ours they being exempted from ignorance incredulitie from mistrust from couetousnes ambition enuie hatred feare terror lust and other sinnes Oh sweet Iesus direct and leade vs in the way to true happines that wee may be happie with them We haue many hinderances many enemies to keepe vs from that Aeternall Felicitie but thou art the way the Truth the life guide vs right keepe vs from error leade vs to life Eternall And good Lord remember vs with the fauour of thy people visite vs with thy saluation that we may see the felicitie of the chosen and reioyce in the ioy of thy people and glorie with thine inheritance giue vs sweet Lord the beginning of that true happines that so we may be happie here and hereofafter happy for euer Giue vs sauing knowledge peace of conscience the guidance of thy Spirit that so heere we may haue thy Kingdome of grace and after this life thy Kingdome of glorie THE SECOND SERMON THough all men naturallie desire to bee happie yet most doe faile and erre in the defining of true happines Some reposing it in one thing some in another but fewe or none truely iudging what it is We haue heard already that ther is no true perfect happines in this life but the true Felicitie is to be sought for desired and wayted for in the life to come yet there is a meanes to come to that and there is a kinde of Happines in this life the which this holy woman doth repose fixe in true wisdom of the which now we are to speak in such manner and measure as God shall vouchsafe grace vnto vs. There is the wisedome of the worlde and the wisedome of God a wisedome humane and a wisdome diuine Humane wisedome containeth the knowledge of Artes and liberall Sciences the politique gouernment of the Commonwealth and families and the knowledge in Trades and handie-craftes All these yea the least of these are the speciall gifts of God And therefore the Lord saith to Moses Beholde I haue called by name Bezaliel the sonne of Vri the sonne of Hur of the Tribe of Iudah whome I haue filled with the spirit of God in wisedome and in vnderstanding and in knowledge and in all workmanship to finde out curious workes to worke in gold and in siluer and in brasse Also in the arte to set Stones and to carue in Timber and
shops in lawe in physicke in mathematickâ—s c. Many knowe little some nothing or very weakely or vnperfectly In the matters of God how ignorant and senseles are we Nichodemus a great Docter in Israel cannot vnderstand or conceiue the doctrine of regeneration it is a thing incredible to him that a man should be borne againe The naturall man perceiueth not the things of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned yea the spirituall man himself though he discerneth all things that are reuealed to him by the spirit yet he hath not full and perfect knowledge in this life perfect felicitie is in the life to come and though wisedome be not that felicitie yet it is the way to attaine vnto it and the studie of it is sweete good and profitable it is as sault to season and as honie to sweeten all cares troubles and sorrowes whatsoeuer it is as a precious medicine to cure all maladies to comfort vs in the greatest distresse and dangers and though those which be ignorant and knowe nothing may seeme to be happie because of their ignorance and because they are free from the care and sorrowes of wisedome yet their cares and griefes are worse and greater they are in danger and know it not they cannot discerne good from euill and therefore let them remember this counsell let them lighteÌ„ themselues with the light of knowledge before they goe out of the darkenes of this world lest they passe froÌ„ darkenes to darkenes yea to euerlasting darkenes Some may yet obiect How is there happines in wisedome whereas many which professe and preach it and are of great knowledge yet prophane without religion conscience or pietie their life most vngodly and wicked are these men happie We answere that they are farre from true happines and wisedome Salomon accounteth all men vnregenerated and wicked to be very fooles and so vnhappie wretches Ambrose teposeth a happie life in honestie that is in the tranquilitie of conscience and securitie of innocencie and therefore confuting the Philosophers of whom some placed a happie life in not sorrowing as Ieronimus some in the knowledge of things as Herillus some in pleasure as Epicurus some haue ioyned to this honestie as Calipho and Diadorus some in vertue as Aristotle and his sect But the Scripture sayth he placeth a blessed life in the knowledge of Diuinitie and the fruite of good working It is eternall life sayth Christ to know God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent Dauid sayeth Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatlie in his commandements so that innocencie and knowledge maketh men happie Againe wisedome hath no fellowship with vices it hath an inseparable coniunction with other vertues No man is wise which knoweth not God The foole not the wise man sayeth There is no God How is hee a wise man which knoweth not his Creator How is hee wise which feareth not God seeing the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome Onely that wisedome which is of God is wholesome and sauing which according to the definition of Saint Iames is both pure and peaceable for the wisedome of the flesh is voluptuous not pure the wisedome of the world is tumultuous and troublesome not peaceable the wisedome of God is first pure not seeking her owne but that which is Iesus Christs not doing her owne will but considering what is the will of God Secondly it is peaceable not abounding in her owne sense but resting more vpon the counsell and iudgement of others Againe the sunne doth not warme all whom it shineth vpon so wisedome doth not alwayes giue power to those whom it teacheth to doe that which it teacheth It is one thing to knowe riches another thing to possesse them It is not knowledge that maketh rich but the possession of it There be some which desire to knowe to that end onely that they might know and this is filthie curiositie and there be which desire to know onely to sell their knowledge for money for honor and this is filthie lucre and there be which desire to know that they themselues may be knowne and this is filthie vanitie and there bee that desire to know to edifie others and this is charitie and there be that desire to know to be edified of others and this is prudence The first wisedome is a laudable life and a pure minde before God whereby the pure are ioyned to the pure and the holie are coupled to the holie That is excellent wisedome not which flyeth in words but which consisteth in vertues so that happines consisteth not onely in knowing but also in working if you know these things saith Christ happie are you if you doe them Againe blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepeth it and the hearers of the lawe are not righteous before God but the docrs of the lawe shall be iustified And S. Iohn faith Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophecie and keepe those things written therein And S. Iames saith Who so looketh in the perfect lawe of libertie and continueth therein he not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shall be blessed in his deed Indeed God bestowed vpon prephane men and very reprobates many great and excellent gifts they may haue the word of wisedome the word of knowledge a kind of faith gifts of healing operations of great workes and prophecie discerning of spirits diuersities of tongues the interpretation of tongues and these are the workes of Gods spirit and yet these may be vnhappie and cursed men and neuer partakers of true felicitie Saul prophecieth so doth Balaam so did Caiphas Iudas was a preacher and an Apostle but not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my Fathers will which is heaueÌ„ saith our Sauiour Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great works then will I professe to them I neuer knewe you Depart from me you that worke iniquitie God doth bestow such great gifts vpon wicked men that his power might be knowne in vsing such instruments to his owne glory to the good of others and to their coÌ„demnation so the Lord also maketh a differeÌ„ce betwixt those gifts which he bestoweth vpon the wicked and such speciall graces as he doth giue to his owne children to these he giues the knowledge of saluation by remission of their sinnes through his tender mercy wherby the day springeth froÌ„ on hie visiting theÌ„ he giueth them light eueÌ„ the Sun of righteousnes shining froÌ„ heauen to guide their feete in the way of peace that is to all true happines and felicitie These are his beloued which he hath chosen to saluation from the beginning sanctifying
them by his spirit and giuing them the faith of truth euen the faith of his elect calling them by the Gospell to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ these be the sure notes and markeâ— of those which are truely wise and truely happie yea happy here and happy for euer Therefore let vs pray with the Prophet euery one of vs saying Looke vpon vs 〈◊〉 Lord be mercifull vnto vs as thou vsest to do to loue those that loue thy name We must not thinke then that this woman ascribeth happines to the bare hearing of Wisedome but this hearing includeth knowledge Faith and practise Therefore the Schoolemen make three kindes of hearing The one sensituâ— with outward eare an another Intellectuall that is with vnderstanding the third they call Auditus obeditiuus that is hearing with obedience The foolish Virgins they haue Lampes but no oyle in them they haue onely a bare profession and knowledge without inward grace or practise but the wise Virgins haue their Lamps full of oyle full of Faith obedience holinesse Such as be only hearers and not practitioners of wisedome they be like vnto a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse and when he hath considered himselfe hee goeth his way and forgetteth immediatly what manner of one he was such are foolish and vnfruitfull hearers With true wisdome there is always ioyned true religion sanctification Therefore saith one Wisedome is no other thing but Truth it selfe in the which the true Felicitie shall be found It is in no place it is euery where it admonisheth abroad it teacheth at home it maketh all better and none worse Againe he that loueth himselfe being a Foole shall not profite in wisedome Neither can it be possible to be such a one as he desireth to be except he hate himselfe as hee is Both these must be ioyned together Religion and wisdome but men are deceiued that will seeke religion without wisedome and therefore they fall into false Religions because they haue left true Wisedome And some giue themselues to wisedome without religion but therefore their wisdome is false vaine because they haue no â—are of the religioÌ„ of the true God who would guide instruct them in the way of the best and happiest wisedome Of this vniting of religion and wisdome together Lactantius writeth excellently Where Wisedome saith hee is coupled with Religion there must of necessitie bee true religion and true wisedome because in worshipping God wee haue wisdome that is wee must knowe what is to bee worshipped and how and in being wise we must worship God that is we must performe in truth and deed that which we know where then is wisedome with religion to be found euen there where the one true God is worshipped where the life and all our actions are referred to one head and he concludeth thus in wisedome is religion in religion is wisedome they cannot be separated nor put asunder because to be wise is nothing else but to honor the true God with iust and holy worship And most worthily after he saith thus Wisedome pertaineth to sonnes which requireth loue religion to seruants which requireth feare as they are to loue and honor their father so these are to feare and reuerence their maister God being one because he taketh vpon him both these persons of a father and a maister we ought to loue him because we are his children and to feare him because we are his seruants And therefore it cannot be that religion should be separated from wisedom nor wisedome from religion because the same God is he who must be knowne which is a part of wisedome and must also be honoured which is a part of religion but let religion goe before and let wisedome follow because we must first know God and then we must worship him the fountaine of wisedome and religion is God himsâ—lfe Therefore prophane and wicked men are not truely wise and so not truly happie the Lord complaineth of such people they are a nation voyd of counsell neither is there any vnderstaÌ„ding in them Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Bernard alledging this place They would vnderstaÌ„d saith he the things which are of God the things which are of the world and they would foresee the torments of hell then they would abhorre hell desire heauen and contemne the earth And this is true knowledge saith he to know that the Lord will come to iudgement though we cannot knowe when he will come And where as some wil say that all men know this euen the wicked themselues but saith he this knowledge worketh repentance amendment of life and a care desire to liue honestly And S. Iohn saith That euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure so that true knowledge and true sanctinÌ„cation goeth together Therefore S. Iohn saith in an other place Hereby we are sure that we knowe him if we keepe his commandements he that saith I knowe him and keepeth not his commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him So that this standeth as an infallible true principle that those which are truly wise are truly happie in this life and in the way to that full and perfect happines in the life to come But now at last to obserue and prosecute the chiefe maine point and doctrine of this place which is this that the way and meanes to make a people happie is rightly to heare and obey wisedome this is the principall ioy and happines of Gods Children in this life And therefore saith Salomon Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome and the man that getteth vnderstanding for the merchandises therof is better then the merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold it is more precious then pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared to her length of daies is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory her waies are the waies of pleasure and all her pathes prosperitie she is a true life to them that lay hold on her and blessed is he that retaineth her see the fruits of wisedome immortalitie durable riches eternall glory true Ioy and peace she is a tree of life to the soule like that tree in paradise a signe of Gods fauour â—or like to the tree of life shewed to Moses in Marah which sweetned bitter deadly waters or like the tree of life in the Reuelation 22. vers 2. which brought forth twelue fruits and the leaues thereof were for the curing of the gentiles or like any liuing good tree which bringeth forth good fruit to the preseruation of life Therefore the wise man saith Take hold of instruction and leaue not keepe her for she is thy life And againe Hee that regardeth instruction is in the way of life Such a tree is wisedome It is compared also to
my affections and thoughts are not seldome but often in a day vpon thy word The blessed man his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth meditate day night But Dauid proceedeth and sheweth what profit and fruite he got by the reading hearing meditation such other exercises of the word he was not a simple senselesse vnprofitable and vnfruitefull hearer as many are which heare much and are neuer the better but he protesteth that by his exercise in the word he had gotten and learned wisedome yea more wisedome then his enemies more then all his teachers more then the ancient and that by the power of the word he refrained his feete from euery euill way and hated all the waies of falshood and that his chiefe care and desire was to keepe and practise the word but yet he confesseth that hâ— could not doe this of himselfe but that it was God that did inwardly teach him by his spirit and so tasting the sweetnes of Gods grace in him he found the word and promise of God more sweet to his mouth then honie it selfe You see what account and estimation Dauid had of true wisedome esteeming it his chiefest and greatest felicitie happie then are the true schollers and followers of wisedome And if this woman thus pronounce and account the hearers of Salomon to be so happie how happie are they which doe dayly heare the wisedome of Iesus Christ in the preaching and ministrie of the Gospell Blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare sayth our Sauiour Christ to his disciples and followers For verily I say vnto you that many Prophets and righteous men haue desired to see those things which you see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which you heare and haue not heard them Now in the ministrie of the Gospel wee heare and see Christ himselfe He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me sayth Christ of his Apostles and of all his faithfull ministers We beseech you as embassadors in Christs stead that you may be reconciled to God sayeth S. Paul And in another place he sayeth That Christ was described and pictured before their eyes by the preaching of the word It was not the outward hearing of Christ himselfe or the sight of his person that made meÌ„ blessed for the Iewes saw him Iudas and other enemies to Christ heard him and saw him often But blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued Christ is heard and seene in the publike ministrie of the Gospell Wisedome hath sent forth her maidens and messengers to call and inuite vs to her feast and banquet happie are her guests happie are her disciples and followers to haue such messengers is a speciall and rare blessing of God In Iob it is accounted by Elihu as a speciall comfort in the greatest distresse and danger to haue a messenger an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnes then will God haue mercie vpon him and say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation By the which words we are taught that it is a sure token of Gods fauour and blessing towards sinners when he causeth his word to be preached to them This God promiseth to his people as a speciall mercie and he saith I will giue you Pastors according to my heart which shall feede you with knowledge and vnderstanding It is â—ESVS CHRIST the wisedome of all wisedoms that hath ascended and giuen giftes vnto men and hath ordained Pastors and Teachers for the gathering and building of his Church What is your Felicitie saith S. Paul to the Galathians For I beare you record that if it had ben possible you would haue pluckt out your owne eyes and haue giuen them mee And before he saieth That they receiued him as an Angell of God he commendeth them faithfull in Galatia because they esteemed it the greatest happines vnder Heauen to enioy the ministrie of such an Apostle and Preacher and faithfull messenger of wisdome And is it not a happy thing to haue the eyes of our soules opened to be turned from darknes to light and from the power of Sathan to God that so we may receiue forgiuenes of sinnes and inheritaÌ„ce among them which are sanctified And is it not true happines to haue our soules borne begotten by the immortall seede of Gods word and as Babes and children in CHRIST to be fed and nourished with the sweete and pure milke of eternall life and this is donâ— by the ministrie of wisedome And is not this Felicitie to haue sinnes reproued to be instructed in the right way to haue errors corrected to be comforted in all distresse and danger outward or inward and finallie to bee made wise to saluation and all this is done by the ministrie of wisedome And what happier thing can wee haue in this life then to know the Lordes minde then to haue his priuie counsell reuealed to vs and to bee made wise to Saluation through Faith which is in Christ Iesus Nay Is it not eternall life to know GOD and his Sonne IESVS CHRIST and all this we receiue if we be gratious hearers froÌ„ the messengers of wisedome And will not all confesse that this is the greatest good and the happiest thing in the world to haue the wrath of God pacified to bee in his fauour so that hee is become our Friend and Father and we are taken and accounted as friends to him And there is a true reconciliation betwixt vs so that we need neuer doubt of the saluation of our soules Now this comfort and assurance we haue by the ministrie of wisdome being the very word of the Kingdome the word of grace the word of reconciliation and saluation the word of life yea of eternall life And finally Is it not true Felicity to haue that good part which shall neuer be taken from vs That one thing needfull yea so needfull indeed that wee had better want all other things in this life then be without it And is it not true happines to haue that happines restored and encreased which Adam had in Paradise and lost by his Fall to haue that Image of GOD wherein hee was first created to bee restored vnto vs and in some some sorte to be made like to GOD himselfe in true holines and Righteousnes And is not all this true happinesse and the way to that Eternall and perfect blessednes which wee shall enioy in the Heaâ—ens whereof wee haue spoken largely before And thus we conclude from the premises as from infallible reasons taken from the necessity excellencie power and fruite of Wisedome that this position and doctrine which heere is holden and collected by the wordes of this Woman is most true and sound Namely that the way to make a people happie is to heare receiue and imbrace this
true wisedome This is the ioye and Felicitie of Gods children in this life This doctrine serueth for many excellent vses And first it serueth to set out the miserable estate of such as are destitute of this gratious meanes For if they be happy that heare this wisdome vnhappy are they and cursed which cannot heare it which are cleane without it haue no taste or knowledge of it Where Prophâ—cying faileth or where there is no Vision of wisedome there the people perish And in an other place Where no counsell is the people fall But where manie Counsellors are there is health Againe The Lorde complaineth in these words by the Prophet saying My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge Because thou hast refused Knowledge I will refuse thee that thou shalt bee no Priest to mee And seeing thou hast forgotten the Lawe of thy God I will also forget thy children The Lorde threatneth it as one of his greatest Iudgements to send in his wrath to anie people Blinde Guides dumbe Dogges Idoll Shepheards and scarcitie and famine of his word And as our SAVIOVR CHRIST saith That if the blind leade the blind both shal fall into the ditche Ignorance blindnes is a wretched vnhappy thing both in Minister people Knowledge a part of Gods Image Ignorance defaceth it Knowledge the Eye of the soule Ignorance the very blindnes and darknes of the soule It is the cause of all sinne and error And if it bee Eternall life to knowe God it is eternall death destruction and damnation not to know him And heauy is that sentence of the Apostle against such when he saieth That when the LORD IESVS shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels hee will in flaming fire render vengeance vnto them that do not know GOD which obey not the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Some are maliciously ignorant misliking and hating the Truth Some are sloathfull idle carelesse They will take no paines for Wisedome Some are proude thinking scorne to learne and that they neede not bee taught but knowe enough alreadie These are none of the sonnes and daughters of Wisedome but rather those Fooles of whom Salomon often speaketh in the Prouerbes And indeed the Diuell may begge them for fooles these haue no part in this happines but are vnhappy here and shall be most vnhappy hereafter This doctrine also serueth for the reproofe of such as seeke to hinder and stoppe the course of wisedome these are vnhappy themselues and seeke to hinder the happines of others they are like to the malicious Philistimes which stopped the welles of Isaack as fast as he digged them and would haue kept his cattle from water so these would hinder men from the sweet water of life He that withdraweth the corne saith the wise man the people curse him but blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne Couetous and cruell men are most vile and wretched creatures which keepe backe the corne from the poore hoping for a greater dearth much more vnhappy are they which keepe from the people the bread of life the decay of tillage is a hindrance to the common-wealth and the cause of want and dearth and they that doe it doe offend against God and men and they sinne much more which pulleth downe Gods plough and hinder the sowing of the blessed seede of his word which is as needfull for the soule as husbandrie is for the body The righteous man regardeth the life of the beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell pitty and compassion is to be shewed to the very dumbe creatures that doth vs seruice we must see them fed and it were crueltâ—e to pine them how much more are we to be mercifull to men to the bodies of men and most of all to their soules And if it be crueltie to pine and famish the bodies of men yea of any creature how much greater crueltie is it to pine famish and murther the precious soules of men in keeping from them the blessed and spirituall foode of their soules Were it not an vnmercifull cruell thing to take from a poore souldier his sword his buckler his whole armour and to leaue him naked and open to the force and rage of most cruell enemies As vnmercifull are they which take from the poore people the sword of the spirit the word of God being the armour of proofe and so leaue them altogether weake and vnarmed against their spirituall enemies by the power of the word and the right vse and handling of it Sathan Antichrist sin â—rror heresies all corruptions are weakned and ouerthrowne how shall we then doe if we be depriued of such a weapon and most cruell are they that depriue and robbe the poore people of it such are the Papists which keepe from the people the blessed booke of true wisedome wil not haue it read to the people in their own toÌ„gue but in a strange an vnknowne language wheras the Apostle had rather in the Church to speake fiue words with vnderstanding then ten thousand in a strange toÌ„gue he would haue vs not to be children in vnderstanding but of a perfect â—ipâ—age Christ coÌ„mandeth to preach the Gospel to al nations therfore he gaue theÌ„ the gift of all tongues that they might preach to euery nation in their owne tongue Others also â—oyne with the Papists which by any meanes sâ—eke to hinder stâ—ppe the free course of the Gospell such were the Pharises whom Christ threatneth saying Woe be to you scribes Pharises hypocrites because you shut vp the kingdom of heaueÌ„ bâ—fore men for you your selues go not in neither suffer you theÌ„ that would enter to come in And in an other place it is said that they had taken froÌ„ the people the key of knowledge such were the wicked malicious Iewes who killed the Lord Iesus their owne Prophets and persecuted the Apostles and forbad them to preach to the gentiles that they might be saued to fulfill their sinnes alwaies for the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost Such a one was Alexander the copper Smith of whoÌ„ S. Paul saith That he had done him much euill the Lord reward him according to his workes of whom be thou ware also for he withstood our preaching sore Againe this also serueth to reprooue all those which may heare and will not such are all Recusants Papisticall or Anabaptisticall which refuse to come to our assemblies and will not be partakers with vs either of the word or Sacraments they haue other meetings haue gathered to themselues other kinde of teachers and haue made quite separation from vs and yet without any iust cause or reason and the true messengers of wisedome doe truly deliuer the
word they are strongly illuded by Sathan and made his Agents as much as may be to 〈◊〉 the right wayes of the Lord. Finally this Doctrine that happinesse consisteth in the right hearing of wisdome it maketh directly against all contemners mockers yeâ— against all vnprofitable and vnfruitfull hearers There hee some in the Church which doe heare sometimes yet are no friends to wisdome but either openâ—y or closely despise it scoffe at it These men are in most fearfull and cursed state for their conteÌ„pt is not against man but against himselfe He that despiâ—eth these things despiseth not man but God who hath giueÌ„ vs his holy spirit These men they will not beleeue they haue no part in the promises of grace and saluation they liue in Gods displeasure they expose theÌ„selues to his curse both temporall and â—ternall and therefore our Lord saith That whereas hee had sent to his people Messengers rising early and sending and they mocked the Messengers of God despise his words and misvsed his Prophets that his wrath should rise against them and there was no remedie he could for â—eare no longer hee must needes punish them And to such contemners our Sauiour Christ threatens That the kingdom of God shâ—lbe taken away from them and giuen to a Nation which shall bring forth the frutes therof And the Apostles Paul Barnabas spake boldly to such contemners said It was necessary that the word of God should first haue bin spoken to you that is to the Iews but seeing you put it froÌ„ you iudge your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life loe we turne to the Gentiles and let vs heare the voyce of wisdome who crieth without vttereth her voyce in the streets she calleth in the high streets in the prease in the entring of the gates vttereth her wordes in the Citie saying O ye foolish how long will ye loue foolishnes the scornfull take their pleasure in scorning the fooles hate knowledge turne you at my correction Loe I will powre out my minde vnto you and make you vnderstand my wordes because I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched forth mine hand and none would regard but ye haue despised all my counsell and would none of my correction I will also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth when your feare commeth like sudden desolation and your destruction come like a whirlewinde when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you then shall they call vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord they would none of my counsell but despised all my correction therefore shal they eate the fruite of their owne way and be filled with their owne deuises In the which place we may plainely obserue a proofe and testimonie of the mercie and iustice of God his mercie in calling and inuiting to wisedomes feast such as be vnworthie â—uch as be contemners enemies and scoffers yet he doth intreat them and earnestly desire them to leaue their follie and to be partakers of true wisedome but then followeth his seueritie and iustice against such as despise and contemne his louing and kinde offer The wisedome of all wisedome protesteth and voweth that he will hauâ— no pittie of such but rather will take delight to destroy them Nay he protesteth that though they cry and call vpon him in their greatest extremitie yet he will not heare them the reason is because they haue so long contemned his great mercies that their hearts are hardned they cannot repent therefore God cannot heare for he heareth not the prayers of impenitent sinners Againe these men haue no faith and therefore cannot be heard for faith is grounded vpon Gods word which they despise contemne and mocke A like heauie senteÌ„ce hath Salomon in another place saying He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shal be abominable not onely the sinnes and wicked deeds of coÌ„temners and wicked men but those which seeme most good and haue greatest shew of holinesse are odious in Gods sight the sacrifice of the wicked are abomination to the Lord the prayers that they make though neuer so earnestly in their most neede though it be in the houre of death the Lord will not heare them but reiect and abhorre them And is it not great reason and equitie he doth but serue them as they serue him they wil not heare him when he calleth and cryeth to them by the mouth of his Ministers and why should he heare them when they call and cry in their greatest necessities and heauie are the threatnings of the Apostle If the words spoken by Angels were stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recoÌ„pence of reward how should wee escape if wee neglect so great a saluation which at the first began to be preached of the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him God bearing witnes therto both with signes wonders with diuers miracles gifts of the holy Ghost according to his own wil. And in another place he saith He that despiseth Moses lawe dyeth without mercy vnder two or 3. witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be worthie which treadeth vnder foot the Son of God Againe See that you despise not him that speaketh for if they escaped not which refuse him that spake on earth meaning Moses who spake rudely in coÌ„parison of Christ much more shall we not escape if we turne away from him that speaketh froÌ„ heauen But not only contemners are here reproued but also idle vnprofitable hearers many are in the schoole of wisedome no enemies no contemners but frierâ—ds well-willers they thinke well they speake well like well of the meanes of saluation they commend it they heare dayly seeme greatly to ioy in it yet they profit litle either in knowledge or sanctification But it is not simplie a blessing to heare wisedome except we be better by it nay it is rather a woe then a blisse to be vnder the meanes and to profit litle or nothing by it There be sayeth a Father three degrees of woe He that hath not that he loueth cannot be sayd to be blessed neither he that hath that he loueth if his loue be hurtfull to him neither he that hath that which is good and profitable if he loueth not that which he hath soâ—e desire the Ministrie and haue no meanes to come by it this is a woe some loue superstition Idolatrie ignorance and they doe enioy it they haue such blinde guides as they like of this is a greater wo some are vnder good Ministers yet they profit little by it these are not happie but in a fearefull state It is a grieuous sinne not to profit according to the time and meanes it is an vnkindnes
bee counted blessed What enemie is so iniurious or contumelious as the pleasures of some are to them Many are so drowned in pleasures that they are brought to a custome and cannot want them which for this cause are most miserable because they haue made those things most necessary which are superfluous therefore they serue their pleasures and doe not enioy them they loue their euils which is the chiefe of all euill Another sayeth that true ioy is not possessed vnlesse peace and righteousnes be kept and holden The first is as it were the roote that is righteousnes the second is peace the third is ioy from righteousnes proceedeth peace from peace proceedeth ioy they reioyce in temporall things which haue not learned to desire eternall things If we list to giue our selues to pleasures a hundreth yeeres yea adde another hundreth and if thou list ten hundreth more what is this to the reward of eternity is not all the time of this life wherin we seeme to enioy pleasures serue our lusts but the sleepe of one night in comparison of eternitie There is a ioy which is not giuen to the wicked but to them ô Lord which doe willingly worship thee whose ioy thou thy selfe art and this is the true blessed life to reioyce of thee and for thee this and no other is true blessednesse but of the vanitie of these men which repose felicity either in humane wisedome or in the glory of the world in riches or pleasures we haue partly spoken before And let Salomon deside and determine this matter both by his sentence and example he pronounceth of all these things Vanitie of vanities vanities of vanities all is vanitie If he had but thus spoken in his wisedome being diuine and inspired we should beleeue him and rest vpon his iudgement but he speaketh also vpon experience and proofe If a poore man had spoken it we might haue reiected his iudgement as one that neuer tasted the excellencie of riches and pleasures but it is spoken by Salomon a famous and worthy king who excelled and abounded in all wisedome glory wealth and pleasures hauing tasted of all he protesteth and crieth out that all is vanity And marke what one sayth of that sentence If those sayeth he which are occupied in power and riches they would write this verse vpon all their walles vpon their houses vpon their dores and gates and specially if they would write it in their consciences that they might alwayes haue it before their eyes and feele it in their heart that all is vanitie And thus wee see sundrie enemies opposites to wisedome we see the miserable estate of such as want her of such as despise her and repose their happines in other things And howsoeuer many be against her and she hath but few faithfull friends and few doe respect or regard her as they ought but prefer most base and vile things before her yet is this wisdome iustified of all her childrē Now let vs come to some further vses of this doctrine for the instruction and comfort of her friends and followers First then this serueth for the instruction of the sonnes daughters of wisedome that with all diligence care reuerence they continually hearken to true wisedome Though outward hearing be not sufficiēt yet it is commended as profitable and necessary and as meanes to conuey grace knowledge and faith to the heart and it is the chiefe end why God hath giuen vs eares euen thereby to hearken to his voice Without this hearing how should we know God how should we loue him how should we feare and beleeue in him Who so is among you that feareth the Lord saith Esaiah let him heare the voice of his seruant Again hearken vnto me my people giue eare vnto me ô my people hearken vnto me you that know righteousnes the people in whose heart is my law we are readie to hearken to fables to heare histories to heare the letters of our friends the Proclamation of Princes and some are very ready and willing to heare the Idolatrous Masse shall not we be more ready and willing to heare the voyce of our God The publike assemblies are the schooles of wisedome wee must like good schollers with diligence resort thither and be content both to heare and learne wee must like Cornelius heare with reuerence whatsoeuer shal be spoken from the mouth of God wee must with Lidea giue attendance to Pauls preaching and wee must daily watch at the gates of wisedome and giue attendance at the postes of our doores we must willinglie neglect no time nor occasion that may serue for our instruction in this schoole But of this poynt I will stand no more because heeretofore in the commending of wisedome we alledging manie testimonies of holie Scripture from whence we may drawe sufficient reasons and motiues to stirre vs vp to carefull hearing Now I adde another vse that seeing our felicity lyeth in wisedome we must not only carefully heare it but also loue it most deerely and esteeme it aboue all things else whatsoeuer Some there be diligent hearers but yet they doe not so highly esteeme of this wisedome as they should neither doe they shew the fruits of that loue which this deserueth they thinke it good but not the chiefest good but we are to loue and esteeme this wisedome not as an ordinary or common thing but as it is indeed the best and the chiefest of all things preferring it aboue all riches pleasures or any thing else in the world be they neuer so pleasant profitable or excellent esteeming this as most good most necessary and that we had better want all the best things in the world then this and who indeed will not thus esteeme of this felicity being the greatest felicity of this life and that which will leade vs to eternall happines Such an account and estimation had the wise man of it when hee putteth it in the first place preferreth it before all things Our Sauiour Christ counteth it the one thing needfull and the good part that shall be neuer taken from vs he compareth it to a treasure hid in the field and to a pearle of great price which when a man hath found for ioy thereof he selleth all that he hath and buyeth it The blessed Apostle he esteemeth all things else drosse and dung in cōparison of this excellent knowledge so that our loue to this it must be rare sincere and perfect like our loue to God himselfe and indeed so much as we loue God so much we loue his word and as little as we loue the one so little we loue the other The speciall note to proue our loue to God is our true loue to his word now where true loue is there is hungring and thirsting and eager desiring of that which we loue there is a delight and a ioy vnspeakable when we haue it Wisdome calleth those onely to be her
guestes to be partakers of her dainties which do hunger and thirst after spirituall graces The Prophet Dauid saith of himselfe My hart breaketh for the desire to thy iudgmeÌ„ts alway Such a desire as worldlings haue to their riches as voluptuous men haue to their pleasures who are neuer satisfied such a desire I say haue the Saints of God to this wisedome The kingdome of heauen saith our Sauiour froÌ„ the time of Iohn the Baptist hitherto suffreth violence the violeÌ„t take it by force his meaning is that the hearts of men were then inflamed with an earnest zeale and greedie desire to heare the word they did not coldly for fashion but with an earnest violent affection follow seeke after this wisdome not the idle carelesse sort but such as be spiritually violent take receiue the kingdome of heauen he that taketh any thing by violence he doth vehemently desire it will not want it vseth all power indeuour to obtaine it neither doth he feare to expose himselfe all that he hath to danger so that he may enioy it the matter then being so waightie it must not be lightly desired sought for but with great vehemencie zeale And therefore the Apostle exhorteth that as new borne babes we should desire the sincere milk of the word that we may growe thereby Infants they desire milke that egerly they cry yell for it nothing will stay them till they haue it their desire is daily continuall Such desires affections we must beare to true wisedome as good foode is sweet to the hungry when it is eaten so is wisedome to the soule if it be inwardly receiued and digested there wil follow exceeding delight and ioy but because most hearers professe their loue to the word shew their loue by desiring it delighting in it as it may seeme to the eyes of the world let vs see some further signes to approue our true loue to wisedome the account that we make of it first then they that truly loue truly esteeme this wisedome they must needes loue the publike assemblies and specially the publike ministrie and preaching of wisedome some thinke it enough to pray and read at home but Gods ordinance must bee acknowledged priuate duties must giue place to the publike this is the gate of heauen the house of God the court of the Saints here shineth most clearely the louing countenance and face of God in his temple Doth euery man speake of his glory O Lord saith Dauid I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth And againe I reioyced when they said vnto me we will goe into the house of the Lord he loued ioyed in such meetings because of Gods presence because of the sacrifices and Sacraments they are ministred for that he had there the coÌ„pany of Gods people publike ioynt prayers the word of wisedome there read expounded and as this was Dauids ioy practise being a worthy Prophet and King so it is said in an other place that the Prince shall be in the midst of the assemblies he shall goe in with the people when they goe forth they shall goe forth together And as Salomon built an house for God confecâ—ated it to holy vses so he himselfe resorted thither with the Priests people to offer publike seruice to God Christ himselfe the Apostles Saints did commonly frequent publike assemblies such as contemne these they doe not reade nor vnderstand aright hauing so many precepts presideÌ„ts against them Others there be which are content to come to publike meetings to prayer to the reading of the scriptures but they thinke this sufficient that they need no more at all as for preaching they care little for it nay many do scorne and hate it these doe not rightly esteeme or loue the word if they loued it read they wold loue it preached the rather seeing it is more to edification by preaching we are assured of the authoritie of the scriptures we better vnderstand them many darke senteÌ„ces of scripture are explained places which seeme contrarie are recoÌ„ciled the hid treasures of wisedome are layed open to our further comfort scriptures are applied to time place persons affections are more moued many are called conuerted such as are called are further confirmed and increased by the power of preaching for it is ordained of God not onely for conuersion of soules but for confirmation augmentation and continuance in grace and therefore most needfull for all persons be they neuer so wise strong or holie these be the speciall prerogatiues priuiledges of preaching And therefore the Apostle accounteth esteemeth of it as the most necessarie and profitable gift in the Church the cause why men doe contemne hate preaching is because they are in loue with their sinnes which are discouered by it Therefore Ahaâ— hated Michaiah the Prophet as he confesseth because he prophecied not good vnto him but euill Light is come into the world men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are euill for euery man that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to light least his deeds should be reproued but he that doth truth commeth to the light that his deeds might be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Againe they hate this light of preaching and contemne it because it is an enemie to their carnalliberties sincere sound preaching reproueth many delights vanities corruptions which flesh and blood would faine retaine nourish and therefore carnall men say Let vs breake this bond and cast this cord from vs Let vs shake off this yoake of Christ but the godly do therfore the more loue it because it doth reproue their sins is an effectuall meanes to bring them to true repentance mortification they loue the word read they loue it preached reading is not to be neglected contemned it is coÌ„mended both in the law the Gospell thereby we are the better acquainted with the scriptures we are made thereby more profitable hearers reading helpeth our iudgements affections memories preaching helpeth reading and reading helpeth preaching they that best loue preaching and seeke most for Sermons if they doe it with right affections they read most and with more comfort and profit All the parts of Gods seruice are to be practised by a Christian no part of his seruice is to be neglected or contemned this is an other sure signe of our true loue to wisedome often in secret to meditate of it to conferre of it with others to reade the word or to cause it to be read vnto vs by these priuate exercises Dauid proueth his loue to the word as we haue hard before loue will drawe our affection to speake and thinke often of that which we loue this is a more sure signe then
body wee may haue too much surfet of it to our hurt yet it is not so in this spirituall foode wee may be too wise in the world too wise in our owne conceit but we can neuer haue too much of this spirituall wisedome so long as we liue in this world and he that is most wise or holie hath his wants and doth dayly desire increase of grace Corporall food saith one when wee haue it not doth breed in vs a great desire to haue it when we haue it and eate it and fill our selues with it we oftentimes loath it but on the contrary spirituall dainties and foode when wee haue them not we loath them when we haue them in truth we the more desire them In bodilie foode appetite breedeth fulnesse and fulnesse breedeth loathing in spirituall foode appetite breedeth fulnesse and fulnesse breedeth appetite and desire for spirituall daynties when they feede and fill they doe increase in the minde an earnest and ardent desire Therefore oh worthie Citizens confesse and acknowledge this great blessing of God vpon you be thankful to God for it others confesse this blessing vpon you they are glad reioyce for it and would be more glad to haue the like blessing in some sort amongst themselues they take paines to come to take some part with you in this grace and many neighbours and strangers haue receiued much comfort and profit by these blessed gracious meanes which you enioy in such abundance It may be some amongst you do scarcely confesse this blessing they thinke it needlesse or that they may well spare it but most vnkind vnthankfull are these without grace or vnderstanding Others say happie are you but they can neither feele nor see any such happines It may be some of Salomons Courtiers and seruants thought it no great happines to haue such a maister such a diuine teacher to be partakers of such heauenly wisedome but yet this woman a stranger a Gentill pronounceth them happie and happie were they indeed if they knew their owne happinesse And I doubt not but many of you doe acknowledge with ioy this to be the chiefe happinesse of your citie to haue so long time so sincerely in such varietie of gifts so plentifullie the true wisedome of Christ preached and published amongst you Indeed the Lord hath not dealt so with euery nation with euery towne or citie Nay the Lord hath stricken many countreys and townes with palpable darknes but there is light cleare light the day light yea the cleare light of the sunne in this worthie place where you dwâ—ll Many places haue long endured the most bitter famine of the soule they haue bin depriued destitute many yeres of the sweet bread of life but here hath bin many yeares plentie and others come hither to get food and sustenance for their soules We therefore brethren as helpers exhort you that you receiue not this grace of God in vaine but receiue with meekenes the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your â—oules And here by your patieÌ„ce let me stir you vp to more care and diligence in resorting to Sermons on the weeke day There is great negligence and slacknes in some not onely of the common prophane sort but also of some professors of the Gospel a fault I say in neglecting so many Sermons which they might heare if slothfulnesse worldlinesse or some idle conceit did not hinder them If wee did sincerely loue this wisedome and esteeme it as our chiefe felicitie wee would neglect no time nor meanes which is offered to vs hee that truely loueth the word doth loue it at all times A Sermon in the weeke day tryeth our true loue to the word On the Saboth day men are compelled to come by force of lawe all sorts of men come then Publicans and Pharises Atheists and time-seruers but to come on the weeke-day when law doth not bind vs when we haue other occasions to hold vs back it is a more sure signe of our sincere loue zeale to the word And though the Saboth day be chiefly ordeined for diuine seruice and Sermons that day we are wholie to giuâ— ourselues to such exercises without distraction and though the Lord giue vs liberty to worke the sixe daies yet we owe him all the dayes of our life and euery day we are to prefer heauenly things before earthly and the soule before the body when occasion is offered whensoeuer the Lord calleth though it bee to the losie of the best things we haue Euery one is to answere with Abraham Heere I am and with Samuell after hee knew it to be the Lordes voyce speak Lord for thy seruant heareth And with the Aposties to be ready to forsake all when CHRIST calleth Euery day we are to preferre Heauen before earth things most necessarie before things lesse necessary things publike before things priuate This care and pollicie we haue in the matters of the world Euery day wee must remember and practise these holy scriptures Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy minde with all thy soule That wisedome is the beginning that wee must first seeke Gods kingdome and labour for the meate that neuer perisheth and that there is one thing needfull Oh that wee would often thinke with our selues how much we are bouÌ„d to God how many duties he requireth of vs how many graces we want how weake we are in faith and knowledge Oh that wee would seriously remember the vanity of riches and pleasures the shortnes of this life the comforts of the Worde the great necessity and vse of it in all the occasions of our life And that we would consider how dull and forgetful we are what measure of knowledge zeale loue and sanctification is required of vs what account wee are to make for not hearing for losse of many Sermons which we might haue heard and what a blessing the plentifull preaching of the word is then would wee thinke no time too much nor too long that is spent about it but would say with this woman Happy are they that may alwayes heare such wisedome And if it be a happy thing to heare then are they vnhappy which heare not Those that keep themselues from hearing they hinder their owne happines Some say they goe to a Sermon when they haue nothing to doe As who should say they would not goe if they had anie thing to doe at all but these doe not rightly esteeme of wisdome preferring it before all things Nay as it seemeth they preferre all things before it There is a promise of blessednes made to such as come though they be neuer so small a number But there is no such promise made to them which vppon light occasions absent themselues from holy meetings Nay our Sauiour Christ threatneth such that they shall neuer taste of his heauenly Supper There is nothing lost by seruing of God at any time to such onely he promiseth
all blessings godlines is great gaine and hath a promise of this life and the life to come We must not leaue any dutie vndone which God commands for feare of losse When the man of God forbad Amasiah the king to take the Armie of Israell with him to battell which he had hired the king said What shall wee doe then for the hundreth Tallents which I haue giuen to the hostes of Israell Then the man of God answered The Lord is able to giue thee more then this So that if we obey God we need not feare losses the Lord will will giue vs all things necessary so that wee shall not neede to feare want It is the Lorde that doeth blesse our Trades and callingâ— and hee will requite any losse that we endure for his sake And indeed nothing is gotten by neglâ—â—cting his seruice you may put all such gaines in your eies and see neuer the worse the cause of â—osse is the contempt and neglect of Gods â—eruice Others deceiue you because you deceiue God your seruants are deceitfull â—loathfull and vnfaithfull because you are so to God The Lord threatens to plague his people with drought and scarcitie because they preferred their owne worldly pollicies before religion they sought not him first of all but built there owne houses and let his lie waste Gaines that are gotten besides Gods will they will not prosper but are like that Manna which was kept and reserued till the morning contrary to Gods commandement and it was full of wormes and stancke Some like the vnthankefull Israelites which loath heauenly Manna and preferre garlicke and onions before it Some like Gergesites which make more account of their hogges then of Christ they will rather intreat him to goe out of the country then endure any losse by him Some like Esau preferring a messe of pottage before the blessing And with Demas they forsake Christ and embrace this present world What is an houre or two or three houres in the weeke amongst such a multitude of houres the poorest tradesman early or late may win recouer so much time One friend may entreat an other a longer then that though to his paine cost or hinderance Prince maister father may command many houres and dayes from our owne busines and may not God command a fewe houres for our good How many houres doe we spend in the weeke idlely and vainely we are content to eate and drinke some twice some thrise in the day it may be oftner and we thinke much to receiue the foode of our soules some fewe houres in the weeke Some are content to worke some to play from morning till night and it may be from night till morning but they are soone wearie in hearing the word they thinke all that time long and lost they would haue long health long leases long liues long dinners and suppers long feasts sleepes but short prayers short Sermons and a seldom as may be some to their shame arâ— oftner in the Ale-house then in God house some are glad of the company oâ— vaine companions they care not how long nor how often they be with them but the make small account of the fellowship 〈◊〉 the Saints in the great congregation Chapmen goe to markets to faires many amile for the bellie and for gaine they will hardly lose any that is commodious for them but many will scearce come out of their doores to heare a sermon we are to labour for the word if we want it though it be to our cost and paines and will we not receiue it when it is offered to vs so neare at hand they that will not heare it when they may haue it so easily would hardly take any great iourney for it we see by experience that all goe of necessitie to common duties and to common workes in towne or Citie and is not this a common dutie to all Christians to heare and receiue the word of life when they may haue it The minister is to preach in season and out of season and as he is bound to preach so you are bound to heare Woe be to him if he preach not the Gospell and woe be to you if you heare not the Gospell by the preaching of the Gospell the minister doth performe a speciall seruice to God And it is a speciall part of Gods diuine seruice required of all true Christians diligently and carefully to heare his word preached Finally remember that the slacknes and the negligence of the people in hearing is a wound and Corosiue to the heart of the minister their forwardnes their zeale diligence is no small iâ—oy and comfort to him but when he seeth them negligent slacke and vntoward it doth discourage and discomfort him it troubleth his studie it disquieteth his heart and maketh him thinke that such people haue small loue to him or his ministrie seeing they will not vouchsafe to heare and reuerence those fruitfull doctrines and exhortations which he hath gathered from the holy scriptures and that with great paines care and labour Therefore obey them that haue the ouerâ—ight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that it is vnprofitable for you and neuer cease to desire the sincere milke of your soule that you may growe thereby But yet further to rouse vs all and to waken carelesse and vnthankfull hearers let vs see how our Sauior alledgeth and applyeth the example of this woman and likewise the example of the Niniuites against the vnthankfull rebellâ—ous and vnbeleeuing Iewes The Queene of the South saith he shall rise in iudgement with the men of this generation and shall condemne them for she came from the vtmost parts of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and behold a greater then Salomon is here The men of Niniuie shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it for they repented at the preaching of Ionas and behold a greater then Ionas is here Both these examples are fitly applied by our Sauiour against the Iewes and so against vs they contemned his holy doctrine and miracles and therefore he chargeth them with great vnkindnes threatning them with most seuere and iust punishment and to amplifie their sinne he compareth this Queene and them together she a woman the weaker sexs vnfit to take vpon her great Iournies they many of them were men more able stronger and yet would take no paines to come to him she a Queene brought vp tenderly and daintily and therefore more vnfit to endure trauell they most of them priuate persons acquainted with labour and yet they will not labour for that heauenly Manna and bread of life She a gentile a heathen vncircumcised they Gods people Abrahams seede and yet they will not accept of the true Messiah being the blessed and promised seed She vndertooke a great â—ourney dangerous in
Sodom and Gomorah whose state no doubt is most grieuous and miserable as their â—innes was most hainous and abominable S. Peeter saith that they are alreadie condemned and therefore neuer likely to be saued What then shall be the fearefull state of those which shall be subiect to greater destruction damnation such are all carelesse and vnprofitable hearers which profit not nor yet are brought to repentance by the preaching of the Gospell these are in harder case then the Iewes theÌ„ the Infidells or the Sodomities because they haue greater meanes and a more cleare light then euer they had he that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes If I had not come and spoken to them saith Christ they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sin His meaning is that their sinne had beene the lesse if he had not come so that the comming of Christ his death and passion his glorious Gospell offering grace and saluation to all doth not ease lessen or excuse the sinne of any but doth rather aggrauate their sin so maketh their punishmeÌ„t the sorer which expresse not the vertue of his death the power of the Gospel in their liues conuersation And therfore the Apostle doth terrifie the Corinthians with the examples of the Iewes who had great graces priuiledges who were vnder the Cloud al passed through the sea were al baptised vnto Moses in the Cloud the sea did all eate the same spiritual meate did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they draÌ„ke of the spiritual rocke which followed them and the rocke was Christ The meaning is they had speciall signes of Gods protection fauour many rare deliuerances they had Moses they had the law the couenant they had sacraments sacrafices yet with many of theÌ„ God was not pleased for they were ouerthrowne in the wildernes And the Apostle setting downe diuers iudgements which fell vpon them for their sins in the end he saith All these things came vnto theÌ„ for ensamples are written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world is come Wherefore let him that staÌ„deth take heed least he fall Let vs therefore applie all the former examples to our selues make goog vse of them we haue had the Gospel of Christ a long time preached amongst vs and that souÌ„dly pleÌ„tifully as you haue heard And yet many are in darkenes vnder the light being very ignorant not knowing the principles of holy religion not being able to giue a reason of the true faith Others though they haue knowledge yet they haue not truly repented but liue still in their old sinnes other and most of all though they professe repentance and that they haue forsaken their old course of life yet they bring not forth fruites of amendment they seeme to hate euill and yet doe no good at least they leaue many good things vndone they faile much to the discredit of the Gospell in practise and obedience they make small conscience of many duties of pietie equitie and charitie they make a shew of godlines but denie the power thereof So that we may complaine as the heathen man complained of the carelesnes of many hearers in the Philosophers schooles Some saith hee come to heare but not to learne as to a stage play for recreation sake to delight their eares they are carried away with the speech with voyce with fables a great part of such hearers thou shalt see in the Philosophers schoole they goe thither when they are Idle and haue nothing to doe they goe not to this purpose to receiue any law or rule of life that so they might amend their manners with the same mindes and with the same purposes many resort to heare sermons The Prophet complaines of such hearers or rather the Lord by the Prophet saying Thou sonne of man the children of thy people that talke of thee by the walles and in the doores of the houses and speake one to an other euery one to his brother saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord for they come vnto thee as the people vse to come and my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouthes they make iestes and their heart goeth after couetousnes and loe thou art vnto them as a Iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can sing well for they heare thy words but they doe them not And when this commeth to passe for loe it will come then shall they know that a Prophet hath beene among them We haue had blessed be God a flourishing Church a long time the Gospell soundly preached in many places of our land many men in the Church of great learning and gifts many zealous and forward professors of the truth the fame of these things hath comforted other Churches hath caused many strangers to come amongst vs and to liue with vs Oh that I might truly say as this woman sayd to king Salomon in the two former verses before this text It was a true word sayth shee that I heard in my owne land of thy sayings and of thy wisedome howbeit I beleeued not this report til I came and had seene it with my eyes but loe the one halfe was not told mee for thou hast more wisedome and prosperitie then I hane heard by report oh that the strangers that are or haue bene amongst vs might truely say wee see and perceiue by experience more zeale more religion more sinceritie more pietie and goodnes theÌ„ we heard of before we came But may they not to our great shame may they not see much defection and declining from the zeale of former times much Atheisme Poperie and prophanenesse much hypocrisie and dissimulation great contempt of the word and ministers much cursing and blasphemie much oppression in Church and Common-wealth and finally may they not see most places full of idlenesse full of wantonnesse and most filthie vncleanenesse and therefore we may iustly complaine as other haue done long since in their times and cuntries let vs heare the complaints lay them to our own hearts the Gospell is preached amongst vs and a blessed life is offred to vs by Christ nothing is required of vs but obedience puritie and honestie of life but we doe obstinately contemne this diuine and holie request therfore the Niniuites and this woman shal condemne vs. I speake nothing of persecutors and oppressors of diuine wisedome but I speake of such as professe the Gospell amongst vs the common sort doe very badly spend the Saboth day which should be consecrated to diuine wisedome others had rather giue themselues to drinking and playing then to praying or hearing many Citizens Townesmen looke to their Shops and Trades or else they take iourneyes or if they bee at home they are prophanely occupied
contemne the faithfull preachers deliuering vnto vs the certaine and sure word of God The Romanes shall condemne vs who gaue such honour to the obscure writings of Sybilla that in all doubts they rested vpon them we neglect the scriptures which are able to resolue vs in all doubts and to comfort vs in the greatest extremities The Papists shall condemne vs who make more account of their own traditions then we do of Christs Gospell They are more constant in errors then we in the truth they goe further to a masse then we to a sermon they are more liberall in mainetaining of Idolatrous Priestes then we aree to maintaine the Lords faithfull ministers They take more care and paines in drawing as many as they can to their idolatrous superstition then we are to drawe men to true religion They liberally maintaine their followers and fauourers we suffer many true professors and Christians to want Our forefathers who liued in blindnes shall condemne vs who were full of good deeds abounding in hospitalitie liberalitie and almes deeds dealing iustly honestly and vprightly in their contractes and bargaines Many amongst vs vnder the Gospell are couetous miserable and vnmercifull full of deceit and crueltie These miserable worldlings shall condeme vs who doe so much followe the world and bestowe so much care and paines vpon it neglecting no time or occasion of gaine whereas we are sloathfull carelesse and negligent in heauenly things These two examples of the Niniuites and this woman alledged by our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell against the vnthankefull and disobedient Iewes may as truly and as iustly be applied against vs. The Niniuites shall rise in iudgement and condemne this generation They hearing but one Ionas and one sermon threatning destruction beleeued God repented of their sinnes and shewed the fruites of their faith and repentance but how many sermons haue we heard and that by sundrie men and a long time sermons of mercy alluring vs by the sweet promises of God and sermons of iudgements threatning thundring euerlasting damnation and yet where is our repentance where are the fruites of our faith and obedience A fewe sermons or one sermon was sufficient to witnes against vs how much more such a multitude of sermons so long continued By the mouth of two or three witnesses euery thing shall be established And the Apostle accounteth his sermons and Epistles as witnesses against the Corinthians And if the very shaking off the dust of the feete of Gods seruants be a sufficient witnes against an vnthankfull people how much more shall they themselues their continuall labours and sermons testifie against them to their vtter shame and confusion And if our Sauiour Christ pronounce so hard a sentēce against Chorazin Bethsaida Capernaum amongst whō he preached but a small time what shall become of vs that haue had the Gospell preached so often and so long a time Our Sauiour preached publikely in the world but three yeares onely he taught in many other places he bestowed but some of that time in those Cities Now if one yeares preaching two or three yeeres preaching be sufficient to drawe vpon an impenitent people such heauie iudgements and damnation what shall become of those which haue had the Gospell preached some tenne yeares some 20. some 30. some 40. some 50. yeares and yet haue beene and are still most vnthankfull and vnprofitable hearers The lawe of nature was sufficient to make vs inexcusable much more the morall lawe of God written and most of all if to these two be ioyned the Gospell of Christ these are three heauie witnesses against vs. But to come to the example we haue in hand and to make some speciall vse of it to our owne soules This woman the Queene of the South shall rise in iudgment condemne this generation wherin we liue She trauelleth far taketh vpon her a great long teadious dangerous painefull and costly iourney but many amongst vs are secure idle and sloathfull fewe or none will labour for it Nay they will scarce haue it receiue it though they may haue it with ease without any cost or labour If any haue care and conscience to seeke for wisedome abroad wanting it at home such are derided scoffed hated and persecuted by the most sort of men This woman reuerenceth her teacher and thinketh nothing too deare for him Many despise their faithfull teachers little regarding their doctrine seeking their discredit and offering them iniuries and as for maintenance they thinke a litle too much they grudge to giue that little which the lawe alloweth in many places and hardly can any be drawne to voluntarie contributions and if they be they are soone wearie of it The Children of Israel doe offer voluntarie gifts for the building of the tabernacle as gold siluer precious stones and they were so free and gaue so much that the Lord said to Moses The people bring too much and more then enough for the vse of the worke which the Lord hath commanded to be made And in an other place the people and Princes offering many thousand tallents of gold siluer and precious stones It is said The people reioyced when they offered willingly And Dauid the King reioyced with great and blessed God for their franke offering Where are such people where are such hearts so free and liberall to maintaine Gods house In an other place The children of Israel they pulled their eare-rings from their eares to make a golden Calfe and Baalls Prophets are richly and liberally maintained Our forefathers haue beene very bountifull and prodigall in maintaining Idolatrous Priests they gaue indeed too much to the Church euen the very wealth and fatte of the world but we are come to an other extremitie they gaue too much we giue little or nothing nay that which is worst of all we take away that which was giuen by others Oh what account shall these make which spoyle robbe the Church Nay which robbe God himselfe If Christ shall say to those which haue not releeued and harboured his seruants Depart yee cursed to euerlasting fire shall not those be partakers of that heauie sentence to whom the iudge may truly say I had meate drinke of my own but you tooke it from me I had house and harbour but you thrust me out Whosoeuer they be that are not readie willing to releeue and maintaine the faithfull teachers they thinke basely of the word they doe not truly loue it nor take it to be their felicitie for as loue is painefull to seeke for wisdome so it is bountiful to maintaine it Want of maintenance is the decay of learning religion by this pollicie Sathan doth hinder keep backe many from this calling and discomfort many that are in it Therefore not onely this woman but also many other as the Iewes and our forefathers yea Iezabell in maintaining Baalls Priests shall condemne the miserablenes the couetousnes the hard dealing and vnkindnesse of this our
opened her heart and so both she and her house was conuerted In the same manner was the Iaylor and his househould conuerted In an other place the word was of such power that the beleeuers came and confessed and shewed their workes and many also of them which vsed curious Artes brought their bookes and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fiftie thousand peeces of siluer which was of our money about 2000. markes so the word of God grewe mightily and preuailed Thus we see that the word hath beene heretofore of great power to winne soules to God Is it now become weake and feeble nay the fault is not in the word but in the â—tubbornnes hardnes of our harts which will not suffer it to enter nor giue it any place The word is the same it was it is the same seede but is now sowne in a bad soyle and therefore it will nâ—t nor cannot fructifie And that you may know whether the word hath this power in you or no for the conuersion of your soules remember this worthie excellent counsell for your instruction and direction When any is conuerted to the Lord the vaile is taken away therefore the cause of taking away the vaile is our conuersion to God From whence we may gather that whilst in reading the scriptures the vnderstanding of them is kept from vs and whilst that which is written is abscure and shut vp from vs we are not yet conuerted to the Lord for if we were conuerted no doubt the vaile would be taken away Let vs see what it is to be conuerted to the Lord. But that we may the more clearely knowe what is to be conuerted let vs first see what is to be auerted that is turned from the Lord. Euery one then that when the words of the lawe is repeated is occupied in common fables he is auerted Euery one which is bound with the cares of possessions with the desires of riches and of the glory and honour of the world he is auerted that is turned from the Lord He which seemeth to be estraunged from these things and sitteth and heareth the words of the law and is attentiue with his countenance eyes but his heart and thoughts are wandring he is auerted that is turned from the Lord. What is it then to be conuerted and turned to God If we cast all these things behind our backes and giue our selues in studie in deeds in minde and care to the word of God to meditate in his lawe day and night letting passe all other things let vs giue our selues to God Let vs be exercised in his testimonies this is to be conuerted to the Lord. If thou wouldest haue thy sonne to learne the liberall sciences dost thou not free him from other things for this cause thou dost prouide a schoolemaister and bookes and thou dost spare for no cost to haue thy purpose brought to passe Which of vs doth so giue himselfe to the studie of Gods lawe who doth with such studie and labour seeke for heauenly things as he doth for humane and earthly and why doe we complaine that we are ignorant of that which we learne not Some of you so soone as they heare that reiected which is read they straite goe away there is no inquisition of that which hath beene spoken no conscience no remembrance where as it is saide Aske thy fathers and they will tell thee Aske thy teachers and they will teach thee Some tarrie not so long till the lectures be ended some though they heare vnderstand not being in the lower parts of Gods house and occupied with fables of whom I dare say that when Moses is read there is not onely a vaile vpon their heart but there is a wall set betwixt them If he that is present which doth heare and is attentiue and doth enquire and discusse of those things which he heareth and that which he cannot vnderstand he doth aske the meaning of others and so learneth he that shutteth his eares least he should heare and turneth away his face from hearing how is the vaile taken away from his heart Let vs take heed then that when Moses is read when Paul is read there be not a vaile vpon our heart Certainely if we heare negligently and haue no care to learne and vnderstand not onely the scripture of the Lawe and Prophets but of the Apostles and Euangelists we are hidden and couered with a great vaile and I doe feare that by the negligence and foolishnes of our heart that the diuine volumes are not only hidden from vs but sealed as if a booke should be giuen into the hands of man to read and he answereth he cannot read or that it is sealed And therefore we must haue a care not onely to learne the scriptures but we must entreate the Lord by supplications day night that the lambe of the tribe of Iudah may come vouchsafe to take this sealed booke and open it And indeed it is Paul that planteth and Apollo watreth but it is God that giues the encrease he is the author of our ministerie the author of the word the giuer of all gifts and graces to his seruants Good seede is sowne in sundrie grounds but it doth not fructifie in all Man speaketh to the outward eare but God must speake inwardly to the heart or else the word will haue no power to conuert the soule The Gospell is heard saith a father some beleeue and some beleeue not They which beleeue they heare and learne from the father they which beleeue not they heare outwardly but they neither heare nor learne inwardly that is to them it is giuen to beleeue to the other it is not giuen So saith our Sauiour to the Apostles To you it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to others it is not giuen It is said in an other place As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued when Paul Barnabas preached Though Prophets speake to vs though Apostles though Salomon though Iohn the Baptist though Angels and Christ himselfe speake yet they shall nothing auaile to conuert vs except God open our hearts The Lord raigneth both vpon the corne and vpon the thornes but hee sendeth Raine vpon the Corne for the barne and vpon the thornes for the fire and yet it is the same raine so the word of God is powred vpon all let euery one see what roote he hath let him see whether he draweth the good raine if he drawe it to engender thornes is the raigne of God to be accused before it come to the roote that is a sweete raine till it come to a bad heart Now that the word may haue more power in vs hereafter let vs cast off naturall blindnes carnall securitie our olde sinnes and worldly cares let vs come with hungrie and humble hearts denying our selues and desirous to learne let vs come with repentance for our sinnes
wise sonne ouer this mightie people And by his power and helpe he furthereth and helpeth Salomon in building a house to the name of the Lord his God The learned doe obserue That in this King is prefigured the vocation of the gentiles who should helpe to build the spirituall Temple of Christ and indeed he speaketh religiously reioycing when he heard Salomons words and blessing the true God for him as great tokens of calling and conuersion if not greater are apparant in this woman If she amongst others be a figure of the calling of the gentiles then it must needs follow that she her selfe was also called for though God made a separation betwixt Iewes and Gentiles and chose to himselfe for a time the seed of Abraham so that the generall calling of the Gentiles was not before Christ his comming in the flesh yet God had alwaies some amongst them as King Hyram Naamon the Syrian Iob this Queene and others She seekes for true wisedome from Salomon and finds it The Church seekes for the treasures of all knowledge comfort and ioy from Christ She commends and magnifies Salomon the Church magnifieth Christ accounting him as her well beloued husband She pronounceth Salomons followers seruants to be blessed the Church accounteth them happie who heare and receiue Christ in this life and them more happie who behold his glory for euer in the life to come She giueth Salomon precious gifts the Church giueth Christ the best things she hath euen her body and soule as a liuing sacrifice louing Christ aboue all and forsaking all for his sake as Abraham forsooke his owne countrey the Apostles their nettes and Paul accounteth all thingâ— drosse and dung in comparison of Christ And as in this woman we haue a figure of the calling of the Church of the Gentiles so in Salomon we haue a tipe and figure of Christs Salomons kingdome a figure of Christs kingdome his wisedome a figure of Christs wisedome his glory a shadow of Christs glory his riches a tipe of Christs spirituall riches his Temple a tipe of Christs Temple And as Salomon doth kindly accept the gifts and presents of this woman though hee had no neede of them so doth Christ as kindly accept the seruice of his Church And therefore this should encourage vs to giue him the best things we haue with willing and chearefull hearts seeing he is as willing to accept of them aâ— Salomon doth the gifts of this Queene Againe Salomon bestoweth on her euery pleasant thing which she asketh Christ giueth to his whatsoeuer they aske in his fathers name he giueth vs better thingâ— then Salomon should giue this Queene namely hee giueth to vs himselfe his body and blood his spirit his word all spirituall graces yea life eternall For howsoeuer there is some resemblance betweene Salomon and Christ yet he is more excellent then any Patriarke Prince Prophet or Saint whatsoeuer Salomon a King of the earthly Ierusalem Christ the King of the spirituall and heauenly Ierusalem of the militant and triumphant Church Salomon a King of peace of outward and earthly peace Christ the King of inward and euerlasting peace Salomon excelled all Kings of his time in wisedome and knowledge Christ the founder and treasurer of wisedome Of his fulnes haue we all receiued grace for grace for God hath not giuen him the spirit by measure Salomon a Prophet a Preacher Christ as the King of all Kings so the Prince of all Prophets and Preachers Salomon and all the rest spake by him Salomon but a man Christ both man and God Omnipotent Creator of all things Salomon a greeuous sinner Christ pure vndefiled without sinne the Sauiour of repenting sinners meriting life for them and making his word effectuall in them And now let vs further note from this religious woman that religion belongeth to women God is their Creator and therfore they are to serue him The first woman was created in the image of God which is true wisedome holines and righteousnes which was lost by the fall of their first parents and they must seeke to recouer it in Christ who died for them as well as for men They are partakers of both the sacraments they haue soules to saue as well as others they are the weaker vessels and sooner ouercome of Sathan they haue many speciall infirmities they are partakers of many blessings and deliuerances from God Therefore religion the feare of God and diuine wisedome appertaineth to them Besides these reasons we haue plentie of holy examples in the scripture as Euah Sarah Rebecca Debora Marie and Elizabeth with many other holie and religious women If then religion belong to women then much more to men As they excell in place and power so they should excell in grace and wisdome They should be examples of zeale and pietie and teachers of their wiues and families This serueth for the confutation of the Papists who locke vp the scriptures from men and women teaching that doth not belong to them to search the scriptures This also maketh against prophane and carelesse women who are altogether negligent in the matters of religion as though it did not belong to their Sexes at all Here are also reproued wicked and prophane husbands who doe not further but altogether hinder their wiues in the exercise and zeale of religion And most cursed are all Athiests carnall men who scorne and deride any profession or shew of religion in women And finally here is comfort and incouragement for all forward and religious women this may be to stirre them vp to proceed go on in the way of godlines hauing so many both reasons and examples set before them mouing and enforcing them to the zeale of religion And as it appertaineth to all men and women in generall so more especially to Gentiles Nobles Lords Ladies Kings and Queenes as they excell and shine before others in diet in apparell in possessions and dignities so should they goe before them in spirituall graces As they haue receiued more blessings from the Lord so are they more tied and bound to him againe and more zeale pietie and thankefulnes is required at their hands according to the saying of our Sauiour To whom much is giuen of him much shall be required Their places and honours should be inducements to pietie as Samuel said to Saul The Lord sent me to annoynt thee King ouer Israel now therefore obey the words of the voyce of the Lord. As if he should haue said because God hath honoured thee thou art bound to obey him It is their chiefe honour to honour God Those that honour me I will honour saith the Lord. The examples of great persons doth most good or most hurt If they be godly they are a meanes to winne many soules to God by their good examples to drawe them to the exercise of true religion If they be wicked they infect drâ—we many to destruction with them Therefore religion
doth chiefely concerne great persons Here is a Queene religious and here is King Salomon a professor and teacher of religion and Bethseba his mother describing a good Queene a fit wife for Salomon She saith who shall finde a vertuous woman for her price is far aboue the Pearles And though she commend care and painefulnes in such a woman in prouiding for her familie yet the chiefe thing that she commendeth in so great a person is vertue and religion Strength and honour saith she is her clothing and in the latter day she shall reioyce She openeth her mouth with wisedome and the lawe of grace is in her tongue Fauour is deceitfull beautie is vanitie but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised These be the words of a woman of a Queene of a religious woman of Salomons mother inspired by the holy Ghost directing her beloued sonne Salomon what he should chiefely require in the choyce of a wife A glasse for women to looke into though they be neuer so high or great in the world wherein they may behold and see what things are chiefely required of them for their credit and comforts namely vertue wisedome and religion THE FIFTH SERMON Vers 9. ver 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee on the throne of Israel because the Lord loued Israel for euer and made thee King to doe equitie and righteousnes VVE haue heard alreadie many things in commendation of this worthie and famous Queene and yet still we must persist vpon that argument For as the words before so still the words of this text are greatly to her praise and commendation She praiseth the true God she confesseth that it was of his meere goodnes that Salomon was preferred to the kingdome She gathereth thereby that God loued Israel and would preserue it She sheweth the end why he was placed in his throne she speaketh diuinely of the blessing dignitie and dutie of a good King The words containe a thanksgiuing and congratulation for the preferment of Salomon to the kingdome of Israel wherin we are first to obserue her pietie to God and her loue to Salomon Her pietie to God in that she distinguisheth him from Idols and false Gods and worshippeth and blesseth him as the true God She calleth him the God of Salomon not that he was proper and peculiar to him for he is the God of all the world but because he shewed speciall loue and fauour to Salomon so is he called the God of Abraham of Isaacke and Iacob the God of Daniell It is an honour to vs in that he vouchsafeth so to be called It is the glory of Saints that as the Apostle saith their God is not ashamed of them to be called their God It is a happie thing then to be the friend of God he hath such in memorie they are within his speciall care and protection And as the Psalmist saith Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. She blesseth this God saying Blessed be the Lord thy God A common manner of thanksgiuing in the scriptures we are said to blesse God and God is said to blesse vs. He blesseth vs when he bestoweth his blessings vpon vs we blesse him when we giue him thankes for his blessings bestowed An example of both we haue in these words of the Apostle Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things here are the blessings of God vpon the faithfull and here againe the faithfull doe praise and blesse God for the same Thanksgiuing is a part of Gods worship a part of prayer and therefore the Apostle saith In all things let your requests be shewed to God in prayer and supplication with the giuing of thankes And againe Pray continually and in all things giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus towards you By this we testifie our humilitie and loue towards God It is a debt due to him and all the tribute we can pay vnto him It is a benefit to our selues because by it we are imboldned to craue more blessings of him It is the finall end of all Gods benefits Let vs therefore offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruit of the lippes which confesse his name Now we are to praise him for all blessings euen for the least whether spirituall or temporall Abrahams seruant praised God for prospering his iourney Melchisedecke blessed God for deliuering Abraham and Lot from the hand of their enemies Christ himselfe whensoeuer he eate though it were but barley bread and a fewe fishes lift vp his eyes and gaue thankes and therefore the Apostle wisheth vs that whether wee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe we doe all to the glory of God If we are to praise God for the least benefites much more for the greatest If for earthly much more for heauenly If for the foode of the body much more for the foode of the soule If for deliuerance from the enemies of the body much more for the deliuerance from the enemies of our soules Neither are we to praise God onely for our selues but also in regard of others the Apostle in his Epistles written to the Churches giueth thankes for the faith loue and spirituall graces bestowed vpon them King Hyram when he had heard of Salomons wisedome and Raigne reioyced greatly and blessed God for him And this Queene doth the like here in this place How much more had the subiects of Salomon cause to reioyce and praise God for such a King And this is the dutie of good subiects as to pray for their gouernours so to blesse God continually for the manifold benefites they enioy through their good gouernment but of this I purpose to speake in an other place Now as we haue seene the pietie of this woman to God so let vs see her loue to Salomon reioycing so greatly at his preferment and prosperitie For this is the fruit of loue To reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe and to be of like affection one towards an other The wicked enuie grudge and repine at the prosperitie of others and reioyce in their harmes Invidia saith one est odium Alienae â—â—lu itatâ— c. enuie is the hatred of an other mans felicitie In respect of the superiors because that enuious men be not equall with them In respect of inferiors least they should be equall to them In respect of their equalls because they are as good as they Whereupon Caine did enuie the prosperitie of Abell Rachell the fruitfulnes of Leah Saul the felicitie of Dauid Through enuie the fall of the world and the death of Christ was procured An other saith that there is no felicitie so modest and gentle which can auoyd the teeth of malice and ill will Enuious men be rich of other mens losse wealthy
wise so that hee preferred the loue and good will of a woman before the word of his God So Aaron knewe well enough that there was no Godhead nor diuine power in the golden Calfe yet fearing least the people should stone him he yeelded to their furie he made an Idoll and promulgated the feast of it In like manner Salomon knowing Idols to be nothing yet being ouercome with the flattring inticements of wicked women he graunted to them diuers kindes of Idolatrie It is dangerous for any Prince to suffer and tollerate any Idolatrous worship for the loue or fauour of any be they neuer so neere or deare vnto them Nay we must all learne generally not to harken to the voyce of our dearest friend though it be our owne lawfull wiues if they goe about to drawe vs to any kind of sinne whatsoeuer This was the cause of Adams fall as we heard euen now This was the cause of that ruine of Ahab and his house because he harkned to the voyce of his wife Iesabell and being perswaded by her most vniustly tooke away Naboths vineyard and also most cruelly tooke his life away from him No naturall affections should cause vs to sinne against God or offend his diuine Maiestie our loue to him should bee greater then to any mortall creature whatsoeuer The Heathen could say Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed maior amica veritas Plato is my friend Socrates my friend but truth is a greater friend So may wee say Our fathers our mothers our brothers and sisters our wiues children are neere and deare friends vnto vs but yet Christ is our greatest and best friend he hath done and can do most for vs And therefore nothing should draw vs from his loue And touching Idolatrie it is most odious and abhominable in the eyes of God It is a spirituall whoring from God A denying and forsaking of his Maiestie it hath beene the ruine of many Nations and Kingdomes And therefore in no case to bee suffered nor tollerated for the loue of any Therefore the Lord saith to his people The grauen Images of their gods yee shall burne with fire and couet not the siluer and gold that is on them nor take it vnto thee least thou be snared therewith For it is an abhomination before the Lord thy God Bring not abhomination into thy house least thou bee accursed like it But vtterly abhorre it and count it most abhominable And in another place we are forbidden to hearken to the Prophet that doth perswade vs to goe after other gods and that such a one being conuicted and condemned by the Iudge is to die the death Nay though it bee our sonne or daughter or wife or brother wee must not consent to him nor pittie him nor shew him mercy but thou shalt kill him sayeth the Lord thy hand shall bee first vpon him to put him to death and then the hands of all the people And this is the direct law of God Hee that offereth to any gods saue the Lord onely shall bee slayne There must bee then no sufferance at all of any kinde of Idolatrie This was Salomons sinne and therefore it is sayde that his heart was not perfect with God as the heart of his father Dauid was For howsoeuer hee sinned in adulterie and murther and in numbering the people yet he repented presently and neuer did the like againe and he had alwaies this sinceritie and perfection of heart that he neuer defiled himselfe with Idolatrie neither did hee suffer the true worshippe of GOD to bee corrupted in his Kingdome but kept it sincere pure and sound Hee alwayes hated and detested all false worshippe his soule hated Idols as lame and blind guides therefore hee taketh them away at the beginning of his raigne And hee caused the gods of the Philistims to bee burnt with fire The sorrowes saith he of them that offer to another god shall be multiplied their offerings of blood will I not offer neither make mention of their names with my lips It hath beene a blot and blemish vpon many good Kings because they suffered the high places to remayne and it is the chiefe commendation of good Iosiah that he tooke away all the abhominations out of all the countries that perteyned to the children of Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God This blessed King a worthie president of full and perfect reformation he tooke away not onely grosse Idolatrie but all Reliques and remnants all occasions prouocations appearances shewes of Idolatrie One thing more very necessarie and pertinent wee are to learne by Salomons fall namely Not to be offended though we doe see Christian Princes learned Preachers and great professors men of gifts aboue others to be seduced and drawne into great and grosse sinnes wee are indeede to be grieued and much to lament when wee see or heare such things but yet wee must not bee discouraged in our profession and in the trueth of religion Men of greatest gifts haue beene subiect to great sinnes As Adam Noah Lot Abraham Moses Aaron Dauid Sampson and Salomon Sathan doth most enuie such hee standeth at the right hand of Iehosua Hee will winnow and sifte to the very branne the Apostles of CHRIST as hee himselfe warneth them Indeede the bad liues of Preachers and professors are scandalous and offensiue and hinder many in the way of saluation and maketh the worde and profession ill spoken of by many yea loathed and reiected as the sonnes of Elie by their wickednesse made the offering of the Lord to be abhorred In seeking and receiuing counsell saith one the honestie of life and the prerogatiue of vertue doth much preuaile Who will seeke for a fountaine in a dunghill who will drinke of filthie water for where there is luxurie intemperance and other vices whoe will thinke any good to bee drawne from thence how can I take him to bee my superior in counsell whom I see inferior in manners And can I thinke him fitte to giue mee counsell that cannot giue it to himselfe he that giueth counsell to others he must shew himselfe an example of good workes in integritie and grauitie that his speech bee sound and vnrebukeable his counsell profitable and his life honest He that liueth wickedly in the sight of the people as much as in him lyeth he killeth him that looketh vpon him hee that followeth him perhaps dyeth he that followeth him not liueth but as much as in him lyeth he killeth both Examples are stronger then words and it is a more full teaching by workes then by word The house and conuersation of a Preacher is set on a hill all see it and looke vpon it it is as it were a guide and teacher to others whatsoeuer hee doth others thinke that they may doe the like that word is willingly receiued of the hearer which is vttered from the
Preacher with compassion of minde He hath learned to speake truely that hath first learned to doe well And then doth the seede of the word bring forth fruite when the pietie of the Preacher doeth water it in the breast of the hearers Wee must first bee cleansed our selues and so cleanse others wee must first be wise and so make others wise we must first bee made lighte and so lighten others wee must first come to God our selues and so bring others to God wee must first be sanctified so sanctify others This law is layde vpon the Preachers that they lighten them by liuing which they are carefull to perswade by speaking For the authoritie and power of speaking is lost when the voyce is not helped by worke No man can stand in the valley and speake from the mount Where thou standest from thence speake and from whence thou speakest there stande If thy minde bee in the earth how doest thou speake from heauen be in heauen if thou speake from heauen If thou wilt not doe righteousnesse why doest thou make thy selfe a teacher of righteousnes why doest thou call thy selfe a maister of that whereof thy selfe will be no scholler nor Disciple Finally there be three kindes of negligent Prelates Some who liue well and suffer their people to liue ill Some who liue ill compell their people to liue well Some who liue ill will haue their people to liue ill Those which liue wel suffer their people to liue ill they goe before them in example but they doe sinne because they reproue not their errors Though they liue well yet they must of necessitie giue account of the flocke committed to them to the Lord of the flocke Those which liue ill and compell their people to liue well They do call those that goe astray but they kill those which are rightly strong They call by words they kill by examples Of the third sorte we are not to speak at all But though this be true that the sinnes of Preachers and professors bee thus offensiue to other and hurtfull to themselues yet neyther preaching nor profession is to be cast off or condemned Phisitions oftentimes liue contrary to their owne rules and Lawyers liue lawlesse And yet both Phisicke and Law is good A warrant from the King is not to bee despised though the Officer bee naught In all professions and callings some are good and some bad The callings are not to bee condemned because of the badnesse of them which are in them All fleshe is grasse and the glorie thereof like the flower of the fielde All men are subiect to sinne and error but the word of the Lord abideth for euer It is pure holy iuste and good though those which professe and teach it be neuer so bad Gold is not the worse though a Thiefe handle it no more is the word of the Lord which is more pure then gold being seuen times tried in the fire though wicked men professe and teach it This is the counsell of our Sauiour Christ saying The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses seate all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes do not Excellently saith one vpon that place he that doth euill doth iniurie to the seate Sitting in iudgement if thou liue well and teach well thou shalt be iudge of all If thou liue ill and teach well thou shalt be iudge of thy selfe onely for by teaching well thou doest teach thy people how they ought to liue but by liuing ill thou dost teach God how he ought to condemne thee If they liue well meaning the preachers it is their gaine If they teach well it is your gaine speaking to the people Take that therefore which is yours and trouble not your selues about that which is an other mans for often there proceedeth good doctrine from an euill man euen as the vile earth bringeth forth precious gold Is that precious gold contemned because the earth is vile and base euen therefore as the gold is chosen and the earth is left so receiue you the doctrine and leaue the manners Let vs receiue the doctrine not the maners Hearbes are not necessarie for Bees but flowers so gather you the flowers of doctrine and leaue the conuersation Augustine speaking of this example of Salomon saith thus If Salomon be reiected of God why are his writings of such authoritie in the Church that wee may know saith he that the words of God are not therefore true because they were spoken by Salomon but because they proceeded from God by Salomon whatsoeuer therefore he wrote well it must be ascribed to God and as for his sin it must be left to himselfe The same may be said of Balaam who though he was an euill man yet he deliuered good and wholesome Oracles Dauid sinned grieuously yet his Psalmes are most blessed diuine sacred ful of sweet comforts and instructions to be imbraced beleeued reuerenced and practised of all good men Peter his fall was most greeuous in denying his maister yet his sermons his doctrine and writings are in no case to be reiected but to be receiued and followed of all Christians as holy and canonicall scripture inspired by the holy Ghost Thus the falls of the Saints are abused sundrie waies some men doe excuse all their faults some by them take occasion to disgrace and discredit the Saints and some take occasion thereby to practise the like sinnes in themselues but these are all deceiued and doe erre foulely For they are not written to any such purpose but rather that we may learne and see the corruption of all men by nature and that we may know the Saints were but men and therefore not to trust in them but in God And this vse doth one make of this example of Salomon that God suffered him to erre least we should erre Many things are written specially in the Psalmes of Christ in the person of Salomon Now we might take those things to be spoken altogether of Salomon himselfe but that we see he hath so grieuously fallen whereupon we are constrained to passe those excellent Oracles from Salomon to the Messias for seeing we are admonished in the scriptures that Christ knew no sinne and we see that Salomon sinned so hainously we may vnderstand thereby that Salomon was not the Messias And by such examples the mercy of God is made manifest to repenting sinners And they may gather comfort from thence that if they haue the like repentance they shall haue the like fauour mercy And therefore saith one I consider Peeter I cōsider the theefe vpon the crosse I looke vpon Zacheus and I see nothing else in them but examples set before our eies of hope and repentance By these examples also we are stirred vp to humilitie and watchfulnes to worke our saluation with feare and trembling and vpon view of these things let him that standeth take heed least he fall
And finally we are moued to pittie kindnes and mercy towards other sinners seeing in many things we sinne all and such excellent and holy men Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles haue had their grieuous falles THE SIXT SERMON WE haue heard the reioycing and thanksgiuing of this woman for the Raigne of Salomon and specially because she sawe the loue of God both to Salomon and to Israel in placing such a King We haue heard the happines of Salomon the great and extraordinarie gifts of God bestowed vpon him and manifold signes of Gods fauour towards him and that God by his owne mouth and promise and by a speciall name giuen to Salomon professeth his loue towards him And therefore howsoeuer he fell most grieuously and therefore deserued no loue but rather hatred and to be cast off for euer yet no doubt but God did loue him still and in time brought him to repentance and saluation Now let vs from these words of this blessed woman seeing Gods loue in placing Salomon let vs I say learne and obserue from hence that a good King is a rare and a speciall gift of God and a token of his loue to the people For it is said here Because God loued Israel to establish it for euer therefore he made Salomon King ouer them When God meanes to blesse a land and to doe any good vnto it he giueth it good Princes when he meaneth to correct and punish a people he sendeth wicked men to Raigne ouer them So that it is God that giueth Kings sometimes in loue sometime in anger He threatneth to take away the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged and to appoynt children and babes to be Princes ouer them In his iustice he causeth the hypocrite to raigne Woe to thee ô land when thy King is a childe and thy Princes eate in the morning that is when they are without wisedome and counsell and are giuen to their lusts and pleasure But blessed art thou oh land when thy King is the sonne of nobles meaning when he is noble for verture and wisedome A good King is a great and worthy blessing of God Salomon saith He that findeth a good wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord. And Bethsheba saith Who shall finde a vertuous woman her price is farre aboue the pearles How much more truly may this be said of a vertuous King Euery good thing is from God As good husbands good wiues good parents good children good maisters good seruants how much more a good King being publicum bonum that is a publike good bonum quo comunius â—o melius a good the more common it is the better it is The want of such is an occasion of sinne and ruine to the people It is said in the booke of the Iudges that when the iudge was dead they returned and did worse then their fathers in following other gods and in worshipping them And againe when Gideon was dead the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Balim and made Baall their God And this is set downe as a cause of Idolatrie and of all vilanie amongst that people In those daies there was no King in Israel but euery man did that which was good in his owne eies Miserable is the state of the people without a Prince like fishes deuouring one another like a body without a head like sheep without a Shepheard like souldiers without a Captaine like children without a mother a ship not safe without a gouernour nor a priuate house without a guide nor the common-wealth without gouernours This knew Moses who was carefull of his posteritie and to haue a gouernour for his place before he died and therefore said Let the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh appoynt a man ouer the congregation who may goe out and in before the people and leade them that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheepe which haue not a Shepheard Great are the commodities and comforts which we reape by good Kings Behold saith Esaiah A King shall raigne in iustice and the Princes shall rule in iudgement and that man shall be as a hiding place from the winde and as a refuge from the tempest As the riuers of waters in a drie place and as the shadowe of a great rocke in a wearie land And marke the happines of Salomons gouernment here commended His father Dauid prophecieth of him that true religion should be maintained in his kingdome that in his daies the righteous should flourish that he should be to such as comfortable as the deawe and shewers after the mowne grasse That in his time should be abundance of peace and plentie That he should iudge the poore with equitie and deliuer him when he cryeth and saue the children of the needie and subdue the oppressor redeeming their soules from deceite and violence and preseruing them from all wrong Behold then the happines the benefite and comfort of a good King He is a father a pastor a nurce to the Church and common-wealth He is as a wall and prop to stay vp the tender boughes of the vine He is like the shadow of a great tree refreshing his subiects He is as it were a common soule to the people whereby the body of the Church and common-wealth is stayed and vpholden And as the sunne is to the planets and the planets to the starres so is the King with his counsell iudges and magistrates to the common-wealth From thence it hath life comfort and light A good King is much more excellent and better then a good subiect His goodnes more large moreample profitable then the goodnes of others As much difference as there is betwixt a priuate familie and the common-wealth betwixt one house and a Citie betwixt a litle riuer and the sea so much difference there is betwixt a good subiect and the King He is like a spring or fountaine of water descending from the toppe of a high mountaine watring all the lower groundes cherishing and filling all the lower brookes The care the religion the wisedome the pittie the pietie the liberalitie iustice and temperance of a king profiteth all his subiects By his meanes religion peace iustice artes schooles families trades buildings Church and common-wealth flourisheth Therefore saith Salomon In the prosperitie of the righteous the Citie reioyceth and when the wicked perisheth there is ioy And by the blessing of the righteous the Citie is exalted Againe when the wicked rise vp men hide themselues but when they perish the righteous encrease when the righteous are in authoritie the people reioyce but when the wicked beareth rule the people sigh All good subiects reioyce at the raigne of good Princes because they enioy liues liberties their goods and the Gospell when the wicked rule there is a storme the iust are molested they flie as Dauid from Saul they hide themselues as the Prophets
in Ahab his time They flie as birdes for shelter But when the godly rule the righteous swarme as Bees in a sunnie day They multiplie and fill the Churches and shew their faces bouldly and openly The necessitie and commoditie of kings may be seene in the vniuersall order of nature The chiefe Philosophers Plato Aristotle and Apollonious did see and feele that as generally there is one chiefe Creator and maker of all things and as among the starres the sunne beareth the chiefe light as among Bees there is one chiefe king as the flockes and heards of beasts haue one guide and ruler finally as the cranes doe follow one leader So there ought to be in a common-wealth one king as head by whom all the members may consent And this reason of the common-wealth declared by the instinct of nature God hath more euidently opened in the holy scripture and maketh mention of kings and doth approue and allowe their authoritie with his owne mouth as we haue heard before and the words of this woman doth approue and testifie the same She blesseth God for this king who had set him in his owne throne She acknowledgeth God the author of this kind of gouernment so that the authoritie of kings is a sacred and diuine ordinance But it will be obiected How is God the author of this kind of gouernment when as Salomon was but the third King that Israel had they had no King at all before Saul who was a wicked King giuen to them not in loue but in wrath and that at the vnlawfull and turbulent desire of the people wherein they sinned both against God and Samuel For thus it is written That the Elders of Israel gathered them together and came to Samuel vnto Ramath and saide vnto him Behold thou art olde and thy sonnes walke not in thy waies make vs now a King to iudge vs like all nations But the thing displeased Samuel when they said giue vs a King to iudge vs and Samuel prayed vnto the Lord. And the Lord saide vnto Samuel Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee for they haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away that I should not raigne ouer them As they haue euer done since I brought them out of Egypt euen vnto this day and haue forsaken me and serued other gods euen so doe they to thee Now therefore hearken vnto their voyce howbeit yet testifie vnto them and shew them the manner of the king that shall raigne ouer them Behold heere are a people great and small affecting and desiring a king hauing had none before yet their desire is displeasing to God and Samuel the reason is why God misliked their petition because they did now cast off that forme of gouernment which God himselfe had ordained for them They aske that which would be hurtfull vnto them and that with an obstinate and bad minde But it will be obiected that they had a commandement and warrant from God who said thus vnto the forefathers when thou shalt come into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee and shalt possesse it and dwell therein If thou say I will set a king ouer me like as all the nations that are about me then thou shalt make him ouer thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse from among thy brethren shalt thou make a King ouer thee Thou shalt not set a stranger ouer thee which is not thy brother Behold here the allowance of God to chuse themselues a king so he be not a stranger And whereas it is said the Lord should chuse them a king they come in this place to him that be would make choyce of a king for them how doe they then offend in this their petition and desire Indeed their desire is not simplie euill of it selfe for if it were so it might not haue beene graunted but their desire is not to this end to haue the word of God performed but to satisfie their owne humors They should haue stayed Gods time and leisure but they distrust God and are most vnthankfull to Samuel despising him in his olde age neither doe they aske a king according to Gods appoyntment and institution But let vs haue a king say they as other nations haue be he good or bad But yet if God would as it fell out after giue them a king why is he angry with them for asking a king because they did aske it with a bad minde offering some iniurie to Samuel yet in his secret will and purpose his meaning was to giue them a king He disliked in this people their distrust and difficience who relied more vpon man then God their bouldnes in attempting so rashly and suddenly to erect a new forme of gouernment He misliked the contempt of his owne gouernment in that contemning him their king they sought a certaine king after the example of other nations and so they were wearie of Gods order And yet the gouernment of kings doth not shut out the gouernment of God but God doth raigne by kings as well as he reigned by iudges The king is the minister of God his seruant and deputie he sitteth in his place and throne and God is the author of his office and authoritie as we may see in this place And this forme of gouernment hath beene of many nations much desired This principalitie or kingdome was first begun as it is thought by the Egyptians who could liue no while without a king And we finde in the booke of Geneses which is most ancient that the Aegyptians had their kings one after an other And whereas in the administratioÌ„ of a common weale there hath beene long since three sortes or kindes of gouernments set downe the one Monarchie an other Aristocratie when the best gouerne the third Democrati or popular state when the common people haue a stroake in ruling the publike weale The first kinde of gouernment is thought as good as any if not the best of all For when counsell or gouernment is in the power of one In the gouernment of the common-wealth all things are more easily performed In the other two kinds of gouernmeÌ„ts one oftentimes saith one thing and others will not graunt it and they are not easily agreed Heere one hath a stroake the preheminence and prerogatiue of commaunding and graunting The whole world is ruled and gouerned by one and what can be better or more wisely gouerned The gouernment by Iudges was not very strong but almost voluntarie and therefore more contemptible but in the gouernment of a king there is more maiestie in their kingly pompe and glory which is a more admiration and a wonder to the people and is a meanes to keepe them in better order and subiection The name of a king hath beene alwaies famous great most glorious and sacred amongst all nations of the world But yeâ— sâ—e the madnesse and inconstancie of this people They egerly desired a king and when
appoynted Ouer-â—eers in the Church and it is Iesus Christ that giueth gifts to men to become Pastors and teachers in the Church Those glorious titles before spoken of they belong also to the Ministers of God They are pastors fathers nurces and in Gods stead Magistrates are to be honoured such as rule well in word and doctrine are worthie of double honour The same is the end of both their callings to suppresse and beate downe sinne But our power is spirituall therefore the greater euen the power of God to saluation power to conuert soules to beate downe Sathan and sinne and to bring into bondage euery thought that doth rayse it selfe against God By the Magistrates care policie and power wee liue in peace and are defended from forren domesticall foes By the ministerie of the word the sword of the spirit wee are armed against our spirituall enemies and enioy true peace of conscience And therefore the ministerie of the word is truely called the streugth and life of a land When Elishai saw Eliah taken vp into heauen he cryed My father my father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof It is sinne that weakens a land it is religion and pietie that maketh it strong By the preaching of the word sinne is weakned and all vertue and goodnes is increased confirmed The want of this word is the famishing of mens soules the plentie of this word is the life of their soules Magistrates are keepers and maintayners of both the tables of the commandements and so are all faithfull Ministers Magistrates are to execute outward punishments vpon offenders Ministers haue power to reproue to binde and exclude notorious offenders Our bodies goods liues are subiect to Princes but al power worshippe and maiestie are subiect so the word which wee preach And as they are rebels to Princes which resist their power so are they rebels to God which set themselues against the doctrine counsels and exhortations of his faithfull Ministers And finally as good Magistrates doe comfort and encourage good subiects by rewards honours and countenance so good Ministers are carefull by all means possible to comfort good Christians by the sweete promises and mercies of God and by the assurance of remission of sinnes and life eternall Seeing therefore there is such agreement both in the titles and callings of Magistrates and Ministers there should be also an agreement and vnion in affection betwixt them They are intirely to affect and loue one another The Ministers are to guide and direct the Rulers by the word and they againe are to defend them by the sword This the Lord teacheth when hee appoynted two brethren to gouerne his people Moses and Aaron the one to gouerne the other to teach It went well with Saul so long as he hearkened to Samuel the Prophet Dauid had Gad and Nathan neere vnto him as his faithfull Counsellers Hezekiah the King was directed by Esaiah the Prophet Therfore Magistrates are to countenance good Ministers and to encourage them Wee teach and perswade all men to obey the higher powers We pray for you publikelie and priuately and stirre vp others to doe the like Wee set foorth the excellencie of your callings We threaten damnation to rebels and traytors As for our calling although diuine and sacred yet odious and contemptible to the worlde because wee reproue the sinnes of all men we endure many hard speeches vnkindnesses and iniuries of wicked men the eyes of many their eares hearts and mouthes are open against vs. Wee are subiect to many temptations and infirmities Wee haue many discomforts and discouragements Who is to comfort and countenance and defend vs but the good Magistrates And you must not bee offended though we sometimes iustlie reproue your opon sinnes in open place It is our office to reproue sinne in all as it is your dutie to punish sinne in all As you must not be partiall and not haue respect of persons in iudgement so we must not be partiall in reproouing We doe it God knoweth in dutie loue and conscience and therefore you are to take it in good part All holy men though they were Kings and Princes haue beene content patiently to receiue iust reproofe And the sinnes of Magistrates and great persons doe most hurt of all other and therefore most of all to be reprooued If wee be carelesse and idle in our place If we be flatterers time seruers If we be corrupt false in our doctrine If we be wicked and dissolute in life Let vs bee censured according to our deserts But if our care be to do good to take what paynes we can in our places to winne foules to beate downe sinne and Poperie to liue honestly and keepe a good conscience in all things If neyther our doctrine nor life can bee iustly touched why should you be strange vnto vs why should you keepe backe from vs your fauour assistance and countenance It is the chiefe end of the office and calling of a good Magistrate to defend and countenance all good and honest men much more the faithfull and paynefull Ministers of God And seeing Magistrates and Ministers haue the same authour the same names and dignitie let them ioyne together for the beating downe of sinne and bee helpers and comforters one to another and let the highest of all remember specially those which make small account of our calling let them remember and lay vp in their hearts these worthie places of Scripture Remember that caueat which GOD giueth to his people Beware that thou forsake not the Leuite as long as thou liuest vpon the earth And againe Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme This was spoken euen to Kings and Princes to their rebuke and shame And neuer forget that bitter prayer of Moses who yet was the mildest man that euer liued vpon the earth Blesse ô Lord saith he his substance and accept the worke of his hands he speaketh of the tribe of Leuie the faithfull ministers of God Smite through the Ioynes of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they neuer rise vp againe And remember that saying of our Sauiour Christ speaking to his Apostles saying He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And those sayings of the Apostle Now we beseech you brethren that you knowe them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singular loue for their worke sake Loue them for their calling for the gifts of God in them for their great paines for the gaine and profit which you doe or may reape by them And neuer forget that saying of the same Apostle alreadie alleaged That those which labour in word and doctrine are worthy of double honor And finally remember the sweete and gratious exhortation of the worthy king good king Iehosephat deliuered to his owne subiects by his owne mouth saying Heare you me
rest where they begin but doe breake foorth and scatter farre and neere the world noteth their words and deedes neither can they be hidde more then the beames in the sunne Good Rulers are to punish all sinnes in others and how can they do this if they be guiltie of the same or of greater or more grieuous sinnes And what a a shame is it to be called Rulers and gouernours and yet to be seruants and slaues to sinne yea to as many sinnes as doe rule and raigne in them Diogines had wont to say that harlots were as Rulers and Queenes to Kings because they might commaund what they would and that they would denie nothing to them as they did to their subiects Of this there is example in Herod who graunted to Herodias a wanton dauncing Damsell halfe of his kingdome Rulers are often carried away with the conceit of their dignitie as though they had a priuiledge to doe as they list and they haue flatterers about them which will soothe them and set them on in this conceit Monstrous was the saying of the Stepmother of Anthonie Caracalla for when hee was so bewitched with her beautie that hee desired to marry her and sighed and sayd O si liceret O that it were lawfull She shamefully answered Si libet liceâ— If thou list it is lawfull for Princes doe giue lawes and not receiue lawes A most vntrue speech in things concerning the law of nature as well confessed Dionisius when his mother would haue maried otherwise then became her age saying Oh mother the ciuill lawes of man may bee changed and altered but the law of nature cannot bee changed Herodotus writeth That Cambises King of Persia coueting to marry with his sister asked his Counsellers whether there were any law to permit the brother to marry with the sister They answered after deliberation that they could finde no such law but they found a law whereby it was permitted to the King of Persia to doe what he listed A most wicked answer when the question was of the law of nature Oh vild flatterers and pernitious parasites the very bane and poyson of Kings and Rulers It is sinne and wicked affections which are as rebels and traytors which Christian Rulers are first of all to subdue in themselues Hoc opus hic labor est This is the greatest worke the greatest labour cunning victorie conquest Sampson ouercame many of the cruell mightie Philistims yet was hee ouercome by filthie lust Alexander conquered a great part of the world but yet he could not conquer nor tame his owne drunkennes lust and anger Hercules ouercame and tamed many monsters but at last hee became a seruant and slaue to Omphala of whom one writeth thus Hercules sayth hee famous for his vertue and counted as it were a god amongst the gods but he defiled the world with filthie lusts and vncleannesse How could there bee any diuine thing in him that was a seruant to his owne vices and those things which hee did are not to be counted diuine vertues for what great matter was it to ouercome a Lion or a Beare to kill wilde and fierce Horses with their rider These are the works of a strong man yet of a man and those things which hee ouercame were fraile and mortall and may bee ouerthrowne by the strength of man But to ouercome the minde to suppresse wrath it is the part of the mightiest man which he did not neyther could doe He that doeth this I doe not onely compare him with the chiefest and best men but also I account him most like to God himselfe And hee onely is to bee iudged a mightie man who is temperate moderate and iust Wherefore let Rulers remember this golden sentence proceeding from a golden mouth saying Hee that hath greate power ouer many things let him first purge his owne conscience and those sinnes which hee punisheth in others let him not commit himselfe and let him auoid that which he punisheth for it is a foolish thing when any would rule others and yet cannot rule themselues And let them further know that their authoritie is no dispensation for sinne and that God hath punished great persons for such faults as might seeme but small in our eyes As you may see in the examples of Elie and Dauid and also in the example of Hesekiah God did grieuouslie punish them the one for pampring his children the other for numbring the people and the third for shewing his treasures to the Ambassadours of Babilon Let all Gouernours be of Nebemiah his minde who when hee was perswaded to flie he answered Should such a man as I flie Let euery Magistrate when hee hath any motion to sin say thus Should such a man as I that am a gouernour to others that am in Gods place that should be an example to others in all goodnesse that should reproue and punish sinne in all should I commit sinne should I blasphâ—me the name of God should I prophane his Sâ—both should I be proud or couetous should I giue my selfe to whâ—redome and drunkennes or to any such grieuous sinne What a dishonour will this be to God What a diseredit to my place and calling and how offensiue to the people hâ—w should I rule others if I cannot rule my selfe And finally let theÌ„ know that the greatnes and excellencie of the Magistrate must be accompanied with the excellencie of vertue and with good example And as the Magistrate is first to begin with himselfe first looke to his owne heart and waies so also he must haue a speciall regard and care of all that are vnder him in his priuate familie It is not enough that he auâ—yde all kind of sinne and wickednes himselfe and that he himselfe leade a good godly and righteous life in the sight of God and men but also must haue a speciall care that his whole familie his wife his children and seruants doe the like For they are his speciall cure charge committed to him of God to be ruled and gouerned by him according to the rule of his lawes and therefore worthie is that saying For all that are vnder thee and subiect to thee in thy house thou shalt giue an account vnto God and therefore the Lord directeth the fourth commandement to the father maister and householder whatsoeuer Inioyning not only himselfe to sanctifie his Saboth but that all that belong and appertaine vnto him and are within his doores doe sanctifie the Saboth with him he is not onely himselfe to come to the holy assemblies to heare to pray to receiue with the congregation and both openly and priuately to be occupied the whole day in religious exercises but it is a charge layed vpon him by the Lord that he cause his whole familie to doe the like And if this be required of euery priuate man and of euery Christian householder whatsoeuer be he neuer of so meane and base estate how much more is it required of
the publike Magistrate God speaketh thus to his people Israel saying These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shall talke of them when thou tarriest in the house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp This is a generall commandement to all Gods people whatsoeuer and much more to the Magistrate this dutie of household gouernment is most ancient commended and commanded of God Euery Christian householder is to be as a King Priest and Prophet in his owne house As a King to rule as a Priest to pray and as a Prophet to teach Their care must be that the wise be the spouse of Christ their seruants to be Gods seruants their children the children of God Most are carefull to see their owne busines and workes followed in no case neglected why should they not be as carefull to see the workes of God his seruice busines duly performed in their families They carefully prouide for all necessarie prouiâ—ioÌ„ for the maintenaÌ„ce of their bodies so farre goeth an Infidel and the like care they haue also of their beastes but Christians must goe further and see that the soules of their families be fed and prouided for and so they shall find much fruit and profit to themselues for this is the way and meanes to make painefull faithfull and conscionable seruants and also by this meanes true religion is continued to our posteritie whereas if we faile in this dutie religion may decay and die with vs for any thing that we doe For the continuance and propagation of it most are carefull specially great persons men of power and wealth that their names riches and houses may continue if they could for euer And shall not we haue as great a care for the preseruation and continuance of Gods true worship and seruice to the ages to come To moue vs to this dutie let Magistrates and others 〈◊〉 set before their eies the examples of holy worthie meÌ„ in scripture how 〈◊〉 they were in teaching and 〈…〉 their families Our first 〈…〉 Adam had a 〈◊〉 of this and therfore he taught his two sonnes how to sacrifice to the true God Abraham is commended of God and he promiseth to blesse him for it because he commanded his soâ—nes and his household after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to do righteousnes and iudgement Iacob said to his householde and to all that were with him Put away the straÌ„ge gods that are among you and change your garments After the example of Iacob let others cleanse their houses as of Idolls so of ignorance of prophanes of blâ—sphemie of filthie speaking and of all vncleannes and wickednes For these and such like doe infect pollute and defile both houses and kingdomes And let euery one say with good Ioshua I and my house will serue the Lord. And as Hannah gaue her sonne Samuel to the Lord so let euery one giue and dedicate their families to God And as Iob euery day sanctified his sonnes by praying to God for them so let euery one sanctifie themselues and their whole familie by good instructions and sweete prayrs to God The example of Dauid is most worthie to be imitated of all and especially of Magistrates he professeth his care both in ruling himselfe and his familie the whole Church and kingdome he professeth his pietie to God the vprightnes of his owne heart and the wisedome that he had in discerning and separating the good from the euill both in his â—wne house and countrey Hee will suffer no wicked person in his house hee will reforme both Church and Common-wealth he will not bee partaker of other mens sinnes nor suffer the blood of them to cleaue to his soule Worthie also is the example of Cornelius a Captaine yet a deuout man one that feared God with all his household and he had souldiers fearing God And sending for Peter for further instruction when he was come he sayde that both hee and all his were there present before God to heare all things from the mouth of Peter that was commaunded him of God I will alledge but one example more of two householders the man and the woman persons of no greate account in the world but yet religious and religiously gouerning their household 〈◊〉 meane Aquila and Presilla Aquila the husband a Tent-maker Presilla his wife Saint Paul sayeth of them Greete Presilla and Aquila my fellow helpers in Christ Iesus likewise greet the Church that is in their house It is sayd of these two in another place That they taught Apollos a learned and eloquent man yet they taught him the way of God more perfectly then he knew before S. Paul confesseth they were helpers to him in the Lord and that they had a Church in their house His meaning is that in their house there was such instruction reading hearing prayer conference and other diuine exercises that their household was as a little Church If these poore and priuate persons had such religious care of their familie how carefull ought Gouernours and Magistrates to bee for the gouernment of their families which are to bee directions and examples to others One example more I must needes ayme and poynt at I cannot auoid it it lieth in the text that is the example of Salomon commended vn to vs by this woman as in this verse shee commendeth the gouernment of his kingdome so in the former verse she admireth and magnifieth the gouernmeÌ„t of his house she saw such good order amongst his seruants such diuine wise instructions by SalomoÌ„ that she bursteth out into these words Happy are thy men happie are these thy seruants which stand euer before thee and heare thy wisedome his house was so wisely gouerned that she accouÌ„teth them blessed who dwell and liue vnder his gouernment but vnhappie are many seruants and children who haue cause to curse both parents and maisters who by their follie carelesnes and bad example doe leade them to hell and to euerlasting destruction The Courts of Princes and great mens houses they should not be sinkes of sinne nor yet cages of follie and vncleannes but they should be patternes of pietie of wisedome and religion of temperance and all other vertues patternes I say to the inferior sort whose cies are vpon them and are readie to follow them in good or euill That which the Apostle applieth to the minister that may be applied also to the Magistrate he saith that the Minister must be one that can rule his owne house honestly hauing children vnder obedience with all honestie for if any cannot rule his owne house how shall he care for the Church of God THE SEVENTH SERMON VERSE 9. And made thee King to doe equity and righteousnesse IT is the duety and part of good Gouernours as wee haue heard already to begin
are preserued and established Therefore Dauid exhorteth his son Salomon To walke in the Waies Statutes and Iudgements of God that so hee might prosper in all things he went about The Lord by Ieremy declaring how happy Iosiah the father had bene and how cursed Iehoiakim the sonne should bee and why the one did speed so well and the other so badly saith Shalt thou raigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not thy father eate and drinke and prosper when hee executed Iudgement and Iustice when hee iudged the cause of the afflicted and the poore hee prospered was not this because hee knew mee saith the Lord but thine eies and thy heart are onely for thy couetousnesse And therefore the Lord threatneth in the next wordes to destroy him This iustice is profitable to the whole Common-wealth both to the good and the bad Therefore the Lord commanding the rebellious sonne to bee put to death So saith hee thou shalt take away the euill from among you that all Israel may heare it and feare Where Iustice is neglected sin raigneth Because sentence against an euill worke saith the Wise-man is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill On the contrary it must follow that where there is true execution of Iustice there the hearts of men are drawne and terrified from euill The blewnesse of the wound serueth to purge the euill and the stripes within the bowels of the belly Againe To the Horse belongeth a whip to the Asse a bridle and arod to a Fooles backe His meaning is that by such sharpe correction foolish men are stayed and kept in order And in another place Smite a scorner and the foolish will beware Meaning that simple and ignorant men will bee warned when they see the wicked punished they will take heed by others mens harmes And the Lord hath ordained iudgements for the scorners and stripes for the backe of fooles To this duty of Iustice the example of God may incite and moue all Christian Magistrates they are in his steed and therefore are to follow his example in punishing offenders Hee is a most iust and seuere Iudge and a very consuming fire against sinne and wickednesse Hee is a God that loueth not wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight hee hateth all them that worke iniquity Againe The Lord will try the righteous but the wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate vpon the wicked hee shall raigne snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this is the portion of their cup. And in another place Surely God will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy pate of him that walketh in his sinnes Most fearefull examples of his iustice and iudgement wee haue vpon the first world vpon Sodom and Gomorrah yea vpon his owne people Israel What kind of offenders wee ought to punish more seuerely wee may haue direction from the Law of God that those whom hee appointed to die should not bee spared for wee must not make our selues more mercifull then God is himselfe wilfull murther is death by the Law of Princes and it is death by the Law of God Yea before the Law written it was said to Noah Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud bee shed for in the Image of God hath hee made him And in the Law Written He that killeth any man hee shall bee put to death And Adultery also is death by the Written Law of God The man that committeth adultery with another mans wife because hee hath committed Adultery with his neighbours wife the Adulterer and the Adulteresse shall die the death Theft was not so seuerely punished but they were to make restitution and restore foure-fold that which they had stolne Theft in our age is more seuerely punished it is certaine that Theft is a grieuous sinne against the Law of God against Equity and Iustice but I see no reason why the Theefe shall dye a shamefull death and the Whore-maister escape with lesser punishment seeing that Salomon compareth the Theefe and the Whore-maister together sheweth in diuers respects that Adultery is a greater and more grieuous sinne then Theft because the Theefe may make restitution and so can neuer the other This is the corruption of Nature that men make more account of money and goods then of religion or honesty and Adulterers being spared and left aliue many questions are raysed and propounded which can hardly bee answered Namely whether the innocent party or nocent party may marry whether they may be reconciled againe or no. Let the Adulterer and Adulteresse according to the Morall Law of God die the death and then these questions will bee idle and superfluous And as Magistrates may punish Murtherers by the same reason they may as well punish Heretickes Idolatours false Prophets for indeed these they murther mens soules they runne a whoring from God and they rob him of his honor We heard partly before that false Prophets and Idolatours were to die the death and wee haue examples of good Kings and Rulers which haue put such to death and if the Magistrate bee the keeper of both the Tables then hee is to punish the transgression of the one as well as the other and if the transgressions of the first Table bee more hainous and grieuous then the transgressions of the second Table there is no reason why they should bee lesse and more slightly punished Moses said to the children of Israel after they had worshipped the golden Calfe Thus saith the Lord God of Israel put euery man his sword to his side go to and fro from gate to gate through the Host and sâ—ay euery man his brother and euery man his companion and euery man his neighbour so the Children of Leuic did as Moses had commanded and there fell of the people the same day about three thousand men For Moses had said consecrate your hands vnto the Lord this day euen euery man vpon his sonne and vpon his brother that there may bee giuen you a blessing this day Iehu slew all the Priests of Baal burnt their Images destroyed the image of Baal and threw downe the house of Baal and made it an house of all filthinesse and vncleanesse Iosiah putteth downe the Idols killeth the Priests the Chemerimes hee burneth the groues brake downe the house of the Sodomites hee defaced the High places hee tooke away them that had familiar Spirits and other abhominations and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord. The like power hath all Christian Kings Princes and Gouernours in their owne Kingdomes and Dominions The Prophet Prophecieth of the latter times saying as from the Lord I will cut off the names of the Idols out of the Land and they shall no more bee remembred And I will
cause the Prophets and vncleane Spirits to depart out of the Land when any shal yet Prophesie his father and his mother that begat him shall say vnto him Thou shalt not liue for thou speakest lyes in the name of the Lord. And his father and mother that begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth He speaketh of the time of the Gospell wherein people shall haue such zeale that they cannot abide nor endure a false Prophet Christian Gouernours haue power from God to compell and drawe men to the outward worship and seruice of God Therefore saith Augustine when men are mad they mislike force and chasticement but when they come to their right minde they are glad that they are corrected for their good recouery Not euery one that spareth is a friend nor euery one that smiteth an enemy Better are the wounds of a friend then the kisses of an enemy It is better to loue with seuerity then to deceiue with too much lenity He that bindeth a mad man and hee that raiseth him vp that is in a deadly sleepe he is troublesome to both but he loueth both God doth not onely teach but punish Let heretickes first bee ouer-throwne and confuted if that will not serue vse religious seuerity The same Father saith first I was of this mind that none were to be compelled to the vnity of Christ that men were to be dealt withall by the word by disputation by reason least those which we knew to bee open Heretickes should become feigned Catholickes but this my opinion was ouercome by examples before mine eyes for this my Citty Hippo being altogether of Donatus side was conuerted to the Catholicke vnity by the feare of Emperiall Lawes Princes and Gouernours are in no case to suffer any hereticall or false worship in their kingdomes And therefore let them hearken to this counsell giuen them by a learned man Let Princes saith he take heed how they suffer any wicked rites and ceremonies to Infidels within their Dominions Salomon was guilty of this fault not that he compelled any of his subiects to worship Idols but that he granted to his Wiues and Concubines being out-landish women places and altars wherein they might worship strange Gods But God was angry with him and requited him according to his fall for as he diuided Gods worship so God diuides his kingdome giuing part of it to his sonne and part of it to Ieroboam This fault of his did spread it selfe to the posterity for Achas Manasses and diuers other wicked Kings had diuers wicked and detestable worships at Ierusalem and were sharply reproued of the Prophets for them And surely the Magistrate cannot be but reproued and condemned when he suffereth Idolatry seeing he hath the sword for the punishment of wickednesse therefore it must be granted that either Idolatry is no sinne or else the Magistrate is to punish it as well as other sinnes The Magistrate must bee carefull to defend the Common-wealth and to prouide as much as may be that no danger nor hurt come vnto it But Idolatry is the cause of famine pestilence warres and other most grieuous iudgements and therefore in no case to be suffered or tollerated in a Christian kingdome and all such transgressors of the first and second Commandement and of the rest of the Commandements of the first table are to bee punished as well as the transgressors of the Commandements of the second Table and indeed false Prophets heretickes Idolaters Papists Iesuites Seminarie Prists do more hurt to a kingdome then murtherers adulterers or theeues seducing killing poysoning the soules of many thousands neither is it to bee counted cruelty to cut off these and such like offendors seeing it is warranted by the authority and commandement of God himselfe It is not cruelty to cut off the cruell though they account it so but hee that smiteth and taketh away the euill in that they are euill is the Minister of God and of the Law therefore the Magistrates doe not defile themselues with bloud in punishing and executing wicked persons for they haue a warrant from the Lord so to do the Lord is with them and doth assist them and such executions of notorious persons by the hand of the Magistrate is as a sacrifice pleasing to God And least it should be a trouble to the Magistrates minde or a corsie to his conscience or any impairing to his credit to deale so seuerely as may be thought with such offendors the Lord himselfe doth comfort and encourage the Magistrate for whereas he commandeth that wicked children cursing their parents shall dye the death and likewise adulterers and other offendors he addeth and repeateth it often to the comfort of the Magistrate His bloud be vpon him as if he should say let not Iudges and Magistrates trouble themselues at the death of such offendors as though they were guilty of their bloud nay their bloud is vpon themselues they are guilty of their owne bloud they haue deserued death and are worthy of it they haue cast away themselues and haue iustly drawne vpon themselues such grieuous punishments by their owne wickednesse and iust deserts It is my commandement and will that such shall dye and therefore I cleare you as innocent and guiltlesse you are in my place you are my seruants and ministers and in this work of iustice you haue done me faithfull seruice But here may be a question propounded whether Princes and Rulers may not remit and pardon the faults of great offendors To remit iust punishments is against the direct law of God and procureth and draweth the wrath of God vpon the Magistrate Cursed be he that hindereth the right of the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow and all the people shall say So be it Againe You shal not doe vniustly in iudgement but thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly The Prophet saith O house of Dauid execute iudgement in the morning and deliuer the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressour least my wrath goe out like fire and burne that none can quench it because of the wickednesse of your workes The Magistrate is the keeper of Iustice he is to do right to euery one and therefore hee may not realease whom hee list To execute iudgement is a good worke it is profitable to the Common-wealth it decaieth and taketh away sin and therefore not to be hindered or stopt of any It is a speciall part of the office of a Magistrate to punish the offendors and therefore he is iustly without partiality to performe it Iust iudgement is the Lords not his and therefore not in his power to remit it he is the Minister of the lawes therefore to do nothing contrary to law When Themistocles was requested of Simonides the Poet to pronounce a certaine vniust sentence in his fauour he answered vertuously As making verses contrary to the Rules of poetry thou canst bee no good Poet so can I bee no good Prince
cryes and teares of the oppressed and few or none to pitty or relieue them Is not this lamentable and monstrous that one Christian should vexe spoyle and oppresse another being a sinne against nature reason and all humanity yea such a sinne as the best sort of the Heathen do detest and abhorre The Scripture doth reckon any kind of oppression amongst grieuous and crying sinnes And God himselfe doth denounce most greiuous and fearefull iudgements against all oppressours whatsoeuer The Lord shall enter into iudgement with the Ancients of his people and the Princes thereof for yee haue eaten vp the vineyard the spoyle of the poore is in your houses What haue yee to do that yee beate my people and grinde the faces of the poore saith the Lord euen the Lord of Hoasts And againe Woe vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there bee no place that yee may bee placed by your selues in the midst of the earth This is in mine eares saith the Lord of Hoasts Surely many houses shall bee desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant And in another place Woe to thee that spoylest and wast not spoyled and dost wickedly and they did not wickedly against thee when thou shalt cease to spoyle thou shalt bee spoyled when thou shalt make an end of doing wickedly they shall doe wickedly against thee Another Prophet saith Forasmuch as your treading is vpon the poore and yee take from him burdens of wheate yee haue built houses of hewen stone but yee shall not dwell in them yee haue planted pleasant Vine-yards but yee shall not drink wine of them Another Prophet saith Woe vnto them that imagine iniquity and worke wickednesse vpon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because their hand hath power And they couet fields and take them away by violence and houses and take them away So they oppresse a man and his house euen a man and his heritage Therefore thus saith the Lord behold against this family haue I deuised a plague where out yee shall not plucke your neckes and yee shall not go so proudly for this time is euill And againe the same Prophet saith Heare I pray you ô heads of Iacob and yee Princes of the house of Israel Should not yee know iudgement but they hate the good and loue the euill they plucke of their skinnes from them and their flesh from their bones And they eate also the flesh of my people and flay of their skinnes from them and they breake their bones And chop them in peeces as for the pot and as flesh with in the caldron Then shall they cry vnto the Lord but hee will not heare them Hee will euen hide his face from them at that time because they haue done wickedly in their workes The same Prophet threatneth the heauy iudgement of God against the Treasures of wickednesse against the bagge of deceitefull waights The Prophet Habacucke threatneth as grieuous punishments against all cruell oppressours and all such as get their goods and raise vp their houses and estates by wicked and vnlawfull meanes All the Prophets and the whole Scriptures is full of cursings and threatnings against all kind of oppressours So that their state must needes bee fearefull and damnable which liue and die in such a case Our God is a God of truth and mercy the Law of God is Equity and Righteousnesse and the Lawes of the Land wee doubt not are grounded vpon Reason and Iustice and they were made to this end that euery man might haue his own that all good Subiects may be releiued and defended against-wrong and iniury against the violence and deceite of men Now good Magistrates must see good Lawes executed for the reliefe of distressed people And that ye may the better bee stirred vp to performe this duty Let mee set before you two worthy patternes and examples of good Magistrates The one is the example of Iob who speaketh thus of himselfe When the eare heard mee it blessed mee when the eie saw mee it gaue witnesse to mee for I deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon mee and I caused the widdowes heart to reioyce I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was a Robe and a Crowne I was the eie to the blind and I was the feete to the Lame I was a father to the poore and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently I brake also the lawes of the varighteous man and plucked the prey out of his teeth A worthy example for Iudges Iustices and Magistrates to imitate and follow Iob sheweth before in what credite and fauour hee was among the people when hee came to the place of Iudgement yong men being ashamed of their loosenesse feared his grauity great persons were silent and acknowledged his wisedome all that heard him praised his vpright dealing all loued him and reuerenced him and admired him all were affraid to offend him By what meanes came hee to such authority and credite hee got it not by any corrupt meanes as by pride pompe flattery but by vertue by good gouernment by iustice and mercy Another worthy example is Nehemiah who though hee was a Courtier and liued in the Kings Pallace at case and pleasure yet hee pittieth his deere countrimen the Iewes he mourneth and prayeth for them And afterward when the poore people laied open their want and extremity in time of dearth and complained of the hard dealing of the rich men oppressing them by Vsury he heareth their cries pitties their estate reproueth the oppressours and reformeth them The poore people complaine that the times were so hard that they were faine to pawne their Lands to make their sonnes and daughters bond-slaues and that their owne Country-men would lend them nothing freely to serue their necessity withall but dealt thus hardly with them with pinching and oppressing them with Vsury the reason to moue pitty is that they were of the same nature of the same flesh and bloud with them Nehemiah vpon the complaint of these distressed people is moued with inward compassion chargeth the rich men with their oppressions setteth an assembly against them to shame them hee alleageth the example of Gods mercy who hath redeemed them from the Heathen and therefore that they should bee mercifull to their brethren Hee chargeth them that their doings is euill and wicked that they feared not God that they gaue the Heathen cause to blaspheme God that they dealt as cruelly as the Infidels Hee causeth them to bind themselues with an oath to restore that which they haue vniustly taken hee curseth those that will not keepe their oath hee moueth them by his owne example to mercy liberality and hospitality hee and his lend money and corne to the needy hee kept at his Table an 150. Iewes daily
then would I that the old lawes of England were put in execution such as are called King Edwards lawes of the common lawes of England whereof one was that the goods of an vsurer after his discease should turne to the benefite of the Prince when twelue men had found by proofe that the party disceased was an vsurer in his life time Finally that learned man in that learned discourse against vâ—ury written so many yeares agoe alledgeth many sharpe punishments appointed by the ciuill common lawes And least he should seeme of small credit for to speake too hardly and without proofe let vs see what Mr Iuell in a letter speaketh of that booke What it should worke in others I cannot tell saith he for mine owne part if I were an vsurer neuer so greedily bent to spoile rauen as vsurers be yet would I thinke my selfe most vnhappy if such perswasions could not moue me for what man would not be afraid to liue desperately in that state of life that hee seeth manifestly condemned by Heathens by Christians by old Fathers by the ancient Councels by Emperours by Bishops by Cannons by Decrees by all Sects of all Religions by the Gospell of Christ by the mouth of God And if it be so is not vsury to be punished and restrained by all possible meanes It is the decree of a Counsel that a Cleargy man an vsurer should be degraded and therefore it is counted a deadly sin Another Councell condemneth all for Heretickes who held vsury lawfull Another decreed that manifest vsurers should bee depriued of the communion and fellowship of the Christians in their life and of Christian buriall after death till their heires had restored their vsury Considering therefore the danger and hurtfulnesse of this sin which so commonly reigneth amongst vs let all good Gouernours I say continually set before their eyes this worthy example of good Nehemiah hauing the like care and compassion that he had towards his people vsing all meanes they can to ease them of heauy burdens and to suppresse vsury extortion and all kinde of oppression whatsoeuer Herein they shall bee like God himselfe who is said to execute righteousnesse and iudgement to all that are oppressed And not onely such as be oppressed with wrongs and iniuries are to bee respected of the good Magistrate but also all they whosoeuer that be in want and necessity not being able to maintaine themselues All these I say are to be prouided for by the care and prouidence of good Gouernours and this is a part of Iustice Equity and Righteousnesse This is a speciall part of their office to relieue and helpe the poore by their example counsell and power to draw others and if need require to constraine them to the helping and aiding of the needy Magistrates are Pastors Fathers and Nurses they must see that all their sheepe and children bee fed and nourished God is the creator of the poore and by his prouidence they are poore Christ is their Redeemer and died for them as well as for the rich and therefore they must not bee contemned but much regarded as men yea as Christian men God is the God of the poore of the â—â—iect of the fatherlesse and widdowes he is full of compassion to such hath a care of them hee hath made many lawes giueth many precepts for the defence and reliefe of the poore hath ordained Kings Iudges Magistrates and other officers in the Church Common-wealth for the comfort succour and help of the poore and needy and because there shall be alwayes some poore in the land therefore he commandeth saying Thou shalt open thy hand to thy brother to the needy to the poore in the land And he saith a litle before Thou shalt giue him and let it not grieâ—e thine heart to giue him for because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou doest take in hand to doe Salomon may be commended to bee the poore mans King for he doth commend the poore vnto vs by many exhortations and precepts There is saith hee that seâ—ttereth and is more increased but hee that spareth more then is right surely commeth to pouerty The liberall person shall haue plenty and he that watereth shall haue raine He that â—ppresseth the poore reproueth him that made him but hee honoureth him that hath mercy on the poore He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore shall also cry and not be heard Hee that hath mercy on the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which hee hath giuen Againe He that giueth vnto the poore shall not lacke but he that hideth his eyes shall haue many curses Many such counsels and prouerbes he deliuereth for the comforting and relieuing of the poore And as he gaue this counsell to others so hee was carefull to follow it himselfe Dauid his father prophesieth of him Hee shall deliuer the poore when hee crieth the needy also and him that hath no helper He shall be mercifull to the poore and needy and shall preserue the soule of the poore Christ the true Salomon giueth the like counsell touching the poore and practiseth the same in himselfe being a most liuely and perfect patterne of mercy and compassion to the distressed He faith Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Againe Be mercifull as your father is also mercifull And in another place Giue almes of those things which are within and behold all things shall be cleane to you Sell that yee haue and giue almes make you bagges which waxe not old a treasure that can neuer faile in heauen where no thiefe commeth neither moth corrupteth And when wee make a feast hee biddeth vs call the poore the maimed the lame and the blinde and so saith he thou shalt bee blessed because they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt bee recompenced at the resurrection of the iust He sheweth the fearefull and damnable estate of the rich man who fared delicately euery day but yet had no care to relieue poore Lazarus And as the Lord Iesus doth perswade all men to mercy so hee himselfe was most mercifull ready and willing to do good to the bodies and soules of men Hee is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and ready to helpe in time of need When he saw the multitude hee had compassion vpon them because they were dispersed and scattered abroad as sheepe hauing no Sheapheard And when he saw another great multitude which had nothing to eate he called his Disciples to him and said vnto them I haue compassion on the multitude because they haue now continued with me three dayes and haue nothing to eate and if I send them away fasting to their owne houses they will faint by the way for some of them came from farre And presently hee wrought a miracle for with seuen loues and
They liued in time of persecution they wanted the helpe of a good Magistrate All Kings and Princes were enemies to the Church at that time yet they tooke such good order and were so charitable that they suffered none to lacke among them It is a shame then for vs to suffer any to want necessary sustenance wee I say liuing in the daies of peace and plenty vnder a Christian King hauing so many good Lawes for the prouision and reliefe of the poore There is a memorable example of the Christians vnder Maximinus the Emperour In the time of famine many of the Heathens were preserued and saued from death by the mercy and liberallity of the Christians whereupon it came to passe that those which did deadly hate them before did now require their helpe and did openly confesse that the bowels of mercy were onely found amongst Christians that therefore Christian Religion was the true Religion which taught her worshippers true piety and godlinesse The which when Iulianus the Apostata afterwards obserued and marked least Christian Religion should bee the more esteemed because of such incredible kindnesse and mercy shewed to all sorts of people Iulienus I say euery where erected Hospitals and endewed them with yeerely reuenues And hee setteth downe this reason of his purpose writing to one Arsatius an Idolatrous Bishop It is a shame saith hee that the worshippers of the Gods should neglect their owne when as the wicked Galileans for so he had wont to call Christians releiued not onely their owne but also strangers yea â—uen the enemies of their Religion and suffered none of their owne to beg from dore to dore The most vnhappy Nation of the Iewes hauing no certaine resting place nor any forme of Common-wealth yet do they mainetaine and seed their owne least they should be constrained to craue help from Christians The French and Dutch Churches in this our Land they set all their owne on worke they suffer none to beg nor to want among them The Papists our Fore-fathers they did excell in liberallity to the Church and Common-wealth in Hospitality and Almes to the poore Wee haue many Monuments of their liberality amongst vs as Hospitals and Almes-houses for the releiefe of the needy with good Reuenues adioyned to them Nay the Papists adorned beautified and cloathed their dumbe Idols and Images and shall wee suffer poore people to want food and cloathing which carry vpon them the liuely Image of God All these examples are to our shame and condemnation and shall bee iudges and witnesses against vs at the day of the Lord. Wee professe the glorious Gospell of Christ wee haue the light of Gods word shining before vs wee haue daily Sermons and Exhortations stirring vs vp to the workes of mercy wee haue many good and godly Lawes agreeing to the Lawes of God and to the true discipline of the Church commanding and enioyning prouision and reliefe of the poore forbidding all idlenesse commanding all to bee set a worke and all that want to bee releiued according to their necessity and yet there be many idle persons amongst vs many would worke and cannot get it many though they do worke labour and toyle night and day as much as may be yet in respect of the hardnesse of the times all that they get will hardly prouide bread for them and theirs Others there bee that cannot worke at all and others but a very little yet these in many places are little regarded or prouided for Good Lawes wee haue and in this place I know there is good order and care taken for the poore Here bee many meanes for their reliefe which others want And I know there bee many tender mercifull and pittifull hearts pittying the needy estates of their brethren stretching forth their hands to their releife yet considering the hardnesse of the time and how vnmercifull and hard hearted some are which yet are of great estate and ability and considering also the multitude and great number of the poore which increase daily Your care your pitty your liberallity your collections and almes publicke or secret had need bee more then ordinary And therefore I beseech you deerely beloued in the bowels of Christ as the Elect of God put on you the bowels of mercy consider your owne abilities and the great necessitie of so many and let it not grieue you to helpe and releiue them but freely frankly and cheerefully shew forth the fruite of your compassion loue and mercy to your distressed brethren and especially you Right Worshipfull Magistrates Gouernours do your best endeuours according to your place and callings to see this seruice and worke performed by your counsell and example to perswade and draw as many as you can to this duty And as for those that are rich yet cruell couetous hard-heartd and vnmercifull compell and force them by rigour of Law to giue that to good vses which they are vnwilling to giue at all All the poore vnder your gouernement be they neuer so many they are your cure and charge you must see them prouided for if any of them perish through your default their bloud shall bee required at your hands The good Minister is to be a mouth for the poore to speake and entrâ—ate for them and also by his example as much as he may to go before others in the duties of mercy But the good Magistrate is not onely to bee a good mouth for the poore but an hand an eare an eye and a foote for them to speake to heare to see to go to do what lyeth in him both for the defence and reliefe of the poore As God forbiddeth all cruelty and priuate reuenge in the sixth Commandement so he commandeth all care and meanes to preserue the liues of our brethren now releife of the needy is a meanes to preserue life he that releeueth not when he may and when there is great necessity offendeth against this Commandement and is a murtherer Non pauisti occidisti thou hast not fed saith one therefore thou hast killed A Lampe is quenched not onely by blowing it out but by keeping away the oile to feed it A fire is quenched not onely by water but by keeping away wood from it In a great drought many hearbs do die not onely by plucking vp but for want of watring So many poore people for want of food which they should haue by the care of good Gouernours and charitable good people many I say for want of meanes and prouision doe decay pine and perish which is most shamefull fearefull lamentable and intollerable in a Christian State But I nothing doubt of your care and dilligence to performe this so worthy and necessary duty I know you are dayly put in minde of these things and therefore I will cease to vrge this point any further Onely by the way let mee giue some few instructions and caueats and some comforts to the poorer sort These must know that God hath so ordained and appointed in his
prouidence that there shall bee some poore as long as the world endureth Let them therefore bee content with their state seeing God who knoweth what is best for them hath so decreed it in his Wisedome It may bee if they had riches they would abuse them in pride and wantonnesse he can if he see good turne their want into plenty Let them know that many worthy men haue beene in want and necessity Let them take their pouerty as a crosse and let them be patient and humble the rather because sometimes their owne idlenesse and loosenesse of life hath caused it let them repent of their sinnes past let them take heed hereafter of pride enâ—y slothfulnesse and vnlawfull shifts and meanes Let them depend vpon God and cast their whole care vpon him and though they bee poore in the world let their chiefe care bee to bee rich in grace in knowledge and in faith and so they shall bee sure to bee greatly in the fauour of God Let euery one of them say with the Apostle I haue learned in what state I am there-with to bee content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to bee full and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth mee Let them bee kind and pittifull to those which bee in like case with them seeing they are in the same misery Let them bee thankefull towards their Benefactors and though some rich-men bee hard-hearted vnmercifull to theÌ„ let them not curse but blesse and pray to God for them who is able to mollifie and soften their hard hearts for it may bee God in his iustice doth turne the hearts of men from them because they haue turned their eares and hearts from him they haue beene hard hearted against God against Gods word and against their brethren and therefore the hearts of others are iustly hardened against them Let them remember and follow the example of poore Lazarus which though the rich man dealtmore cruelly with him theÌ„ did his dogs had no pitty at all of so poore a creature yet this poore man did neither grudge repine nor curse and therefore being full of faith and patience he was receiued into Abrahams bosome And finally seeing that God hath such a great care of the poore in making so many Lawes for them in giuing so many preceps for their reliefe and taketh their cause to be his owne and seeing he hath appointed Ministers to speake for them and Officers and Magistrates yea Kings and Princes for their defence and reliefe Let the poore I say bee carefull to serue feare that God which is so carefull of them let them reuerence and loue the Ministers louingly embrace that word which doth perswade moue prouoke all men to the duties of mercy loue liberality Let them honor the Magistrates who are appointed as fathers vnto them who take care and watch and take continuall paines to comfort and helpe them And let them say in their soules blessed be God for good Gouernours And thus we haue heard many good parts of good Gouernours that by their meanes the wicked are punished the good are praised and countenanced euery man possesseth his owne oppressions and wrongs are suppressed the poore and needy are comforted and relieued and all these benefits duties this gracious Queene includeth in these words Equity and Righteousnesse One duty yet remaineth which is also a part of Equity and that is to establish and mainetaine true Religion this is the first chiefe duty of a good Prince though I haue referred it to the last place Good Princes are not onely to haue a care of iustice in punishing the wicked of mercy in defending the good and releeuing the distressed but also to plant and maintane the worship of God in their Kingdomes Thus much wee haue heard already that Religion Diuine Wisedome belongeth to all sorts degrees of men to rich and poore to yong old to men women children and most of all to Princes Gouernours who are to be giudes and ringleaders to others We haue examples before our eyes of a religious Queene comming so great and long a iourny to be resolued in the truth of religion reposing the greatest happines in true heauenly wisedome Here also is the example of Salomon a mirrour of Religion and Diuine Wisedom to all the world who also planted and established the true worship of God in his Kingdome We haue heard also that God is the authour of the callings of Kings and Princes that they are in his steed and carry his Name and Image therfore they of all others are to be most Religious to be most carefull that the true God who hath so highly aduanced them may bee worshipped and serued in their Kingdomes And this is Equity and Righteousnesse to command establish the Law and Seruice of their Creator and Protector And further wee haue heard that it is the duty of Gouernours to ouerthrow and roote out all false worship all false doctrine heresie and idolatry as all these are to bee remoued so in steed of these good Princes are to plant true Religion to establish faithfull Teachers in their Kingdomes They must be examples of Religion and Piety to others they must guide their families so carefully religiously that they may be patternes and presidents to others If Religion be first in their owne hearts also planted in their houshold and families they will be also carefull that all the people committed to their charge may feare God be truely Religious This is part of the counsell of Iethro Moses father in law wishing him that hee should prouide not onely men of courage and iust men hating couetousnesse but also such as feared God There be generall places in the Scripture as Loue God with all thine heart with all thy soule with all thy strength Feare God and keep his CoÌ„mandements Seeke for Gods Kingdome Labor for the meat that neuer perisheth These such like commandements exhortations as they belong to all Christians so also to Magistrates They are keepers of both the Tables of the Commandements therfore to maintaine the one as well as the other they must see as well the duties to God performed to him as the duties to meÌ„ one to another They must haue a care not only of iustice peace ciuil honesty but also of the sincerity of Religion The King is commanded to haue the book of the Law to reade in it continually that so he may learne to feare both his God and to keep al the words of the Law Dauid saith Be wise ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare reioyce in trembling kisse the sonne least hee bee angry And in another place he saith Kings of the earth all people Princes
all that iudge the world â—ong men maids old men children let them praise the Lord his Name is onely to bee exalted and his praise aboue the earth the heauens Dauid before his death chargeth his son Salomon to walke in the Waies of God and to keepe his Statutes that so he might prosper in that he tooke in hand Princes we heard are fathers of the Country of the Church Common-wealth Now the Apostle exhorts fathers to bring vp their children in the feare of the Lord. Dauid Prepared a place for the Arke of God and pitched for it a Tent and gathered all Israel together to Ierusalem to bring vp the Arke of Gâ—d to his place which he had ordained for it so he they brought it with great ioy Salomon after he had built a famous house for God Hee blessed the people hee praiseth the Lord hee prayeth to God for those that should pray in the Temple Asah destroyeth Idolatry and commandeth his people to serue the true God and they made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soule and whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel shall be slaine whether hee be great or small man or woman they sware vnto the Lord with a loud voyce and all Iuda reioyced at the oath Iehoshaphat he walked in the waies of his father Dauid sought the Lord God of his fathers and walked in his CoÌ„mandements and tooke away Idolatry and sent forth Teachers with the book of the Law of the Lord who went about through the Citties of Iudah taught the people In time of distresse he prayed vnto the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah and humbled his soule and asked counsell of the Lord. Hezekiah repaireth the Temple aduertiseth the Leuits of the corruption of Religion the King and his Princes sacrifice ian the Temple he coÌ„mandeth the Passe-ouer to be kâ—pt exhorteth his people to returne to the Lord. Good Iosiah destroyeth Idâ—lâ— repaireth the Temple took away all the abhominationâ— out of all the countries that pertaine to the children of Israel compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God Nehemiah reproueth and reformeth the prophanation of the Sabboath The Lord stirred vp Cyrus King of Persia to build him an house in Ierusalem And see the zeale of that King in furthering the building of that house Nebuchadnezzar maketh a decree that euery People Nation and Language which speake any blasphemy against the God of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego should be drawne in â—â—eces their houses should bee mâ—de a Iâ—kes because there is no God that can delâ—â—â—r after this sort Darius maketh a Decree that in all the Deminions of his Kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel for hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer The King of Niniue after hee heard the Preaching of Ionah hee beleeued God hee proclaimed a fast and commanded his Subiects to cry mightily vnto God and to turne from their euill way Thus wee see by all these examples that good Princes are to haue a care of Religion both in themselues and others And here is a further blessing of a good King that wee haue not onely by his meanes iustice peace and ciuill honesty protection of body and goods but also true Religion and the worship of the true God and the Gospell of Christ commanded and enioyned and established amongst vs by many good Lawes and Statutes Now for a conclusion of the duties of good Gouernours let them remember these counsels directions and examples A worthy King by his last will gaue this aduise to his son and successour saying Be deuout in the seriuce of God bee in heart pittifull charitable to the poore comfort theÌ„ with thy good deeds keep the good Lawes of the Realme take no Subsidies nor releise of thy Subiects but vpon vrgent necessity for to profite the Common-wealth vpon iust cause voluntarily Iulius Pollux Gouern or of the Emperour Commodus in his youth giueth him these titles calling him Father of the people Gentle Louing Merciful Wise Iust courteous Couragious despising Mony not subiect to Passion but commanding ouer himselfe ouercomming Lust vsing reason quick of coÌ„ceit Sober Religious carefull for his Subiects Constant no deceiuer adorned with Authority ready in his affaires prouided to doe well slow to reuenge Affable gracious in speech open-hearted a louer of the vertuous desirous of peace valiant in warre an example of good manners to his subiects a maker of good lawes and an obseruer of the same There was a worthy Table as is recorded found at Thebes by Marcus Aurelius and at his death giuen to his sonne as a precious Iewell conteining these protestations and sentences following I neuer exalted the proud rich man neither hated the poore that was iust I neuer denied iustice to the poore for his pouerty neither pardoned the wealthy for his riches I neuer benefited nor gaue reward for affection nor punished for passion onely I neuer suffered euill to escape vnpunished neither goodnesse vn-rewarded I neuer committed the execution of manifest iustice to another neither determined that which was difficult by my selfe alone I neuer denied Iustice to him that asked it neither Mercy to him that deserued it I neuer punished in anger nor promised benefite in mirth I was neuer carelesse in prosperity neither faint-hearted in aduersity I neuer did euill vpon mallice nor commited villany for couetousnesse I neuer opened my gate to the flatterer nor gaue care to the backe-biter I alwayes sought to be loued of the good and feared of the wicked Lastly I alwayes fauoured the poore that were able to doe little and God who was able to do much fauoured me A mirrour for Magistrates a patterne for Princes and happy are they that in the end of their gouernement can truely say thus at least let Gouernours striue and endeuour to the vtmost of their power to learne and practise these lessons and to performe all other duties of their callings And thus we haue heard the chiefe and principall doctrines concerning the Magistrate as the necessity authority and dignity and duty of their callings This doctrine is necessaâ—y and profitable often to bee vrged and serueth for many good vses By this the Magistrate may be encouraged and comforted in the execution of all the parts of his calling hauing his allowance and warrant from God By this hee is stirred vp and prouoked to zeale and religion and holinesse of life seeing hee carrieth vpon him the name the place and Image of God By this doctrine he may see the greatnesse the difficulty and the heauy burden of his calling which may bee a cause sufficient to humble him in the sight of God and men In consideration wherof he may say with the Apostle who is sufficient for these things And let him pray with
saith he too late to learne that which is needfull and though it bee more fit for old men to teach then to learne yet it is better to learne then to be ignorant Another saith It is a thing I desire and is most worthy to learne euen to my last age because that no age is so sufficient to learne throughly all that we need Againe saith another Be willing to learne of all that which thou knownest not thy selfe because humility can make that common to thee which Nature hath made proper to any thou shalt be wiser then all if thou bee willing to learne of all they are most rich of all which receiue from all Moses was content to hearken to the counsell of his Father-in-law in choosing officers to be assistant to him in his great charge Dauid receiueth and accepteth the counsell of Abigail a woman and blesseth her in her counsell Naaman the Syrian hearkeneth to the counsell of his maid wishing him to send to Elisha for the curing of his leprosie and the same noble man obeyed the counsell of his seruants aduising him to do as the Prophet bad him The blessed virgin was content to receiue instruction from the Sheapheards of those things which shee knew before Apollos an eloquent man mighty in the Scriptures instructed in the way of the Lord feruent in the spirit is content to receiue further instruction from Aquila and Priscilla which were far his inferiors The Apostle wisheth the Colossians to put Archippus in mind of his duty wishing them to say to Archippus Take heed to the Ministery that thou bast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it The vse of this doctrine is chiefly for reproofe of proud and scornfull persons which either scorne all instructions or at least they reiect the counsels of meane persons and of their inferiours Gouernours scorne to learne of their subiects the old disdaine to learne of the yonger parents wil not hearken to their children noâ— maisters to their seruants Ministers scorne to receiue admonition from the people yea from their fellow-ministers if they be of meaner gifts or lesse account in the world And this is the cause that so many holy counsels and Sermons of godly Ministers are reiected or little regarded because they themselues are men of no great estimation in the world Worthy is that example of the Eunuch Treasurer of Aethiopia who did so willingly hearken to Philip and kindly entertaine him for this noble man reading the Prophet Esay in his Chariot being demanded of Philip if he vnderstood that hee read hee did not taunt nor scorne this poore Preacher but confessed his ignorance willingnesse to learne and kindly entertained Philip took him into the chariot with him It is pride of heart and want of humility that causeth men to scorne good instructions from meane persons The Lord sendeth such proud men to the very beastes to learne from them The Oxe knoweth his owner saith he and the Asse his Maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne Againe the Storke in the Aire knoweth her appointed times the Turtle the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. And Iob saith Aske now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowles of the heauen and they shall tell thee Our Sauiour Christ to draw his Disciples to humility setteth a child before them to bee their Teacher saying Verily I say vnto you except yee bee conuerted and become as little children ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen whosoeuer therefore shall humble himselfe as this little child the same is the greatest in the Kingdome of heauen Wee must bee lowly tractable docible and willing to learne as good children are Salomon so execellent a man so extraordinarily wise so famous in all learning is content to receiue the instruction and admonition of this woman a stranger his scholler nothing comparable to him in any grace yet doth hee take in good part her counsell teaching him nothing but that which he knew well enough before And thus at last we haue gone through and finished as wee could this short sweete and worthy Story wherein wee haue laid before our eyes an example of a blessed Queene of a blessed Hearer of a blessed Teacher and of a blessed King Now the Lord the most wise God the Father of all good giftes make vs all the true children and schollers of true Wisedome that wee may esteeme that as our chiefe felicity in earth that so the King in ruling the Nobles and Magistrates in assisting Ministers in teaching People in hearing and obeying may bee truely blessed in this life and fully blessed for euer in the life to come in the place of eternall blessednesse in the Kindome of the true Salomon CHRIST IESVS who sitteth at the right hand of his Father and with Equity and Righteousnesse shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearing Amen FINIS Psal 148. 11. 12. 13. 1. Tim. 5. 1. Tit. 2. 1. 1. Ioh. â— 13. 14. Eccle. 12 1. Eph. 6. 4. Pro. 22. 6. Pro. 10. 1. Pro. 23. 24. 25. Luke 1. 14. 15. 2. Ioh 4. 2. Chron 34. 1. 2. Prou 4. 3. 4. Mat 21. 15. 2. Tim. 3. 15. â—5 9. 3 4 Psal 10â— 1. 5 Ambr. lib. off cap. 17. Gen. 49. 22. Exod. 25. 2. 3. 4. 5. c. Origen in Exod. Mat. 25. Luk 21. 1. Rom. 15. 5. Phil. 1. 9. 10. 1. Coloss 1. 10. 1. Thes 5. 23. 24. 2. Tim. 3. 16. 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. Psalme 19. 7. Pro 22. 17. Pro 23. 23. Mat. 2. 1. Luke 8. 2. Act. 8. 27 Deut. 16. 1 Sam. 1. 3. Gal 1. 18. Prou. 4. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 7. Mal. 2. 7. Math. 17. 36. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Sam. 25 32. Lu. 11. 27. Cal. 4. 14. Esai 2. 3. Zâ—ch 8. Iohâ— 1. 4. 45. Iohn 4. Psal 119. 7. Psal 119. 164. Luke 10. 21. Act. 8. 8. 1. Cor. 14. 25. Pro 3. 9. Mat. 〈◊〉 41. 42. Mat. 25. 35. 2. Tim. 1. 16. 1. Tim. 5. 17. Gal 6. 6. 2. King 4 8. Luk. 8. 3. Act 10 4 8. Act 16. 15. Actes 16. 15. Actes 16. 34. Pro. 12. 8. Ecc. 4. 13. Ecc. 9. 16. 1. Sam. 2. 30. Iob. 1. 1. Math. 11. Luke 1. 6. Esai 5. 20. Vse Mat. 6. Bernard Psal 115. 1. 1. Cor 4. 7. 1. Cor. 15. 10. 2. Cor. 10. 17. 18. Iohn 9. Mat 21 Mat. 27. â—â—ct 28. â— Cor. 4. 3. 4. Pro 28. 23. Psal 141. 5. Iohn 5. 44. Iohn 12. 42. 43. Bernard Pro. 27. 2. August in Psalm 144 Ps 8â— 11. De ciuit dei lib. 19. cap 1. Cap 4. Aug. de ciuit dei lib 14. Cap â—5 Lib 5. 18. Aug de ciuit dei Lib 5. Cap. 16. Rom. 7. 2â— 2. Cor. 5. 1. 2. Phill 1. 23. Psal 84. 1. 2. 4. 10. Iohn 17. 24. August Heb 11. 24 25. Exod. 31. 1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Psal 19. 1. 1.
children The Kingly Prophet exhorts Kings of the earth and all people Princes and Iudges of the world young men and maydens also old men and children to prayse the name of the Lord. Saint Paul chargeth Timothie and Titus to teach old and young without exception Saint Iohn writeth his Epistle to fathers young men and children therefore the youngest are not exempted in regard of their young and tender yeeres Inasmuch as God is their Creator they are to remember him in the dayes of their youth Seeing in their first entrance into the world they haue beene baptised into the name of the blessed Trinitie and so haue taken vpon them the profession of true religion their proceeding and practise when they come to yeeres must be answerable to their beginning Further that age is slipperie weake dangerous and subiect to many temptations easilie seduced and ouercome by bad counsell and company They had neede therefore betimes to bee armed with the shielde of faith and sword of the spirit their witte and capacitie is then most fresh pregnant to conceiue remember keepe and hold good and gratious instructions Parents therefore are commaunded to bring vp their children in instruction and information of the LORD And it is the counsell of the wise man Teach a childe the trade of his way and when hee is olde he will not depart from it Againe yong men are subiect to death and must appeare before the great Iudge in that day as well as other Neede therefore haue they of due preparation Besides a religious disposition and behauiour in young age will bring them credit and honour all the dayes of their life and comfort ioy and peace of conscience in old age And what ioy what exceeding ioy will this be to Parents friends Tutors teachers and to all that loue and feare God A wise sonne saith Salomon maketh a glad father but a foolish sonne is a heauinesse to his mother It is therefore sayde of Iohn the Baptist that his father should haue ioy of him and many should reioyce at his birth because hee was filled with the holy Ghost in his mothers wombe Saint Iohn writing to that noble and worthie Lady reioyceth greatly that hee found her children walking in the trueth And examples we haue of grace and religion in the younger sorte Samuel from his childhood was consecrated and dedicated to the seruice of God Iosiah was but eight yeares old when he began to raigne in Ierusalem yet there was neuer any before nor after him more vertuous and religious Salomon though most tender and deare in the eyes of his father and mother yet in his young yeares was taught diuine and heauenly wisedome When our Sauiour Christ came riding to Ierusalem in a base manner though the Scribes and Pharises disdained him yet children cry Hosanna the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Timothie from his childhood had knowledge in the scriptures being instructed by his good Grandmother Lois and his mother Eunicâ— Iohn the Baptist grew and â—â—â—ed strong in the spirit and Iesus Christ being but 12. yeares old increased in wisedome in statute and fauour with God and men God will haue the first borne the first fruits and he that begins well is halfe his way Dimidium facti qui bene caepit habet The tree that buds not in the spring is dead and such as are deformed in youth neuer proue welfauoured in age As the arrow is first directed so it flyeth youth is compared to the day while it is day let vs walke in the light the night commeth when no man can worke The time of youth is the summer time with the Ant and Bee we must prouide in summer against winter The time of youth is compared to Haruest wherin men take the occasioÌ„ vse all meanes they can for the reaping and enioying of the fruits of the earth if they let that time slip all is lost He that sleepes in haruest is the sonne of confusion Dauid in his youth killeth the Lyon the Beare and great Goliah Sampson in his youth killed the Philistines let vs by our spirituall armour ouercome the wicked one euen in our young time Now besides all this giue me leaue Right Hon. to put you in remembrance of one worthie example of a noble young man Ioseph full of grace and vertue worthie to be imitated of Kings Princes and Potentates In this famous patterne I obserue these sixe vertues The first is his rare chastitie who being tempted to follie by his mistresse did flatly refuse her saying How can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God He knew with Iob that this was is a wickednesse and iniquitie to be condemned yea that it is a fire which shall deuoure to destruction and shall roote out all his encrease The second vertue in young 〈◊〉 which is the ground of all the rest is his religion and the true feare of God in his heart All his actions and all his proceedings doe sauour of the feare of God It was this that kept him from that grosse iniquitie He ascribes the interpretatioÌ„ of dreams not to himselfe but to God He protesteth to his brethren that he feareth God And againe when he made himselfe knowne to his brethren he said Be not sad neither grieued with your selues that you sold me hither for God did send me before you for your preseruation And when his father asked him of his sonnes These are my sons sayd he which God hath giuen me This is the chiefe vertue in great persons the best Nobilitie A third vertue in Ioseph is his faithfulnes to his Prince He gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the corne which hee bought not for his owne priuate vse but for the profit of the King his maister And as he is carefull to preserue the royall dignitie of the King and seeketh the wealth of Pharoah so hee hath a pittifull heart to the poore distressed people and is carefull to relieue them This is an excellent vertue in great persons which serue in the Court not to seeke their owne priuate gaine but the credit and wealth of their Prince and yet to haue louing and merciful hearts to the poore distressed commons The fourth vertue in Ioseph is his seueritie and clemencie wisely mixed together Hee speaketh roughly to hiâ— brethren hee threatens them and chargeth them to be spyes and yet his heart is full of compassion and loue When they are truely humbled know themselues hee doth entertaine them kindly and receiue them with much ioy And this is a speciall vertue required of Princes and Magistrates They must with Dauid in the gouerning of their Court Church Common-wealth and house strike on these two strings Mercie and Iudgement They must bee seuere and rough against notorious offenders and yet