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
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
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
the other it may be some are drawne to publike meetings by feare by examples by lawe by custome but when we are alone in priuate or fewe with vs then to speake of the word then oftentimes to thinke and muse of it euen in our priuie chamber this is a sure signe of sincere loue Againe if we doe sincerely loue and worthily praise this wisedome our care and endeuour will be to mainetaine the dignitie and credit of wisedome by our godly life and conuersation we must be not onely professors but practitioners and how can they be said to be the sonnes and daughters of wisedome which do follow the examples and customes of follie these do staine pollute their profession are but like foolish builders foolish Virgines not adorning the doctrine of wisedome but dishonouring it Let your conuersation be such saith the Apostle as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that which we loue we seeke to credit to beautifie and to honor it by all meanes we can we will not suffer it to be disgraced or defiled by our default The very heathen will not suffer their false Gods to be dishonored or defaced by any and shall we wilfully dishonor and discredit the excellencie maiestie of wisdome by our wicked liues conuersations If any man loue me saith Christ he will keep my words Again ye are my friends if you doe whatsoeuer I command you An other signe of our loue and estimation to wisedome is to hate detest and abhorre all falsehood follie as sworne enemies to true wisedome I hate vaine inuentions saith Dauid but thy law I do loue light and darknes truth and lies wisedome and follie are opposite they cannot be reconciled Elias and Baalls Priests Michiah and false Prophets Amos and Amasias the Arke of God and Dagon God and Baall Iewes and Samaritans Beleeuers and Infidells Papists and Protestants cannot agree together In all the booke of the Prouerbes the wise man and the foole wisedome and follie are opposed one against another the sonnes of wisedome are the sonnes of light now the nature of light is to expell mysts and cloudes to discouer and reproue many vncleane things but it cannot be defiled with any and it hath no fellowship with vnfruitfull workes of darkenes Wisedome is a chaste matron folly and error is a harlot and therefore their must needs be discention betwixt them the friends of wisdome must needs flie and abhorre al seducers and deceiuers Therefore sayth Salomon Depart from the foolish man when thou perceiuest not in him the lips of knowledge And againe My sonne heare no more the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge Though seducers be subtill and we are apt to erre yet this is the power and vse of wisedome to keepe vs sound and safe from error this wisdome doth build vs vp in sound faith and knowledge and doth make vs stable and constant and is a speciall preseruatiue against the deceit and craftines of foolish and false Prophets Finally another more sure argument of our truâ— loue to this wisedome euen then to loue it and most highly to esteeme of it when it is generally disgraced contemned and persecuted of the world it is an easie matter to heare and professe it in the time of peace and prospeitie when the profession of it is commanded and approued by the power of Princes wisedome then hath many friends but the tryall of true loue and friendship is then when most men doe appose and set themselues against the profession of wisedome euen then to esteeme it our felicitie euen then to loue it dearely and defend it this I say is a true signe of loue indeed Such a loue had Dauid when many were enemies and persecutors of the truth Princes sayth he did sit and speake against me but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes also thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellers the proud haue had me exceedingly in derision yet haue I not declined from thy law Againe the bands of the wicked haue robbed me but I haue not forgotten the law the proud haue imagined a lye against me but I will keepe thy precepts with my whole heart The profession of wisedome is not alwayes peaceable but oftentimes bringeth with it hatred and contempt our flesh is enemie to it and Sathan doth trouble vs by seducers and persecutors but wee must stand firmely for the maintenance of the truth and defend this our felicitie though it be to the losse of life and liuing men do striue contend for maintenance of their riches their freeholds and liues and shall not we stand for defence of that which is better more worth then all these things If any man come to me sayth Christ and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my disciple His meaning is that we must cast off all affections to our dearest friends which draw vs from Christ And in the same place he doth teach vs that when we begin our profession we must make full account to hazard our credit goods and life for it or else our beginning is rash and vnaduised and men will scorne vs fooles because we began and could not make an end The Apostle commendeth the Thessalonians because they became followers of him and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost And in another place he sayeth that it was giuen to the Philippians for Christs cause not onely to beleeue in him but to suffer for his sake And the Hebrewes are commended because after they had receiued the light they endured a great â—ight in afflictions partly while they were made a gazing-stocke both by reproches and afflictions and partly while they became companions of them for both you sorrowed sayth he for my bonds and suffred with ioy the spoiling of your goods knowing of your selues how that you haue in heauen a better an enduring substance The last vse that I make of the former doctrine is a comfort to the true sonnes and daughters of wisedome Their state is most happie and blessed and they are in the right way to eternall happines they haue many discomforts and discouragements in the world and are accounted of all other most wretched and vnhappie But what need they care for the blind rash and false iudgement of men seeing for this cause the world knoweth vs not because it knoweth not God and the voice of wisdome the voice of God and good men doth pronounce vs happie and our owne conscience doth testifie to vs that we walke in the right path to euerlasting blessednes Indeed the wicked they say It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commandements and that wee walke humbly before the Lord of hostes therefore we count the proud blessed euen they that worke
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
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
their hearts must be full of loue pittie and compassion The fift vertue in noble Ioseph is his patience and magnanimitie in suffering so great wrongs and iniuries He was hardlie dealt with all by his brethren many waies being reuiled scorned and sold into Egypt by them falsely accused by his mistris and vniustly cast into prison by his maister In all his miseries he possessed his soule with patience and when it was in his power to bee reuenged of his brethren he bridleth his affections kindly entreateth them and ouercommeth euill with goodnesse Oh rare example of true Christian patience and courage he feedeth them he entertayneth them and preserueth them that had conspired against him The last vertue is his kindnesse loue and dutie to his father he inquireth of his brethren touching the life and health of his olde father In time of dearth hee sent prouision for him and his without money He sent Chariots to bring him and hâ—s familie into Egypt Hee went to meete his father Israel and presented himselfe vnto him falling on his necke and weeping a good while Hee bringeth him before Pharoah Hee placed his father and brethren giuing them possessions in the Land of Egypt in the best of the land He visiteth his sicke father he fell vpon his face wept vpon him and kissed him at his death performes his will and honorably burieth him And to this kindnes al are bound by the law of God nature by the care loue benefits of Parents towards them for which we are neuer able to make sufficient recoÌ„pence These are the chiefe and Princely vertues in a Noble person worthie to bee imitated of all the sonnes of Nobles Most worthie is that of Ambrose Esâ— bonorum adolescentium timorâ—m dei habere deferre parentibus honorem c. It is required of good yong men to haue the feare of God to giue honour to their parents to reuerence their elders to keepe themselues chaste bee humble and lowly to loue kindnesse and shamefastnes which are ornaments to young age for as grauitie is commended in olde men so shamefastnes in young men as if it were by the gift and dowry of nature Isaacke a childe fearing God the sonne and heyre of Abraham giueth such honour to his father that hee refused not death at his fathers pleasure Ioseph also when hee dreamed that the Sunne and Moone and Starres shoulde worshippe him yet was hee still carefull to honour his father so chaste that hee would not haue an vnchaste worde so shamefast that hee fled from his mistresse so humble that hee was content to serue so patient that hee cheerefully suffered imprisonment so readie to forgiue iniurie that hee preferred those that sought his life Therefore the blessing of his father fell vpon him These things I write Right Honourable not that I doubt eyther of your good education or vertuous disposition but hearing of your good beginning and proceedings in grace my purpose is onely to comfort and encourage you in that good way where you are already entred But for further direction I referre you to the Sermons following which I haue dedicated to your Honour together with that worthie Citie where they were preached and where your Honour now to the comfort of many doth succeed your worthie father in place and authoritie The cause of my dedication to your Honour is First loue to your selfe heartily wishing continuance and increase in grace being the speciall ioy hope and ornament of our Countrey An other cause is the dutie I owe to your Hoâ—ourable parents to whom both I and mine are so farre obliged that wee shall neuer bee able so much as to bee sufficiently thankfull much lesse to requite them And thus I beseech the Almighty God the father of all gifts to bestow vpon your Honour the portion of Ioseph all the noble vertues and graces that were in him all true prosperitie and honour in this life and an eternall inheritance in that blessed and heauenly Canaan prepared and purchased by the blood of Christ for all such as truely beleeue in him Your Honours to command alwaies in the Lord THOMAS GIBSON TO THE RIGHT Worshipful M. Mayor of Couentry the Iustices Aldermen Sheriffes to all the rest of that corperation and to all within the liberties of that Citie which sincerely professe and loue the truth of Christs Gospel T G wisheth all happines in this life and euerlasting glory in the life to come SVch is the gratious fauour kindnes of our good mercifull God towards his children seruants here on earth Right worshipfull and beloued in the Lord that in his loue he vouchsafeth to accept and to approue their weake seruice and workes so that they be done and performed with honest right and good affections And thus he accepteth our prayer hearing receiuing almes and other actions being weakely and vnperfectly performed by vs. And if the Lord were not of this gratious inclination and nature wee might be vtterly discouraged to doe him any seruice at all considering the manifold wants and infirmities that are in vs. But being sure of his fauour and acceptance and of our owne honest desires and affections to doe more and better then wee can performe and being sorrie wee can doe no better we are emboldned to performe any dutie and seruice to so good a God and louing a father and it is his owne will and commandement that we should doe so Thus he saith to Moses about the building of the materiall tabernacle Speake to the childreÌ„ of Israel that they receiue an offering for me of euery man whose heart giueth it freely Yet shall take the offering for me and this is the offering which you shall take of them gold siluer and brasse and blew silke purple and scarlet and fine linnen and goates haire Rammes skins coloured red the skins of Badgers and the wood Shiâ—im From whence we are to learne that God requireth the offerings of his people for the building of his tabernacle and furthering his seruice Againe that he requireth not a compelled but a cheerfull seruice a true sincere ioyfull heart and affectioÌ„ And further we learne that the endeuour and labour of those which any way helpe the spirituall building either by cost or counsell so farre as they may is a seruice pleasing to God For we see things there offered be of diuerse kinds some more pretious some base and vile There be difference of gifts in building the spirituall tabernacle some are endewed with gold some with siluer some with blew silke and all profitable Such as God hath giuen such we are to bring and God will accept it Some things God appointed that the poorest might be able to offer and no man shut out for want of abilitie they may bring wood stone or at least Goates haire Euery one in his calling as he hath receiued must doe his vttermost endeuour to further the building Some by preaching some by writing some by
Iustice that impietie in religion and false worship is the ouerthrowe of kingdomes and as the whole storie is of great vse and instruction to the Church so especially the Chronicle of Dauid the father and Salomon the sonne they being the first Kings that God gaue to Israel next to Saul yea indeed the first that God gaue his people in loue men qualified with extraordinarie graces the one a Prophet the other a Preacher both of them tipes and figures of Christ Iesus the true Dauid and Salomon Their storie is large and long as you may reade in the two bookes of Samuel and a great part of the first booke of the Kings and further in the first booke of the Chronicles and the nine first Chapters of the second booke Touching Salomon in those bookes there is set downe the fauour of God towards him in appearing familiarly twise vnto him the singular blessings of wisedome honor and riches bestowed vpon him the care of Salomon in building the Temple Gods house according to his minde his ioy praise and sacrifices for the same now this chapter in hand containeth two generall heads First a profitable and pleasant storie of the Queene of the south Secondly the magnificence and greatnes of Salomon This text is a branch of the first part and containeth a worthie commendation of Salomon First commending the happie gouernment of his familie secondly of his whole kingdome whatsoeuer is in these two short sentences of scripture all is worthie and excellent and of great force to drawe reuerence and attention whether we consider the person that speaketh the partie to whom it is spoken or the matter and subiect it selfe the speaker no simple nor base person though the weaker vessell a woman yet of great estate and maiestie a famous Royall Queene the person to whom this is spoken is no lesse a man then Salomon a most worthie and glorious King of Israel beloued and chosen of God excelling all the Kings of the earth in riches honor and wisedome A liuely tipe and figure of Christ Iesus the sonne of God the King of all Kings and Lord of heauen and earth The matter and subiect here handled and commended is neither riches nor pleasure nor the pompe nor the glorie of the world but wisedome diuine wisedome which she saw and heard in Salomon and for the enioying whereof she tooke so tedious so long and costly a iourney after her conference with Salomon and after she heard him speake so diuinely to her selfe and other strangers to his courtiers seruants and people her heart being inamoured with loue of this wisedome and feeling the power and vertue of it working in her soule she crieth and exclaimeth Happie are these thy men happie are these thy seruants which stand euer before thee and heare thy wisedome c. Before we come to this speech it selfe it shall not be amisse to say some thing of the speaker a woman a Queene of excellent vertues the whole speech it selfe commends her for here she speaketh reuerently of Salomon commending and magnifying his wisedome she confesseth and worshippeth the true God she acknowledgeth him to be the disposer of kingdomes and Israel to be his people she putteth Salomon in minde of the dutie of a King She is a tipe of the calling of the Gentiles and finally she is commended by Christ himselfe in the Gospell as we shall see hereafter And though all the world and all the Kings of the earth sought to see Salomon and to heare his wisedome yet this woman is especially named commended and a whole storie is written of her because it was a great matter and almost a wonder that a woman should take so great so troublesome and tedious a iourney and it seemeth her zeale and pietie exceeded all the rest In the beginning of this chapter it is set downe whence she came namely from Sheba being as Christ saith from the vttermost part of the earth that the fame of Salomon moued her to come that she came with a great traine and brought with her sweet odours gold and precious stones the end of her comming was to proue SalomoÌ„ with hard questions in matters of religion and as she spared neither paines nor cost but cheerfully tooke vpon her so great a iourney so when she is come she is carefull to learne and enquire of the true knowledge of God to be satisfied and resolued concerning all points she stood in doubt of she confesseth her ignorance and neglecteth no occasion to doe her soule good And now after Salomon had answered all things to the full she highly commends him she stirreth vp his courtiers subiects and seruants to be thankfull for such a Maister Lord and King she reioyceth praising God for him and after in token of thankfulnes she bestoweth vpon him gold odors and precious stones she could not then perfectly learne true religion in her owne countrie Ierusalem was the seate and schoole of religion the scripture not being then in all tongues as it was after in the time of the Apostles therefore she commeth so farre to learne true wisedome both for her priuate comfort and the publike good of her people and now hauing found felt and inioyed it she both blesseth God the Author and Salomon the teacher In this example we are to obserue diuers worthie notes and markes of gracious and good hearers First in that she seekes for wisedome and such things as concerne the name of the Lord and that from Salomon who was so wise in so great a measure Good hearers must follow her example not to seeke for follie or fables but for true wisedome and that from the true Salomon Christ Iesus in his word and Gospell For the scriptures onely as the Apostle saith are able to make vs wise vnto saluation And the Psalmist saith The lawe of the Lord is perfect conuerting soules and giueth wisedome to the simple Salomon himselfe giues this counsell Incline thine eare heare the words of the wise and applie thine heart to my knowledge Secondly good hearers after this worthie patterne must refuse no paines nor labor for the attaining of this wisedome The wise man will haue vs call and crie for it to seeke it as siluer and search for it as for treasures And againe buy the truth but sell it not likewise wisedome and instruction and vnderstanding when Christ was borne at Bethlem in Iudea there came certaine wise men from the East to Ierusalem to seeke for him this woman and they in many things are much alike they were some great men she a Queene they came to Ierusalem so did she they came to seeke Christ she came to Salomon the figure of Christ they enquire of the Priests to be satisfied where Christ should be borne she seeketh to be satisfied of her doubts from Sâ—lomon a preacher they seeing the starre leading them to Christ reioyced she hauing comfort and knowledge from Salomon reioyceth also they offer gold Incense
our greatest good and therfore are to beleeue and hope for it nor haue power to liue accordingly vnlesse our beleefe and prayer obtaine helpe of him who hath giuen vs that beleefe and hope that he will helpe vs but such as FouÌ„d the perfection of felicitie in this life placing it either in the bodie or in the minde or in both or to speake more apparantly either in pleasure or in vertue or in pleasure and rest together or in vertue or in both or in natures first effects Fondly and vainely are these men perswaded to find true happines here The Prophet scoffeth theÌ„ saying The Lord knoweth the thoghts of men Or as S. Paul hath it of the wise that they are vaine Some of the Philosophers haue counted vertue in a perfect life some in the tranquilitie of the minde some prosperitie with vertue some to be without sinne and some haue counted it the best happines to die well Solon being asked of Cressus who excelled all in riches whether euer he sawe a man more happier theÌ„ he He named one Tellus an Athenian a priuate man who had left his children and kinsefolke well brought vp and instructed had happily ended his daies and being asked againe whoÌ„ next to him he did thinke to be happie he named Cleobin and Bitis brethren men of small estate who were both dead and left behinde them a great name and praise of their pietie The King being angrie said vnto him doest thou theÌ„ put me in no place of happines Yes saith Solon I doe easily confesse that thou art a King flourishing with wealth and gouernment but yet not to be called happie before thou dost happily end thy life Of all the Philosophers Plato and his disciples came neerest to true Christianitie and in defining true happines he determined that the end of all good was the attaining of a vertuous life which none could doe but he that knewe and followed God neither is any man saith he happier by any other meanes and therefore he affirmeth that to be a Philosopher is to loue God whose nature is incorporiall the Philosopher is then blessed when he enioyeth God he held God to be the creator of the world the light of vnderstanding the good of all actions the beginning of nature the truth of doctrine the happines of life he saith it must be a wise mans continuall meditation to follow God and to be like him that is to be iust holy wise Finally he placeth beatitude true blessednes in the life to come these are diuine and heauenly points and therefore he was called Diuinus Plato and some thinke that he had seene some part of the scripture as Ieremiah or Geneses And a man would thinke that he wrote and spake like a Christian and in the things aboue named he and we doe agree but yet he was vaine in his imaginations and his foolish heart was full of darknes being ignorant of the true wisedome he held diuers grose errors as the worshipping of many Gods the eternitie of the world and denied the resurrection of our bodies but this we hold with him that there is no true felicitie in this life but in another and therfore it is rightly said the true beatitudâ— is vnattaineable in this life for none liues as he list but he is happie and none is happie but he is iust yet the iust liueth not as he list vntill he attaine that sure eternall hurtlesse vndeceiuing state that he naturally desireth and cannot be perfect till he haue his desire but what man here vpon earth can say hee liues as he list when his life is not in his owne hand he would liue faine and he must die how then liueth he as he list when he liueth not as long as he list but if he list to die how can he liue as he list that will not liue at all and if he desire to die not to forgoe all life but to change it for a better theÌ„ liueth he not yet as he list but attaineth that by dying But admit this he liueth as he list and brought himselfe to this to desire nothing but what is in his owne power as Tâ—â—rence saith Since you cannot haue what you would desire that which you may haue yet is he not blessed because he is a patient wretch for beatitude is not attained except it be affected and if it be both attained and affected then must this affect needs surmount all other because all other things are affected for this and if this be loued as it ought to be for he that loues not beatitude as it ought to be cannot be happie then cannot it choose but be desired to be eternall Againe earthly riches can neither blesse vs nor our Children with happines we must either lose them in this life or deeme them to be enioyed after our death by one we cannot tell whom perhappes by those wee would not should haue them no it is God the minds true wealth that makes vs happie and this happines is in the life to come there shall the Creator bestowe all the gifts of nature vpon vs and giue them not onely as goods but as eternall goods not onely to the soule by reforming it with wisedome but also to the body by restoring it to the resurrection there the vertues shall not haue any more conflicts with the vices but shall rest with the victorie of eternall peace which none shall euer disturbe for it is the finall beatitude hauing now attained a consummation to all eternitie We are said to be happie heere on earth when we haue that litle peace that goodnes can affoord vs but compare that happines with that other and this shall be held but plaine miserie there is health without infirmitie strength without decay fulnes without loathing freedome without bondage beautie without deformitie abundance without want securitie without feare knowledge without ignorance or error holines without sinne Ioy without any sorrowe Ioy I say full vniuersall sufficient eternal what a glory and Ioy to haue alwaies the presence and sight of God whose beautie the Angels doe wonder at whose light darkeneth the Sunne Oh blessed sight to see God to see him in himselfe to see him in vs and vs in him Oh happie sweetnes and sweete happines whatsoeuer we desire we haue it desiring no more at all and whatsoeuer we shall haue we shall loue with a blessed loue all things to be desired are to be found in him his countenance sweete and amiable he is sufficient for reward we shall alwaies behold him haue and enioy him delight in him This is the whole good and felicitie of man to knowe and loue him that loued him what dost thou loue oh my soule what desirest thou oh my flesh whatsoeuer thou louest or desirest there it is If thou louest and desirest beautie there the righteous shall shine as the Sunne is the kingdome of the Father If thou desire health and life there it is for euer If
wisedome there is wisedome it selfe If true loue then we shall loue God more then our selues and one another as our selues If thou louest companie there is the best all thy good friends and kindred the blessed Saints Martyrs and Angels If thou desirest honor and glorie there we shall be as the Angels of God our bodies shall be like the glorious bodie of Christ and this mortalitie shall put on immortalitie If thou desirest riches there is an heritage and kingdome that neuer fadeth away If thou louest mirth musicke and melodie there is a consort of Angels singing Alleluia glory honor and praise be to the Lambe for euer If thou wouldest haue certaintie safetie and securitie there we are sure to loose none of these things no enemie can assault vs no enemie can hurt vs the Citie of God saith a Father is eternall no man is borne in it because no man dieth in it felicitie is there fullie yet no goddesse but a Gods gift of this habitation haue we a promise by faith As long as wee are here in this pilgrimage on earth and long for that rest aboue the Sunne riseth not there both vpon good and bad but the Sunne of righteousnes onely ouer the good how great shall that felicitie be where there shall be no euill thing where no good thing shall be hidden there we shall haue leisure to vtter forth the praises of God which shall be all things in all for what other thing is done where we shall not rest with any slothfulnes nor labor for any want I knowe not There shall be true honor where no man shall be praised for error or flatterie there is true peace where no man suffereth any thing which may molest him either of himselfe or any other hee himselfe shall be the reward of vertue which hath giuen vertue and hath promised himselfe vnto vs then whom nothing can be better or greater there shall be the great Saboth hauing no euening there we shall rest and see we shall see and loue we shall loue and we shall praise And behold what shall be in the end without end for what other thing is our end but to come to that kingdome of which there is no end Oh most blessed incomparable and vnspeakeable felicitie but this is not to be found in this present world nor so long as we liue in thiâ— life no perfection no perpetuitie in earth why then should wee set our heart vpon the things of this world and vpon the loue of this life true felicitie we all desire but that is in heauen in an other life why doe we not then set our heaâ—t and affections aboue and not vpon the earth seeing we are strangers here why doe we not loue and long for our owne home and countrie if our treasure be there why is not our heart there why are we not rauished with the desire of our resurrection restitution glorification and full redemption this is the delight and desire of the godly Oh wretched man that I am saith Paul who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death And in an other place Wee knowe that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed wee haue a building giuen of God that is a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens therefore we sigh desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heauen And againe he saith That he desired to be loosed and to be with Christ and the bride the true spouse of Christ all true faithfull Christians crie in their soule Come Lord Iesu come quickly What a desire had Dauid to seeke and serue God in the Temple in the assemblie of Gods Saints on earth saying As the Hart bayeth for the riuers of waters so panteth my soule after thee ô God my soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God And againe O Lord of hostes my soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and flesh reioyceth in the liuing God blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will euer praise thee a day in thy courtes is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednes If Dauid had such a desire such loue such zeale such longing to the tabernacle to the company of Gods people in the publike assemblies on earth how much more should our affections be set and fixed vpon the heauenly tabernacle O Lord saith Dauid How manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches he confesseth the abundance of Gods mercies in this world in his workes of creation prouidence and preseruation of all mankinde and yet if all the world be so full of his mercies his Church militant here on earth hath farre greater mercies as his word and Sacraments election calling redemption and sanctification so that we may say how great is thy goodnes ô Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare and done to them that trust in thee And if the earth be full of so many temporall and generall mercies and the Church so full speciall and spirituall blessings how full is the life to come the kingdome of heauen of all perfect glorious and heauenly blessings Indeede the holy meetings of the Saints worshipping and praising God truely according to his worde hath some resemblance and shadow of our eternall happines in heauen and our felicitie there must begin in this life and there is a way and meanes to leade bring vs thither And of this happines speaketh this worthie woman in this place and our thoughts and meditations may applie this sentence further For if shee esteme and account the seruants and Courtiers of Salomon to bee happie because they enioy the sight and presence of so glorions a King Are not we to esteeme it as the best most perfect happines to enioy the presence of Christ the true Salomon and to bee with him in his house in euerlasting glorie Ierusalem the citie of God the beautie and ioy of the world the temple of Salomon most glorious and beautiful his owne house and Pallace most sumptuous costly and pleasant So that happie might they be counted which were citizens of such a Citie which might worship God in that Temple And indeed many came farre neere to their great cost and paines to offer seruice to God in that place and happy might they seeme to be which liued and dwelled in such a Pallace but all these were nothing in comparison of that Citie of that Temple of that Pallace whereof wee speake Those were earthly outward mutable and transitorie and subiect to ruine destruction these are Celestiall durable and euerlasting Our Pilgrimage being ended we shall be indeed citizens of that heauenlie and holy Ierusalem which shall be all of pure golde like vnto
art thou bee thou neuer so Riche or Honourable If thou wilt see what thou art looke vpon a man not aliue but deade what hee is such were his predecessors and what they are thou shalt be the same hereafter If thou looke well vpon thy selfe thou shalt finde in thee sufficient matter to contemne thy selfe What art thou in respect of thy bodie but a vessell of corruption That bodie which thou so tenderly louest it shall rotte and come to nothing What is more noysome then a deade bodie What is more miserable then mans life and most of all miserable in respect of his soule being without grace an heire and childe of perdition This knowledge of our selues the first part of true wisedome will cut downe all Pride Ambition and Impatience and from this proceedeth the knowledge of God and from the knowledge of our selues knowe GOD to be most iust most mercifull most wise most good and most powerfull And if thou wouldst knowe what GOD is see what thou art to him and what hee is to thee And if thou wilt rightly knowe GOD cast off the loue and wisedome of the world This double knowledge of GOD and thy selfe is necessarie to saluation because as from the knowledge of thy selfe there commeth into thee the feare of God and also from the knowledge of God there proceedeth the loue of God So on the contrary from the ignorance of thy selfe proceedeth Pride and from the ignorance of GOD commeth Desperation Thou hast found true wisedome if thou wilt amend the sinnes of thy former life If thou desire with all thy heart Eternall blessednes thou hast found wisedome If thou taste and sauour all these things as they are that thy sinne bee bitter to thee and abhorred that the thinges of the worlde bee as Transitorie and contemptible that the perfect good things bee with thy whole desires affected In these three things thy mouth doth slowe with Wisedome If in thy mouth there bee confession of thy sinnes the voyce of praise and of Thankes-giung and the word of edification The wise man accuseth himselfe glorifieth God edifieth his neighbour therefore in the Philosophers there could be found no true wisedome because some thought that all things might be knowne these were not wise others thought nothing could be knowne these also were not wise the one because they giue too much to man the other because they gaue too little this then is wisedome not to thinke thou knowest all things which is proper to God nor yet to knowe nothing which is proper to beasts knowledge in man is ioyned with ignorance knowledge in vs is from the soule which is from heauen ignorance is from the body which is from the earth so that we haue some communitie both with God and with beastes with God in respect of knowledge with beastes in respect of ignorance The more wee excell in diuine knowledge the nearer and the more liker we are to God himselfe who is not onely the fountaine and giuer of wisedome but very wisedome it selfe But here may an obiection be propounded How is there any true happines seeing both in the getting holding and enioying of wisedome there is much care labour sorrowe and vexation of minde This Salomon himselfe confesseth when he saith I gaue mine heart to knowe wisedome knowledge madnes and foolishnes and I knowe also that this is a vexation of the spirit for in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe and he that encreaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow this is true indeed that in al trades callings sciences there is great griefe and labour The Philosophers no doubt tooke great paines in finding out naturall things yet in many things they were blinde deceiued in gouernment either of common-wealth or families there is much care and labour in inuenting of counsell and griefe when our counsells are hindred and haue not good effect and sometimes we erre in gouerning and the wisest men are not alwaies so wise as they should be and the best wisedome of man cannot foresee all dangers which follow nor preuent them with all their cunning In Mechanicall trades and handicrafts what care and labour to learne them to exercise them and to encrease daily in skill and knowledge of them and in diuine wisedome there must be great care and labour to get it to hold it to increase in it it will not be gotten by ease and carelesnes but with great studie and diligence and much sorrow is ioyned with it Good men are grieued because they cannot so soone and so easily learn and vnderstand as manie other can Wee reade heare many things which do cause much griefe vnto vs as our owne sinnes and the sinnes of others and the fearful iudgments of God which haue fallē vpon men for sin and the more knowledge we haue if we cōtinue in sin without Repentance the more wee heape and multiplie the wrath of God vpon vs to our greater griefe and sorrow and the more learning and knowledge that men haue the lesse ease and rest For many seeke vnto them and they are ready and willing to instruct others as much as they can which cannot be done without studie and labour The calling of the Magistrate and of the Minister though excellent diuine callings yet subiect to much vexation sorrow and danger and exceeding paines The Apostle saith Who is sufficient for these things And indeed they be heauie and intollerable burdens for anie mortall man to beare without the speciall helpe and grace of God Besides the wiser that a man is the more he searcheth desireth and seeketh for wisedome still the more he sees his own ignorance and this is griefe and vexation of minde There is no perfection of wisdome in this life we see here but in part the best and holiest and wisest haue their wants infirmities ignorances Therfore the wise man hauing feeling and sense of this though he did excell in vertue and knowledge Yet he saith thus of himselfe Surely I am more foolish then anie man haue not the vnderstāding of man I haue not learned wisdome nor attained to the knowledge of holy things who hath ascended vp to Heauen and descended who hath gathered the wind in his fist who hath bound the waters in a garment who hath established all the ends of the world what is his Name and what is his Sonnes Name if thou canst tell The greatest wisedome in man is like a smoking Toarch if it bee compared to the beams of the Sunne to the height of Gods wisedome which is vnspeakable and admirable The best men are wost humble and confesse their ignorance when as the foolish proude people thinke they knowe all things when as they knowe nothing as they ought to knowe Our ignoronce is much in the things of this life euen in common and vulgar matters we doe not so much as knowe the names of many tooles and wares which are to be had seene and fold in many occupiers
nor friend but his enemie he that hath not contented himselfe with many Lordships and countries he that hath ioyned house to house land to land then a little peece of ground will serue his turne By such reasons doth Salomon proue the miserie of riches and he concludeth that the whole life of the rich man is miserable saying All his dayes he eateth in darkenes with much griefe sorrow anger Finally riches are deceitfull and dangerous they hinder vs from Gods kingdome they drawe our heart to them and make it as a captiue and slaue they ouerloade presse vs with cares they make vs faint-harted and fearefull cowards to endure any thing for the Gospell of Christ they often hinder vs and keepe vs backe froÌ„ wisedomes Schoole and though wee come thither yet they doe choake the seede of the Word in vs. Therefore there is no true Happinesse in them Those bee true Riches which when wee haue them wee cannot loose them Earthly substance compared to Eternall felicity is no helpe but a burden This life compared with Eternall life is rather to be called death then life The sonnes of Adam saith Bernard are a couetous generation What haue you to doe with earthly Riches which are neither true riches nor yet yours Gold and Siluer is red and white Earth which the error of man doth make and account more precious And if they be yours take them with you when you die It is a true saying of these Earthly riches Hic gigâ—untur Hic amittuntur Hic dimiâ—tuntur Heere they are gotten here they are lost and heere they are left Those then which repose Felicitie in Riches haue neither true Wisedome nor true Happinesse nor true Riches They are as much deceiued which put anie happinesse in Earthly pleasures Some of these are Carnall and wicked and haue their beginning from Hell Of this speaketh Salomon when he saith It is a pastime for a Foole to doe wickedly And of this speaketh Esaiah when hee saith The Lorde calleth to weeping and mourning and beholde ioy and gladnes slaying Oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh drinking wine Eating and drinking for tomorrow we shall die Of this speaketh our Sauiour CHRIST when hee saith Woe bee to you that now laugh for you shall waile and weepe In such pleasures the rich man liued in the gospell all his life time vpon earth but after death his soule was tormented in Hell The Apostle saith of the wanton widdowe that shee liuing in pleasure was dead while shee liued and indeed those which were most liuely and lusty in these pleasures are but dead men in grace and goodnes But to let these sinfull pleasures passe wherein yet manie too wholie spend their time and count it their chiefe Felicitie And to come to honest lawfull and ciuill pleasures yet there is no true Felicitie in them Let the best the greatest ioye and delight bee named yet it is but transiorie It is not true and perfect ioy It doth not satisfie and content vs. After wee haue it we loath it It is common both to good euill It doth leade to corruption it doth ofteÌ„times cause grief and sorrow The other pleasures indeed they come from hel and these are but from the earth They are but pettie ioyes bitter sweetings seeming Ioyes earthly and bastardly ioyes in comparison of true and perfect ioy we are not borne to spend our time in mirth ioy but rather to mourne and lament in respect of our sinnes and miseries Blessed are they which mourne saith Christ for they shall be comforted and they that sowe in teares for they shall reape in ioy and there is a godly sorrow that leadeth vs to repentance and so to saluation the true way to godly ioy is to feele godly sorrow Oh that we would remember the greatnes and the multitude of our sinnes the certaintie of death the vncertaintie of the houre of it the account that we are to make in that great day the manifold duties that we owe and are to performe to God to the Church to the common-wealth to our countrie to our families and others and the remembrance of these things no doubt would abate restraine and moderate our lawfull pleasures Let them that reioyce be as though they reioyced not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this world passeth away Loue not this world saith S. Iohn neither the things that are in the worlde If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the Flesh the lust of the Eyes and the Pride of life is not of the Father but is of the worlde and the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer The glorie of this worlde saieth one is deceitfull and is worthily refused It is but like the flower of Grasse and a vapour appearing for a time In what state so euer of this life there is more griefe then pleasure whilest thou doest reuenge defend enuie suspect whilest thou doest alwayes loue that which thou hast not and hauing gotten something thy desire is not diminished What rest is there in thy glorie If there bee anie the ioye passeth away not returning againe and thy griefe remaineth which will neuer leaue thee Oh wicked worlde who doest wont so to blesse thy onely Friendes that thou doest make them the enemies of God There is small ioy to a man when hee seeth his Neighbours house on Fier Hee is vaine which spendeth the dayes of his Repentance in pleasure when he seeth daylie before his eyes both his Friendes and others to die and so seeth that Death is certaine Is hee not vaine then that forgetting the feare of God doeth giue himselfe to vaine delights Parents do more grieue then ioye when they see their Childe borne and die in one day The ioy of this worlde is short It is a foolish thing to delight in our owne Foolishnes It is a vaine thing to fill our hearts with delights which are ended before they beginne It is a vaine ioye of the Byrdes in the middest of Nettes Trappes and Snares set for them And it is a foolish thing in the Fishes to delight in the bayte of the hooke which bringeth present sorrow and death And they are as vaine as those vnreasonable creatures which glorie in the vaine delights of this world Seeing that Death is so neere them The very Heathen haue proued and mocked this follie of men Some saying That we come into the world weeping we goe out of the worlde wailing And yet we liue heere laughing others saying that the desire of pleasures are griefe that the fulnes of pleasure is full of repentings that the end of pleasures is heauy and grieuous that if any may be counted blessed for them then the beasts also may
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
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
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
owne Macedonians Constantine the great vnhappily ended his empire He pursued the good Bishop Athanasius He brought home the Heritike Arrius and became an Apostata Mauritius of a long time gouerned happily but afterwards he became so cruell so couetous so violent that he was hated of his owne subiects and slaine by Phocas There be many such examples but there is one before our eies the wisest Prince that euer was a long time gouerning religiously and vertuously but in his old daies falling in most grosse and beastly manner Of whom it may be said as it was said of Origen Vbi bene nemo melius vbi male nemo peius where he did well none did better where he did euill none did worse I meane in respect of his vnbrideled and filthy lust seeing therefore that the best and the wisest Princes are subiect to the temptations of Sathan to the allurements of the world flesh and sinne and may decline and fall away from good beginnings and proceedings let all good Christians and good subiects pray hartily and continually to God not onely to make their Princes good but also to hold keepe continue and encrease them in goodnes And seeing that all of vs are subiect to the like temptations let vs all be carefull not onely to begin well but also to holde on and continue to the end remembring that fearefull sentence of God saying If the righteous turne away from his righteousnes and committeth iniquitie and doe according to all the abhominations that the wicked man doth shall hee liue all his righteousnes which hee hath done shall not be mentioned but in his transgression which hee hath committed and in the sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall he die And let vs neuer forget that excellent counsell of Salomons The way of the righteous shineth as the light that shineth more and more vntill the perfect day His meaning is that as the light in the morning when it once appeareth encreaseth more and more till it be perfect day so good men they growe daily in knowledge grace and goodnes Againe he saith age is a crowne of glory if it be found in the way of righteousnes Happie is that young man that hath liued well but more happie is that old man that hat liued well It is not sufficient that we haue bene good except we continue so still the righteous saith Dauid shall flourish like a palme tree and shall growe like a Cedar in Libanon Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth fruit in their age Young men must remember their Creator in their youth the powers of their body and minde is then fittest for the seruice of God They are subiect to death as well as others they must giue their best time and first fruites of their age to God They cannot tell how soone they may die and they must come to iudgement as well as others and the pietie of their young age will be a comfort and a credit to them in their old age and therefore let them be carefull of religion and holy conuersation in their tender yeares and let old men and women take heed of vices and doe nothing that is vnseemely to their age And in very deed the beautie and ornament of the elder sort is the true knowledge of God and heauenly wisedome and an vnblamable life they may set that no age is free from danger If the diuell cannot deceiue vs in our youth he will not leaue vs but will deceiue vs in our age if he can some in this age are guiltie of Salomons sinnes both of vncleannes and Idolatrie Some are ignorant some prophane some vniust some ouercome with lying some with drunkennes and the most in their olde age are subiect to impatience and couetousnes and are vnwilling to die and leaue this sinfull world but let them of all other be examples of wisedome vertue let them flie from the lusts of youth follow after righteousnes faith loue peace with thē that call on the Lord with a pure heart Let the elder men be sober honest discreet sound in the faith in loue and in patience the elder women likewise that they bee of snch behauiour as becommeth holines not false accusers not giuen to much wine but teachers of honest things Oh how pleasant a thing is it when gray-headed men minister iudgement and when the elders can giue good counsell Oh how comely a thing is wisedome to aged men and vnderstanding and prudence to men of honour The crowne of olde men is to haue much experience and the feare of God is their glory They are to giue themselues to continuall prayer and deuotion to reading and hearing of the word to the meditation of the shortnes of their life and of the happinesse and eternity of the life to come Worthy is the example of Barzillai the Giliadite who went to conduct King Dauid ouer Iorden and King Dauid sayd vnto him Come ouer with me and I will feede thee with me in Ierusalem I am this day foure score yeere olde sayth hee and can I discerne betweene good or euill hath thy seruant any taste in that I eate or that I drink can I heare any more the singing voyce of men or women wherefore then should thy seruant be any more a burthen thy seruant will goe a little way ouer with thee I pray thee let thy seruant turne backe againe that I may die in my owne City and bee buried in the graue of my father and of my mother His meaning is that the pleasures of the Courte was not fit for him though he was a man of great account substance yet being old his minde was of death of his graue and buriall Happy is he that hath so liued both in young and olde age that hee can say with good Ambrose seeing his friendes weeping about him at his death I haue not so liued that I am ashamed to liue still amongst you neither am I afrayde to die because we haue a gracious good Lord. Now let young old and all sorts of men and women especially Princes and great persons let all I say take heede of these two vices where with Solomon is touched namely vnbridled lust Idolatrie God is a holy and pure spirit hee hath ordeyned mariage as a bridle and remedie against vnclearle and vnlawfull lust and wee are to liue chastelie in virginitie and single life which is the first degree of chastitie or else to liue in mariage the ordinance of GOD which is the second degree of chastitie But the Deuill he is a foule filthie and vncleane spirit an enemie to mariage to chastitie and honestie and therefore from the beginning hee hath sought to defile and pollute that holy institution of GOD by multitude of wiues by fornication whoredome adulterie and other wandering wanton and vagabonde lustes These are against the law of nature
kindnesse and goodnesse so they wish well and speake well and they desire the continuance and increase of their Rulers aduancement There bee three things saith Augustine in a Gouernour First a Calling Secondly a feare of him Thirdly a loue towards him Calling is requisite to the end hee may beare himselfe chearefully in a good conscience yet if hee bee not both loued and feared hee cannot subsist in his Calling Let him therefore aduise himselfe to procure loue by benefits and feare by punishing wrong done not against himselfe but against the Law The Heathen man could say that a Ruler must bee affable in speech easy to bee seene and spoken to in countenance amiable kind to the iust sharpe to the wicked Such a Ruler is beloued defended and reuerenced by the whole Citty such a Ruler by his owne benefite is safe hath no need of defence the heartes of the people are his armour his inuisible strength and munition is the loue of the Cittizens and what is more pleasant then to liue with the desire wishing and good-will of all men Who dare set himselfe against such a one vnder whom there flourisheth peace righteousnesse security dignity and vnder whom a famous rich Citty aboundeth with plenty of all goodmen Those which gouerne the people if they will haue their Throne surely established let their countenance bee full of cheerefulnesse and grace least being too seuere and rigorous through arrogancy they procure the hatred of the people There is nothing that maketh him that hee hath the office of a Magistrate more then a study and care of loue towards his people for it doth not onely make a father that hee hath begotten a child but also that hee loue him after hee hath begotten him If Nature hath need of so much loue how much more Grace thus all the Prophets and Rulers that were famous amongst the Hebrewes as Abraham and Moses Samuel and Dauid haue shined and excelled in loue to their people Others haue said that preseruatiō of Princes consisteth in the integrity of Religion in the loue of their Subiects and these things procure the loue of the people Not to bee too strange to them to be humble and courteous to speake kindly to them to bee willing to see their Subiects and to shew themselues to them as much as may bee to heare causes in their owne persons not to burthen the people too much but to ease them of vnnecessary burthens to bee liberall and bountifull where there is need and desert Absolon though hee was a wicked man and had a wicked cause yet he had this pollicy by kindnesse to draw the hearts of the people to him When any man came neere to him and did him obeysance hee put forth his hand and tooke him and kissed him and on this manner did Absolon to all Israel that came to the King for iudgement so Absolon stole the hearts of all the men of Israel This was a wicked action in him but this pollicy may bee followed of lawfull Magistrates by kinde words and deeds to winne and hold the hearts of their owne people Good was that counsell which the ancient men gaue to King Rehoboam If thou bee a seruant to this people say they this day and serue them and answere them and speake kinde words to them they will bee thy seruants for euer They shew by this their counsell that kindnesse is the way to winne the hearts of the people but that King forsooke that good counsell and hearkened to the counsell of yong men and by their direction gaue the people this answere My father made your yoke grieuous and I will make your yoke more grieuous my father hath chastised you with rods but I will correct you with scourges And see what followed When all Israel saw the King regarded them not the people answered the King thus What portion haue wee in Dauid wee haue none inheritance in the son of Ishai to your Tents oh Israel now see to thy house Dauid and Israel rebelled against the house of Dauid vnto this day This was wickednesse in the people to rise and rebell against their King and a iust iudgement of God But yet as the Apostle saith to naturall fathers so say I to you that are fathers of the Country You fathers prouoke not your children to wrath by austerity and hard dealing Giue no occasion to the people but rather as much as may bee draw their hearts to you by humility and kindnesse Nehemiah confesseth the poore distressed people to bee his brethren of the same flesh and bloud with him Iob protesteth that hee did not contemne the iudgement of his seruants when they did contend with him thinking themselues hardly entreated by him and then hee hath this in his thoughts If I had oppressed others how should I haue escaped Gods Iudgements What then shall I do when God standeth vp and when hee shall visite me what shall I answere hee that hath made mee in the wombe hath hee not made him hath not hee alone fashioned vs in the wombe This moued him to pitty and respect his basest seruants because they were Gods creatures as well as he Dauid prayeth for the peace of Ierusalem saying Let them prosper that loue thee peace bee within thy Wals and prosperity within thy Pallaces for my brethren and neighbours sakes I will wish thee now prosperity because of the house of the Lord our God I will procure thee wealth Hee prayeth heartily for his Subiects wishing them the fauour of God and all happinesse and promiseth to do them what good hee can and hee counteth them as his brethren neighbours and companions Let all Christian Rulers remember that saying of the Apostle There is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for yee are all one in Christ Iesus In the world there must needs bee difference and degrees it must needs bee so for pollicy and order but in Christ all are one For God is no accepter of persons but in euery Nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him whether hee bee poore or rich Prince or Subiect Excellent is that counsell of a Gracious man let Kings saith hee if they had rather bee Christians indeed then so called giue themselues altogether to the wealth of their Realmes after the example of Christ remembring that the people are Gods and not theirs yea they are Christs inheritance and possession bought with his bloud the most despised person in this Realme is the Kings brother and fellow Member with him in the Kingdome of God and of Christ Let him therefore not thinke himselfe too good to doe them seruice neither seeke any other thing in them then a father seeketh in his children yea then Christ sought in vs though that the King in his regiment bee in the roome of God and representeth God himselfe and is without all comparison better then
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
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