my affections and thoughts are not seldome but often in a day vpon thy word The blessed man his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth meditate day night But Dauid proceedeth and sheweth what profit and fruite he got by the reading hearing meditation such other exercises of the word he was not a simple senselesse vnprofitable and vnfruitefull hearer as many are which heare much and are neuer the better but he protesteth that by his exercise in the word he had gotten and learned wisedome yea more wisedome then his enemies more then all his teachers more then the ancient and that by the power of the word he refrained his feete from euery euill way and hated all the waies of falshood and that his chiefe care and desire was to keepe and practise the word but yet he confesseth that hâ— could not doe this of himselfe but that it was God that did inwardly teach him by his spirit and so tasting the sweetnes of Gods grace in him he found the word and promise of God more sweet to his mouth then honie it selfe You see what account and estimation Dauid had of true wisedome esteeming it his chiefest and greatest felicitie happie then are the true schollers and followers of wisedome And if this woman thus pronounce and account the hearers of Salomon to be so happie how happie are they which doe dayly heare the wisedome of Iesus Christ in the preaching and ministrie of the Gospell Blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare sayth our Sauiour Christ to his disciples and followers For verily I say vnto you that many Prophets and righteous men haue desired to see those things which you see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which you heare and haue not heard them Now in the ministrie of the Gospel wee heare and see Christ himselfe He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me sayth Christ of his Apostles and of all his faithfull ministers We beseech you as embassadors in Christs stead that you may be reconciled to God sayeth S. Paul And in another place he sayeth That Christ was described and pictured before their eyes by the preaching of the word It was not the outward hearing of Christ himselfe or the sight of his person that made meÌ„ blessed for the Iewes saw him Iudas and other enemies to Christ heard him and saw him often But blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued Christ is heard and seene in the publike ministrie of the Gospell Wisedome hath sent forth her maidens and messengers to call and inuite vs to her feast and banquet happie are her guests happie are her disciples and followers to haue such messengers is a speciall and rare blessing of God In Iob it is accounted by Elihu as a speciall comfort in the greatest distresse and danger to haue a messenger an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnes then will God haue mercie vpon him and say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation By the which words we are taught that it is a sure token of Gods fauour and blessing towards sinners when he causeth his word to be preached to them This God promiseth to his people as a speciall mercie and he saith I will giue you Pastors according to my heart which shall feede you with knowledge and vnderstanding It is â—ESVS CHRIST the wisedome of all wisedoms that hath ascended and giuen giftes vnto men and hath ordained Pastors and Teachers for the gathering and building of his Church What is your Felicitie saith S. Paul to the Galathians For I beare you record that if it had ben possible you would haue pluckt out your owne eyes and haue giuen them mee And before he saieth That they receiued him as an Angell of God he commendeth them faithfull in Galatia because they esteemed it the greatest happines vnder Heauen to enioy the ministrie of such an Apostle and Preacher and faithfull messenger of wisdome And is it not a happy thing to haue the eyes of our soules opened to be turned from darknes to light and from the power of Sathan to God that so we may receiue forgiuenes of sinnes and inheritaÌ„ce among them which are sanctified And is it not true happines to haue our soules borne begotten by the immortall seede of Gods word and as Babes and children in CHRIST to be fed and nourished with the sweete and pure milke of eternall life and this is donâ— by the ministrie of wisedome And is not this Felicitie to haue sinnes reproued to be instructed in the right way to haue errors corrected to be comforted in all distresse and danger outward or inward and finallie to bee made wise to saluation and all this is done by the ministrie of wisedome And what happier thing can wee haue in this life then to know the Lordes minde then to haue his priuie counsell reuealed to vs and to bee made wise to Saluation through Faith which is in Christ Iesus Nay Is it not eternall life to know GOD and his Sonne IESVS CHRIST and all this we receiue if we be gratious hearers froÌ„ the messengers of wisedome And will not all confesse that this is the greatest good and the happiest thing in the world to haue the wrath of God pacified to bee in his fauour so that hee is become our Friend and Father and we are taken and accounted as friends to him And there is a true reconciliation betwixt vs so that we need neuer doubt of the saluation of our soules Now this comfort and assurance we haue by the ministrie of wisdome being the very word of the Kingdome the word of grace the word of reconciliation and saluation the word of life yea of eternall life And finally Is it not true Felicity to haue that good part which shall neuer be taken from vs That one thing needfull yea so needfull indeed that wee had better want all other things in this life then be without it And is it not true happines to haue that happines restored and encreased which Adam had in Paradise and lost by his Fall to haue that Image of GOD wherein hee was first created to bee restored vnto vs and in some some sorte to be made like to GOD himselfe in true holines and Righteousnes And is not all this true happinesse and the way to that Eternall and perfect blessednes which wee shall enioy in the Heaâ—ens whereof wee haue spoken largely before And thus we conclude from the premises as from infallible reasons taken from the necessity excellencie power and fruite of Wisedome that this position and doctrine which heere is holden and collected by the wordes of this Woman is most true and sound Namely that the way to make a people happie is to heare receiue and imbrace this
word they are strongly illuded by Sathan and made his Agents as much as may be to 〈◊〉 the right wayes of the Lord. Finally this Doctrine that happinesse consisteth in the right hearing of wisdome it maketh directly against all contemners mockers yeâ— against all vnprofitable and vnfruitfull hearers There hee some in the Church which doe heare sometimes yet are no friends to wisdome but either openâ—y or closely despise it scoffe at it These men are in most fearfull and cursed state for their conteÌ„pt is not against man but against himselfe He that despiâ—eth these things despiseth not man but God who hath giueÌ„ vs his holy spirit These men they will not beleeue they haue no part in the promises of grace and saluation they liue in Gods displeasure they expose theÌ„selues to his curse both temporall and â—ternall and therefore our Lord saith That whereas hee had sent to his people Messengers rising early and sending and they mocked the Messengers of God despise his words and misvsed his Prophets that his wrath should rise against them and there was no remedie he could for â—eare no longer hee must needes punish them And to such contemners our Sauiour Christ threatens That the kingdom of God shâ—lbe taken away from them and giuen to a Nation which shall bring forth the frutes therof And the Apostles Paul Barnabas spake boldly to such contemners said It was necessary that the word of God should first haue bin spoken to you that is to the Iews but seeing you put it froÌ„ you iudge your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life loe we turne to the Gentiles and let vs heare the voyce of wisdome who crieth without vttereth her voyce in the streets she calleth in the high streets in the prease in the entring of the gates vttereth her wordes in the Citie saying O ye foolish how long will ye loue foolishnes the scornfull take their pleasure in scorning the fooles hate knowledge turne you at my correction Loe I will powre out my minde vnto you and make you vnderstand my wordes because I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched forth mine hand and none would regard but ye haue despised all my counsell and would none of my correction I will also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth when your feare commeth like sudden desolation and your destruction come like a whirlewinde when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you then shall they call vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord they would none of my counsell but despised all my correction therefore shal they eate the fruite of their owne way and be filled with their owne deuises In the which place we may plainely obserue a proofe and testimonie of the mercie and iustice of God his mercie in calling and inuiting to wisedomes feast such as be vnworthie â—uch as be contemners enemies and scoffers yet he doth intreat them and earnestly desire them to leaue their follie and to be partakers of true wisedome but then followeth his seueritie and iustice against such as despise and contemne his louing and kinde offer The wisedome of all wisedome protesteth and voweth that he will hauâ— no pittie of such but rather will take delight to destroy them Nay he protesteth that though they cry and call vpon him in their greatest extremitie yet he will not heare them the reason is because they haue so long contemned his great mercies that their hearts are hardned they cannot repent therefore God cannot heare for he heareth not the prayers of impenitent sinners Againe these men haue no faith and therefore cannot be heard for faith is grounded vpon Gods word which they despise contemne and mocke A like heauie senteÌ„ce hath Salomon in another place saying He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shal be abominable not onely the sinnes and wicked deeds of coÌ„temners and wicked men but those which seeme most good and haue greatest shew of holinesse are odious in Gods sight the sacrifice of the wicked are abomination to the Lord the prayers that they make though neuer so earnestly in their most neede though it be in the houre of death the Lord will not heare them but reiect and abhorre them And is it not great reason and equitie he doth but serue them as they serue him they wil not heare him when he calleth and cryeth to them by the mouth of his Ministers and why should he heare them when they call and cry in their greatest necessities and heauie are the threatnings of the Apostle If the words spoken by Angels were stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recoÌ„pence of reward how should wee escape if wee neglect so great a saluation which at the first began to be preached of the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him God bearing witnes therto both with signes wonders with diuers miracles gifts of the holy Ghost according to his own wil. And in another place he saith He that despiseth Moses lawe dyeth without mercy vnder two or 3. witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be worthie which treadeth vnder foot the Son of God Againe See that you despise not him that speaketh for if they escaped not which refuse him that spake on earth meaning Moses who spake rudely in coÌ„parison of Christ much more shall we not escape if we turne away from him that speaketh froÌ„ heauen But not only contemners are here reproued but also idle vnprofitable hearers many are in the schoole of wisedome no enemies no contemners but frierâ—ds well-willers they thinke well they speake well like well of the meanes of saluation they commend it they heare dayly seeme greatly to ioy in it yet they profit litle either in knowledge or sanctification But it is not simplie a blessing to heare wisedome except we be better by it nay it is rather a woe then a blisse to be vnder the meanes and to profit litle or nothing by it There be sayeth a Father three degrees of woe He that hath not that he loueth cannot be sayd to be blessed neither he that hath that he loueth if his loue be hurtfull to him neither he that hath that which is good and profitable if he loueth not that which he hath soâ—e desire the Ministrie and haue no meanes to come by it this is a woe some loue superstition Idolatrie ignorance and they doe enioy it they haue such blinde guides as they like of this is a greater wo some are vnder good Ministers yet they profit little by it these are not happie but in a fearefull state It is a grieuous sinne not to profit according to the time and meanes it is an vnkindnes
They liued in time of persecution they wanted the helpe of a good Magistrate All Kings and Princes were enemies to the Church at that time yet they tooke such good order and were so charitable that they suffered none to lacke among them It is a shame then for vs to suffer any to want necessary sustenance wee I say liuing in the daies of peace and plenty vnder a Christian King hauing so many good Lawes for the prouision and reliefe of the poore There is a memorable example of the Christians vnder Maximinus the Emperour In the time of famine many of the Heathens were preserued and saued from death by the mercy and liberallity of the Christians whereupon it came to passe that those which did deadly hate them before did now require their helpe and did openly confesse that the bowels of mercy were onely found amongst Christians that therefore Christian Religion was the true Religion which taught her worshippers true piety and godlinesse The which when Iulianus the Apostata afterwards obserued and marked least Christian Religion should bee the more esteemed because of such incredible kindnesse and mercy shewed to all sorts of people Iulienus I say euery where erected Hospitals and endewed them with yeerely reuenues And hee setteth downe this reason of his purpose writing to one Arsatius an Idolatrous Bishop It is a shame saith hee that the worshippers of the Gods should neglect their owne when as the wicked Galileans for so he had wont to call Christians releiued not onely their owne but also strangers yea â—uen the enemies of their Religion and suffered none of their owne to beg from dore to dore The most vnhappy Nation of the Iewes hauing no certaine resting place nor any forme of Common-wealth yet do they mainetaine and seed their owne least they should be constrained to craue help from Christians The French and Dutch Churches in this our Land they set all their owne on worke they suffer none to beg nor to want among them The Papists our Fore-fathers they did excell in liberallity to the Church and Common-wealth in Hospitality and Almes to the poore Wee haue many Monuments of their liberality amongst vs as Hospitals and Almes-houses for the releiefe of the needy with good Reuenues adioyned to them Nay the Papists adorned beautified and cloathed their dumbe Idols and Images and shall wee suffer poore people to want food and cloathing which carry vpon them the liuely Image of God All these examples are to our shame and condemnation and shall bee iudges and witnesses against vs at the day of the Lord. Wee professe the glorious Gospell of Christ wee haue the light of Gods word shining before vs wee haue daily Sermons and Exhortations stirring vs vp to the workes of mercy wee haue many good and godly Lawes agreeing to the Lawes of God and to the true discipline of the Church commanding and enioyning prouision and reliefe of the poore forbidding all idlenesse commanding all to bee set a worke and all that want to bee releiued according to their necessity and yet there be many idle persons amongst vs many would worke and cannot get it many though they do worke labour and toyle night and day as much as may be yet in respect of the hardnesse of the times all that they get will hardly prouide bread for them and theirs Others there bee that cannot worke at all and others but a very little yet these in many places are little regarded or prouided for Good Lawes wee haue and in this place I know there is good order and care taken for the poore Here bee many meanes for their reliefe which others want And I know there bee many tender mercifull and pittifull hearts pittying the needy estates of their brethren stretching forth their hands to their releife yet considering the hardnesse of the time and how vnmercifull and hard hearted some are which yet are of great estate and ability and considering also the multitude and great number of the poore which increase daily Your care your pitty your liberallity your collections and almes publicke or secret had need bee more then ordinary And therefore I beseech you deerely beloued in the bowels of Christ as the Elect of God put on you the bowels of mercy consider your owne abilities and the great necessitie of so many and let it not grieue you to helpe and releiue them but freely frankly and cheerefully shew forth the fruite of your compassion loue and mercy to your distressed brethren and especially you Right Worshipfull Magistrates Gouernours do your best endeuours according to your place and callings to see this seruice and worke performed by your counsell and example to perswade and draw as many as you can to this duty And as for those that are rich yet cruell couetous hard-heartd and vnmercifull compell and force them by rigour of Law to giue that to good vses which they are vnwilling to giue at all All the poore vnder your gouernement be they neuer so many they are your cure and charge you must see them prouided for if any of them perish through your default their bloud shall bee required at your hands The good Minister is to be a mouth for the poore to speake and entrâ—ate for them and also by his example as much as he may to go before others in the duties of mercy But the good Magistrate is not onely to bee a good mouth for the poore but an hand an eare an eye and a foote for them to speake to heare to see to go to do what lyeth in him both for the defence and reliefe of the poore As God forbiddeth all cruelty and priuate reuenge in the sixth Commandement so he commandeth all care and meanes to preserue the liues of our brethren now releife of the needy is a meanes to preserue life he that releeueth not when he may and when there is great necessity offendeth against this Commandement and is a murtherer Non pauisti occidisti thou hast not fed saith one therefore thou hast killed A Lampe is quenched not onely by blowing it out but by keeping away the oile to feed it A fire is quenched not onely by water but by keeping away wood from it In a great drought many hearbs do die not onely by plucking vp but for want of watring So many poore people for want of food which they should haue by the care of good Gouernours and charitable good people many I say for want of meanes and prouision doe decay pine and perish which is most shamefull fearefull lamentable and intollerable in a Christian State But I nothing doubt of your care and dilligence to performe this so worthy and necessary duty I know you are dayly put in minde of these things and therefore I will cease to vrge this point any further Onely by the way let mee giue some few instructions and caueats and some comforts to the poorer sort These must know that God hath so ordained and appointed in his
prouidence that there shall bee some poore as long as the world endureth Let them therefore bee content with their state seeing God who knoweth what is best for them hath so decreed it in his Wisedome It may bee if they had riches they would abuse them in pride and wantonnesse he can if he see good turne their want into plenty Let them know that many worthy men haue beene in want and necessity Let them take their pouerty as a crosse and let them be patient and humble the rather because sometimes their owne idlenesse and loosenesse of life hath caused it let them repent of their sinnes past let them take heed hereafter of pride enâ—y slothfulnesse and vnlawfull shifts and meanes Let them depend vpon God and cast their whole care vpon him and though they bee poore in the world let their chiefe care bee to bee rich in grace in knowledge and in faith and so they shall bee sure to bee greatly in the fauour of God Let euery one of them say with the Apostle I haue learned in what state I am there-with to bee content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to bee full and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth mee Let them bee kind and pittifull to those which bee in like case with them seeing they are in the same misery Let them bee thankefull towards their Benefactors and though some rich-men bee hard-hearted vnmercifull to theÌ„ let them not curse but blesse and pray to God for them who is able to mollifie and soften their hard hearts for it may bee God in his iustice doth turne the hearts of men from them because they haue turned their eares and hearts from him they haue beene hard hearted against God against Gods word and against their brethren and therefore the hearts of others are iustly hardened against them Let them remember and follow the example of poore Lazarus which though the rich man dealtmore cruelly with him theÌ„ did his dogs had no pitty at all of so poore a creature yet this poore man did neither grudge repine nor curse and therefore being full of faith and patience he was receiued into Abrahams bosome And finally seeing that God hath such a great care of the poore in making so many Lawes for them in giuing so many preceps for their reliefe and taketh their cause to be his owne and seeing he hath appointed Ministers to speake for them and Officers and Magistrates yea Kings and Princes for their defence and reliefe Let the poore I say bee carefull to serue feare that God which is so carefull of them let them reuerence and loue the Ministers louingly embrace that word which doth perswade moue prouoke all men to the duties of mercy loue liberality Let them honor the Magistrates who are appointed as fathers vnto them who take care and watch and take continuall paines to comfort and helpe them And let them say in their soules blessed be God for good Gouernours And thus we haue heard many good parts of good Gouernours that by their meanes the wicked are punished the good are praised and countenanced euery man possesseth his owne oppressions and wrongs are suppressed the poore and needy are comforted and relieued and all these benefits duties this gracious Queene includeth in these words Equity and Righteousnesse One duty yet remaineth which is also a part of Equity and that is to establish and mainetaine true Religion this is the first chiefe duty of a good Prince though I haue referred it to the last place Good Princes are not onely to haue a care of iustice in punishing the wicked of mercy in defending the good and releeuing the distressed but also to plant and maintane the worship of God in their Kingdomes Thus much wee haue heard already that Religion Diuine Wisedome belongeth to all sorts degrees of men to rich and poore to yong old to men women children and most of all to Princes Gouernours who are to be giudes and ringleaders to others We haue examples before our eyes of a religious Queene comming so great and long a iourny to be resolued in the truth of religion reposing the greatest happines in true heauenly wisedome Here also is the example of Salomon a mirrour of Religion and Diuine Wisedom to all the world who also planted and established the true worship of God in his Kingdome We haue heard also that God is the authour of the callings of Kings and Princes that they are in his steed and carry his Name and Image therfore they of all others are to be most Religious to be most carefull that the true God who hath so highly aduanced them may bee worshipped and serued in their Kingdomes And this is Equity and Righteousnesse to command establish the Law and Seruice of their Creator and Protector And further wee haue heard that it is the duty of Gouernours to ouerthrow and roote out all false worship all false doctrine heresie and idolatry as all these are to bee remoued so in steed of these good Princes are to plant true Religion to establish faithfull Teachers in their Kingdomes They must be examples of Religion and Piety to others they must guide their families so carefully religiously that they may be patternes and presidents to others If Religion be first in their owne hearts also planted in their houshold and families they will be also carefull that all the people committed to their charge may feare God be truely Religious This is part of the counsell of Iethro Moses father in law wishing him that hee should prouide not onely men of courage and iust men hating couetousnesse but also such as feared God There be generall places in the Scripture as Loue God with all thine heart with all thy soule with all thy strength Feare God and keep his CoÌ„mandements Seeke for Gods Kingdome Labor for the meat that neuer perisheth These such like commandements exhortations as they belong to all Christians so also to Magistrates They are keepers of both the Tables of the Commandements therfore to maintaine the one as well as the other they must see as well the duties to God performed to him as the duties to meÌ„ one to another They must haue a care not only of iustice peace ciuil honesty but also of the sincerity of Religion The King is commanded to haue the book of the Law to reade in it continually that so he may learne to feare both his God and to keep al the words of the Law Dauid saith Be wise ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare reioyce in trembling kisse the sonne least hee bee angry And in another place he saith Kings of the earth all people Princes
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
wickednes are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deceiued Then spake they that feared the Lorde euery one vnto his Neighbour and the Lorde hearkened and heard it and a Booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lorde and thought vpon his Name And they shall be to mee saith the Lord of Hostes in that day that I shall doe this for a Flocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Then shall you returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not Against all blasphemous false and wicked speeches of the worlde let the friends of wisedome oppose for their comfort these sweete words and comfortable promises of God the Father and Founder of wisedome and the defender liberall rewarder of all such as truely loue it And nowe before I passe to other matter by your Patience in respect of the premises Let mee make some Application to this Citie God hath blest you with many speciall fauours and mercies a long time farre aboue and beyond many other places I will not speake of your outward Priuiledges Freedomes Donations order of gouernment wherein it may be you excell some others But I will speak of your chiefest Priuiledge the beautie and Ornament of your Citie and the best flower of your Garden and that is indeed the plentifull and sincere preaching of the Gospell In respect whereof some doe truly thinke and say with this woman Happy are you which may daily heare such wisedome And they may truely say in respect of so many heauenly visions This is the house of God this is the gate of heauen and though many other places are in some sort partakers of this happines yet but fewe are equall with you in this gracious blessing First then consider how long a time you haue had a certaine setled and resident ministrie for the space of no lesse then fiftie yeares many in the meane time haue beene destitute as poore sheepe without a shepheard Some haue had this meanes of saluation very seeldome and sometimes interrupted and eclipsed O happy are you that haue had so great a blessing so many yeares continued and the greater blessing it is not onely that you haue had this word of Wisedome preached amongst you but also soundly and sincerely by faithfull Pastors and teachers diuiding the word of Truth aright Others it may be haue had the Word preached but corruptly and erroniously mixing Chaffe and Wheate together and flattering the people in their sinnes This is also a further blessing that you haue the Word preached not onely so long and so sincerely but also in such variety of gifts teachers of strangers of yout owne Countrey-men of young and olde variety of teachers amongst your selues this is a speciall blessing Thus you haue experience of the diuers graces and gifts of God in diuers men and heerein God is good vnto you if one can doe you no good another may A worthy Father holdeth it profitable that of the same questions many Bookes should bee made by sundry men in a differing stile though not in a differing faith all stomaches wee see are not alike One kinde of dressing pleaseth one which hath no relish with an other and yet the same meate ordered after another fashion may fitte his appetite As differences of meates so of humors and dispositions of men the same matter diuersly handled may find entertainment with diuers men which yet disgested after one only fashion would haue acceptance with feare All fishes are not taken with the same baite all birds are not caught by the same kind of voyce and singing I speake not this to please vaine and curious humors who without iust cause distaste and dislike their faithfull teachers Loue your Pastors reuerence the gifts of God in any be they more or lesse yet know that it is a blessing which many want to be in such sort as you are partakers of the labours of sundrie teachers And herein also your blessing is the greater because you haue such preaching so often and so plentifully both vpon the Saboth day and at other times howsoeuer some may thinke this too much and some murmer at it and some loathe it so that much preaching is loathsome odious to some yet is this a rare blessing which God hath not imparted to many In other things we count plentie a blessing and we neuer care how much we haue the more the better we neuer thinke we haue too much or enough God himselfe doth promise it as a blessing to his children to haue store and abūdance of victualls of Cattell of Corne and the men of this world doe confesse it a great blessing to enioy these and such like things plentifully Is it not a farre greater blessing to haue in such abundance the blessed foode of our soules the want penurie and scarcitie of this foode is a curse and iudgement therefore to haue it plentifully is a speciall and a rare blessing God doth promise it as a rare mercy to his people and a speciall token of his loue to giue them such Pastors as shall feede them with knowledge and vnderstanding Againe he sayth I haue set watchmen vpon thy walls oh Ierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease you that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence and giue him no rest till he repaire and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world The Ministers must be watchfull in praying continually for the people and they must be as carefull to put the people in minde of their dutie and the people must take it as a blessing to haue such remembrancers wee are dull slothfull in attention in vnderstanding in memorie and practise the best remedie is often preaching importunate calling vpon The words of the wise sayth Salomon are like goades like nayles fastned by the masters of the assemblies which are giuen by one Pastor His meaning is that whereas we are dullards and slobacks in all goodnes by the goade of preaching we are set on prickt forward and quickned in all good wayes and whereas we are wauering and fickle we are by the naile of preaching if it be wel and often driuen we are I say by this setled and stayed in the truth And though this goade and naile be commonly vsed amongst vs yet in respect of our weakenes we haue great neede of it neither are we to contemne it because it is so common and plentifull Good and necessary things are not to be loathed though they be cōmon The sunne moone stars water fier bread drinke are common yet can we not liue without thē neither do we contemne them and though the word be compared to corporall foode in many things they agree together as we haue heard before yet herein they differ that of the foode of the
and bodies he did not thunder or threaten hâ—aâ—ie iudgements but freely promise remission of sinnes and freely offereth the inheritance of eternall life and yet they say he hath a diuell and they pursue and hate him to death so farre are they from being drawne to repentance by his heauenly doctrine Therefore most iustly doth our Sauiour both alledge the example of this woman and the example of the Niniuites to their shame and condemnation This may seeme very hard and heauie to some but it is most true and confirmed by common sense and reason that those shall be most seuerely punished which are not moued by such meanes as haue moued many other those I say are in most heauie case which haue moe and greater meanes of repentance and yet haue not repented this will lye heauie vpon all contemners of the word vpon all false Christians vpon all vnprofitable and vnthankefull hearers though they come of Christian parents though they professe heare and be partakers of the Sacraments yet this will not serue the turne if they be inferiour to them in grace and goodnes and so condemned by their example that had either no knowledge of religion or lesse meanes then they such men sometimes to their shame the Lord sendeth them not onely to the heathen but also to the very bruite beasts to learne of them Heare ô heauens and hearken ô earth for the Lord hath sayd I haue nourished and brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood His meaning is that the very bruite and and dull beasts are more kind and more dutifull to their Maisters and feeders then many people are to God their Creator preseruer and redeemer And in an other place he complaineth saying I hearkned heard but none spake right no man repented him of his wickednes saying What haue I done euery one turneth to the rase as the horse rusheth into the battel euen the storke in the aire knoweth her appointed times and the Crane the Turtle and the Swallow obserue the time of the comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. The meaning is that these birds doe better knowe and obserue the seasons of Summer Winter cold and heate then his people did the times of mercy and iudgements The greater means the longer time and the more plentifull we haue it the heauier shal be our iudgement if we profit not by it And therefore our Sauiour Christ did most of all vpbraide and threaten those cities where he preached most and wrought most miracles because they repented not Woe be to thee Chorazin sayth he woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agoe in sack cloth and ashes but I say to you it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon at the day of iudgment then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp to heauen shalt be brought downe to hell for if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodom they had remained to this day but I say to you It shall be easier for them of the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee In these places he did many of his greatest workes and that a long time yea so many so great workes as might haue moued the very Infidels to repentance his works doe comprehend his doctrine for the more confirmation of his doctrine these people they heard Christ teaching they receiued and entertained him they saw his miracles they accepted his benefits both corporall and spirituall the benefits and priuiledges were very great which he vouchsafed them he did not deale so with euery Nation Citie or Towne It is a great mercie to haue a Prophet though it be to our cost paines but Christ came to them freely vndesired vnsought for It is a mercie to haue the word without miracles but they had both his word and miracles It is a fauour to see Christ and to heare him though it were but once but they heard and saw him many times and yet they are vnthankefull and disobedient But let vs more neerely consider what Christ speaketh of the citie of Capernaum it was a famous citie of Galilie and had some speciall prerogatiue aboue the rest for the Sonne of God beginning his kingdome and priesthood he did choose that citie as his Pallace and Sanctuarie there he liued and dwelt amongst them This is the chiefe glorie of Cities to entertaine Christ and his Gospel This doth as it were lift them vp to heauen but if they repent not but still continue their sinnes and abuse the mercies of God their iudgement shall be the heauier The grace of God is tyed to no place nor person he will spare none if they abuse his mercies and this maketh much to the shame and condemnation of the Pope of Rome who glorieth that he is Christs Vicar Peters successor and that Rome is the Metropolitane and Mother-Church of all the world Though this be most false yet if it were true he must know that the more promises and priuiledges they haue they must looke for the greater iudgements Idolatrie pride vncleanesse vnthankfulnesse incredulitie and other like sinnes haue bin the ruine and destruction of many famous Cities which haue had greater promises greater priuiledges then euer Rome had Memorable and fearefull is the example of Ierusalem which was called the citie of God the holie citie a figure of the spirituall and heauenly Church of the which the Psalmist speaketh excellent things God is knowne in Iuda his name is great in Israel that there are thrones for iudgement euen the thrones of the house of Dauid Pray for peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee The Prophet Esai saith The law shall goe forth of Syon the word of the Lord from Ierusalem What Citie had euer greater priuiledges and yet according to Christ prophecying it is long since come to miserable ruine and desolation the Iewes that were once the people of God haue beene long since reiected the naturall branches are cast off and they are become a lamentable spectacle to all the world for the contempt of Gods word and abusing of his mercies The like fearefull examples we haue in the seuen Churches of Asia of the which S. Iohn speaketh in his Reuelation they were planted by the Apostles themselues they professed the Gospell of Christ they had the word and Sacraments they had all the prerogatiues priuiledges and markes of true Churches yet are they long since quite ouerthrowne for their vnthankfulnes and disobedience to the Gospell What then shall become of Papists Athists Recusants despiâ—ers mockers Pagannes and Infidells when as such as haue receiued the Gospell and entertained it shall be in harder and heauier estate in the day of iudgement then
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
those young men that suffer themselues to bee abused and seduced by the baites temptations and allurements of harlots saying that such are as Oxen going to the slaughter and as a foole to the stockes of correction till a dart strike thorow their liuer As a bird hasteth to the snare not knowing that hee is in danger saying that the harlot hath caused many to fall downe wounded and the strong men are slayne by her Her house is the way to the graue which goeth down to the chambers of death And are not these thy sayings The mouth of a strange woman is a deepe pit hee with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein And againe A whoâ—e is a deepe ditch and a strange woman is an narrow pit Also she lyeth in waite as for a prey and she encreaseth the transgressers amongst men O Salomon hast thou forgotten the law of nature the written law of God the sweete counsell of thy father and mother and the good counsell which thou hast long since giuen to others Hath sensuallity prosperity pleasures and lusts wholy possessed thee blinded thee and taken away they heart O pittifull lamentable wofull and fearefull fall The greatnesse and hainousnesse of this sinfull fall haue made some learned Fathers to doubt of the saluation of Salomon And some to put him in the number of the reprobate and damned their reasons are these First because his father Dauid being a Prophet saith of him in the place before alledged That if he forsooke the Lord hee would cast him off for euer T is true if Salomon did finally forsake him without repentance Againe they say that the Scripture maketh mention of his grieuous fall as we haue heard before out of the next Chapter following but there is no mention of his repentance though his death bee there named Neither is it found that hee tooke away the Idols which hee had erected But it may be his repentance was late and hee could not take them away suddenly Againe he is not numbred by the Apostle in the Catalogue of the faithfull Though Samuel and Dauid his father and diuers others bee there named yet all the faithfull of the Old Testament are not there numbred nor all holy Kings for there is no mention there of Iehosephat and Hesechias Againe some doe alleage that sentence of God out of the Prophet saying I will speake suddeÌ„ly against a nation or against a kingdome to plucke it vp and to roote it out and to destroy it but if this nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednes I will repent of the plague which I thought to bring vpon them and thus they gather from this place that because God plagued Salomon by sundrie aduersaries to his death and neuer tooke away this plague that therefore Salomon repented not but died in his sinnes But that sentence of Ieremie is not rightly applied because God doth oftentimes correct penitent sinners with temporall punishments and thus he did to Dauid after his repentance He forgaue him his sinnes but yet he did correct him diuers waâ—es by temporall corrections It is true indeed that all penitent sinners are sure to be freed from eternall and euerlasting punishmeÌ„ts And it may rather be thought that God doth threaten and afflict Salomon to drawe him thereby to repentance and no doubt if he had any sparke of grace or diuine wisedome left in him such afflictions and corrections one after an other would drawe him to true humiliation and repentance The Fathers some of them speake very hardly and heauily of this fall of Salomon Dauid the sonne of the celestiall Ierusalem saith one raigned in the earth and was much commended in the scripture His pietie and true humilitie so conquered his affections that he was one of them of whom we might say with him Blessed are those whose iniquitie is forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered After him his sonne Salomon raigned in all his kingdome beginning to raigne in his fathers time he began well but ended badly prosperitie the mouth of wisedom did him more hurt then his famous and memorable wisedome profited him An other saith that Salomon receiued a deadly wound that his father fell but after he rose againe that he warred and thence receiued a crowne but so did not his sonne Salomon And an other Who was wiser then Salomon but departing from the commandements of God and ioyning himselfe to heathenish women he built Temples to their Gods yea to diuels being so much the more deiected and deceiued in follie as before he was lifted vp in wisedome An other compareth Salomon with Christ saying that he did much excell him because Christ had wisedome by nature but Salomon did aske it by prayer and in the end possessed it not These things are heauie to speake and thinke of and they are some blot and blemish to Salomon but yet it is hard and vncertaine to determine of the damnation of any and as the former reasons may be answered so as I take it there be stronger arguments to proue the repentance and saluation of Salomon And first call to minde those great promises which God maketh to Dauid touching this his sonne Salomon saying of him I will be his father and he shall be my sonne and if he sinne I will chasten him with the rodde of men and with the plagues of the children of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saul whom I haue put away before thee A plaine testimonie of Gods loue to Salomon and of his election to saluation And howsoeuer some doe apply that mercy of God to the mercy of succession in the kingdome and that God would not vtterly cut off his seed from thence as he did to Saul yet that mercy may be further extended to the pardoning of the sinne of Salomon and sauing of his soule And if God be his father and he his sonne how can he finally fall and perish Are any of the sonnes and children of God damned Is God a father to the reprobate and are the reprobates his children doth he correct them gently in loue as fathers vse to chasten their children or doth he not rather punish them in his furie and rage in his iustice and seueritie In an other place when Salomon was borne Dauid called his name Salomon and it is said that the Lord loued him For the Lord had sent by Nathan the Prophet therefore Dauid called his name Iedidisah that is beloued of God For that is the reason of the name because the Lord loued him That is one of his titles Beloued of God And it is said twise in that place the Lord loued him and in this our text this Queene saith as much that God loued him Now those whom God loueth he loueth to the end And those whom God loueth how can they finally and totally fall away Though they fall they cannot fall away though they
Preacher with compassion of minde He hath learned to speake truely that hath first learned to doe well And then doth the seede of the word bring forth fruite when the pietie of the Preacher doeth water it in the breast of the hearers Wee must first bee cleansed our selues and so cleanse others wee must first be wise and so make others wise we must first bee made lighte and so lighten others wee must first come to God our selues and so bring others to God wee must first be sanctified so sanctify others This law is layde vpon the Preachers that they lighten them by liuing which they are carefull to perswade by speaking For the authoritie and power of speaking is lost when the voyce is not helped by worke No man can stand in the valley and speake from the mount Where thou standest from thence speake and from whence thou speakest there stande If thy minde bee in the earth how doest thou speake from heauen be in heauen if thou speake from heauen If thou wilt not doe righteousnesse why doest thou make thy selfe a teacher of righteousnes why doest thou call thy selfe a maister of that whereof thy selfe will be no scholler nor Disciple Finally there be three kindes of negligent Prelates Some who liue well and suffer their people to liue ill Some who liue ill compell their people to liue well Some who liue ill will haue their people to liue ill Those which liue wel suffer their people to liue ill they goe before them in example but they doe sinne because they reproue not their errors Though they liue well yet they must of necessitie giue account of the flocke committed to them to the Lord of the flocke Those which liue ill and compell their people to liue well They do call those that goe astray but they kill those which are rightly strong They call by words they kill by examples Of the third sorte we are not to speak at all But though this be true that the sinnes of Preachers and professors bee thus offensiue to other and hurtfull to themselues yet neyther preaching nor profession is to be cast off or condemned Phisitions oftentimes liue contrary to their owne rules and Lawyers liue lawlesse And yet both Phisicke and Law is good A warrant from the King is not to bee despised though the Officer bee naught In all professions and callings some are good and some bad The callings are not to bee condemned because of the badnesse of them which are in them All fleshe is grasse and the glorie thereof like the flower of the fielde All men are subiect to sinne and error but the word of the Lord abideth for euer It is pure holy iuste and good though those which professe and teach it be neuer so bad Gold is not the worse though a Thiefe handle it no more is the word of the Lord which is more pure then gold being seuen times tried in the fire though wicked men professe and teach it This is the counsell of our Sauiour Christ saying The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses seate all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes do not Excellently saith one vpon that place he that doth euill doth iniurie to the seate Sitting in iudgement if thou liue well and teach well thou shalt be iudge of all If thou liue ill and teach well thou shalt be iudge of thy selfe onely for by teaching well thou doest teach thy people how they ought to liue but by liuing ill thou dost teach God how he ought to condemne thee If they liue well meaning the preachers it is their gaine If they teach well it is your gaine speaking to the people Take that therefore which is yours and trouble not your selues about that which is an other mans for often there proceedeth good doctrine from an euill man euen as the vile earth bringeth forth precious gold Is that precious gold contemned because the earth is vile and base euen therefore as the gold is chosen and the earth is left so receiue you the doctrine and leaue the manners Let vs receiue the doctrine not the maners Hearbes are not necessarie for Bees but flowers so gather you the flowers of doctrine and leaue the conuersation Augustine speaking of this example of Salomon saith thus If Salomon be reiected of God why are his writings of such authoritie in the Church that wee may know saith he that the words of God are not therefore true because they were spoken by Salomon but because they proceeded from God by Salomon whatsoeuer therefore he wrote well it must be ascribed to God and as for his sin it must be left to himselfe The same may be said of Balaam who though he was an euill man yet he deliuered good and wholesome Oracles Dauid sinned grieuously yet his Psalmes are most blessed diuine sacred ful of sweet comforts and instructions to be imbraced beleeued reuerenced and practised of all good men Peter his fall was most greeuous in denying his maister yet his sermons his doctrine and writings are in no case to be reiected but to be receiued and followed of all Christians as holy and canonicall scripture inspired by the holy Ghost Thus the falls of the Saints are abused sundrie waies some men doe excuse all their faults some by them take occasion to disgrace and discredit the Saints and some take occasion thereby to practise the like sinnes in themselues but these are all deceiued and doe erre foulely For they are not written to any such purpose but rather that we may learne and see the corruption of all men by nature and that we may know the Saints were but men and therefore not to trust in them but in God And this vse doth one make of this example of Salomon that God suffered him to erre least we should erre Many things are written specially in the Psalmes of Christ in the person of Salomon Now we might take those things to be spoken altogether of Salomon himselfe but that we see he hath so grieuously fallen whereupon we are constrained to passe those excellent Oracles from Salomon to the Messias for seeing we are admonished in the scriptures that Christ knew no sinne and we see that Salomon sinned so hainously we may vnderstand thereby that Salomon was not the Messias And by such examples the mercy of God is made manifest to repenting sinners And they may gather comfort from thence that if they haue the like repentance they shall haue the like fauour mercy And therefore saith one I consider Peeter I cōsider the theefe vpon the crosse I looke vpon Zacheus and I see nothing else in them but examples set before our eies of hope and repentance By these examples also we are stirred vp to humilitie and watchfulnes to worke our saluation with feare and trembling and vpon view of these things let him that standeth take heed least he fall
And finally we are moued to pittie kindnes and mercy towards other sinners seeing in many things we sinne all and such excellent and holy men Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles haue had their grieuous falles THE SIXT SERMON WE haue heard the reioycing and thanksgiuing of this woman for the Raigne of Salomon and specially because she sawe the loue of God both to Salomon and to Israel in placing such a King We haue heard the happines of Salomon the great and extraordinarie gifts of God bestowed vpon him and manifold signes of Gods fauour towards him and that God by his owne mouth and promise and by a speciall name giuen to Salomon professeth his loue towards him And therefore howsoeuer he fell most grieuously and therefore deserued no loue but rather hatred and to be cast off for euer yet no doubt but God did loue him still and in time brought him to repentance and saluation Now let vs from these words of this blessed woman seeing Gods loue in placing Salomon let vs I say learne and obserue from hence that a good King is a rare and a speciall gift of God and a token of his loue to the people For it is said here Because God loued Israel to establish it for euer therefore he made Salomon King ouer them When God meanes to blesse a land and to doe any good vnto it he giueth it good Princes when he meaneth to correct and punish a people he sendeth wicked men to Raigne ouer them So that it is God that giueth Kings sometimes in loue sometime in anger He threatneth to take away the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged and to appoynt children and babes to be Princes ouer them In his iustice he causeth the hypocrite to raigne Woe to thee ô land when thy King is a childe and thy Princes eate in the morning that is when they are without wisedome and counsell and are giuen to their lusts and pleasure But blessed art thou oh land when thy King is the sonne of nobles meaning when he is noble for verture and wisedome A good King is a great and worthy blessing of God Salomon saith He that findeth a good wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord. And Bethsheba saith Who shall finde a vertuous woman her price is farre aboue the pearles How much more truly may this be said of a vertuous King Euery good thing is from God As good husbands good wiues good parents good children good maisters good seruants how much more a good King being publicum bonum that is a publike good bonum quo comunius â—o melius a good the more common it is the better it is The want of such is an occasion of sinne and ruine to the people It is said in the booke of the Iudges that when the iudge was dead they returned and did worse then their fathers in following other gods and in worshipping them And againe when Gideon was dead the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Balim and made Baall their God And this is set downe as a cause of Idolatrie and of all vilanie amongst that people In those daies there was no King in Israel but euery man did that which was good in his owne eies Miserable is the state of the people without a Prince like fishes deuouring one another like a body without a head like sheep without a Shepheard like souldiers without a Captaine like children without a mother a ship not safe without a gouernour nor a priuate house without a guide nor the common-wealth without gouernours This knew Moses who was carefull of his posteritie and to haue a gouernour for his place before he died and therefore said Let the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh appoynt a man ouer the congregation who may goe out and in before the people and leade them that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheepe which haue not a Shepheard Great are the commodities and comforts which we reape by good Kings Behold saith Esaiah A King shall raigne in iustice and the Princes shall rule in iudgement and that man shall be as a hiding place from the winde and as a refuge from the tempest As the riuers of waters in a drie place and as the shadowe of a great rocke in a wearie land And marke the happines of Salomons gouernment here commended His father Dauid prophecieth of him that true religion should be maintained in his kingdome that in his daies the righteous should flourish that he should be to such as comfortable as the deawe and shewers after the mowne grasse That in his time should be abundance of peace and plentie That he should iudge the poore with equitie and deliuer him when he cryeth and saue the children of the needie and subdue the oppressor redeeming their soules from deceite and violence and preseruing them from all wrong Behold then the happines the benefite and comfort of a good King He is a father a pastor a nurce to the Church and common-wealth He is as a wall and prop to stay vp the tender boughes of the vine He is like the shadow of a great tree refreshing his subiects He is as it were a common soule to the people whereby the body of the Church and common-wealth is stayed and vpholden And as the sunne is to the planets and the planets to the starres so is the King with his counsell iudges and magistrates to the common-wealth From thence it hath life comfort and light A good King is much more excellent and better then a good subiect His goodnes more large moreample profitable then the goodnes of others As much difference as there is betwixt a priuate familie and the common-wealth betwixt one house and a Citie betwixt a litle riuer and the sea so much difference there is betwixt a good subiect and the King He is like a spring or fountaine of water descending from the toppe of a high mountaine watring all the lower groundes cherishing and filling all the lower brookes The care the religion the wisedome the pittie the pietie the liberalitie iustice and temperance of a king profiteth all his subiects By his meanes religion peace iustice artes schooles families trades buildings Church and common-wealth flourisheth Therefore saith Salomon In the prosperitie of the righteous the Citie reioyceth and when the wicked perisheth there is ioy And by the blessing of the righteous the Citie is exalted Againe when the wicked rise vp men hide themselues but when they perish the righteous encrease when the righteous are in authoritie the people reioyce but when the wicked beareth rule the people sigh All good subiects reioyce at the raigne of good Princes because they enioy liues liberties their goods and the Gospell when the wicked rule there is a storme the iust are molested they flie as Dauid from Saul they hide themselues as the Prophets
are made better by weedes the plantes and seedes are hidden choakt but the good husbandman is carefull to plucke them vp so by good lawes men are made better and the wicked which hinder hurt others are restrained suppressed and as husbandmen haue many things to hinder their planting and sowing as wild beasts tempests haile floods drought so haue gouernours hinderances and enemies to their gouernment which they will carefully auoyde as well as they can This comparison of husbandrie as it setteth out the necessitie and excellencie of gouernment so it sheweth the great care and labour that is ioyned with it for who is more carefull and painefull then the husband man let therefore magistrates be humbled in consideration of the vertues and duties of their great calling and yet for their further humiliation let them remember their owne infirmities and wants to performe their dutie as they ought Let them remember that they are subiect to the temptations of the diuell of the flesh and the world and let them knowe that they are subiect to the common miseries of this life and to other miseries and crosses incident and peculiar to their calling and let them in no case forget that they must giue account to the great Iudge and gouernour of all the world how they haue behaued themselues in their places and callings It shall be said to them to euery one of them Come giue account of thy stewardship thou mayest be no longer steward And for their further humiliatiō they must knowe that they cannot tell how long they shall enioy those places of honour and dignitie being subiect to death as well as others and they cannot tell how soone they may be taken away Agathon had wont to say that a magistrate must alway remember these three things First that he ruleth men secondly that he must rule according to lawes and thirdly that he shall not alwaies rule The consideration of this latter poynt of the shortnes and vncertaintie of this life that we must certainely die and we knowe not how soone is able to humble the mightiest potentate in the earth The highest of them all may say I my selfe am also mortall and a man like all other and am come of him that was first made of the earth and in my mothers wombe was I fashioned as others are and when I was borne I receiued the common ayre crying and weeping at the first as all others doe I was nourished in swadling cloathes and with cares For there is no king that hath any other beginning of birth all men haue one entrance to life and a like going out Dauid calleth death the hie way of all the earth and he himselfe putteth gouernours in minde of their mortall state for howsoeuer he saith that God standeth in the assemblie of gods he iudgeth among gods And againe I haue said yee are gods and yee all are children of the most high this he speaketh of magistrates magnifying and extolling their office and giuing them three times in that Psalme the glorious and sacred titles of Gods yet least they should be puffed vp with the excellencie of their callings presently he telleth them ye shall die as a man and you Princes shall fall like others He would haue them remēber that though they be gods yet they are but mortall gods of this mortall state of Princes we to our great discomfort haue had wofull experience not long since in this our Land A worthie young Prince of great hope the flower and Iewell of our land the comfort of his parents and of all good Christians and subiects the heire apparent of sundrie kingdomes how soone hath the Lord taken him away in the prime of his tender young and flourishing age happie no doubt is he that is so soone taken away from a miserable world but vnhappie are we whose sinnes hath caused the Lord to take such a Iewell from vs it cannot but prognosticate some heauie iudgement to this our nation and countrie and great cause haue all christian hearts amongst vs to mourne and lament for such a great losse This Church may say as Naomi said vpon the death of her husband when they called her Naomi she answered them call me not Naomi that is beautifull but call me Marah that is bitter for the almightie hath giuen me much bitternesse Why call you me Naomi seeing the Lord hath humbled me and the almightie hath brought me to aduersitie Wee may mourne and say with Dauid mourning for the death of Ionathon Tell it not in Gath nor publish it in the streetes of Ashkelon least the daughters of Philistimes reioyce least the daughters of vncircumcised triumph And as he saith in an other place after the death of Abner there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel But blessed be God who is still more mercifull to vs then we deserue and in iudgements remembreth mercy who though for our sinnes hath cut off so precious a branch yet the blessed tree is yet aliue and standeth and flourisheth and also some sweet branches to our great comfort and hope Now the Lord of mercy blesse them all and multiplie and encrease them and continue them and theirs if his will be to the end of the world to their owne comfort the shame of their enemies and to the common good of this Church and common-wealth yet let vs not forget that heauie iudgement but so remember it that it may drawe vs to true repentance for that is the true vse of all iudgements and let vs learne to depend wholy and onely on God and not vpon any mortall man Remembring that counsell of Dauid put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man for there is no helpe in him his breath departeth and he returneth to his earth then his thoughts perish blessed is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lord his God which made heauen and earth the sea ' and all that therein is which keepeth his fidelitie for euer And let this and the like examples of the death of great persons put all in minde though they be neuer so high of the mortall state of all the children of men of what state or conditions soeuer they be And thus though gouernours and magistrates take occasion by the dignitie of their places yet both this and many other causes may moue drawe and induce them to true humilitie And now let vs drawe neerer to the description of the seuerall duties required of Christian gouernours both in this and in many other places of scripture the Lord doth not onely in his word set downe generally the rules of all christianitie but also the seuerall duties of all states degrees and callings as of fathers children maisters and seruants husbands wiues kings subiects wherein we may see the fulnes equitie of scripture applying it selfe and speaking to all sorts of men Againe we learne this
a few small fishes he fed about foure thousand soules He is like that good Samaritane who when hee saw that man that fell among the theeues beeing robbed and wounded came nere vnto him and when hee saw him he had compassion on him and bound vp his wounds and powred in oyle and wine and put him vpon his own horse and brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him Finally wee know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that he being rich for our sakes became poore that through his pouerty wee might bee made rich All the Apostles had speciall care of the poore they put one another in minde of thisâ— duty Paul confesseth that hee had warning from others to remember the poore which thing also he was diligent to doe Hee doth in many places put the Church in minde of this duty Concerning the gathering for the Saints saith hee as I haue ordained in the Church of Galatia so doe yee also Euery first day of the weeke let euery one of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that there bee no gathering when I come And in another place hee bestoweth two whole Chapters in perswading them by sundry reasons to the cheerefull relieuing of the poore Saints You may see that the primitiue Church had both ordinary extraordinary gatherings for their own poore and for strangers these collections were very fitly on the Lords day Such workes of mercy are workes of the Sabaoth then we heare the word which doth stirre vs vp to this duety then are publicke prayers and petitions to God which should moue vs to heare the petitions of others as we will haue God to heare vs then wee cry and craue for mercy to him and therefore wee should snewe mercy to others then are the Sacraments administred which doe moue vs to loue and charity one to another then the examples of others should prouoke vs to kindnesse and liberality towards our brethren then wee remember and call to minde the remembrance of God towards vs which should moue vs to bee beneficiall to others then wee professe the communion of Saints and therefore should bee ready to impart such gifts as wee haue to the comfort and benefite one of another Christians are all one Corporation and one houshold and therefore should haue a care of the helping and relieuing one of another The end of riches is not onely to serue our owne necessities but specially the glory of God and also the necessity of others The possession of riches is vncertaine our life vncertaine our state vncertaine being subiect to the same calamities that others are And therefore while wee haue time let vs doe good to all men and specially to the houshold of faith And consider I pray you who it is that hath need and requireth thy helpe It is Man euen one like thy selfe of the same nature and it may bee of the same Spirit and Grace And what doth hee aske of thee but onely that which God doth giue thee not onely foâ— thine owne vse but for the good of others Nay it is God himselfe that asketh and is become petitioner to thee for the poore It is God I say that asketh who hath giuen thee body and soule and goods who hath giuen his sonne for thee who loueth the poore and whatsoeuer is done to them for his sake hee accounteth it as done to himselfe And he asketh nothing but his owne for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is and all the beasts of the forrest are his and all the beasts on a thousand mountaines And he doth not aske it to thy hurt and hinderance but to thy greater gaine and aduantage He that is mercifull rewardeth his owne soule And he that hath mercie on the poore lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen This is the best vsury to put out money and riches to good and holy vses to put them into the hands of God to bestow them according to his will and then they shall be increased and multiplied We are all debters to God we owe him all we haue he hath ordained all things for our vse and therefore it is reason we should trust him and commit all we haue into his hands A wise creditor will trust a faithful debter with any thing And shall not wee trust our God who is most sure of his word and the best pay-maister of all others He is God the faithfull God which keepeth couenant and mercy vnto them that loue him and keep his Commandements euen to a thousand generations This God said vnto Abraham I am thy Buckler and thy exceeding great reward God saith to thee Giue and I will giue thou hast had mee a giuer make me now thy debter The poore man saith a Father is a fruitfull field and quickely and plenteously returneth that which it hath receiued The Husband-man buyeth Oxen Horse and feedeth them he tilleth the ground he casteth in his seede and all vpon hope of a doubtfull haruest but almes is a seed to be sowen the crop and haruest will certainly follow Againe If thou wilt bee a good Merchant and an excellent vsurer giue forth that thou canst not keepe that thou maist receiue that thou canst not loose Giue a little that thou maist receiue an hundred times as much giue a temporall possession for an euerlasting inheritance What a folly is it â—aith another there to lay vp thy goods from whence thou must depart and not rather to send them before thee to the place where thou must go to inhabite Let thy goods be where thy country is hee that hoordeth vp treasure in earth hast nothing to looke for in heauen Why lookest thou vp to heauen where thou hath laid vp nothing Charge them that are rich in this world saith the Apostle that they bee not high-minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs aboundance of all things to enioy that they do good and bee rich in good worke and ready to distribute and communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life God hath ordained saith one for men two Crownes for the poore the Crowne of Patience for the rich the Crowne of Liberality As the poore do depriue themselues of their Crowne by Impatiency and murmuring so ought the rich by helping the poore to striue to obtaine the Crowne of Liberality Worthy is the example of the Primitiue Church of whom it is said there was such order and charity amongst them that none of them lacked for as many as were possessours of lands and of houses sold them and brought the price of the things that were sold and laid it downe at the Apostles feete and it was distributed to euery one as he had need The nuÌ„ber of beleeuers at that time was about fiue thousand