hands vpon his annoynted whom to obey by rule of reason and all true religion not our actions onely are tyed with our words but our very thoughts must be chaste that way according to that Detract not from the king no not in thy thought for the foules of the ayre shall carie the voyce Nay were our Prince as euill as she is good were she set ouer vs in iudgement to plague vs as she is in mercy to saue vs I meane to shelter vs as the shadowe of a great rocke in a weary land were shee as bloudie in persecuting as she is carefull in cherishing finally were shee as great a Pagan as she is a christian yet stands it with religion pietie and godlines not to touch her life but to pray for her safetie so were the people of the Captiuitie enioyned to doe by Ieremie Seeke the prosperitie of the Citie whither I haue caused you to be caried away captiue and pray vnto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall you haue peace And Baruck 1. 11. saith pray for the life of Nabuchadnezzar king of Babylon and for the life of Baltasher his sonne that their daies may be vpon earth as the daies of heauen What should I say more Vnder Augustus Caesar all the world was taxed and vnder Tiberius Caesar the Lord was crucified and yet said hee of both Giue to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Though Nero was cruell and Domitian was bloudie yet Pauls diuinitie was that euery soule should be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God exhorting with all that first of all prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes should be made for all men but especially for kings froÌ„ the same spirit spake Peter when hee enioyned submission to all publike gouernment for the Lords sake whether vnto the King as Supreme or to others as subordinate Where the Apostolike doctrine is as you may see that Popes are inferior to Kings whoÌ„ they must obey as their Superiours so farre from all primacy as they may not challenge a parity by the word of God but must yeeld a precedencie to their Kings as to their Soueraignes next vnto God supreme gouernours vpon earth whereunto both popes al papists if they haue soules must be subiect Nec attendat verus Obediens quale sit quod praecepit hoc solum contentus quod praecipitur sincere obedieÌ„ce neuer reasons with the meanes but quiets it self with the command quits the conscience with the precept of his God who presseth nothing more then homage to himselfe and honour to his annoynted Qua Obedientia vnicimus daemones Caeteris virtutibus oppugnamus by which obedience to God and the King as one saith well we subdue diuels by other vertues we do but oppugne them Sathan and sinners are neuer seene more shrinking then in our obedience it daunts men and dammes diuels Now the subiect of the peoples praier 〈…〉 passioÌ„ for their King was that the Lord Would remeÌ„ber him with all his afflictions Where first obserue that Kings euen Kings haue their trials troubles and crosses in this world and may say in the height of all their honour as Paul did in his persecutioÌ„s Idy dayly for besides the things that are outward I am cumbred daily and haue the care of all the Churches warres without treasons within Councellors perfidious subiects seditious and are not these afflictions O well said Alexander Regum est benefacere male audire It s incident to Kings well to do euil to heare euilly to be intreated that Embleme is for Princes which one of that ranke set vpon his herse to wit a lampe burning with this Empresse Alijs micans meipsum consumo whiles I shine to others I consume my selfe It would bee tedious to tell of Princes thoughts euen in the bed of their rest as it was with Ahashuerus the King when in the sileÌ„ce of thâ— night he could not sleepe but commanded to bring the booke of the Records and Chronicles that he might solace his soule in seeking to succour them who had saued him Baltassers Emblem was fearfull euen in the height of the feast it may be a Motto to all the mightie that they neither presume 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 nor boles least a fearefull hand-writing vpon the wal warne them both of their sin and of their shame that they haue praised the Gods of gold of siluer of brasse and of Iron of wood and of stone but the God in whose hands their breath is and all their waies him haue they not glorified Giue eare therfore you that rule the multitudes and glory in the multitudes of people for the rule is giuen you of the Lord and power by the most high which will try your works search out your imaginations because that you being officers of his kingdome haue not iudged aright nor kept the law nor walked after the will of God horribly and suddenly will he appeare vnto you saith the wise man for an hard iudgemeÌ„t shall they haue that beare rule hee that is most lowe is worthy mercy but the mightie shall be mightily tormented Wisd. 6. 6. But it may be to flatter Princes Sicophants will say these trayals are for tyrants they touch not the godly good and religious kings may keepe and carry their crownes without cober passe their time in pleasure wallow vpoÌ„ their beds of delight â—â—t downe their diadeâ—nes without danger â—â—d bid all doubts adewe I answere no For if there were no care to gette a Kingdom for that they haue it yet is there care to keepe it for that they may loose it nor is the care of conscieÌ„ce least or last of the three in a godly King which laboureth to quit it wheÌ„ the great Iudge of all the world shall demaund an account of their Gouernement Psal. 58. The good Kings of Israel and Iudah haue euer caried this conscience with their Crownes and haue carefully studied they might bee bossed with blessing from God both vpon themselues and vpon their people neuer failing them in the field to fight their battailes nor in their Oratories to further their Deuotions with a care of their Leuites to serue at the Altar and aboundance of sacrifice for the holy offering yea and more then all this so carefull of their God and good of his Church as they neuer failed to honour it with their presence and to sanctifie it with their prayer Now hâ—â— all this could passe them without passion trouble and affliction I leaue it to the feeling conscâ—â—â—â—â— of faithfull Kings whose wrought Crownes of gold often are worne with the wreathed crowne of Christ pricking in their hearts with like passionate speech as when he said Remember mine affliction and my mourning the wormewood and the gall he was a King that said it you may beleeue it Lord thou hast made
waste roaring wildernes to Canaan I say had they not seene this his familiaritie with God the God of his command would they trowe you euer haue beene kept in their obedience being a people so rebellious and mutinous I might say the same of Iosua Gedeon Dauid of all the Kings of Israel and Iudah their familiaritie with their God made them gracious with their people may the very Pagan Princes of tho world that they might the rather confirme their lawes and make their decrees of more acceptance with their people they fained a familiaritie with their Gods secret confereÌ„ce much coÌ„merce as Numa Pompilius with Aegeria the Nimphe Scipio Africanus with Iupiter Capitolinus Pisistratus with Minerua Lycurguâ— with Apollo and Mahomet when he first laide the fouÌ„datioÌ„s of Turcisme by a taught pigeon pidling in his eares as it had beene the holy ghost there whispering secret reuelations yea and all the Muncks from the hollow vaults of their derne Celles are bolde to make good their derne diuinitie by vaunt of more speciall reuelations The proiect is for religious Kings euen from the grace and familiaritie they haue with God to make them gratious with the people for if as you haue heard to credit the lawes of men with man as Tully saith Tâ—ntâ—legis vis est vt ea non homini sed deo Delphi contribueretur how much more to credit the diuine lawes of God by which Kings rule may we say Tantalegis viâ— est vt ea non homini sed deo Israelitico tribueretur Such is the power of that lawe by which we gouerne as wee dare not asoribe yetâ—â—â— â—y Delphick God but to the liuing God of Israel and say populus dei non acquiesâ—at in vlla doctrina priusquam audiat hanc vocem Sic dicit dominus We will that our people being the people of God rest and repose then saluation vpon no Oracle till they heare this voyce Thus saith the Lord Iehouah It may goe for a Lamentation to see how mightie men and Princes of the world estrange themselues from God cast off his yoke burst the bands of all obedience flie religion and are as it were affraide to be familiar with their Christ least happily they might sâ—eme to be strange to their earthly passions pleasures and Parasites who in force noâ—hing more then this that it stands not with the greatnes of man to be too familiar with God or with the Kings crowne to be cast downe at the feete of poore Christ Religion is for Regulars Princes are free and subiect to no rule Thus they measure their right by their might and frame their conscience to their greâ—â— commaund so they may close with this world they shake hands with the other and sue out that proud partition in their hearts Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesar habet so wee may raigne on earth let God rule in heauen The vse is good I feare it is with many both mightie and meane men in these worst and last daies of the world who think if they bee gratious with God they cannot be gratious with men and therefore doe often faine impietie for feare they should not seeme prophane It was Augustineâ— sinne before his conuersion when he saide â—ingebam me fecisse quae non fecoram ne viderâ—â— abiectior quo eram innocentior ne vilior haberer quo eram castior Oftentimes I fained my selfe to haue done the sinne I neuer did least I might seeme lesse honoured for being more honest or lesse prophane for being more pure Alas with what compariâ—ons did I walke saith he the streets of â—â—biloâ— and wallowed in the filâ—h there of as in a bed of Cynamon pure perfume for 〈◊〉 flesh and blood senteth sinne to be sweete but the sanctified soule deemes it perfumed poison Well it was not so with this good king Ezechiah when hee claue vnto the Lord and departed not from him nor is it so with our dread soueraigne whose right hath bin her might I meane her religion with God her might with men and her constancie in his faith hath made her more honorable then the hils of robbing Rome Semper eadem is her princely poesie a Constat to the worlde of a constant Prince and steddie rule And so to the last vertue and Diamond in the hand and heart of good Ezechiah to wit the heauenly patterne of all his pietie in these words he kept his coÌ„mandements which the Lord commanded Moses where you may first see that in the law of the Lord was his delight and by that holy booke hee directed in all his wayes whether Theoricke or Practicke it was the rule of his Faith it was the rule of his Life and not of his onelie as a priuate man but as a publike Magistrate hee layed that Line and Leuell of the Lawe to the soules of the Subiectes thereby to be guided in all their wayes hee did not deuise vnto himselfe any other gouernment then that of Moses which he had receiued from the holy mount hee did not with Ieroboam deuise a calfe at Dan a calfe at Bethel with an holie-day to the Lorde Hee did not forsake the fountaine of liuing-waters and digge vnto himselfe Cesternes euen broken Cesternes which could hold no water Finally in all the Seas of his tossed gouernment hee neuer lost the Pole I meane the worde of his God but euer had it in his eye and so directed the sterne of all his religious raigne to the honour of God good of his people with such a blessing to himselfe as neither Time nor eternitie shall euer blot out But wo is me to tell the lacke of this line leuell booke and starre as in the hearts of Princes so of their people hath bene is and will be the subuersion of States and destruction of soules in all Ages the missing of Moses hath bene the breeder of much mischief in the church of God it hath cost bloud and lost faith yee caÌ„not misse the good but yee shal hit the euill ye cannot faâ—le of faith but ye shall fall froÌ„ grace if ye be weâ—ry of the word of God ye shall be tyred with the traditioÌ„s of men the time was wheÌ„ Scriptum est did beat back diuels they haue Moses the Prophets did choke the damned the time was when Search the Scriptures was in the command of Christ and men thought that in them they had euerlasting life the time was when Angels were cursed if they preached any other Gospell then that which was deliuered by Moses and Christ. But now diuels damned men and Angels are let loose â—et at libertie free to Preach what they will so they misse the Scriptures Moses and the Prophets are beaten back with Romish Institutions decretals Apostaticall lying Oracles illusions and flattering diuinations with vnwritten vanities neuer sawe this sinne so soare a sight next to
expert in euery worke But what 's all this wealth if it bee not bestowed and what is all this matter if it want forme and what of all this prouision if it come to no perfection when it falleth into the worke then it is fashionable but lying vpon an heape it hath no honour In regard whereof the good King was carefull euen at his death to charge both suruiuing Prince and Peere by a double bond of a double dutie one of faith to God another of fealtie towards their King that they should be carefull of the worke Salomon to builde and his Princes to be ayding Whereby wee are taught if wee list to learne that as matter is nothing without forme and prouision is lesse if it fall into no worke so Princes though potentates in themselues yet are farre vnable to performe much either for the good of the Church or common-wealth but as they are aided by Peere and people In that honourable expedition against Iabin King of Canaan the Princes of Isachar were with Deborah and Isachar and also Barach hee was set on his feete in the valley it was in the day of battell and they fought for Deborah but the diuisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart and Meros with her inhabitants were cursed of GOD for that they came not to helpe the LORD against the mightie I am not able to beare you my selfe alone so saide Moses in the day of his gouernement how can I alone beare your cumbrances your charge your strife bring you men of wisdom vnderstāding and knowne among your Tribes and I will make them Rulers ouer you if in the day of battel gouernement and grieuances Prince and people were aiding vnto their King why not in the dayes of their Afflictions while they builde the Church should not Peere and people helpe to further the worke Surely surely this mutuall helpe twixt Prince Peere and People is the maine Buttresse of States and Kingdoms Kings may commannd Peere and People must obey and all must lay their handes to the worke if either they looke to builde anewe holde vp that which is built or repaire the ruines of that which is decayed What maruell then if Dauid for a Legacie of his loue to build God an house layed his cōmand vpon the Princes of Israel that they should remember him in this when he was gone and looke vpon him in his louing Sonne liue to aide him in the worke he had begun and neuer leaue him till hee perfected the worke obliged thereunto by double band of a double debte one to God whose worke it was another to the King whose Subiects they were Not doubting but their Religious loue to the King of Heauen and like loyaltie to their King on earth would tye them by sacred vowe and Oath to God as it had done him neuer to take good rest or sweete repose till they had built God an house an habitatiō to dwell in And so for Conclusion to you mightie Kings and Potentates of the worlde search the sacred Register and yee shall neuer rue the reading how Dauid with the care of Gods house and Religion hee began his dayes continued his Raigne and honoured his death Hee fought for it he prayed for it hee prepared for it hee cast for it all the dayes of his life and hee cared for it at the houre of his death deeming it a dismall dissolution for a King to passe out of this world without an holy resolution of a better together with paine and passion of the posteritie how to build God his Christ and Church in their dearest Thoughts But it may bee demaunded where is Abiathar in all this businesse Where are the Priests and Leuites and why doe they neither build nor prepare for the worke Is the King afflicted and are they without passion doth the King take no rest and are they at ease in Sion surely it seemed expedient there should bee neither mention nor memory made of them in this place least happely they might seeme to take precedencie from Princes in manageing the affaires of the Church practise they may in it but neither may they prepare with Dauid build with Salomon pray sing and sacrifice they may order they may not for the Corites must be ordered by Dauid preach they may rule they may not but as they are subordinate for gouernment is for the King conuince they may conuent they may not processes are for Princes In a word the day of Dedication is for Salomon counsels proclamations punishment of delinquents all except the censure of excommunication are for Kings and except they bee subordinate and vnder them they haue no power in gouernment wel may they beare the arke but they may not commaund it from Abinadabs house or transport it but as the King will The doctrine is good to pull downe the pride of popish primacie aduancing it selfe aboue that is called God or that is worshipped robbing GOD of his honour and Kings of their homage but I knowe you will say as the wicked did in the dayes of Malachy wherein haue wee robbed thee O GOD wherein haue we robbed you O Kings I answere in taking from the LORD his owne ordinance and in taking from Kings their lawfull authoritie GOD hath ordained the King as supreme both in Church and common-wealth yee haue limited his power in ciuil obedience ye haue taken away his power in ecclesiasticall iurisdiction yee say crownes and kingdomes are yours to dispose and Church gouernment is a part of Peters patrimonie but I say no Pasce pasce pasce is his and your portion and whatsoeuer is more then this commeth of euill It is euill to feede vppon the fleshe of Kings and to treade vppon the neckes of Emperours it is euill to demolishe states and to confound order it is euill to take to your selues vpon a forged Donation the Imperiall Citie of Rome the Pallace of Lateran the Kingdome of Sicily Apulia and Capua the Dukedome of Ferraria Canellam and Commodam with Matilda her portion It is euill to take to your selues and tye to your gyrdle all the keyes of Heauen Earth and Hell Was there euer Pride like this was there euer Auarice like this Was there euer Blasphemie like this To take glorie from God homage from Princes honor from Angels as more excellent then they in iurisdiction administration knowledge and reward For so saith Antonius In briefe was there euer Creature subiect to no power no not to himselfe As Biel saith if hee list to appeale from himselfe O heauens be astonished and thou earth tremble at this tyrannie So auerse from God and so opposite to the mildnesse of Christ as hee may well be called that Antichrist and man of Rome the ruine of all Religion For Christ was poore hee is rich Christ was Crowned with golde and Diamonds Christ was lowely riding vpon an Asse Hee exalted vppon the shoulders of men Christ his Kingdome not of
accouÌ„ting all things but dung for that excellent Knowledge which is in Iesus Christ CHRIST is a costly guest and to giue him entertainement will cost Kings their Crownes Scepters Diadems all to be throwne down at the feete of Christ Lands lordships possessioÌ„s to be sold and distributed to euery man as he hath neede the half we haue to the poore restitution fourefold of all we haue wrongfully taken which done the liuelyhood will be small in pede Computi if thou burie him in thy hart it must be broken and he will lye alone and in such a Tombe as neuer man lay in but himselfe what should I say more Christ his Crosse and Crowne his Faith Religion will cost you Father Mother Sister Brother Life and all according to that he that loues any of these better then me is not worthie of me Finallie Marie her Teares Hayres Perfume Boxe and all must out ere CHRIST come in either to lodge in her house or lie in her hart Largiter demus Christo quae demus Spare no cost to spend it vpon thy Christ. Ad quid perditio haec what needs this waste so said Iudas in his sinne that son of perdition who purchased a field with the teward of his iniquiitie Rather say with Dauid God forbid I should builde him an house of that which cost me nothing Pardon mee in your patience yet a while if I further presse this point of pleÌ„tifull prouision towards the Lord and his Religion in these chilling and colde dayes of decayed Deuotion wherein both Princes people are prodigall to speÌ„d vpoÌ„ theÌ„selues but too sparing God wot to maintain the religioÌ„ of God of his Christ I feare one day Moses will stand vp in iudgemeÌ„t against vs with a readie and a willing people to condemne vs in this that they haue bene more carefull of the type then wee of the truth they to build a Tabernacle then we a temple they of the Sacrifice then we of the Sacrament they of the lawe then we of the Gospell they of Moses then wee of Christ yea they of Agar of mount Sina which gendereth vnto bondage then wee of Ierusalem which is aboue and free and the mother of vs all It is memorable and of due regard what the Lord commaunded Moses for the Fabricke of the Tabernacle how all such whose hearts gaue it freely should offer towards the building for forced obedience fashioneth not with God hee loueth the cheerfull giuer and faithfull receiuer A free offering will I giue vnto the Lord and praise thy name because it is so comfortable so saith Dauid to his sauing God Now in this their alacritie cheerfulnes and diligence they set vpon the worke 1. in their ioynt vnitie without distraction 2. in their great cost without grudging 3. in their much labour without wearines 4. and 〈…〉 The people were of one heart in one worke for one God their number was great euen six hundred thousand three thousand fiue hundred and fiftie men that offered from tweentie yeares old and aboue euery one at the least halfe a sicle of siluer the gold was much that was occupied in all the worke wrought for the holy place and freely offered euen twentie nine talents seauen hundred and thirtie sicles according to the sicle of the sanctuarie the siluer was aboue an hundred talents the brasse of the offering seauentie talents and euery man which had blue silke purple scarlet and fine linnen and goats haire and rams skinnes dyed red and badgers skins brought them womeÌ„ brought their taches and ear-rings rings and bracelets and Iewels of gold and offered a free wil offering vnto the Lord nay they spared not their looking glasses of brasse but cast them in for the lauer the Princes rulers brought Onix stones and pearles of price to set in the Ephod in the brest-plate as also spice oyle and sweete perfume The vse is good they robbed themselues to inrich their God Now wee robbe our God to inrich our selues Then Bezaliel and Aholiab left their worke to tell Moses that the people had brought too much and more then enough The Bezaliels of these our dayes may leaue their preaching and tell Moses the people bring too little and lesse then nothing Will a man spoile his goods saith God by the Prophet Malachie yet haue yee spoyled mee and if yee say wherein I answere in Tithes and Offerings yee are religiously wise I will presse it no further but proceede with the rest And now as Dauids care to builde God an house did begin his raigne so did it ende his life Hee could not die till he had determined of that businesse with Salomon his Sonne to perfect the worke and with the Nobles of Israel Iudah to be his assistaÌ„ts Dauid commaunded all the Princes of Israel to helpe Salomon his Sonne saying Is not the Lord your God with you and hath giuen you rest on euery side for he hath giuen the Land into my handes and the Land is subdued before the Lord and before his people nâ—w-set your hearts and your soules to seeke the Lorde your God and arise and builde the Sanctuarie of the LORDE GOD to bring the Arke of the Couenant of the Lorde and the vessels of GOD into the House built for the Name of the Lorde See the passage of his passions and how hee aggrauates his Afflictions for the Church with his Affections towardes the Church both in his life and at his death as if hee should haue saide Now must I die yet burie these my last words in your dearest Thoughts and thinke vpon them when I am gone I haue liued to fight your battels and haue quieted the Land before your eyes I haue beene your King in warre that peace might bee within your borders and by my hand the Lord hath giuen you rest on euery side Now therefore see to his rest who hath thus repaired your ruines builde God an House with an habitation to dwell in Bring in the ARKE of the COVENANT and the Vessels couer it with a vaile Turne your tossed Tentes into a steaddie Temple Wander no more in the wildernesse of Shinai which is shaken but come to mount Sion and there abide by his holinesse You may build so may not I for that I haue beene a man of blood yet haue I thought it a duty wel beseeming my place to leaue nothing vndone that may further the worke and helpe my successor looke into my store when I am dead and see my prouision that I haue made for the house of my God I haue prepared Caedars from Sidon and Algunum wood from Tire an hundred thousand talents of gold and a thousand thousand talents of siluer of brasse and of Iron passing weight I haue prepared masoÌ„s to hew and polish the stones carpenters to fashion and frame the timber all men
Lord God and when all other helps succours faile with this good K. Ezechia trust in the Lorde God of Israel Trust not in friendes for they will faile you Trust not in this world for it will forsake you trust not in pleasure for it will flatter you trust not in wealth for it will Ieaue you trust not in strength it will weaken like water trust not in beautie it will vade like a flower trust not in witte it s often wauering trust not in Learning it s alwayes doubting trust not in Honour it s still a sliding trust not in Princes fauour it s often fleeting trust in no societie in marr'd with factions trust in no earthlie ioyes they are but borrowed passions All these Trusts are but transitorie worne out with Time but that transcendent confidence of thy GOD and LORD neither vadeth nor vanisheth out abideth for euer It effecteth wonders where it worketh and it tyeth the prouidence of the Almightie to thy particular it hales on the Heauens to helpe the Earth and like a threefold Cable from the Kings heart to the Lords eare it pulled him downe to be propitious when tyed to the Sunne it drew it backe ten degrees tyed to Time it put it on fifteene yeares as an Addition to his dayes and tyed to the Angels it brought them downe to scatter and kill the Hoast of Assur And now tell mee yee Atheists of the world Artists and Polititians in whom Nature euer abridgeth Grace tell mee what starrie influence wit of man might or abilitie could euer haue effected so admirable wonders had they not beene haled on rather by tye of Religion then by touch of reason for Fides non habet meritum vbi humana ratio praebet experimentum Faith hath no prehemineÌ„ce where reason maketh experiment well may it here houer belowe but it can neuer reache the height of the Heauens well may it make men famous on earth but it can neuer make them glorious in heauen O Religion beautifull is thy band it chameth man to God in his obedience and God to man in his deliuerance but where it is not Princes powers are but cordes of sand their glory but a morning dewe their speares but Reeds to pearce their owne entrals and with all their wit they doe but weaue vnto themselues spiders webs vneth able to keepe out a flie much lesse the fire of Gods heauie wrath and indignation against delinquents Nay oftentimes it falleth out that where there is a trust and confidence in the creature more then in the creator that very creature turnes to their destruction who trust to it Sampson twice trusted in his strength and it was first cut off by the weake and feeble hand of Dalila againe hee trusted in his strength and it pulled downe the house aswell vpon himselfe as vpon the Philistines Absoâ—on trusted in his faire face feature and beautie and his golden locks tyed him to the tree till Abner had pierced his heart with a speare That very sword wherein Goliah trusted cut off his owne head and the speare he tossed at Dauid before the combâ—te aduanced his head in the sight of all Israel What should I say more of that multitude of men wherein Dauid so trusted thousands fell vppon his right hand and ten thousands vppon his left and this good King when hee shrunko but a litle from his God and in some princely ambition shewed his treasures wherein hee-trusted to Baladen King of Egypt it was the ruine of his house and cause of Israels captiuitie The vse is good and seasonable for the day on solemnize I shall neuer thinke so long as I haue a thought in my heart that euer Queene Elizabeth I could haue rained and ruled so happily to the honour of her God preseruation of her state safetie of her people and wonder of all the world but that shee onely trusted in the Lord God of Israel It was her faith and full affiance in her God that made her so glorious by deliuerance For was it reason or faith that put 〈◊〉 the stabbe of Parry and poysoned the Bill of Lopus was it reason or faith that scattered the great Armâ—â—â— of Spainee when the sturtes fought for England and the Riuer Kison swept them away sinke their ships wherein they trusted and cast the carkâ—sses welneere vpon euery coaste from Portesmouth in England to Dingle Cushe in Ireland Was it reason or religion when in the day of her afflictions shee went towards the tower Tanquam Ouis a poore persecuted prisoner that brought her backe againe not long after to her pallace of Westminster a free borne Prince and that I onely say no more but haste to the rest Is it reason or religion that with the linâ— of her sacred life still draweth on the mercies of our blessed God Sweete as perfume and like the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed surely surely if I should ascribe these our blessings by her gratious gouernment rather to pollicie then pietie to reason then religion to the puisance of her power then to her trust and confidence in her God I should preiudice the right of faith and the Princely vertues of her heauenly minde And so to the second vertue wherewith the religious heart of this good King 〈◊〉 replenished which was his magnanimitie to wit a generous minde and spirit soaring high and seldome ayming at mediocrities neuer content to sit downe with the worst but euer striuing to contend with the best of his ranke and therefore it is said that after him was none like him amongst all the Kings of Iuda neither were there any such before him for hee did emulate the vertues of all the ancient Kings of Israel and Iudah that went before him and matched them he did animate the succeeding Kings of Iudah and made himselfe a patterne for them so walke saith the Apostle euen as you haue vs for an example so rule saith this good Prince euen as you haue vs for a president Like the sunne amongst the planets so are eminent Princes amiddest their peeres they lighten all aboue and all belowe precedent Kings are honoured succeeding Kings are bettered by them Yet so as this heroicall vertue of Magnanimitie euer springs out of the fountaine of faith her first and fairest in the ranke of all religious vertues for faith is euer operatiue it will worke it will striue wrastle and contend with the best by the best meanes and for the best blessing Out of this vertue it was that Sampsâ—â— contended with the Philistines and not in strength only but in wit had excelled them all if they had not plowed with his heiffer out of this vertue Iob conetnded for vprightnesse with all the land of Hus when the Lord saide of him that there was none like him in the earth for an vpright and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill Out of this vertue
Dauid played with Lions as with Kids and with Beares as with Lambes Out of this vertue Salomon contended when for wisedome hee excelled al the children of the East and all the wisedome of Aegypt for so saith the text hee was wiser then any man yea then were Etham the Ezrahite then Heman then Calcal then Darda the sonnes of Mahol nay he was famous throughout all nations round about What should I say more out of this vertue Iacob contended with God for a blessing at Peniel his generous spirit failed him not till hee hadde wonne the prize and was stiled with that most renowned name of Israel as preuailing with God Lastly thus animated Paule challenged all the creatures of God to combate for the honour of his CHRIST I say all aboue and all belowe either firy earthy diuels and damned when hee saide what shall seperate vs from the loue of Christâ— shall tribulation or anguish shall persecution or famine shall nakednesse on colde shall perill or sword shall death or life shall Angels principalities or powers shall thinges present or thinges to come shall height or depth shall any creature be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord I may say then as of all these so of good Ezechia Nihil habuit vulgare hee had no base minde hee contended for no trifles but for the honour of his God and good of his Church his generous spirit caried him aboue the pitch of vulgar conceit which houereth belowe and ayâ—eth at mediocrities and therefore Hesiodus speaking of such high hearts calleth them not without cause Kéra epamâ—â—â—i Whom minds soare on high without commerce of earth or earthly things I may be sparing of this Paralel for that her Maj. hath put me from it as she did herselfe when from that Climate of her much modestie shee did recommend vnto her Councell the care of her people that they might bee ruled with like iustice and temperance shee euer affected in her Princely heart and contended with the best that they might euer enioy that blessing A Prince saith shee is scant well furnished if either hee lacke Iustice Temperance Magnanimitie or Iudgement As for the two latter I will not boast my Sexe doth not permit it but for the two first this dare I say 1 Amongst mo Subiects I neuer knewe a difference of person where right was one 2 Nor euer to my knowledge preferred for fauour whom I thoght not fit for worth 3 I neuer lent mine eares to credite a tale that was first tolde me 4 Nor was so rash to corrupt my iudgement with my censure before I heard the cause 5 If others whome I put in trust to heare the cause marr'd it with partialitie it was not my fault 6 This dare I boldely affirme my verdict went euer with the trueth of my knowledge 7 And I neuer vsed ouer suddeÌ„ resolutions in matters that haue touched me full neare 8 I euer haue and do contend for the truth with all good conscience 9 And let mee liue no longer then I may liue to dare the enimies of my God with an vndaunted spirit warraÌ„d dâ—â—re Lord all this with thy commaund These were the Poesies of her rule these are the perfumes of her life such is her government graced with no lesse magnanimitie and iudgement which in her Princely modestie shee would put off then of iustice and temperance wherein she may contend with the highest of her ranke and so to the rest A third vertue replenishing the heart of Ezechiah was his constancie in the Faith where it is said he claue vnto the Lord departed not from him implying a threefold passage in pietie fit both for prince people 1 a seeking of God 2 a findiÌ„g of God 3 with an abiding by him for wee cannot cleaue vnto him till we haue fouÌ„d him nor can wee finde him till wee haue sought him and when we haue sought and found then to abide by him not to depart from him is no lesse Christian then Kingly constancie In our seeking the soule is exercised in our finding the soule is satisfied and in ouâ— abiding by him our soule is incorporated into our God And thus are we not onely infranâ—hised into that heauenly inheritance made free and familiar with God but as it were glued vnto him by an inseperable â—nion and so the originall in this place will beare iâ— for like as with glue two tableâ— thâ—y be ioyâ—ned and bound together as and if they were both one So by a true and liuely faith may God and man bee 〈◊〉 together Quasi vnum quiddam fiant For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are both one And againe Amor non sinis â—maâ—tem esse â—uispsius sed amaâ—i It is noâ—then our seeking of God but it is our finding of God nor â—â— is our finding of God but it is our abiding by God that makes â—â— blessed It weâ—e better wee neuer felt God then to fall off after wee haue â—â—lt his sweetnes the backsliding Israelite is the worst Israelite and to slide from pietie is as the sinne of Apostacie it was the greatest dishonour that euer Ephraim hadde to start backe in day of battell nor will neuer bee forgotten in Demas or forgiuen in Iudas their falling off by a wofull seperation the one from Paul the other from Christ c. And euen in this hold of a constant faith religion rule and gouernment did Ezechia excell Salomon â—ohas Valerian Commodus and other Princes of the world who at the first were religious but in the end went backe and fell away some to this God some to that all froÌ„ the God of heauen whose deserued iudgemeÌ„t was for that they left off their familiarity with their God and Lord and had no recourse to the holy Oracles sacrifice and Sabbathes the Lord made a rent in their kingdomes and estranged the hearts of their people from their due obedience For surely this is true Princes shal neuer strike an impression of maiesty from themselues in the hearts of their subiects but by an impression of maiestie from their God with whoÌ„ if there were no pietie yet it staÌ„ds with pollicie they should bee familiar of much commerce conference and counsell Had it not beene knowne to all the people that the Lord did commune with Moses by the space of fortie daies and fortie nights vpon the holy mountaine in great familiaritie Had they not seene the brightnes of Gods glory shining in his face which they could not behold without a vaile had they not heard his word not as the word of man but as it was indeed the word of God Had they not read the tables he brought written with the finger of God had they not heard the thunder seene the fire and lightening with an astonishment of the maiestie of God in his minister Moses their guide and gouernour through that