by both indeuour to effect y e same in others A word is enough to men wise and learned God will not indure disdaine and scorne for euer His owne mouth hath said he indureth it when his messengers indure it His own hand will plague it therefore if he be God vnlesse we leaue it Cyprian said well and to this end most truely Qui non credit Christo Sacerdotem agenti credet tandem vindicanti He that beleeueth not Christ whē he doth the office of a minister shall beleeue him to his wo whē he doth the office of a iudge How doth Christ the office of a minister but in and by those that be our ministers beléeue not them then beléeue not Christ and so receiue indgement for contempt of Christ Secondly was the good of bodie the release from a fleshly leaprosie such a matter in these seruants eyes that for it euē great things were to be obeyed and done What thinke we then of good for bodie and soule of deliuerance from spirituall leaprosie of soule that infecteth to death eternal both of bodie and soule should not great things be indured for that should not hard things be obeyed and followed for that Such is the fruite of our ministerie and such is the effect of our perswasions if they be receiued Hoc fac viue This do and thou shalt liue In Christ and by Christ we do it when we beléeue and practise as we are taught and God inableth And thus of the matter of the seruants spéech The second generall head was the obedience of Naman to the counsell wherein we may obserue first whom he yéeldeth vnto and followeth Surely his owne seruants men for place so farre inferiour to him as seruants to such noble and honorable masters be yet their counsell he imbraceth and their aduise though contrarie to his liking he will not reiect How true then do we sée it to be that graue and wise men do not regard so much who speaketh as what is spoken knowing that Saepe etiam est holitor valde opportuna locutus The poore gardner many times speaketh greatly to purpose Saepe sub sordido paliolo latet sapientia Often vnder a poore cloke lyeth wisedome shrowded and hidden Daungerous therefore it is and preiudiciall to good discretion to tye our selues to titles and places of men that shall counsell vs as willing to regard nothing except it procéed from some man of note graced with some worldly place and title of dignitie in the world for Naman we sée was healed receiued a great good by yéelding to his poore seruants when they spake well and to good effect And we know God himselfe tieth not his wisedome euer to men of greatest note for worldly place but hath often chosen the foolish things of the world to confirme the wise and the weake things of the world to confound the mightie things And vile things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen and things which are not to bring to nought things that are That no flesh should reioyce in his presence Optimus ille quidem qui paret recta monenti The best man therefore is he that imbraceth good counsell be he neuer so meane an instrument from whom it commeth Next we obserue how readily and willingly Naman doth it making no replie to the contrarie giuing them no checke no snub no rebuke for intermedling with his matters Certainly a great vertue and a verie honorable minde in him to the checke of all those that rate and reuile beat downe and disgrace at the first such as perhaps after they follow though not seeming so to doe Surely he spake it moderately that spake it and it is most worthy marking Si merito reprehenderit quis scito quia profuit si immerito scito quia prodesse voluit If a man rebuke a man and crosse his mind with some perswasion if there be cause of that perswasion then hath he profited thee if there be no cause yet was his heart mind to profite thee and that is to be regarded and accepted without any vnkind checke euer 3 And his flesh came againe like the flesh of a young child and he was cleane This is the frute that followed his obedience he was healed But you will say Did the water of Iordan heale him No no more thē the clay and spittle that our Sauiour vsed gaue sight But there then that and now here this was the meanes that it pleased God to vse he him selfe both there and here healing by his diuine power and might If we aske againe why seuen times he washed was not healed with once or twise washing The answer may be this that as well at once as after seuen times washing God could haue healed him if it had pleased him and without any washing at all if he would for neither the washing nor the nūber auayled anie thing to his health but the one vsed because so it pleased God who vseth outward things as he pleaseth and leaueth them also when he will and the number of times vsed onely for exercise of his faith and obedience As he brought the children of Israel to the land of Canaan after many years triall which he could haue giuen farre sooner if he would He could by and by haue released Ioseph frō his wrongfull imprisonment if he would yet he let him alone a long time and all to schoole him Dauid he could haue brought to the kingdome with halfe the difficultie that he did if he would haue deliuered also Daniel and the thrée children before euer they had come into such daunger but thus he thought good to exercise their faith patience and hope that much more they might shine hauing thus bene tryed And this is a note for all wearie suters in this place to take with them If it pleased God he could effect your desires and dispatch you away in a day but then should not you know what perhaps thus you learne neither inward faith receiue such frutefull exercise as thus it doth looking to God hoping in God and resting vpon God to receiue frō him what shall be best and in such time and space as shall be best Yet may I not say that your profiting any way by your delayes may be a iust excuse to them that without any néed are causes of the same For surely the Lord would haue all honest sutes with conuenient spéede euer dispatched and that made Moses first sit him selfe from morning to night and after to chuse others his coadiutors in that businesse that men might more quickly and easily be reléeued And thus much briefly of Namans healing The fourth and last thing is his thankfulnes when he was healed set downe in words in déeds to God and to the Prophet and that not formally but vehemently performed His thankfulnes to God in words that he knew now there was no God in
might by sundrie scriptures be shewed if it were néedfull But alas the dayes and times wherin we liue as farre from swéet conceipts towards men by whom we haue béene pleasured as euer any dayes since the world began The Galathians when saint Paul had taught thē the word of God opened their vnderstanding and brought them to the faith thought the verie eyes in their heads not to much to bestow on him We in stéede of giuing eyes could finde in our heart to take the eies of them that haue begotten vs vnto Christ and are the ministers by whom either first we beléeued or at least were greatly increased and profited in beliefe God turne our hearts and lay not to our charge in his iudging day what the true teachers of Gods eternal testimonies find at our hands in these dayes But do we deale thus onely with the ministers No euen the ciuill Magistrate whose cares and toyles no loue no life no death cā euer requite drinketh of the same cup and receiueth the same measure at our hands as the ministers do for we raile we rime we gird we glance we tel old wiues tales of them also Plutarch reporteth of some Grecians in the life of Flaminius that Philip being ouercome and liberty proclaimed vnto them by Flaminius they cryed with such vehemencie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sauiour Sauiour that the verie foules in the aire fell downe dead with the sound of the crie and they so pressed to sée the face of him that was so good vnto them that time it was for Flaminius to make away lest the vehemencie of the people might haue ouerrunne and crushed both him and others Here was loue and thankfulnes we sée most vehement God doth know and our soules and consciences testifie vnto vs this day how farre we excéede these Grecians in fréedome and mercies bestowed vpon vs not by a Romaine or Heathen but by a most Christian Quéene and gracious gouernour ouer vs his hand and power that hitherto hath done it long mercifully preserue her to vs. Where be our cries with these Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sauiour Sauiour Who is me to speak it some of vs crie and too manie of vs crie in stéede of this No church no sacraments no ministers no discipline at all and therefore we must leaue all open assemblies in this land and combine our selues togither to erect a forme according to our wils in woods in fields in holes and corners where we can Yea with more wo I speake it some feare not to write Pharao of Egypt gaue the Israelites leaue to worship God truely but our Magistrates If they should giue vs leaue yet could we not be suffered for such and such Making an If after these infinite mercies powred vpon vs by God in the gracious gouernment we liue vnder and casting downe the gouernours in merit towards vs beneath Pharao of Egypt O sinfull If O damnable and vnduetifull If. If this be our thankfulnes towards mē from whom we haue receiued health and health not of bodie as here Naman did but of soule and bodie infinite and vnknowne wayes without doubt we be no Namans a man may sweare we be no Namans nor Grecians that so felt the friendship of Flaminius nor men in this behalfe of ciuill vertue God make vs in the end good subiects But from whence might this great vnthankfulnes both to Magistrate Minister arise flow in these men Surely the verie foūtaine is this as I thinke that they may not be suffered by either of them to alter and chaunge the lawes they like not of at their pleasures not considering or regarding as may be thought with that stayednesse of head and trembling of heart that were to be wished what either the wisdom of God hath set downe in his word in conscience to be followed or what wisedome of men in gouernment and pollicie expert haue deliuered in discretion to be regarded For the word of God me thinke the place in the Prouerbes in stéede of manie moe should greatly moue vs where the Spirit of God saith thus My sonne feare the Lord and the king and medle not with them that are seditious for their destruction shall arise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both That are seditious saith the English but that are Changers or Variers saith the Hebrue gnim shonim And that we might vnderstand what Variers and Chaungers are meant Tremellius and Iunius say thus Cum varijs id est variantibus perfringentibus leges Dei suorum Principum Denique deficientibus vita sua immorigera à reuerentia Dei Regis With Variers that is variers and breakers of the lawes of God and of their own Princes And finally by their vndutifull and disobedient life making default of reuerence to God and Prince Cum mutantibus say others scilicet leges consuetudines ritus bonos statum regni With chaungers to wit of lawes customes good rites and state of a kingdome With these my sonne meddle not but feare the Lord the king For the destruction of such men shalbe sudden and who knoweth the ruine of them both For the writings of men let Austin both for learning vertue and experience weigh somthing with vs who setting down that chaunges sometimes may be either by adding or detracting yet setteth this down as a most tryed truth that when a chaunge is made Quae adiuuat vtilitate perturbat nouitate What it profiteth by his goodnesse it troubleth with his newnesse Worthie is the place aduised reading and religious marking if we regard any mens iudgements but our owne Others haue ioyned with this iudgement of Austin fitly fully if néede were to shew many Tutissime agunt qui praesentibus moribus legibusue etiamsi deteriores sint minimum variantes rempublicam administrant They deale most safely that varying as litle as may be from present lavves and manners in vse gouerne the common vvealth thereby although they bee somevvhat vvorse Positas semel leges constanter seruate nec vllā earum mutate Nam quae in suo statu eademue manent etsi deteriora sint tamen vtiliora sunt Reipublicae his quae per innouationē vel meliora inducuntur Lawes once established keep constantly neither chaunge anie of them For things which remaine in their state and the same although they be vvorse yet are more profitable to the common vvealth then those vvhich by innouation are brought in better Non conualescit planta quae saepius trāsfertur The plant that is often remoued doth not prosper Sperne circa te nouatores qui vt aliquid videantur afferre sui etiam recta cōmutant Despise about thee innouators who that they may seeme to bring something of their owne chaunge euen right things Many such things out of wise mens writings might be alledged By which all as by these now named my conscience profiteth
reuerence in singlenes of your heart as vnto Christ Not with eye seruice as men pleasers but as seruants of Christ doing the wil of God from the heart With good will seruing the Lord and not men and know yee that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth that same shall he receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free With what remembrance is the seruant of Abraham registred in the booke of God for his faithfulnes and loue to his master that hauing receiued in charge to goe séeke a fit match for his masters sonne amongst his owne kinred from whom he was then farre seperate by the commandement of God that willed him to remooue as he did the seruaunt fell vpon his knées to the Lord for direction euerie way in that businesse to his masters good would not eate nor drinke when he came to the place till he saw how he should spéede c. How also is Iacob spoken of as true a seruant as euer man had How Ioseph how many moe for their true hearts and faithfull seruice to their masters Therefore deare and precious I say was euer this disposition in seruants that here we sée in Namans seruants to day Loue to master is loue to God seruice to master is seruice to God so reputed estéemed and blessed of God Now if we should aske by what meanes this loue was wrought in the seruants to their master certainly with great probabilitie we may say it was by the honourable vsage of them by their master for the whole storie speaketh of Naman as of a verie honourable minded man to all sorts A remembrance that way againe to masters to regard their poore seruants with comfort and fauour as shalbe fit if they wil possesse their hearts as they owne their bodies for their times For this is it y t pearceth with a sugred swéetnes euen to the reines of a man and maketh him thinke no toile of bodie or braine too much for so good a master Example Ioseph who inflamed in heart with his masters most honourable fauours to him in putting him so in trust that he knew not what he had vnder his hand defied all wickednes temptations and baits against him whatsoeuer they might gaine him in the world The cōtrarie in a master woūdeth the heart and the verie soule of a true seruāt whē he séeth it Example Iacob who séeing the countenance of Laban changed vpon him brake into griefe bewayled it to his wiues and as vtterly discouraged to serue any more purposeth a departure which to Labans great losse he performed I know the masters Posie is Deserue and then desire and but good reason that desert should go before desire but then when desert is and desire vpon desert to reléeue lacke let not the seruant set downe his Posie againe with mourning mind Fidelis seruus perpetuus asinus A good seruant and a perpetual drudge Iesus the sonne of Syrach was a wise man we al know and amongst many precepts he giueth this as one Let thy soule loue a good seruant defraud him not that bestoweth himselfe for thee neither leaue him euer a poore man Neglect of this hath depriued men of such as were worth gold furnished them with slipperie ones in their places of whom after triall they were forced to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O friends I finde no friend féeling the truth of this Cum tot populis stipatus eas In tot populis vix vna fides Garded thou art with troupes of men but faith thou findest scarse in one Remember here Naman furnished with faithfull seruants towards him because he was most honorable towards them Loue in master makes loue in man except in forme of man he be a diuell Hauing thus considered the ground of this speach let vs next consider the manner of it which as we sée is modest humble reuerent with the title and terme of Father and no worse Thus spake men in those dayes that tasted but of ciuilitie If more we would sée more we may well sée in the 23. of Genesis where the Sichemites speake to Abraham as to a Prince Abraham to them againe with all reuerence Aron speaketh to Moses his owne brother with title of Lord Let not my Lord be angrie c. Sauls seruant that went with him to séeke the lost asses saith here dwelleth in this towne a Seer an honorable man And he that spake so of the Prophet would haue vsed no lesse reuerence to the Prophet we may well thinke The Angel himselfe to a man chosen to office vseth reuerence and termes of honour God saue thée Gedeon thou valiant man Thus I say again spake men in those dayes to men in authoritie But alas the change now when we rime in verse raile in prose and sinne in both against God and his chosen instrumentes here on earth most fearefully We ruffell with them as Corah and his company did with Moses and Aron proudly and malitiously telling them that they take too much vpon them neuer remembring the dreadfull iudgement that befell those men for such behauiour nor that which is more that it is said expresly in the text that it was done in signum for a signe to wit of that which shall befall first or last one way or other to all those that euer should do the like For Sequitur superbos vltor a tergo Deus The plague of God followeth the proud stomake euen at the heeles And most notable is it that Chrysostom hath to this purpose when he saith Esto multum edifices habeas elemosynas ieiunia preces virtutes omnes omnia ista prophana sunt impura abominabilia sine humilitate Let it be that thou edifiest much hast almes deeds fastings prayers and all vertues if thy hart be proud malitious enuious against thy superiours and void of humilitie certainly all these are prophane impure and abominable in thee The verie same iudgement had Austen when he said if he were asked what was the chiefe thing in pietie and religion and what the second and what the third he would answere to all and that all in al were humilitie as the Rhetorician said pronunciation was in eloquence Looke we then often euen with a religious eye at this modestie and reuerēce in Namans seruants and be sure what the wisedome of God hath not passed vnnoted in them he wil not passe ouer vnblessed in vs if we haue it He that tuneth an instrument and will hastely hoyst a string may happely sooner breake it then tune it but by milde and gentle strayning he may bring it to a pitch that shall fit his purpose Thus of the manner also of their spéech The third thing in their spéech is the matter of it which as we all sée is a plaine perswasion of their Lord master to that thing that disliked him that he was offended with and could not abide to