the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable vnto his death if by any meanes I might attaine vnto the resurrection of the dead Thus he and all tend to this that he may be sure of a blessed Resurrection at the last day The discretion of a man maketh him to prouide in Summer for Winter in youth for age But if the soule be better than the body heauen than earth God than the world things eternall than things transitory it shall be our Wisedome in the sight of God and men to lay vp a good foundation against that Day when the Lord shall appeare to Iudgement For first It is a dreadfull time for then the Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from Heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire 2 Thess. 1.8 By the dread of that Day is described some time of fearefull punishment on sinners in this life as some learned iudge or if that Day it selfe be there meant as others conceite marke the astonishment thereof Reuel 6.12 And loe there was for it is as sure as if already acted a great Earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as a sackeâ—loth of haire and the Moone became as blood and the Starres of heauen fell vnto the earth euen as a figge tree casteth her vntimely figs when shee is shaken of a mighty wind and the heauen departed as a scrole when it is rolled together and euery Mountaine and Iland were moued out of their places Should we see such things now What would our feare and amazement be How would not our hearts within vs melt with perplexity Surely that Day that shall end all times and the course of all things in this world must be to man a hideous time For the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men c. hid themselues saith the Spirit of prophesie making things present that are to come in dennes and in rocks of the mountaines and said to the mountaines and rocks Fall on vs and hide vs c. from the suffering perhaps of momentany things And what will they do at this Day As it was said of the last end of Ierusalem so of this time and most truely Then shall be great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world till then 2. T is the time of tryall and of the great Assize If a man be to be tryed for life how doth he prouide against the time to cleare his innocency or to plead his pardon Then it comports euery man to be ready with his plea that he be not condemned Magistrates Ministers people For we must all appeare before the Iudgement Seat of Christ that euery man may receiue according to that he hath done in the body whether it be good or euill Thirdly As it fareth with vs then so must it stand with vs for euer No reuersing that Sentence by a writ of error no appeale from thence to a Court of Chancery Mercy accepted in this our Day shall be shewed then refused here shall be denyed there And the execution shall follow To them on the left hand it shall be said Goe ye cursed To the on the right hand Come ye blessed And so long as eternity lasteth and the immortall soule liueth yea so long as God is God the reprobate shall be in the torments of hell and the righteous in the ioyes of heauen Now it would make a mans heart to shiuer and his flesh to tremble to see how in other matters men carefull of euery trifle and of euery complement obseruant neglect this matter of greatest consequence Would you thinke that a man that trots from Lawyer to Lawyer to secure and assure lands would not be a better husbandin greater matters When Parents be so carefull to get an estate to leaue to posterity would they be imagined to be vnprouided of a place for themselues at need If euill be towards another we can pity him if an Oxe be in a pit we can helpe him out we can euen pity a Dog in his hurt yet not be touched towards our selues in the extremest danger of extremest misery as if nothing were cheape with vs but our selues nothing vile but our owne soules If a man had the keeping of the blood of Christ in a violl how chary would he be of it We haue the custody of our soules committed to our selues dearer to Christ as Saint Bernard obserueth than his owne blood and shall we not be most tender of them Trifles in themselues are trifles and some things that beare some shew in comparison with others of more weight are trifles Now to the soule of man and his welfare at the Day of Christ all the Kingdomes of the world are but trifles for what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and to lose his owne soule or what recompence shall a man giue for his soule Be intreated therefore Brethren in conclusion be intreated by the sweet mercies of God by all the sufferings and intercessions of Christ by all the ioyes of heauen by the great charge which God and Nature haue committed vnto you of your owne soules oh by the glory and dread of that Day be intreated to prepare that it may goe well with you then and that ye may be numbred among the blessed Here to liue and lye with swine is abhorred and it is much more to be abhorred to liue with Deuils and damned spirits in hell Might those who now suffer the scorching of those hellish flames haue offer how readily would they apprehend it to be deliuered thence And how should we beware and vse all possible meanes that wee come not there They had their time and they lost it our time is now Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the Day of saluation 2 Cor. 6.2 Heauen may be had oh deare Christians lose it not cast vp your account mourne for your sinnes make your peace with God through the blood of Christ bring forth fruits of Regeneration Offer your selues sacrifices to God holy and acceptable and if ye finde these things hard if to you impossible call in Christ to your helpe Christ will informe your minds mollifie your hearts regenerate your wits subdue your affections purge your consciences rebuke Satan and giue the victorie the Crowne Assure your selues as the Church doth her selfe saying His left hand shall be vnder mine head and his right hand shall embrace me he will stay me with apples and comfort me with flagons And as our Saint Paul himselfe I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ that strengthneth me Idle not out your time with the foolish Virgins lest the gate be shut against you but with the wise Virgins get oyle into your Lampes the oyle of knowledge the oyle of faith the oyle of holinesse the oyle of praises let your Lampes be trimmed and your lights flaming that ye may enter with the Bridegroome into the bridechamber
commendable duty and very necessary to stand in the wayes of godlinesse and truth and to hearken after the same yet to stand in the wayes of sinners of superstitious and seditious and Idolatrous persons which weaue Spiders webbes nay which sit vpon Cockatrice egges it is not safe Therefore our Prophet doth wisely and necessarily adde in the second place That wee See or looke about vs. For as the mother of the ouer-hardy doth neuer want woe no more doth the rash hasty The blind man swalloweth many a Fly taketh hold of a Scorpion in stead of a Fish yea falleth in the ditch groapeth and stumbleth at noone-day Our eyes are therefore compared to the Sentinell or Watch-men of a City or Campe that forewarneth the body of danger approaching and biddeth it beware Now the Eye is not more needfull to the body for the direction thereof against stumbling and falls then Prudence and circumspection is to the Soule against error in iudgement and crookednesse in will and affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vnderstanding that is the eye and the eare too as Clemens Alexandrinus citeth out of an old writer And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vnderstanding and a good mind and much fore-cast is the high-way to happinesse said Demosthenes against Aristogiton Therefore Saint Paul chargeth vs to walke circumspectly not as vnwise but as wise And our Sauiour Be wise as Serpents The Serpent is very quicke-sighted tam cernis acutum quà m aut Aquila aut Serpens Epidaurius and therefore he is called Draco of seeing So we must beware that we be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as cannot see a farre off as Saint Peter speaketh but must anoint our eyes with eye-salue as Saint Iohn biddeth that so we may discerne things that differ light from darkenesse truth from error the sweet bread of sincerity and truth from the leauen of the old and new Pharises yea that we may be able to ken a farre off the sleights of Satan and his cogging 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is one property that we must learne if we will be wise as Serpents we must espy the frauds of deceiuers a farre off Praesens sit longè insidias praesaga mali mens Secondly the Serpent stoppeth his eare against the charmer and will not be gotten out of his hole And so if many among vs had turned the deafe eare vnto Inchanters who laboured first to withdraw them from loue to the truth and then from loyalty to the Prince many worshipfull houses had continued vntill this day which now wee see ouerthrowne Demosthenes would needs be gazing vpon Harpalus his plate was he not corrupted thereby The sonnes of God would needs be staring vpon the daughters of men did they not beget Gyants vpon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by looking comes liking you know the Prouerb This I speake onely for the simpler sort that they cast not their eyes vpon euery pelting Pedlers ware lest they be coozened by them lest they lay out their money and not for meat and their siluer for that which will not profit as the Prophet Esay speakes They that haue knowne the Scriptures from their youth as Timothy did and are rooted and grounded in the truth there is no danger for them to conferre with deceiuers for greater is He that is in them then he that is in the world Therefore I speake not to such as haue their Antidot or preseruatiue in their bosome A third property of the Serpent is remembred by Augustine and Ambrose too and that is this That he is wont Totum corpus pâ—o capite fertentibus obijcere To seeke to saue his head whatsoeuer becommeth of the rest of his body so wee must be sure to hold the Head Christ his Gospell to be our Loadestone his merits to be the Anker of our hope his obedience to be our satisfaction his death to be our life howsoeuer for other matters they seeke to carry vs about with euery blast of vaine doctrine This is one thing that we are admonished of in that we are called vpon to See Another thing we are put in mind of and that is this namely that we stirre vp the holy Ghost that is in vs and that we doe not despaire by the helpe thereof to distinguish betweene a right course and a wrong For surely if there were not some thing in vs I doe not say of vs that are enlightned by Gods grace haue tasted of the good gifts of God some ability of discerning I say the Prophet would neuer haue commanded vs to lift vp our eyes or to cast our eyes about to See For is a blind man called to iudge of colours or a lame man to try masteries I know I know that without Christ we can doe nothing nâ— man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost And We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought as of our selues but all our sufficiency is of God But these places are not against my purpose Bel. for I speake not a word for pride that any man should say as Nabuchadnezzar said Is not this great Babel that I haue built by the might of my power and for the honâ—ur of my Maiesty Are not we wise are not we intelligent are not we sharp-sighted No but against heedlesnes imprudence that we be not wanting to our selues that we quench not the Spirit Know ye not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you except you be Reprobates Now where the Spirit of God is there is light there is the searching of Gods secrets there the secret of the Lord is made knowne to them that feare him Who euer was enlightned by him slept in death Who euer sought him in humility and faith and was denyed him He that commeth to be cleansed God will ioyne himselfe vnto him the Iewish Doctors haue such a speech When the Eunuch vsed his eyes in reading the Prophet Isaiah Philip was commanded by the Spirit of the Lord to ioyne himselfe vnto his Chariot For albeit God worketh in vs both the will and the deed of his good pleasure as Saint Paul saith yet he will not saue a man against his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by force as Nazianzen speakes And sure it is that hee that hath giuen vs reason and vnderstanding and the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not giuen vs these Talents in vaine but that we should labour by all meanes by ardent inuocating of the Name of God by crauing the assistance of his Spirit by Spirituall exercises and meditations to increase them to sharpen them to direct them For to him that hath shall be giuen and he shall haue aboundance and God will not be weary of giuing till thou be weary of asking A graine of mustard-seed at the first is the least of all seeds but what groweth it vnto afterwards Into so great branches that the fowles
die he must Shut the doores of the wombe and then no entrance into this world but being here so many are the passages hence that they cannot bâ— stopped So that a liuing man is but an Embleme of that liuelesse Anatomy where the Ram pusheth at the head the Bull at the Necke the Lion at the Heart the Scorpion at the Priuy parts c. One dyes of an Apoplexie in the head another of a Struma in the necke a third of a Squinancie in the throate a fourth of the Cough and Consumption of the Lungs others of Obstructions Inflammations Pleurisies Gowts Dropsies c. And him that escapeth the sword of Hazael him doth Iebu slay and him that escapeth the sword of Iebu him doth Elisha slay Let God arme any of the least of all his creatures against the strongest man it is present death Our glasse is so britle that euery thing that can knocke it can cracke it nay what is more brittle than glasse yet it may be laid vp and preserued for many ages for though subiect to knocks which it may escape yet not to agues to diseases But with man-kind mortality dwelleth Intus est hoc malum in visceribus ipsis haeret where euer life is there is death it stickes in our very bowels The Comparison is Saint Augusâ—ines We walke among casualties saith he Si vitrei essemus If we were glasse c. Falls for these brittle vessels we feare but age or sickenesse we feare not in respect of them But man besides the many casualties that haue continuall intercourse with his life lyes open to the enfeerbling of age and sickenesse The holy Scriptures call our Tabernacles earthly houses and very rightly for either they fall by outward violence or moulder away of their owne accord Man dwelleth in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the moth Thus fraile are we and all the world cannot helpe it But God can helpe all If that were a good argument Could not he that opened the eyes of the blind haue caused that euen this man should not haue dyed Then this is good He that restored him to life being dead could much more haue kept him in life being yet aliue He can translate Enoch to depart without the sense of death or if He please that he shall not die at all He can if it seemed Him best graunt vnto all men their common desire not to vncloath them at all but cloath them vpon with theiâ— house which is from Heauen that mortality may be swallowed vp of life And he can for he will take order that all those that are aliue at the comming of the Lord shall not sleepe but be changed in a moment But where he decreeth the faithfull to death there also he can he will with the Vipers flesh cure the Vipers sting and out of darkenesse fetch light and out of death life filling the dying man with liuing comfort First through his future Hope that though the sap sinke into the roote yet it shall reuiue For Heauens dew is as the dew of hearbes and the earth shall giue vp her dead and he after he hath slept a while in his bed the graue shall arise refreshed euen when this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortall shall put on immortality Secondly Through his present expectation he shall defie death saying as great Saint Basil to the Tyrant Quomodo mortem formidabo quae me meo Creatori sit redditura How shal I feare death which will giue me backe vnto my Maker Nay with our Apostle Saint Paul like a prisoner that would be enlarged I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ which is best of all And as thus the beleeuer comforts himselfe in the Power of God so likewise in the Wisedome of God who afflicts him onely when he needs affliction as Saint Peter hath it though now for a season if need be ye are in heauinesse c. These corroding medicines need be applyed to eate out proud flesh these bitter potions to purge out peccant humours these dusts to smoake vs out of the high-way of the world these vnpleasant things to acquaint vs with the bitter fruit of sinne and what that wrath-full cup was which Christ our Sauiour dranke of for our sins these to try our faith our patience and the naturalnesse of our loue whether it will beare the rod laid on not so much for the Fathers pleasure as for the childrens profit And in the Loue of God he can take comfort who when he giues a bitter potion stands by to see the working of his Physicke And when the Physicians of our bodies are not touched with the sicke fits of their patients God Almighty the Physician of Israel can condole with vs. To this purpose Isaiah In all their affliction he was afflicted and Ioel he is such a one as is sorry for our afflictions Finally he can comfort himselfe in the faithfulnesse of the Lord. For God is faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength but will giue the issue with the temptation saith our Apostle God will not suffer the smarting playster longer on than needs must but will be a refuge in due time as Dauid tells vs and speake comfortable things to our hearts euen in the wildernesse as he promiseth by another Prophet Thus he that hath faith in his heart cheareth vp himselfe in the midst of discomforts by the Power Wisedome Loue Faithfulnesse of his God which sets him downe with the Churches soliloquies in her Lamentations The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him The Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soule â—hat seeketh him It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the saluation of the Lord. Foolish therefore and impious is the practice of those to make some vse of this matter who in times of feare of care of sorrow or of distresse of conscience seeke to allay or forget their heart-pangs by ioyning to merry riotous and profane company As if a man ranne from a Lion and a Beare met him or leaned his hand on a wall and a Serpent bit him this is to put more on the â—core where is too much already and to make two reall euils of one seeming one Forsaking the fountaine of liuing waters to dig to themselues pits broken pits that can hold no water Ionas the Prophet would be an example to such for euer who flying from the preâ—ence of the Lord toward Tarshish there to hide from God and to solace and forget himselfe if possible among the Learned of that Vniuersity was pursued by vengeance throwne into the bottome of the sea filled with feare lest the Whale should deuoure his body and hell his soule for as a man already in the state of the dead he
heauenly matters you leese not the earth in the meane time and your earthly possessions So some seeme to make no reckoning at all of their heauenly inheritance so that they may vphold or better their state vpon earth Call you this wisedome or policy or prouidence or the like Then Achitophel was a wise man to preferre the expectancy of honour at the traytor Absaloms hands before the present enioying of fauour and good countenance from King Dauid his anointed Soueraigne Then Esau was politike to esteeme more of a messe of potage then of the blessing which afterward he could not recouer though he sought it with teares Yea briefely then that Emperour was prouident were it Nero or whosoeuer else that fished for Menise and Gudgeons with nets of silke and hookes of gold What is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord by the Prophet What is the shadow to the body the body to the soule frailty to eternity What shall it aduantage a man to winne the whole world if he leese his sâ—ule or can any man saue his soule that hath God his enemy or can any man haue God to be his friend that doth double with him Be not deceiued as God is called Amen or True in the Reuelation and calleth himselfe Truth in the 14. of Iohn so he loues truth or sincerity in the inwards parts Psalme 51. and without truth he loueth nothing that he doth loue A doubling man or a man with a double heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Iames is vnstable in all his wayes and can such a one looke for any thing at Gods hands Let them looke to it whosoeuer among vs play fast and loose and blow hot and cold with the Lord making bridges in the ayre as the Comicall Poet saith and making flesh their arme but in their heart depart from the Lord which the Prophet doth so much cry out against Surely such wisedome is not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and deuelish and as truely as the reproch deliuered by the Prophet Esay chapter 44. in respect of their corrupt iudgement is verified in them Hee feedeth on ashes a seduced heart hath deceiued him so that hee cannot deliuer his soule and say May not I erre So the Iudgement denounced by the same Prophet in another place in respect of their worldly policy shall take hold of them Behold saith he you all kindle a fire and are compassed about with sparkes walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that yee haue kindled This shall yee haue of mine hand yee shall lye downe in sorrow As if he said Your turning of deuices shall it not be as the Potters clay shall it not breake and crimble betweene your fingers Take counsell as long as you will it shall not stand make a decree it shall not prosper saith the Lord Almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the heathen man He that soweth the wind shall reape the whirle-wind let him be sure of it And let so much be spoken against glorying in wisedome either rightly so called or falsely so termed Let vs consider now of the second thing that we are forbidden to boast of to wit strength Nor the strong man glory in his strength There haue beene many strong men in all ages strong of arme as that Polydamas that caught a wild Bull by one of his hinder legges and held him by the force of his arme for all that the Bull could doe and that Pulio mentioned by Dio that threw stone at a Towne-wall besieged by Germanicus with such might that the battlement which he hit and he which was vpon it came tumbling downe which made them that held the Towne through wonderment at his strength to yeeld it vp strong of hand as that Marius one of the thirtie Tyrants that would turne aside a Wayne with one of his fingers and that Polonian of late in the dayes of Stephen Buthor that would knap a horse-shoo asunder were it neuer so hard betweene his hands strong of arme and hand and body and heart and all as that Aristomenes mentioned by Pliny who slew three hundred Lacedemonians in fight in one day and that Aurelian then or shortly after Emperour of whom they made this song Mille mille mille viuat qui mille mille occidit Let him liue thousands of yeeres or moneths who slew thousands of enemies These were famous men in their generations and no doubt but they were miraculously admired at by them that liued in their times yet for all that neither were others to haue gloryed in them nor they in themselues Not others to glory in them because Saint Paul saith Let no man reioyce or glory in men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 3. And againe Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord 1. Cor. 10. Not themselues to glory in themselues because strength is not to be compared to wisedome and therefore wisedome being debarred from boasting as you heard already strength ought much more That strength commeth short of wisedome Salomon sheweth both by plaine words by an example by plaine words as when he saith Ecclesiast 9. verse 16. Then said I Better is wisedome then strength By an example as in the same Chapter verse 14. A little City and few men in it and a great King came against it and compassed it about and built Forts against it and there was found therein a poore and wise man and he deliuered the City by his wisedome c. Thus Salomon Nature also hath taught as much both in plaine words and by examples In plaine words as Musaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdome or sleight is alwayes better then strength By an example as Sertorius for example he caused a couple of horses to bee brought before him the one fat and fleshy the other a leane carrion Iade also a couple of Soldiers the one lusty and strong the other a silly sickly fellow to the leane horse he put the strong man and he going roughly to worke and thinking to doe the deed with dead strength haled and pulled and tired himselfe and was a laughing-stocke to the beholders but the weake fellow vsing some cunning for all his weakenesse did the feate and went away with the applause Wisedome therefore is better then strength and therefore this is one strong reason why strength should not be boasted of since wisedome is denyed Another reason may be this Strength of force bee it equall to the strength of a Lyon or Elephant yet it is but the stren gth of flesh neuerthelesse and all flesh is fraile and subiect to foyle whom one cannot ouercome many may whom sword cannot pierce shot will whom shot doth not hit sickenesse may arrest time surely and death will be sure to make an end of Now should a man be proud of frailty as of grasse of vapor of smoake of a shadow of a tale that is told c.
non irrisit as Bernard speaketh but if the world came vpon him he will be besotted by the world Therefore Thucydides recordeth it as a strange thing in the men of Chius that they were sober for all their prosperity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Euagrius ascribeth this for a speciall praise to Mauritius the Emperour that in his prosperity he retained his ancient piety In our naturall bodies it is thus the more fat the lesse blood in the veines and consequently the fewer spirits and so in our fields abundance of wet breedes abundance of Tares and consequently great scarcity of corne And is it not so with our soules The more of Gods blessing wealth the more weedes of vanity and carnality and the more rich to the world the lesse righteous to God commonly What meant Apuleius to say that Vbi vber ibâ— tuber but to signifie that pride and arrogancy are companions to plenty And what made Salomon to pray against fulnesse but to shew that as they must haue good braines that will carry much drink so they must haue extraordinary soules that will not be ouercome with the world Did not Dauid himselfe in his prosperity say that he should neuer be remoued say or speake vnaduisedly Nay did hee not doe lewdly and wickedly defiling himselfe with his neighbours wife and embruing his hands in his seruitours blood thus adding murder to adultery Did he attempt any such thing in the dayes of want and aduersity No no in his necessity he sought the Lord and gate himselfe vnto his God right earely and offered vnto him the sacrifice of righteousnesse c. And yet we grudge and repine if wee doe not swimme in wealth when wealth through the corruption of our nature doth dull vs and taint vs and make vs vnapt to euery good worke Againe wee shunne pouerty as we would doe a Serpent nay as the gates of hell yet pouerty through the blessing of God doth kindle deuotion and kill sinne in vs euen as Worme-wood or the like bitter things doe kill Moths or wormes This the time will not permit me to stand any longer vpon and therefore I come at once to the second verse and will end the same in a word or two Let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me Mans wisedome strength and riches are vaine and not to be boasted of this much Ieremy hath told vs already and I haue proued vnto you by many reasons But now if you would know what is the thing wherein we may take true comfort and whereof we may safely glory the same is none other thing but piety or godlinesse the true knowledge of God the true seruing of God This hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come this we ought to labor for day and night that we may attaine and hauing attained we may reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious This our Sauiour Christ doth warrant vs to doe by his owne example Luke 10. Who there is said To haue reioyced in the Spirit on our behalfe because we hâ—d our minds illuminated to vnderstand those things that belong to the Kingdome of God and our saluation Euen as else-where he defineth the happinesse of man to consist herein namely To know God the onely true God and whâ—m he hath sent Iesus Christ. Agreeably whereunto Augustine saith Infelix homo qui scit illa omnia Te autem nescit beatus autem qui Te sâ—it etiam si illa nesciat c. Vnhappy is the man that knowes all those things all secular learning if hee know not Thee but happy is he that knoweth Thee although he bee ignorant of the rest But he that knoweth Thee and the rest too is neuer-a-whit the more blessed for the tother things sake but for Thee onely if knowing Thee he glorifie Thee as God So Augustine The knowledge of God therefore that is the one thing that is necessary that maketh a Christian that lifteth vs vp vnto God that coupleth vs vnto him that iustifieth that saueth that worketh all in all Now by knowledge I vnderstand and the Prophet in my Text vnderstandeth not a bare apprehension or sense of the mind that there is a Diuine power greater and mightier then all for so much the most barbarous Heathen were not without They could say Dâ—us videt omnia Deo commendo c. as Tertullian sheweth yea as Saint Iames saith The very Deuils beleeue and tremble they haue a kind of beliefe therefore they haue knowledge butalso a consent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens Alexandrin calleth it and perswasion of the heart touching both the Prouidence of God that he worketh all in all all for the best to them that loue him also and especially touching his mercy that hee will grant pardon to the penitent euen to them that craue it for his Sonnes sake and lastly touching his bounty that he will euerlastingly reward as many as are his euen as many as beleeue in his Name This is that sauing knowledge which the world knoweth not neither is it reuealed by flesh and blood but by the Spirit of our Father which is in heauen This is that knowledge whereof the Prophet Esay speaketh By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for he shall beare their iniquities This is that knowledge That precious treasure which so soone as a wise man findeth for ioy thereof he departeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth the field Briefely this is that knowledge in comparison whereof Saint Paul counted all things losse euen dung that he might know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conformable to his death To conclude this is that knowledge which whosoeuer seeketh is Wise whosoeuer getteth is Rich whosoeuer keepeth is Strong nay vertuous nay happy nay twice happy happy in this world he is by faith and happy in the world to come he shall be by fruition This knowledge the Lord vouchsafe to engraffe in them that want it and increase in them that haue it and make fruitfull in all to the purging of our consciences in this life and the sauing of our soules in the Day of the Lord Iesus To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be all honour and glory Amen A SERMON VPON THE SIXT OF IOHN THE SECOND SERMON IOHN 6. Vers. 67.68 69 70. Iesus therefore said vnto the Twelue Will yee also goe away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simon Peter then or therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answered him Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of euerlasting life And we haue beleeued and knowne Hebraism for we doe beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Haue not I chosen you Twelue and one of you is a Deuill NOthing morevncertaine then rhe minds of the multitude you cannot tell where to haue
is but as a sounding brasse or as a tinkling Cymball Therefore if we will not haue Christ to come against vs quickly for receiuing so many blessings in vaine wee are to approue both our good acceptance by thankefulnesse and our thankefulnesse by Loue and our Loue by obedience and our obedience by auoyding that which he forbiddeth and ensuing that which he commandeth And then hee will say O good seruants nay O good friends for we are his friends if wee doe that which he commandeth as Saint Iohn speaketh nay behold my brethren and my sisters for whosoeuer shall doe the will of the heauenly Father the same shall be Christs brother and sister and mother Thus much briefely concerning some part of our duty which we owe to our Immanuel for vouchsafing so to debase himselfe for vs and to take our nature Now as the consideration of the benefit should prouoke our dutifulnesse so may it also confirme our hope in all dangers that shall beset vs whether bodily or spirituall Many are the dangers whereto Gods children are subiect from professed enemies from secret from the ayre aboue from the company about vs from euill humours within vs c. When we lye downe wee know not whether we shall arise when we ride forth we cannot tell whether we shall come home When we send our children abroade wee cannot tell whether wee shall euer see them againe when our cause is neuer so good wee cannot tell whether it will not be carryed away by false oathes and indirect practices Now what is our comfort herein God is with vs we will not care what man can doe vnto vs God is on our side who then can be against vs Who or what can huâ—t them that Iesus Christ vouâ—hsafed to be borne for and hath receiued into protâ—ction Doth not his very name teach vs that he is with vs Then to them that loue God and are beloued of God all things must worke for the best whether it be tribulation or anguish famine or pouerty or imprisonment or losse of friends or losse of children or losse of liuing or whatsoeuer In all these bodily assaults we shall be more then Conquerours so shall we be also in the spirituall Our sinnes doe threaten Gods vengeance vpon vs our consciences doe accuse vs the Law containeth matter of inditement against vs the Deuill followeth the suite all the creatures of God which we haue abused all the calling of God which we haue neglected all the threatnings of God which we haue despised c. doe witnesse against vs In a word the Lord sitteth in his Throne as an angry Iudge Hell openeth her mouth wide being ready to swallow vs vp The world forsaketh vs our friends haue no power to helpe vs what is to be done in this case what shift shall we make what place of refuge shall we fly vnto Only this is our comfort that the Sonne of God became the Son of man to make vs the Sons of God vile he became to exalt vs poore to enrich vs a slaue to enfranchise vs dead to quicken vs miserable to blesse vs lost in the eyes of the world to â—aue vs. Lastly partaker of our nature of our infirmity of our habitation to aduance vs to his Kingdome and glory that is to be vnto vs according to his name Immanuel God with vs. God to enlighten vs God to helpe vs God to deliuer vs God to saue vs. To him with the Father and the holy Ghost be all glory and honour for euer and euer Amen A SERMON VPON THE FIRST TO THE ROMANES THE FOVRTH SERMON ROMANES 1. verse 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth both to the Iewe first and to the Greeke I AM a debtor saith Saint Paul both to Greekes and Barbarians Doe you aske What 's that to the Romanes who are neither Greekes nor Barbarians Then I tell you further saith he I am a debtor to the wise and to the vnwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say to all then I hope to you and in respect of this my debt I was as forward as a man might be yea and yet I am to preach vnto you among the rest the Gospell of Christ. For howsoeuer it be to the Iewe a stumbling-blocke to the Greeke â—oolishnesse how soeuer the Iewes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospell â—uen-gelion that is a Reuelation of vanity and the Greekes traduce it for a Doctrine of nouelty May we not know what this new Doctrine meaneth yea for a Doctrine of Deuils He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Deuils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17. Briefely howsoeuer it be spoken against euery where nay proceeded against by the censure of the Church and the sword of the Ciuill Magistrate yet for all that I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ it hath beene the ioy of my heart and it shall be I haue professed and published it with my mouth and will euer Come famine come sword come nakednesse come most exquisite torment nothing shall make me to plucke my hand from the Plowe or repent me of my calling What if it doth not profit some that heare it because they doe not mingle it with faith yet to other some it is the good sauour of life vnto life what if some despise it as they doe the whole Counsell of God to their destruction yet other some receiue it with much striuing and it is dearer to them then gold yea then much fine gold It is indeed mighty in operation and effectuall toward them that beleeue yea and to worke faith in them who formerly did not beleeue to incorporate them into the body of Christ and to saue their soules in the Dâ—y of the Lord Iesus This may suffice for the opening of the Coherence and the plaine and naturall meaning of the verse wherein note with me two things First a constant resolution in the Apostle to hold on his course i am not ashamed c. Secondly a ground or reason of that his resolution For it is the power of God c. The resolution is most godly and the reason most sound therefore the one to be laid vp in our vnderstanding the other in our heart both to be so learned and practised that we become new men and be changed into the same Image as the Apostle speaketh Seneca hath a good speech and a sensible Aliâ—â—enta quae accepimuâ— quamdiu in sua qualitate perdurant solida innatant stomacho onera sunt c. The food or nutriment that wee haue taken as long as it abideth in its owne quality and floteth whole and indigested vpon the stomack is a burden but when it is altered and changed from that which it was then it strengthneth turneth into blood In like sort sayes he let vs deale with those lessons and instructions that we receiue for the
saith Saint Paul In nothing doe I feare mine enemies neither am I ashamed or weary of the Gospell it will haue the preeminence it will preuaile in the end maugre all aduerse power and policy We see therefore that the first part or major of Saint Pauls reason is firme namely that wee are not to bee ashamed of that which is powerfull Now for the Minor or second part of the Argument namely that the Gospell is the power of God That that I say is no lesse cleere it will many wayes appeare First à pronunciatis Saint Paul that could not lie hauing the seale of his Apostleship and of infallible truth from the holy Ghost sayes it is so in my Text therefore it is so euen a Diuine power and powerfull Instrument able to conuert soules to God Secondly à genere The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute c. Which cannot be done without the power and Word of the Lord which without exception is liuely and sharper then a two-edged sword Then the Gospell which is a part of the Word of God that must be powerfull Thirdly à fortiori The Law that was giuen by Moses and written in tables of stone that was powerfull it gaue light to the blind wisedome to the simple conuerted the soule c. Psal. 19. Therefore the Gospell which was deliuered by our Sauiour Christ and had more precious promises and a greater largesse of the holy Spirit that must needs be powerfull Fourthly ab exemplo Did not all wonder at the gracious words that proceeded out of our Sauiours mouth when he interpreted to them the Gospell of the Prophet Esay for euen before the Apostle were borne the Gospell was it was from the beginning Was there any of the Synagogue that could resist the Spirit whereby Saint Stephen spake for he was full and so was his Doctrine of the holy Ghost and of power Doth not Saint Pâ—ul say that if all prophesie that is preach and expound the Gospell and there come in one that beleeueth not or is vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and is iudged of all and so the secrets of his heart are made manifest and so he will fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainely that God is in you indeed 1. Cor. 14 Lastly Ab effectis more plainely As the lightning commeth out of theEast shineth to the West Math. 24. And as the Sunnes going forth is from the end of heauen and his compasse vnto the end of the same and none hid from the heate thereof Psal. 19. So the efficacy and working of the Gospell was so sudden and so wonderfull that Saint Paul could say for his part only that from Ierusalem round about vnto Illyricum he caused to abound the Gospell of Christ Rom. 15. And for his time that the Gospell was come vnto all the world and was fruitfull euen as it was among them These wonderfull effects it wrought euen while the Apostles were aliue what maruell then if shortly after thâ— faith was so generally spred that Arnobius could say Nationibus sumus in cunctis We Christians are in all Nations And an hundred yeeres before him Iustin Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That which the soule is in the body that wee Christians are in the world the soule is scattered through all parts of the body so are Christians in all Cities of the world c. And betweene them both Tertullian in his book against the Iewes that I speake of no more saith Euen the Getulians Moores Spaniards Galles Britannorum inaccessa Romanis lâ—ca And the Britans Land which the Romanes could not haue any footing in the Sarmatians also Germans and Scythians doe beleeue in Christ before whom the Gates of all Cities are throwne open and none are shut against him before whom also the Iron lockes are broken and the brazen Gates are opened that is the hearts of very many that were holden fast locked by the Deuill are now vnlocked by the faith of Christ. Thus Tertullian You see therefore how the Gospell did shew it selfe plainely to bee the power of God by the hasty generall spreading of it The same may appeare also by the strength of the forces that it did ouercome and throw downe If it had had to doe with Infants lately weaned from the brest that had receiued no former impression that were not seasoned with this or that liquor it had beene no mastery to haue brought them to the faith of Christ who were not rooted or grounded in any other nor could make resistance to any perswasion Argilla quiduis inuitaberis vda saith he And no hard matter for Turkes to make our Christian children Mahumedists when they snatch them from their parents in their tender yeeres before they can discerne betweene good and euill as it was no matter for the Spaniards to conquer the naked Indians Benzo an Italian traueller that had beene long in those Countries reporting that he durst be one of the twenty fiue that would fight with ten thousand nay twenty thousand of them Salmacida spolia sine sanguine sudore But now to encounter not ignorance onely but error not easily taken out of a deepe die strong illusions of Satan long-continued-will-worship generally-receiued superstition Oracles enchantments Idolatries and the same flourished ouer by wit and eloquence counteâ—anced by authority strengthened by miracle vpholden by Tyranny What could this be lesse then the wisedome of God and the power of God who was mighty in his Gospell and through his Gospell specially since it had to wrestle not with flesh and blood onely but with Principalities and Powers euen with the whole Host of hell When the Centurion saw the earthquake and the things that hapned at our Sauiours Passion hee confesseth saying Truely this was the Sonne of God Nay the Sorcerers Exod. 8. when they saw the dust turned into Lice vpon Aarons smiting the ground they readily acknowledged that it was the finger of God Nay Protogenes in Plinie vpon the sight of one small line drawne in his painting Table sâ—pposed presently that Apelles was in Towne Therefore we cannot escape iust reprehension to speak the least if being compassed with such a cloud of witnesses and hearing such a volly of reasons prouing and demonstrating the power of the Gospell wee shall not iustifie the assertion of Saint Paul and euen as the people cryed out vpon proofe that Helias made The Lord he is God The Lord he is God So we may exclaime The Gospell is the power of God It is so it is so What are we to learne hereby that the Gospell is the power of God Truly we of the ministry thus much that howsoeuer many times when we looke vpon the froward opposition that the world vseth to make and vpon our owne wants we
That we haue not here an abiding City but are to looke for another What account then shall we make of those things which we are not sure of while we liue here and we are sure to leaue when we depart hence A mans soule that is himselfe and that is true life not which lasteth for a day or two Who will make account of the life of a Summer Bird nay of a Summer flowre that is fresh to day and to morrow cut downe but that which abideth for euer Therefore giue me that Doctrine let me learne that which will saue my soule and that is the Gospell which we preach vnto you Socrates is thought to haue brought Philosophy downe from heauen because hee trained men to the study of vertue and to the reformation of their owne liues without embusying themselues so much to find out the naturall causes of things So Moses is commended to haue beene in speciall fauour with God for being trusted with the Law which is but a Schoole-master to Christ So Iohn Baptist is preferred to all the sonnes of men for pointing to our Sauiour more demonstratiuely then any other But now in the Gospell we may behold Christ with open face yea wee may taste Christ how good he is yea we may feele and feed vpon the vertue of his death the power of his resurrection the fellowship of his afflictions euen be changed into his Image nay be made partakers of his Diuine Nature 2. Pet. 1. And consequently be saued Therefore the Gospell that is the Doctrine of our Saluation by Christ should be our first study and our last our plaine-song and our discant it should be all in all vnto vs. If the vessell be saued though the wares be spoyled with the Sea-water or cast ouer ship-boord yet we may arriue vnto the hauen and there be in safety So if the field bee gotten by vs as Alexander told Parmenio our baggage horses will be recouered againe with aduantage So if a tree be sound at the root there is hope that it will sprout forth notwithstanding it should be lopped and shred neuer so much but now if it be rotten at the root then fare it well In like maner if the soule be safe if it liue by faith in the Sonne of God if it fight the good fight of faith and winne the field all other losses are not to be reckoned of wee are more then gainers more then conquerours but if the soule perish and it will perish except it be fed with the Word of the Gospell and it will make shipwracke if Christ sit not at the Sterne and it will be ouercome in the day of battell if Christ be not his Captaine his Sauiour his deliuerer then all the world is gone with vs it had beene good for vs if we had neuer beene borne One thing is necessary saith our Sauiour Mary hath chosen the better part That is the thing that will sticke by vs euen the fauour of God apprehended by faith in the Gospell when all the world besides can doe vs no good What may I doe to be saued That was the thing that the Gaoler in the Acts was desirous to learne when he was affrighted with the earth-quake c. Send men to Simon Peter hee shall speake words vnto thee whereby both thou and all thy housâ—hold shall be saued That is the true wisedome and knowledge that is the true blessing happinesse and without it nothing is worthy to be accounted of Therefore Beloued accept this the greatest fauour that God euer vouchsafed you that he hath reuealed his Sonne vnto you in the Gospell whereby you may learne to liue and beleeue in him and be saued by him euen saued perfectly not onely directed as the Pelagians taught not onely holpen as the Papists The Gospell is the power of God vnto Saluation and no lesse but now whom doth it saue or how doth it saue not by being tyed about the necke or carryed in the bosome for an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Sorcerers and silly superstitious people haue vsed the matter but being beleeued and embraced by faith If thou couldest beleeue all things are possible to the beleeuer saith Christ. The Word did not profit some because they did not mingle it with faith saith the Apostle Indeed the Gospell consisteth not in sound but in sense not in hearing but in beleeuing He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life he that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Whereby we see that though faith be a free assent and perswasion assent to the truth of God perswasion of his goodnesse toward vs in his Sonne yet for all that we are not free nor at liberty whether wee will beleeue or no no for this is the worke of God which he especially requireth that we beleeue on him whom he hath sent except you beleeue surely you shall not be established and he that beleeueth not is condemned already because hee beleeueth not in the Name of the onely-begotten Sonne of God Therefore wee must not forget that the Apostle speaketh here expressely and precisely that the Gospell saueth such as beleeue them and none other For what if a man reuerence the vtter side of the Bible as if he were to handle a heauenly thing and care not for the contents thereof which fault Chrysostome noteth in some or doe put it to their head for the head-ake as Augustine witnesseth that some did in his time or doe make as much of it in outward semblance as the Iewes doe of the booke of the Law which they giue a good summe of money to be preferred to the handling of and doe bragge that they haue handled of the Tree of life for so they call it Gnets hachaijm What I say if we haue in singular esteeme the barke the rinde the sheath the superficies of the Gospell will that saue you No no as it maketh no matter how neere we come to God with our lippes if our hearts be farre off and as when the multitude thronged vpon our Sauiour yet one onely a woman that had faith touched him and as the most blessed Virgin her selfe was not so blessed for bearing Christ in her wombe as for beleeuing on him as Saint Augustin speaketh So if we meane to be saued by the Gospell we must bring faith to the hearing of it to the reading of it to the embracing of it to the digesting of it and without it we shall but deceiue our selues claspe the ayre in stead of a body feed vpon ashes in stead of bread imbrace a cloud in stead of Iuno as Ixion did Neither is Gods mercy in the Gospell the lesse free because it requireth the duty of faith to come now to the third point of my amplification for who will except against a mans charitablenesse because he saith to the poore man that craueth an almes Reach thy hand or hold open
shift for themselues by flight before they had put their Generall Sertorius in safety So the Galles had their Soldurios that is deuoted men which vowed to liue and dye with their Lord as Bodin out of antiquity doth gather So the French Protestants are much commended by the equall for that they bâ—stowed the young Princes of Nauarre and Condie in a strong Castle out of gun-shot before they hazarded the great battell of Moncounter The King is so to the Common-weale as the helme is to the shippe or rather as the shippe is to the passengers while the shippe is safe there is hope to recouer the land be we neuer so farre from it though the Sea and winds doe neuer so much swell and rage but if the Shippe sinke or be dashed on the rockes there remaineth nothing but a fearefull looking for of drowning and destruction Therefore the safety of the King being the safety of all what maruell if the Prophet begin with Kings and aduise them to looke about them This may be one cause Another this We know that there is no cloth that doth so kindely take the colour that the Dyer would staine it with as the people are apt to imitate the guize and carriage of their Prince the similitude is not mine but Nazianzens therefore because the conuerting of him is the conuerting of hundreds at a clap and his auersenesse or stiffenesse the auersenesse or standing out of multitudes this also may be thought to be a cause why he beginneth with Kings When was there a good King in Iuda for there were but few in Israel after that Ephraim departed from the house of Dauid that sought the Lord with all his heart but he drew the people to be well-giuen at the least-wise in comparison On the other side when was there a wicked King that did set set vp Idols in his heart or worshipped the Hoast of heauen or burnt incense vnto Baal but the people were as forward and as sharpely set vpon Idolatry as he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The subiect is wont to emulate and imitate the life of his Gouernour or Prince saith one Historiographer and another Princeps quum Imperio maximus sit exemplo maior est that is Be the Prince neuer so great for command yet he commandeth most by his example It is somewhat strange Circumcision is a painefull thing specially in them that are out of their Infancy it may be gathered hereby for that the Turkes vsing it at this day vpon their children being of sâ—me yeeres doe vse such dissembling towards them for the circumstance of the time when they doe it and yet when the King of Sichem had yeelded thereunto the whole City followed So Diodorus writeth of the Aethiopians that when their King had caught some mayme or marke in any part ofhis body the manner was for all his Fauorites to maime or marke themselues in the same part Is it not written of Rehoboam expressely that when he forsooke the Lord all Israel did so with him Also is it not to be obserued in the Ecclesiasticall Story that when Iulian fell from Christ vnto Paganisme Valens in stead of the truth imbraced a lye the vile Heresie of the Arians a great part of the Empire did so likewise On the other side when Iosiah serued the Lord with all his heart all Iuda did so all his dayes And when Constantine the great and Theodosius the great gaue themselues to aduance the faith of Christ and to purge out the old leauen of Heathenisme there was such a change in the Empire on the sudden that Zosimus and Eunapius being Pagans doe much complaine thereof in their writings therefore me thinkes Fulgensius speaketh to good purpose and agreeable to true experience that although Christ dyed indifferently for all the faithfull yet the conuerting of the mighty Ones of the world is of speciall seruice to winne soules vnto Christ. Hee doth symbolize with that learned Writer that allegorizng vpon those words of Saint Iohn touching the taking of so many great Fishes doth congratulate vnto the Church the happy conuerting of Princes because by their conuetsion many were brought vnto Christs Fold Yea Plutarch a Heathen man saw in a manner as much touching the great force that is in the example of Princes for he in the life of Dio speaking of Plato his sayling into Sicily to doe some good vpon King Dionysius maketh this to be the speciall motiue for that the reforming of the King would be the reforming of the whole Iland So then the Kings piety and sound perswasion being as effectuall for the winning of the soules of his subiects as his bodily safety is auaileable for the conseruing of their worldly estates Our Psalmist without doubt had great reasâ—on to doe as he doth to begin with Kings This may suffice for the naturall placing of the words and withall touching the incomparable good that redoundeth to the common Estate by the Kings piety and safety I come now more closely to the Duty of Kings for of that onely and of the touch of the time Now which shall be for application I shall speake at this time Be wise now therefore O Kings Two kindes of wisedome are required in Kings and Princes wisedome or knowledge in Gods matters otherwise called Diuinity and wisedome or knowledge in matters of the world otherwise called Prudence or Policy Both are contained in the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifieth also good successe to note that God many times crowneth pious prudence prudent piousnes with many a temporall blessing Both are not onely for ornament like the two Pillars that Salomon put in the Porch of the Temple but also for speciall vse like the hands of Aaron Hur which did support the armes of Moses for the discomfiture of the Amalekites For if they be pious only in Gods matters be not otherwise prudent then they are fitter for the Common-weale of Plato then for the corrupt estate of Romulus for the Cloister then for the Court Againe if they be prudent or politicke onely be not pious then they are fitter to be Kings of Babel where dwelleth confusion then of Hierusalem where Gods glory is seene and more rightly to be called the children of this world which goeth to nought and perisheth then the children of God who loue truth in the inwards and caâ—e for none but for such as worship him from a pure heart with a good conscience Well they must bee Diuines as it were this is first required I say not in profession but in knowledge they must know God the onely Lord and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ they must know Christ and him crucified and the power of his Crosse and vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions that they may be conformable vnto his death they must separate and distinguish truth from error cleane from vncleane right from
wrong yea they must be able to put a wise difference betweene the great things of the Law as Righteousnesse Mercy and Iudgement and the lighter things of humane obseruation which perish with the vse or abuse If Iephthah had knowne and considered what things might lawfully be vowed and how farre vowes do binde he would not haue immolated his owne daughter If Saul had knowne and considered what is written in the Law Yee shall not doe what seemeth good to your selues but what I command you that you shall doe you shall turne neither to the right hand nor to the left he had not forfeited his Kingdome If Vzziah had knowne and considered that none but the sonnes of Aaron were to approach to the Altar of the Lord and there to burne incense he had not beene smitten with the leprosie To be short If those Kings of Iuda and Israel that built high places and sacrificed vnder euery greene tree had knowne and considered that Hierusalem was the place whither they should haue brought their oblations being the place that God appointed to put his name there they had not been so bitterly inueighed against nor so fearefully threatned by the Prophets as they were To conclude If the Machabees had beene wise and knowne what that meaneth I will haue mercy and not sacrifice that which was the kernell of the ceremony from the beginning how-soeuer the shell was not so cracked and opened in former time as it was by our Sauiour the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath they would not haue suffred themselues to bo knocked downe like Oxen in the Shambles or to be led as sheepe to the slaughter but would haue stood vpon their gard and vpon their defence euen vpon the Sabbath day On the other side Dauid was not afraide to eate of the Shew-bread which was appointed onely for the Priests Dauid was wise and knew that Necessity ouer-ruleth Ceremony So Salomon was not afraid to command Ioab to be slaine euen in the Tabernacle of the Lord although he caught hold of the hornes of the Altar Salomon was wise and knew that there was no Sanctuary for murder So briefely Hezechiah was not scrupulous to goe forward with the celebrating of the Passeouer though there were some present that had not beene cleansed after the purification of the Sanctuary Hezechiah was wise and knew that there was a maine difference betweene those things which God commanded principaliter and those things which he commanded consequentia as Iraeneus saith Thus knowledge of Gods matters cleareth the vnderstanding chaseth away superstition sheweth the more excellent way and bringeth a King to glory Looke what the light is to the eye the eye to the head the head nay the soule of a man to his body the same is wisedome to the soule of a King It filleth him with grace in beleeuing it giueth light to his mind reformeth his will sanctifieth his affections snubbeth and crosseth all vnlawfull designes In crosses it maketh him patient in dangers vndaunted in prosperity moderate in what estate soeuer he be content On the contrary side where this knowledge is wanting there the Sunne goeth downe at noone-day there the light that is in them is turned into darkenesse and how great is the darkenesse They are not so much to be tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pore-blind which are Saint Peters words but are stricken with grosse darkenesse and blindnesse like the Sodomites they stumble at the threshold nay they doe in Montes impingere as Augustin speaketh and are as ready to enter into the gates of their enemies as of their friends like the Assyrians The Grecians talke of the great helpe that a certaine great Commander had from Philosophy for the quieting of his owne mind and of those that were about him in the time of an Eclipse by shewing by a familiar example the reason thereof So the Romans tell of the great satisfaction that was giuen to their Army in Macedony when one Sulpitius Gallus skilfull in Astronomy fore-told them of an Eclipse before it hapned This was some-what I grant to be heaued vp as it were by the hand of naturall reason to the obseruing of Gods vniforme power and prouidence in causing the Planets to keepe their courses in their Spheares and the reuolutions of the heauens to be certaine and ordinary but yet in respect of the good that is reaped by Diuinity I meane by the knowledge of Gods will in his Word it is but as sounding brasse or as a tinkling Cymball For light it is but as the light of a rush candle to the light of a great burning Torch as Clemens Alexandrinus saith For profit as drosse is to siluer or the chaâ—le is to the wheat as the Prophet speaketh Princes therefore are to haue their hearts stablished by faith and therefore first they must be stored and furnished with the Word of God it must dwell in them plentâ—ously they must be exercised and skilfull in the same so shall they be sufficiently prepared and furnished to euery good worke so shall they be sufficiently armed against error and heresie There haue beene since Christs time many corruptions and deprauations of the truth in the Church of God it is confessed and it cannot be denyed but a great part of them either sprang originally or was much increased through want of wisedome and knowledge in the chiefe Gouernours What maruell if the Mystery of iniquity which began to worke in the time of the Apostles grew to such a head and strength euen in Constantines time or shortly after when that shall be allowed for a good collection out of these words Ye are Gods therefore the Church of Rome hath a speciall priuiledge neither to be looked into for their liues nor to be quâ—stioned for their doctrine So what maruell if the Imperiall dignity did decay and sinke as fast as the Papall did swell and pearke vp as Otho Frisingensis doeth obserue nay the rising of the one was the ruine of the other as wisemen men know When Kings and Princes doe suffer themselues to be gulled with the sweet words of Peter and Paul and of the Church and especially with those words Math. 16. touching the Rocke and Iohn 21. touching the Feeding of Christs Sheepe by these words I say fouly mistaken to be stripped of their Regalities and to cast downe their Crownes not before the Lambe but before the Beast Whereas the former place touching the Rocke viz. Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church containeth a promise common to all the faithfull as the most ancient and learned Fathers doe agree and the latter place touching the Feeding of Christs Sheepe and Lambes containeth a duty belonging to all true Pastors as not onely Saint Paul in the Acts but also Saint Peter himselfe by whom they would make their claime doe most plainely shew I might thus run ouer most points in
for it was cruell but added moreouer Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assembly he meant that by his good will he would haue no commerce with them but would shunne and abhorre them as noysome beasts or serpents And so Brethren doe not ye thinke that ye haue done your duty when ye haue cryed out vpon Saul saying What a cankered wretch was he c But be you ware that you doe not imitate his euill deeds lest ye be made partakers of his plagues He was very enuious as ye heard euen now he was very vnthankefull as you partly heard before for both these he is girded at by Abigail in my Text as I thinke good now further to declare vnto you Yet a man is risen to pursue thee c. As if he said Notwithstanding thou wast his Musician and delightedst him with thy Harpy nay his Physician and easedst him in his mad fits when an euill spirit sent of God vexed him Yet he is risen vp to persecute thee c. Notwithstanding thou didst put thy life in thine hand and encountredst the Philistine and destroyedst him deliuering thereby Saul from a great deale of feare and Israel from a great deale of shame yet hee is risen vp againe against thee c. notwithstanding thou didst marry his owne daughter and instead of receiuing Dowry from him didst pay him as it were for a Dowry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two hundred fore-skinnes of the Philistines yet he is risen vp against thee c. Lastly Notwithstanding thou didst that that few others would haue done namely to spare him when thou hadst him at an aduantage and mightest haue nayled him to the ground and so gotten present possession of a Kingdome yet he is risen vp against thee c. Thus she amplifieth or aggrauateth the offence by the worthinesse of the person against whom it was committed so doth she also by the vnworthinesse of the person offending A man is risen vp She doth not say Geber for that may signifie a strange man nor yet Ish for that may signifie a worthy man Benei-Ish worthy men extraordinary men but Adam an ordinary man a naturall man one that is of the earth that is earthly-minded and appointed and wilt thou feare such a one But why did she not say that the King was risen vp against him did she not take Saul for King any longer now he was become a Tyrant and persecuted the faithfull Yes no doubt for the Iesuites were not then borne nor their doctrine broached to wit that subiects may lawfully take armes against their Prince as soone as they become Tyrants and enemies to the faith in the language of the man of Rome This is not that fire that Christ saith he came to cast vpon the earth the fire of teaching the truth the fire of rebuking sinne the fire of conuicting errors the fire of the Spirit that worketh all in all but this is that fire that Saint Iames speaketh of that inflameth the course or wheele of Nature and it selfe is inflamed of hell Therefore as God saith to Adam Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne so we say of that diuellish doctrine From hell it came and to hell let it returne But yet why did not Abigail call him King was it of contempt No but of caution for she was very wise she lay at the mercy of Dauid and knew that it was as easie for him to kill her as to speake the word therefore she keepeth her selfe in clouds generalities for feare of offending before the time A man is risen You know him as well as I I need not name him and your enemies shall be slinged out whether they be of high degree or low degree I will not meddle This is not to equiuocate as the Iesuites practise yea teach be it spoken to their shame But this is to order ones words with discretion as the Psalmist speaketh For though it be neuer lawfull for a man to lie as Augustine proueth soundly wittily learnedly in his bookes to Consentius yet it is lawfull to conceale a truth so farre forth and so long that Gods glory be not impeached thereby nor charity towards our neighbour violated vpon these two points hang all the Law and the Prophets Well we haue seene against whom the offence of enuious ingratitude was committed namely against Dauid and by whom namely by Saul now if we looke vpon the Text againe we shall finde the extent or grieuousnesse of it A man is risen vp to persecute thee and to seeke thy life Marke Saul was not content to hate Dauid inwardly but he proceeds to action he persecutes him also he is not content to persecute him or driue him out of the Country but he seekes his life Thirdly neither will he trust others to execute his malice but he followes the chase himselfe This is vnlimited malice deepe malice bloody malice the like we read of him aboue in this holy Story that when word was brought him that Dauid was sicke he commanded him to be brought bed and all No question but because he would make sure worke and see the killing of him himselfe The like we reade of a great man in France that when the noble Admirall was cast out of a Garret and his braines dasht out vpon the pauement he would not beleeue that the Admirall was slaine before he had with his handkerchiefe wip'd away the blood from his face and perfectly discerned him then he shouted 'T is he indeed a happy beginning But the eye of Iealousie that saw this vrged the arme of reuenge to cry quittance for it But what had the righteous done what had Dauid done to returne to him againe that he should be tossed from post to pillar nay that his life should be sought out for a prey Truly no other thing but that that Abel did vnto Caine of whom it is said that he slewe his brother because his deedes were good and his owne naught The like is written of Caligula that he hated his brother and quarrelled with him deadly because he tooke counterpoyson lest he should be poysoned by him Briefely the like is written of Fymbria that he indited Scaeuola a good man for that by wrenching aside he auoyded the fatall blow of the dagge So except it were for this one fault that Dauid was not willing that Saul should kill him being vncondemned other fault or offence there could be found none But now what is become of Dauids good deeds so many and so many why be they not remembred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Old good turnes sleepe and men be vnmindfull if a man doe twenty good turnes they are written in the dust but if he crosse vs once or doe vs a displeasure the same is grauen in marble and in great letters that one may runne and reade them Yet well-fare the
profession onely I put you in mind of a saying of Saint Augustine in his confessions Hoc me docuisti vt quemadmodum medicamentâ— sic alimenta sumpturum accedam c. Thou hast taught me O God that I should come with such a mind to receiue my meate as I come to take Physicke whereby he signified that as he tooke no Physicke but in case of necessity so he did not eate but when hunger did pricke him If it be meat why is it not eaten If Physicke why is it taken so often If Physicke be taken too often then will it not worke like Physicke as he that vseth strong wine for his ordinary drinke when he would haue his crude meates digested it will not serue the turne but he must haue some compound water to helpe So were Tobacco as wholesome a weede or herbe as is pretended yet if it be vsed too commonly nature will entertaine it as a friend not as a Physician But my duty is to tender you health of the soule not of the body If it doe no hurt to the soule let it be vsed for me and let it be vsed as it is vsed by some all the day long Hoc primus repetas opus hoc postremus omittas but how can it choose but hurt the soule when it causeth a man to spend so many precious houres in idlenesse in vnthriftinesse in sensuality If we must giue an account for euery idle word must we not giue an account for euery idle day nay moneth nay yeere if for euery idle penny must we not then for euery idle shilling nay I haue heard of diuers that haue sold their Patrimony for it This is not the way to bring men to that state that the Prophet Esay speaketh of Like buyer like seller but this is to cause men to write vnder the signe of them that haue purchased by selling Tobacco as Diogenes did vnder the golden statue that Phryne the strumpet dedicated at Delphi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is This was gotten by the intemperance of the Grecians And so I come to the third and last part of my diuision to wit the reason drawne from the danger attending drunkennâ—sse in these words Wherein is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth two things Excesse in expences opposite to frugality and excesse in delights whether it be in meates or drinkes or the like opposite vnto temperance neither doth it signifie these vices in any meane degree but in an extremity As for example Esau in selling away his birth-right was Asotus and in selling it away for a messe of potage was twice Asotus The like might be said of Vgaccio of Luca that ventured his Dukedome rather than he would lose a good supper of Lysimachus that did away a whole Kingdome for drinke the like of Wenceslaus that did consume his Empire after the same manner so the Prodigall sonne Luke 15. for dilapidating of his portion may be called Asotus and for dilapidating of it no man knoweth for what was twice Asotus To be shoâ—t they that walke as Saint Peter describeth them in lasciuiousnesse lusts excesse of wine reuellings bankettings c. they are Asoti but in that they doe maruell and consequently be offended in that others doe not runne with them into the same excesse of riot they are twice yea thrice Asoti If Saint Paul were aliue and would phrase it according to the Idiome of these times he would call them roaring boyes and fellowes of the damned crue Should any of the children of light wilfully abandon himselfe to the fellowship of darkenesse adde sinne vnto sinne drunkennesse vnto thirst proceed from euill to worse truly it had beene good for such that they had neuer beene borne it had beene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto them It is a fearefull thing to receiue the grace of God in vaine and it is a desperat thing being warned of a rock wilfully to cast our selues vpon it You haue heard that drunkennesse occasioned by drinking of wine or strong drinks or strong heady fumes is a thing displeasing to God vnprofitable nay hurtfull to man to his soule to his body to his estate to his reputation for if it be followed it bringeth a man to a desperate estate that he shall be Asotus that is Perditus profligatus that he shall simul cum re animam etiam perdere make hauocke of his substance and soule together Thrax erit aut olitoris aget mercede caballum That when all is gone he shall be glad to be a Swine-heard like the Prodigall sonne and be weary of his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or make himselfe away like Peter the Cardinall the base sonne of Sixtus the the fourth that monstrous Epicure the shame of the later times or like Apitius the shame of the ancient age wherein he liued If you will haue the mischiefe that is done by drunkennesse or drinking of much wine or strong w ine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gathered into a short summe mâ— thinkes the old Schoole-man expresseth it significantly Drunâ—ennesse saith he taketh away naturall gifts vsque ad insensibilitatem till a man doe become void of sense spirituall gifts vsque ad fundamentum till he lose the very foundation of faith or vntill he be fleshly and haue no spirit left as Saint Iude speaketh Lastly temporall blessings vsque ad mendicitatem till he be left a very begger Thus he Touching beggerlinesse that drunkennesse bringeth men vnto I gaue you euen now two or three examples and he is a very young man and vnobseruant that cannot adde twenty or forty out of his owne experience And for the hurt that it doth to the spirituall graces or inward man let me tell you what Saint Basil and Saint Ambrose say As smoke chaseth away Bees so doth surfetting and drunkennesse spirituall graces So Basil more particularly Ambrose As continency is the mother of faithfulnesse so drunkennesse is the mother of perfidiousnesse Thus he Lastly for insensiblenesse I meane insufficiency either to iudge or conceiue A Story may be remembred out of Athenaeus which in short was this Certaine youths in a Town of Sicily called Agrigentum had beene a tippling and had applyed so hard that they knew not where they were but thought they were vpon the Sea and their Inne was a ship and tossed and in great danger by the surges and billowes which carried it to and fro when those surges were in their braines or in their bellies and no where else What doe they therefore imagining that the ship would sinke except it were lighted they bestirre themselues and open the dores and windowes and cast forth whatsoeuer they could come by stooles and pewter and braâ—se and beds and bedding and old scuffling there was in the streets for the things that were cast forth
but this did not bring the drunkards to themselues for all that day and that night on the morrow when the Captaines of the Town hearing of the stirre and hurly-burly repaired to the house and demanded what was the matter They answered that the ship had bin in great danger and that they were enforced to cast forth all the fraught or lading into the Sea else had they bin all cast-away yea said one of them that thought himselfe to be the best in the company I was in speciall danger and therefore for feare I gate me vnder the hatches as far as I could The Captaines pardoned them but would not suffer them to haue any more wine and anon the tempest ceased To this effect Athenaeus Which Story I doe not recite to moue any to laugh or to smile but rather to mourne within our selues to consider the corruption of mans nature whereby that which God hath giuen for our good is vnto man an occasion of falling Man abideth not in honour â—specially if he drinke too much but may be compared to the beast that perisheth You know how Noah lay What Lot did What brags Benhadad and Belshazzar made What Herod promised when they were drunke and hâ—w the things turned to their shame and decay It is wickednesse to turne the Grace of God into wantonnesse and it is madnesse to lose ones-selfe vtterly to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season The pleasure of the thrâ—â—â— is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one line as one said it hath no breadth much lesse substance in it The breadth of the throate if Bernards measure be true is not passing two fingers and shall a man for two fingers pleasure cast away health of body health of soule and whatsoeuer is to be reckoned of Know yee not that your bodyes are the Temples of the holy Ghost and will you now take the Temple of God and make it the Temple of an Idoll and of the worst Idoll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know ye not that drunkards are reckoned amongst them that shall not inherit the Kingdome of God and will you be at cost and doe away that you haue to lose that Kingdome which a wise Merchant would giue all that he hath to buy and to compasse O ye Corinthians saith Saint Paul my mouth is open vnto you my heart is enlarged I vse great boldnesse of speech and am earnest in shewing the detestation of this sinne and to prooue if by any meanes I may preuaile with any for their good Basil wrought vpon Valens his conscience and mooued him as also Saint Paul did vpon Foelix his and Saint Iohn the Baptist vpon Herods but yet it fared with them as it doth with iron which though it doe glowe and be made neuer so red-hot with the fire yet remaineth iron still Thus Nazianzen But I hope of better things of some that heare me namely that they will be truly changed by the renuing of their mind and so become new creatures Why vpon a Sermon that Saint Paul made to a Gaoler he beleeued and was baptized and all his house-hold straight-wayes So in the same Chapter after he had preached a time in Ephesus many of them which vsed curious Arts brought their bookes and burned them before all men and counted the price of them I cannot tell how many thousand markes But Saint Paul was an Apostle and endued with the first fruits of Gods Spirit and besides the Lord made way to the conuersion by a miracle Let me recount therefore to you another example of one Iohannes Capistranus of whom Aeneas Syluius writeth at large and for my purpose Vrspergensis in his Chronicles This fellow comming into Germany to reforme abuses preuailed so farre with them that the women did cast away their vaine apparell and gugawes and the men gathered together their Tables Dice and Cardes and burnt them But this Fryer was not alone he had an associate True but the associate did onely interpret what the Fryer did deliuer in Latine so the speech or exhortation was but one if one But the Turke did then inuade Christendome and then very feare will make men deuout and to yeeld easily What say you then to Pythagoras It is written of him by Trogus That being alone and no body to helpe him he preuailed so farre with the men of Crotona that of dissolute men he made them sober of wretchlesse frugall and modest the women also layed aside their shining garments and attire and were nothing behind the men for all kinds of temperancy but hee tooke paines with them twenty yeeres together What say you then to the Story of Polemo in Laertius This Polemo being ouertaken with drinke as he was wont to be broke into Xenocrates his Schoole with his companions of a purpose to daunt him and to driue him out of countenance but Xenocrates treating at that time as God would haue it of Temperance so handled the matter and wrought vpon the young mans conscience that he began to be ashamed of his dissolute course and became such a Conuert and well reformed that there was not the like to him among all Xenocrates his Scholars and after his death became his successor Now could a Lecture of a Philosopher preuaile with a deplorate youth then and shall not the Sermon of a Preacher nay of many Preachers preuaile with them that either are or should be more stayed now Where is the Lord God of Eliah Where is the force of the Word that Lanctantius speaketh of Da mihi virum qui sit iracundus c. Giue me a man that is neuer so loose and vnbridled with a few of the Words of God I will bring him into good order and compasse Is the power of God shortened or is not the naughtinsse of man increased This is that which the Rabbins doe say Ba lithar mesaijegim otho When a man doth his good will and that good will is also of God God worketh in vs both the will and the deed as it is in the Philippians when I say he doth not ponere obicem as the Schoolemen speake resist the holy Ghost as the Scripture phraseth it then loe the Lord is neere vnto them that call vpon him Briefely this is that which Clemens Alexandrinus putteth vs in mind of As in the play of tossing the Ball it is not enough for one of the players to be cunning in throwing of it but the other player also must take it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 handsomely finely or else the Ball will goe downe So when the Lord shall say to vs Behold me Behold me seeke ye my face If we doe not answere Thy face Lord will we seeke we are here ready to doe thy will O God if we stop our eares against his calling harden our hearts against his knocking we can blame no body but our selues if the Word become vnprofitable to vs. The summe of all is this Beware of Drunkennesse doe ye
beware of it euery one specially young men and that you may escape Drunkennesse take heed of drinking much wine and strong drinke otherwise you will fall into the extremity which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which without serious repentance without the greater repentance will bring a man to destruction both of body and soule The Lord saue that which he hath bought Amen Amen FINIS A SERMON AT THE FVNERALL OF THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD MILES LATE LORD BISHOP OF GLOVCESTER PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRALL CHVRCH of GLOVCESTER vpon the ninth of Nouember 1624. by THOMAS PRIOR Master of Arts and one of the Prebendaries there PSALME 16. My flesh shall rest in hope LONDON Printed by Elizabeth Allde for Robert Allot dwelling at the Blacke Beare in Pauls Church-yard 1632. A FVNERALL SERMON VPON THE DEATH OF MILES SMITH LATE LORD BISHOP OF GLOCESTER 2 TIMOTHIE 1.12 For I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that Day BLackenesse and sadnesse haue clouded this day for a principall Pastor a great Prelat is now fallen in our Israel Himselfe occasioned the choise of this Text and the scope of it is this Paul appointed a Preacher of the Gospell laboureth therein much but men worldly-wise accounting his preaching foolishnesse and babbling doe scoffe reproche and persecute to dash and to discourage him yet cannot he through cowardice be diuerted from his way nor through selfe-guiltinesse be ashamed of his worke For when else-where he looketh on the Gospell it selfe he is bold and saith I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation And here looking on the future reward of his now paines and patience with like confidence hee saith againe I suffer these things neuerthelesse I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued c. They obserue a difference vsuall betweene credere Deum Deo in Deum to beleeue a God to beleeue God and to beleeue in God But here the holy Ghost obserueth not this difference for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be rightly englished whom I haue beleeued yet it imports no lesse than if it had beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom I haue beleeued For by it he giues firme assent to the premises with application to himselfe and relyance on God that they shall be performed to him accordingly which is to beleeue in God And for proofe of this our Apostle telleth vs that he hath committed to Gods custody as he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pawne a Pledge or that which he intrusted him withall And what that is take from Interpreters ancient and moderne One saith his soule another which is all one himselfe his workes saith a third a fourth addeth his sufferings a fifth his Saluation And from all you haue the whole truth and nothing else For thus it standeth God hath deposited with Paul the gifts of his Grace these he vseth to his masters best aduantage and suffers much for it but that blankes him not that puts not him out of heart for his depositum is with God to whom he hath committed his soule himselfe his doings his sufferings to be rewarded with life and saluation Of this to be sure he supporteth his confidence with two props One the Alsufficient power of God who is able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of power to keepe all for him Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Power of God is either Immanent working in himselfe or Transient towards the creatures And this Absolute by which he can doe more than he will or Actuall by which he doeth what he will And that this actuall power which the Almighty pleased to determine by his Will is here meant is plaine by the Other prop of his confidence to wit His experience of the effects of the other diuine Attributs implyed in I know whom I haue beleeued q. d. A God of Wisedome Truth Righteousnesse Goodnesse Loue and whatsoeuer may assure me But when is the time of his expectation At the Day that shall set an end to all dayes to all times called by an eminency in the Text that Day id est that great and fearefull day of Christ in which the Lord Iesus shall come to iudge the world In summe thus our Apostle He who knowes that he whom he hath intrusted can will keepe for him against the appointed day that which he hath committed to his trust needeth not to be ashamed of his sufferings for it But such an one I know my God to be c. Thus he reasons And by this time you know his meaning and whereat he aymes scil To speake his knowledge of God In a two-fold Proposition 1 Generall that he knowes who he is saying I know whom I haue beleeued 2 Particular that he knowes what a one specially in one of his Attributes viz. of Power Which Power is Inuincible able to keepe that which is committed vnto him Which Power is Vnchangeable vntill or against that day According to this the first Meditation we shall fall on will runne thus That God and none but God is the comfort of the faithfull in his troubles The beleeuer in afliction drawes not comfort out of the standing Pooles of outward sufficiencies but out of the liuing Fountaines of the Alsufficiency of the Lord Almighty He romes not vp and downe this Sublunary world to releeue himselfe being hard bestaed No that were with that vncleane spirit in the Gospell to walke through dry places seeking rest and finding none but when he with Dauid is greatly distressed his house rifled his goods spoiled his wiues captiuated his Ziglag fired his associates mutinous meditating death and stoning him then fetcheth he his comfort from Heauen so Dauid comforted himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 And truely to enlarge our selues a little here whither should a man in such a case flie but hither For nothing can afford solide comfort that it selfe cannot at least take away the cause of discomfort That Romans griefe prompt so much to him who to his friends that would comfort him about the losse of the Consulship saith Omnes consulere scitis Consulem facere nescitis All can giue me counsell yee cannot make me Consull Could outward things rid vs from the troubles of this life from death the end of this life from damnation after death then said they something worth the harkening to but this they cannot doe for breuities sakes insist on one Not from Death for as the Candle failes before it is well lighted or is choaked with much moisture or is puffed out with the wind or is extinguished by the hand of man or goeth out of its owne accord So man if not intombed in his mothers bell◠dyeth not in the cradle withereth not growing vp be not conquered when ablest to conquer but doth hold out till old age then
of such as came vnto the place in the simplicity of their soules but this was done by the Zelotae and in hot blood and rather to preuent mischiefâ— that themselues might not be destroyed than to bring causes of destruction vpon others But now for the sonnes of the Church and her deare and lawfull sonnes so they repute themselues and all others for bastards for the sonnes of the Commonweale and the same most faithfull and loyall what else for them I say to seeke to shead the blood of warre in peace for them like Vipers to gnaw the bowels of their mother and to stretch forth ouer their Country the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab as it is in the holy Story the line of vanity and the stones of emptinesse as it is in the Prophet this would make Isaiah if he were aliue to cry out as he doth Chapter 29. verse 9. Stay your selues and wonder crie out and crie Or as he doth Chapter 66. Who hath heard such a thing who hath seene such things Poets feine of Enceladus the Giant that as oft as he changeth his side for wearinesse he maketh the Country about him to quake and as oft as he belcheth he casteth vp fire brimstone in that abundance that he maketh all the Ilanders to be agast So Philosophers teach that when exhalations and vapours haue gotten in great store into some hollow places of the earth if they hap to be stopped there so that they cannot haue a vent they first worke a strange rumbling and hurly-burly in the earth making it to reele to and fro like a drunken man as the Psalmist speaketh and then in the end breaking forth with violence they carry away whatsoeuer is in the way trees houses Towers transplanting or translating them from one side to another from one end to another maruellously And euen in like manner these Enceladi or Ennosigaei by working vnder the ground and piling together a great deale of sulphurous and combustible or rather inflammatory matter vnder the vault of the Parliament house made reckoning with the turning of their side nay with the turning of their hand by setting fire to the match to blow vp all that were aboue or neere and to bury in one common sepulchre the whole State Suetonius writeth of Nero that when heard one vtter out of a Tragedy these words When I am dead let fire and earth be iumbled together Nay rather said he let this happen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while I am aliue So these vnnaturall parricides thought it too long to stay till God should correct vs himselfe either by famine or pestilence or the sword but they would take the sword into their owne hands and call for fire from heauen like the rash sonnes of Zebedee or rather because they had no hope to preuaile that way they would strike fire in the lower parts of the earth and set vpon a light fire their whole natiue Country Thus they persecute Dauid and seeke to take away his life and the liues of all his well-wishing subiects and neere ones But did they preuaile No They tooke counsell together but it came to nought they pronounced a Decree but it did not stand for God was with vs. Omnipotens Deus Valentiniano Regnum quod dederat reseruauit that is Almighty God that gaue Valentinian the Empire preserued it vnto him and he that set the Crowne vpon the Kings head did keepe it sure vnto him maugre the despight of Rome and Romanists They thrust sore at him that he might fall but the Lord was his helpe and our helpe our mercifull God did breake the snares of them that sought to entrap vs all the snare was broken and we deliuered O that we would giue thankes to the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men O that we would confesse that he himselfe did it and he alone and that it was not our policy or prouidence that auoyded the blow Remember O let vs remember how glad Iacob was to see Ioseph rediuiuum whom he had giuen ouer and thought he had beene deuoured of a wilde beast Remember how glad they were in Markes house when Peter came in vnto them whom they had thought to haue beene fast bound in fetters and iron that he should haue beene brought forth and put to death the next day It is a day that the Lord hath made let vs be glad and reioyce therein a day to be remembred as the dayes of the Passe-ouer wherein the children of Israel escaped the destroying Angell and also the fury of the Egyptians or as the dayes of Purim wherein the same people of God escaped the bloody practices of Haman and his complices Let me tell you what ioy there was in Rome vpon a false alarum Newes being brought that Germanicus noble Germanicus was aliue of whose sickenesse they had intelligence and for whose health they were most carefull they showted Saluae Roma salua patria saluus est Germanicus Rome is safe our Country is safe for lo Gemanicus is safe Much more iustly may we showte for ioy and say Salua Anglia salua patria saluus est Rex that is England is in safety our Country is in safety for why our King is in safety This I say should make vs to reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious seeing it is not a false word that is brought vnto vs of the Kings safety but as we haue heard so may we see and his Maiesty may say â—nto vs as Ioseph doth to his brethren Genesis the 45. Behold your eyes doe see and the eyes of my brother Beniamin that my mouth doth speake vnto you The Romanes celebrated the memoriall of the driuing out of their oppressors and called it Regifugium we may call this feast Regi-saâ—uium because the Kings life and the life of his best subiects were saued and preserued The Persians kept a feast in remembrance of the destruction of the Magies who destroyed the remainder of the Blood-Royall and vsurped the Crowne themselues and called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may call this feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the destruction of the Traytors who were taken in their owne snare and fell into the pit that they had digged for others This was the Lords doing and it is maruelous in our eyes and ought to be remembred with all thankefulnesse and God is to be honoured for the same and with speciall honour while we haue a day or houre to liue For if the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side may Israel now say if he had not giuen his Angels charge ouer vs it had not failed vs but our soules had beene put to silence they were so wrathfully displeased at vs. Well the enemies of Dauid were found lyers and howsoeuer they thought to take away his life by pursuing him yet they could not This
is a good entrance to the Omination the later part of my diuision the which I will rather touch than handle the time being so farre spent The soule of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God and the soule of thine enemies shall he sling out as out of the middle of a sling In these words Abigail promiseth or foretelleth wisheth at the least safety and preseruation to Dauids person and estate and describeth the same safety by a Metaphor of safe bindingor safe pursing We know that eares of corne if they lie scattered vpon the ground they may easily be trod out with the foote or licked vp by a beast but if they be bound vp in a bundle and the bundle layd vp in a stacke then they are out of harmes way commonly the originall may signifie a Bundle as in that place of the Canticles that is My Beloued is as a bundle of myrrhe Tseror mor. Again we know that if a piece of money be it of gold or siluer be cast vpon the table or some odde place it may be taken vp by some thiefe or one that is light-fingered but if it be pursed then it is safe The originall may signifie a purse as inthat place of Haggai Chapter 1. He that earneth wages putteth it into a bagge or purse that hath a hole in it In like manner of Phrasing Dauid saith that his teares were put vp in Gods bottle that none of them should be spilt vpon the ground but should be remembred and accounted for And Saint Paul That our life is hid with Christ in God hid that is layed vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in a repository sure and safe And briefely the Prophet Esay phraseth it after the same manner that God had made him a chosen shaft and hid him in his quâ—uer that it should not be broken nor pilfered away by euery one that came in the way Now we vnderstand the meaning of the Phrase but peraduenture for the truth of the matter euery one is not satisfied for some will say How could Abigail speake so confidently that Dauid and consequently such as were faithfull like Dauid should not miscarry since so many worthy seruants of God and his Anointed ones haue dyed a violent death as namely â—osiah to speake of no more before Christs time and after Christs time Gratian and Valentinian Christian and godly Emperours and of late in our fresh memory the two Henries of France that I speake nothing of the Prince of Conde and the Prince of Orange If it be true as it is most true that these had their liues taken away by their enemies then Abigails speech cannot be true in the generall I answere first That Abigail speaketh this as a well-wishing woman but not as a Prophetesse for we doe not read any where that the name of a Prophetesse is giuen vnto her Secondly That prophesies themselues importing a blessing haue either expressed or implyed a condition namely If they will walke in the wayes of the Lord with an vpright heart and with all their heart c. euen as Samuel the Prophet expresseth the happinesse of a King and a State conditionally and not absolutely in those termes If ye will feare the Lord and serue him and heare his voyce both you and your King shall follow the Lord that is you shall prosper in following the Lord a Metonymie of the cause for the effect but if ye doe wickedly ye shall perish both you and your King O that we would consider this we that forget God so oft and so foulely what hurt we doe to our good King not onely our selues by euery worke of impiety and iniquity we doe we strike at his Estate as oft as we strike our brother with the fist of wickednesse we wound our Kings person after a sort as oft as we teare God with our false or vaine oathes we doe what we can to shorten his dayes as oft as we drawe along the cords of vnnecessary contentions of sensuality of drunkennesse of oppression of vncharitablenesse of coozenage of vsury and the like These doe more endanger a Kingdome than either forraine enemies or domestike conspirators For as while we please the Lord he maketh our very enemies to be our friends as it is in the Prouerbs yea the stones of the field to be at peace with vs and the beasts of the field to be at league with vs as it is in Iob. So on the other side if wickednesse be found in vs as Salomon said to Adoniah if an execrable thing be found in the Host as in the dayes of Iosuah then Israel cannot stand before the men of Aye nor Iosuah prosper Then the Lord will raise vp the vildest of the Nations to persecute vs they shall fanne vs and they shall empty vs till we be weeded out of the good Land that God hath giuen vs to possesse It is true the most High it is that translateth Kingdomes taking them from one Nation and giuing them to another as it is in the Prophet Daniel but it is true withall that this is done for the sinnes of the people euen as Salomon expresly setteth it downe Prouerbs 28. For the transgression of a people there be many Princes that is many changes when as on the contrary side when a people doe set their hearts to feare the Lord and to worship him with holy worship when they meddle with the thing that is equall and right and shunne the sinnes of vnfaithfulnesse of Idolatry of presumption of profanenesse and the like then behold he giueth them a good Prince in his mercy and keepeth him vnto them in his fauour preseruing his lying downe and rising vp his going forth and comming home in such sort that the enemy can doe him no violence nor the sonne of wickednesse hurt him Would we then haue our King to flourish and to prosper to liue out of danger and gun-shot Oh then let vs not onely pray for him as Tertullian did for the Emperor that God would giue him Domum tutam exercitus fortes senatum fidelem that is A safe Court valiant Armies and a faithfull Senate but also that he would giue him Populum probum that is A vertuous people a good Commonalty which is a part of Tertullians prayer in the same place and let vs endeauour our selues euery one for his part to make vp this Populum probum that is to be pious and vertuous Let vs haue nothing to doe with the stoole of wickednesse which imagineth mischiefe like a Law let vs haue nothing to doe with the bagge of deceit with false weights false measures since these be an abomination to the Lord as Salomon speaketh and since God is a reuenger of all such things as the Apostle testifieth Finally let vs haue nothing to doe with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reproue