Praelium praemium THE CHRISTIANS WARRE and rewarde A SERMON PREACHED before the Kings Maiestie at VVhitehall the 3. of May. 1608. BY DANIELL PRICE Master of Arts of Exeter Colledge and Chapleyn in ordinarie to the PRINCE Vincenti dabitur OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnes 1608. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD THE LORD Arch-bishop of Canterburie his Grace Primat and Metrapolitan of all England one of his Maiesties most Honorable priuie Counsel the right worthy Chauncelour of the famous Vniuersitie of Oxford MOst reverend religious rightly honourable so small a present for so great a Patrone is not tollerable by the rule of proportion especiallie when so great weaknesse lyeth open to the eie of so great worthinesse My apprehension at the first conceited mee so strongly that I designed this to aternal oblivion resolved that it shoulde haue dyed and beene buried in the place it first breathed but fearing lest an action of presumption would bee commenced against mee for burying so poore an Orphan in so princely a place as the Kings Chappel I adventured to lay it in the graue of the presse wrapping it in these sheetes as in a Syndon mantling it on a sable letter as in a hearse and yet after foure aates pressing to death it revived and is crept to present it selfe vnto your Grace presuming that as you affoorded it gratious attention at the preaching so you will affoord it gratious acception in the printing If there bee anie thing worthy Patronadge in it or in mee I humbly prostrate it reioycing much I may tender any observāce vnto him whom his roiall Maiestie the gracious Queene my Princely Master the noblest Personadges the greatest schollers both the Vniversities the Church Commō wealth arts and schooles doe for his studies conferences labours imploymēts acknowledge reverence and preferre to the Confluence of all honour I must confesse it had manie verie honorable friends who desired after the preaching to bee acquainted with it but I was then doubtful whether I should publish it or no somtimes dissolving it sometimes resolving for it til now at length I haue adventured to let it see the sunne It is the first tender of my dutie and the first dedication frō our Vniversity Presse since the time your Grace was pleased to entertaine the protection of vs. The Lord preserue your Grace to continue for manie and manie yeeres that the Church may long enioie so worthie a Piller the Common wealth so wise a Counseller and this famous Vniversity so honourable a Chauncellour Exeter Coll. this 19. of June 1608. Your Graces in all humble dutie DANIELL PRICE The Text. Revel 2.26 He that overcommeth keepeth my works to the ende to him will I giue power over nations THE whole booke of God writtē by his finger deliuered by his power inspired by his spirit and revealed by his will is as Cassiodore obserueth Schola coelest is eruditio vitalis auditorium veritatis disciplina singularis profitable to teach to instruct to reproue to correct that the man of God may be perfect in al good works whatsoeuer is contained in this booke God hath reuealed to man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secretum relatum nay not only relatum but revelatum The whole booke from Genesis to the Reuelation is the Genesis of a Revelation here beginneth the Exodus the end termination complement accomplishment of the Reuelation Iob may conceaue Secreta Dei Iob. 11.6 Daniel may obserue abscondita Dei Dan. 2.22 The Apostle may discerne profunda Dei 1. Cor. 2.10 And Paule wrapped vp to the thirde heauens may heare arcana Dei 2. Cor. 12.4 But now secreta profunda arcana abscondita be revelata The Aenigma is disclosed the knot vnloosed the mysteries interpreted the vaile remoued all things reuealed he that was vailed in the flesh is reuealed in the spirit and in this booke is the manifestation of our God of his will of the Lambe and of his life of the spirit and of his truth of his seales trumpets angels viols thunders lightnings threatnings iudgements of heauē hel the earth the sea consumption destruction dissolution desolation and final consumation of the world Jf the whole Scripture may bee called the Librarie of the holy Ghost then this is the Closet of that librarie if the Lanthorne of Jsrael then this is the light of that Lanthorne if the Alphabet of God then this is then of that Alphabet this is the ende of his booke who is the beginning and the end the last of his book who is the first and the last the Ω of his booke who is α and Ω the Amen of his booke who is yea and Amen The holyest place not more worthily called sanctum sanctorum or the Iubile Sabbatum sabbatorum or the Canticles Cantica Canticorum or Empireum Coelū Coelorum I say not more truely called so then this Revelatio Revelationum the Compendium and Epitome of all the works wonders secrets depths and misteries of God so that as a father well speaketh of the whole scripture Hugo I may also in particular speake of this Apocalips pascit miraculis oraculis figuris verbis mysterijs Greg. Morall And as Manna as Gregory obserueth habet omne delectamentum omnis saporis suauitatem so I may speake of this booke of the Reuelation which is the hid Manna kept long in the Arke inter arcana and now manifested among Reuelata O then come and see and see heare and taste how good and sweete this Manna is it wil giue to euerie man his gust rellish if yee be ignorant here yee may be instructed if weak heare yee may be strengthned if feareful here ye may be hartened if fighting here yee may be comforted if triumphing here yee maie be crowned and more thē this here is the greatest blessing pronounced that ever was to anie booke Blessed is he that readeth Revel 1. he that heareth and he that vnderstandeth and hee that keepeth the words of this booke Out of this book out of that Manna of this booke haue J chosen this portion of scripture as a portion of meate in due season which if you wil staye till J haue prepared it for you J will present it to bee panem nostrum hodiernum or rather panem nostrum quotidianum He that overcometh and keepeth my workes to the end to him wil I giue power ouer nations what subiect more sit for Heroicall spirits then an encitement to chiualtrie nay what subiect maie speake of a fitter subiect before a most royal King then of a kingdome Beholde both these in this Hee that ouercometh c. Hee that ouercometh here a christian is made a conquerour and keepeth my woorks to the end hereof a Conquerour he is made a Continuer J wil giue him power ouer nations hereof a Continuer he is made a king He that ouercometh here hee is approued a Christian and keepeth my woorkes
is not so properlie said to doe good as to be compelled to doe it by the good spirit of God And the Apostle teacheth that it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God which enableth vs we can doe al things Austen endeth al this in his 3. booke de lib. Arbit 16. Esay Deus velle praecepit posse praebuit et non impune nolle permisit God commands all men to be willing he giueth vnto some his grace to be able he permitteth others to remaine vnwilling but neuer to remaine vnpunished And therfore our prayer must be as the same fathers is Da Domine quod iubes iube quod vis giue vs O Lord abilitie to doe what thou commandest and coÌ„maunde what thou wilt for without thee our knowledge is ignorance our power is infirmitie our sight is blindnes our light is darknes our strength is weaknesse But J have founded a retrait too longe from my warfare he that ouer commeth The heathens had sundrie times at which they did especially practise militarie actions and points of chiualtie had their Nemea Istmia Pythia Olympia in which they did exercise striuing wrestling runing fighting and other feats of Martialisme The verie saÌ„e exercises hath God appointed for his seruaÌ„ts he hath appointed them to runne 1. Cor. 9.24 per viam man datorum Ps 119.32 per viam patientiae Heb. 12.1 he hath appointed them to resist Eph. 6.13 in fide 1. Pet. 1.9 In sanguine Heb. 12.4 hee hath appointed them to wrestle Eph. 6.12 vsque ad auroram Gen. 32.35 adversus principatus adversus potestates adversus muÌ„di dâ—minos adversus spirituales astutias Eph. 6.12 hee hath appointed vs to fight Iob. 14.14 non secundum carneÌ„ 2. Cor. 10.3 sed bonam militiam militare 1. Tim. 1.18 and in all these the life of a Christian is a busie stirring agonizing trade of life a pressing to the marke a striuing to enter in at the narrowe gate and a violeÌ„t suprising of the kingdome of heauen So the doctrine hence to be obserued is this Doct. that Christianitie is not a liceÌ„tious or a libertine like securitie but an earnest painful watchful Conflicting Combating life And whosoeuer wil vndergoe this be coÌ„teÌ„ted to take presse mony in this warfaring life shal be sure to haue God stil helping strengthning encouraging CoÌ„forting and assisting so that what is faynedly reported of Pindarus to be continuallie assisted by Apollo Lycurgus by Pithia Numa by Aegeria Socrates by his Genius Phiddias by his Iupiter and Philemon by the Muses may more truelie be said of the Lord our God who doeth continuallie assist his seruants to the last of their life to ouercome Manie things are said to ouercome the word of God to ouercome man that word made man to ouercoÌ„e for man man himselfe by repentance and praier to ouercome God by faith hope charitie to ouercome al spiritual aduersaties The word of God powerful to ouercome strong holdes and to cast downe and ouerthrow euerie high thing 2. Cor. 10.5 witnes Niniueh imperious insolent intollerable Niniueh Niniueh the imperial coÌ„mander of the Easterne parts prowde of her wals and bulwarks Niniveh the mother Cittie of Assiria the Metropolis of the Countrie the goldeÌ„ head of the picture the glorie of the earth the seate of the Empire the Ladie of the East and the Queene of the Nations so strong so potent ouercome with this word yet fortie daies and Niniveh shal be destroied The message of their ouerthrow ouerthrew the messuage saith Chrysost the prophecie fel the Cittie fel not because her fal was prophecied Vincit verbuÌ„ The word made man ouercame for man Christ saith Ioh. 16. I haue ouercome the world witnesse that bloodie conflict when Mount Calvary was the field the Crosse the bloody banner his blessed body the weapon of his warfare his anguishes his armies My God why haste thou forsaken me the Trumpet his death the life his miserie the victorie his crucifying the conquest his Tortours the Triumph Vincit Christus Repentance overcommeth Affliction is said to ouercome man and Repentance is somewaie said to ouercome God for as Affliction causeth man to turne to God so repetance causeth God to turne to man Apostrophe in man froÌ„ God breeds Apostrophe in God from man Epistrophe in man to God begets Epistrophe in God to man Repentance in man begets Repentance in God non per naturam sed per effectum though the heauens bee readie to plague vs the sun moone to raigne downe blood vpon vs the fire hote burning coles the aire I hunderbolts the earth readie to swallow vs the water to drowne vs hel to deuour vs nay al the hosts of the God of hosts to ouercome vs yet by faithfull repentance wee ouercome them all Vincit Penitentia Praier doth ouercome For it is not onlie Angelis solatium Aug. Daemonibus flagellum animae praesidiuÌ„ as Austine speaketh But it is more it is Eliahs key Moyses rod Iacobs sword and bow Davids shield and speare the most powerful of al the weapons of a Christian I wil fetch but one drop from the Ocean to proue this When Egypt was smitten and Pharaoh plagued and their waters and riuers and streames and ponds and pooles and vessels of stone were silled with blood and frogs and lice and botches and soares and haile and thunder and lightning and grashoppers morreine and darknes were sent vpon the Countrie By Moyses praiet they were remoued dispersed scattered demolished vtterlie dissipated as the dust before the winde Vincit Oratio Oratio paenetrat coeluÌ„ So might I speak of faith hope and charitie which be most forcible singuler effectual powerful energeticallie potent I had almost said omnipotent in the trials trauils battels warfare combates conflicts conquests victories triumphs trophes of the Saints To end this point God hath made man a Christian and dubd euerie Christian a knight Eph. 6. prouided him the armor of God nay God for his armor giuen spirite to his sword for it is the sword of the spirit giuen safety to his helmet for it is the helmet of saluation righteousnesse for his brestplate for it is the brest plate of righteousnesse faith for his shield for it is the shield of faith veritie for his girdle for it is the girdle of veritie giuen him the Gospel of Peace for his feet for his feet bee shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace This is now that Complete knight Hauing on his feet spurs guilt with his blood who tooke awaie the guilt of the law on his head a helmet saluation on his hart a brest plate righteousnesse on his loines a girdle veritie in his hand a sword the spirit on his whole bodie a robe the seamelesse garment the Lord Iesus Christ and vpon this garment putting on an armour Armaturam Dei naie more Armaturam Deum the whole armour of God naie whole God for his Armour Euerie man is
allureth and heareth and promiseth wages yea promiseth to reward his owne merits in vs by his owne mercy on vs. So true is hee in his word so faithfull in his promises man cannot obiect against God Ouid. Met. as the Poet doth against man Mobilis Aesonide vernaque incertior aura curtua policiti pondere verba carēt He deserueth not to bee called Doso as Antigonus was who promised much and performed little hee wil not equiuocate with man as hee did that promised centum oues brought but centum oua Austine witnesseth Deum fecisse Chirographum promissorum suorum Austin non debendo sed promittendo Hee oweth vs nothing because he neuer receaued anie thing and yet he maketh his promise his debt his deed his word his worke his mercy a merit yet not our merit for St Paul anticipateth the doctrine of merits in the 2. Eph. 8. wee are saued not of our selues not of our workes least any man shold boast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is the gift of god whervpon Bernard concludeth demeritis sufficit scire quod non sufficiant merita Bern. So that againe I saie he promiseth to reward his owne merits by his owne mercies he promiseth this and hee performeth this his worde his deed his promises his reward be not as the worlds bee In the world some promise what they cannot doe as Sathan to Christ Math. 4.9 some what they cā doe but meane not as the sonns of Iacob to the sonnes of Sichem Gen 34 16. Some what they meene for a time but afterwards deny it as Laban did to Iacob Gen. 29.23 Some what they promise willinglie but giue vnwillinglie as Herod Io. Baptists head Mark 6.16 Sōe what they giue willingly but afterwards repent as Ioshua his graunt to the Gibeonits Ios 9.23 But Gods promises bee performances and therfore bee to bee beleeued In spe extra spem-supra spem contra spem And in this God hath done with man as the rulers of states and makers of statutes who haue sought not only to punish the bad and to prouide some sharpe fearful tortors for them but haue euer a regard to encorage and reward the vertuous office of the God So did Zoroaster amōg the Persians Trismegistus amōg the Aegyptians Charondas among the Carthaginians Minos among the Cretians Solon among the Athemās that as in Hercul Biuiū they were 2 waies the on via virtutis Non est ad astra mollis è terris via the other via voluptatis facilis descē sus Auerni So there should bee also diuerse respects had for the followers of these two diuerse waies as Antishenes the Philosopher in Laertius and Achilles that valiant martialist in Homer doe testifie So God the life giuer of all these law-giuers hath prouided the one and the other for the wicked whoe wil bee warned by noe warning feared by noe threatning affrighted by noe terrifying admonished by noe exhorting he hath prouide fearful and horrid and eternal paines tumultuous horrour firie Chaines flamming whipps schorching darknesse tormenting Deuills vpon whom houling roaring lamenting blaspheming and eternal death gnawing on them shal be powred out the ful flood of Gods wrath and the dreggs of the vnsauorie cōposition of the cup of Gods displesure But for his seruants as in al other things he is a god of great mercy magnificence liberalitie and princely munificence soe in this aboue all the rest hee is most munificent in rewarding his Saints and seruants with many and most infinite blessings as hee often promiseth here expresseth I will giue out of which words J obserue this doctrine Doct. that God is able and willing to reward his Saints that which he promiseth The scripture giueth proofe to this doctrine God hath made promises before the begining of the world 1. Pet. 1.12 firme and stable promises 2 Cor. 1.8 most greate and pretious promises 2. Pet. 1.4 hauing a time of promise Act. 7 17. giuen a word of promise Rom. 9.7 proclaimed a Gospel of promise 1. Tim. 1.9 purchased inheritances of promise Heb. 6.12 adopted sonns of promise Gal. 4.28 drawen couenants of promise Eph. 2.12 appointed the spirit as the scriuener of these couenants of promise Eph. 1.14 and added yea and Anen as a seal to these couenāts of promise Cor. 1.10 So that a Christian may now be sure that al bands bills obligations leases Indentures alienations contracts Couenants made neuer so curiously by the Meander of Lawyers wit shal be annihilated before the least of the promises shal faile nay heauen and earth shall faile before the least Iota of his promise The comfort of this made St Bernard to be almost in a heuenly extasie when hee considered Charitatē Adoptionis Veritatem Promissionis Potestatem redditionis Gods loue in adopting his truth in promising and his power in performeing and surely it cannot choose but stirre and incite euerie true Christian to a most feruent and earnest embraceing of these promises Let the vse therfore of this Doctrine bee this Vse that wee remoue al misdoubting vnbeleeuing thought from vs that at no time there bee found an euil minde in vs not crediting the promise of God Let vs assure our selues that if we can credere vivere beleeue and liue after our beliefe we shal surely receiue the performance of this promise in due time The bargaine betweene God and vs is Crede quod habes habes like to Ithiell and Vcall Ithiell signifieth God with vs Vcall is to preuaile so that Ithiell and Vcall must go togither if we preuaile God is with vs. It is double a mutual reciprocal interchangeable dutie a twofolde Indenture on our behalfe as wel as on Gods If we ouercome he hath promised and hauing promised hee wil performe he wil giue to him that ouercōmeth power ouer nations so I come in few words to the last best words of my Text. Vlt Cir I wil giue him power ouer nations There is a power giuen a power vsurped a power giuen to man ouer Gods creatures giuen to the K. ouer men A power vsurped by the Deuil ouer Christians by the Tyrants ouer kingdomes by the Pope ouer Kings for the Pope hearing that the Diuell hath power he thinketh that he also may haue a power because he is the Deuils vicegerent in causes Ecclesiastical and Temporal but in this the Pope is deceiued for the Deuils patent is more potent his power stronger and longer then the Popes Bellarmine in his 1. booke de sumo Pontifice the 22. Chapter and since Baronius in his letter to Paule the Venetian proue out of scripture that the Pope hath special power and is the head of the Church out of the Acts 10.13 Kil eate Bellarmine proueth it out of the word Eate Baronius out of the word kill a killing argument I should thinke Bellarmine might rather proue him out of the word eate to be the mouth then the head Baronius