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A13234
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A briefe treatise declaring the true noble-man, and the base vvorldling. By Walter Sweeper minister of Strowd
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Sweeper, Walter.
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1622
(1622)
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STC 23526; ESTC S113865
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26,597
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53
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A BRIEFE TREATISE DECLARING THE TRVE NOBLE-MAN AND The base Worldling 1. SAM 2.30 They that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised By Walter Sweeper Minister of Strowd LONDON Printed by WILLIAM IONES dwelling in Red-crosse sstreete 1622. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM EARLE OF PEMBROCK and Philip Earle of Mountgomerie Grace mercie and peace from God the Father through Christ * ⎠* MY good Lords I had intended to haue presented to your honorable Ladie-mother now at rest with God the first fruits of my labours in this kind containing a iust defence of Gods truth and the credit of Dorts Synod against some of Arminius his schollers here at home who will not be reclaimed by the graue sentence of that late Councell nor affrighted with the strange death of their maister but as Arrius his followers after his fearfull death did labour to scatter his errors farre and neare so do these with vs. But your Honours may obiect to me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To which I answer that partly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and partly the importunitie of some enemies did draw me forth both by preaching and printing to assay to stop the mouthes of gainsayers Now I humbly offer to your Lordships view the true Chhristian Noble-man who by the Spirit of Adoption calleth God Abba Father Rom. 8.15 and which Iob stiles Christ Iob 19.25 Goeli My redeeming kinsman and with Isay Isa 5.1 Dodi My neere kinsman Your Honours may best challenge this little Treatise as your owne right because that I gained the greatest part of my litle learning through my acquaintance with your honorable fathers house and family where you had a most religious and truly noble breeding and education by the zealous care of your pious and truly religious father and Ladie Bathshebah neglected not to teach her yong Lemuels humane and diuine knowledge Prou. 31.1 2. Your truly noble fathers house for state and gouernment somewhat resembled Salomons Court 2. Chron. 9.4 where Shebaes Queene obserued the meate of his table the sitting of his seruants and the attendance of his ministers And your famous Wilton house like a litle Vniuersitie was a more excellent nurcerie for learning and pietie then euer it was in former times when King Edgars daughter Editha had her residence and regencie there so that Popish S.F.E. had no need to seek the restoring of it to its former vses Wilton house had in it that godly learned Phisitian and skilfull Mathematician M. Doctor Moffet my most worthy and kind friend it had in it great Hugh Sanford learned in all arts sciences knowledge humane and diuine vsque ad miraculum whom I euer obserued as Horace did his Maerenas euer before him singultim pauca locutus from whom I neuer departed without some profit To passe ouer Gerard the Herballist M. Massinger and other Gentlemen schollers Neuer noble house had successiuely deeper Diuines namely Bishop Babington B. Parry M. Connā M. Walford M. Parker M. Bigs In this noble House Babingtons rules of pietie and honestie swayed swearing was banished yea the house-keepers and inferour seruants well knew and practised the grounds of Religion as Ierome commendeth the ploughmen of Palestina for their Halleluiahs These were the Trophees of your fathers house he honoured God and God honoured him and you his seed enioy the blessing whereas the seed of the wicked lo ijqqare le holam shall not be famous for euer Isa 14.20 The seed of the righteous shall be great or strong in the earth Dor iesharim ieuorach the generation of the vpright shall be blessed Psal 112.1 2. Wisedome with an inheritance is good saith Salomon Eccles 7.12 God hath blessed your Honours with a goodly heritage Psal 16.6 The price of wisedome is in your hands Oh let your hearts be to it Prou. 17.16 To whom much is giuen of them much is required Luk. 12.48 You cannot say with the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor with Vlysses in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serue the Lord with ioy of heart for the aboundance that hee hath giuen you Deut. 28.47 Let your houses not be like Eugenius Tertius Bernards scholler his house recipiant faciant bouos Oh let the vnfained faith as Paul speakes to Timothy 2. Tim. 1.5 that dwelt in your good father dwell in you The Lord blesse your Honours and increase in you all the graces of his holy Spirit for his Christs sake in whom I rest Your Lordships most humble seruant Walter Sweeper THE TRVE NOBLE-MAN The Text Prou. 12.16 The Righteous is more excellent then his neighbour but the way of the wicked seduceth them THE three bookes of Solomon are by some compared to the three parts of the Temple the Prouerbes to the large Court made for the assembly of all the people wherein Christ walked Ioh. 10.23 Ecclesiastes to the holy place where the Priests serued the Lord Luk. 1.9 and the Canticles to the most holy place whereinto the High priest onely went once a yeare Leuit. 16.12 Though this b granted yet the authority and credit of this booke is no whit disparaged but may well answer the beautifull gate of the Temple Acts 3.2 being giuen by diuine inspiration as all other Scriptures 2. Tim. 3.16 And Solomon wrote not this booke by any priuate motion but as he was moued by the Spirit of God 2. Pet. 1.19 20 21. And the title Mishle in the Hebrew much commen deth to vs the excellencie of this booke coming of Mashal to rule excell or speake graue sentences or dark parables Ezek 20.49 Memashal Meshalim hu Doth he not speake parables and it is as much as Kurieuein princely to rule Rom. 6.4 or authentein to exercise authenticke authoritie 1. Tim. 2.12 because these sentences both in regard of their diuine matter and forme do far excell other writings of this kind The Ethicks O Economickes and Politickes of all Heathen Philosophers must giue place to these A great part of these Prouerbes were copied out by Hezekiahs seruants Prou. 25.1 A good patterne for religious Courtiers Now whereas Solomon wrote 3000 parables and 1005 songs 1. King 4.32 God in his gracious prouidence hath reserued to the vse and edification of his Church onely these few holy Prouerbs with Ecclesiastes and the Canticles suffering the other bookes of humane wisedome whereof we reade 1. King 2.41 to perish and not willing to clog the Church with many bookes And therefore many things done by Christ are omitted Ioh. 20.30 because otherwise the world would not containe the bookes that should be written Ioh. 21.25 And as we reade Eccles 12.12 There is no end of writing bookes and much reading is a wearinesse to the flesh If you will know the summe and scope of this booke it is to teach man the holy knowledge of God diuine dutie and morall precepts of ciuilitie Prou. 1.1 2 3 4. For pietie doth not ouerthrow the duties of ciuilitie
sell it for euer but till the yeare of Iubile Deut. 15.7 8. Leu. 25.23 24. od was their Lord Paramount Thirdly some interprete it thus Be not pharisaically and hypocritically righteous before men when God knoweth your hearts that they are abhominable Luke 16.15 But I think it is taken for superstitious righteousnesse a sinne on the right hand when men go beyond the commandement of God keeping mens traditions Mat. 15.3 Mar. 7.3 Col. 2.22.23 To Gods law nothing must be added nor taken away Deut. 4.2 That we may be truly righteous let vs consider these motiues First if we be holy and righteous we are like our heauenly Father 1. Pet. 1.16 We are secondly like vnto Christ Acts 4.27 Acts 3.4 he was iust and holy Thirdly if we be holy the Spirit of glorie and God resteth on vs 1. Pet. 4.16 his sanctifying Spirit reigneth in vs Rom. 8.9 Fourthly if we be holy and iust we are the redeemed of the Lord Luk. 1.75 Gal. 1.4 Fiftly if not holy not enter into Gods kingdome Heb. 12.14 Reuel 21.27 Sixthly if holy and righteous we shall be blessed in our outward estate The wicked are ouerthrowne are not but the house of the righteous shall stand Prou. 12.7 The righteous may fall seuen times a day and be raised vp againe but the wicked fall into mischiefe Prou. 24.16 When the righteous fall the Lord putteth vnder his hand psal 37.24 as the standers by are wont to do to saue a great mans sonne from a fall in wrestling Outward things happen alike to him that sweareth Obiect and to him that feareth an oath Eccles 9.12 Go thou into Gods sanctuarie Answ and thou shalt see how the wicked in the best of their prosperitie stand in slippery places and passe away as a dreame psal 73.18.20 They flourish as a greene bay tree and are soone cut downe Marke the end of the iust and vniust psal 37.35 37 38. The wicked flourishing as grasse are soone cut downe psal 92.7 they iumpe fearfully into the graue Iob 21.13 Lastly consider that the righteous shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father Mat. 13.43 Secondly consider we the meanes of stirring vs vp to godlinesse First looke on the holinesse and righteousnesse of God which made the Angels to sing Holy holy holy is the Lord Isay 6.3 the earth is full of his glorie Blessed be the glorie of the Lord from his place Ezek. 3.12 He hath no pleasure in wickednes he hateth all the workers of iniquitie psal 5.4 5. His eyes are purer then to behold iniquitie without displeasure Hab. 1.13 Secondly obserue the puritie and perfection of Gods law it is perfect and giueth light to the simple psal 19.7 it is a lampe to our feete and a light to our paths psal 119.105 Ye are cleane saith Christ Ioh. 15.3 by my word Thirdly propound to thy selfe the example of good men Heb. 11. from verse 2. to the end Take my brethren the Prophets for examples Behold the patience of Iob Iam. 5.10.11 Look on Dauids zeale psal 132.12 Let women looke on old holy Matrons who trusted in God looke on Sarah calling her Husband Lord whose daughters ye are 1. Pet. 3.5 6. Thirdly remoue the impediments that cleaue to thy corrupt nature and presse thee downe Heb. 12.1 First suspect that traitor in thine owne bosom The heart of man is deceitfull aboue measure and desperatly wicked Ier. 17.10 Beware of an euill heart of vnbeliefe lest your heart be hardned by the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 Secondly beware of Satans temptations being subtil ginnes and craftie deuices 2. Cor. 2.11 and in Ephes 6.11 cunning tricks and the fiery darts of the wicked one Ephes 6.16 which are sudden iniections to blasphemie or desperation In the second place the first outward impediment is the world wholy lying in sinne 1. Ioh. 5.19 In the world we may find the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1. Ioh. 2.16 The second outward let is the prosperitie of the wicked and the often afflictions of Gods children This trouble Iob 21.7 offended Dauid Psal 73.2 3. Ier. 12.1 2. Hab. 1.12 13. Hence the Atheist collecteth that it is in vayne to serue God seeing proud men and contemners of God advanced against which temptation the godly conferre together and are strengthned by God A booke is written of them that feare him and feare him not c. Mal. 3.15.16.17 The wicked shall be burnt as in an Ouen when the Sunne of Righteounesse shall arise on the godly Mal. 41.2 Fourthly what be the signes that we are truely righteous first in our selues the Spirit of Adoption calling God Father Rom. 8.15.16 His spirit certifiyng our spirits that we are his children Secondly the fruits of the Spirit loue ioy peace c. Golat. 5.22 the practise of true pietie and charitie whereby we make our vocation and election sure 2. Pet. 1.10 Election is first in natures order but Gos vocatiō is first knowne to vs. Marke lastly these two especiall tokens of true sinceritie the first loue to good men and such as excell in vertue Psal 16.2 By which we knowe that wee are translated from death to life 1. Ioh. 3.14 The second is a delight in Gods ordinances Psal 19.10 the word of God is sweeter then honie better then gold Isa 58.13.14 the Sabboth is the good mans delight Gods precepts are not greiuous to him 1. Ioh. 5.3 Lastly Vse 3 heere is an vse of consolation to the despised children of God they are glorious in Gods eyes Esa 49.5 they are his cheife treasure Exod. 19.5 a peculiar people honourable Kings and preists that shall raign with Christ for euer Reu. 5.10 This made Moses to despise Aegipts glorie and riches esteeming the reproach of Christ much better Heb. 11.25.26 hauing respect to the recompence of reward This crowne of righteousnes comforted Paul 2. Tim. 5.7.8 You haue heard before in the opening of the sence that by the figure meiosis more was meant then spoken That there is no excellencie to the vnrighteous and vnregenerate Doctr. 2 so continuing God may say to them as Iacob to Reuben Gen. 49.4 Thou shalt not be excellent and as it was spoken in another sence 1. Sam. 4.21 Ichabod there is no glorie to them that continue in the basenesse of vnregenerate nature which cometh short of the glorie of God that glorious Image that Adam lost Rom 3.23 Gen. 1.26 27. These seeke not the recouerie of their lost estate for glorie honour and true immortalitie Rom. 2.7 They may be for their race as noble as Cain but for sinne cursed out of Gods presence carry a marke of basenesse seene to God Gen. 4.12.19 20. God doth thrash away all the vngodly of the earth like drosse Psal 119.119 They are called witches children the seed of the adulterer and whore Isay 57.3 Iohn calls them a generation of vipers Mat. 3.7 and Christ Mat. 23.33 a generation of serpents for whom Hell is