drop as the hony combe hony and milke are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon Wee should passe â—oo often over the same steps and path if we should here againe speake of the admirable and inimitable mildnesse and tranquillity of our good Master and Saviour Iesus Christ whose birth preacheth unto us humility his life peace and his death compassion Let us then strive to imitate him as much as wee can possible in our youth being very humble in our viril age peaceable and in our old age pitifull and in all the course of our life milde bountifull and loving following Davids counsell Love peace and seeke it for God with a favourable and gracious eye beholds him that is studious of peace and he heareth his most humble prayers in the tiâ—e of his affliction Psalm 34.16 Behold great and divine profits faire aâ—d admirable rewards and recompences that the faithfull get by seeking after peace with God and by having procured all the meanes of agreement with their neighbours both in things that concerne them and in things needfull to the union and concord of all our brethren Let us now heare that gracious and favourable voyce shewing unto us the profit and recompence which wee must without doubt expect for having beene peacemakers it is Iesus Christ himselfe who is not a man that hee should lye nor the Sonne of man that he should repent when he saith in our text Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called â—hâ— children of God He doth not onely say they shall be blessed after their death but they are so already because that he makes them know in their soules the delight he takes in it and the goods which they shall receive which is eternall peace Blessed then are the seete of those that bring tidings of peace Isaiah 52.7 This particle For sheweth the reason of their blessednesâ—e and not the cause for if all the peacemakers werâ— the children of God by conâ—equence many Turkes and Pagans should be such because they are peacemakers But the tree must be first good before it can beare good fruit so wee must first be the children of God before wee can be true peacemakers for those that are peacemakers not being the children of God have already received their reward that is they have received the praise and applause of the world which they were peacemakers â—o obtaine but all that is nothing but a maske and false apparition of that true peace which God recommendeth unto us In this reason of Christs why the peacemakers shall be called the children of God wee must note and obserue a double Hebraisme the one in the word Children the other in the verbe they shall be called vocabuntur The first Hebraisme is in the word Filij Children which in the holy tongue signifieth comformâ—e and like as Math. 5.44.45 Love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you that ye may â—e the children that is like to your Father which is in heaven The other Hebraisme is in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kara that is erunt or vocabuntur they shall be called which is turned erunt they â—hall be where of wee have an example Genes 21.12 God speaking to Abraham saith Iâ— Isaac shall thy seâ—de be called that is shall thy seede be Of which words Saint â—aul is an irreprehensible interprâ—â—er Rom. 9.7.8 Neither because they are the seedâ— of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seedâ— be called that is they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise arâ— counted for the seed The Prophet Isaiah 36.7 useth the same phrase My house shall be called an house of â—rayer for all people And Saint Luke interpreting these words chap. 19.46 saith It is written My house is the housâ— of prayer but ye have made it a denne of theeves and indeede this word shall be called seemeth to meâ— much more emphaticall and comprehâ—ndiâ—g morâ— then the word to be onely becausâ— this to be called est in rerum natura is in the nature of the things and besides that it is knowne and published of every man therefore Blessed â—re the peaâ—emakers â—or they shall not onely be the children of God but also shall be knowne aâ—d acknowledged for such even by their greatest enemies who beâ—ore thought them to be foolish and pusâ—llanimous but then they shâ—ll be forcâ—d to confesse that they are the true children of God and to speake like the wicked Wisedomeâ—he â—he 5. Chap. Then saith she shall the just appeare in safeâ—y before the face of them that have â—ormented him and that shall have rejected his labourâ— who sâ—eing him â—hall be seased with horrible feare and shall â—ee frighted to see him beyond their â—xpectation saved then changing their opinions sighing for griefe shall be in their hearts they will say among themselues Behold this is he of whom sometimes we laughed and made proverbs of dishonour We fooles thought his life madnesse and his death infamie and how is hee counted among the children of God and hath his portion among the Saints Blessed then are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God This word childe of God is diversly taken in Scripture and according to the Hebrew phrase this word Sonne signifieth him that is vowed and ordained to any thing so we reade Saint Math. 9.15 The children of the Bridechamber that is those that are ordained for the wedding cannot mourne as long as the Bridegroome is with them And Saint Iohn 17 1â— While I waâ— with them in the world I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Sonne of perdition that is he that was or dained to destruction but this kind of speech toucheth not our text But let us say that this word Sonne of God is commonly aâ—tributed in Scripture either to Iesus Christ as being the naturall Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consubstantiall and coeternall with his Father of the same will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and same power with him being both true God and true man the divine nature neither confounding nor destroying the humane and the humanity not being mingled and changed into the Godhead both natures remaining entire and perfect make but one person He I say is called the Sonne of God by the acknowledgement and confession of the Father himselfe Math. 17.5 When Iesus Christ tooke with him Peter Iames and Iohn and brought them up into an high mountaine and being transfigured before them they heard a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him We read also the same words in the 3. Chap. 17. ver of the same Evangelist The Father and
The foure wayes to Sion I. The reward of Mercie MATH 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie II. The praise of Purity MATH 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. III. The Crowne of Peace and Concord MATH 5.9 Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the Children of God IV. The honour of Obedience 1. PET. 2.7 Feare God and honour the King Quadrivium SIONIS OR The foure Wayes TO SION by John Monlas Mr. of Arts LONDON Printed by Augustine Mathewes 1633. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND HIS singular good Lord EDVVARD Earle of Dorset Lord Chamberlaine to the Queene Lord Lieutenant of his Majesties Counties of Sussex and Middlesex One of the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell and Knight of the most Illustrious Order of the â—arter RIGHT HONOVRABLE THis Pilgrime of Sion having beene beaten with the stormes and tempests of a long persecution beyond the Seas after hee had learnt the sweetnesse and tasted the goodnesse and Debonayritie which makes your Nation and Nobility of England honourable and recommendable to all the foure corners of the Vniverse hee is at last arrived in your Ports and Harbours to shelter himselfe from the waves and windes which so cruelly had beaten and assayled him as they would not permit him either to feede or rest But casting anchor here in your Harbours I finde that Fame hath infinitely wronged her selfe in not having sufficiently discoursed and published the excellencie of your goodnesse and merits Shee seemes to be sparing of your prayses which are so justly due to you For Experience hath now made mee know a thousand times more therof theÌ„ heretofore I heard or understood because I find so much benignity and goodnesse among you and especially your Honours house that I should eâ—teeme my selfe to be guilty of a base ingrâ—titude if I consecrated not the remaynder of my dayes to the honour of your service and commands For I confesse that this small Present which I now present and proffer you cannot counter vaile or equalize those sublime favours whereby you have eternally made me your debter Thâ—se Philosophers which entreat and discourse of naturall causes doe affirme That the Sunne which makes the Raynebowe in the firmament by the darting and defusion of his rayes in a watry clowd disposed to receive it doth there forme and ingender this diversity of colours so pleasing to our sight Your Honour my good Lord is the Sunne of my happinesse and I am this clowd covered with the rayes of your favours which makes all the world admire in me the greatnesse of your Generosity and the excellencie of your goodnes But herein notwithstanding consists not my satisfaction but rather your honour and glory and as I desire to publish that so I likewise desire to finde this For I cannot live contented if I made not a publique acknowledgement of those many favours whereby you have perfectly purchased and made me yours and this Confession consisteth in the oath of fidelity and obedience which I have sworne to the honour of your service and to testifie the the immortality of my vowes wherein with all possible humility I present you my selfe and this small Booke to your Honours feete A worke proportionable to my weakenesse but meerely disproportionable to your Greatnesse If I am any way guilty herein your goodnesse is the true cause thereof in regard it makes me beleeve that you will rather excuse my zeale then accuse or condemne my presumption and I doe promise my selfe this hope and flatter my selfe with this confidence that your Honour will partly excuse this worke of mine if it be not accuratly or delicately polished and that the will remayning where the power wants is free and current payment with great and generous spirits Some perchance may affirme and say that I have discoursed treated those Matters with too much simplicity which indeede is my onely intent and designe Because my text and matter doâ— necessarily oblige and tye me thereunto as also in regard I ever finde the easiest way to be the best for that the thornes of Studie and Schollership doe but ingage and ingulph our Witts in the labyrinth of insupportable length and languishment and the which most commonly when wee have all done and ranne thorowe wee in the end finde but a Minotaur of doubts and a pensive melancholy anxietie which devoures them My Lord I have no other designe or ambition in this my Dedication but to pay this tribute to your Honour hoping that your charities will cover my defects and your goodnesse over-vayle and pardon my weakenesse and imperfections And my Lord it is with all manner of right and reason that I consecrate and inscribe this small Worke of mine to your Honour and place your Honourable name in the Frontispice thereof as a bright Phare and relucent torch which shall communicate and lend its lustre and light to make it see and salute the world And so my good Lord I will seeke my delights in the honour of your service my inclinations shall have no other centre but the execution of your commaunds My vowes and prayers shall bee incessantly powred forth for your prosperities and my Ambition shall never flye or soare higher then to conserue the honour of your favours and to be both to your Honour and to the young Noblemen your Sonnes Your most humble and truly devoted Servant IOHN MONLAS The first Way to Sion THE REVVARD OF MERCIE MATH 5.7 Blâ—ssed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie THat which in men changeth Reason courtesie and humanitie into a wilde fierce and brutish nature and which makes them lesse pittifull then Lyons and more to be feared then Tygers is crueltie that terrible vice the mother of cowardize the spring of disasters and the death of innocencie For after a Coward hath once tasted of blood he delights in no other spectacle It is the cause of mischiefes and of so manie fatall and mournefull accidents for there being a naturall Antipathy betweene that vice and reason shee expells reason and therefore will not hearken unto her in her furious violent and suddaine counsels In a word it is the death of innocencie for to satisfie her bloody appetite shee spareth neither age nor sexe but upon the altar of her furious and brutish passion sacrificeth as well the just as the guilty and would not spare her selfe if shee feared not the selfe same paines and torments which she inflicts on others Now this vice is detested by noble spirits and generous soules is abhorred by Angels and in great abomination to God himselfe so by the law of contraries mercie must be the subject and royall field where we must abundantly reape the honour of men the love of Angels the graces and blessings of our heavenly Father then must mercy be practised by men admired by Angels and bee delightfull to God and therefore we see in our Text that the beloved Sonne of
see God IN the holy and sacred Temple of wise King Salomon there were three things chiefely considerable that is 1. The body of the temple whereto the people came 2. The holy place appointed for the Levites and those that ministred at the Sacrifices And 3. the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy place consecrated for the Arke of the Lord who had appointed it for his ordinarie dwelling and residence wherein he commonly appeared in the forme of a darke clowd out of whicâ— were heard the divine Oracles and the irrevocable sentences of his sacred judgements It was a place whereinto none upon paine of death could come except the high Priest and that but onely once every yeare and yet with many precautions and circumstances for hee was first to purifie himselfe to wash his body and to change his cloathes before he appeared in the terrible and fearefull presence of the living God By this faire and meruailous Temple of King Salomon is lively represented unto us the world adorned and diversified with so many faire and admirable creatures By the Body of the Temple where the children of Israel heard the reading of the law of God his Spouse the Church is naturally denoted and figured unto us By the holy place whereunto came onely the Levites and those which ministred at the Sacrifices are signified unto us the Ministers of the word of God who are chosen and put a part in his Church to be Heraulds and Embassadours of his holy will offering the ordinary Sacrifices of pâ—ayer and thanksgiving which are his dâ—lectable and well accepted service By the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy place is truly figured unto us Heaven for as the high Priest entred not into that place before he had first purified washed himselfe according to the Divine ordinance so the faithfull cannot enter into heaven untill hee hath first divested sinne and be covered with the cloake of Iustice holinesse and innocencie therfore Iesus Christ himselfe declareth the same thing unto us with his owne sacred mouth saying Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. The Prophet David expresseth exceeding well the same words in the 15. Psalme saying Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth in his heart And in the 24. Psalme Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place hee that hath cleane hands and a pure â—earâ— who hath not lifted up his soule unto vanity nor sworne deceitfully Hee shall râ—ceive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation And in the 33. Chap. of Isaiah ver 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with â—verlasting burnings He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gaine of oppressions that shakeâ—h his hands from receiving of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evill He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rockes bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure His eyes shall see the King in his beauty they shall behold the land that is very farre off O what admirable places how many faire and rare promises doe all these Prophets make to the faithfull who shall keepe his heart from sinne and his hands from iniquity and Iesus Christ himselfe commeth after to confirme their testimonie and to ratifie their words saying in this place Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. Words very energeticall and significant as if hee had said Dearely beloved the onely and perfect way to possesse all happinesse all pleasures and all the advantages that you can wish and in a word to enjoy eternall felicity to contemplate face to face Gods divine Majestie wherein consisteth the fulnesse of happinesse and all contentment following the serpents example to cast off the olde skinne that is to pull off the olde coate of sinne infected with the leprosie of iniquity to fly and eschew evill to embrace good to hate vice and perfectly to love vertue which is the true way to heaven to the poâ—session of heavenly graces and in a word to the fulnesse and perfection of all true happinesse Blessed are then the pure in heart for they shall see God Now to enter into a more particular explication of these words we will divide them into two principall parts and will consider 1. who are the pure in heart And secondly the cause why they are blessed The royall Prophet David in the 15. Psalme describeth perfectly unto us those that are pure in heart They are those saith hee that lye not and who live â—prightly they who baâ—kbite not with their tongues nor doe evill to their neighbours and in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but they honour them that feare the Lord they that sweare to their owne hurt and change not they that put not out their money to usurie nor take bribes or reward against the innocent This is a very faire true and ample description of the Righteous man who hath a pure heart that is who hath his conscience pure and just and who lives in integrity justice and innocencie For this word heart is not here to be understood or taken for the materiall carnall heart placed in our breasts which is the fountaine and beginning of life the first living the last dying iâ— man but for the soule that keepeth there her ordinary Sessions as we commonly say that is corne by showing onely the sacks that hold it there is the Kings Treasure by shewing onely the Exchequer Chamber where it is kept the place containing being called and taken by the name of the thing contained so must we understand a pure heart to bee taken for the conscience which therein makes her residence Where at the first sighâ— we finde a thing very remarkable and worthy our consideration that to wit that sinne being as it were a black and venomous Inke or an infected and corrupted poyson as soone as it comes neare our hearts the seate of our soules it defileâ—h infecteth and makes them so stinking that God cannot endure them before his face so much abhorreth he the very sent and smell of sin and so much the very object of iniquity is noysome and troublesome to him Now Iesus Christ knowing that man brought into the world from his mothers wombe with life the cause of death that is originall sinne cursed sinne a disastrous blade or stalke which like the wilde and evill plants casteth continually â—orth so many young sprigges which doth so people and store the field of our soules that in the eâ—d in stead of a Garden of Eden where God tooke pleasure to walke in stead of a delightfull River where the Angels bathed it becomes a hideous and dreadfull wildernesse where the devils and wicked
wrath is like the roaring of a Lyon and against which who can subsist and that his mildnesse is like the morning dewe When the Sunne passeth through the Zodiack and is entered into the signe of Leo we endure unsufferable heat so when wrath is joyned with power and some likelihood of reason it produceth strange effects The Lyon is a beast of an exceeding hot complexion which causeth in his mouth so strong an infection and stinke that when hee hath devoured the halfe of his prey that which he leaveth is suddenly putrified and corrupted this eternall fire is so violent in this beast that it is commonly the cause of his death happening by the corruption of his bowels Is not this a lively Embleme and representation of the cholerick man whose slandering tongue is so venomous and stinking that it corrupteth and infecteth his neighbours good name if he touch it never so little in a word wrath is a black and burned humour that not onely corrupteth the body but also killeth the soule In the law of Moses those birds that had crooked clawes anâ— lived by prey were not to be eaten nor sacrificed under the shadow of this figure let us light this torch of truth that all that suffer themselues to be carried away by wrath that gape after revenge and hatred are uncleane before god and unworthy to be offered to him in sacrifice If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and goe thy way be reconciled to thy brother saith our Saviour Math. 5.23 And the royall Prophet sayes Bloodie men are abomination to the Lord Psal. 5.7 Hitherto wee have seene the horrour and mischiefes of warre with some of the fruits she commonly beareth to wit cruelty eldest daughter of this terrible monster now let us contemplate a while the picture of peace her contrary and let us tast with delectation the sweetnesse and excellencie of the inestimable fruites which she beareth propagates in the hearts of peacemakers which are so great that St. August saith Tantum est pacis bonuÌ„ ut in rebus terrenis nihil gratius soleat audiri nihil desiderabilius concupisci nihil postremo possit melius inveniri Peace is so great a good upon the earth that no pleasanter thing can be heard nothing more delightfull desired and nothing better found Saint Bernard in the 9. Serm. on the Lords Supper speaketh thus of it The peace of this world is in the which whilest we dwell we vanquish our enemies wee love one another and judge not of those things that are hidden from us that peace which shall bee in the world to come shall be when wee shall raigne without enemies where one shall not be of contrary aduice to the other in a word where all things shall bee knowne and open to every one and endeth thus Iesus Christ is this true peace because hee hath reconciled us to God his Father by the inestimable price of his blood Saint Augustine in the Sermon of the word of the Lord speaketh thus of it Pax est serenitas mentis tranquillitas animi simplicitas cordis vinculum amoris consortium charitatis baec est quae simultates tollit bella compesâ—it iras comprimit superbos calcat humiles amat discordes cedat inimicos concordat cunctis est placida nescit extolli nescit inflari hanc qui acceperit teneat qui perdiderit repetat qui amiserit exquirat quoniam qui in cadem non â—rit inventus a patre abdicatur a Filio exhaerâ—datur à Spiritu Sancto alienus efficitur necad haereditatem Domini poterit venire qui testimonium pacis noluerit observare These be golden words deserving well to be knowne and to be exactly obserued Peace saith hee is a calmenesse of the understanding a tranquillity of the minde simplicity of the heart the bond of peace the practise of charity it is peace that taketh away quarels endeth warres appeaseth wrath treadeth the proud under foote loves the humble paci fieth the quarelsome agreeth the enemies which is gracious to all which is not high minded nor proud which whosoever hath received let him conserue it who so hath lost it let him seeke and recover it for hee that shall not be found in it is disclaimed by the Father disinherited by the Sonne alienated from the Holy Ghost nor shall hee ever attaine to the Lords inheritance that would not obserue the bonds and testimonie of peace Now we haue heard these two pillars of the Church of God let us hearken to himselfâ— speaking by the mouth of his chosen vessell Coloss 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankfull And Philip. 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all understanding keepe your hearts and mindes through Iesus Christ. And that which should most bind us to love this Peace is the soring or head founâ—aine from whence it sloweth for as the warre of sinne proceedeth from the wicked one so the peace of our consciences commeth from the Father of eternity from the King of mercy as wee read 1. Thessal 5.23 The very God of peacâ— sanctiâ—ie you wholly This peace of conscience is a marke and an effect of our iustification by faith as wee reade Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through â—â—r Lord Iesus Christ. All these places should induce and incite us to the practise of peace since the recompence promised to it is so excellent In a word let us shut the gate of peace with that saying of Xenophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace is the greatest good can happen to men and warre the greatest hurt Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God This word peacemaker is diversly interpreted by Authorâ— for some hold that those are they which live justly and who by their actions never provoke the divine Iustice. Others as August hold that those are meant which possesse a very peaceable conscience that is that are not agitated by the troubles of sinne Others beleeve that those are they that are not Authors of quarrels and dissentions Others understand it of those that forgive freely the injuries and wrongs done unto them as Hilarius The last and most likely to be the best opinion of the which number are Chrysostome Euthymius and Theophylacte is that the true peace-makers are those that are themselues and in themselues peaceable and pacified and that besides that try their uttermost endevours and power to compound differences and to introduce peace where dessention disorder raigne And this interpretation commeth nearer to the Greeke word of our Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quasi pacemfacientes aut conciliantes Those that compound quarrels and this interpretation is also very convenient to the charge and duty which was enjoyned the Apostles to whom Iesus Christ spake these words who were to
â—salm 113.7 The Lord raiseth the needie out of the dust and lifteth up the poore out of the dung that hee may set him with the Princes even with the Princes of his people Wee might alledge many other examples and proofes out of Scripture but these are sufficient to proove our assertion It is an erronious and damnable opinion to hold that Kings come to the Crowne by fraud force or succession without the Divine providence and sacred decree for one haire of our head falleth not without the providence of God much more a thing of so great a consequence as the establishing of a King over the Provinces of a Kingdome and over so many millions of men that are bound to sweare obedience to him I say not onely that his comming to the Crowne is ordered by Gods generall providence but moreover that it is his speciall intention and designe that made him ascend the Throne Let vs hearken to the wisedome of GOD Prov. Chapter 8. c. after wee shall see if it be fraud force or succession which are the causes and wayes by the which they ascend unto that dignity By me saith Christ true God coessentiall with his Father under the name of that wisedome Kings raigne and Princes decree justice By me Princes rule and the Nobles and all the Iudges of the earth The Prophet Isaiah speaketh very pertinently and manifestly upon this subject Chap. 45.1 Thus saith the Lord unto Cyrus his anointed whose right hand I have holden to subdue nations before him therefore will I weaken the loynes of Kings and open the doores before him and the gates shall not be shut I will goe before thee and make the crâ—oked wayes streight I will breake the brasen doores and burst the iron barres I girded thee though thou hast not knowne me The Prophet Ieremiah Chap. 27. speaketh so openly that hee alone is sufficient to stop those prophane and seditious mouthes Thus saith the Lord of Hostes I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babel my servant and all nations shall serue him and his sonneâ— and his sonnes sonne and the nation and Kingdome which will not serue the same Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel and that put not their necke under the yâ—ake of the King of Babel the same nation will I visite saith the Lord with the sword and with the famine and with the pestilence therefore heare not your Prophets nor your Southsayers nor your dreamers nor your inchanters nor your Sorcerers which say unto you thus Ye shall not serue the King of Babel for they prophesie a lye unto you to cause you to goe farre from your land and that I should cast you out and you should perish but the nation that put their necks under the yoake of the King of Babel and serue him those will I let remaine still in their owne land saith the Lord and they shall occupie it and dwell therein Words worthy of a great and profound consideration and which totally desides and cuts off that question which we now have in hand for it is God himselfe that speaketh to his people that strictly chargeth them to obey the King of Babylon into whose hands he had delivered them and although hee was an Idolatrous and unfaithfull King yet they will obey him on paine of his curse and malediction what judgements what punishments should we much more cause to fall upon us if the least thought of rebellion or disobedience to the Lords anointed should enter into our mindes if we were not perfectly obedient to Kings who are good faithfull and zealous to further the glory of God if our hearts and our mouthes be not alwayes filled with prayers and vowes dâ—dicated to their service But to the end that imitating Hercules wee may clense sweepe cleane this Augean stable wee will answere to that objection propounded touching Nimrod who hath been the first King of the earth who say they hath attained to the crowne by force and by violence words which we finde not in the Scripture but contrarily we read Genes 10.8 that Câ—sh begat Nimrod who began to be mighty in the earth hee was a mighty Hunter before the Lord. These words will never oblige us to conclude that hee hath raised himselfe violently but wee may more truely expound the wordes Hee was mighty before the Lord that is he was lifted up to greatnesse by the most High hee walked in his wayes and followed his ordinances and when Moses saith that he began to be mighty in the earth he meaneth that hee was more feared then his predecessours who were also Kings Priests and soveraigne Princes of their families For after the generall deluge which overflowed the whole earth men lived commonly five or sixe hundred yeares and so one of his posterity might see aboue a hundred thousand persons over whom he was Prince and soveraigne Monarch because there was then no other forme of government in the earth so we reade Genes 23. Chap. that the Hittites of whom Abraham asked a Sepulchre to bury Sara these I say called him a Prince of God or a most excellent Prince which hee clearely manifested at the overthrow of the five Kings which had beaten the King of Sodome had pillaged the Towne and carried away his Nephew Lot prisoner for at the rumour of these sorrowfull newes he armed three hundred and eighteene of his servants borne in his house and yet had no children Gen. 14. It is then in vaine to alledge that violence craft and hereditary succession are the onely meanes to attaine to Crownes for although some attaine to it by humane meanes and sometimes by dangerous wayes as Absalom who caused himselfe to be anointed King by expelling his Father as Abimelech by the death of 70 of his brethren upon the same stone yet for all these wayes to come to raigne are never brought to passe without a manifest fore-sight and providence of God permitting it sometimes to punish those peoples and sometimes for a punishment to the Kings that raigne over them yet whatsoever they be God commandeth us to obey and perfectly to honour them now cursed cursed be he that shall resist the will of God and that shall not obey his commaundements After we haue heard both Scripture and reason manifestly evincing the truth Let us now heare Saint Augustines opinion in this matter in his booke De civit Dei The cause saith he of the greatnesse of Empires is neither casuall nor fatall it commeth neither by chance nor by destinie By chance I understand saith he the things that happen we not being able to know the causes of them or that happen without any premeditated order of reason assisting their conception and birth By fatall things I understand as Pagans esteeme what happeneth without the will of God and men by the necessity of some particular order which opinion is greatly injurious to Gods divine providence but rather wee must certainely beleeve that Kingdomes