doctrine of saluation speaking in sinceritie as of God in the sight of God casting from them the cloakes of shame neither handling the word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth approuing themselues to the consciences of all good men There be many worthie meÌ„ in our Church of excellent gifts and graces whose ministrie hath beene powerfull to call many thousands from sinne and error to truth and holines to the conuersion and sauing of soules Our Church holdeth the true foundation it setteth it selfe by doctrine and sword against all heretickes it hath bredde many worthy Martyrs it is a true witnes keeper interpreter and translator of the holy scripture it is an helper and harbourer of the Saints and it doth truely call vpon the name of the true God and hath the true word and Sacrament the essentiall markes of the true Church What cause then is there of separation from vs though there be great oddes betwixt these two kindes of Recusants the one in greater degree of error then the other Yet we dare bouldly say to them both as Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians who began to contemne their Apostle Paul and to get other teachers If he that commeth saith Paul preacheth an other Iesus then him whom wee haue preached or if you receiue an other spirit then that which you haue receiued either an other Gospell then that you haue receiued ye might well haue suffred him As if he should say If any man can preach a better Iesus a better Gospell a better spirit they might hearken to him but indeed none could doe it And therfore he saith in an other place Though that wee or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise theÌ„ that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now againe If any man preach vnto you otherwise then that you haue receiued let him bee accursed We preach the true Iesus according to the scriptures that there is no Name vnder heauen that wee can be saued by but by him that hee is both true God and man that he is the King the Priest and Prophet of his Church we preach the true Gospell containing the doctrine of Faith and Repentance To this doctrine is ioyned the true spirit the spirit of Adoption the spirit of boldnes of comfort and sanctifâ—cation If any of them can teach a better Iesus a better Gospel a better spirit we will harken to them The Papists they teach hold many things corruptly of Christ Iesus the sonne of God ouerthrowing the power and ende of his comming and derogating from him the glory of our owne and full redemption by their Masse and manie Mediators they abolish the Priesthood of Christ by the Popes supremacie making him the vniuersall head of the Church they diminish dishonor and quite ouerthrow the Kingly Office of Christ by their owne Inuentions and vaine Traditions they take away his Propheticall office their Gospell is full of superstition and Idolatrie adding and diminishing at their pleasure making newe Articles and new Sacraments their spirit is a spirit of Error of Ignorance of doubting and torment But to let these goe and to come to the other It may beâ— some will say that they hold the same Iesus and Gospell with vs Let it be graunted that they and wee agree in all matters concerning Faith and saluation as it may appeare by their owne confession of Faith wherin there is nothing that is sound and Orthodoxall but they receiued it from vs Many of them specially of their founders and first beginners were bredde and borne amongst vs they had their faith if they haue any their knowledge the word and SacrameÌ„ts from vs they confesse they holde the same things with vs and other Churches touching matters of Faith the more shame for them to flie and run away from vs as though they had some better Iesus some better Gospell then wee haue where as all may see that they haue no other And therefore their separation is most vnkinde and ridiculous Let the best reformed churches in the world who haue giuen vs the right hands of fellowship Let them I say be Iudges between vs them or let the scriptures theÌ„selues truly opened applied be the true touch-stone triall betweene vs. Let them shew bring forth one scripture commanding or one holy example approuing such a separation from such a church from such ministers holding professing teaching that which they do from wheÌ„ce you your selues haue receiued all the good things which you holde maintaine or professe in matters of Religion So that you might say as Carneados a Philosopher was woont to say of his Maister and reader Chrisippus If it had not bene for Chrisippus I neuer had bene any body So might you say If the pride of your heart will suffer you If it had not beene for the church of EnglaÌ„d many of you could neuer haue had Bible Faith nor knowledge in the matters of your saluation Now you doe very ill requite the fathers that begot you the mother that bare you thus to flie from them to accuse slaunder reuile and curse them Herein you deale as Aristotle dealt with his maistar Plato who hauing gotten great Learning from his master did after oppose himself against him and by all meanes sought his disgrace and discredit Therfore Plato was wont to call Aristotle a Mule because when shee hath filled her self with her mothers milke she will beate her damme with her heeles Plato signified by this the ingratitude of Aristotle for when he had receiued from Plato the principles of Phylosophie and encrease of knowledge therein he became enemy to the schoole of Plato and with his Familiers and Schollers did alwayes contend and striue against Plato If the dealing of these men bee not as harde and vnkinde against our Church let any reasonable indifferent men iudge And are they not too neere like the Viper who gnaweth out the dammes bellie and so liueth by the death of her damme But of the vnthankfulnes of these men to God their Prince and this Church we shall speake of it in an other place For this time I referre them to the iudgment of two worthy men writing iointly vpon the 13. chap of the Prouerbs 13. verse the words are these He that despiseth the word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement hee shall be rewarded This sentence say they will presse so vpon the Brownists who are become bitter despisers of the Ministrie of Iesus Christ by separating themselues from the Churches of God and deprauing all the holy meanes of saluation howsoeuer they preteÌ„d to stand for sinceritie yet they resist it taking vpon them to be chaÌ„pions for Christ his kingdom they fight against it though their argumeÌ„ts seeme to be grounded on the word yet being well sifted they proue meere falacies haue no agreement with the meaning of the holy Ghost in the
guestes to be partakers of her dainties which do hunger and thirst after spirituall graces The Prophet Dauid saith of himselfe My hart breaketh for the desire to thy iudgmeÌ„ts alway Such a desire as worldlings haue to their riches as voluptuous men haue to their pleasures who are neuer satisfied such a desire I say haue the Saints of God to this wisedome The kingdome of heauen saith our Sauiour froÌ„ the time of Iohn the Baptist hitherto suffreth violence the violeÌ„t take it by force his meaning is that the hearts of men were then inflamed with an earnest zeale and greedie desire to heare the word they did not coldly for fashion but with an earnest violent affection follow seeke after this wisdome not the idle carelesse sort but such as be spiritually violent take receiue the kingdome of heauen he that taketh any thing by violence he doth vehemently desire it will not want it vseth all power indeuour to obtaine it neither doth he feare to expose himselfe all that he hath to danger so that he may enioy it the matter then being so waightie it must not be lightly desired sought for but with great vehemencie zeale And therefore the Apostle exhorteth that as new borne babes we should desire the sincere milk of the word that we may growe thereby Infants they desire milke that egerly they cry yell for it nothing will stay them till they haue it their desire is daily continuall Such desires affections we must beare to true wisedome as good foode is sweet to the hungry when it is eaten so is wisedome to the soule if it be inwardly receiued and digested there wil follow exceeding delight and ioy but because most hearers professe their loue to the word shew their loue by desiring it delighting in it as it may seeme to the eyes of the world let vs see some further signes to approue our true loue to wisedome the account that we make of it first then they that truly loue truly esteeme this wisedome they must needes loue the publike assemblies and specially the publike ministrie and preaching of wisedome some thinke it enough to pray and read at home but Gods ordinance must bee acknowledged priuate duties must giue place to the publike this is the gate of heauen the house of God the court of the Saints here shineth most clearely the louing countenance and face of God in his temple Doth euery man speake of his glory O Lord saith Dauid I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth And againe I reioyced when they said vnto me we will goe into the house of the Lord he loued ioyed in such meetings because of Gods presence because of the sacrifices and Sacraments they are ministred for that he had there the coÌ„pany of Gods people publike ioynt prayers the word of wisedome there read expounded and as this was Dauids ioy practise being a worthy Prophet and King so it is said in an other place that the Prince shall be in the midst of the assemblies he shall goe in with the people when they goe forth they shall goe forth together And as Salomon built an house for God confecâ—ated it to holy vses so he himselfe resorted thither with the Priests people to offer publike seruice to God Christ himselfe the Apostles Saints did commonly frequent publike assemblies such as contemne these they doe not reade nor vnderstand aright hauing so many precepts presideÌ„ts against them Others there be which are content to come to publike meetings to prayer to the reading of the scriptures but they thinke this sufficient that they need no more at all as for preaching they care little for it nay many do scorne and hate it these doe not rightly esteeme or loue the word if they loued it read they wold loue it preached the rather seeing it is more to edification by preaching we are assured of the authoritie of the scriptures we better vnderstand them many darke senteÌ„ces of scripture are explained places which seeme contrarie are recoÌ„ciled the hid treasures of wisedome are layed open to our further comfort scriptures are applied to time place persons affections are more moued many are called conuerted such as are called are further confirmed and increased by the power of preaching for it is ordained of God not onely for conuersion of soules but for confirmation augmentation and continuance in grace and therefore most needfull for all persons be they neuer so wise strong or holie these be the speciall prerogatiues priuiledges of preaching And therefore the Apostle accounteth esteemeth of it as the most necessarie and profitable gift in the Church the cause why men doe contemne hate preaching is because they are in loue with their sinnes which are discouered by it Therefore Ahaâ— hated Michaiah the Prophet as he confesseth because he prophecied not good vnto him but euill Light is come into the world men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are euill for euery man that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to light least his deeds should be reproued but he that doth truth commeth to the light that his deeds might be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Againe they hate this light of preaching and contemne it because it is an enemie to their carnalliberties sincere sound preaching reproueth many delights vanities corruptions which flesh and blood would faine retaine nourish and therefore carnall men say Let vs breake this bond and cast this cord from vs Let vs shake off this yoake of Christ but the godly do therfore the more loue it because it doth reproue their sins is an effectuall meanes to bring them to true repentance mortification they loue the word read they loue it preached reading is not to be neglected contemned it is coÌ„mended both in the law the Gospell thereby we are the better acquainted with the scriptures we are made thereby more profitable hearers reading helpeth our iudgements affections memories preaching helpeth reading and reading helpeth preaching they that best loue preaching and seeke most for Sermons if they doe it with right affections they read most and with more comfort and profit All the parts of Gods seruice are to be practised by a Christian no part of his seruice is to be neglected or contemned this is an other sure signe of our true loue to wisedome often in secret to meditate of it to conferre of it with others to reade the word or to cause it to be read vnto vs by these priuate exercises Dauid proueth his loue to the word as we haue hard before loue will drawe our affection to speake and thinke often of that which we loue this is a more sure signe then
doth chiefely concerne great persons Here is a Queene religious and here is King Salomon a professor and teacher of religion and Bethseba his mother describing a good Queene a fit wife for Salomon She saith who shall finde a vertuous woman for her price is far aboue the Pearles And though she commend care and painefulnes in such a woman in prouiding for her familie yet the chiefe thing that she commendeth in so great a person is vertue and religion Strength and honour saith she is her clothing and in the latter day she shall reioyce She openeth her mouth with wisedome and the lawe of grace is in her tongue Fauour is deceitfull beautie is vanitie but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised These be the words of a woman of a Queene of a religious woman of Salomons mother inspired by the holy Ghost directing her beloued sonne Salomon what he should chiefely require in the choyce of a wife A glasse for women to looke into though they be neuer so high or great in the world wherein they may behold and see what things are chiefely required of them for their credit and comforts namely vertue wisedome and religion THE FIFTH SERMON Vers 9. ver 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee on the throne of Israel because the Lord loued Israel for euer and made thee King to doe equitie and righteousnes VVE haue heard alreadie many things in commendation of this worthie and famous Queene and yet still we must persist vpon that argument For as the words before so still the words of this text are greatly to her praise and commendation She praiseth the true God she confesseth that it was of his meere goodnes that Salomon was preferred to the kingdome She gathereth thereby that God loued Israel and would preserue it She sheweth the end why he was placed in his throne she speaketh diuinely of the blessing dignitie and dutie of a good King The words containe a thanksgiuing and congratulation for the preferment of Salomon to the kingdome of Israel wherin we are first to obserue her pietie to God and her loue to Salomon Her pietie to God in that she distinguisheth him from Idols and false Gods and worshippeth and blesseth him as the true God She calleth him the God of Salomon not that he was proper and peculiar to him for he is the God of all the world but because he shewed speciall loue and fauour to Salomon so is he called the God of Abraham of Isaacke and Iacob the God of Daniell It is an honour to vs in that he vouchsafeth so to be called It is the glory of Saints that as the Apostle saith their God is not ashamed of them to be called their God It is a happie thing then to be the friend of God he hath such in memorie they are within his speciall care and protection And as the Psalmist saith Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. She blesseth this God saying Blessed be the Lord thy God A common manner of thanksgiuing in the scriptures we are said to blesse God and God is said to blesse vs. He blesseth vs when he bestoweth his blessings vpon vs we blesse him when we giue him thankes for his blessings bestowed An example of both we haue in these words of the Apostle Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things here are the blessings of God vpon the faithfull and here againe the faithfull doe praise and blesse God for the same Thanksgiuing is a part of Gods worship a part of prayer and therefore the Apostle saith In all things let your requests be shewed to God in prayer and supplication with the giuing of thankes And againe Pray continually and in all things giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus towards you By this we testifie our humilitie and loue towards God It is a debt due to him and all the tribute we can pay vnto him It is a benefit to our selues because by it we are imboldned to craue more blessings of him It is the finall end of all Gods benefits Let vs therefore offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruit of the lippes which confesse his name Now we are to praise him for all blessings euen for the least whether spirituall or temporall Abrahams seruant praised God for prospering his iourney Melchisedecke blessed God for deliuering Abraham and Lot from the hand of their enemies Christ himselfe whensoeuer he eate though it were but barley bread and a fewe fishes lift vp his eyes and gaue thankes and therefore the Apostle wisheth vs that whether wee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe we doe all to the glory of God If we are to praise God for the least benefites much more for the greatest If for earthly much more for heauenly If for the foode of the body much more for the foode of the soule If for deliuerance from the enemies of the body much more for the deliuerance from the enemies of our soules Neither are we to praise God onely for our selues but also in regard of others the Apostle in his Epistles written to the Churches giueth thankes for the faith loue and spirituall graces bestowed vpon them King Hyram when he had heard of Salomons wisedome and Raigne reioyced greatly and blessed God for him And this Queene doth the like here in this place How much more had the subiects of Salomon cause to reioyce and praise God for such a King And this is the dutie of good subiects as to pray for their gouernours so to blesse God continually for the manifold benefites they enioy through their good gouernment but of this I purpose to speake in an other place Now as we haue seene the pietie of this woman to God so let vs see her loue to Salomon reioycing so greatly at his preferment and prosperitie For this is the fruit of loue To reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe and to be of like affection one towards an other The wicked enuie grudge and repine at the prosperitie of others and reioyce in their harmes Invidia saith one est odium Alienae â—â—lu itatâ— c. enuie is the hatred of an other mans felicitie In respect of the superiors because that enuious men be not equall with them In respect of inferiors least they should be equall to them In respect of their equalls because they are as good as they Whereupon Caine did enuie the prosperitie of Abell Rachell the fruitfulnes of Leah Saul the felicitie of Dauid Through enuie the fall of the world and the death of Christ was procured An other saith that there is no felicitie so modest and gentle which can auoyd the teeth of malice and ill will Enuious men be rich of other mens losse wealthy
first with themselues to iudge and rule their owne affections and wayes and then also so to gouerne their families that they be as lights and lanthornes to others shining before them in religion in piety in all honesty and good conuersation This is some part of the duty of good Rulers but this is not all It is not enough that he rule himselfe and his houshold that hee performe these common duties of Christianity which are required in all other priuate persons but hee hath a greater and a more publicke charge as the gouernement of Townes Citâ—ies or Countries hee must faithfully and wisely discharge his publicke place calling which is laid vpon him It is not sufficient that the Magistrate doe reproue publicke disorders and lament for them as priuate persons may doe but also hee must punish and reforme all publike abuses so farre as it lieth in his power Many Phylosophers haue written of the states of Kingdomes how they may be happily gouerned and flourish in this world Amongst sundry men there are sundry iudgements some hold that the safety felicity of gouernment consisteth in this that the Gouernours serue the time Others that they bee in league with other Princes and Kingdomes Others that they be well furnished with money with Armour with men But this Queene reposeth the safety of Salomons Kingdome in Iudgement in Iustice in Equity and Righteousnesse And herein Salomon himselfe is iust of her minde saying Iustice exalteth a Nation but sinne is ashame to the people Againe a King by iudgement maintaineth a Countrey but a man receiuing gifts destroyeth it That which Augustine speaketh truly of the state of a Christian Emperours felicity may be as well spoken of the felicity of Kings Princes Rulers and Gouernours We Christians doe not say that Christian Emperours are happy saith he because they haue a long reigne or dye leauing their sonnes in quiet possession of their Empires or haue beene euer victorious or powerfull against all their opposers these are but gifts and solacies of this laborious ioylesse life Idolaters and such as belong not to God as these Emperours do may enioy them because God in his mercy will not haue these that know him to beleeue that such things are the best goods he giueth but happy they are say we if they reigne iustly free from being puffed vp with the glozing exaltations of their attendance or cringes of their subiects that they know theÌ„selues to bee but men and remember that if they make their power their Trumpeter to divulge the true adoration of Gods Maiesty if they loue feare and honour him if they long the most for that Empire where they need not to haue partners if they be slacke to auenge quicke to forgiue if they vse correction for the publike good and not for priuate hate if their pardons promise not liberty of offending but indeed onely hope of reformation if they counterpoise their inforced acts of seuerity with the like weight of bounty and clemency if their lusts be the lesser because they haue the larger licence if they desire to rule their owne affects rather then others estates if they doe all things not for glory but for charity And withall and before all giue God the due sacrifice of prayer for their imperfections Such Christian Emperours we call happy here in hope and hereafter when the time we looke for commeth indeed O happy and thrise happy are such Kings and Gouernours that bee thus qualified and they are no doubt a great blessing to the people that haue them and enioy so happy a gouernment vnder them By that which hath beene said and by the words of this Text we learne that Rulers do reigne not for themselues not for their owne gaine profite and pleasure but for the good of others for the common benefite of the Church Common-wealth As the head careth for the body the sheepheard for the sheepe the father for the children so must Magistrates chiefly be carefull for the common good of their people The Heathen could say that wee are not borne for our selues but for our Countrey and for others If this be required in euery priuate person to seeke the common good of others so farre as they may how much more is it required of Kings Magistrates and Ministers who are not priuate but publicke persons As the Candle spendeth it selfe for the comfort directions of others and as a tree bringeth forth fruit not for her selfe but for others so Magistrates and Ministers are to spend themselues to employ their wits their study their labour and care for the common benefite of the Church and Common-wealth The Prophet complaineth of the Gouernours in his time that they all looke to their owne way euery one for his aduantage and for his owne purpose And the Apostle complaineth that all sought their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs But of himselfe and of his faithfull Ministers he saith We preach not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lord and our selues your seruants for Iesus his sake And he saith further that he himselfe was combred daily with the care of all Churches And in another place I seeke not yours but you and I will most gladly bestow and will bee bestowed for your cause This should be the care and resolution of euery good Minister and Magistrate The King of Sodom said to Abraham Giue mee the persons and take the goods thy selfe This King preferreth his people before all worldly substance The office of good Gouernours is for the common good benefite and commodity of all their subiects to comfort and countenance the godly to restraine and punish the wicked and this is to doe equity and iudgement And for this end and purpose God hath chosen called ordained and placed them in his throne and this they must doe and will doe if they bee placed in loue ouer the people and as a blessing to them The Heathen haue taught that Magistrates are ordained to liue and serue not for themselues but for their subiects one of theÌ„ saith that Princes are the seruants of God ordained to take care for men and to prouide for their preseruation either by ministring to them of their goods or by defending them Another that they must so maintaine the commodity of the people that euery their action without respect of their owne priuate profit haue respect thereto and that they tend to the preseruation of the whole body of the people and that they seeke not so to maintaine one part that they forsake the other Againe the end of Goueruernours should aime at the prosperous life of their subiects because as Zenophon saith they bee chosen not to liue at ease and daintily but that they which haue chosen them may by their industry liue quietly and happily And further herein saith one resteth a difference betweene a King and a Tyrant that the Tyrant seeketh his owne profite but the King seeketh