gnal cisse-din mezareh be gneinaiu col ragn HERE we haue an excellent Person and an excellent function and an excellent worke and an excellent Instrument or meane The Person is a King the function or exercise isto sit onthe Throne of Iudgement the worke or effect is the scattering away of all euill lastly the instrument or mean is his eyes For the first Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God it is said of Ierusalem Ps. 87. And so Glorious things are spoken of Kings in the Booke of God we may say For their innocency they are called Lambes for their care Shepheards for their louingnesse Nursing-fathers for their bounty and liberality Franke-giuers Benefactors Nedibim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their authority Leaders nay Controwlers such as haue a negatiue voyce gnotserim nay Alkumim such as is no standing with or against lastly for the profit that we reape by them Physicians nay Sauiours nay Gods after a sort Behold King Salomon with the Crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals Cant. 3. And so Behold euery true successor of Salomon with the Crowne that the heauenly Father hath adorned him in the day of his coronation it may be said This out of the Booke of God Also in the booke of Nature I meane in the writings of meere naturall men we finde the like titles and Elogies giuen to Kings and Princes A good King differeth not from a good Shepheard said one from a good Father said another Hee is the Image of God the liuely Image of God said another A seeing Law a speaking Law said another Briefely he is a breathing Law a Law that hath life and soule in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said another euen Zeno in Clem. Alexandrinus Finally Sauiours they haue bâ—ene called and by such as would not be counted flattererâ— Flamminius Soter Antiochus Soter c. Now these Titles of high renowne and honour haue beene giuen to Kiâ—gs and such as had Kingly authority both by them that spake so as they were moueâ— by the holy Ghost and by them that spake so as nature dictated vnto them not to the end they should be high-minded and vtter such swelling words of vanity as either the King of Babel doth Esay 14. I will ascend into heauen I will exalt my Throne aboue the starres of God c. Or as the King of Persia doth in Marcellinus Sapor Rex Regum particeps siderum frater Solis Lunae c. that is Sapor King of Kings companion to the starres brother to the Sunne and to the Moone c. these were words of men of corrupt minds and which made their madnesse knowne to all men but for two causes chiefely were those titles giuen vnto them First to moue them to be thankefull to God who had so highly aduanced them euen aboue all that is called high in this world The King hath none aboue him vpon earth said Agapetus to Iustinian Secondly to incite vs to yeeld all honor and feare and reuerence and obedience vnto so diuine a calling Of the calling duty of Kings I cannot speake I need not speake I cannot speake worthily fitly Seemeth it a light thing to be sonne in Law to the King A light thing answered Dauid vnto those that motioned him a match in King Sauls house and so a Preacher may say Seemeth it a small thing to speake of Kings matters in the Kings Court and not be confounded Why the men of Bethâ—hemesh for daring to looke once in the Arke were destroyed with a great destruction 1 Sam. Yea Vzzah for seeking to stay the Arke when it tottered was smitten that he dyed 2 Sam. Yea Theopompus and Theodectes for aduenturing to write of holy matters contained in the holy Scriptures with an vnhallowed pen lost their wits and sight for their labours neither was it restored vnto them vntill they recanted their presumption witnesse Iosephus vpon the report of Demetrius Phalareus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. euen to speake true things of God is many times very dangerous saith Epiphanius out of Origen Gods matters and Princes matters be not the same I grant yet are they very like and as God will not hold them guiltlesse that breake their bounds approach too neere to the mount of his secrets so Kings haue no cause to thanke those that be audaciously officious But the best is a Preacher needeth not to speake one word of instruction either to our King being present or for our King being absent He is as an Angell of God knowing good euill as the woman of Tekoah and Mephibosheth told Dauid He can speake of trees from the Cedar tree that groweth in Libanon to the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall 1 Kings 4. I meane hee is skilfull and expert in all Arts in all Sciences in all Faculties and in the chiefest faculty of all he can speake and iudge and write and moderate in the most difficult and arduous points euen from the diuine Attributes of the Trinity to the deepest mysteries of the Reuelation euen from Antichrist that sitteth vpon the Throne to the begging Fryer that goeth from dore to dore euen from concupiscence that entreth with vs into the world vnto Purgatory that is made the end of all flesh or most flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said one And so his Maiesty can say with Iacob when Ioseph tooke vpon him to aduise him I know I know And againe it may b e said of him as Saint Paul said of Agrippa The King knoweth of these things and none of these things are hidden from the King Erasmus speaking of Basil surnamed the Great saith of him that there is not one in the Latine Church fit to be compared to him but if we will make an equall match for him saith he we need to ioyne the worth of two together the smooth sweet stile of Lactantius and the Scripture-learning of Hierome To this effect Erasmus in imitation of him as I thinke a worthy moderne writer saith the like of Sâ—aliger the father that to paralell him aright and not to doe him wrong we had need to ioyne the worth of two together namely the wit of Xenophon and the valour of Masinissa And euen so if we will counterpoize the sufficiency of his Maiestie for matter of learning and knowledge we must take the worth of a great many of Princes to wit the Poeticall veine of such a one the eloquence of such a one and the Philosophy of a third and the Diuinity of halfe a doozen of the best This is the Kings honor before all Nations and this is our Crowne of reioycing on the behalfe of our King before men and Angels I will therefore speake no more of the dignity of a King nor of the worth of our King and I haue shewed reasons why I need not to deliuer one word of instruction for him But now
causa It is not the punishmeÌ„t it is the cause that maketh a true Martyr For our parts we say vnto them as Optatus doth to their like Nulli dictum est Nega Deum Nulli dictum est Incende Testamentum Nulli dictum est Aut Thus pone aut Basilicas destrue â—stae enim res solent Martyria generare That is To none of them hath it beene said Deny God To none of them hath it beene said Burne the New Testament To none hath it beene said Offer incense or throw downe Churches for these things are wont to engender Martyrdomes Thus Optatus lib. 3. And I pray you is not our cause like to Optatus his and theirs to the Parmenians When haue our Magistrates vrged any of them that haue beene sent from Rome much lesse Recusants to deny God except they make him of Rome to be their God Nay both they and we doe exhort them with all instance to turne from that vanity and to trust in the liuing God Cursed be he that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme So When doe we vrge them to burne the Bible or any part of the Bible Nay this hath beene their fault and sticketh to them for infamy like the Leprosie of Gehezi To set fire vpon the translated Bibles wheresoeuer they could finde them and to burne them by hundreds on an heape yet the worst translation made by our men is founder and more agreeable to the Originall then the Translation of the Seuentie and yet the Apostles themselues suffered the same nay vsed the same as is euident to the Learned so farre were they from defacing it To be short When and where haue our men forced them yea or perswaded either to put Incense vpon the Altar or to throw downe Churches Nay it is their proper guise euen now in the time of the Gospell when shadowes and carnall worship should cease to perfume their Altar and their vestiments and many things that I know not nor care to learne and it hath beene their ordinary practice where they haue beene the stronger to destroy not onely Churches but also as many as haue beene assembled in them to heare Gods Word and to receiue the Sacrament euen bloudily and butcherly with a rage that reached vp to heauen Witnesse the Massacres that they made at Vassey at Merindol and Cabrias in Piemont in Calabria and where not So that we haue great cause to flee from them not onely to goe away and they no cause to flee from vs who neuer thirsted after their blood nor drew it but constrained and in our defence But to what purpose all this Since they whom it concerneth are not here and them that are here it doth not concerne yet as our Sauiour made full account that some of his Auditors would relate vnto Herod what opinion he held of him and therefore said vnto them Goe yee and tell that Fox So we are content that they take information by some of you that we maintaine and are instant that there is cruelty in their side and not in ours and a good cause with vs and not with them and therefore that there is cause why they should returne to vs and no cause in the world why we should turne to them And let so much be spoken of the Question It followeth Simon Peter therefore answered him Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of euerlasting life And we haue beleeued and knowne for we doe beleeue know Heb. that thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God In this answere Saint Peter doth two things First he denyeth flatly that hee or his fellow Apostles haue any such meaning Then he bringeth reasons of their constant adhering to him The denyall is set forth by way of Interrogation for more vehemency sake and containeth in it a reason drawne from the excellency of Christ before other teachers Lord to whom shall we goe meaning there was no Master worth the thinking of in comparison to him and therefore that they were farre from any such purpose The reasons drawne from the excellency of Christ are two The one from the excellency of his Doctrine Thou hast the words of euerlasting life the other from the excellency of his person Thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God Our heart and conscience telleth vs so much therefore we are not men but deuils if we forsake thee To this effect is Saint Peters answer in the name of his fellowes Let vs take the words before vs in order as they lye and first speake of the Interrogation Simon Peter therefore answered him saying Lord to whom shall we goe The first thing that we are to learne out of these words is this namely That truth and a good cause hath alwayes some to maintaine it The Disciples fell away yea many of the Disciples fell away yea they fell away so that they came no more at our Sauiour as the Text hath it but yet hee was not left without witnesse he had the Apostles to beare record to him and to stand for him So the High Priests and the Elders yea and the whole multitude of the Iewes cryed out against him and would not otherwise be satisfied then with his death but Ioseph of Arimathea a Councellour a iust man and a good consented not to their plots and practices Luk. 23. So Obadiah was not carryed away with the streame of the time to kill Gods Prophets and those that worshipped the Lord with holy worship but hid them in Caues and prouided for them though it were with the jeopardy of his head So Ruben though he had sinned before a great sinne and had highly offended God thereby and his father too yet in this no question he pleased both that he dissented from his brethrens bloody designe to murder their bother Ioseph and both disswaded them and deliuered him The like example of constancy and magnanimity appeared in Caleb and Iosuah Numb 14. who opposed themselues not onely to their fellowes being tenne to two but also to the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel being an hundred thousand to one against all they stood boldly for the maintenance of Gods glory in the power of his might and the truth of his promise saying Rebell not against the Lord neither feare yee the people of the Land for they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them and the Lord is with vs feare them not Thus they and this was counted to them for righteousnesse vnto all posterity for euer-more Yea that God that prospered the Midwiues of Egypt for not subscribing to the bloody decree of Pharaoh and his Councellors did also highly aduance these his seruants not onely bringing them into the Land of Promise the place of rest where they would be but also making one of them Generall Captaine ouer his people anâ— giuing him admirable victories and the other also a great man and a mighty and of such
is but as a sounding brasse or as a tinkling Cymball Therefore if we will not haue Christ to come against vs quickly for receiuing so many blessings in vaine wee are to approue both our good acceptance by thankefulnesse and our thankefulnesse by Loue and our Loue by obedience and our obedience by auoyding that which he forbiddeth and ensuing that which he commandeth And then hee will say O good seruants nay O good friends for we are his friends if wee doe that which he commandeth as Saint Iohn speaketh nay behold my brethren and my sisters for whosoeuer shall doe the will of the heauenly Father the same shall be Christs brother and sister and mother Thus much briefely concerning some part of our duty which we owe to our Immanuel for vouchsafing so to debase himselfe for vs and to take our nature Now as the consideration of the benefit should prouoke our dutifulnesse so may it also confirme our hope in all dangers that shall beset vs whether bodily or spirituall Many are the dangers whereto Gods children are subiect from professed enemies from secret from the ayre aboue from the company about vs from euill humours within vs c. When we lye downe wee know not whether we shall arise when we ride forth we cannot tell whether we shall come home When we send our children abroade wee cannot tell whether wee shall euer see them againe when our cause is neuer so good wee cannot tell whether it will not be carryed away by false oathes and indirect practices Now what is our comfort herein God is with vs we will not care what man can doe vnto vs God is on our side who then can be against vs Who or what can huâ—t them that Iesus Christ vouâ—hsafed to be borne for and hath receiued into protâ—ction Doth not his very name teach vs that he is with vs Then to them that loue God and are beloued of God all things must worke for the best whether it be tribulation or anguish famine or pouerty or imprisonment or losse of friends or losse of children or losse of liuing or whatsoeuer In all these bodily assaults we shall be more then Conquerours so shall we be also in the spirituall Our sinnes doe threaten Gods vengeance vpon vs our consciences doe accuse vs the Law containeth matter of inditement against vs the Deuill followeth the suite all the creatures of God which we haue abused all the calling of God which we haue neglected all the threatnings of God which we haue despised c. doe witnesse against vs In a word the Lord sitteth in his Throne as an angry Iudge Hell openeth her mouth wide being ready to swallow vs vp The world forsaketh vs our friends haue no power to helpe vs what is to be done in this case what shift shall we make what place of refuge shall we fly vnto Only this is our comfort that the Sonne of God became the Son of man to make vs the Sons of God vile he became to exalt vs poore to enrich vs a slaue to enfranchise vs dead to quicken vs miserable to blesse vs lost in the eyes of the world to â—aue vs. Lastly partaker of our nature of our infirmity of our habitation to aduance vs to his Kingdome and glory that is to be vnto vs according to his name Immanuel God with vs. God to enlighten vs God to helpe vs God to deliuer vs God to saue vs. To him with the Father and the holy Ghost be all glory and honour for euer and euer Amen A SERMON VPON THE FIRST TO THE ROMANES THE FOVRTH SERMON ROMANES 1. verse 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth both to the Iewe first and to the Greeke I AM a debtor saith Saint Paul both to Greekes and Barbarians Doe you aske What 's that to the Romanes who are neither Greekes nor Barbarians Then I tell you further saith he I am a debtor to the wise and to the vnwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say to all then I hope to you and in respect of this my debt I was as forward as a man might be yea and yet I am to preach vnto you among the rest the Gospell of Christ. For howsoeuer it be to the Iewe a stumbling-blocke to the Greeke â—oolishnesse how soeuer the Iewes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospell â—uen-gelion that is a Reuelation of vanity and the Greekes traduce it for a Doctrine of nouelty May we not know what this new Doctrine meaneth yea for a Doctrine of Deuils He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Deuils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17. Briefely howsoeuer it be spoken against euery where nay proceeded against by the censure of the Church and the sword of the Ciuill Magistrate yet for all that I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ it hath beene the ioy of my heart and it shall be I haue professed and published it with my mouth and will euer Come famine come sword come nakednesse come most exquisite torment nothing shall make me to plucke my hand from the Plowe or repent me of my calling What if it doth not profit some that heare it because they doe not mingle it with faith yet to other some it is the good sauour of life vnto life what if some despise it as they doe the whole Counsell of God to their destruction yet other some receiue it with much striuing and it is dearer to them then gold yea then much fine gold It is indeed mighty in operation and effectuall toward them that beleeue yea and to worke faith in them who formerly did not beleeue to incorporate them into the body of Christ and to saue their soules in the Dâ—y of the Lord Iesus This may suffice for the opening of the Coherence and the plaine and naturall meaning of the verse wherein note with me two things First a constant resolution in the Apostle to hold on his course i am not ashamed c. Secondly a ground or reason of that his resolution For it is the power of God c. The resolution is most godly and the reason most sound therefore the one to be laid vp in our vnderstanding the other in our heart both to be so learned and practised that we become new men and be changed into the same Image as the Apostle speaketh Seneca hath a good speech and a sensible Aliâ—â—enta quae accepimuâ— quamdiu in sua qualitate perdurant solida innatant stomacho onera sunt c. The food or nutriment that wee haue taken as long as it abideth in its owne quality and floteth whole and indigested vpon the stomack is a burden but when it is altered and changed from that which it was then it strengthneth turneth into blood In like sort sayes he let vs deale with those lessons and instructions that we receiue for the
nor yet for the Iustices to lay the fault vpon the twelue men for euery man shall beare his owne burden And as the righteous shall liue by his owne faith so the vnrighteous shall die for his owne faultinesse and a pillow of blood is a very hard pillow for a tender conscience to take rest vpon harder then the pillow of stones in Genesis for vpon that Iacob did sleep But that ought to be done in such weighty cases that concerne life which the Law of God requireth to be done in the case of Idolatry namely They should seeke and make search and inquire diligently and if it be true and the thing certaine c. then thou shalt not faile to slay them c. And as Iob professed that he did in these words The cause which I knew not I searched out Otherwise if the matter be not euident it is better to be slow then forward lest Cinna Cesars friend be slaine in place of Cesars enemy that had railed vpon him as in the Romane Story And lest Histiaeus make the shoo and Aristagâ—ras weare it as in the Greeke Story And lest that one sowe and another reape as in the Gospell I meane lest one commit the offence and another be punished If the least imputation of cruelty did sticke to your reputation Honorable men and brethren if it might be said of you with any probability which was said of Claudius the Emperour that his hands were otherwise weake and feeble but strong and sturdy to shead blood I could vse many reasons to moue and induce you to lenity and clemency so farre-forth as the state of the Common-weale would beare for that is alwayes to be vnder-stood Salus Reipublicae summa Lex but I perswade my selfe of you that you propend thereunto by nature and specially by grace and that you say many times to your selues when you are about to giue Sentence as the successor of Claudius did when a Bill was brought vnto him for the execution of a man condemned Quam vellem nescirem literas Oh that I could not write my name Oh that another had my roome And that it may be said of you as it was of that good Emperour Augustus Qui cum triste aliquiâ— statuit fit tristis ipse cuique fere poenam sumere poena sua est that si You are grieued your selues when you pronounce a grieuous Sentence and you thinke your selues are punished when you punish others I haue stood very long vpon the three first words of my Text I put on Righteousnesse Wherein I haue shewed First the meaning Fitnesse and vsualnesse of the Phrase secondly for the Vettue the bulke of the Phrase how necessary and goodly it is the goodliest Robe that a Magistrate can put on thirdly and lastly what be the hinderances and staines of it First Preiudice Secondly Partiality Thirdly Bribâ—ry and lastly Precipitancy Now Iob is not content to tell vs that he put on Iustice but addeth it clothed me Meaning that he did not cast it behind him like a cloake or throw it about him like a mantle to couer some pâ—rts and to leaue the others vncouered but that it couered him on all parts from top to toe like the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a long Garment downe to the feet mentioned in the Reuelation And like the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Garment wherein one might wrap and roll himselfe mentioned in the Booke of Ester Meteranus in his Belgicke Story writeth of a certaine old woman in the Low-Countries that she being neere her end required her Keeper of all loues and in any case to put vpon her the Cowle of a Fryer Minorite when shee should be ready to yeeld vp the ghost which she had prepared for the purpose And said she if death happen to come on so suddenly that thou canst not put the whole Cowle vpon me yet faile not at the least to put one of mine armes into it that by vertue thereof three parts of my sinnes may be forgiuen me and the fourth expiated in Purgatory Thus Meteranus of the old wiues perswasion touching the vertue of the Fryers Cowle which perswasion Superstition bred Couetousnesse tendered and folly entertained I cannot say so much of the vertue of the Robe of Iustice either commutatiue or distributiue either priuate or publicke though I thinke passing well of it that it should haue power to forgiue sinnes No The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinnes And He hath washed vs in his blood And Wee must be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is by the faith of Iesus Christ euen the righteousnesse of God through faith But this I dare boldly say that it yeeldeth a pleasant sauour vnto the nostrils of our heauenly Father as Esaus garment vpon Iacobs backe did to Izack their father And of all the garments yee can put on after faith and loue there is none to be compared to it There is mention in Saint Mathew of soft clothing but it was onely for them that were in Kings Courts Also in the Psalme of a garment of needle-worke wrought about with diuers colours but it was onely for the Queene Also in the 2. Sam. of garments of many pieces or colours but they were for Kings daughters that were virgins Also of garments of Linnen and Woollen which were forbidden the Israelites who thereby as by an Allegery were forbidden all hypocrisie and insincerity not onely in matters of faith but also in conuersation Also in the booke of Ioshuah of a Babylonish garment which Achan purloyned to his destruction Further there is mention in Stories of garments of gold and of siluer at which Dionysius iested That they were too cold in the Winter and too heauy in the Summer but now they are in speciall request euery ordinary fellow weareth cloth of gold and of siluer nay he is not an ordinary fellow but a No-body that is not so attyred Also there is mention in Story of perfumed garments which were the vndoing of Muleasses King of Tunis for by the smell thereof he was hunted after taken and bereaued of his eyes and of his Kingdome as Iouius writeth Thus the outward garment or ornament is for some persons and purposes and not for others and for some certaine times and not for all But now Iustice is for all sorts of men and for all times of the yeere sweet without fulsomnesse precious without burdensomnesse safe without dangerousnesse indifferent to all degrees to all persons common equall glorious full of Maiestie and full of all good workes We haue not so great vse of fire and water as we haue of Iustice said one or one maysay The Morning-starre or the Euening-starre is not so faire as Iustice said another Faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an Armie with Banners So haue
of Sentence against the faulty but this is their comfort and exceeding great content if they can say with Pericles that they neuer caused any to weare a mourning gowne or rather if they can say with Saint Paul This is our reioycing euen the testimony of our consciences that in godly purenesse wee haue had our conuersation in the world And with Saint Paul againe That they are pure from the blood of all men I meane that they shed no innocent blood And lastly with Samuel whose Oxe haue I taken c Whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blind mine eyes withall c This is a Robe that will better grace and adorne them then any Scarlet and be more cordiall to their inwards then any Bâ—zar-stone and more comfortable and warme to their stomackes then any stomacher of Swans skinne or whatsoeuer is most warme and comfortable But I haue beene too tedious The Lord make that which hath beene spoken profitable vnto vs for his Sonne Christs sake To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glory for euer and euer Amen A SERMON VPON THE SIXTH OF IEREMY THE EIGHTH SERMON IEREMY 6. verse 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand yee in the wayes and see and aske for the old pathes where is the good way and walke therein and yee shall find rest for your soules WERE they confounded saith Ieremy in the Verse immediatly going before when they committed abomination No they were not abashed at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither knew they shame or to be ashamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hiphil taken passiuely as many times it is therefore shall they fall among them that fall in the time that I visit them they shall be made to fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cast downe saith the Lord. In which words the Prophet sheweth both the hidiousnesse and transcendent greatnesse of the sinnes of the Iewes as also the fountaine and well-spring thereof It is a bitter thing and wicked to depart from the Lord by any kind of transgression either against the first Table or against the second But now when a man hath done euill to blesse himselfe as it were and to say in his heart that no euill shall happen vnto him for the same to harden his face like the Adamant and to be touched with no remorse or shame no remorse inwardly no shame outwardly not to blush for the matter nor to seeke as much as Figge-leaues to couer his nakednesse This argueth both the height of presumption and the depth of iniquity and villany and this is that which maketh sinne to be aboue measure sinfull and hatefull Well this was their desperate malady and the fearefull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Paroxysm thereof What was the cause for me thinks the Prophet proceedeth after the manner of Physicians from the disease to the Symptomes from the Syptomes to the causes from the causes to the remedies They knew not shame The light of Nature that was in them they had for the greatest part extinguished by their custome of sinning And as for others that should reforme and reclaime them by setting before them the things that they had done and by thundring forth Gods Iudgements and plagues against them for holding the truth in vnrighteousnesse such I say as should doe this great worke of the Lord seriously and sincerely they wanted Thus the people perished for want of knowledge for want of knowledge of their sinne and shame and in this forlorne estate the Iewes are described to be in the verse before my Text. In my Text is set downe the last thing that Physicians doe and is most acceptable to the Patients namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manner and medicine for cure that should remoue the disease and bring health to the Patient in the words which I haue read vnto you Stand vpon or neere the wayes and aske for the old pathes or euerlasting pathes where is the goodway and goe therein and find rest for your soules As if he said One of the greatest causes of your shamefull and shamelesse carriage both towards God and towards man at the leastwise one of the greatest matters that you can pretend for your excuse is ignorance or want of knowledge of the will of God that you doe not know the Royall Lawe that your Leuites teach you not Gods Iudgements and Lawes that the Priests rebuke not in the gate that the Prophets sooth you in your sinnes healing the wound of the daughter of Gods people with soft words c. But how The Lord hath spoken nothing in secret neither is his Word darkenesse neither are you so blind that you need alwayes to be led by the hand Why then doe you not take Gods Booke into your hand and there search for the right way for the good will of God and acceptable and perfect Why doe you not learne at the length to be your owne caruers or if that place be so difficult that you cannot vnderstand it why doe you not consult the more learned them that haue their wits exercised and acquainted with the Word of God that so you may finde satisfaction and rest for your soules This know for a surety that the old way that which was at the first chalked out by God himselfe in Mount Sinai and after laid open by Moses the man of God and the Prophets sithence which spake and wrote as they were moued by the holy Ghost that is the Good way and the straight way neither is there straightnesse or goodnesse in any other This I take to be the true coherence of the words of my Text with the former verse and also the naturall meaning of them wherein note with me three things 1. A perswasion consisting of diuers branches Stand vpon the wayes this is one See this is another Aske for the old way this is the third 2. A correction or limitation Aske not simply for the old way for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that may be called old in comparison which in comparison of old truth is but new but for the good old way and be bold to walke therein 3. And lastly a motiue or reason drawne ab vtili You shall find rest for your soules that is you shall be sure to find it Touching the first When the Prophet saith Stand neere the wayes or vpon the wayes he meeteth with and striketh at two vices too frequent and vsuall in all ages Epicurisme and Superstition Many there be that make no reckoning of Religion which end goeth forward nay whether they know any thing of it or no. Who is the Lord say they that we should serue him and what profit in learning his wayes doe wee not see that all things fall out alike to the ignorant and to the learned to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth n t c wherefore then should we weary our selues in vaine to search and sift what is
shift for themselues by flight before they had put their Generall Sertorius in safety So the Galles had their Soldurios that is deuoted men which vowed to liue and dye with their Lord as Bodin out of antiquity doth gather So the French Protestants are much commended by the equall for that they bâ—stowed the young Princes of Nauarre and Condie in a strong Castle out of gun-shot before they hazarded the great battell of Moncounter The King is so to the Common-weale as the helme is to the shippe or rather as the shippe is to the passengers while the shippe is safe there is hope to recouer the land be we neuer so farre from it though the Sea and winds doe neuer so much swell and rage but if the Shippe sinke or be dashed on the rockes there remaineth nothing but a fearefull looking for of drowning and destruction Therefore the safety of the King being the safety of all what maruell if the Prophet begin with Kings and aduise them to looke about them This may be one cause Another this We know that there is no cloth that doth so kindely take the colour that the Dyer would staine it with as the people are apt to imitate the guize and carriage of their Prince the similitude is not mine but Nazianzens therefore because the conuerting of him is the conuerting of hundreds at a clap and his auersenesse or stiffenesse the auersenesse or standing out of multitudes this also may be thought to be a cause why he beginneth with Kings When was there a good King in Iuda for there were but few in Israel after that Ephraim departed from the house of Dauid that sought the Lord with all his heart but he drew the people to be well-giuen at the least-wise in comparison On the other side when was there a wicked King that did set set vp Idols in his heart or worshipped the Hoast of heauen or burnt incense vnto Baal but the people were as forward and as sharpely set vpon Idolatry as he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The subiect is wont to emulate and imitate the life of his Gouernour or Prince saith one Historiographer and another Princeps quum Imperio maximus sit exemplo maior est that is Be the Prince neuer so great for command yet he commandeth most by his example It is somewhat strange Circumcision is a painefull thing specially in them that are out of their Infancy it may be gathered hereby for that the Turkes vsing it at this day vpon their children being of sâ—me yeeres doe vse such dissembling towards them for the circumstance of the time when they doe it and yet when the King of Sichem had yeelded thereunto the whole City followed So Diodorus writeth of the Aethiopians that when their King had caught some mayme or marke in any part ofhis body the manner was for all his Fauorites to maime or marke themselues in the same part Is it not written of Rehoboam expressely that when he forsooke the Lord all Israel did so with him Also is it not to be obserued in the Ecclesiasticall Story that when Iulian fell from Christ vnto Paganisme Valens in stead of the truth imbraced a lye the vile Heresie of the Arians a great part of the Empire did so likewise On the other side when Iosiah serued the Lord with all his heart all Iuda did so all his dayes And when Constantine the great and Theodosius the great gaue themselues to aduance the faith of Christ and to purge out the old leauen of Heathenisme there was such a change in the Empire on the sudden that Zosimus and Eunapius being Pagans doe much complaine thereof in their writings therefore me thinkes Fulgensius speaketh to good purpose and agreeable to true experience that although Christ dyed indifferently for all the faithfull yet the conuerting of the mighty Ones of the world is of speciall seruice to winne soules vnto Christ. Hee doth symbolize with that learned Writer that allegorizng vpon those words of Saint Iohn touching the taking of so many great Fishes doth congratulate vnto the Church the happy conuerting of Princes because by their conuetsion many were brought vnto Christs Fold Yea Plutarch a Heathen man saw in a manner as much touching the great force that is in the example of Princes for he in the life of Dio speaking of Plato his sayling into Sicily to doe some good vpon King Dionysius maketh this to be the speciall motiue for that the reforming of the King would be the reforming of the whole Iland So then the Kings piety and sound perswasion being as effectuall for the winning of the soules of his subiects as his bodily safety is auaileable for the conseruing of their worldly estates Our Psalmist without doubt had great reasâ—on to doe as he doth to begin with Kings This may suffice for the naturall placing of the words and withall touching the incomparable good that redoundeth to the common Estate by the Kings piety and safety I come now more closely to the Duty of Kings for of that onely and of the touch of the time Now which shall be for application I shall speake at this time Be wise now therefore O Kings Two kindes of wisedome are required in Kings and Princes wisedome or knowledge in Gods matters otherwise called Diuinity and wisedome or knowledge in matters of the world otherwise called Prudence or Policy Both are contained in the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifieth also good successe to note that God many times crowneth pious prudence prudent piousnes with many a temporall blessing Both are not onely for ornament like the two Pillars that Salomon put in the Porch of the Temple but also for speciall vse like the hands of Aaron Hur which did support the armes of Moses for the discomfiture of the Amalekites For if they be pious only in Gods matters be not otherwise prudent then they are fitter for the Common-weale of Plato then for the corrupt estate of Romulus for the Cloister then for the Court Againe if they be prudent or politicke onely be not pious then they are fitter to be Kings of Babel where dwelleth confusion then of Hierusalem where Gods glory is seene and more rightly to be called the children of this world which goeth to nought and perisheth then the children of God who loue truth in the inwards and caâ—e for none but for such as worship him from a pure heart with a good conscience Well they must bee Diuines as it were this is first required I say not in profession but in knowledge they must know God the onely Lord and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ they must know Christ and him crucified and the power of his Crosse and vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions that they may be conformable vnto his death they must separate and distinguish truth from error cleane from vncleane right from
grind him to powder For this cause we must be subiect not onely for feare but also for conscience sake nor onely to the King as to the chiefe but also to Rulers as to them that be appointed by him for the punishment of those that doe ill and praise of them that doe well His pleasure if it could be knowne should be a kind of law vnto vs his law when it is promulgated should tye vs by a kind of oath of Alleageance Laudo fidem saith Tertullian quae ante credit obsâ—ruandum esse quam didicit I like of such a faith as beleeueth it ought to obserue this or that before it hath learned the euident reason thereof This hath place in some mysteries of Religion and so in some State-matters a kind of simple obedience is many times necessary but Tergiuersation and reasonings and murmurings and contentiousnesse they must be done away with all vnquietnesse What a motiue is this to induce vs to study by all meanes to giue content to our higher Powers for that we may say of them truly which the flattering Oratour said of the Romane Gouernour falsely Act. 24. By their meanes we enioy much peace and many worthy things are done to our Nation by their prouidence and for that we may say with the words of my Text that they sitting on the Throne of Iudgement doe scatter away all euill What doe they doe They scatter away What doe they scatter away Euill all euill It is said of Christ that he hath his Fan in his hand and will thorowly purge his floore c. Math. 3. The like office is here ascribed to a King a good King that he hath his Fan in his hand and before he doe scatter he doth Fan sift winnow trie for that is implyed in the originall word Zarah so then hee doth not scatter away all causes and persons that are brought before him the righteous as well as the vnrighteous like the cruell Tyrant that cryed out A Calvo ad calvum To the pot with them euery mothers sonne and as Benhadad proclaimed Whether they be come out for peace take them aliue or whether they be come out to fight take them yet aliue make bond-men of them all spare none And briefly as Henricus Stephanus writeth of a Iudge that his manner was when an old fellow was brought before him vpon suspition of felony to say Away with him hang him he hath committed many a felony I warrant you if a young fellow were brought Away with him too hang him he will commit many a felony if he be suffered I say good Gouernours doe not goe thus rashly to worke and as it were by whole-sale but they will separate the precious from the vile as the Prophet speaketh and weigh all things in the ballance of Prudence and will order their Iudgement with discretion as Isaak would not blesse his sonne before he had felt him and Salomon full wisely found out the true mother by tendring an offer and Claudius the Emperour almost as wisely found out the true son by making the like offer witnesse Suetonius in Claudio Ch. 15. Thus by searching they found out who hath right on his side who not who deserue punishment who reward then accordingly they proceed to Iudgement and scatter away all euill All Euill If all euill then the euill that is in the Tribe of Leui as well as in other Tribes Here then the Kings Supremacy ouer all persons is proued againe if all euill then the euill of impiety against the first Table as well as of iniquity against the second Table here then the Kings Supremacy in all causes is vouched What if Gallio and Festus in the Acts of the Apostles did put from them or did not care to meddle with Church-matters and matters of faith They were both Pagans and neither of them a member of the Church much lesse head of any Church So what if Constantine the Great tooke so little vpon him in the Councell of Nice albeit that Councell and others were conuocated by his authority and in that Councell he commanded the books of the Old New Testament to be produced forth tryall of controuersies What if Valentinian the second did endure to heare of Ambrose Ad Imperatorem palatia pertinent ad Sacerdotem Ecclesiae that is The Emperour hath to doe in his Palaces but the Bishop or Priest in Churches why Constantine and Valentinian were both Neophytes or young Schollers in the faith and neither of them as yet baptized Should this be a barre either to Theodosius the Great or to Martianus or to Iustinian or to Carolomannus or to his nephew Charles the Great or to the Othoes Fredericks Henries or to the Kings of France England Scotland Denmarke Swedeland or to such Princes and States that haue Iura Regalia that they should not make Lawes for the aduancement of the true faith and Seruice of God for the abolishing of Idolatry for the curbing of superstition for the rooting out of Heresies for the punishing of blasphemous and seditious Heretickes Briefly for the maintenance of the Ministery and for the inioyning of Ministers to their duty and so forth What reason in the world against this or that Princes should looke for a Commission and as it were an Oracle from Rome This for instruction So for Institution or admonition a word or two had need to be spoken for as S. Peter prophesied that in the last times there should come mockers walking after their owne lusts and saying Where is the promise of Christs comming or presence so peraduenture in this prophane age some will demand prophanely Where is the truth of Salomons assertion He saith That a King sitting in the Throne of Iudgement scattereth away all euill Now it is euident that the King sitteth on the Throne of Iudgement by himselfe and others carefully and Iustice was neuer better administred without respect of persons or Country and yet we see not all euils scattered away For when say some was there more impiety iniquity impurity in the world Quando maior avaritiae patuit sinus alea quando hos animos c. that is When was there more couetousnesse more deceiuing and cogging when was there more gluttony and drunkennes chambring and wantonnes strife and enuying neither can they be content to be drunke with wine and strong drinke as in former ages but they must be drunke euery day and almost euery houre of the day with smoake a sinne that our Elders heard not of Neither are they that weare soft clothing in Kings Courts onely as it is said in the Gospell but they iet it not onely in soft clothing but in cloth of gold and of siluer euen in townes and villages and many haue more vpon their backs then they are worth in their coffers Further euery man hunteth his brother as with a net as the Prophet saith Euery one catcheth his fellow seruant by the
a place of celestiall pleasure and celestiall plenty plenty that neuer faileth and pleasures for euer-more And thus haue you our Meditations on the Text. A word more of this present occasion we haue done When I was appointed by this right Reuerend and Honorable Prelate to this seruice I found him declining any Encomium of his pr aises for well knew he what Austin hath and what hath Augustine or any of the Fathers that he knew not That the soule receiued among the blessed regardeth not the commendations of men Imitationem tantùm quaerit it liketh their imitation better But as the Elders of the Iewes to Christ in another case on the Centurions behalfe He is worthy thou shouldest doe this for him for he hath loued our Nation and built vs a Synagogue he is worthy to be remembred of vs for he loued our Nation id est vs Ministers and he furnished your Synagogues your Churches with the plentifull preaching of the Gospell The same which moued Israel so honourably to interre that good high Priest Iehoiada is our cause this day For he did good in Israel both towards God and towards his house Ye daughters of Israel weepe ouer him who clothed you in scarlet with other delights and put on ornaments of gold vpon your apparell Two singular ornaments crowned him which seldome meete in one man Learning and Humility Learning the ornament of his mind and humility the ornament of his learning Iulius secundus studying long for an Exordium to his matter was asked by Iulius Florus Nunquid tu melius dicere vis quà m potes I haue matter if I must fit it with speech I must speake better than in this cantle of time I can speake Therefore lest I should Frigidè laudare which Fauorinus liketh not I le giue it you in grosse considering his much reading with the happinesse of his memory how well acquainted with Histories Ecclesiasticall and profane with the Iewish Rabbins and the Christian Doctors with Diuines ancient and moderne with Fathers Greeke and Latin how perfect in the Greeke the Hebrew the Chaldee the Syriacke and the Arabicke tongues I am bold to affirme that there are few so learned men vnder heauen One monument of his learning haue we for which the age now doth and the children vnborne shall blesse his memory That he began with others but finished alone with one of the greatest and most learned Bishops of the Church of England set forth the new and most exact translation of the Bible wherein as it was said of Ierome for translating the Septuagint into the Dalmatian tongue he deliuered the Scriptures suae linguae hominibus to Englishmen in English The sole merit of which worke preferred him to this place of gouernment in the Church For with Basilius Magnus Non ex maioribus sed ex propria virtute Nobilitatem duxit He eennobled himselfe with his owne worth and vertue And touching his Humility as it was said of Piso so more truely of him Nemo fuit qui magis quae agenda erant curaret sine vlla ostentatione agendi No man did more good than he with lesser shew of ostentation How he decked himselfe inwardly with lowlinesse of minde and did put himselfe vnderneath himselfe euery one that knew him knew On a time and many such I could tell you a poore Minister sending in to speake with him abruptly he brake off a most serious discourse saying But the Minister must not stay lest we should seeme to take state vpon vs. Therein imitating that great and inuincible Supporter of the Faith of one Substance Athanasius of whom Nazianzene writeth that being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 growne to a super excellent height of vertue yet was he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easie of accesse and facile to entertaine the poore mans suit When in his sickenesse one hoped for his recouery he gaue the answer that Saint Ambrose gaue to the Nobles of Millaine that desired him to pray for life Non ita inter vos vixi vt pudeat me viuere nec timeo mori quoniam Dominum bonum habemus I haue not so liued among you that I am ashamed to liue neither am I afraid to dye because our Lord is good How he perseuered in the truth you shall heare Some few dayes before his death in the presence of a worthy and truely Noble Knight I heard him discourse sweetly of the Certainty of Saluation and of Perseuerance in Grace comfortable truths so much opposed by Papists Arminians and carnall Gospellers And in conclusion he did affirme That he which holds the Protestants doctrine and faith herein hath built his house vpon the Rocke and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against him Not many houres before his departure for as Ambrose of Acholius non obijt sed abijt I found him as mee seemed victorious vpon some conflict and Quis Sanctorum sine certamine coronatur What Saint was euer crowned but vpon a combat saith Saint Ierome I drew neere his bed he reached for my hand and greezed it and now you see the cause of my choise saying I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that Day This occasioned some thing concerning relyance vpon God by Faith yea said he I had fainted vnlesse I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the liuing Mention being further made of Faith and Hope and of their obiect But saith he againe in Dauids words The mercies of the Lord are from generation to generation on them that feare him Mercy brought in thoughts of Christ oh saith he in the words of that holy Martyr None but Christ None but Christ. Being told how preciously the Lord esteemeth the death of such he replyed Right deare Right deare in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Some prayers made for him vpon his desire at conclusion he said Amen I thanke God Amen enough enough Amen I thanke God They write of Lanfrancus sometime Archbishop of Canturbury that he often prayed and obtained to dye such a death that neither hindered speech nor memory this blessing God afforded our Reuerend Bishop for as I am certified by one most deare to him and worthy to be beleeued when he was leauing this life he looked on her and on the rest of his children in the chamber present and said Christ blesse you all And like that old Patriarke Iacob he moued himselfe vpon the bed and cryed Christ Iesus helpe and so Christ tooke him and conclamatum est His soule is now at rest his name is among the Worthies of the Church his estate is with his children and now are we to returne his body to the dust from whence it was taken The best fruits shew their goodnesse when they haue lyen let him lie a while and mellow let
the Law vnderstanding the sense of the Law that is vnderstanding it rightly that we must doe Otherwise if they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they preach another Gospell but that which we haue receiued from the Apostles who committed the same they taught to writing to be theground pillar of the Church as Irenaeus saith he is to be accursed though he be an Angell from heauen And that the Pharises were not simply to be followed for all the Chaire it is manifest hereby that Christ Math. 16. warneth his Disciples to beware of the leauen of the Pharises that is of the false doctrine of the Pharises The Pharises therefore had their leauen then all was not sweet bread that came from them the people then were bound to taste and discerne their Doctrine whether it were agreeable to the Scripture and if not to cast it away And indeed if an Angels Doctrine is not simply to be admitted without tryall Gal. 1. is the Pharises their Doctrine either former Pharises or later because of a Chaire succession without question to be embraced Suspecta est Lex quae se probari non vult saith Tertullian And Non Cathedra faciâ— Sacerdotem sed Sacerdos Cathedram saith Chrysostome Therefore if yee goe away for these Facing-cardes of multitudes or Chaire vnhappy are yee Hearken we rather to Chrysostome in the 2. to Timothie Hom. 2. If one peruert the Doctrine of the faith obey him not though he be an Angell but if he teach those things that be right then marke not his life but his words And to Cyril his rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marke not what is now done but marke what is written Will yee also goe away O but many wise and learned and great ones fall from your cause daily Ergo. I answere first with Tertullian Some build their ruine saith he hereupon Quare illa vel ille fidelissimi prudentissimi vsitatissimi in Ecclesia in illam partem transierunt Why such a woman or such a man being most prudent and faithfull and famous in the Church went the other way tooke part with the other side Quis hoc dicens non ipse sibi respondit neque fideles neque prudentes neque vsitatos aestimandos quos Haereses potuerint demutare Who speaking so hath not made himselfe answere to wit that they are not to be reckoned either for faithfull or for wise or for famous whom Heresies could alter c What then saith he further If Bishop or Deacon or Widow or Virgin or Doctor yea or Martyr also shall swarue slipt from the rule therefore shall Heresies goe for truth Veritatem videbuntur obtinere Ex personis probamus fidem an ex fide personas Be we saith he to try faith by persons or are we not rather to try persons by faith Thus Tertullian and thus is my first answer Secondly I answere that if a score were made of such as haue fallen away from either side and we should haue a seuerall skinker of their men to fill vnto our men as the old Poet saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many and many a one euen ten for one should want a skinker I grant at the first it was thus as the Pharises said of our Sauiour Iohn 7. Doth any of the Rulers or Pharises beleeue in him But this people which know not the Lawe are cursed And Not many wise not many noble not many mighty are called c. For the beginning of all things are rude and weake and the Sunne must haue a time to ouercome the night and to get aboue our Horizon And were the Children of Israel deliuered out of the bondage of Egypt or of Babylon either in a yeere or two But when it was once brought to light and had once audience granted did it euer want fauourers nay did it not get ground ouer Popery euen as Christianity did ouer Gentilisme till they thought there was no way to keepe it downe but onely by cruelty The Egyptians tooke this course in Egypt so did the Paynims in the Primitiue time of the Church and as these could not preuaile no more could the Romanists Let me tell you a Story Pyrrhus assayed to corrupt Fabricius with gold when that would not serue the turne then he caused to be presented before him a terrible huge Elephant thinking that such a beast would haue cooled his courage But Fabricius neuer startled at the matter but remained Fabriâ—ius still that is vndauntable and vnmoueable Neither did thy gold taynt me yesterday nor yet doth thy Beast scarre me to day Thus Fabricius There haue thousands of such Fabricij beene found amongst our men that haue counted rebuke for Christs sake greater riches then the treasures of Egypt yea and that chose rather to offer their bodies to be sacrificed in fire at a stake then with betraying the Truth to retaine their old honours and pleasures or to haue new heaped vpon them They also our Aduersaries I meane talke now of their sufferings of the losse of their goods of their imprisonments yea and of the Martyring of some of their Priests c. And this their Factors make a motiue to perswade some to goe away and to iustifie them that stande out and continue Recusants But Stephen ceaseth not to be a true Martyr for all that the Blasphemer in Lâ—uiticus and Achan in Iosuah were stoned as well as he neither were Empedocles before Christs time or Peregrinus after Christs time euer the neere to be Martyrs for all that they passed thorow the fire and were offered as it were therein as well as Polycarpe many other godly men and women in the Primitiue time Sit fas liceatque perire Poetis Inuitum qui seruat idem facit occidenti If they wil needs entangle theÌ„selues with those hampers that are made against practisers against the State who can helpe them who will almost pity them Do their States nay do their Popes allow Priests to be practisers against theÌ„ No nor Bishops nor Patriarches nor Cardinals neither Did not the Florentines hang by the necke the Archbishop of Piso for conspiring against the two Medices Did not Vrban the sixt drowne Cardinals by sackefuls for practising against him with the Antipope Did not Eugenius the fourth commit to Ward in the Castle of Sancto Angelo yea and there execute Iohn Coructan the Patriarch of Aquileïum for the like offence Did Leo the tenth after him spare Cardinall Petruccius that I speake nothing of Cardinall Adrian by whose speciall meanes he had beene made Pope when hee went about to poyson him No nor Pius the fourth he did not spare Cardinall Carafta his predecessors Nephew to whom he was most bound for the Papacy Did not Saint Peter long agone rule it both to them and vs Let none suffer as an euill doer or as a busie-body in other mens matters And Austin after him out of him Martyres veros non facit poena sed