A GODLY and learned Sermon preached before an honourable auditorie the 26 day of Februarie 1580. ¶ Imprinted by Henrie Middleton for Thomas Man A GODLY AND learned Sermon Preached in Lent last 1580. THE place of scripture moste honourable and welbeloued in our Sauiour Christ which I haue chosen to entreate of is written in the 24. Chapter of the second booke of Samuel in these words Vers`l ' And the wrath of the Lorde was yet more kindled against Israel and he moued Dauid against them in that he saide goe number Israel and Iuda c. The whole Scripture of God as the holy Apostle S. Iames teacheth is cōpared to a glasse wherein al estats and degrees may see what to imbrace and what to eschew and it is cōmonly said of al histories that they are y e looking glasses of mans life Therefore this text beeing both a story and parcel of holy Scripture must needes be a most cleare glasse in which are represented vnto vs diuers things worthie to bee seene looked vpon Among which I haue thought good to shew vnto you three especiall and most notable images The first is the iustice and righteousnes of God the second is the malice of Sathan the thirde is the frailtie of man not meaning to describe them all at large which would require much longer time then is graūted to this exercise but onely to shewe euerie one of them so farre foorth as it is set forth with in y e compasse of this text which I haue read vnto you Concerning the firste therefore which is the iustice of God it is described in these wordes And the wrath of the Lord was yet more kindled against Israel c. By the wrath of the Lorde is here ment the iustice of God prouoked to punish sinnes as in an hūdreth places of scripture besides By the wrath of the Lorde therefore wee must not vnderstand any passion or disordered affection such as is the wrath of man of which the Apostle saith that it worketh not y e righteousnes of God but is often prouoked with small causes or with no worthie causes at all and yet boileth immoderately in the hart of man whereby he is vnmeasurablie desirous of reuengement but the iustice of God which is figuratiuely called his wrath is neuer stirred vp to reuengement but vppon great and waightie causes neither rageth with blinde furie but keepeth a most perfect moderation in all things And there are two reasons which may be yeelded of this figuratiue speache wherefore Gods righteousnes is called his wrath the first is to strike through our heartes with terrour of his iustice for the name of wrath is more terrible then the name of iustice and our nature is more familierly acquainted with the one thē with the other y e wrath of a mā if he be of power to hurt is greatly feared The wrath of a Prince saith Salomon in the 16. chapter of the prouerbs is the messenger of death howe much more y e wrath of y e Lord of hosts in cōparison of whose power glorie al earthly princes are but dust ashes The second reasō why y e iustice of god is called the wrath of God is that we may learne and vnderstand that as the wrath of mā wherwith we are acquainted is not pacified but by two meanes either by reconciliatiō or reuengemēt so it is with the iustice of God Therefore when soeuer wee haue prouoked y e wrath of God against vs by our sins and wickednes which we doe daily and hourely we must either seeke to be recōciled to him by true repentāce or else looke for sharpe punishment we must either humbly submit our selues acknowledge our offences hūbly desire pardon or els we must assure our selues y t the wrath of the Lord being once kindled against vs there is no way to escape vengeance We see now wherefore the iustice of God is called the wrath of God Now must we looke for what cause the wrath of God was kindled against Israel how the Israelites had prouoked the iustice of god to punish them The cause in deede is not set downe in expresse wordes but it is easie to gather by the effect for it is manifest y t when the iustice of God is kindled against Israel it is for none other cause but for their sinnes it is needles to inquire what particuler sins were the cause for it was not one or two but all kind of sinnes especially their vnthankefulnes for the Lord had giuen them Dauid a most excellent gouernour who both had established the puritie sinceritie of Gods true religion and also had kept them in peace trāquillity for many yeres together But as it vsually cōmeth to passe through the corrupt nature of man which is made insolēt with prosperitie y e people not considering those gret benefits of God were not onely vnthankful to him for so happy a gouernmēt but fol lowed euery one the lustes of his owne hart not fearing to trāsgresse y e cōmandements of the Lord but yet retaining an outward forme of Godlines by external exercise of religion the vertue power whereof they denied in life cōuersation and so prouoked y e wrath of the Lord of hoastes to be kindled against thē but we must consider wherfore y e scripture saith The wrath of the lord proceded or was yet more kindled you must vnderstād as we read in y e 21. cha of this booke y t the wrath of the Lorde was kindled before this time against y e people so y t he plagued thē with three yeares famin for the crueltie that Saul to gratifie them committed gainst the Gibeonites whō he had slain sought to root our cōtrarie to a couenant whiche their auncetors had made confirmed with a solemne oath in y c days of Iosua These three yeeres of hunger were now past this was the fourth yeere in which God after he had auenged the bloud of the Gibeonites vpon the posterite of Saul had restored plētie and aboundance of al things for the maintenance of mans life with externall peace prosperitie for which benefits blessings of God bestowed vpō thē they were boūd to haue serued God in holines and righteousnes before him all y e dayes of their life like as by the former plague they were admonished to forsake their sinnes which were the cause thereof and truly to turne to him But they cleane cōtrariwise abusing his mercy tooke occasion to prouoke his iustice euen as the froward nature of man is so long as they are plagued and the hande of the Lord is heauie on them they humble them selues before him or at least pretend so to doe but when the plague is seaced and they find them selues relieued they returne againe to their former wickednesse So was it with the Israelites they had bene punished with famine but they were not thereby reformed and therefore the wrath of the Lord is still kindled
against them By which example we ought to be admonished that we deceiue not our selues after the maner of the world to thinke that the wrath of the Lord shall be turned from vs before we turne from our sinnes wherefore let vs not flatter our selues as the reprobate doe when they haue escaped some particular punishment this daunger is ouercome this brunt is past this storme is blowen ouer c. For so long as we continue in our sinnes and seeke not ro be reconciled vnto the Lorde the wrath of the Lorde will be still kindled against vs yea more and more prouoked to punish vs and if one plague be ceased an other shall beginne when famine is stayed the pestilence shall rage and if that will not reforme vs some other plague shall be sent vpon vs. The Lord can want no whippes so long as his wrath is bent to scourge vs therefore let vs not obstinately set our selues against him to trye whether he will be soner wearied in striking or we in bearing his stripes but let vs humbly and at once cast downe ourselues acknowledge our sinnes be sorie for them and forsake them and then the way to reconciliation shall be opened by our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe in whome the Lorde shall be pleased with vs and his wrath pacified towards vs. We haue further to note the reason of the metaphor when the holy Ghost saith The wrath of the Lord was kindled which kinde of speach is very often vsed in the Scripture to compare the wrath of God to fire whose force when it hath taken strength can not easily be stayed and whose propertie is to consume all things that ministreth matter vnto it and for that cause the Lord him selfe in respect of his iustice is called a consuming fire To the end therefore that we should stand in feare of Gods iustice and that we should be as carefull not to prouoke his wrath against vs as we are carefull not to minister matter vnto fire which will be readie to consume our selues and all that euer we haue our GOD is saide to be a consuming fire and the wrath of the Lord is saide to be kindled against vs. Therefore as there is no dallying with fire when any light substance is neare which is readie to take flame so there is no dissembling before God the fire of whose wrath and iustice is kindled with our sinnes wickednes for as y e Lord hateth abhorreth all sinnes and vngodlines so his iustice is kindled like fire against y e same to purge and cleanse the world of all vnrighteousnesse Let not sinners therfore thinke to stande in his presence which is a consuming fire before whō they shall melt euen as waxe and vanish away as smoake before whome they shall be as stubble and chaffe that is set on fire and can not be quenched And let vs which trust in his mercy not be high minded but stande in awe of his iustice and prouoke not his wrath to bekindled against vs through our manifold sinnes and wickednesse whose wrath if it be but a little kindled as the prophet saith no man is able to stand in the presence of his iustice but it will appeare howe happie they are which put their trust in his mercy And if the wrath of God being but a little kindled hath so notable effect what is to be looked for when it is wholy inflamed in furie against vs for grosse manifest contempt of his glorious maiestie For as contempt in men is the chiefest cause in prouoking them to anger and the greatest contempt prouoketh the greatest anger so it is with the Lorde whose iustice is despised in all sinne and disobedience of his lawe but chiefly in that prophane and professed contempt which we see to beare the sway among great numbers of the wicked which openly and without all feare of his iustice haue solde them selues like Achab to commit all manner of sinne with greedinesse Thus we see what the spirite of God meaneth when he saith The wrath of God was yet more kindled against Israel Nowe we haue to consider howe it standeth with the iustice righteousnesse of God that Israel hauing prouoked the wrath of God the heart of Dauid is moued to number the people that the wrath of the Lord being kindled against Israel he stirred vp Dauid against them For it seemeth contrarie to reason that the people hauing deserued punishment the Lorde should deale with the Prince for them But for so much as the Prince is as it were an helme or sterne by which the Lord gouerneth the whole comminaltie of people which the Lord hath committed to their charge it standeth well with his iustice and wisedome also to moue and stirre vp the Prince against them when so euer their transgressions shall prouoke his righteousnesse to chasten them And euen so saith Salomon Prouer. 21. As the streames of waters or as it is nowe translated as a vessell in the streams of waters so is the kings hart in the hand of the Lord whethersoeuer he will he inclmeth and moueth it eyther to the hauen of prosperitie if the people serue him or to the shoare of danger and aduersitie if they prouoke his wrath against them Therefore as the stirring of a shippe by the master directeth the shippe whither he thinketh good euen so the Lord moueth the heartes of all Princes which are as the sterne of the shippe of the common wealth in his hand that they are not carried at all aduentures whither the stream of waters will driue them but whither so euer it pleaseth him either to the great and singular benefite of that people which feareth the Lord or for the correction and punishment of them which transgresse his lawes and contemne his iustice Ye heare nowe howe well it agreeth not onely with the iustice but also with the wisedome of God that he should moue the heart of the king according to the disposition of the people Besides this we must also vnderstand that as Princes are publique persons in respect of their gouernemēt of whole nations committed to their charge so also before the Lord they are priuate persons to be called to account not only for such things as they do in their publique gouernement but also for such offences as they commit priuatly as the sonnes of Adam Among which there is none found so righteous but that in many things they transgresse the lawe of God and therefore the iustice of God is not to be accused of any vnrighteousnesse when the people haue prouoked his wrath and Dauid can not iustifie him selfe before him if he stirre vp Dauids heart againste the people for their punishment and take occasion of the peoples sinnes to punish Dauid him selfe For although here is no transgression of Dauid expressed wherby he might seeme to haue brought this punishment vpon him yet Dauid him selfe will confesse that there was alwayes sufficient cause in him why the Lorde might
no lesse then the authoritie of Gods word written in the scriptures and the law of nature written in the hearts of all nations is most contrarie and repugnant to their most folish and damnable persuasion The Lord deliuer vs from the deuices practises and doings of the Atheistes as for their witt learning wisedome and reason in which they please them selues aboue other men we are nothing afraide of it they durst take vppon them the defence of their diuelish persuasion and let them assure them selues that the iustice of God which nowe they contemne they shall hereafter feale and howe soeuer they woulde flye from it it shall finde them at the length wherof a restimonie also remaineth stil in their conscience which the prophet in the Psalme forgetteth not to note where he saith There haue they feared where there is no cause to feare For of all other these prophane Atheistes that can so boldlie lustily despise God and his righteousnes in any appearāce of daunger yea where no daunger at all is are most fearefull cowardes and trembling dastards and no meruaile for what good courage can there be where there is no hope but in this life nor comforte of helpe but in men which are not able to helpe themselues But I am to blame to vse to much speach against thē who either heare it not or though thei herd it wold make no accompt of it saying that it is not vnprofitable for the godly and religious to haue the madnesse of these men made manifest that they maye the more deteste them and better beware of them Thus haue you heard the iustice of God deliuered frō the malice of the gretest enemies therof God graunt that as manie of them as be recouerable maye in time see against whome they haue beene bold to oppose them selues and vnderstanding howe little it is possible for them to preuaile they may no more kick against the pricke nor striue againste the streame but in all humilitie and submission acknowledging their haynous rebellion they may desire rather to bee releeued by his mercie then by contending anye longer to trie the rigor of his iustice One other thinge more to bee noted in this example of Gods iustice which the scripture testifieth that the Lorde in his wrath remembreth his mercie towardes his elect and that appeareth in this history For when the people had prouoked the wrath of the Lorde to bee kindled againste them and that hee in iustice was to procure a punishmet and correction for their amendement yet hee so ordered the whole matter by his merciful deuine prouidence that in the end it turned to y e singuler benefit of his Church so that euen the rod by whiche he scourgeth thē was a demōstration of his mercie towardes them For as it appeareth in the 22. Chap. of the booke of Chronicles by occasion of the plague which God sent for the punishment of the peoples sins Dauid found out y e place which y e Lorde had appointed for y e building of his tēple Marueilous therfore is the prouidence of the Lorde which as the wise man saith extendeth it selfe from ende to ende mightelie and disposeth al things sweetlie and wonderfull is the louing kindnes and mercie of God towardes his electe which euen then when his wrath is kindled against them forgetteth not like a moste louing father in chastening of their faults to seeke their amendement and to change the verie correction and punishment it selfe into a singuler benefite and blessing For what a singuler benefite was it to all the Church of Israel when the Lorde had appointed his resting place in Sion and the building of his Temple in Hierusalē which place the Lord reueiled by occasion of this punishment and Dauid perceiued that the Lorde had hearde his prayer when he sacrificed in the threshing floure of Aranna the Iebusite so that the angell was cōmaunded to put vp his sword and the pestilence was stayed from raging any longer among the people Wherefore we see that although the iustice of god in his punishment bee terrible for the time yet in the ende he turneth all to the benefite of the faithfull By which we learne not to be faint harted or discouraged when the Lordes wrath is kindled against vs but with patience to beare his anger whē we haue sinned against him and with the eyes of faith to beholde his mercie which he neuer forgetteth towardes his chosen no not when hee dealeth moste sharply with them For not onely his rodd staffe as the Prophete saith shall cōforte vs as they are the tokens of his fatherly chastisement for our reformation but also the verie meanes whiche he prouideth for our punishment hee conuerteth oftentime to our benefite thus doth faith ouercome the terrour of Gods iustice when it assureth vs that it is so far off that the same should take any place againste vs for our destruction in as much as it is satisfied by the death of Iesus Christ that contrariewise his punishmentes are merciful and his chastisemēts are beneficial vnto vs. Onely let vs take heede that we despise not his long suffering in his fauourable correctiō least with y e wicked we procure his warth to be vpon vs vnto y e end An other lesson we haue to learne in this exāple of gods iustice as profitable in all ages so most necessarie in our time The wrath of y e Lord was here kindled against Israel for whose punishment Dauid is moued to number the people whence now proceedeth y e cause of this punishmēt not frō y e gouernmēt of Dauid but frō the sins of the people For while the people please God serue him according to his word he blessed Dauid for their benefit in all his consultations affaires but when y e people prouoke the wrath of God against thē then is Dauid made an instrument for their punishment It is not vnlike but the people in Dauids time among other their sinns by which they prouoked Gods punishmēt were also infected in this vice y t they tooke vpon them as it is vsuall with people that are vnthankful for the great trauel which princes bestow in their gouernment to enter into finding of faulte with y e state of regiment to remoue the cause of their punishments frō thē selues vnto him which had lesse deserued it Neuertheles the holy ghost testifieth plainly y t the cause of this plague was not the ill demeanor of Dauid but the sinnes of Israel Let Israel therfore walke in the ways of the Lord serue him with an vpright hart there shall be no error in y e gouernmēt of Dauid but he shal haue a prosperous raigne ouer them A lesson verie needfull for y e people of our dayes who were neuer so curious to enquire of princes causes and matters of the state of which for want of knowledg they are meet to be no Iudges although they had authoritie as they be in this time But sirs you
forget your place God hath made you subiects and not gouernours to be gouerned and not to rule enter not therfore neither intermedle you with princes matters but enter into your selues looke y t your sinns wickednes do not cause an error to be in the gouernment for if there be any at any time it proceedeth frō you your sinns are the cause as it appeareth plainly in this exāple The sinnes of Israel prouoked the Lord to wrath and then Dauids heart is moued to number the people From whence proceede ill humors which trouble the head and cause it to ake out of the head no they ascende out of the bodie into the heade and so causeth the heade to ake and then the aking of the head is y e disquietnes of all the body and yet the cause is not in the heade but in the il humors which proceede from the bodie Take heed therfore that ye minister no ill humors out of the body into the heade and the head shall be well inough able to gouerne the bodie Looke therefore to y e purging of the bodie from sinne and wickednesse that no distemperature thereby doe rise into the heade and doubt you not but the Lorde God as he hath alwaies hitherto so he will frō hence foorth direct the heade to your singuler benefite quietnes and commoditie And in this behalfe wee haue earnestly to pray to the Lorde for the preseruation of our soueraigne considering howe greatly wee haue prouoked his wrath and giuen him iust cause to withdrawe his bountifull graces frō her which hithert to it hath pleased him moste plenteously to bestowe vppon her highnes to our singuler benefites and comfort and likewise we haue to praise and magnifie the Lorde for his infinite mercie declared in his longe suffering and patience toward vs who notwithstāding we haue so often and so much prouoked him to indignatiō through our manifolde transgressions contempt of his worde and vnthankefulnes yet hath he so blessed her estate and gouernement and that for so long time ouer vs that searching all monumentes of stories from the beginning the like examples of prosperous and peaceable regement shall neuer bee founde I say the like happie and quiet gouernement in all godlinesse and honesty for so many yeres together is not to bee shewed in this Iland out of any recordes of antiquitie Turne ouer the booke hardly and spare not and bring me foorth no small examples but onlie such as our moste soueraigne Ladie may vouchsafe to excel if euer the like prosperous godly estat can be shewed of so long continuance Let vs therfore yeeld glorie vnto his maiestie frō whose onely goodnes this as all other goods gifts haue proceeded thankfull obedience vnto her highnes whō he hath vsed as a meane and instrumēt to procure all this happines vnto vs. And as wee haue thus longe enioyed this blessed gouernmēt so that we may enioye it twise as many yeares or more if it be his will let vs become humble sutors to our heauenly father that hee will blesse her maiestie with longe life to the glorie of his name and the benefite of his Church but especially considering wee haue prouoked the Lordes wrath to bee kindled againste vs let vs make hast to bee reconciled vnto him by vnfayned and heartie repentaunce and amendement of life for when the Lorde shall see vs turned truely vnto him hee will turne from the fearcenesse of his wrath and turning awaye from vs all such plagues and punishmentes as wee moste righteously haue deserued hee will turne vnto vs the cheerefull light of hys countenance in Iesus Christ in whom and for whome hee is well pleased with vs. And thus muche touching the righteousnesse of God which is the first part The seconde poynte wee haue to consider is the malice of Sathan whiche is noted to vs in the 21. Chapter of the first booke of Chronicles where it is saide that Sathan stoode vppe againste Israel and moued the hearte of Dauid to number the people Althoughe the malice of Sathan bee manifold and almost infinite yet I will note it in two pointes onelie out of this texte Firste in the person with whome he dealeth and secondly in the sinne wherevnto hee prouoketh him Concerning the first it is said that Sathan stoode vp againste Israel and moued the hearte of Dauid For when Gods wrath was kindled agaynste Israel Sathan was Gods minister to execute his iuste iudgemente not of obedience to God but of malice to Israel Therfore howe doth he execute it he goeth streight to Dauid For Sathan findinge himselfe loosed of that chaine by which he is restrayned from assaulting the people of God whome he defendeth with his grace and boyling in malice againste the Church of GOD whose prosperitie hee enuieth and seeketh her destruction imediately he setteth vppon the chiefe gouernour thereof All his malice is against the Church of God and therfore it is said Sathan stoode vp againste Israel but he knowing wher to do most mischiefe beginneth to shew his malice against Dauid he seeketh to infect the heade that he might destroye the whole body He knoweth that a godly and vertuous prince is the principal instrument that God vseth amongst men to procure y e wealth of his Church and chosen people and therefore of hatred against y e church rankor against gods people he seeketh by al meanes to corrupt a good prince to cause a godly gouernour to bee vnprofitable to thē see therefore how great cause we haue with earnest and daily praiers to commend vnto the gratious protection of our God the preseruation of our godly Prince and Souereigne Bicause we see the malice of Satan to be so great y t whensoeuer he is let loose to stand vp against Israel he will begin his assault where he knoweth he may doe most hurt to the Church of GOD. And therefore not without cause the Apostle so vehemētly exhorteth that prayers supplications intercessions and thankesgiuings be made specially for Kings and all that be in authoritie bicause Sathans malice which he beareth against Gods Church he seeketh specially to execute by them whose power is greatest and whose example carieth the multitude after them For euē as the Lorde in wisedome and iustice vseth to punish the people by their Princes euen so Sathan of hatred and malice seeketh the ouerthrowe of the Church by the same persons The second point wherein the malice of Sathan is to be considered is the vice or sinne wherevnto he moued the heart of Dauid The text saith he moued Dauid to number the people For a prince to nūber muster his people of it self it is no sin but a thing indifferēt of his owne nature which at sometime is not only lawfull to do but also necessarie and therefore it is no hard matter to gather what sinne Dauid committed in numbring the people namely his heart by Sathan contrarie to his former faith and humble trust in Gods
ordreth disposeth al euil which is a per uerting of y t good which cōmeth from God proceedeth from Satan the corruptiō of mans nature so y t he conuerteth y e same alwayes in y e end to his glory the benefite of his elect as we see in y e persecution of y e wicked the infirmities of the godly yet is he by no meanes to be charged as the author cause of sinne euill If this wil not satisfie you but y t you will further vrge me with that questiō of the Maniches whence cōmeth euil seing nothing but good cōmeth from God yet you affirme y t God is the cause of all things I wil answer as I haue learned out of the anciēt writers who wer troubled with y t sect of y e Maniches which affirmed y t there were two beginnings When it pleased y e almightie to shew foorth his infinit power wisdom goodnes in y e creation of things visible and inuisible bodily spiritually it pleased him for y e illustratiō setting forth of y e glorie of his goodnes to ordeine for so they haue taught me to speake y t euil shuld proceed out of y e frewill of his reasonable creatures And this his ordinance is good For although euil be naught and cursed be he y t saith euill is good yet y t there shuld be euill which is Gods ordinance it is excellēt good If this seem strange to any man I wil make it plain by two manifest reasons the first is the excellencie of goodnes can not so well appeare be knowne as by y e comparison of the contrarie which is euill Therefore it is perfect good that euill should be for the manifestation of that which is good we see that in all y e creatures and workes of the world GOD hath ordained that his glorie should shine in contraries As to the intent y t the beutie and glory of light should be seene and knowne to be such as it is he hath ordained darkenesse For if he had created light to be perpetual without any change of darknes how had it ben possible for men although liuing in the light to haue knowne the excellencie of light so should God haue ben defrauded of y e glory of so beutifull profitable and cōfortable a creature Therfore euen as by darknes we learne how to esteeme light and by bitter that which is sweete and euery other thing by his contrarie euen so by the deformitie of euill we are taught howe great is the excellent comlines of that which is good therfore the ordinance of god that there should be euill is perfect good Althtugh this reason be plaine inough yet the second reason is more manifest euen to y e meanest capacities For y t the glorie of gods mercie might appeare in the saluation of his electe and his iustice in the condemnation of the reprobate it was necessarie that there should be euil and so necessary that otherwise there should haue bene no matter for the mercie and iustice of God to worke vppon For if there shoulde haue beene no sinne nor euill wherein shoulde the mercie of GOD in pardoning and forgiuing of sinnes haue bene seene if there should haue beene no transgression howe shoulde the glorie of Gods iustice haue shined in punishment Ye see therefore that God by no means may be compted the author of euill which he hath not created made or wrought but ordeined that it shoulde proceede from the freewil of his reasonable creatures for the illustration of his glorie Let vs therefore tremble at his righteous iudgementes who doth all thinges according to the good pleasure of hys will and hath made the wicked man for the daye of his wrath as Salomon testifieth and yet by no meanes is the cause of his wickednes If any man bee not satisfied with this answere he may enter further into y e vnmeasurable deapthe of Gods iudgement into which he may rather finde an entraunce thē a way out except it bee to his euerlasting destruction for his horrible presumption You haue heard nowe the iustice of God defended againste the Pelagians and Papistes it followeth that I speake some thing to the confutation of the second enemies thereof which are the Atheistes who because they will not bee troubled with such thornie doubtful questions as these are imagine that they haue founde an easie way vnto wisedome and a solutiō for all controuersies of religion when they say in their harts there is no God Against whose impietie madnes the time wil not serue me to spek so much as their wickednes deserueth yet if time wold permit neuer so large a discourse I could say in effect no more against thē then y e prophet Dauid writeth in the 14. Psalme Amar Hanabal The greatest and most doltish foole of all fooles hath said in heart there is no God But what meaneth the prophet so to befoole them when of all other men they are or woulde seeme to bee the finest witted the best learned and most full of all wisedome and knowledge euen because of all other they are most voide of all true wisedome which although they fansie to thē selues that they only haue found yet is there not one among an hundreth that dare acknowledge it A goodly wisedome that they are ashamed to professe and stand in defēce of it for although they nourish that monster in their hearts are bold sometimes to shew foorth the same where they thinke themselues to be the best learned yet is ther not one of them that dare encounter with a Christian Philosopher to mainetaine by reason that which they holde againste all reason they obiecte perhappes you will oppresse them with the authoritie of Gods worde and the holye Scriptures where vnto they giue no credit nay we wil lay the Bible aside and dispure with them out of the great booke euen out of the beutifull theater of the world in whose creation and preseruation if they can not reade written in great capitall letters the almightie power wisedome goodnes and the iustice and mercie of God in the gouernement thereof they are the most blind blockishe and vnsensible of all other creatures And yet they fancie in their frensie that they haue founde out the greatest and the deepest point of wisedome when they are fallen into the greatest absurditie or follie that can be For what can bee more contrary to reason thē to affirme an effect without a cause or to followe their dreames an eternall effect without an eternall cause Therefore the holy Ghost most aptlie exprobrateth vnto them extreme follie because by their monstruous position of denyinge God they take away the fountaine of all knowledge and wisedome that is the cause of all thinges But as the asse yeeldeth to no other reason but to a clubbe so they are more worthie to be knocked downe with a betle then to be confuted with anie reason which
chastise him for so he acknowledgeth in the 51. Psalme that not only for that grosse and notorious sinne of adulterie and murther he had deserued Gods vengeance but generally he accuseth his whole life of sinne and transgression of Gods lawes that the wrath of God in his punishmēts what so euer it should please him to lay on him might of al the world be acknowledged to be iust and righteous For thus he cryeth Against thee against thee O Lorde I haue sinned that is I haue done nothing but sinned done that which is euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy sayings and haue the vpper hande when thou art iudged And least we should thinke that he speaketh of some short time of his life in which the diuell had so greatly preuayled with him he declareth in the next verse that it was euen from his natiuitie yea frō his conception that this corruption hath remayned in him which is contrarie to the righteousnesse of God Behold saith he I was borne in sinne and in iniquitie did my mother conceiue me whereas thou louest trueth in the inward partes This cōfession of Dauid therefore is sufficient to cleare the Lorde from all vnrighteousnesse and to shewe manifestly that Dauid is not punished for the peoples sinnes as an innocent which hath deserued nothing in his owne person nor is beaten altogether for the faultes of other mē which could not stand with Gods righteousnesse except in that case where our sauiour Christ willingly offered him selfe to be punished for our transgressions But here the Israelites prouoking the wrath of the Lord deserued y e a good gouernour should decline out of y e right course for their punishment And Dauid him selfe can not deny but y e when so euer the Lord shal chastice him he shal not do it with out his deserts So y t euery way it standeth with Gods righteousness that Israel hauing caused his wrath to be kind led against him he should stirre vp Dauid whome he had giuen to them being a most excellent Prince for their benefit nowe to giue occasion of their punishment But against this doctrine of the iustice and righteousness of god two kind of aduersaries do rise vp The first are the Pelagians and Papists so farre as they agree with the Pelagians The second are the Atheistes the former sort reason after this manner If you say y t God moued Dauid to number y e people which was sinne do you not thereby make God y e author of sin God forbid let God onely be righteous and all men sinners For he only is holy he only is pure frō al corruptiō and there is no vnrighteousnes in him But howe can you auoyde that inconuenience say they that followeth of this assertion God moued Dauid to do that wherwith he was displeased therfore he was the cause of the sinne in Dauid It is easily auoyded For the same storie is set downe in 1. Chro. 21. Chap. where it is said that Satan or the aduersarie stoode vp against Israel and moued the hart of Dauid to number y e people by conference of which place of Scripture with this my text we may see how God moued Dauid to number the people and yet moueth him to no sinne For whereas it is here saide that the Lorde was angrie with Israel and moued Dauid against them for we can not aptly vnderstand any other but either the Lord or the wrath of the Lord which moued him and in the Chronicles it is saide that Sathan moued him it is manifest that God and the diuell concurre in one action God as a most righteous iudge and Sathan as a most malicious enimie By which wese that there proceedeth nothing from GOD but iustice and that the sinne which is euill commeth from the diuell so that the Lord God although he be the first mouer in all our actions for in him we liue and moue and haue our being yet he is not authour or cause of any euill in vs. Neuerthelesse hee vseth Sathan to punish vs who although hee be a malitious enimie yet is he a minister of y e righteous iudgement of God although against his will and euen then when he opposeth him selfe against God For Sathan is not suffered to reigne and rage at his pleasure against the elect of GOD for then he would in one moment ouerthrow the whole Church of Christe but kept in chaines of darknesse so that he can not stirre but where and when it pleaseth God in iustice to vse his ministerie and seruice Therefore when the wrath of the Lorde was kindled against Israel Sathan also standeth vp against Israel as a minister of Gods wrath by necessitie of Gods ordinance though a cruell aduersarie by his owne will and malicious affection So that neither by colour of this texte nor of any oother in the whole Scripture the Lord can be charged as the cause of the same euill which he punisheth either in the elect or in the reprobate for what so euer proceedeth from him as it proceedeth from him is good and to a good end who vseth well euen Sathan the aduersarie of all goddnesse and his members the reprobate and so ordereth brideleth and gouerneth their sinnes and wickednes that euen their euill he turneth to good out of their wickednesse as it were light out of darkenesse bringeth his glorie So he hardened the heart of Pharao yet was he not the cause of Pharaos sinne but the cause was in Pharao him selfe who of his owne corruption did set him self against God and of Sathan who ruleth in the reprobate and stirreth him vp to rebellion and obstinate resisting of Gods commandements Thus was the heart of Pharao hardened by God as by a righteous iudge by Sathan as by a malicious enimie against God mankind by Pharao him selfe as by a man who being cleane voyde of Gods spirite by corruption of his owne nature is inclined to nothing but to contempt and disobedience of God and y e whole matter so ordered in all pointes by the diuine prouidence that the glory of his iustice might be set foorth in Pharaos destruction euen as y e Lord saith vnto him euen for this cause haue I stirred thee vp that I might shewe foorth my power in thee that my name might be renouned in al the world Therefore the same God which maketh an hypocrite to reigne for the sinnes of y e people and giueth a king in his furie whom he taketh away againe in his indignation as y e prophet saith euen the same God by the same authoritie wisdome iustice moueth Dauid a good king against Israel y t he might punish them without all contagion or infection of y t sinne and euil by which he was moued to number y e people which caused god to punish them so y t although god giueth the first mouing power and strength in al maner of actions which we must confesse to be good as proceding from him
promises was lifted vp with pride and presumption For hauing no lawfull cause either Ecclesiasticall to leuie a subsidie for the maintenance of Gods religion as Moses prescribeth in the 30. of Exodus or else ciuill as was oftentimes lawfully practised in time of warre he alledgeth only his vaine curiositie that he might know the number of them thus did Sathan beginne to plant the roote of pride and insolencie in the hart of Dauid which as it is a vice in al men most odious so to be in a Prince is most daungerous and that for many causes All which Sathan did well foresee when he maketh his assault vnto Dauid with the sinne of presumption first of all for that of all othervices Princes are most easily drawne to pride and insolencie both bicause the nature of all men is most prone and apt to fall into pride in prosperitie and for that Princes and high estates being aduaunced to such greatnesse aboue all other men haue so many occasions to be pfst vp with presumption if they be not mightily and maruelously defended by the singular grace of God So that a Prince that is humble and lowly in heart is one of the greatest miracles of the world and in deede so great a wonder that it can not be brought to passe but by him which onely worketh great maruelles Thus Sathan beeing most malicious and moste subtill in his malice to bring his purpose to effect more speedily vseth such a meane by whiche hee may worke most easily Neyther hath hee regarde onely to the easinesse of his enterprise but that the same also is most apt to ouerthrowe the Churche and people of GOD. for by pride and insolencie most of all other vices a Prince is made vnapt to exercise his office and duetie The office of a King standeth in two pointes The first is in maintenance of true religion the second is prouision for the common wealth and publique peace of his subiectes but neither of these can he exercise to the glorie of God benefite of men if his heart be ouercome with presumption for touching the first if pride possesse the heart of a King he will either neglect religion altogether or else thinke that he may doe and decree in religion what he list If he neglect the cause of religion he will haue no regard to set out Gods glorie he passeth not whether y e worde of God be preached or not preached whether the sacramentes be ministred or not ministred discipline exercised or not or whether all thinges be well done or yll done finally he careth not whether religion goeth backward or forward But if he will intermeddle with religion with a presumptuous insolent minde he wil imagine that all things in religion are subiect to his wil and pleasure Vzzia otherwise not the worst Prince was so lifted vp with pride that he vsurped the Priestes office and would needes offer incense but he was plagued for his presumption and stricken of the Lorde with a leprosie Achas commaunded Vrias the high Priest to remoue the altar of the Lord out of his place and to set vp an other altar of an other fashion according to the patterne which he sent him from Damasco Ieroboam thinketh it lawfull for him to chaunge the decree of GOD concerning worshipping at Hierusalem and setteth vp an newe forme of worshippe in Dan and Bethel Saul thinketh long to tarie for Samuel and offereth sacrifice without him These examples and many other doe shewe how dangerous to the state of religion is the sinne of pride and presumption in the heart of a Prince No maruell therefore if Sathan which maliceth most the good proceedings in religion that he might vndermine the tower of the church to the vtter ouerthrow of y e same prepareth his way by puffing vp y e Kings heart with pride insolencie knowing that he which is proude and insolent towards men can not be humble obedient vnto God The second part of the office of a king is to prouide for the common wealth the peace and prosperitie of his subiectes which can not be without great trauell and labour of minde and body But if the Prince be ouercome with pride he will neuer abase him selfe to take such great paines as he ought to doe for the benefite of other men in so difficult dangerous a matter Therefore Moses in the 17. of Deuteronom where he describeth what manner a King is to be chosen by the Israelites and what is the office of a King when he is elected ioyneth both these partes together and for the performance of the later especially admonisheth them to beware of presumption when the King saith he shal sit vpon the throne of his kingdome he shal write out by a copie receiued of the Priestes a booke of the law of the Lord and that shal be with him to read therin al the dayes of his life y t he may prosper and learne to feare the Lord his God to keepe al y e words of y e lawe to do thē thus hauing prescribed the booke of y e lawe to be y e directiō of his gouernmēt as wel in religiō as in affaires of y e cōmoon welth to which burdē y t the king might submit his shoulders and not thinke scorne to beare it he addeth īmediatly y t his hart be not lift vp aboue his brethren what meaneth Moses by this y t a king should not shew him selfe to be a king When by Gods ordinance he is aduaunced lifted vp aboue all other men no verily he meaneth not so but that the king is lifted vp aboue his brethren to be a father vnto them and to haue a fatherly care which hee can not haue if his heart be lifted vp aboue them to contemne them whereas he ought not only to reteine his loue to them which he had before he was a king as vnto his brethrē but also to put on a greater affection of loue when he is a king as of a father towards his children Wherfore the meaning of Moses is that the Kings heart should not be lifted vp aboue his brethren to cōtemne them to tread them vnder feete to exercise tyrannie ouer them but to be humble and lowly minded of loue willingly chearfully to take such trauels and to ouercome such difficulties as is necessarie for all them which shall gouerne well and to the profite of others We see that naturall parentes which haue the greatest authority ouer their children of whom they are to be honoured notwithstanding their dignitie doe willingly and gladly indure any trauell which they thinke may be profitable and beneficiall to their children euen so ought the parents of the countrie whose honour obedience is confirmed vnto them by none other but euen by the same commandement not disdaine any labour trauell or industrie which is necessarie to be imployed for the wealth and preseruation of their subiects But such Princes as haue not learned out