without abatement all goodnes without any euill where youth flourisheth that neuer waxeth olde life that knoweth no ende beautie that neuer fadeth loue that neuer cooleth health that neuer diminisheth ioy that neuer ceaseth where sorrow is neuer felt complaint is neuer heard matter of sadnes is neuer seene nor euill successe is euer feared for that they possesse thee ô Lorde which art the perfection of their felicitie If God would graunt thee to enioy this felicitie but halfe an houre thou wouldest contemne a thousand worlds to haue it especially to haue it for euer And though this world were indeed very good the things of it of great waight and price and that thou mightest enioy it in health safetie and honour yet shouldest thou esteeme it as ridiculous and vaine in respect of that most happie fruition of God How much more being as it is most vile base vncertaine transitorie shouldest thou despise the greatest Treasures or pleasures of it in comparison of that Felicitie that is the greatest and most true good which is receceiued from the Creator himselfe and not from the creature the which if wee doe once receiue none can take it from vs in comparison of which all ioy is sorrowe all pleasure is paine all sweetnes is sower all beautie is filthines His countenance is pleasant his words sweete his face delectable to looke vpon Yet there we may alwayes beholde him there wee may alwayes haue him and delight in him This is the chiefe whole felicity of man to know and loue his louer Hee that is sure of this will sell all that hee hath to get this treasure will count all the things of this life drosse and dung in comparison of that The hope and assurance of this hath made the Saintes of God to contemne the worlde to mortifie the flesh to to hūble their soules to fight against temptations to endure reproches scoffings and torments and to die cheerfullie and willingly hauing respect to the crowne of glorie the place of pleasure euerlasting life This made Moses to refuse to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter to chuse rather to suffer aduersity with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sin for a season esteming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt Many would thinke this a foolsh refusall a foolish choyce but the cause that moued him followeth he had respect to the recōpence of reward Againe he forsooke Egypt and feared not the fiercenes of the King for he endured as he that saw him which is in visible I haue beene long and large in this point but pardon me I cannot content and satisfie my selfe and the matter is waightie and of great importance and the chiefe end of our creatiō of our calling redemption and sanctification and yet few doe regard it Oh that all which I haue said might drawe our hearts from the vanities of the world to settle and fixe them vpon eternall happines This text indeed speaketh of that chiefe happines which may be had in this life and is a meanes whereby we may come to the other yet this is a consequent of that and the first degree of life eternall in this life Besides that there may be some fit resemblance and illusion betwixt the glory happines and wisedom of Salomon and of Christ so that in the closet of our soules we may say to our Sauiour in these words Sonne of God Sonne of Dauid the true Salomon the King of that heauenly Ierusalem the King of peace and glory happie are thy seruants and Saints in heauen the Citizens of that Citie the worshippers of that Temple the attendants and inhabitants of that pallace which doe alwaies behold thy maiestie thy holines and wisedome If this woman admired the order in Salomons house the glory and beautie of his pallace and his wonderfull wisedome how admirable is thy glory beautie and wisedome in the heauens If she count them happie which enioy these things how happie are they which enioy thy presence in thine eternall kingdome and are they not most happie which haue left a noysome filthy prison to enioy a pallace that haue past from the turbulent sea to a most safe heauen of rest are they not happie which haue left all toyle and labour and be now at ease and are they not happie which haue ended their pilgrimage and are now at home in a pleasant countrie in that blessed land of Canaan and though their bodies be still in their graues subiect to dust and rottennesse yet are those bodies happie in comparison of ours they being exempted from ignorance incredulitie from mistrust from couetousnes ambition enuie hatred feare terror lust and other sinnes Oh sweet Iesus direct and leade vs in the way to true happines that wee may be happie with them We haue many hinderances many enemies to keepe vs from that Aeternall Felicitie but thou art the way the Truth the life guide vs right keepe vs from error leade vs to life Eternall And good Lord remember vs with the fauour of thy people visite vs with thy saluation that we may see the felicitie of the chosen and reioyce in the ioy of thy people and glorie with thine inheritance giue vs sweet Lord the beginning of that true happines that so we may be happie here and hereofafter happy for euer Giue vs sauing knowledge peace of conscience the guidance of thy Spirit that so heere we may haue thy Kingdome of grace and after this life thy Kingdome of glorie THE SECOND SERMON THough all men naturallie desire to bee happie yet most doe faile and erre in the defining of true happines Some reposing it in one thing some in another but fewe or none truely iudging what it is We haue heard already that ther is no true perfect happines in this life but the true Felicitie is to be sought for desired and wayted for in the life to come yet there is a meanes to come to that and there is a kinde of Happines in this life the which this holy woman doth repose fixe in true wisdom of the which now we are to speak in such manner and measure as God shall vouchsafe grace vnto vs. There is the wisedome of the worlde and the wisedome of God a wisedome humane and a wisdome diuine Humane wisedome containeth the knowledge of Artes and liberall Sciences the politique gouernment of the Commonwealth and families and the knowledge in Trades and handie-craftes All these yea the least of these are the speciall gifts of God And therefore the Lord saith to Moses Beholde I haue called by name Bezaliel the sonne of Vri the sonne of Hur of the Tribe of Iudah whome I haue filled with the spirit of God in wisedome and in vnderstanding and in knowledge and in all workmanship to finde out curious workes to worke in gold and in siluer and in brasse Also in the arte to set Stones and to carue in Timber and
ô Iuda and you inhabitants of Iersalem put your trust in the Lord your God and you shall be assured beleeue his Prophets and you shall prosper Now let vs come to the dutie of a king and of all gouernours set downe in fewe words by this blessed Queene she putteth Salomon in minde oâ— the end why God did thus highly preferre and aduance him it was to execute iudgement and iustice to doe equitie and righteousnes This is the end and calling of aâ— gouernours and rulers appoynted by God himselfe and let vs in respect of the place and persons applie our speech to subordinate magistrates who are the kings deputies and rule in his name vnder him they must faithfully doe their duties and iustly discharge their places and the trust committed to them And by the king being the chiefe magistrate the scripture doâ—â— vnderstand all other gouernours officers assistance and helpers to him he cannot rule and gouerne alone by himselfe so great a kingdome and people he hath need of many eies many eares many heads and hands to helpe and assist him in gouernment Moses by the counsell of Iethrohâ—s father in lawe prouideth sundrie officers and iudges vnder him for hearing and iudging of causes King Iehosephat setteth iudges in the land throughout all the strong Cities in Iuda Citie by Citie and telleth them and teacheth them what they are to doe in their places S. Peter exhorting vs to submission to the king as to the superior so he maketh mention of gouernours vnder the king for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well We haue hard before the excellencie of kings and magistrates namely that God is the author of their place that they are in Gods stead and called by his name This no doubt is a great honour and dignitie to be aboue others to be chiefe in a kingdome in a citie towne or countrie to represent the person of a king yea to represent the person of God this may be an occasion to lift vp the hearts of many aboue their brethren because of the greatnes of their place and many in this their office doe onely respect the highnes the glory and worship of it and therefore are conceited in themselues But as it is Honâ—â— so it is Onus As the place of the magistrate is an honour so it is a burden a great and heauie burden and the consideration of this may serue to humble good magistrates both in the sight of God and men to remember in what low and base astate they haue beene heretofore though they be now aduanced They may say to God in the humilitie of their soules with Iacob I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed to thy seruant for with my staffe came I ouer this Iorden and now haue I gotten two bands And may not some say with Dauid that the Lord hath chosen and taken them from the Sheepefoldes to feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel May not many truly say that though they be now of great wealth yet they haue beene as poore as others though they be now gouernours and rulers of others yet they haue beene subiect to those whom they gouerne Nay the greatnes of their place the honor and dignitie that they are in should not make them proud for if they looke well to the great and manifold duties required they shall haue no cause to be lifted vp but rather to be humbled and cast downe they are not called to the place of gouernment to be proud idle to take their pleasure and ease to liue in â—otousnes in luxurie and licensiousnes but faithfully and carefully to performe all the duties which God requireth of good gouernours in holie scripture to gouerne well is a matter of great difficultie care labour and danger many times in pleasing men they displease God and in pleasing God they displease men so that they can hardly so behaue themselues but that they shall displease the one or the other What wisedome humane and diuine is required in good gouernors or else they must see with other mens eies he must speake with other mens tongues and they must be wise by other mens heads gouernours without true wisedome are like a ship without an anker like birdes without winges A wise gouernour is like salt to season others he is as the eie and the heart of the people What courage and magnanimitie is required in good rulers for the suppressing of the rebellious and wicked and for doing of iustice without partialitie and what care diligence prouidence labour and toyle for the right gouernment of so many and so many sorts of men The heathen could say that the greatnes of gouernment is the greatnesâ— of care he is in dutie to warrant the sleepe of his subiects by his owne watchfulnes their peace by his labour their ease by his industrie their leisure by his busines the head watcheth and prouideth for the gouernment of the whole body how carefull and watchfull are nurces for the feeding and ordering of their children how watchful are good Shepheards for the leading and feeding of their sheepe and how carefull is a good householder and maister for the gouernment of the whole familie so that it is an old saying Therein but one seruant in an house meaning that the maister is seruant to all in respect of his care and prouidence ouer all In very deed saith one it seemeth to me that it is the art of all artes the discipline of all disciplines to gouerne man which of all creatures is most variable in manners and diuers in will An other saith that to gouerne is not onely a dignitie but an art yea the greatest of all other for if they rule ouer other things which are without man the skill and the cunning is better then all the things themselues how much more is the gouernment ouer men most excellent seeing that men doe excell all other things There are diuers kindes of artes one excelling an other there is the art and skill of husbandrie of carpentrie and building which are very necessaire and doe serue for the helpe and conseruation of this life there be other artes which are lesse then these As to be shepheards taylors smithes but amongst all these husbandrie is most necessarie which God himselfe ordained and commaunded so soone as he had made man for it is possible for a man to liue without most of the other arts but without husbandrie it is impossible to liue without it all the rest are to no purpose yet kings doe gouerne husbandmen and there is some likenes betweene husbandrie and gouernment the gouernor is a setter of plants some he proyneth some he cherisheth and causeth to growe some he cutteth downe and pulleth vp by the rootes good gouernours are like husbandmen by husbandrie the badnes of the earth the wildnes of the plants
are made better by weedes the plantes and seedes are hidden choakt but the good husbandman is carefull to plucke them vp so by good lawes men are made better and the wicked which hinder hurt others are restrained suppressed and as husbandmen haue many things to hinder their planting and sowing as wild beasts tempests haile floods drought so haue gouernours hinderances and enemies to their gouernment which they will carefully auoyde as well as they can This comparison of husbandrie as it setteth out the necessitie and excellencie of gouernment so it sheweth the great care and labour that is ioyned with it for who is more carefull and painefull then the husband man let therefore magistrates be humbled in consideration of the vertues and duties of their great calling and yet for their further humiliation let them remember their owne infirmities and wants to performe their dutie as they ought Let them remember that they are subiect to the temptations of the diuell of the flesh and the world and let them knowe that they are subiect to the common miseries of this life and to other miseries and crosses incident and peculiar to their calling and let them in no case forget that they must giue account to the great Iudge and gouernour of all the world how they haue behaued themselues in their places and callings It shall be said to them to euery one of them Come giue account of thy stewardship thou mayest be no longer steward And for their further humiliatiō they must knowe that they cannot tell how long they shall enioy those places of honour and dignitie being subiect to death as well as others and they cannot tell how soone they may be taken away Agathon had wont to say that a magistrate must alway remember these three things First that he ruleth men secondly that he must rule according to lawes and thirdly that he shall not alwaies rule The consideration of this latter poynt of the shortnes and vncertaintie of this life that we must certainely die and we knowe not how soone is able to humble the mightiest potentate in the earth The highest of them all may say I my selfe am also mortall and a man like all other and am come of him that was first made of the earth and in my mothers wombe was I fashioned as others are and when I was borne I receiued the common ayre crying and weeping at the first as all others doe I was nourished in swadling cloathes and with cares For there is no king that hath any other beginning of birth all men haue one entrance to life and a like going out Dauid calleth death the hie way of all the earth and he himselfe putteth gouernours in minde of their mortall state for howsoeuer he saith that God standeth in the assemblie of gods he iudgeth among gods And againe I haue said yee are gods and yee all are children of the most high this he speaketh of magistrates magnifying and extolling their office and giuing them three times in that Psalme the glorious and sacred titles of Gods yet least they should be puffed vp with the excellencie of their callings presently he telleth them ye shall die as a man and you Princes shall fall like others He would haue them remēber that though they be gods yet they are but mortall gods of this mortall state of Princes we to our great discomfort haue had wofull experience not long since in this our Land A worthie young Prince of great hope the flower and Iewell of our land the comfort of his parents and of all good Christians and subiects the heire apparent of sundrie kingdomes how soone hath the Lord taken him away in the prime of his tender young and flourishing age happie no doubt is he that is so soone taken away from a miserable world but vnhappie are we whose sinnes hath caused the Lord to take such a Iewell from vs it cannot but prognosticate some heauie iudgement to this our nation and countrie and great cause haue all christian hearts amongst vs to mourne and lament for such a great losse This Church may say as Naomi said vpon the death of her husband when they called her Naomi she answered them call me not Naomi that is beautifull but call me Marah that is bitter for the almightie hath giuen me much bitternesse Why call you me Naomi seeing the Lord hath humbled me and the almightie hath brought me to aduersitie Wee may mourne and say with Dauid mourning for the death of Ionathon Tell it not in Gath nor publish it in the streetes of Ashkelon least the daughters of Philistimes reioyce least the daughters of vncircumcised triumph And as he saith in an other place after the death of Abner there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel But blessed be God who is still more mercifull to vs then we deserue and in iudgements remembreth mercy who though for our sinnes hath cut off so precious a branch yet the blessed tree is yet aliue and standeth and flourisheth and also some sweet branches to our great comfort and hope Now the Lord of mercy blesse them all and multiplie and encrease them and continue them and theirs if his will be to the end of the world to their owne comfort the shame of their enemies and to the common good of this Church and common-wealth yet let vs not forget that heauie iudgement but so remember it that it may drawe vs to true repentance for that is the true vse of all iudgements and let vs learne to depend wholy and onely on God and not vpon any mortall man Remembring that counsell of Dauid put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man for there is no helpe in him his breath departeth and he returneth to his earth then his thoughts perish blessed is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lord his God which made heauen and earth the sea ' and all that therein is which keepeth his fidelitie for euer And let this and the like examples of the death of great persons put all in minde though they be neuer so high of the mortall state of all the children of men of what state or conditions soeuer they be And thus though gouernours and magistrates take occasion by the dignitie of their places yet both this and many other causes may moue drawe and induce them to true humilitie And now let vs drawe neerer to the description of the seuerall duties required of Christian gouernours both in this and in many other places of scripture the Lord doth not onely in his word set downe generally the rules of all christianitie but also the seuerall duties of all states degrees and callings as of fathers children maisters and seruants husbands wiues kings subiects wherein we may see the fulnes equitie of scripture applying it selfe and speaking to all sorts of men Againe we learne this
if I giue sentence contrary to law Solon said that the safety of the Common-wealth consisteth in these two points that rewards be distributed after the desert of vertue and punishments after the quality of the offence Iustice saith one knoweth not father knoweth not mother but knoweth the truth accepteth no person but followeth God God is a iust Iudge against wicked persons and if any do stay Iustice and Iudgement through bribes or rewards their sinne and corruption is the greater and a Iudge may be ashamed to say to any offender What wilt thou giue me to shew thee fauour or doe thee Iustice Is not this as if it should bee said What wilt thou giue me to deny my selfe to loose my Office and to sell God himselfe There bee three things saith one which hinder Iustice the fauour of friends flattering praise and receiuing of rewards But this latter is of greater force then the two other There may be causes why punishments may be delayed or lessened some offenders are greater then others and are ring-leaders to wickednesse these deserue more sharpe punishment Others are seduced and fall by occasion these are more mildly to be dealt withall But the inferiour Magistrates can do nothing in such cases without the direction and counsell of the superiour As there be differences of offenders and offences so there be differences of lawes against the which they doe offend Some lawes haue their ground warrant from the law of God and Nature to the transgressers of these there should bee granted no fauour or remission There be other positiue written lawes of the countrey concerning lesser and smaller matters in these the Magistrates haue power sometimes vpon good occasion to remit and pardon so that it be not against the glory of God To this agreeth the words of his Maiesty to his gracious sonne There be some horrible crimes saith he not to be pardoned as Witch-craft wilfull murther incest poyfoning false coine and so hee concludeth that fauour is to be shewed in lesser matters and specially in such as concerne our owne priuate causes But see here the corruption of our nature we are more seuere in our owne causes then in Gods cause wee striue and contend and make a stirre for our riches possessions glory and credite if any goe about to diminish and impaire them how violent cruell and implacable are we But if it be the cause of God how modest how gentle and milde are we Is not this to preferre our selues before God The children of Israel contrary to Gods commandement suffer the Cananites and the Moabitish women to liue Saul spareth Agag and the remnant of Amalecke And another King of Israel spareth Benhadad contrary to Gods commandement And thus men are willing to spare where God would not haue spared and where they should bee most patient and kinde there they are cruell Whereas in our own causes we ought to be patient and mercifull but as for the cause and glory of God we are to be in it most zealous and seuere And there bee some offenders whom the Lord will haue cut off in all seuerity without any fauour pitty or compassion He saith of Amalecke I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalecke from vnder heauen Yea the Lord sware that he would haue a warre with Amalecke from generation to generation And he chargeth his people Israel that when they had rest from their enemies and possessed the good Land hee had promised them that then they should not forget to execute these his iudgements on those people and roote them quite out The reason why God did so hate and pursue this people was their hard and cruell dealing against the children of Israel and therefore long after when Saul was King hee giueth him this charge saying Goe and smite Amalecke and destroy all that pertaines vnto them and haue no compassion on them but slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxen and sheepe both Cammell and Asse But Saul vpon a foolish pitty spared Agag the King and some of the fattest beasts but the Lord did not spare him but thrust him out of his kingdome for his disobedience And Samuel said to Agag As thy sword hath made women childlâ—sse so shal thy mother be childlesse amoÌ„g other women And Samuel being a Iudge hewed Agag in peeces before the Lord in Gilgall Ahab a King spared another King whom God would not haue spared but the Lord said to him Because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I appointed to dye thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people These be fearefull examples for Kings and Princes that they take warning by them how they spare any vpoÌ„ any sinister respect whom God in his iust iudgement would haue smitten with the stroke of death and this is no cruelty to follow the example and commandement of God himselfe Hee saith to a wicked and rebellious people If I whet my glistering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will reward them that hate mee I will make mine arrowes drunke with bloud and my sword shall eate flesh for the bloud of the slaine and the captiues when I begin to take vengeance of the enemy And the people pray thus to God against the seede of Esau because they conspired with the Babylonians Remember say they the children of Edom ô Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said Raze it to the foundation thereof O daughter of Babel worthy to bee destroyed blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs. Blessed shall he bee that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones No pitty nor mercy is to bee shewed to such as bee sworne enemies to the Church and their owne Countrey to bloudy Babylonians grosse Idolaters And yet as there must bee vpright iustice in all good Magistrates so to this also there must bee ioyned clemency and mercy there is vse and place of both and Iustice and Mercy both of them may bee abused but true Mercy and Clemency is an excellent vertue to all Christian Princes and Gouernours They are in the place of God who is full and rich in mercy and compassion and whose mercie is ouer all his workes they are to follow the example and nature of God whose Image they represent and carry they gouerne and rule not beasts but men and therefore all humanity is to bee vsed towards them they are to punish with griefe and compassion A Physition giueth to a patient his friend some bitter potion which hee could bee content in loue to cast away but onely that hee knoweth that it will bee for the good and health of his friend And thus Magistrates are to thinke of punishments as of medicines whereby the guilty may be amended and others by their examples terrified When the guilty is to be condemned the Magistrate is to thinke
prouidence that there shall bee some poore as long as the world endureth Let them therefore bee content with their state seeing God who knoweth what is best for them hath so decreed it in his Wisedome It may bee if they had riches they would abuse them in pride and wantonnesse he can if he see good turne their want into plenty Let them know that many worthy men haue beene in want and necessity Let them take their pouerty as a crosse and let them be patient and humble the rather because sometimes their owne idlenesse and loosenesse of life hath caused it let them repent of their sinnes past let them take heed hereafter of pride enâ—y slothfulnesse and vnlawfull shifts and meanes Let them depend vpon God and cast their whole care vpon him and though they bee poore in the world let their chiefe care bee to bee rich in grace in knowledge and in faith and so they shall bee sure to bee greatly in the fauour of God Let euery one of them say with the Apostle I haue learned in what state I am there-with to bee content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to bee full and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth mee Let them bee kind and pittifull to those which bee in like case with them seeing they are in the same misery Let them bee thankefull towards their Benefactors and though some rich-men bee hard-hearted vnmercifull to theÌ„ let them not curse but blesse and pray to God for them who is able to mollifie and soften their hard hearts for it may bee God in his iustice doth turne the hearts of men from them because they haue turned their eares and hearts from him they haue beene hard hearted against God against Gods word and against their brethren and therefore the hearts of others are iustly hardened against them Let them remember and follow the example of poore Lazarus which though the rich man dealtmore cruelly with him theÌ„ did his dogs had no pitty at all of so poore a creature yet this poore man did neither grudge repine nor curse and therefore being full of faith and patience he was receiued into Abrahams bosome And finally seeing that God hath such a great care of the poore in making so many Lawes for them in giuing so many preceps for their reliefe and taketh their cause to be his owne and seeing he hath appointed Ministers to speake for them and Officers and Magistrates yea Kings and Princes for their defence and reliefe Let the poore I say bee carefull to serue feare that God which is so carefull of them let them reuerence and loue the Ministers louingly embrace that word which doth perswade moue prouoke all men to the duties of mercy loue liberality Let them honor the Magistrates who are appointed as fathers vnto them who take care and watch and take continuall paines to comfort and helpe them And let them say in their soules blessed be God for good Gouernours And thus we haue heard many good parts of good Gouernours that by their meanes the wicked are punished the good are praised and countenanced euery man possesseth his owne oppressions and wrongs are suppressed the poore and needy are comforted and relieued and all these benefits duties this gracious Queene includeth in these words Equity and Righteousnesse One duty yet remaineth which is also a part of Equity and that is to establish and mainetaine true Religion this is the first chiefe duty of a good Prince though I haue referred it to the last place Good Princes are not onely to haue a care of iustice in punishing the wicked of mercy in defending the good and releeuing the distressed but also to plant and maintane the worship of God in their Kingdomes Thus much wee haue heard already that Religion Diuine Wisedome belongeth to all sorts degrees of men to rich and poore to yong old to men women children and most of all to Princes Gouernours who are to be giudes and ringleaders to others We haue examples before our eyes of a religious Queene comming so great and long a iourny to be resolued in the truth of religion reposing the greatest happines in true heauenly wisedome Here also is the example of Salomon a mirrour of Religion and Diuine Wisedom to all the world who also planted and established the true worship of God in his Kingdome We haue heard also that God is the authour of the callings of Kings and Princes that they are in his steed and carry his Name and Image therfore they of all others are to be most Religious to be most carefull that the true God who hath so highly aduanced them may bee worshipped and serued in their Kingdomes And this is Equity and Righteousnesse to command establish the Law and Seruice of their Creator and Protector And further wee haue heard that it is the duty of Gouernours to ouerthrow and roote out all false worship all false doctrine heresie and idolatry as all these are to bee remoued so in steed of these good Princes are to plant true Religion to establish faithfull Teachers in their Kingdomes They must be examples of Religion and Piety to others they must guide their families so carefully religiously that they may be patternes and presidents to others If Religion be first in their owne hearts also planted in their houshold and families they will be also carefull that all the people committed to their charge may feare God be truely Religious This is part of the counsell of Iethro Moses father in law wishing him that hee should prouide not onely men of courage and iust men hating couetousnesse but also such as feared God There be generall places in the Scripture as Loue God with all thine heart with all thy soule with all thy strength Feare God and keep his CoÌ„mandements Seeke for Gods Kingdome Labor for the meat that neuer perisheth These such like commandements exhortations as they belong to all Christians so also to Magistrates They are keepers of both the Tables of the Commandements therfore to maintaine the one as well as the other they must see as well the duties to God performed to him as the duties to meÌ„ one to another They must haue a care not only of iustice peace ciuil honesty but also of the sincerity of Religion The King is commanded to haue the book of the Law to reade in it continually that so he may learne to feare both his God and to keep al the words of the Law Dauid saith Be wise ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare reioyce in trembling kisse the sonne least hee bee angry And in another place he saith Kings of the earth all people Princes
grace this woman would haue the courtiers and seruants of Salomon to coÌ„fesse that blessing which she had found in hauing so wise a gouerner and teacher Seuenthly she reioyceth and blesseth God for Salomons instructions so that is the dutie of good hearers as to be thankefull to the men and meanes of their conuersion so much more to God the author and giuer of all good as Dauid blessed Abâ—gaâ—l so first of all he blessed God for her counsell And the same Dauid saith to the Lord I will praise thee with an vpright heart when I shall learne the iudgeâ—ments of thy righteousnes And againe seauen times a day doe I praise thee because of thy righteous iudgements And in another place he exhorteth Ierusalem to praise God as for peace and plentie so chiefely for that he had shewed his word to Iacob his statutes and iudgements to Israel he hath not dealt so with euery nation saith he neither haue they knowne his iudgements praise ye the Lord. Our Sauiour himselfe reioyceth in his spirit and giueth thankes to his heauenly Father for the good successe of the Gospell when Phillip preached in Samaria with great power profit there was great ioy in that Citie the Infidel being conuerted by the preaching of the word blesseth God Eightly good hearers after this royall example are to be bountifull and thankefull to their teachers she giues vnto Salomon abundance of gold sweet odours exceeding much as you may see in the next verse following this our text It may be some will say that Salomoâ— had no need of such gifts hauing such abundance of wealth and riches It is true yet he doth accept it and requiteth her kindnes with precious presents and gaue her whatsoeuer she asked so that she went home richer then she came richer I am sure in grace and diuine wisedome yet in giuing Salomon such precious gifts she shewed her thankefulnes thinking nothing too deare for such a teacher And though the ministers be not able to requite the kindnesses and liberalities of men yet God is able to doe it and he hath promised to blesse and reward all true friends and benefactors to his seruants And yet the people must knowe that they receiue from good ministers more gaine and profit then they doe from them the ministers they offer and deliuer heauenly misteries the Iewells and treasures of the word the spirituall foode of the soule which is more precious then thousands of gold and siluer they receiue from the people onely earthly and outward maintenance prouision and substance for this bodie and life and therefore the people haue no cause to grudge the maintenance of good ministers seeing if they make their accounts aright the gaine is theirs The Apostle saith Such as labour in word and doctrine are worthie of double honor That is of reuerence and munificence And againe Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods they that sowe spirituall things are worthie to reape temporall things And the Lord hath ordained that they that preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell It is the law of nature equitie and thankfulnes that such should be maintained being spirituall pastors fathers and souldiers and spending themselues as a candle for the common good The good Shunamite is kinde and liberall to Elisha the Prophet not suffring him to want either foode or lodging Holie women in the Gospell ministred vnto Christ and maintained him of their owne substance Cornelius kindly entertaineth Peter Lâ—dea euen constrained Paul and his companie to come to her house And the Iaylor conuerted refresheth Paule and Silaâ— his prisoners And thus you may plainly see in this worthie example eight notes and markes of good hearers Some before this Texte some in this text and some after and these notes doe containe and comprehend the whole storie of this worthie Queene And now because this whole text is a praise and commendation of Salomon let vs learne from hence that vertue and wisedome is to be commended in whom soeuer we finde it A man saith Salomonâ— shal be commended for his wisedome and not only great personages but the poorest are to be commended for vertue Better is a poore nise childe saith Salomon then an olde and foolish King which will no more be admonished And againe Better is Wisedome then strength Yet the wisedome of the poore is despised And in an other place Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnes then he that peruerteth his wayes though hee be rich Saint Iames reprooueth this parcialitie in men who esteeme highlie and magnifie rich men bee they neuer so wicked and despise poore men such as are chosen of God rich in Faith and heyreâ— of the Kingdome Those that honor mee shall be honoured saith the Lorde and those that despise mee shall be despised God himselfe commendeth and praiseth such He saith of Iob that he was an vpright and iust man one that feared GOD and eschued euill Christ commendeth Iohn the Baptist saying There was not a greater Prophet amongst womens children Zacharie the Priest and his wife Elizabeth are said both by the holie Ghost to bee iust before God and to walke in all the commandements of God without reproofe And Simeon is saide to bee a iust man fearing God and wayting for the consolation of Israel And Christ writing to the seuen Churches Though hee hath something against most of them worthie of blame and reproofe yet hee commendeth anie good thing in them Yea he especially commendeth the church of Smyrna though in persecution and pouertie accounting it rich in grace and spirituall treasures So that it is lawfull and it is our dutie to commend and praise vertue and goodnes in anie the behauiour of good men is such as deserueth draweth loue and praise And this doth incourage them to go forward in goodnes and doth prouoke others to follow their example as the shadow doth follow the bodie so Honor and praise doth follow vertue sometime the wicked doe praise their vertues and are forced to commend them and though they doe it not yet righteous men commonly will praise them and the more godly wise that men are the more praise they deserue and we must take heed that our praise be moderate iust and without flatterie aboue all things we must take heed that we praise not without cause and desert that we neuer iustifie nor commeÌ„d the wicked remembring that there is a fearefull woe pronounced against them that speake good of euill euill of good The vse of this doctrine is for the reproofe of many as of those that are so blind and senseles that they cannot see and discerne the grace of God in men others are so dumbe and vnthankfull that though they be partakers of many graces from others which they must needs see
true wisedome This is the ioye and Felicitie of Gods children in this life This doctrine serueth for many excellent vses And first it serueth to set out the miserable estate of such as are destitute of this gratious meanes For if they be happy that heare this wisdome vnhappy are they and cursed which cannot heare it which are cleane without it haue no taste or knowledge of it Where Prophâ—cying faileth or where there is no Vision of wisedome there the people perish And in an other place Where no counsell is the people fall But where manie Counsellors are there is health Againe The Lorde complaineth in these words by the Prophet saying My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge Because thou hast refused Knowledge I will refuse thee that thou shalt bee no Priest to mee And seeing thou hast forgotten the Lawe of thy God I will also forget thy children The Lorde threatneth it as one of his greatest Iudgements to send in his wrath to anie people Blinde Guides dumbe Dogges Idoll Shepheards and scarcitie and famine of his word And as our SAVIOVR CHRIST saith That if the blind leade the blind both shal fall into the ditche Ignorance blindnes is a wretched vnhappy thing both in Minister people Knowledge a part of Gods Image Ignorance defaceth it Knowledge the Eye of the soule Ignorance the very blindnes and darknes of the soule It is the cause of all sinne and error And if it bee Eternall life to knowe God it is eternall death destruction and damnation not to know him And heauy is that sentence of the Apostle against such when he saieth That when the LORD IESVS shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels hee will in flaming fire render vengeance vnto them that do not know GOD which obey not the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Some are maliciously ignorant misliking and hating the Truth Some are sloathfull idle carelesse They will take no paines for Wisedome Some are proude thinking scorne to learne and that they neede not bee taught but knowe enough alreadie These are none of the sonnes and daughters of Wisedome but rather those Fooles of whom Salomon often speaketh in the Prouerbes And indeed the Diuell may begge them for fooles these haue no part in this happines but are vnhappy here and shall be most vnhappy hereafter This doctrine also serueth for the reproofe of such as seeke to hinder and stoppe the course of wisedome these are vnhappy themselues and seeke to hinder the happines of others they are like to the malicious Philistimes which stopped the welles of Isaack as fast as he digged them and would haue kept his cattle from water so these would hinder men from the sweet water of life He that withdraweth the corne saith the wise man the people curse him but blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne Couetous and cruell men are most vile and wretched creatures which keepe backe the corne from the poore hoping for a greater dearth much more vnhappy are they which keepe from the people the bread of life the decay of tillage is a hindrance to the common-wealth and the cause of want and dearth and they that doe it doe offend against God and men and they sinne much more which pulleth downe Gods plough and hinder the sowing of the blessed seede of his word which is as needfull for the soule as husbandrie is for the body The righteous man regardeth the life of the beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell pitty and compassion is to be shewed to the very dumbe creatures that doth vs seruice we must see them fed and it were crueltâ—e to pine them how much more are we to be mercifull to men to the bodies of men and most of all to their soules And if it be crueltie to pine and famish the bodies of men yea of any creature how much greater crueltie is it to pine famish and murther the precious soules of men in keeping from them the blessed and spirituall foode of their soules Were it not an vnmercifull cruell thing to take from a poore souldier his sword his buckler his whole armour and to leaue him naked and open to the force and rage of most cruell enemies As vnmercifull are they which take from the poore people the sword of the spirit the word of God being the armour of proofe and so leaue them altogether weake and vnarmed against their spirituall enemies by the power of the word and the right vse and handling of it Sathan Antichrist sin â—rror heresies all corruptions are weakned and ouerthrowne how shall we then doe if we be depriued of such a weapon and most cruell are they that depriue and robbe the poore people of it such are the Papists which keepe from the people the blessed booke of true wisedome wil not haue it read to the people in their own toÌ„gue but in a strange an vnknowne language wheras the Apostle had rather in the Church to speake fiue words with vnderstanding then ten thousand in a strange toÌ„gue he would haue vs not to be children in vnderstanding but of a perfect â—ipâ—age Christ coÌ„mandeth to preach the Gospel to al nations therfore he gaue theÌ„ the gift of all tongues that they might preach to euery nation in their owne tongue Others also â—oyne with the Papists which by any meanes sâ—eke to hinder stâ—ppe the free course of the Gospell such were the Pharises whom Christ threatneth saying Woe be to you scribes Pharises hypocrites because you shut vp the kingdom of heaueÌ„ bâ—fore men for you your selues go not in neither suffer you theÌ„ that would enter to come in And in an other place it is said that they had taken froÌ„ the people the key of knowledge such were the wicked malicious Iewes who killed the Lord Iesus their owne Prophets and persecuted the Apostles and forbad them to preach to the gentiles that they might be saued to fulfill their sinnes alwaies for the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost Such a one was Alexander the copper Smith of whoÌ„ S. Paul saith That he had done him much euill the Lord reward him according to his workes of whom be thou ware also for he withstood our preaching sore Againe this also serueth to reprooue all those which may heare and will not such are all Recusants Papisticall or Anabaptisticall which refuse to come to our assemblies and will not be partakers with vs either of the word or Sacraments they haue other meetings haue gathered to themselues other kinde of teachers and haue made quite separation from vs and yet without any iust cause or reason and the true messengers of wisedome doe truly deliuer the
nor friend but his enemie he that hath not contented himselfe with many Lordships and countries he that hath ioyned house to house land to land then a little peece of ground will serue his turne By such reasons doth Salomon proue the miserie of riches and he concludeth that the whole life of the rich man is miserable saying All his dayes he eateth in darkenes with much griefe sorrow anger Finally riches are deceitfull and dangerous they hinder vs from Gods kingdome they drawe our heart to them and make it as a captiue and slaue they ouerloade presse vs with cares they make vs faint-harted and fearefull cowards to endure any thing for the Gospell of Christ they often hinder vs and keepe vs backe froÌ„ wisedomes Schoole and though wee come thither yet they doe choake the seede of the Word in vs. Therefore there is no true Happinesse in them Those bee true Riches which when wee haue them wee cannot loose them Earthly substance compared to Eternall felicity is no helpe but a burden This life compared with Eternall life is rather to be called death then life The sonnes of Adam saith Bernard are a couetous generation What haue you to doe with earthly Riches which are neither true riches nor yet yours Gold and Siluer is red and white Earth which the error of man doth make and account more precious And if they be yours take them with you when you die It is a true saying of these Earthly riches Hic gigâ—untur Hic amittuntur Hic dimiâ—tuntur Heere they are gotten here they are lost and heere they are left Those then which repose Felicitie in Riches haue neither true Wisedome nor true Happinesse nor true Riches They are as much deceiued which put anie happinesse in Earthly pleasures Some of these are Carnall and wicked and haue their beginning from Hell Of this speaketh Salomon when he saith It is a pastime for a Foole to doe wickedly And of this speaketh Esaiah when hee saith The Lorde calleth to weeping and mourning and beholde ioy and gladnes slaying Oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh drinking wine Eating and drinking for tomorrow we shall die Of this speaketh our Sauiour CHRIST when hee saith Woe bee to you that now laugh for you shall waile and weepe In such pleasures the rich man liued in the gospell all his life time vpon earth but after death his soule was tormented in Hell The Apostle saith of the wanton widdowe that shee liuing in pleasure was dead while shee liued and indeed those which were most liuely and lusty in these pleasures are but dead men in grace and goodnes But to let these sinfull pleasures passe wherein yet manie too wholie spend their time and count it their chiefe Felicitie And to come to honest lawfull and ciuill pleasures yet there is no true Felicitie in them Let the best the greatest ioye and delight bee named yet it is but transiorie It is not true and perfect ioy It doth not satisfie and content vs. After wee haue it we loath it It is common both to good euill It doth leade to corruption it doth ofteÌ„times cause grief and sorrow The other pleasures indeed they come from hel and these are but from the earth They are but pettie ioyes bitter sweetings seeming Ioyes earthly and bastardly ioyes in comparison of true and perfect ioy we are not borne to spend our time in mirth ioy but rather to mourne and lament in respect of our sinnes and miseries Blessed are they which mourne saith Christ for they shall be comforted and they that sowe in teares for they shall reape in ioy and there is a godly sorrow that leadeth vs to repentance and so to saluation the true way to godly ioy is to feele godly sorrow Oh that we would remember the greatnes and the multitude of our sinnes the certaintie of death the vncertaintie of the houre of it the account that we are to make in that great day the manifold duties that we owe and are to performe to God to the Church to the common-wealth to our countrie to our families and others and the remembrance of these things no doubt would abate restraine and moderate our lawfull pleasures Let them that reioyce be as though they reioyced not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this world passeth away Loue not this world saith S. Iohn neither the things that are in the worlde If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the Flesh the lust of the Eyes and the Pride of life is not of the Father but is of the worlde and the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer The glorie of this worlde saieth one is deceitfull and is worthily refused It is but like the flower of Grasse and a vapour appearing for a time In what state so euer of this life there is more griefe then pleasure whilest thou doest reuenge defend enuie suspect whilest thou doest alwayes loue that which thou hast not and hauing gotten something thy desire is not diminished What rest is there in thy glorie If there bee anie the ioye passeth away not returning againe and thy griefe remaineth which will neuer leaue thee Oh wicked worlde who doest wont so to blesse thy onely Friendes that thou doest make them the enemies of God There is small ioy to a man when hee seeth his Neighbours house on Fier Hee is vaine which spendeth the dayes of his Repentance in pleasure when he seeth daylie before his eyes both his Friendes and others to die and so seeth that Death is certaine Is hee not vaine then that forgetting the feare of God doeth giue himselfe to vaine delights Parents do more grieue then ioye when they see their Childe borne and die in one day The ioy of this worlde is short It is a foolish thing to delight in our owne Foolishnes It is a vaine thing to fill our hearts with delights which are ended before they beginne It is a vaine ioye of the Byrdes in the middest of Nettes Trappes and Snares set for them And it is a foolish thing in the Fishes to delight in the bayte of the hooke which bringeth present sorrow and death And they are as vaine as those vnreasonable creatures which glorie in the vaine delights of this world Seeing that Death is so neere them The very Heathen haue proued and mocked this follie of men Some saying That we come into the world weeping we goe out of the worlde wailing And yet we liue heere laughing others saying that the desire of pleasures are griefe that the fulnes of pleasure is full of repentings that the end of pleasures is heauy and grieuous that if any may be counted blessed for them then the beasts also may
Constantine the Christian he gaue it to Iulian the Apostata All these did the true sacred onely wise God dispose and direct as he pleased And if the causes be vnknowne why he did thus or thus is hee therefore vniust His meaning is that God is iust in the disposing and placing Kings or Kingdomes An other cause of this womans ioy and thanksgiuing is Because she saw the loue of God to Saâ—omon and to Israel in placing such a king The cause of all blessings and fauors is not any merit in vs but the loue of God The Lord chose Israel aboue other nations not for any worthines in them but because hee loued them All things come from God to his childdren in loue blessings honors riches crosses c Nothing to the wicked in loue their blessings are ioyned with a Curse they are giuen with his lefte hand Except wee haue true Religion Faith and regeneration we cannot be assured of Gods loue And hence we learne That it is a testimony of loue to be chosen to great places either in the Magistracie or Mâ—nistery so that wee be made willing and fit to discharge such places else not The Apostle counteth it a blessing to be made an able minister of the New Testament Againe hee counteth it a mercie of God to be called to the Ministerie But Salomon saith as snowe in summer and raine in haruest are not meete so is honour vnseemely for a foole Now let vs see the manifold testimonies of Gods loue to Salomon Before he was borne God chose him to build his house preferred him before his father in that worke and promised to establish his kingdome So soone as he was borne he was called Iedidiah because the Lord loued him He had a good father Dauid a good mother Bethseba and Nathan the Prophet as his tutor and teacher While his father liued he was annoynted King with ioy and consent of his father and people He was a yonger brother therefore had no right to the crowne by birth yet was chosen extraordinarily to be King by God himselfe in like sort was both Saul and Dauid chosen but afterward Kings were created by election or blood God appeared twise to him and spake familiarly with him He gaue him his desire and more too He was King not of heathen or infidels but of Israel Gods chosen of Ierusalem that holy Citie He built a most glorious Temple prefiguring the true spirituall Temple of God He had peace in all his countries from Dan to Bersheba The Amorites Hittites Perezites Hiuites Iebusites which the children of Israel were not able to subdue he made them all tributaries and bondmen He had wisedome and vnderstanding exceeding much and a large heart euen as the sand that is on the Sea shore being wiser then any man and hee was famous throughout all Nations round about and there came of all people of the earth to heare his wisedome and hee exceeded all the Kings of the earth and all the world both in riches and wisdome and all the world sought to see Salomor to heare his wisedome which God put in his heart So that whatsoeuer God promised to Salâ—mon he performed faithfully to the full that none either before him or after him were or should be like him Wee thinke him famous whose â—ame passeth but through a couÌ„trey or kingdom but his passed through the world and that not lightly but with such a power that not onely his subiects but strangers Infidells Kings and Queenes came from the farthest part of the world to see admire him As this Queene in this place But some may obiect and say Is Salomon aboue all men and kings was he wiser then Adam or Moses I answere these were not Kings neither had they that kinde of glory and power that he had But was hee more wise then the Egiptiâ—n kings or more mightie and wise then his father Dauid or more powerfull glorious and worthie then the Babylonian Persian and Macedonian Kings Was hee more famous then Alexander the Conqueror of the world or mightier then Iulius Caesar or Augustus or richer then Croesus Hee is compared onely with the Kings of Israel He had not onely wisdom not onely glorie not onely power but all those together and herein is no king comparable to him what should we say more his felicitie was admirable vnspeakable and is largely set out in this chapter and in the former chapters of this book So that he had sundry singular testimonies of Gods loue towards him But some will say why did God loue him or how could hee loue him and why did he bestow so many gifts vpoÌ„ him to his own ruine destruction as it may seem For into what horrible moÌ„strous sinnes did he fall as we may see in the next chap of this book thus it is written of him King Salomon loued many outlaÌ„dish womeÌ„ both the daughter of Pharaoh the women of Moab Ammon Edom Sydon Heath Of the nations wherof the Lord had said to the children of Israel Goe not you in to them nor let them come to you To them I say did Salomon ioyne in loue And he had seueÌ„ hundreth wiues that were Princesses three huÌ„dreth concubines And his wiues turned away his hart after other Gods so that his hart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the hart of Dania his Father And his Idolatrie in following diuers gods is after described also the anger of God against him threatning to rent his kingdome and stirring vp diuers aduersaries against him to vexe him a long time one after another and rent his kingdome and gaue away ten Tribes from him to â—eroboam to the great trouble discredit and vexation of Salomon Wee haue spoken much already of Salomons great felicity but now all is turned into miserie his wisedome into folliâ— his honor into shame the great ioy that many had of him is now no doubt turned into generall sorrow and lamentation What a fearfull fall is this of such a great person of such a King a Prophet a Preacher and that in his olde age euen then he falleth into follie and vncleannesse euen then his heart was turned from the Lorde after other Gods The loue of out-landish women drewe his heart from the loue of God His sinnes are directly against the writteÌ„ law of God against his owne doctrine he is most vnkinde vnthankful to God who had twise appeared vnto him and had bestowed so many priuiledges excellent graces vpon him And therefore the Lorde is iustly angrie with him and grieueth him and vexeth him with diuers aduersaries all the daies of his life He troubled and vexed the Lord therefore the Lord vexeth him Hee diuided Gods worship and therefore the Lord diuided his kingdome This fall of Salomon is most fearfull horrible and lamentable Nay it is incredible that such a man hauing spent his younger time in building Gods house in
walles in a Citty which are for beauty and defence but a Citty may stand without wals it cannot stand without Lawes such good Lawes of equity and righteousnesse they are the very Life and Soule of a Citty or Kingdome To Lawes there must bee ioyned of necesssity Iudges and Officers which giue vigour and life to Lawes the Office of these is to doe Iudgement and Iustice that is to know Causes and then to pronounce sentence accordingly that so euery man may haue right this is properly Gods Office they are in his place therefore to deale vprightly Worthy is that counsell of Moses to the Iudges in his time saying Heare the controuersies betweene you brethren and iudge righteously betweene euery man and his brother and the stranger that is with him yee shall haue no respect of persons in iudgement but shall heare the small as well as the great yee shall not feare the face of Man for the Iudgement is GODS The like counsell giueth good King Iehosaphat to his Iudges saying Take heed what yee doe for yee execute not the iudgements of man but of the Lord and hee will bee with you in the cause and iudgement Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God neither respect of persones nor receiuing rewards And remember that counsells Consider the matter consult and giue sentence Iudgement must proceed from the light of reason and not from Passion both parties must be heard euery one must haue freedome to speake that there may bee true and vpright iudgement the corruptions of Iustice are these negligence and want of skill vnnecessarie and vniust delaies desire of gaine respect of friends and kindred foolish pitty and sometimes slauish feare but all these and such like hinderances of Iustice good Magistrates must auoide and cast off To Lawes and Iudgement there must be added Execution for what are Lawes without of Execution but euen like bels without clappers Lawes are like vnto young children and Infants which are left desolate without parents and yet haue portion and patrimony but would soone consume it or others would deceiue them of it except they haue faithfull Tutors and Guardians to guide and protect them so haue Lawes need of faithfull Patrones and Keepers or else they will bee brought into contempt by the forgetfulnesse negligence and corruption of some and the malice of others For what better is it to haue Law-makers and faithfull Intepreters of the same except they bee carefully kept and defended Therefore due punishments to offenders are to bee iustly and rightly executed To this purpose saith Salomon A King that sitteth on the throne of Iudgement chaseth away all euill with his eyes Againe A wise King scattereth the wicked and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them And in another place Take the drosse from the siluer and there shall proceed a vessell for the finer take away the wicked from the King and his Throne shall bee stablished in righteousnesse The Apostle saith If thou do euill fear for hee beareth not the sword for nought for hee is the Minister of God to take vengeance of him that doth euill This is one speciall end of the Magistrates calling to punish to restraine and represse the wicked The Magistrate is a minister of Iustice and Law the iudgements is the Lords and not his the impunity of the wicked is hurtfull to themselues by this meanes they runne into further sinne and they do encourage others to do the like it were better to turne loose wilde Boares Beares and Woulues amongst the people then such pestilent men by the punishment of such the Common-wealth and the Church is freed from the note of infamy and it is no small honour to God And by this many others are terrified from sinne and are brought to repentance and so to saluation yea the danger of infection is remoued and taken away a little leuen sowreth the whole lumpe and a few wicked men do much hurt in drawing seducing and infecting others yea by such execution of Iustice the wrath of God his heauy iudgements vpon a Land are stayed remoued When Achan was put to death for taking the excommunicate thing which was commanded to bee destroyed when hee I say was stoned to death then the Lord turned frō his fierce wrath which before was kindled against his people The Prophet Dauid saith thus of the people of Israel That they ioyned themselues vnto Baal Peor and did eate the offrings of the dead thus they prouoked him to anger with their owne inuentions and the plague brake in vpon them but Phinies stood vp and executed iudgement and the plague was staied and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse from generation to generation for euer When disobedient Ionas is cast out of the Ship stormes and tempests cease the sea is quiet the Ship and those that are in it are safe Magistrates do punish because God by these examples will bee knowne to bee a God who descernes betwixt things vniust and iust and is iustly angry with sinne and because hee would haue these momentary punishments vpon few to forewarne all of iudgements to come and of eternall punishments and by this meanes also hee prouideth for the commodity of others for the wicked are taken away so that they can hurt no more And this part of Iustice is for the credite and honour of the Magistrate Therefore saith Salomon Hee that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse and the multitude shall abhorre him but to them that rebuke him shall be pleasure and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse Againe They that forsake the Law raise the wicked but they that keepe the Law set themselues against them Wicked men vnderstand not iudgement but they that seeke the Lord vnderstand all things Againe This Iustice is a sweete sacrifice pleasing to God it is the Magistrates sacrifice it is more acceptable then other sacrifices Therefore saith the wise man To do iudgement and iustice is more acceptable to the Lord then sacrifice And the Lord saith thus to hypocrites that abounded in sacrifices but neglecting Iustice I hate and abhorre your feast daies and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies though you offer mee burnt offerings and meate offrings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace offrings of your fat beasts take thou away from me the multitude of thy songs for I will not heare the melody of thy Viols and let iudgements runne downe as waters And in another place to such hypocrites as abounded with plenty of sacrifices it is said He hath shewed thee ô man what is good and what the Lord hath required of thee surely to do iustly to loue mercy to humble thy selfe and to walke with thy God By this Iustice the states of Citties and Kingdomes
so Iehoshaphat set himselfe against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir which were come against Iudah and the Lord gaue him a meruailous victory against these enemies This blessed King feared God and both he and his subiects gaue themselues first to fasting and prayer and repentance and so the Lord blessed their Armies against their enemies It is lawfull for Kings to defend and maintaine their owne liberties and to recouer by warres that which hath beene vniustly taken away from them And as in warres there must bee a good cause and a good affection if we looke to speede so the authority and example of the chiefe Gouernours doth much encourage the people and put life into them And as Rulers are to defend their people from the force and violence of enemies abrode so they must not suffer them to bee oppressed at home by their owne Countrey-men And indeed this is most vnnaturall and intollerable that one subiect should oppresse another that Christians Countrey-men and brethren should vexe and torment one another by hard and cruell dealing in the time of the Gospell vnder Christian Gouernours Wee haue not this many yeares blessed be God beene much troubled with violence of forraigne foes but haue liued peaceable a long time And though our enemies haue sometimes made attempts and assaults against vs yet the Lord himselfe hath fought for vs to his great glory and to the shame of our Aduersaries Our greatest troubles exactions and oppressions are amongst our selues one with onother Now this is a speciall part of the Magistrates calling to relieue and defend the oppressed And he may more easily and sooner with lesse charge and danger defend his owne subiects against domesticall oppressours then set himselfe in combate against mighty many and cruell enemies abrode Priuate men may not reuenge their owne wrongs but they are in place to doe it for them It is their office to relieue the oppressed and to auenge their cause As a father ouer his children is both Lord and Iudge forbidding that one brother should auenge himselfe of another but if any cause of strife bee betweene them hee will haue it brought to himselfe or his Assignes to haue it iudged and corrected So God forbiddeth all men to auenge themselues and takes that office into his owne hand Therefore saith the Apostle Dearly beloued auenge not your selues but giue place to wrath For it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord. But yet in the next Chapter the same Apostle sheweth that God hath appointed Princes and Magistrates as reuengers of wrongs For hee saith that the Prince is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare For hee beareth not the sword for naught for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill It is almost impossible that a manshould be an equall and indifferent iudge in his owne cause lusts appetites do so blind vs. And when thou auengest thy selfe thou makest no peace but stirst vp more debate God therfore hath giuen lawes to all nations and hath in all countries placed Kings Gouernours and Rulers in his owne stead to rule the world through them and hath commanded all causes to bee brought before them and they are to determine and iudge of such causes according to the rules of equity and righteousnesse This is part of the counsell which Salomons mother gaue vnto him Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of the children of destruction Open thy mouth iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore The Prophet saith to the Gouernours of Israel Learne to doe well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdow Therfore such as were distressed were wont in their distresse to flye to the refuge of the chiefe Magistrate for their protection and defence The Shunamite returning from the land of the Philistims called vpon the King for her house and for her land which had beene wrongfully taken away from her and the King said to an officer Restore thou all that are hers and all the fruits of her lands since the day she left her land euen till this time Hee caused that to be iustly restored which was wrongfully holden away from her And herein good Magistrates should follow the example of God and resemble his Nature whose Name and Image they carry The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall Hee executeth iustice for the oppressed which giueth bread to the hungry The Lord looseth the Prisoners the Lord giueth sight to the blinde The Lord raiseth vp the crooked the Lord loueth the righteous the Lord keepeth the strangers hee relieueth the fatherlesse and widdow but hee ouer-throweth the way of the wicked Therefore saith the Lord rob not the poore because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement for the Lord will defend their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoile them Againe hee saith Remoue not the ancient bounds and enter not into the fields of the fatherlesse for hee that redeemed them is mighty he will defend their cause against thee When the Children of Israell were sore afflicted by Phaâ—aoh and the Aegiptians the Lord in pitty said I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Aegypt and haue heard their cry because of their Taske-maisters for I know their sorrowes therefore I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hands of the Egyptians c. And afterwards when they were vexed by sundry enemies one after another though they sinned against him grieuously and sundry times yet when they cryed vnto him in their distresse and repented them of their sinnes hee heard their cry and sent them Iudges and Deliuerers to deliuer them and ease them of their oppressions Most excellent and worthy is that worthy speech of that good Queene Elizabeth our gracious Soueraigne of famous memory A speech I say recorded by reuerend Iewel in his answere to Pope Pius his seditious Bull Thus shee speaketh to the Councell and Iudges Haue care of my people you haue my place doe you that which I ought to doe They are my people euery one oppresseth them and spoyleth them without mercy they cannot reuenge their owne quarrels nor helpe themselues See to them see to them they are my charge I charge you as God chargeth mee I care not for my selfe my life is not deere to mee my care is for my people O blessed and gracious speech beseeming a gracious Prince a patterne of piety Wee may obserue in that speech the tender care pitty and loue of her Maiesty to her distressed Subiects and that in those times being in the beginning of her Maiesties raigne about fifty yeares ago there were sundry oppressions and wrongs in the Land How more grieuously are they increased and augmented since that time Citties Townes and Countries are full of exclamations of the
Salomon Giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people that he may discerne betweene good and bad For who is able to iudge this so mighty a people This doctrine serueth also to reproue conuince and condemne all rebels traytors and seditious spirits which make insurrection against their lawfull Soueraigne And hereby all good subiects are encouraged to loue honour and obey their lawfull Rulers and with this Queene to blesse and praise God for the happinesse of good Gouernement And considering the manifold blessings which wee receiue by good Rulers as Iustice peace punishment of euill doers defence against forraigne and domesticall foes reliefe for the poore comfort to the good fruition of liberty yea freedome of the Gospell and true Religion Considering I say so many and so great benefites which wee enioy vnder Christian Magistrates let vs all with this Queene blesse God for so happy gouernement And indeede all true English Christian hearts haue iust cause to reioyce and praise God for his Maiesties happy reigne amongst vs both for his entrance and continuance What feares what perplexities and doubts had we at the death of our late Soueraigne What boasting what hopes and triumphing of the Aduersaries who made account they had that day which they long looked and gaped for They had spoken it often and thought it often in their hearts saying and thinking with Esau The dayes of mourning for my father wil come shortly then wil I slay my brother Iacob The best had cause to feare in respect of the horrible and manifold sinnes of the Land deseruing such a iudgement But blessed bee God who cared for vs though we little cared for him He presently prouided another gracious Soueraigne for vs the next in bloud a Christian Prince a man of wisedome and experience in Gouernement After Moses succeded Iosuah after Dauid Salomon Let vs say with the Prophet Thou hast saued vs ô Lord from our aduersaries and hast put them to confusion that hate vs therefore will we praise God continually will confesse thy name for euer It may be said of diuers other Countries There is no peace to him that goeth out and in amongst them but great troubles are to all their inhabitants But it may be said of vs as the Lord saith to Dauid Behold a Sonne is borne to thee which shall bee a man of rest for I will giue him rest from all his enemies round about therefore his name is Salomon And I will send peace and quietnesse vpon Israel in his daies c. And that which the Prophet Ieremy speaketh is fulfilled amongst vs Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I wil◠raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch and a King shall reigne and prosper and shall execute iudgment and iustice in the earth In his daies Iudah shall bee saued and Israell shall dwell safely How much are wee beholden to God that so soone and suddenly turned our sorrow and feare into ioy and gladnesse and doth still continue and confirme the same vnto vs Though weeping was in the euening yet ioy came in the morning As the cold waters to a weary soule so good newes from a farre countrey did cheere and refresh our hearts Wherefore praise the Lord ô Ierusalem praise thy God ô Sion for he hath made the barre of thy gates strong and hath blessed thy children within thee Hee setteth peace in thy borders and satisfieth thee with the flowre of Wheate He sheweth his word to Iacob his statutes and his iudgements to Israel He hath not dealt so with euery Nation neither haue they knowne his iudgements Praise yee the Lord. O that we had hearts to think seriously of these benefits which we enioy vnder his Maiesty and that we were truly thankfull for them then might we hope for the continuance and increase of these blessings But our iniquities haue turned away these things and our sinnes haue hidden good things from vs. O that we had such hearts and tongues that wee might continually with ioy say in our soules Blessed be God for his so great and vndeserued blessings bestowed vpon this sinfull land blessed be his name for all good Lawes good Gouernours and good Gouernement vnder his gracious Maiestie One thing more I obserue worthy of commendation both in this Queene and in Salomon It is worthy of memory in her that shee made choyce of such a Teacher and Schoole-maister And indeede shee could not at that time make a better choyce in the world Dionysius made choyce of Donatus for his Schoole-maister in Grammer and Victorinus for Rhetoricke and Gregery Nazianzene for Theology Theophrastes made choyce of Aristotle to be his teacher Aristotle made choyce of Plato and Plato made choyce of Socrates These were all wise in their choyce but this Queene goeth beyond them all choosing Salomon for her Teacher who excelled all men in the world both in humane and Diuine wisedome And as she made choyce of him so she was content to bee taught by him and profited much by his instructions as wee haue already heard Yea she so profited that in some sort she teacheth him and putteth him in minde of his duety Shee remembreth Gods mercies towards him and admonisheth him of the end of his place and calling And it is worthy of commendation in Salomon that as hee was willing to teach her so he is content to bee taught by her And if Salomon had but remembred this her admonition it might haue beene a pretious preseruatiue against those horrible and grosse sinnes into which he most fearfully fell in his old dayes But he forgot the loue and mercies of God towards him he forgot his high place and dignity he forgot the end why God had placed him and the rules of Equity and Righteousnesse Yet this is worthy of commendation in him that at this time hee doth not as some would haue done reiect the admonition of this woman being farre his inferiour He might haue said Doest thou take vpon thee to teach me seeing thou camest to learne of me I know my duty wel enough I need no teaching But Salomon doth take in good part her good counsell and doth still most louingly and kindly entertaine her From hence we are to learne that wee must be content to receiue good counsel admonition and instruction from any though they be farre our inferiours Such as bee truely humble and lowly in their owne eyes are content to receiue good doctrine from meane persons they are not ashamed to learne of any yong or old learned or vnlearned good or bad men or women they are not ashamed to confesse their ignorance wants and infirmities they do not contemne the plaine stile of teaching which is agreeing to Scripture they can be content to receiue good drinke not onely in cups of gold siluer but also in cups of pewter wood and stone Worthy is that counsell of an ancient Father There is no age