respect of wilde beastes theeues enemies Christ was borne amoÌ„gst them he was brought vp and dwelt with them he came to them preaching in euery Citie Towne Synagogues his wisedom cryed in their streetes and at their doores This gracious woman spent much was at great charges in comming and returning and giuing costly presents to Salomon Christ freely offreth to them temporall and spiritual graces foode to soule and body and yet they regard him not She was moued with fame and report which is often falâ—e and vntrue they saw before their eyes his wonders wisedome There came to Salomon a man being onely a tipe of Christ but the Sonne of God the true Messias the wisedome of the father came of his owne accord to them yea he came amongst his owne but his owne receiued him not She came to learne to be resolued and satisfied of her doubts Christ offreth them diuine wisedome such as is able to satisfie and resolue any that are willing to learne in all the matters of their saluation but they being carried away by a conceit of their owne wisedome and righteousnes thinke scornâ— to be resolued by him this Queen aboue all things preferreth this heauenly wisedome as the chiefe treasure felicitie but they make the commandements of God to be of no force by their owne traditions She moueth many doubts to Salomon with a good minde to be resolued they indeed aske many questions propound many doubts to our Sauiour but with most wicked malicious mindes to catch entangle and intrappe him in his speech This Queene commendeth magnifieth reuerenceth SalomoÌ„ her teacher but they râ—uile and blaspheme our Sauiour Christ She stirreth vp others to loue and honour Salomon they withdrawe others so many as they can from honouring of Christ She accounteth it true happines to heare Salomons wisedome they feele and finde no such thing though they heare the wisedome of Christ She a stranger admireth Salomon they of the same countrey stocke and kindred with Christ Iesus and yet reiect and despise him She most thankfull to God and to Salomon for the comfort good which she had receiued but they most creul vnthankfull against Iesus Christ thogh he bestowed many great blessings benefits vpon them they were those bad husbandmen to whoÌ„ the Lord set his vineyard and sending his seruants to receiue fruit some of them they beate and some of them they killed and at last sending his sonne they said among themselues This is the heire come let vs kill him and let vs take his inheritance Therefore saith our Sauiour to these That the kingdome of God should be taken from them and shall be giuen to a nation which shall bring forth the fruits thereof Finally this woman obserued all things that Salomon spake or did and wondreth but they are so blinde that neither the power of his doctrine nor the greatnes of his miracles could moue them to admiration She was not brought vp in the schoole of God and yet seeketh for instruction they were learned in the lawe and the Prophets and yet despise the true teacher and Prince of Prophets Therefore shall this Queene rise it iudgement against these blind and obstinate Iewes which is not so to be taken aâ— if she had any power of iudging or condemning for that properly belongeth to Christ but that by this example and fact oâ—hers they shall be conuicted and left without excuse It shall clearely testifie to all the world that their damnation is most iust THE FOVRTH SERMON MAny worthy and excellent things we haue heard alreadie of this gracious woman her great care desire and loue to knowe the truth in comming so great a iourney to her great paines and charge her reuerencing and magnifying of Salomon and accounting the hearing and obeying true wisedome as the greatest felicitie in this life We haue heard her example commended by our Sauiour Christ and alledged by him to the shame and condemnation of the Scribes and Pharises and all the obstinate and vnbeleeuing Iewes who did not receiue but reiect him that was far greater then Salomon Now let vs adde the other example of the Niniuites applied also by our Sauiour to the same purpose against the Iewes and so let vs make some vse of them both to our selues The men of Niniuie saith Christ shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall conemne it for they repented at the preaching of Ionas and behold a greater then Ionas is here Heere is a like comparison as before to the same vse and ende the Niniuites being Gentiles strangers from the coÌ„mon-wealth of Israel yet at the preaching of Ionas suffer themselues to be reproued reformed these were Israelites the seede of AbrahaÌ„ to whom pertained the Adoption the couenant the promises the law the oracles of God yet they wil not harkeÌ„ to the voyce of the soÌ„ne of God the sauiour of the world They had but one Preacher of the word the prophet Ionas these had manie prophets yea Iohn the Baptist Christ him selfe yet they did not belieue them The Niniuites in one day at one Sermon were touched conuerted To them the word had bin preached a loÌ„g time many yeres yet they were not the better They repeÌ„ted at the preaching of Ionas being confirmed by no signe nor miracle they saw daily new signes and wonders wrought among them such as neuer any did before yet they coÌ„temned both his Doctrine and miracles Theywere moued at the preaching of Ionas a stranger being a Iewe coÌ„ming froÌ„ the Iewes a nation odious to theÌ„ but these loathed CHRIST being their owne Countryman borne among them The Niniuites endured Ionas his sermon threatning most fearfull and general destruction vpon them but they hated Christ and could not abide him but thought him worthie of death though he preached offered to them the treasures grace of mercie Finally they belieued Ionas a mortall and sinfull man these would not belieue Christ being not onely man but God whom they could not reproue of any sinne hauing so many witnesses from the Law froÌ„ the prophets from God the Father from Iohn the Baptist and from his owne glorious works And very notably doth one knit vp this comparison together in these words The Niniuites saith he a nation strange froÌ„ God Ionas a wan vnknowne of a base condition came to them No man commended him vnto them before hee came none foretold his comming he wrought no miracles at all hee got no mans fauour by any benefites hee promised no great matter he onely threatneth destruction and he preached no longer then three dayes but CHRIST was promised long before by the Oracles of the Prophets often commended by the testimonie of Iohn and his Father proceeding from the same progenitors of whom they gloried he had taught them a good while and wrought many miracles among them he bestowed many benefites vpon many both vpon their soules
are preserued and established Therefore Dauid exhorteth his son Salomon To walke in the Waies Statutes and Iudgements of God that so hee might prosper in all things he went about The Lord by Ieremy declaring how happy Iosiah the father had bene and how cursed Iehoiakim the sonne should bee and why the one did speed so well and the other so badly saith Shalt thou raigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not thy father eate and drinke and prosper when hee executed Iudgement and Iustice when hee iudged the cause of the afflicted and the poore hee prospered was not this because hee knew mee saith the Lord but thine eies and thy heart are onely for thy couetousnesse And therefore the Lord threatneth in the next wordes to destroy him This iustice is profitable to the whole Common-wealth both to the good and the bad Therefore the Lord commanding the rebellious sonne to bee put to death So saith hee thou shalt take away the euill from among you that all Israel may heare it and feare Where Iustice is neglected sin raigneth Because sentence against an euill worke saith the Wise-man is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill On the contrary it must follow that where there is true execution of Iustice there the hearts of men are drawne and terrified from euill The blewnesse of the wound serueth to purge the euill and the stripes within the bowels of the belly Againe To the Horse belongeth a whip to the Asse a bridle and arod to a Fooles backe His meaning is that by such sharpe correction foolish men are stayed and kept in order And in another place Smite a scorner and the foolish will beware Meaning that simple and ignorant men will bee warned when they see the wicked punished they will take heed by others mens harmes And the Lord hath ordained iudgements for the scorners and stripes for the backe of fooles To this duty of Iustice the example of God may incite and moue all Christian Magistrates they are in his steed and therefore are to follow his example in punishing offenders Hee is a most iust and seuere Iudge and a very consuming fire against sinne and wickednesse Hee is a God that loueth not wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight hee hateth all them that worke iniquity Againe The Lord will try the righteous but the wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate vpon the wicked hee shall raigne snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this is the portion of their cup. And in another place Surely God will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy pate of him that walketh in his sinnes Most fearefull examples of his iustice and iudgement wee haue vpon the first world vpon Sodom and Gomorrah yea vpon his owne people Israel What kind of offenders wee ought to punish more seuerely wee may haue direction from the Law of God that those whom hee appointed to die should not bee spared for wee must not make our selues more mercifull then God is himselfe wilfull murther is death by the Law of Princes and it is death by the Law of God Yea before the Law written it was said to Noah Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud bee shed for in the Image of God hath hee made him And in the Law Written He that killeth any man hee shall bee put to death And Adultery also is death by the Written Law of God The man that committeth adultery with another mans wife because hee hath committed Adultery with his neighbours wife the Adulterer and the Adulteresse shall die the death Theft was not so seuerely punished but they were to make restitution and restore foure-fold that which they had stolne Theft in our age is more seuerely punished it is certaine that Theft is a grieuous sinne against the Law of God against Equity and Iustice but I see no reason why the Theefe shall dye a shamefull death and the Whore-maister escape with lesser punishment seeing that Salomon compareth the Theefe and the Whore-maister together sheweth in diuers respects that Adultery is a greater and more grieuous sinne then Theft because the Theefe may make restitution and so can neuer the other This is the corruption of Nature that men make more account of money and goods then of religion or honesty and Adulterers being spared and left aliue many questions are raysed and propounded which can hardly bee answered Namely whether the innocent party or nocent party may marry whether they may be reconciled againe or no. Let the Adulterer and Adulteresse according to the Morall Law of God die the death and then these questions will bee idle and superfluous And as Magistrates may punish Murtherers by the same reason they may as well punish Heretickes Idolatours false Prophets for indeed these they murther mens soules they runne a whoring from God and they rob him of his honor We heard partly before that false Prophets and Idolatours were to die the death and wee haue examples of good Kings and Rulers which haue put such to death and if the Magistrate bee the keeper of both the Tables then hee is to punish the transgression of the one as well as the other and if the transgressions of the first Table bee more hainous and grieuous then the transgressions of the second Table there is no reason why they should bee lesse and more slightly punished Moses said to the children of Israel after they had worshipped the golden Calfe Thus saith the Lord God of Israel put euery man his sword to his side go to and fro from gate to gate through the Host and sâ—ay euery man his brother and euery man his companion and euery man his neighbour so the Children of Leuic did as Moses had commanded and there fell of the people the same day about three thousand men For Moses had said consecrate your hands vnto the Lord this day euen euery man vpon his sonne and vpon his brother that there may bee giuen you a blessing this day Iehu slew all the Priests of Baal burnt their Images destroyed the image of Baal and threw downe the house of Baal and made it an house of all filthinesse and vncleanesse Iosiah putteth downe the Idols killeth the Priests the Chemerimes hee burneth the groues brake downe the house of the Sodomites hee defaced the High places hee tooke away them that had familiar Spirits and other abhominations and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord. The like power hath all Christian Kings Princes and Gouernours in their owne Kingdomes and Dominions The Prophet Prophecieth of the latter times saying as from the Lord I will cut off the names of the Idols out of the Land and they shall no more bee remembred And I will
you which will also doe it Brethren pray for vs. Yours alwaies in the Lord Iesus Thomas Gibson THE PRINCIPALL matters handled in euery Sermon The Contents of the first Sermon THe summe of the Bookes of the Kings and Chronicles The exceâ—lencie of the speaker of the parâ—â—e to whom these words are spoken and the excellencie of the matâ—er it selfe Eight marks of good hearers from the example of this Queene Verâ—ue and religion is to be praysed in any Against vaine glorie and hunting after the praise of men Diuers opinions of men touching true happinesse No perfection of happinesse in this life but in another Some description of that happinesse Our chiefe thoughts desires and affections are to be vpon that The Contents of the second Sermon THe diuision and difference of wisedome Salomons chiefe wisedome reuealed in the Prouerbes Ecclesiastes and Canticles True wisedome to be found onely in the Scriptures It consisteth in the knowledge of God and of our selues No perfection of wisedome in this life True wisedome alwaies ioyned with religiâ—n and vertue Three kinds of hearing the word The chiefe felicitie of this life to heare and obey wisedome The necessitie excellencie and profite of diuine â—isedome and of the ministerie of it The vnhappinesse of such as want it or seekâ— to stoppe the course of it or refuse to â—eare it or contâ—mne mockâ— it or profite not by it Causes why men profit not in wisdomes schoole The Contents of the third Sermon THe vanitie of such as repose felicitie in riches pleasures or honours The word of wisedome to bee reuereâ—tly and carefully heard We are to preferre it before all things eagerlie thirsting after it and reioycing in it We are to loue the publike assemblies to be arken to this wisedome read or preached and to despise no meanes of grace Wee are often in secret to conferre and meditate of it and to maintayne the credit of it by godly conuersation Wee are to hate all falshood and follie as enemies to wisedome Wee are to loue wisedome when it is most hated and persecuted in the world A comfort to the true sonnes and daughters of wisedome An application to the Auditors The happinesse of that Citie The necessitie and blessing of often and plâ—sntifull preaching The example of this Queene applyed to the shame of the Iewes and of vs. The Contents of the fourth Sermon THe example of the Niniuites and of diuers others alledged and applyed to the further condemnation of this our age The power of diuine wisedome Signes of true conuersion in this Queene Salomon a figure of Christ but Christ more excellent then Salomon Religion belongeth to all women much more to men and to great persons most of all The Contents of the fift Sermon THe pietie of this Queene in worshiping the true God God to be blessed for all his benefites The loue of thâ—â— Queene not enuying the prosperitie of Salomon but ioying and praysing God for it We are specially to reioyce and prayse God for the Kingdome of Christ God the disposer of Croâ—nes and Kingdomes All things fall in loue to Gods children A testimonie of Gods loue to bee called and fitted to high places Godâ— benefites to Salomon and his great felicitie Salomons great and grieuous fall in his olde dâ—yâ—s Some of the learned doubt of his saluation Arguments to proue his rising and repentance and that he could not finally perish The great danger of prosperitie Great and good Princes subiect to falling Some begin wâ—ll and end ill Instructions for young and old age The haynonsnesse of vncleane lusts and of Idolatrie It is most dangerous to mâ—tch with Idolaters Idolatrie not to bee tollerated for the sauour of any We are not to be offended at the fall of Princes or Preachers Their bad liues scandalous Their callings and doctrines not to be contemned The right vses of the falles of Saints The Contents of the Sixt Sermon A Good King is a rare blessing of God The originall of Kings and of diuers kinds of goâ—ernment The power of a King Miesticall The rushnesse and ficklenesse of people loathing and misliking Gods ordinance Bad Princes are of God in wrath to a people Their sinnes from themselues their callings from God Such Princes not to be resisted Such as are chosen in loue performe their dueties Many glorious titles of Princes in Scripture The like titles giuen to Ministers There is great affinitie agreement betwixt the callings of Magistrates and Ministers Good Rulers are to defend and countenance good Ministers The duetie of Princes and Rulers They must gouerne themselues their families and the people The summe of the seuenth Sermon THe true felicitie of Princes They are chiefely to regard the common good of the people Of lawes of Iudges of execution of lawes All notorious offenders to bee grieuouslie punished Good vses of such punishments Idolaters Heretikes and false Prophets are to dye the death All to bee compelled to the outward seruice of the true God Comforts to Magistrates punishing offenders Great offences not to be remitted Princes 〈◊〉 to be mercifull not cruell They are to comfort countenance the good and by kindnesse to winne the hearts of the people The Contents of the eight Sermon PRinces are to defend their subiects against forrayne enemies and oppressions at home Priuate men are not to reuenge themselues The haynousnesse of oppression Two worthie patternes of Iudgement and Mercie Against oppression by vsurie That the poore are to bee prouided for by the Magistrates Motiues to that duetie Caueats and comforts for the poore The care of religion belongeth to Magistrates Vses of the doctrine of Magistrates Ioy and thanksgiuing for the King We must be willing to learne of any THE FIRST SERMON 1. Kings 10. 8. 9. 8. Happie are thy men happie are these thy servants which stand euer before thee and heare thy wisedome 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee on the throne of Israel because the Lord loued Israel for euer and made thee King to doe equitie and righteousnes THe whole scripture saith the Apostle is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto euery good worke As all and euery scripture serueth for these holie vses so especially these bookes of the historie and Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Ierusalem For here are not onely many examples of vice and vertue but here is described the true knowledge and worship of God the confutation of Idolitrie and false worship the true forme and patterne of all reformation of disorders The dutie and blessing of good Kings the ruine of the wicked the estate of the Church the care and protection of God for it Here we are taught that God is the chiefe Monarch the disposer the chiefe gouernor of kingdomes that the happines of Kings consisteth in maintaining true religion and
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
in this distresse Both these examples of Iob and Nehemiah are as looking-glasses and mirrours for Magistrates to looke into wherein they may see what care and counsell what pitty and compassion they are to haue to ease and releiue the oppressions of their people And this will be greatly to their comfort credite and honour And indeed it may be a great discomfort and discredite to Princes to suffer their people to bee abused by oppressours and tyrants especially when it lyeth in their power to helpe and relieue them A reuerend Father and blessed Martyr in a certaine Sermon before a King of worthy memory sheweth wherin the honour of a King consisteth It is saith hee the Kings honour that his Subiects be led in true Religion that his Prelates and Cleargy bee set about their worke in Preaching and Studying and not to be interrupted from their charge Also it is the Kings honor that the Common-wealth bee aduanced and that the dearth of things bee prouided for and the commodities of the Realme bee so employed as it may bee to the setting of his Subiects on worke and keeping them from Idlenesse and herein consisteth the Kings honour and Office Furthermore if the Kings honour as some men say standeth in great multitude of people then these Grasiers Enclosers and rent-raisers are hinderers of the Kings honour For where there hath beene a great many of Housholders and Inhabitants there is now but the Shepeheard and his do so they hinder the Kings honour most of all And indded these bee the words of Salomon In the multitude of the people is the honour of a King and for want of the people commeth the destruction of a Prince Increase and aboundance of people is a great blessing of God and a credite and strength to the Prince They are not Oxen or Sheepe but men that must fight for Prince and Country if the enemies arise and assault the Land And there be many oppressions amongst vs besides these Oppressours in the Church and in the Common-wealth oppressions in euery Court in buying and selling and in other dealings amongst men to the hinderance and vndoing of many poore people But to let passe the many kinds of oppressions which the true Magistrate is to looke into and so farre as hee can to redresse and remoue I speake onely of that one kind of oppression that is biting and cruell vsury which Nehemiah reformed among his people I will speake of this because it is most common and generall yet most pernicious detestable though many do count it no sin at all Vsury had wont to be called the woe and sin of Citties and it seemeth that as pride and other sinnes had their beginnings in great Citties so had vsury but it hath passed from Citties to the Country to Townes and Villages Euery place all sorts of persons in the Land are infected with this pestilence leprosy high low rich and poore men women and children fathers mothers Maisters and Dames sons daughters men-seruants and maide-seruants husband-men trades-men and Labourers yea some that go from dore to dore to beg and craue of others haue learned this trade of vsury Free lending is hardly to be found charity is waxen cold this iniquity hath gotten the vpper hand so that this sinne is not onely now a woe to Citties but a woe to Townes to Villages and to priuate houses It is the ruine and decay of many poore people in most places of the Land nay it is the decay ouerthrow of many worthy and great houses and families in the Land It hath bitten them it hath eaten them it hath deuoured consumed them to nothing It is pittifull and lamentable that such a destroying and murdering sin should bee suffered or tollerated in a Christian Land Those that be true Christians indeed are to abstaine from all appearance of euill How much more from so grosse and apparant euill directly and expresly against the Law of God If thou lend money to my people saith God that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not bee as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with Vsury Againe If thy brother bee impouerished and fallen into decay with thee thou shalt releiue him thou shalt take no vsury of him nor aduantage but thou shalt feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thee thou shalt not giue him thy money to vsury nor lend him victuals for increase Dauid shutteth out the vsurer out of Gods Kingdome as well as the slanderer and him that taketh reward against the innocent Another Prophet putteth Vsury amongst Idols Adultery and other filthy sinnes and threatneth the same punishment to one as to the other Christ saith Whatsoeuer you would men should do to you euen so doe yee to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Againe Giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrow of thee turne not away A Heathen man being asked what Vsury was hee answered what is it to kill a man Another saith that it is robbery Another that it is the death of life The ancient learned fathers do vtterly condemne it One saith that Vsury swalloweth vp mens goods and Lands large Patrimony as it were a Sea yet the Sea is neuer filled The Seas for the most part are for profite and gaine but the Vsurer can no man vse but to his owne hinderance In the Sea there is profite of many things but with the Vsurer shipwracke of all things Againe hee that taketh vsury committeth extortion rauen and pillage If hee will say I haue nothing else to liue by so may the Theefe say the Bawde the Witch the Sorcerer Some compare the loane of mony vpon vse to the poyson of Aspes Whosoeuer is strucken and stung of the Aspe he falleth into a sweet pleasant sleep and so by sweetnesse of that sleepe dyeth for then the venemous poyson disperseth into euery member So he that beginneth with vsury thinketh for a time that hee hath a great benefite but vsury runneth through all his riches and conuerteth all he hath to debt Another father being asked what vsury is saith It is a poyson of patrimony And being asked what is vsury permitted by Law hee saith that it is a Theefe that before hand giueth warning what he mindeth to do Some say that a Vsurer is worse then all sinners hee is worse then a theefe for he robbeth in the night but the Vsurer robbeth day and night He is worse then hel for in hel onely the wicked shall bee punished but the Vsurer spoyleth and punisheth both the good and bad spareth neither holy nor vnholy He is worse then a Iew for one Iew will not take vsury of another but the Vsurer will take vsury of his Christian brother Hee is worse then death for death killeth but the body the Vsurer killeth bodies and soules He is worse then Iudas for he sold Christ
They liued in time of persecution they wanted the helpe of a good Magistrate All Kings and Princes were enemies to the Church at that time yet they tooke such good order and were so charitable that they suffered none to lacke among them It is a shame then for vs to suffer any to want necessary sustenance wee I say liuing in the daies of peace and plenty vnder a Christian King hauing so many good Lawes for the prouision and reliefe of the poore There is a memorable example of the Christians vnder Maximinus the Emperour In the time of famine many of the Heathens were preserued and saued from death by the mercy and liberallity of the Christians whereupon it came to passe that those which did deadly hate them before did now require their helpe and did openly confesse that the bowels of mercy were onely found amongst Christians that therefore Christian Religion was the true Religion which taught her worshippers true piety and godlinesse The which when Iulianus the Apostata afterwards obserued and marked least Christian Religion should bee the more esteemed because of such incredible kindnesse and mercy shewed to all sorts of people Iulienus I say euery where erected Hospitals and endewed them with yeerely reuenues And hee setteth downe this reason of his purpose writing to one Arsatius an Idolatrous Bishop It is a shame saith hee that the worshippers of the Gods should neglect their owne when as the wicked Galileans for so he had wont to call Christians releiued not onely their owne but also strangers yea â—uen the enemies of their Religion and suffered none of their owne to beg from dore to dore The most vnhappy Nation of the Iewes hauing no certaine resting place nor any forme of Common-wealth yet do they mainetaine and seed their owne least they should be constrained to craue help from Christians The French and Dutch Churches in this our Land they set all their owne on worke they suffer none to beg nor to want among them The Papists our Fore-fathers they did excell in liberallity to the Church and Common-wealth in Hospitality and Almes to the poore Wee haue many Monuments of their liberality amongst vs as Hospitals and Almes-houses for the releiefe of the needy with good Reuenues adioyned to them Nay the Papists adorned beautified and cloathed their dumbe Idols and Images and shall wee suffer poore people to want food and cloathing which carry vpon them the liuely Image of God All these examples are to our shame and condemnation and shall bee iudges and witnesses against vs at the day of the Lord. Wee professe the glorious Gospell of Christ wee haue the light of Gods word shining before vs wee haue daily Sermons and Exhortations stirring vs vp to the workes of mercy wee haue many good and godly Lawes agreeing to the Lawes of God and to the true discipline of the Church commanding and enioyning prouision and reliefe of the poore forbidding all idlenesse commanding all to bee set a worke and all that want to bee releiued according to their necessity and yet there be many idle persons amongst vs many would worke and cannot get it many though they do worke labour and toyle night and day as much as may be yet in respect of the hardnesse of the times all that they get will hardly prouide bread for them and theirs Others there bee that cannot worke at all and others but a very little yet these in many places are little regarded or prouided for Good Lawes wee haue and in this place I know there is good order and care taken for the poore Here bee many meanes for their reliefe which others want And I know there bee many tender mercifull and pittifull hearts pittying the needy estates of their brethren stretching forth their hands to their releife yet considering the hardnesse of the time and how vnmercifull and hard hearted some are which yet are of great estate and ability and considering also the multitude and great number of the poore which increase daily Your care your pitty your liberallity your collections and almes publicke or secret had need bee more then ordinary And therefore I beseech you deerely beloued in the bowels of Christ as the Elect of God put on you the bowels of mercy consider your owne abilities and the great necessitie of so many and let it not grieue you to helpe and releiue them but freely frankly and cheerefully shew forth the fruite of your compassion loue and mercy to your distressed brethren and especially you Right Worshipfull Magistrates Gouernours do your best endeuours according to your place and callings to see this seruice and worke performed by your counsell and example to perswade and draw as many as you can to this duty And as for those that are rich yet cruell couetous hard-heartd and vnmercifull compell and force them by rigour of Law to giue that to good vses which they are vnwilling to giue at all All the poore vnder your gouernement be they neuer so many they are your cure and charge you must see them prouided for if any of them perish through your default their bloud shall bee required at your hands The good Minister is to be a mouth for the poore to speake and entrâ—ate for them and also by his example as much as he may to go before others in the duties of mercy But the good Magistrate is not onely to bee a good mouth for the poore but an hand an eare an eye and a foote for them to speake to heare to see to go to do what lyeth in him both for the defence and reliefe of the poore As God forbiddeth all cruelty and priuate reuenge in the sixth Commandement so he commandeth all care and meanes to preserue the liues of our brethren now releife of the needy is a meanes to preserue life he that releeueth not when he may and when there is great necessity offendeth against this Commandement and is a murtherer Non pauisti occidisti thou hast not fed saith one therefore thou hast killed A Lampe is quenched not onely by blowing it out but by keeping away the oile to feed it A fire is quenched not onely by water but by keeping away wood from it In a great drought many hearbs do die not onely by plucking vp but for want of watring So many poore people for want of food which they should haue by the care of good Gouernours and charitable good people many I say for want of meanes and prouision doe decay pine and perish which is most shamefull fearefull lamentable and intollerable in a Christian State But I nothing doubt of your care and dilligence to performe this so worthy and necessary duty I know you are dayly put in minde of these things and therefore I will cease to vrge this point any further Onely by the way let mee giue some few instructions and caueats and some comforts to the poorer sort These must know that God hath so ordained and appointed in his
all that iudge the world â—ong men maids old men children let them praise the Lord his Name is onely to bee exalted and his praise aboue the earth the heauens Dauid before his death chargeth his son Salomon to walke in the Waies of God and to keepe his Statutes that so he might prosper in that he tooke in hand Princes we heard are fathers of the Country of the Church Common-wealth Now the Apostle exhorts fathers to bring vp their children in the feare of the Lord. Dauid Prepared a place for the Arke of God and pitched for it a Tent and gathered all Israel together to Ierusalem to bring vp the Arke of Gâ—d to his place which he had ordained for it so he they brought it with great ioy Salomon after he had built a famous house for God Hee blessed the people hee praiseth the Lord hee prayeth to God for those that should pray in the Temple Asah destroyeth Idolatry and commandeth his people to serue the true God and they made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soule and whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel shall be slaine whether hee be great or small man or woman they sware vnto the Lord with a loud voyce and all Iuda reioyced at the oath Iehoshaphat he walked in the waies of his father Dauid sought the Lord God of his fathers and walked in his CoÌ„mandements and tooke away Idolatry and sent forth Teachers with the book of the Law of the Lord who went about through the Citties of Iudah taught the people In time of distresse he prayed vnto the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah and humbled his soule and asked counsell of the Lord. Hezekiah repaireth the Temple aduertiseth the Leuits of the corruption of Religion the King and his Princes sacrifice ian the Temple he coÌ„mandeth the Passe-ouer to be kâ—pt exhorteth his people to returne to the Lord. Good Iosiah destroyeth Idâ—lâ— repaireth the Temple took away all the abhominationâ— out of all the countries that pertaine to the children of Israel compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God Nehemiah reproueth and reformeth the prophanation of the Sabboath The Lord stirred vp Cyrus King of Persia to build him an house in Ierusalem And see the zeale of that King in furthering the building of that house Nebuchadnezzar maketh a decree that euery People Nation and Language which speake any blasphemy against the God of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego should be drawne in â—â—eces their houses should bee mâ—de a Iâ—kes because there is no God that can delâ—â—â—r after this sort Darius maketh a Decree that in all the Deminions of his Kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel for hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer The King of Niniue after hee heard the Preaching of Ionah hee beleeued God hee proclaimed a fast and commanded his Subiects to cry mightily vnto God and to turne from their euill way Thus wee see by all these examples that good Princes are to haue a care of Religion both in themselues and others And here is a further blessing of a good King that wee haue not onely by his meanes iustice peace and ciuill honesty protection of body and goods but also true Religion and the worship of the true God and the Gospell of Christ commanded and enioyned and established amongst vs by many good Lawes and Statutes Now for a conclusion of the duties of good Gouernours let them remember these counsels directions and examples A worthy King by his last will gaue this aduise to his son and successour saying Be deuout in the seriuce of God bee in heart pittifull charitable to the poore comfort theÌ„ with thy good deeds keep the good Lawes of the Realme take no Subsidies nor releise of thy Subiects but vpon vrgent necessity for to profite the Common-wealth vpon iust cause voluntarily Iulius Pollux Gouern or of the Emperour Commodus in his youth giueth him these titles calling him Father of the people Gentle Louing Merciful Wise Iust courteous Couragious despising Mony not subiect to Passion but commanding ouer himselfe ouercomming Lust vsing reason quick of coÌ„ceit Sober Religious carefull for his Subiects Constant no deceiuer adorned with Authority ready in his affaires prouided to doe well slow to reuenge Affable gracious in speech open-hearted a louer of the vertuous desirous of peace valiant in warre an example of good manners to his subiects a maker of good lawes and an obseruer of the same There was a worthy Table as is recorded found at Thebes by Marcus Aurelius and at his death giuen to his sonne as a precious Iewell conteining these protestations and sentences following I neuer exalted the proud rich man neither hated the poore that was iust I neuer denied iustice to the poore for his pouerty neither pardoned the wealthy for his riches I neuer benefited nor gaue reward for affection nor punished for passion onely I neuer suffered euill to escape vnpunished neither goodnesse vn-rewarded I neuer committed the execution of manifest iustice to another neither determined that which was difficult by my selfe alone I neuer denied Iustice to him that asked it neither Mercy to him that deserued it I neuer punished in anger nor promised benefite in mirth I was neuer carelesse in prosperity neither faint-hearted in aduersity I neuer did euill vpon mallice nor commited villany for couetousnesse I neuer opened my gate to the flatterer nor gaue care to the backe-biter I alwayes sought to be loued of the good and feared of the wicked Lastly I alwayes fauoured the poore that were able to doe little and God who was able to do much fauoured me A mirrour for Magistrates a patterne for Princes and happy are they that in the end of their gouernement can truely say thus at least let Gouernours striue and endeuour to the vtmost of their power to learne and practise these lessons and to performe all other duties of their callings And thus we haue heard the chiefe and principall doctrines concerning the Magistrate as the necessity authority and dignity and duty of their callings This doctrine is necessaâ—y and profitable often to bee vrged and serueth for many good vses By this the Magistrate may be encouraged and comforted in the execution of all the parts of his calling hauing his allowance and warrant from God By this hee is stirred vp and prouoked to zeale and religion and holinesse of life seeing hee carrieth vpon him the name the place and Image of God By this doctrine he may see the greatnesse the difficulty and the heauy burden of his calling which may bee a cause sufficient to humble him in the sight of God and men In consideration wherof he may say with the Apostle who is sufficient for these things And let him pray with