saith he too late to learne that which is needfull and though it bee more fit for old men to teach then to learne yet it is better to learne then to be ignorant Another saith It is a thing I desire and is most worthy to learne euen to my last age because that no age is so sufficient to learne throughly all that we need Againe saith another Be willing to learne of all that which thou knownest not thy selfe because humility can make that common to thee which Nature hath made proper to any thou shalt be wiser then all if thou bee willing to learne of all they are most rich of all which receiue from all Moses was content to hearken to the counsell of his Father-in-law in choosing officers to be assistant to him in his great charge Dauid receiueth and accepteth the counsell of Abigail a woman and blesseth her in her counsell Naaman the Syrian hearkeneth to the counsell of his maid wishing him to send to Elisha for the curing of his leprosie and the same noble man obeyed the counsell of his seruants aduising him to do as the Prophet bad him The blessed virgin was content to receiue instruction from the Sheapheards of those things which shee knew before Apollos an eloquent man mighty in the Scriptures instructed in the way of the Lord feruent in the spirit is content to receiue further instruction from Aquila and Priscilla which were far his inferiors The Apostle wisheth the Colossians to put Archippus in mind of his duty wishing them to say to Archippus Take heed to the Ministery that thou bast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it The vse of this doctrine is chiefly for reproofe of proud and scornfull persons which either scorne all instructions or at least they reiect the counsels of meane persons and of their inferiours Gouernours scorne to learne of their subiects the old disdaine to learne of the yonger parents wil not hearken to their children noâ— maisters to their seruants Ministers scorne to receiue admonition from the people yea from their fellow-ministers if they be of meaner gifts or lesse account in the world And this is the cause that so many holy counsels and Sermons of godly Ministers are reiected or little regarded because they themselues are men of no great estimation in the world Worthy is that example of the Eunuch Treasurer of Aethiopia who did so willingly hearken to Philip and kindly entertaine him for this noble man reading the Prophet Esay in his Chariot being demanded of Philip if he vnderstood that hee read hee did not taunt nor scorne this poore Preacher but confessed his ignorance willingnesse to learne and kindly entertained Philip took him into the chariot with him It is pride of heart and want of humility that causeth men to scorne good instructions from meane persons The Lord sendeth such proud men to the very beastes to learne from them The Oxe knoweth his owner saith he and the Asse his Maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne Againe the Storke in the Aire knoweth her appointed times the Turtle the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. And Iob saith Aske now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowles of the heauen and they shall tell thee Our Sauiour Christ to draw his Disciples to humility setteth a child before them to bee their Teacher saying Verily I say vnto you except yee bee conuerted and become as little children ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen whosoeuer therefore shall humble himselfe as this little child the same is the greatest in the Kingdome of heauen Wee must bee lowly tractable docible and willing to learne as good children are Salomon so execellent a man so extraordinarily wise so famous in all learning is content to receiue the instruction and admonition of this woman a stranger his scholler nothing comparable to him in any grace yet doth hee take in good part her counsell teaching him nothing but that which he knew well enough before And thus at last we haue gone through and finished as wee could this short sweete and worthy Story wherein wee haue laid before our eyes an example of a blessed Queene of a blessed Hearer of a blessed Teacher and of a blessed King Now the Lord the most wise God the Father of all good giftes make vs all the true children and schollers of true Wisedome that wee may esteeme that as our chiefe felicity in earth that so the King in ruling the Nobles and Magistrates in assisting Ministers in teaching People in hearing and obeying may bee truely blessed in this life and fully blessed for euer in the life to come in the place of eternall blessednesse in the Kindome of the true Salomon CHRIST IESVS who sitteth at the right hand of his Father and with Equity and Righteousnesse shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearing Amen FINIS Psal 148. 11. 12. 13. 1. Tim. 5. 1. Tit. 2. 1. 1. Ioh. â— 13. 14. Eccle. 12 1. Eph. 6. 4. Pro. 22. 6. Pro. 10. 1. Pro. 23. 24. 25. Luke 1. 14. 15. 2. Ioh 4. 2. Chron 34. 1. 2. Prou 4. 3. 4. Mat 21. 15. 2. Tim. 3. 15. â—5 9. 3 4 Psal 10â— 1. 5 Ambr. lib. off cap. 17. Gen. 49. 22. Exod. 25. 2. 3. 4. 5. c. Origen in Exod. Mat. 25. Luk 21. 1. Rom. 15. 5. Phil. 1. 9. 10. 1. Coloss 1. 10. 1. Thes 5. 23. 24. 2. Tim. 3. 16. 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. Psalme 19. 7. Pro 22. 17. Pro 23. 23. Mat. 2. 1. Luke 8. 2. Act. 8. 27 Deut. 16. 1 Sam. 1. 3. Gal 1. 18. Prou. 4. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 7. Mal. 2. 7. Math. 17. 36. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Sam. 25 32. Lu. 11. 27. Cal. 4. 14. Esai 2. 3. Zâ—ch 8. Iohâ— 1. 4. 45. Iohn 4. Psal 119. 7. Psal 119. 164. Luke 10. 21. Act. 8. 8. 1. Cor. 14. 25. Pro 3. 9. Mat. 〈◊〉 41. 42. Mat. 25. 35. 2. Tim. 1. 16. 1. Tim. 5. 17. Gal 6. 6. 2. King 4 8. Luk. 8. 3. Act 10 4 8. Act 16. 15. Actes 16. 15. Actes 16. 34. Pro. 12. 8. Ecc. 4. 13. Ecc. 9. 16. 1. Sam. 2. 30. Iob. 1. 1. Math. 11. Luke 1. 6. Esai 5. 20. Vse Mat. 6. Bernard Psal 115. 1. 1. Cor 4. 7. 1. Cor. 15. 10. 2. Cor. 10. 17. 18. Iohn 9. Mat 21 Mat. 27. â—â—ct 28. â— Cor. 4. 3. 4. Pro 28. 23. Psal 141. 5. Iohn 5. 44. Iohn 12. 42. 43. Bernard Pro. 27. 2. August in Psalm 144 Ps 8â— 11. De ciuit dei lib. 19. cap 1. Cap 4. Aug. de ciuit dei lib 14. Cap â—5 Lib 5. 18. Aug de ciuit dei Lib 5. Cap. 16. Rom. 7. 2â— 2. Cor. 5. 1. 2. Phill 1. 23. Psal 84. 1. 2. 4. 10. Iohn 17. 24. August Heb 11. 24 25. Exod. 31. 1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Psal 19. 1. 1.
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
lesson by it that it is not sufficient for vs to performe the generall duties of Christianitie but also the particular duties of our seuerall callings And we may see the corruptioÌ„ of our natures that euery one is willing and readie to heare the duties of other men forgetting and litle regarding what doth belong and appertaine to themselues The seruant is content to heare the dutie of his maister and the maister is content to heare the dutie of his seruants children are content to heare the dutie of their parents and parents are content to heare the duties of children HusbaÌ„ds are willing to heare the duties of wiues and wiues are content to heare the duties of husbands Ministers are coÌ„tent to heare the duties of the people and people are content to heare the duties of ministers Subiects are content to heare the duties of their Princes and Princes are willing to heare the duties of their subiects But fewe or none are so readie or willing to-heare and learne their owne duties For redresse of this corruption let euery one say with the kingly Prophet Dauid I will heare what the Lord will say concerning me And of al other the scriptures doe often and plentifully speake of the duties of Princes and Magistrates in Exodus in Deutrinomie in the Prouerbs of Salomon in the Lawe in the Prophets in the Gospell and many preachers many times in many places vpon iust occasion doe handle this doctrine of the Magistrates and this is not superfluous because it is a matter of great importance for if they doe their duties the Church and common-wealth flourisheth otherwise there is decay and ruine Againe their office is hard and difficult much holines much wisedome and faithfulnes required of them their charge and burden is great they haue many hindrances and enemies they are subiect to many dangers therefore they had neede of much daily instruction so much teaching so many sermons shal be so many witnesses against them if they do not regard follow theÌ„ but to come to the description of good rulers their first care must be that if they wil wel profitably rule others they must first gouerne and rule themselues The very heathen haue accounted those the best Emperours and rulers which could rule their owne affections they haue thought said that we neede not so much feare our armed enemies as our owne desires and lustes that it is a farre greater worke to ouercome our selues then to ouercome our enemies And thus saith one very excelleÌ„tly If thou wilt haue all things subiect to thee subiect thy selfe to reason thou shalt rule many if reason rule thee from thence thou shalt learne what and how thou art to take any thing in hand Kings and rulers haue their name from doing well therfore by doing well thou doest hold the name of a ruler but by sinning thou dost lose it therfore they are rightly called kings rulers who can rightly rule themselues and others The highest place is well ruled when he that gouerneth hath dominion rather ouer vices then ouer his brethreÌ„ Again it is a good house and well ordered where the man ruleth the wiâ—e obeyeth he is a good man where the spirit ruleth the flesh serueth Most excellent is the speech of his Maiestie to his gratious sonne of famous memorie saying That hee is not worthie to rule others that cannot rule himselfe Inordinate affections more dangerous and powerfull then the enemies of the body those are vanquished by spirituall power this is the best victorie and such bee truely noble Base mâ—n may subdue Kingdomes and themselues bond-men of sinne and Sathan He is not worthie to gouerne a Christian people that is not a Christian himselfe let such looke for no good successe Againe Princes are tyed to God in a double bond First in that they are men Secondly in that they are Rulers of men In pietie and thankfulnes they are to goe before others The highnes of their place aggrauateth their fault Their glorie is to shine before others He is better saith Salomon that ruleth his owne minde then he that winneth a Citie Such as winne Cities spoyleth and destroyeth He that ruleth himselfe doeth hurt and spoyle no man he is at warre with none but with his owne wicked nature It is abhomination to Kings to commit wickednesse for their throne is stablished by iustice The greater that men are the more grieuous horrible and loathsome are their sinnes As they were increased sayeth the Prophet they rebelled against mee therefore I will change their glorie into shame Againe they are poore they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the iudgement of their God I will get me to the great men and will speake to them for they haue knowne the way of the Lord and the iudgement of their God but those haue altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds wherefore a Lion out of the forrest shall slay them These are most vnkinde to God who doe thus requite his kindnesse for their great preferments and dignities Magistrates of all others must bee vnrebukeable the eyes of all are vpon them A spot or a mote in the sun is soonest spyed their good example doth much good if they fall others follow they leade others to hell It is a staine to their place to their dignitie titles to be stained or tainted with any grosse sinne They are called gods and therefore they must bee like God in hating sin they must be like God in holinesse righteousnes Rulers must out go the people not in pleasure lust but in temperance in vertue magnanimitie It is the saying of the heathen He is not worthie to gouerne that is no better neither hath moe vertues then they which he gouernes they are to be first doers of that which they command they must leade the way to vertue and practise that which they command It is written of Lycurgus that he set downe no law whereof hee himselfe had not shewed an example and practise in his owne person Ageselaus would be the first doer of that he commanded others to do Sinnes of great men are examples priuiledges to others whatsoeuer they do they seeme to command As a great branch cut from a tree bringeth downe many small ones with it And as when a great Prince coÌ„meth forth of his palace a multitude follow him so doe subiects ordinarily follow the examples of their gouernours good or bad yea the affection in subiects to please Princes and to immitate their actions is of more force then lawes punishments And therefore true is that saying of a heathen man That Magistrates in matters of wickednesse and vice doe not onely conceiue it but spread it and as it were water their subiects with it And againe wilt thou haue thy subiects good bee thou good The Prince by well doing teacheth the subiects to do well Examples of Princes neuer
a few small fishes he fed about foure thousand soules He is like that good Samaritane who when hee saw that man that fell among the theeues beeing robbed and wounded came nere vnto him and when hee saw him he had compassion on him and bound vp his wounds and powred in oyle and wine and put him vpon his own horse and brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him Finally wee know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that he being rich for our sakes became poore that through his pouerty wee might bee made rich All the Apostles had speciall care of the poore they put one another in minde of thisâ— duty Paul confesseth that hee had warning from others to remember the poore which thing also he was diligent to doe Hee doth in many places put the Church in minde of this duty Concerning the gathering for the Saints saith hee as I haue ordained in the Church of Galatia so doe yee also Euery first day of the weeke let euery one of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that there bee no gathering when I come And in another place hee bestoweth two whole Chapters in perswading them by sundry reasons to the cheerefull relieuing of the poore Saints You may see that the primitiue Church had both ordinary extraordinary gatherings for their own poore and for strangers these collections were very fitly on the Lords day Such workes of mercy are workes of the Sabaoth then we heare the word which doth stirre vs vp to this duety then are publicke prayers and petitions to God which should moue vs to heare the petitions of others as we will haue God to heare vs then wee cry and craue for mercy to him and therefore wee should snewe mercy to others then are the Sacraments administred which doe moue vs to loue and charity one to another then the examples of others should prouoke vs to kindnesse and liberality towards our brethren then wee remember and call to minde the remembrance of God towards vs which should moue vs to bee beneficiall to others then wee professe the communion of Saints and therefore should bee ready to impart such gifts as wee haue to the comfort and benefite one of another Christians are all one Corporation and one houshold and therefore should haue a care of the helping and relieuing one of another The end of riches is not onely to serue our owne necessities but specially the glory of God and also the necessity of others The possession of riches is vncertaine our life vncertaine our state vncertaine being subiect to the same calamities that others are And therefore while wee haue time let vs doe good to all men and specially to the houshold of faith And consider I pray you who it is that hath need and requireth thy helpe It is Man euen one like thy selfe of the same nature and it may bee of the same Spirit and Grace And what doth hee aske of thee but onely that which God doth giue thee not onely foâ— thine owne vse but for the good of others Nay it is God himselfe that asketh and is become petitioner to thee for the poore It is God I say that asketh who hath giuen thee body and soule and goods who hath giuen his sonne for thee who loueth the poore and whatsoeuer is done to them for his sake hee accounteth it as done to himselfe And he asketh nothing but his owne for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is and all the beasts of the forrest are his and all the beasts on a thousand mountaines And he doth not aske it to thy hurt and hinderance but to thy greater gaine and aduantage He that is mercifull rewardeth his owne soule And he that hath mercie on the poore lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen This is the best vsury to put out money and riches to good and holy vses to put them into the hands of God to bestow them according to his will and then they shall be increased and multiplied We are all debters to God we owe him all we haue he hath ordained all things for our vse and therefore it is reason we should trust him and commit all we haue into his hands A wise creditor will trust a faithful debter with any thing And shall not wee trust our God who is most sure of his word and the best pay-maister of all others He is God the faithfull God which keepeth couenant and mercy vnto them that loue him and keep his Commandements euen to a thousand generations This God said vnto Abraham I am thy Buckler and thy exceeding great reward God saith to thee Giue and I will giue thou hast had mee a giuer make me now thy debter The poore man saith a Father is a fruitfull field and quickely and plenteously returneth that which it hath receiued The Husband-man buyeth Oxen Horse and feedeth them he tilleth the ground he casteth in his seede and all vpon hope of a doubtfull haruest but almes is a seed to be sowen the crop and haruest will certainly follow Againe If thou wilt bee a good Merchant and an excellent vsurer giue forth that thou canst not keepe that thou maist receiue that thou canst not loose Giue a little that thou maist receiue an hundred times as much giue a temporall possession for an euerlasting inheritance What a folly is it â—aith another there to lay vp thy goods from whence thou must depart and not rather to send them before thee to the place where thou must go to inhabite Let thy goods be where thy country is hee that hoordeth vp treasure in earth hast nothing to looke for in heauen Why lookest thou vp to heauen where thou hath laid vp nothing Charge them that are rich in this world saith the Apostle that they bee not high-minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs aboundance of all things to enioy that they do good and bee rich in good worke and ready to distribute and communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life God hath ordained saith one for men two Crownes for the poore the Crowne of Patience for the rich the Crowne of Liberality As the poore do depriue themselues of their Crowne by Impatiency and murmuring so ought the rich by helping the poore to striue to obtaine the Crowne of Liberality Worthy is the example of the Primitiue Church of whom it is said there was such order and charity amongst them that none of them lacked for as many as were possessours of lands and of houses sold them and brought the price of the things that were sold and laid it downe at the Apostles feete and it was distributed to euery one as he had need The nuÌ„ber of beleeuers at that time was about fiue thousand