children The Kingly Prophet exhorts Kings of the earth and all people Princes and Iudges of the world young men and maydens also old men and children to prayse the name of the Lord. Saint Paul chargeth Timothie and Titus to teach old and young without exception Saint Iohn writeth his Epistle to fathers young men and children therefore the youngest are not exempted in regard of their young and tender yeeres Inasmuch as God is their Creator they are to remember him in the dayes of their youth Seeing in their first entrance into the world they haue beene baptised into the name of the blessed Trinitie and so haue taken vpon them the profession of true religion their proceeding and practise when they come to yeeres must be answerable to their beginning Further that age is slipperie weake dangerous and subiect to many temptations easilie seduced and ouercome by bad counsell and company They had neede therefore betimes to bee armed with the shielde of faith and sword of the spirit their witte and capacitie is then most fresh pregnant to conceiue remember keepe and hold good and gratious instructions Parents therefore are commaunded to bring vp their children in instruction and information of the LORD And it is the counsell of the wise man Teach a childe the trade of his way and when hee is olde he will not depart from it Againe yong men are subiect to death and must appeare before the great Iudge in that day as well as other Neede therefore haue they of due preparation Besides a religious disposition and behauiour in young age will bring them credit and honour all the dayes of their life and comfort ioy and peace of conscience in old age And what ioy what exceeding ioy will this be to Parents friends Tutors teachers and to all that loue and feare God A wise sonne saith Salomon maketh a glad father but a foolish sonne is a heauinesse to his mother It is therefore sayde of Iohn the Baptist that his father should haue ioy of him and many should reioyce at his birth because hee was filled with the holy Ghost in his mothers wombe Saint Iohn writing to that noble and worthie Lady reioyceth greatly that hee found her children walking in the trueth And examples we haue of grace and religion in the younger sorte Samuel from his childhood was consecrated and dedicated to the seruice of God Iosiah was but eight yeares old when he began to raigne in Ierusalem yet there was neuer any before nor after him more vertuous and religious Salomon though most tender and deare in the eyes of his father and mother yet in his young yeares was taught diuine and heauenly wisedome When our Sauiour Christ came riding to Ierusalem in a base manner though the Scribes and Pharises disdained him yet children cry Hosanna the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Timothie from his childhood had knowledge in the scriptures being instructed by his good Grandmother Lois and his mother Eunicâ— Iohn the Baptist grew and â—â—â—ed strong in the spirit and Iesus Christ being but 12. yeares old increased in wisedome in statute and fauour with God and men God will haue the first borne the first fruits and he that begins well is halfe his way Dimidium facti qui bene caepit habet The tree that buds not in the spring is dead and such as are deformed in youth neuer proue welfauoured in age As the arrow is first directed so it flyeth youth is compared to the day while it is day let vs walke in the light the night commeth when no man can worke The time of youth is the summer time with the Ant and Bee we must prouide in summer against winter The time of youth is compared to Haruest wherin men take the occasioÌ„ vse all meanes they can for the reaping and enioying of the fruits of the earth if they let that time slip all is lost He that sleepes in haruest is the sonne of confusion Dauid in his youth killeth the Lyon the Beare and great Goliah Sampson in his youth killed the Philistines let vs by our spirituall armour ouercome the wicked one euen in our young time Now besides all this giue me leaue Right Hon. to put you in remembrance of one worthie example of a noble young man Ioseph full of grace and vertue worthie to be imitated of Kings Princes and Potentates In this famous patterne I obserue these sixe vertues The first is his rare chastitie who being tempted to follie by his mistresse did flatly refuse her saying How can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God He knew with Iob that this was is a wickednesse and iniquitie to be condemned yea that it is a fire which shall deuoure to destruction and shall roote out all his encrease The second vertue in young 〈◊〉 which is the ground of all the rest is his religion and the true feare of God in his heart All his actions and all his proceedings doe sauour of the feare of God It was this that kept him from that grosse iniquitie He ascribes the interpretatioÌ„ of dreams not to himselfe but to God He protesteth to his brethren that he feareth God And againe when he made himselfe knowne to his brethren he said Be not sad neither grieued with your selues that you sold me hither for God did send me before you for your preseruation And when his father asked him of his sonnes These are my sons sayd he which God hath giuen me This is the chiefe vertue in great persons the best Nobilitie A third vertue in Ioseph is his faithfulnes to his Prince He gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the corne which hee bought not for his owne priuate vse but for the profit of the King his maister And as he is carefull to preserue the royall dignitie of the King and seeketh the wealth of Pharoah so hee hath a pittifull heart to the poore distressed people and is carefull to relieue them This is an excellent vertue in great persons which serue in the Court not to seeke their owne priuate gaine but the credit and wealth of their Prince and yet to haue louing and merciful hearts to the poore distressed commons The fourth vertue in Ioseph is his seueritie and clemencie wisely mixed together Hee speaketh roughly to hiâ— brethren hee threatens them and chargeth them to be spyes and yet his heart is full of compassion and loue When they are truely humbled know themselues hee doth entertaine them kindly and receiue them with much ioy And this is a speciall vertue required of Princes and Magistrates They must with Dauid in the gouerning of their Court Church Common-wealth and house strike on these two strings Mercie and Iudgement They must bee seuere and rough against notorious offenders and yet
cleare cristall hauing the foundations of the Walles grarnished with precious stones the gates of Pearles which hath no need of Sunne or Moone to shine in it because the brightnes of GOD shal be the light of it and the Lambe himselfe shall be the Candle of it no defiled thing shall enter into it Oh how happie shall the Citizens been that shall liue in such a Citie And thus S. Iohn by the description of the most rich and precious things of the world layeth out vnto vs the value glorie and maiestie of the felicitie prepared for vs in heauen In this miserable life full of sorrowes and cares all sorts of men yea most wicked men haue many commodities pleasures and delight What happines and ioy then shal the friends of God and all good men haue in that life of all true ioy and happines Heerevpon saith a Father in the secret speech of his soule with God O Lorde If thou for this vile bodie of ours giue vs so great and innumerable benefites from the Firmament from the Aire from the Earth from the Sea by light by darknes by heate by shadowe by deawes by showers by windes by raines by Byrdes by Fishes by beasts by Trees by multitude of hearbes and varietie of Plants and by the ministerie of all the Creatures O sweete Lord what manner of things how great how good and how innumerable are those which thou hast prepared in our heauenly countrey where we shall see thee face to face If thou doest so great things for vs in our prison what wilt thou giue vs in thy Pallace If thou giuest so many things in the worlde to good and euill men together what hast thou layde vp for only good men in the worlde to come If thine enimies and friendes together are so well prouided for in this life what shall thy onely Friends receiue in the life to come If there be so great solace in these dayes of teares what ioy shall there bee in that day of marriage If our Iayle containe so great matters what shall our countrey and kingdome doe And as there is no ende of thy greatnes nor number of thy wisdome nor measure of thy benignitie So is there neither end nūber nor measure nor nūber of thy rewards towards thē that loue fight for thee We may sooner set downe what that felicitie is not then what it is there is no death no sorrow no wearines no hunger no thirst no pouertie no infirmitie no corruption all is good and greatly and excellently good yea and surely and contially good All offices and callings both of Church and cōmon-wealth do there cease there is an end of our Faith hope patience prayer sacraments there is an end of originall actuall sin of all miseries both of bodie soule of naturall life the meanes of it God shal be vnto vs King Prince Father riches life glorie yea all things and such a heap of happines that as sundry vessels cast into the middest of the Sea are full of water so as they cānot neither want nor haue more So the Sea of the Deitie being all things in all vs we shall be filled and satisfied with life and glorie so as wee can neither want nor receiue more Then shall wee not onely taste how sweete our God is but wee shal be filled throughly satisfied with his most wonderful sweetnes A chiefe part of our felicitie shall be then to see Christ our brother head and Bridegroome exalted in his diuine Maiestie and brightnes This is their happines that they may be with him and behold his glorie this is the fulnesse and perfection of their ioy O heart humaine poore and needie ô hart exercised with miserie almost cōsumed of them what should thy ioy be if thou hadst the full enioying of the abundance of these good things Aske of thy soule if thou were capable of the ioy which thou shuldst feele of one such felicitie but if besides anie other whome thou louest as thy selfe should enioy the same happines with thee surely this superabounding ioy which thou shouldst feele of thy own happines should it not be twise doubled for the glorie and ioy of him whome thou louest as thy selfe and for whose hahpines thou shouldst be as ioyfull as for thine owne Now if there were two three yea a great number enioying the same happines with thee whom also thou louest as thy selfe thou shouldest feele as much ioy for the happines of each of them as for thine owne what shall this be in this perfect Charitie when wee shall loue all the blessed Angels and the Elect louing euery each one of them euen as our selues and being no lesse ioyfull of the felicitie of eache of them then of our selues Surely if neuer a one of the Elect shall be capable of his owne Ioy for the greatnes of it how shall hee be capable of so many ioyes for the happines of so many of the Elect for whome he shall feele as much ioy as for his owne What a Ioye shall it be to see such an honourable and innumerable companie in ioy with thee As Angels Archangels Patriarkes Princes Prophets Apostles and Disciples of CHRIST Martyrs and Saints of God but yet the greatest ioy of all is to behold the glorie of Christ whom wee shall loue more then all these Yea more then our selues wee shall then see him and know him as he is and so loue him according as hee is Oh blessed and glorious societie ô holy Feast ô delectable dainties where there is no loathing but all satietie and fulnes Hee whome wee shall see is wholie sweete wholy healthfull wholy pleasant and to be desired In him the fulnes of graces is the vniuersalitie of mercies the foūtaine of Pietie which cannot be dried vp O Veritie Charitie Aeternitie ô blessed and blessing Trinitie O Veritie the countrey of Pilgrimes the ende of banishment Thou art true libertie thou art Life thou art Glorie thou art sufficiencie thou art perfect blessednes whollie ioye and the rest of all blessed Spirits O Ioy aboue all Ioyes passing all ioy and without which there is no ioy When shall I enter into thee when shall I enioy thee to see my God that dwelleth in thee O euerlasting kingdome and Kingdom of all Aeternities O light without ende O peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding in which the soules of Saints doe rest with thee and euerlasting ioy is vpon their heads they possesse ioy exultation O how gracious a kingdome is thine ô Lord wherein all Saints doe raigne with thee adorned with light as with Apparell and hauing crownes of precious stones on their heads O kingdome of euerlasting blisse where thou ô Lord the hope of all Saints art and the Diademe of their perpetuall glorie Reioyce them on euery side with thy blessed sight in this kingdome of thine their infinite ioye and Mirth without sadnesse health without sorrowe life without labour light without darkenes felicitie
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.
their hearts must be full of loue pittie and compassion The fift vertue in noble Ioseph is his patience and magnanimitie in suffering so great wrongs and iniuries He was hardlie dealt with all by his brethren many waies being reuiled scorned and sold into Egypt by them falsely accused by his mistris and vniustly cast into prison by his maister In all his miseries he possessed his soule with patience and when it was in his power to bee reuenged of his brethren he bridleth his affections kindly entreateth them and ouercommeth euill with goodnesse Oh rare example of true Christian patience and courage he feedeth them he entertayneth them and preserueth them that had conspired against him The last vertue is his kindnesse loue and dutie to his father he inquireth of his brethren touching the life and health of his olde father In time of dearth hee sent prouision for him and his without money He sent Chariots to bring him and hâ—s familie into Egypt Hee went to meete his father Israel and presented himselfe vnto him falling on his necke and weeping a good while Hee bringeth him before Pharoah Hee placed his father and brethren giuing them possessions in the Land of Egypt in the best of the land He visiteth his sicke father he fell vpon his face wept vpon him and kissed him at his death performes his will and honorably burieth him And to this kindnes al are bound by the law of God nature by the care loue benefits of Parents towards them for which we are neuer able to make sufficient recoÌ„pence These are the chiefe and Princely vertues in a Noble person worthie to bee imitated of all the sonnes of Nobles Most worthie is that of Ambrose Esâ— bonorum adolescentium timorâ—m dei habere deferre parentibus honorem c. It is required of good yong men to haue the feare of God to giue honour to their parents to reuerence their elders to keepe themselues chaste bee humble and lowly to loue kindnesse and shamefastnes which are ornaments to young age for as grauitie is commended in olde men so shamefastnes in young men as if it were by the gift and dowry of nature Isaacke a childe fearing God the sonne and heyre of Abraham giueth such honour to his father that hee refused not death at his fathers pleasure Ioseph also when hee dreamed that the Sunne and Moone and Starres shoulde worshippe him yet was hee still carefull to honour his father so chaste that hee would not haue an vnchaste worde so shamefast that hee fled from his mistresse so humble that hee was content to serue so patient that hee cheerefully suffered imprisonment so readie to forgiue iniurie that hee preferred those that sought his life Therefore the blessing of his father fell vpon him These things I write Right Honourable not that I doubt eyther of your good education or vertuous disposition but hearing of your good beginning and proceedings in grace my purpose is onely to comfort and encourage you in that good way where you are already entred But for further direction I referre you to the Sermons following which I haue dedicated to your Honour together with that worthie Citie where they were preached and where your Honour now to the comfort of many doth succeed your worthie father in place and authoritie The cause of my dedication to your Honour is First loue to your selfe heartily wishing continuance and increase in grace being the speciall ioy hope and ornament of our Countrey An other cause is the dutie I owe to your Hoâ—ourable parents to whom both I and mine are so farre obliged that wee shall neuer bee able so much as to bee sufficiently thankfull much lesse to requite them And thus I beseech the Almighty God the father of all gifts to bestow vpon your Honour the portion of Ioseph all the noble vertues and graces that were in him all true prosperitie and honour in this life and an eternall inheritance in that blessed and heauenly Canaan prepared and purchased by the blood of Christ for all such as truely beleeue in him Your Honours to command alwaies in the Lord THOMAS GIBSON TO THE RIGHT Worshipful M. Mayor of Couentry the Iustices Aldermen Sheriffes to all the rest of that corperation and to all within the liberties of that Citie which sincerely professe and loue the truth of Christs Gospel T G wisheth all happines in this life and euerlasting glory in the life to come SVch is the gratious fauour kindnes of our good mercifull God towards his children seruants here on earth Right worshipfull and beloued in the Lord that in his loue he vouchsafeth to accept and to approue their weake seruice and workes so that they be done and performed with honest right and good affections And thus he accepteth our prayer hearing receiuing almes and other actions being weakely and vnperfectly performed by vs. And if the Lord were not of this gratious inclination and nature wee might be vtterly discouraged to doe him any seruice at all considering the manifold wants and infirmities that are in vs. But being sure of his fauour and acceptance and of our owne honest desires and affections to doe more and better then wee can performe and being sorrie wee can doe no better we are emboldned to performe any dutie and seruice to so good a God and louing a father and it is his owne will and commandement that we should doe so Thus he saith to Moses about the building of the materiall tabernacle Speake to the childreÌ„ of Israel that they receiue an offering for me of euery man whose heart giueth it freely Yet shall take the offering for me and this is the offering which you shall take of them gold siluer and brasse and blew silke purple and scarlet and fine linnen and goates haire Rammes skins coloured red the skins of Badgers and the wood Shiâ—im From whence we are to learne that God requireth the offerings of his people for the building of his tabernacle and furthering his seruice Againe that he requireth not a compelled but a cheerfull seruice a true sincere ioyfull heart and affectioÌ„ And further we learne that the endeuour and labour of those which any way helpe the spirituall building either by cost or counsell so farre as they may is a seruice pleasing to God For we see things there offered be of diuerse kinds some more pretious some base and vile There be difference of gifts in building the spirituall tabernacle some are endewed with gold some with siluer some with blew silke and all profitable Such as God hath giuen such we are to bring and God will accept it Some things God appointed that the poorest might be able to offer and no man shut out for want of abilitie they may bring wood stone or at least Goates haire Euery one in his calling as he hath receiued must doe his vttermost endeuour to further the building Some by preaching some by writing some by
and confesse yet they silent and neuer speake once a good word of them others are malitious and doe daily carpe depraue disgrace and diminish as much as they can the gifts of God in his seruants Againe this reprooueth those which hunt for glorie praise this they greatly seeke for and desire though they haue no care of vertue nor wisdom these are like the Pharises proud vaine-glorious Hypocrites seeking onley the praise of meÌ„ What is more vnseemely or more infamous then to be desirous of glorie the more we seeke and desire it the lesse we shall finde it If thou wouldest be glorious despise glorie and thou shalt be glorious to all the vaine glorie of this world is a deceitfull sweetnâ—s an vnprofitable labour a perpetuall feare and a dangerous preferment vaine glorie it flyeth lightly it pursueth easily but it doth inflict not alight wound but doth easily kill such as be blind and negligent it is a secret venom a subtill euill a close plague the mother of hypocrisie the beginning of many vices the rust of vertue the mouth of holines the blindnes of the heart be not proud for the praises of men when thou knowest there are many wants and infirmities in thee if thou seeke for praise thou hast lost it and thy good deeds are corrupted let God be praised in them and not man who is an instrument let the holiest say Not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it The Apostle saith of himselfe By the grace of God I am that I am And againe Let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord for he that praiseth himselfe is not allowed but he whom the Lord praiseth when we haue done al that we can let vs count our selues vnprofitable seruants esteeme thy self vnprofitable God will count thee amoÌ„gst them that are profitable If thou wilt be great in heaueÌ„ thou must be small in earth small in thine owne conceit and thinke rather of thy manifold sinnes both of commission and omission rather then of any goodnâ—s that is in thee What a vanitie madnes is it to desire to be wel spoken of praised and glorified of men if we seeke it we shall scarce attaine it when we haue it it is worth nothing at all being but the breath and blast of fewe mens mouthes and vpon euery light occasion soone altred and changed Christ himselfe was tossed too and fro with the speech of men some said he was a Samaritan and had a diuell others said he was a Prophet sometimes they will make him a King receiue him into Ierusalem with triumph of Hosanna a litle after they crie Crucific him crucifie him and preferred the life of Barrabas a wicked murtherer before him The Barbarians at the first they count Paul a murtherer and presently after they say hee is a God Let vs therefore be of the Apostles minde saying As touching me I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgment No I iudge not my owne selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth mee is the Lord. The praises or dispraises of men are little to be regarded they account some iust holie vertuous honest which are nothing so what are these men the better for the flattering speeches of men when God their owne consciences can tell them that they are no such kind of men at all but indeed prophane vniust vile and naught Some againe are accounted in the mouths of men as wicked and notorious hypocrites what neede they care for these speeches when God and their owne conscience doth witnes that they are sincere in hart desiring to liue honestly and vprightly in the sight of God and men The testimonie of a good conscience is a sufficient bulwark against all false reports and slanders whatsoeuer but the common mischiefe and poyson amongst men is the pleasing speeches of flatterers and clawbacks which doth feed them in their humours and magnifie them to the skies when there is litle or no cause at all Nay when rather they are to be blamed and dispraised There be two kindes of persecutors saith one first of such as doe dispraise vs and secondly of such as doe praise vs but the tongue of the flatterer doth more hurt and persecute vs then the hand of a persecutor I had rather to be reproued of any then to be praised of a flatterer no reproofe is to be feared of him that loueth the truth but he that flatteringly praiseth doth erre and confirmeth vs in error Therefore true is that saying of Salomon he that rebuketh a man shall finde more fauour at the leÌ„gth then he that flattereth with his tongue And the wounds of a friend are better then the kisses of a flatterer Therefore saith Dauid Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefit and let them reproue me and it shall be as a precious oyle that shall not breake my head The desire of praise doth hinder zeale in religion and constancie in the profession of Christ How can ye beleeue saith our Sauiour which receiue honor one of another and seeketh not the honor that coÌ„meth of God alone And in another place it is said that many of the chiefe rulers beleeued in Christ but because of the Pharises they did not confesse him least they shuld be cast out of the Synagogue for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God It is almost an vniuersall vanitie to be desirous to be praised when we deserue it not and not to praise those who are worthie of praise and this is a vaine thing that through our ignorance oftentimes that is concealed which is and that is published which is not Lâ—udâ—mâ—â— mendacitâ—r delectamur inaniter we are falsely praised and we delight in vanitie so that they which are praised are vaine and they which doe praise are liâ—rs man is not to be praised in his life which praise is a temptation and tryall vpon the earth yet is he to be praised who is dead to sinne liues to God It is a vaine and a seducing praise whereby the sinner is praised in the desires of his soule yet he is to be praised who can truely say I liue not but Christ liueth in me and so not he but the life of Christ is praised the gifts and graces of God wheresoeuer we finde them are to be reuerenced honoured and magnified with praise and ioy And let the best take heed that they be not desirous of vaine-glorie It is lawfull to receiue due praise when it is offered and we are not vtterly to renounce and forbid it good men are not ignorant of the goodnes that is in them and therefore they reioyce that God hath giuen vnto men such good affections to like so
wisedome there is wisedome it selfe If true loue then we shall loue God more then our selues and one another as our selues If thou louest companie there is the best all thy good friends and kindred the blessed Saints Martyrs and Angels If thou desirest honor and glorie there we shall be as the Angels of God our bodies shall be like the glorious bodie of Christ and this mortalitie shall put on immortalitie If thou desirest riches there is an heritage and kingdome that neuer fadeth away If thou louest mirth musicke and melodie there is a consort of Angels singing Alleluia glory honor and praise be to the Lambe for euer If thou wouldest haue certaintie safetie and securitie there we are sure to loose none of these things no enemie can assault vs no enemie can hurt vs the Citie of God saith a Father is eternall no man is borne in it because no man dieth in it felicitie is there fullie yet no goddesse but a Gods gift of this habitation haue we a promise by faith As long as wee are here in this pilgrimage on earth and long for that rest aboue the Sunne riseth not there both vpon good and bad but the Sunne of righteousnes onely ouer the good how great shall that felicitie be where there shall be no euill thing where no good thing shall be hidden there we shall haue leisure to vtter forth the praises of God which shall be all things in all for what other thing is done where we shall not rest with any slothfulnes nor labor for any want I knowe not There shall be true honor where no man shall be praised for error or flatterie there is true peace where no man suffereth any thing which may molest him either of himselfe or any other hee himselfe shall be the reward of vertue which hath giuen vertue and hath promised himselfe vnto vs then whom nothing can be better or greater there shall be the great Saboth hauing no euening there we shall rest and see we shall see and loue we shall loue and we shall praise And behold what shall be in the end without end for what other thing is our end but to come to that kingdome of which there is no end Oh most blessed incomparable and vnspeakeable felicitie but this is not to be found in this present world nor so long as we liue in thiâ— life no perfection no perpetuitie in earth why then should wee set our heart vpon the things of this world and vpon the loue of this life true felicitie we all desire but that is in heauen in an other life why doe we not then set our heaâ—t and affections aboue and not vpon the earth seeing we are strangers here why doe we not loue and long for our owne home and countrie if our treasure be there why is not our heart there why are we not rauished with the desire of our resurrection restitution glorification and full redemption this is the delight and desire of the godly Oh wretched man that I am saith Paul who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death And in an other place Wee knowe that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed wee haue a building giuen of God that is a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens therefore we sigh desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heauen And againe he saith That he desired to be loosed and to be with Christ and the bride the true spouse of Christ all true faithfull Christians crie in their soule Come Lord Iesu come quickly What a desire had Dauid to seeke and serue God in the Temple in the assemblie of Gods Saints on earth saying As the Hart bayeth for the riuers of waters so panteth my soule after thee ô God my soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God And againe O Lord of hostes my soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and flesh reioyceth in the liuing God blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will euer praise thee a day in thy courtes is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednes If Dauid had such a desire such loue such zeale such longing to the tabernacle to the company of Gods people in the publike assemblies on earth how much more should our affections be set and fixed vpon the heauenly tabernacle O Lord saith Dauid How manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches he confesseth the abundance of Gods mercies in this world in his workes of creation prouidence and preseruation of all mankinde and yet if all the world be so full of his mercies his Church militant here on earth hath farre greater mercies as his word and Sacraments election calling redemption and sanctification so that we may say how great is thy goodnes ô Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare and done to them that trust in thee And if the earth be full of so many temporall and generall mercies and the Church so full speciall and spirituall blessings how full is the life to come the kingdome of heauen of all perfect glorious and heauenly blessings Indeede the holy meetings of the Saints worshipping and praising God truely according to his worde hath some resemblance and shadow of our eternall happines in heauen and our felicitie there must begin in this life and there is a way and meanes to leade bring vs thither And of this happines speaketh this worthie woman in this place and our thoughts and meditations may applie this sentence further For if shee esteme and account the seruants and Courtiers of Salomon to bee happie because they enioy the sight and presence of so glorions a King Are not we to esteeme it as the best most perfect happines to enioy the presence of Christ the true Salomon and to bee with him in his house in euerlasting glorie Ierusalem the citie of God the beautie and ioy of the world the temple of Salomon most glorious and beautiful his owne house and Pallace most sumptuous costly and pleasant So that happie might they be counted which were citizens of such a Citie which might worship God in that Temple And indeed many came farre neere to their great cost and paines to offer seruice to God in that place and happy might they seeme to be which liued and dwelled in such a Pallace but all these were nothing in comparison of that Citie of that Temple of that Pallace whereof wee speake Those were earthly outward mutable and transitorie and subiect to ruine destruction these are Celestiall durable and euerlasting Our Pilgrimage being ended we shall be indeed citizens of that heauenlie and holy Ierusalem which shall be all of pure golde like vnto
and iniurie offred to Christ it bringeth outward iudgement at least spirituall it doth bring vpon vs the spirit of slumber securitie and benummednes of conscience there is a curse and iudgement vpon the eares and soules of such they are like vnto the ground that is continually drest and tilled in good order and sowne with good seed and yet bringeth foorth no good fruite All will confesse such a ground to be very bad and cursed And the holie Ghost sayth the like That the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth often vpon it and bringeth forth hearbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiue the blessing of God but that which beareth thornes and briers is reproued and is neere to cursing whose end is to be burned And our Sauiour Christ teacheth in the Parable of the seed That the good and blessed ground bringeth forth good fruite some an hundreth fold some sixtie fold some thirtie fold so they which heare with a good and honest heart doe also keepe the word and bring forth fruite with patience An vnprofitable hearer offendeth against God who cryeth dayly to him yet he will not heare him to any purpose who doth kindlie visit him but he will not receiue and entertaine him with such comfort and fruite as he ought they offend against their teachers in discrediting and greeuing them making all their labour and trauell as much as in them lyeth to be in vaine they doe an iniurie to themselues being still ignorant whereas they might haue had knowledge being profane whereas they might haue had some measure of holines the grace which they haue if they haue any it decayeth and dyeth and is taken away from them for God doth take away his gifts from those which vse them not aright and haue no care to encrease them they drawe vpon themselues diuers punishments from God as we hard before Nay these vnfruitfull hearers they offend the Church they do no little wrong to it because they are vnprofitable members and can doe no good to others whereas we are borne not for our selues but for others we should so profit that we should be able to teach our families to comfort admonish and edifie one an other yea w◠should be examples of vertue and pietie to others and growe daily in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ the causes why men profit not are these they haue not repented of sinnes past but they are withholden by some speciall sin or else they are not perswaded of the truth of Gods holy word or else they are carelesse what become of thē after this life or else they are dulled with the cares pleasures of this world or else they neglect prayer hearing reading conference and other holy priuate exercises or else they haue some proud conceit of themselues that they know enough and are holy enough alreadie and need no more or else they haue th◠curse of a stonic and hard heart or else they are drawne away and hindred by bad counsell or company these be the pull-backes and hindrances which keepe men backe from profiting in the schoole of wisedome THE THIRD SERMON FRom this worthy sentence of a most worthy and gratious woman we haue alreadie deliuered and handled this worthy doctrine namely that the chiefe felicitie of this life consisteth in hearing and obeying true wisedome this we haue largely confirmed and proued and haue made some vse of it gathering from hence as a necessarie consequence the miserable wretched estate of such as are destitute of this wisdome of such as seeke to hinder and stoppe it of such as refuse to heare it of such as are contemners and mockers and of such also as are idle and vnprofitable hearers and yet still we are to make some further vse of this doctrine it serueth directly to reproue confute the vanity and follie of such as repose their chiefe felicitie either in carnal wisdome or in the glory of the world or in riches or in pleasures Of al these we haue spokē something already yet let vs say something more of the two latter namely riches and pleasures because most men doe repose true happines in them this is taken as a principle that those are the happiest men in the world which abound in wordly wealth spend their whole life in mirth and Iollitie in earthly delights and carnall Ioyes but the vanitie of these men shall easily appeare if true wisedome may be iudge Trauell not too much to be rich saith the wise man but cease from thy wisedome Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon that which is nothing for riches taketh her to her wings as an Eagle and flyeth into the heauen His meaning is that riches are of small reckoning and account and that they are vncertaine flitting and fading therefore there can be no true happines in them In an other place he doth handle this more largely He that loueth siluer saith he shall not be satisfied with siluer and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof His meaning is that such as repose their happines in riches are not happy but miserable because they are like vnto such as are alwaies thirstie and hungrie and neuer satisfied he setteth downe many other miseries of such men that they haue not so much as the fruit of their riches because they dare not vse that which they haue they are tormēted with the desire of more In the middest of all their wealth they want as well that which they haue as that which they haue not and the more they haue the more they are to maintaine as seruants friends and many parasites and flatterers and this miserie also is incident to such that they do so much thinke of gathering and keeping their riches that they cannot haue so sweete rest and sleepe as many a poore man hath their thoughts are troubled thinking sometimes how to deceiue others and how others may deceiue thē they are in continuall feare of theeues robbers of fire and water and of other danger and losses they are troubled in their minds thinking how badly they haue gotten their riches and how badly they hold and vse them their riches turne to their owne hurt and destruction being occasions to them of pride couetousnes prodigalitie and licentiousnes and sometimes very ruine of body soule These riches are spent consumed by many waies by dilicate daintie fare by costly apparell by smptuous buildings by gaming by whoredome by buying by selling by lawing how many waies are riches spent and consumed by fire by water by warres by theeues by vnskilfull and vnfaithfull Physitions by prodigall wiues and prodigall children by negligēt vntrustie seruants and thus riches perish by euill trauell This is also an other miserie that they leaue the owner he can take nothing with him he knoweth not how soone he must leaue thē he hath heapt vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them it may be neither child
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
writing bookes in diuine instructions and meditations should in his latter dayes fall so grossely into such monstrous wickednesse Who would belieue this or thinke it possible but that it is written and recorded by the holy Ghost the spirit of truth The remembraÌ„ce the reading hearing or thinking of such a fowle fall in such a man it may trouble vs and make our hearts to quake and tremble O Sathan subtile serpent cruell dragon mighty and roaring Lyon the aduersary of mans saluation great is they power thy subtilty and boldnesse that couldest preuaile so far with such a man But what wilt not thou or what canst thou not doe if the Lord let thee loose who didst seduce Adam in Paradise and wast not afraide to tempt our SAVIGVR CHRIST in the wildernesse though thou couldst not preuaile against him but all thy desire endeuour labour is to destroy the soules and bodies of sinfull mortall men But the Lord reproue thee ô Sathan and stay thy infatiable rage and furie O the corruption and sinfulnes of mans nature what are wee the best of vs all if the Lord leaue vs to our selues Into what monstrous and beastly sinnes doe wee fall O Salomon how art thou degenerated how hast thou forgotten thy selfe who hath bewitched thee In thy young time all admired thee sought to thee commended and magnified thee for thy wisedome now all may admire and scoffe thy follie and madnes The enemies of God the Heathen may say Is this the great wise man whome all the world admired Thou hast bene a ioy to all good men they reioyced at thy prosperitie wisedome and pietie Now they figh they are greeued wounded at their heart for thy follie wickednes Hast thou forgotten thine education or the good counsell of thy parents who taught thee and said vnto thee Let thy heart hold fast my words keepe my commaundements and thou shalt liue Thy louing Father gaue thee this counsell vpon his death bed saying I goe the way of all the earth bee strong therefore and shew thy selfe a man and take heede to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes and keepe his statutes and his commaundements and his iudgements and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou mayst prosper in all that thou doest and in euery thing whereunto thou turnest thee And hast thou forgotten those sweete words of thy father Thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart with a willing minde For the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts If thou seeke him he will be found of thee But if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer And hast thou forgotten the sweet and louing counsell of thy mother the prophecie which she taught thee spoken to thee with a tender motherly affection What my sonne what the sonne of my wombe and what O son of my desires giue not thy strength to women nor thy wayes which is to destroy Kings And there shee describeth a wife forthee Not many wiues but one not a stranger or Idolater but a woman fearing God O Salomon hast thou forgotten the first institution of mariage wherein God made for one Adam one 〈◊〉 for one man one woman and they two saith he shall be one flesh And hast thou forgotten the expresse law of God forbidding the King to take him many wiues least his heart turne away from God And againe forbidding all compacts and mariages with Idolaters least they cause his people to turne away from him and serue other gods and so the wrath of the Lord waxe hotte against them and destroy them suddenly Of the truth of these words thou hast wofull experience in thy selfe And hast thou forgotten the words of God spoken to thy selfe promising to blesse thee if thou keep his statues and iudgements otherwise if thou and thy children turne away from me and will not keepe my commaundements and my statutes which I haue set before you but goe and serue other gods and worshippe them then will I cut off Israel from the land which I haue giuen them and the house which I haue hallowed for my Name will I cast out of my sight and Israel shall bee a prouerbe and a common talke among all people euen this high house shall be so Euery one that passeth by it shal be astonyed and shall hisse and they shall say Why hath the Lord done this vnto this land and to this house and they shall answere Because they forsooke the Lord their God which brought their Fathers out of the land of Aeâ—â—pt and haue taken holde vppon other Gods and haue worshipped them and serued them Therefore hath the Lorde brought vppon them all this euill And Oh Salomon hast thou forgotten thine owne counsell and doctrine inspired by the holy Ghost and deliuered to the instruction of others And may it not be said to thee Behold thou art called a lewe and restest in the law and gloriest in God and knowest his will and allowest the things that are excellent in that thou art instructed by the Law and perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them that are in darknes an instructer of them which lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge and Truth in the lawe Thou therefore which teachest another teachest not thou thy selfe Thou that preachest a man should not steale Doest thou steale Thou that sayest a man should not commit adulterie Doest thou commit adultrie Thou that abhorrest Idolls coÌ„mittest thou Sacriledge Thou that gloriest in the Law through the breaking of the Law dishonorest thou God For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written Consider then how this thy bad example and filthy fall disagreeth with thy former doctrine and counsell Are not these thine owne words That the lips of a strange woman drop as an honie combe and her mouth is more softe then oyle but the ende of her is more bitter then worme-wood and sharpe as a two-edged sworde Her feete go downe to death and her steps take holde on Hell Keepe thy way farre from her and come not neere the doore of her house least thou giue they honors to others and thy yeares to the cruell And is not this thine owne sweete counsell that the commandement is a Lanthorne and Instruction and Light and Corrections for instructions and the way of life to keepe thee from the wicked woman and from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman desire not her beautie in thy heart neither let her not take thee with her Eye-liddes For because of the whorish woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread and a woman will hunt for the precious life of a man And doeâ—â— thou not describe and cunningly lay out the folly of
Preacher with compassion of minde He hath learned to speake truely that hath first learned to doe well And then doth the seede of the word bring forth fruite when the pietie of the Preacher doeth water it in the breast of the hearers Wee must first bee cleansed our selues and so cleanse others wee must first be wise and so make others wise we must first bee made lighte and so lighten others wee must first come to God our selues and so bring others to God wee must first be sanctified so sanctify others This law is layde vpon the Preachers that they lighten them by liuing which they are carefull to perswade by speaking For the authoritie and power of speaking is lost when the voyce is not helped by worke No man can stand in the valley and speake from the mount Where thou standest from thence speake and from whence thou speakest there stande If thy minde bee in the earth how doest thou speake from heauen be in heauen if thou speake from heauen If thou wilt not doe righteousnesse why doest thou make thy selfe a teacher of righteousnes why doest thou call thy selfe a maister of that whereof thy selfe will be no scholler nor Disciple Finally there be three kindes of negligent Prelates Some who liue well and suffer their people to liue ill Some who liue ill compell their people to liue well Some who liue ill will haue their people to liue ill Those which liue wel suffer their people to liue ill they goe before them in example but they doe sinne because they reproue not their errors Though they liue well yet they must of necessitie giue account of the flocke committed to them to the Lord of the flocke Those which liue ill and compell their people to liue well They do call those that goe astray but they kill those which are rightly strong They call by words they kill by examples Of the third sorte we are not to speak at all But though this be true that the sinnes of Preachers and professors bee thus offensiue to other and hurtfull to themselues yet neyther preaching nor profession is to be cast off or condemned Phisitions oftentimes liue contrary to their owne rules and Lawyers liue lawlesse And yet both Phisicke and Law is good A warrant from the King is not to bee despised though the Officer bee naught In all professions and callings some are good and some bad The callings are not to bee condemned because of the badnesse of them which are in them All fleshe is grasse and the glorie thereof like the flower of the fielde All men are subiect to sinne and error but the word of the Lord abideth for euer It is pure holy iuste and good though those which professe and teach it be neuer so bad Gold is not the worse though a Thiefe handle it no more is the word of the Lord which is more pure then gold being seuen times tried in the fire though wicked men professe and teach it This is the counsell of our Sauiour Christ saying The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses seate all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes do not Excellently saith one vpon that place he that doth euill doth iniurie to the seate Sitting in iudgement if thou liue well and teach well thou shalt be iudge of all If thou liue ill and teach well thou shalt be iudge of thy selfe onely for by teaching well thou doest teach thy people how they ought to liue but by liuing ill thou dost teach God how he ought to condemne thee If they liue well meaning the preachers it is their gaine If they teach well it is your gaine speaking to the people Take that therefore which is yours and trouble not your selues about that which is an other mans for often there proceedeth good doctrine from an euill man euen as the vile earth bringeth forth precious gold Is that precious gold contemned because the earth is vile and base euen therefore as the gold is chosen and the earth is left so receiue you the doctrine and leaue the manners Let vs receiue the doctrine not the maners Hearbes are not necessarie for Bees but flowers so gather you the flowers of doctrine and leaue the conuersation Augustine speaking of this example of Salomon saith thus If Salomon be reiected of God why are his writings of such authoritie in the Church that wee may know saith he that the words of God are not therefore true because they were spoken by Salomon but because they proceeded from God by Salomon whatsoeuer therefore he wrote well it must be ascribed to God and as for his sin it must be left to himselfe The same may be said of Balaam who though he was an euill man yet he deliuered good and wholesome Oracles Dauid sinned grieuously yet his Psalmes are most blessed diuine sacred ful of sweet comforts and instructions to be imbraced beleeued reuerenced and practised of all good men Peter his fall was most greeuous in denying his maister yet his sermons his doctrine and writings are in no case to be reiected but to be receiued and followed of all Christians as holy and canonicall scripture inspired by the holy Ghost Thus the falls of the Saints are abused sundrie waies some men doe excuse all their faults some by them take occasion to disgrace and discredit the Saints and some take occasion thereby to practise the like sinnes in themselues but these are all deceiued and doe erre foulely For they are not written to any such purpose but rather that we may learne and see the corruption of all men by nature and that we may know the Saints were but men and therefore not to trust in them but in God And this vse doth one make of this example of Salomon that God suffered him to erre least we should erre Many things are written specially in the Psalmes of Christ in the person of Salomon Now we might take those things to be spoken altogether of Salomon himselfe but that we see he hath so grieuously fallen whereupon we are constrained to passe those excellent Oracles from Salomon to the Messias for seeing we are admonished in the scriptures that Christ knew no sinne and we see that Salomon sinned so hainously we may vnderstand thereby that Salomon was not the Messias And by such examples the mercy of God is made manifest to repenting sinners And they may gather comfort from thence that if they haue the like repentance they shall haue the like fauour mercy And therefore saith one I consider Peeter I cōsider the theefe vpon the crosse I looke vpon Zacheus and I see nothing else in them but examples set before our eies of hope and repentance By these examples also we are stirred vp to humilitie and watchfulnes to worke our saluation with feare and trembling and vpon view of these things let him that standeth take heed least he fall
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
the profite and commodity of his subiects These be the worthy sayings and sentences of Heathen men which may be iustly alledged and applied to the shame and condemnation of many Christian Rulers who in ruling seeke onely or at least chiefly their owne ease and priuate gaine and haue little or no regard to the common good This is not to doe iudgement and iustice this is not to doe equity and righteousnesse for these or any of these taken in a large sence do coÌ„prehend the whole duety of a Magistrate according to the rule of Gods word The Lord complaining of corrupt Rulers he saith that he looked for iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnes but behold a crying And in another place he saith Let iudgement run downe as waters and righteousnesse as a mighty riuer Righteousnesse and Iustice doth containe all vertues in them Righteousnesse saith one doth more profite others then it selfe doth neglect her owne profites preferring the common good giuing to euery one that which is right and this righteousnesse is first to God secondly to our Countrey And another saith whosoeuer thou art that desirest righteousnesse first feare God and loue him that thou mayst bee loued of him thou shalt loue God if thou follow him in this that thou art willing to doe good to all and hurt to none The righteousnesse of a King is the peace of his people the safety of his Countrey the comfort of the poore the calmnesse of the sea the temperature of the aire the fruitfulnesse of the earth the heritage of children and to himselfe the hope of future blessednesse Another doth most excellently set out the duty of Princes and Rulers in these words The Iustice of a King is that hee doe not wrongfully oppresse any man by his power that hee iudge betweene man and man without acceptance of persons that hee bee a defence to the stranger fatherlesse and widdow that hee suppresse theft punish adultery exalt not the wicked mainetaine no quarrellers nor lacisciuious persons roote out the peruerse permit no murtherers nor periured persons to liue that he vphold the Church feed the poore establish iust men in publicke Offices retaine ancient wise and discreet Counsellers that in any wise hee apply not himselfe to the superstition of Deuiners Magitians and Pithonicall Spirits that hee deferre his displeasure and defend his Country from his enemies with Magnaminity and Iustice that hee repose his whole confidence in God that he bee not puft vp in prosperity and with patitience to beare aduersity that he mainetaine the Catholicke Faith and suffer not any wickednesse in his children that hee allot certaine howers to prayers to God and eate not but in due season for woe to thee ô Land where thy Gouernours rise earely to eate the performing of these things doe bring prosperity in this life and doth leade the King to a better Dominion euen to a Celestiall and eternall Kingdome such Iustice and Righteousnesse in good Rulers is the safety of the people and doth prolong and defend the State and is the strongest Guard and the â—â—st Physition for the fafe-gard and health of a Land Onely there is a Common-wealth saith Scipio onely there is a good state of a Comminalty where Iustice and Honesty hath free execution whether it bee by King by Nobles or by the whole People but when the King becomes vniust the Nobles become vniust and the people themselues become vniust then it is not a vicious Common-wealth but it is iust no Common-wealth at all and that as in instruments that go with strings or winde or as in voyces consorted there is one certaine proportion of discrepant notes vnder one harmony the least alteration whereof is harsh in the eare of the skilfull hearer and that this concord doth consist of a number of contrary sounds and yet all combined into one perfect Musicke or Melody so in a Citty that is gouerned by reason of all the highest meane and lowest estates as of soundes there is one true concord made out of discord and natures and that which is harmony in musicke is vnity in a Citty This is the firmest and surest bond of safety to the Common-wealth which can neuer stand without equity and iustice and iniustice is the decay and ouerthrow of Townes Citties and Kingdomes Now that Equity and Iustice may flourish in the Common-wealth three things are necessarily required First there must bee Lawes Secondly there must be Iudges and Officers thirdly there must be execution of Lawes Now Law is defined to bee a constant and perpetuall good thing without which no House no Citty no Country no state of men no naturall creature not the world it selfe can consist firme and stable Chrisippus cals it a knowledge of all Diuine and Humae matters commanding equity and expulsing wickednesse and wrong There bee three kind of Lawes one Naturall that is not onely appropriated to man but also it concerneth all other liuing things either in Earth Sea or Aire as we perceiue all liuing creatures naturally haue certaine familiarity of male and female for procreation of Issue and a procliuity to nourish the same the which proceedeth of a Naturall Law ingraffed in theÌ„ by Nature it selfe that is God The second is named the Law that all men vse which is called Ius Gentium the Law of Nations generally vsed through the world as to shew a man the way to communicate to men the commodity of the Elements as Water and Fire to this appertaineth the Law of Armes The third kind of Law is called the Ciuill Law that is the priuate Law of euery Country or Citty as of the Romanes Lacedemonians Athenians this consisteth in Decrees of Princes Statutes and Proclamations Such Lawes Ceres made first or as some thinke Radamanthus and afterward others in diuers Countries deuised and ordained Lawes as in Athens Draco and Solon in Egypt Mercury in Creet Minos in Lacedemony Lycurgus in Tire Tharandes in Argoes Phorones in Rome Romulus in Italy Pythagoras or as some thinke the Arcadies that were vnder Leuander as their Soueraigne Lord and chiefe Captaine Notwithstanding the true Authour of Lawes was God which first planted in vs the Law of Nature and in processe of time when that was corrupted by Adam and his Posterity hee gaue by Moses the Law written to reduce vs againe to our first state Lawes must bee knowne and they must bee agreeing to the Lawes of God and Nature The end of Lawes the publicke good and safety of all which consisteth in the worship of God in honesty and righteousnesse such Lawes are to forbid and to restraine false worship Idolatry and prophanesse disobedience murther adultery theft and all wickednesse such Lawes must be common to all there must be no priuiledge no immunity no impunity the greatest and the highest must be subiect to such lawes and bee willing to performe them as well as the meanest for such Lawes are more necessary then the
but once for thirty pence but they sell Christ continually as often as they can Iudas restored that which he had vniustly taken but the vsurers neuer make restitution Some compare the vsurer to an hogge or pigge that while he liueth is profitable and good for nothing hee will euer be rooting vp the earth running through hedges and eating vp good corne So doth the vsurer much hurt while hee liueth Indeed when the hog is dead there is some profite So it may be when the vsurer dyeth the poore shall get somthing How many Sermons haue been preached in this and other places against vsury how many Bookes and Treatises both long since and of late haue beene written by the best learned men of our owne Countrey against this monstrous sinne Giue mee leaue to put you in minde of some of them to the further shame and condemnation of greedy vsurers Worthy and reuerend Iuell whose workes are now to be seene in euery Church writing vpon the Epistle of the Thessalonians the fourth chapter doth bitterly inueigh against vsury saying That no good and godly man will vse it that all that feare Gods iudgments abhorre and condemne it that it is filthy gaine and a worke of darknesse a monster in nature the ouerthrow of mighty kingdomes the destruction of flourishing states the decay of wealthy Citties the plague of the world the misery of the people It is theft the vsurer is worse then the thiefe it is the curse of God and the curse of the people this is vsury There was neuer any religion saith he nor sect nor state nor degree nor profession of men but they haue disliked it a Phylosophers Greekes Latines Lawyers Diuines Catholickes Heretickes all tongues and nations haue euer thought an vsurer as bad as a thiefe Nature proueth it if stones could speake they would say as much He threatneth to excommunicate all vsurers of that Citty where hee preached to publish their names shame them that all men may know them and abhorre them as the plagues monsters of the world And thus hee concludeth Tell mee thou wretched wight of the world thou vnkinde creature which art past all sence and feeling of God which knowest the will of God and doest the contrary how darest thou come into the Church It is the Church of God which hath said Thou shalt take no vsury How darest thou reade or heare the word of God It is the word of God that condemneth vsury and thou knowest it how darest thou come into the company of thy brethren vsury is the plague and destruction and vndoing of thy brethren and this thou knowest How darest thou look vpon thy children thou makest the wrath of God fall downe from heauen vpon them thy iniquity shall bee punished in thē to the third fourth generation this thou knowest How darest thou looke vp vnto the heauens thou hast no dwelling there Thou shalt haue no place in the tabernacle of the most high In many other Treatises vsury is arraigned conuicted condemned by sundry verdicts it is proued scandalous and of bad report against the law of God against the law of nations against iustice honesty and charity All shifts excuses obiections and exceptions are taken away and remoued And whereas some learned men do seeme to fauour in some sort to tollerate this sin yet it is with these and such like cautions and limitations To deale as he would be dealt withall to lend freely where they borrow vpon necessity and that the borrowers gaines be so much more as the interest at least that the Common-wealth haue no hurt by it But before the vsurer will be tied to these conditions exceptions he will first giue ouer his trade And that all that hath beene spoken might at least perswade some vsurers to lead a new course to restore their ill-gotten goods to lend freely in mercy loue and compassion These vsurers to whom Nehemiah spake were touched at this one speech and as it seemeth confessed their fault amended it and shall men which confesse Christ after so many bookes written and so many Sermons preached against them shall they yet continue in this enormious sin without repentance and restitution how shall they then escape the vengeance and damnation to come Howsoeuer let Magistrates as their duty requires them after the example of Nehemiah be carefull to ease their people of this heauy burden and oppression Let the Magistrate I say by counsel by example and reproofe and by all possible meanes that they can seeke if it may be to reforme these oppressors at least to shame and restraine them And pitty it is that there be not seuere sharp lawes for the punishment of these as well as of other notorious offenders We may wish as one long since Good Lord God send to England some Solon for the redresse of this who took away the vsurers bookes and their gaines from them and forbad such filthy lucre and brought in an easement of this burden for that all debters were discharged from all such creditors which had lent their money for vsury and gaine or at leastwise were eased from the vsury of it Thus did Solon in the detestation of vsury A sharpe kind of dealing no doubt and a strange but in great diseases sharpe corrosiues must needes bee vsed when lenitiue salues will not serue I reade that long before the Conquest King Edgar that iust gouernour and seuere Magistrate against all leud officers in this Land did amongst other his good deedes make proclamation that all the Wolues should bee killed in England and Wales because they were rauenous beasts and deuourers of sheepe and other cattel to the great hinderance and harme of his subiects And to haue this the beter done he apointed many to bring for their fines and reuenues Wolues heads yearly some more some lesse and such as could not bring Wolues heads in paid their fines and reuenues in money Now such force tooke this good order in this Land that within a while there was not a Wolfe to bee had nor found neither in England nor Wales That learned man wisheth that likewise all vsurers should suffer the paines of death or be banished this realme for euer that there might hereafter no more vsurers bee found in England then are Wolues to bee had this day He doth not see but that it is as necessary to haue a law against vsurers as against theeues and a great deale more for theeues steale many times for necessity whereas vsurers rob and vndo all men for greedy gluttony the one stealeth a crowne in the high way the other robbeth men in the high street of all that they haue the one stealeth a little to sustaine nature the other scratcheth vp the whole treasure of England to serue his owne couetous and wretched desire to the vtter vndoing of thousands And if these lawes seeme bloudy although the hanging of poore wretches for smal matters is counted nothing bloudy at all
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
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