being the same that now is extant in our Church Bible the Originall whereof I haue seene vnder his owne hand And here I haue occasion offered me to say something of his modesty and great humility who though he were so vsefull an instrument so strong a helper in the former worke as also the sole Author of this latter the Preface a comely gate to so rich and glorious a Citie yet could I neuer heare that he did at any time speake of either with any attribution to himselfe more than to the rest So that as the Sunne the neerer it commeth to the Zenith or point of the firmament ouer our heads the lesse shadow it casteth so certainely the higher he mounted into the mysteries of Diuine and humane knowledge the lower and lesse he seemed to be in his owne eyes High in worth and humble in heart as Nazianzen spake of Athanasius And now concerning the course of his studies wherein I would propose him as a patterne to be imitated by young Students in our Vniuersities Hee constantly applied himselfe from his youth as they that were then acquainted with him knew to the reading of Antient Classicall Authors of the best note in their owne languages wherewith as also with Neoterickes he was plentifully stored and lusted after no worldly thing so much as bookes Nullius rei praeterquam librorum auarus was sometime his owne speech merrily but as I perswade my selfe truly For there was scarcely a booke in so great a number to be found in his Library especially of the Antients that he had not read ouer à capite ad calcem as hath beene obserued by those who haue had the perusall of them since his death He ran through the Greeke and Latin Fathers and iudiciously noted them in the margent as he went being fitted for that purpose by the dexterous vse of his pen wherein he came not short euen of Professors themselues in that faculty The Rabbins also so many as he had with their Glosses and Commentaries he read and vsed in their owne Idiome of speech and so conuersant he was and expert in the Chaldie Syriacke and Arabicke that he made them as familiar to him almost as his owne natiue tongue But for the Hebrew this I can affirme from credible relation that being vpon a time sent vnto and requested whilest he was a Residentiary in the Cathedrall Church of Hereford by the then Deane of the same Church vpon some speciall occasion to reade the first Lesson at Euening prayer there He yeelded thereunto and hauing with him a little Hebrew Bible the same I suppose that he afterwards vsed to his death and I haue oftentimes seene of Plantins Impression sine punctis He deliuered the Chapter thence in the English Tongue plainely and fully to that learned and iudicious Auditory farre be from all the least suspition of ostentation in him for that act that neuer knew to boast of himselfe or any thing that he had or any thing that he did Stories of all times he knew and for his rich and accomplished furniture in that study had this Eulogium giuen him by a graue and learned Bishop of this Kingdom to be a very walking Library Moreouer he was so well acquainted with the Site of places namely Topographie and obserued so well the time when euery thing of note was done in those seuerall places that he hath caused great Trauellers and Scholers falling into discourse with him vpon that point of Learning to confesse themselues much bettered in their knowledges by his remembrances and to depart away with admiration of his skill What shall I say more of him Whatsoeuer things were true whatsoeuer things were honest whatsouer things were iust whatsoeuer things were pure whatsoeuer things were of good report If there were any vertue or praise he thought on them yea he sought after them and profited in them He liued here to a good old age seuenty yeeres and vpwards guided the See whereof he was Bishop with discretion and care prouided for his children leauing to euery one an honest portion to liue vpon and for the poorer sort of his seruants a competent liuely-hood Hee fought the good fight of faith and hath now finished his course and receiued at Gods hand I doubt not his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his reward of victory 1 Cor. 9. And his Crowne of righteousnesse 2 Timoth. 4. Which neuer shall be taken from him He made Christhis All in all his life whilest he liued and found him in death his aduantage The words of the Apostle Philip. 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were his liuing Mâ—tto And none but Christ none but Christ his dying speech To conclude he turned many to righteousnesse whilest he was in his Pilgrimage here and now shineth as the Starres in the Firmament SERMONS OF THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD MILES SMITH late Lord Bishop of Glocester THE FIRST SERMON IEREMY 9. Verse 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man glory in his strength neither the rich man glory in his riches Verse 24. But let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me c THE Prophet Zachary in his first Chapter hath thus Your fathers where are they and doe the Prophets liue for euer but did not my Words and my statutes which I coÌ„manded by my Seruants the Prophets take hold of your fathers Meaning that they did take hold of their fathers and would take hold of them also excepâ— they repented So 1. Cor. 10. The Apostle saith These things came to them for ensamples but are written to admonish vs on whom the ends of the world are come Signifying tha tthe Iudgements of God recorded in the Word thewhole Word it selfe was not ordained for the vse onely of them in whose dayes it was written but to be for the instruction of the Church in all succeeding ages In a City of Egypt called Diospolis in a Temple there called Pylon there was pictured a little boy to signifie Generation and an old man to signifie Corruption also an Hawke a symbole of God for the quicknesse of his sight and a fish a symbole of hatred Fish were an abomination to the Priests of Egypt as witnesseth Herodotus lib. 2. and lastly a Crocodile to signify Impudency The whole deuice being layd together importing this much and preaching this much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is O yee that are young and comming on O yee that are old and going out of the world O all together to you all be it knowne that God doth hate Impudency This hath Clemens Alexandrinus in the 5. of his Stromats The like may be said of the present Text that I haue in hand that albeit it be a part of a Sermon that the Prophet Ieremy made vnto the Children of Israel a little before their captiuity into Babylon wherein he assureth them that piety onely and
particularly and by it selfe hee must needs abhorre pride which is a confluence and a collection of them Now as he hateth pride which is the daughter of selfe-loue as I told you so he hateth all the daughters of pride whereof boasting or glorying seemeth to be one of the youngest and worst Sorry Crow sorry egge said they that iudged the controuersie betwixt Coran and Tisias Like mother like daughter saith Ezechiel and so Hatefull mother hatefull daughter may we say When the Roman Souldiers had slaine Maximinus the Tyrant they made search for his sonne and slue him also saying E pessimo genere ne caâ—ulum quidem relinquendum Of a vile litter not one whelpe was to be left aliue When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his yonger sonne Ham had done vnto him hee cursed euen Hams sonne for Hams offence saying Cursed be Canaan a seruant of seruants shall he be c. Stasius his verdit is remembred by Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that killeth the wicked parent and spareth his vngracious brattes is a very foole This Iustice appeareth to bee in God toward pride and her daughters hee hateth both the one and the other yea hee hateth all them that be in loue with either I shall not need I hope to proue that vaine glory is prides owne daughter for that were to proue a crab to come of a crab-tree or a blacke-berry of a bryer or drosse of the corruption of mettall or scumme of the vncleannesse of the meate What is choler else they say but the froth of blood spuma sanguinis and so what is glorying else but a very froth of pride they froth out their owne shame while they boyle vp with their owne praises and if vaunting be in the branch vanity is in the roote that is certaine All boasting therefore is to be auoyded and abhorred as bad fruit of a bad tree and if all boasting then boasting of wisedome or strength or riches as it followeth in my Text Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome c. Of boasting in generall wee haue spoken enough already now let vs see more particularly what be the things that he forbiddeth vs to boast of The Prophet setteth downe three the first wisedome the second strength the third riches of these I am to speake in order Quod generi attribâ—tum est etiam in specie redundat saith Tertullian That which is true in the generall will be found true in the speciall or particular with aduantage For as much therefore as wee haue proued already that boasting in generall is vnlawfull I shall not neede to proue seriously or amply that it is vnlawfull to boast of these particulars wisedome strength or riches onely a slight skanning ouer the points may serue the turne Of wisedome first this I haue to say that of all the gifts wherewith the Lord doth beautifie the soule of man none seemeth to be comparable to it sure I am none ought to be preferred to it For it is the very sterne of the vessell the very Sunne of our Firmament the very eye of our head the very heart of our body Where wisedome sitteth at the sterne there matters are ordered in a probable course to a laudable end But where wisedome is wanting there the Sun goeth downe at noone-day to vse the Prophets words there the light that is in vs is turned into darkenesse as Christ speaketh and then how great is the darkenesse So thought Lactantius Vt Sol oculorum sic sapientia lumen est cordis humani As the Sunne is the light of our eyes so the light of our heart is wisedom So thought the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fields townes ships are all managed gouerned by wisedome Wisedome therefore is a most precious thing that is certaine the merchandize thereof is better then siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold as Salomon saith but not to be boasted of for all that And why First because it is not our owne or of our selues as Cyprian saith In nullo gloriandum quia nostrum nihil est wee are to boast of nothing because nothing is our owne or of our selues and Augustin vpon Iohn saith Christ said not Without me you can doe little but Without me you can doe nothing Where then is glorying Is it not excluded For if it were lawfull to boast of that which is not our owne then the Crow might haue been iustified for brauing it with her borrowed feathers or stolne furtiuis coloribus the Asse for ietting with the Lyons skinne about him and the Ape for skipping vp downe in his masters Iacket but now these were ridiculous in so doing therefore we cannot reasonably boast of that which is not our owne except we will be like to these vnreasonable beasts let this be the first reason against glorying in wisedome The second this Our wisedome is many wayes vnperfect therefore if we be wise we will not bragge of it for will any bragge of his lame leg or his one eye Indeede now I remember Agesilaus bragged of his club-foot and had neuer done bragging of it also Sertorius bragged of his one eye and had neuer done bragging of it but by their leaue I thinke this bragging was but from the teeth outward and rather to preuent and forestall others from gibing then of any delight that they tooke therein themselues bragging lightly breaketh not forth but some inward ioy or tickling helpeth it forward and therfore it was like to the same Sardonius risus notwithstanding that exception the proposition remaineth firme that we boast not naturally or vsually of our infirmities or imperfections But now our wisedome is vnperfit and very vnperfit why then should any boast of it That it is vnperfit Saint Paul sheweth 1. Cor. 13. We know in part and we prophesie in part Againe now we see in a glasse darkely yea and that which an Egyptian Priest said to a Grecian by the report of Plato Ye Grecians are alwayes children The same will be found true not onely of the Grecians but of the Egyptians themselues and of the English and all For vnderstanding wee are but children I grant that in all ages and in all Nations some haue gone away with the name of wisedome as that Roman Conelius Nasica was so called that Grecian that was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Democritus Abderita was so called that Iew that was surnamed Hochacham Aben-Ezra was so surnamed so were also R. Iebudah and R. Ionah as appeareth by Kimchi in his Micdol That Brittaine that was called the Sage Gildas was so called Gildas sapiens c. Yet for all that to talke of wisedome indeede The depth saith It is not in me the Sea also saith It is not with me as Iob saith Who euer satisfied others or himselfe either in deliuering
heauenly matters you leese not the earth in the meane time and your earthly possessions So some seeme to make no reckoning at all of their heauenly inheritance so that they may vphold or better their state vpon earth Call you this wisedome or policy or prouidence or the like Then Achitophel was a wise man to preferre the expectancy of honour at the traytor Absaloms hands before the present enioying of fauour and good countenance from King Dauid his anointed Soueraigne Then Esau was politike to esteeme more of a messe of potage then of the blessing which afterward he could not recouer though he sought it with teares Yea briefely then that Emperour was prouident were it Nero or whosoeuer else that fished for Menise and Gudgeons with nets of silke and hookes of gold What is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord by the Prophet What is the shadow to the body the body to the soule frailty to eternity What shall it aduantage a man to winne the whole world if he leese his sâ—ule or can any man saue his soule that hath God his enemy or can any man haue God to be his friend that doth double with him Be not deceiued as God is called Amen or True in the Reuelation and calleth himselfe Truth in the 14. of Iohn so he loues truth or sincerity in the inwards parts Psalme 51. and without truth he loueth nothing that he doth loue A doubling man or a man with a double heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Iames is vnstable in all his wayes and can such a one looke for any thing at Gods hands Let them looke to it whosoeuer among vs play fast and loose and blow hot and cold with the Lord making bridges in the ayre as the Comicall Poet saith and making flesh their arme but in their heart depart from the Lord which the Prophet doth so much cry out against Surely such wisedome is not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and deuelish and as truely as the reproch deliuered by the Prophet Esay chapter 44. in respect of their corrupt iudgement is verified in them Hee feedeth on ashes a seduced heart hath deceiued him so that hee cannot deliuer his soule and say May not I erre So the Iudgement denounced by the same Prophet in another place in respect of their worldly policy shall take hold of them Behold saith he you all kindle a fire and are compassed about with sparkes walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that yee haue kindled This shall yee haue of mine hand yee shall lye downe in sorrow As if he said Your turning of deuices shall it not be as the Potters clay shall it not breake and crimble betweene your fingers Take counsell as long as you will it shall not stand make a decree it shall not prosper saith the Lord Almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the heathen man He that soweth the wind shall reape the whirle-wind let him be sure of it And let so much be spoken against glorying in wisedome either rightly so called or falsely so termed Let vs consider now of the second thing that we are forbidden to boast of to wit strength Nor the strong man glory in his strength There haue beene many strong men in all ages strong of arme as that Polydamas that caught a wild Bull by one of his hinder legges and held him by the force of his arme for all that the Bull could doe and that Pulio mentioned by Dio that threw stone at a Towne-wall besieged by Germanicus with such might that the battlement which he hit and he which was vpon it came tumbling downe which made them that held the Towne through wonderment at his strength to yeeld it vp strong of hand as that Marius one of the thirtie Tyrants that would turne aside a Wayne with one of his fingers and that Polonian of late in the dayes of Stephen Buthor that would knap a horse-shoo asunder were it neuer so hard betweene his hands strong of arme and hand and body and heart and all as that Aristomenes mentioned by Pliny who slew three hundred Lacedemonians in fight in one day and that Aurelian then or shortly after Emperour of whom they made this song Mille mille mille viuat qui mille mille occidit Let him liue thousands of yeeres or moneths who slew thousands of enemies These were famous men in their generations and no doubt but they were miraculously admired at by them that liued in their times yet for all that neither were others to haue gloryed in them nor they in themselues Not others to glory in them because Saint Paul saith Let no man reioyce or glory in men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 3. And againe Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord 1. Cor. 10. Not themselues to glory in themselues because strength is not to be compared to wisedome and therefore wisedome being debarred from boasting as you heard already strength ought much more That strength commeth short of wisedome Salomon sheweth both by plaine words by an example by plaine words as when he saith Ecclesiast 9. verse 16. Then said I Better is wisedome then strength By an example as in the same Chapter verse 14. A little City and few men in it and a great King came against it and compassed it about and built Forts against it and there was found therein a poore and wise man and he deliuered the City by his wisedome c. Thus Salomon Nature also hath taught as much both in plaine words and by examples In plaine words as Musaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdome or sleight is alwayes better then strength By an example as Sertorius for example he caused a couple of horses to bee brought before him the one fat and fleshy the other a leane carrion Iade also a couple of Soldiers the one lusty and strong the other a silly sickly fellow to the leane horse he put the strong man and he going roughly to worke and thinking to doe the deed with dead strength haled and pulled and tired himselfe and was a laughing-stocke to the beholders but the weake fellow vsing some cunning for all his weakenesse did the feate and went away with the applause Wisedome therefore is better then strength and therefore this is one strong reason why strength should not be boasted of since wisedome is denyed Another reason may be this Strength of force bee it equall to the strength of a Lyon or Elephant yet it is but the stren gth of flesh neuerthelesse and all flesh is fraile and subiect to foyle whom one cannot ouercome many may whom sword cannot pierce shot will whom shot doth not hit sickenesse may arrest time surely and death will be sure to make an end of Now should a man be proud of frailty as of grasse of vapor of smoake of a shadow of a tale that is told c.
non irrisit as Bernard speaketh but if the world came vpon him he will be besotted by the world Therefore Thucydides recordeth it as a strange thing in the men of Chius that they were sober for all their prosperity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Euagrius ascribeth this for a speciall praise to Mauritius the Emperour that in his prosperity he retained his ancient piety In our naturall bodies it is thus the more fat the lesse blood in the veines and consequently the fewer spirits and so in our fields abundance of wet breedes abundance of Tares and consequently great scarcity of corne And is it not so with our soules The more of Gods blessing wealth the more weedes of vanity and carnality and the more rich to the world the lesse righteous to God commonly What meant Apuleius to say that Vbi vber ibâ— tuber but to signifie that pride and arrogancy are companions to plenty And what made Salomon to pray against fulnesse but to shew that as they must haue good braines that will carry much drink so they must haue extraordinary soules that will not be ouercome with the world Did not Dauid himselfe in his prosperity say that he should neuer be remoued say or speake vnaduisedly Nay did hee not doe lewdly and wickedly defiling himselfe with his neighbours wife and embruing his hands in his seruitours blood thus adding murder to adultery Did he attempt any such thing in the dayes of want and aduersity No no in his necessity he sought the Lord and gate himselfe vnto his God right earely and offered vnto him the sacrifice of righteousnesse c. And yet we grudge and repine if wee doe not swimme in wealth when wealth through the corruption of our nature doth dull vs and taint vs and make vs vnapt to euery good worke Againe wee shunne pouerty as we would doe a Serpent nay as the gates of hell yet pouerty through the blessing of God doth kindle deuotion and kill sinne in vs euen as Worme-wood or the like bitter things doe kill Moths or wormes This the time will not permit me to stand any longer vpon and therefore I come at once to the second verse and will end the same in a word or two Let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me Mans wisedome strength and riches are vaine and not to be boasted of this much Ieremy hath told vs already and I haue proued vnto you by many reasons But now if you would know what is the thing wherein we may take true comfort and whereof we may safely glory the same is none other thing but piety or godlinesse the true knowledge of God the true seruing of God This hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come this we ought to labor for day and night that we may attaine and hauing attained we may reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious This our Sauiour Christ doth warrant vs to doe by his owne example Luke 10. Who there is said To haue reioyced in the Spirit on our behalfe because we hâ—d our minds illuminated to vnderstand those things that belong to the Kingdome of God and our saluation Euen as else-where he defineth the happinesse of man to consist herein namely To know God the onely true God and whâ—m he hath sent Iesus Christ. Agreeably whereunto Augustine saith Infelix homo qui scit illa omnia Te autem nescit beatus autem qui Te sâ—it etiam si illa nesciat c. Vnhappy is the man that knowes all those things all secular learning if hee know not Thee but happy is he that knoweth Thee although he bee ignorant of the rest But he that knoweth Thee and the rest too is neuer-a-whit the more blessed for the tother things sake but for Thee onely if knowing Thee he glorifie Thee as God So Augustine The knowledge of God therefore that is the one thing that is necessary that maketh a Christian that lifteth vs vp vnto God that coupleth vs vnto him that iustifieth that saueth that worketh all in all Now by knowledge I vnderstand and the Prophet in my Text vnderstandeth not a bare apprehension or sense of the mind that there is a Diuine power greater and mightier then all for so much the most barbarous Heathen were not without They could say Dâ—us videt omnia Deo commendo c. as Tertullian sheweth yea as Saint Iames saith The very Deuils beleeue and tremble they haue a kind of beliefe therefore they haue knowledge butalso a consent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens Alexandrin calleth it and perswasion of the heart touching both the Prouidence of God that he worketh all in all all for the best to them that loue him also and especially touching his mercy that hee will grant pardon to the penitent euen to them that craue it for his Sonnes sake and lastly touching his bounty that he will euerlastingly reward as many as are his euen as many as beleeue in his Name This is that sauing knowledge which the world knoweth not neither is it reuealed by flesh and blood but by the Spirit of our Father which is in heauen This is that knowledge whereof the Prophet Esay speaketh By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for he shall beare their iniquities This is that knowledge That precious treasure which so soone as a wise man findeth for ioy thereof he departeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth the field Briefely this is that knowledge in comparison whereof Saint Paul counted all things losse euen dung that he might know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conformable to his death To conclude this is that knowledge which whosoeuer seeketh is Wise whosoeuer getteth is Rich whosoeuer keepeth is Strong nay vertuous nay happy nay twice happy happy in this world he is by faith and happy in the world to come he shall be by fruition This knowledge the Lord vouchsafe to engraffe in them that want it and increase in them that haue it and make fruitfull in all to the purging of our consciences in this life and the sauing of our soules in the Day of the Lord Iesus To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be all honour and glory Amen A SERMON VPON THE SIXT OF IOHN THE SECOND SERMON IOHN 6. Vers. 67.68 69 70. Iesus therefore said vnto the Twelue Will yee also goe away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simon Peter then or therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answered him Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of euerlasting life And we haue beleeued and knowne Hebraism for we doe beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Haue not I chosen you Twelue and one of you is a Deuill NOthing morevncertaine then rhe minds of the multitude you cannot tell where to haue
shall we despaire of any particular man that he belongeth to God and that he may be reclaimed O no let vs teach let vs improue let vs admonish let vs rebuke with all long suffering and gentlenesse and then God will doe that which seemeth good in his eyes he will in time giue them grace to repent that they may escape out of the snares of the Deuill though presently they be led captiue of him after his will they may be graffed in saith Saint Paul if they abide not in vnbeleefe for God is able to graffe them againe Goe thy wayes saith a Reuerend man to Austins mother for it cannot be that Filius tantarum lachrymarum pereat That one that is so much prayed for should perish Peter excluded not Iudas out of his Calendar of hope no more should we doe any that commeth about Christ. This is my third note Fourthly let me answer a false glosse of the Rhemists for they like bryers take hold of our garment and hinder our proceeding to that which followeth When company say they vpon this place draw vs to reuolt let vs say thus Lord whither or to whom shall we goe when we haue forsaken thee To Caluin Luther or such and forsake thee and thy Church with the vnfaithfull multitude c. Touching Caluin and Luther I answere first that though we doe not glory in them for we are forbidden by the Apostle 1. Cor. 3.21 to glory in men whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas c. Yet is there no cause why we should be ashamed of them for he that was least learned of the two was more learned then an hundred of their chiefest Prelates take them one by one and he that was lest vertuous of the two had more vertue in him then forty of those Prelates that might be named put it all together I know that they escaped not the tongues of the wicked nor the pens neither of them that were hired to deuise whatsoeuer slanders they could against them as also our Sauiour himselfe was both traduced while he liued and written against when he was dead But if it be enough to accuse who shall be innocent and if professed enemies and mercenaries their euidence shall be admitted what Naboth shall not be condemned This may content indiferent men that they did not mure themselues vp in Cloysters where Mendacia vuliu stâ—gâ—tia pariâ—tibus tegebantur Where hypocrisie and secresie made all whole but in luâ—e Reipub. they did liue they were for fame as Cities set vpon an hill that could not be hid they liued in famous Vniuersities and Cities th' one Geneua specially commended for the gouernment thereof by Bodin no partiall man themselueâ— alwayes in labours preaching or writing continually alwayes attended alwayes obserued and yet they had nâ—uer their names called in question for dishoâ—esty Called in question Nay their liues were proposed by all that knew them for a paterne for others to follow and they found as many all their life time that did reuerence them for their vertue as did honour them for their learning And shall these mens names be cast in our teeth by way of reproch whom yet we neuer esteemed otherwise then for seruants not as Lords ouer the house nor yet as Lords ouer our faith but as faithfull and learned men by whose labours wee haue profitâ—d Thereâ—ore though wee be not to build our faith vpon them nor vpon any other but on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the head Corner-stone yet there is no cause for all their twiting why we should not honor them shewing themselues to be friends of the Bride groome and discerning the Bride-groomes voyce rather then the very heads of their Church yea the chiefe head and Top-gallant of their Church speaking like the Dragon and vttering words of blasphemy which are not agreeable to the wholesome doctrine of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ reuealed and set forth in his holy Word But this wee may examine particularly in the Aetiologue following namely in these words Thou hast the Words of euerlasting life In the meane time out of the Interrogation which implyeth a deniall and a refusing of other courses we haue learned thus much namely to professe Christ boldly to professe him readily and with the formost to professe him charitably not excluding others yea and to hearken to those worthy seruants of God whom he hath raised vp in these latter dayes for the cleering oâ— the doctrine of the Truth and the reuealing of the man of Sinne notwithstanding the disgraces and contumelies which not the true Church but the Church-men of Rhemes and the Chaplaines of Rome doe throw vpon them And let so much be spoken of these words Simon Peter answered and said Lord to whom shall we goe It followeth Thou hast the words of euerlasting life Which because the houre is already spent I purpose not to handle at this time To God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost be rendred all praise and thankesgiuing from euery one of vs now and euer-more Amen A SERMON VPON THE SEVENTH OF ESAY THE THIRD SERMON Preached vpon Christmas day ESAY 7. verse 14. Behold a Virgin or the Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne and she shall call his Name Immanuel WHEN Phaeton was to get vp into the Suns Chariot that is as it is interpreted by the learned when he vndertooke to meddle with great matters and such as exceeded the reach of the common sort he had a certaine sacred ointment giuen to him to preserue him from scorching and burning Tum pater ora suisacro medicamiue nati conâ—igit rapiosae fecit patientia flammae The holy Law-giuer Moses writeth that when himselfe was to deliuer vnto the people the Law of the Highest hee was first admitted to talke with God withall his face was made to shine And the Prophet Esay witnesseth that before he was to be sent to prophesie he had his hips sared with a liue coale taken from the Altar And the Euangelist likewisereporteth that before the Apostles Elders ioyned in commission with them that were set on worke about the Gospell to carry the same to the Gentiles they had the gift of the H. Ghost shed vpon them in the forme of clouen tongues So to be short Simeon Metaphrastes writeth that at such time as Saint Iâ—hn was busie in penning of the Gospell the holy Ghost made apparant signes of his presence by thundrings and lightnings and the like And why was this For two causes First to resolue the Apostles and Prophets then and the Church to the end of the world that the doctrine deliuered by them came not by priuate motion nor from themselues but that they should so write as the holy Ghost should giue them vtterance and therefore that their writings should be holy sound and true A second reason was to teach them and vs how necessary the gift of the holy Ghost yea and a
vnto them we must not be euery one a wolfe to his neighbour according to the Prouerb Homo homini Lupus but euery one as it were a God vnto him Homo homini Deus forasmuch as God hath made all of one blood to dwell vpon the face of the earth And as the Prophet saith Haue we not all one Father hath not one God made vs why doe we transgresse euery one against his Brother c This much and a great deale more we are to learne hereby that the Son of God is our maker Now from his Diuine estate acts the Apostle riseth higher to his Diuine Nature and Person in these words Who being the brightnes of his glory and the expresse Image of his Person c. The Iesuits that write the life of their Founder Ignatius Loiola report that Christ forsooth appeared to him at the Eleuation as he was at Masse in a Church at Venice as I remember and there he discerned the Hypostaticall vnion of two natures in Christ and the reall distinction of the three Persons in the God-head Doe you beleeue them Noâ— nor I thinke their owne disciples doe beleeue them more in this than they beleeue their Saint Thomas of Aquine telling them that the Crucifixe commended him in these words Bene scripsisti de me Thoma Thomas thou hast written well of me well for their kitchin but not well for their conscience for the edifying of it in holy faith in holy doctrine Miserable companions was it not enough for them to be grieuous to men but they must grieue our God also Esay 7.13 was it not enough for them to beguile the people with lying vanities but they must abuse them also with lying miracles or apparitions saying with the lying old Prophet 1 Kings 13. An Angell spake vnto me in the word of the Lord when there was no such matter and with the false Prophets Ieremy 23. I haue dreamed I haue dreamed But what saith the true Prophet in the same place The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame let him deliuer it for a dreame and for no better and hee that hath my Word let him speake my Word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord God hath no need neither doth he like that one should make a lye for his sake Iob 13. Neither that his truth should abound to his glory by any mans lye Rom. 3. This one part of my Text doth more clearely open the truth and may more soundly settle our consciences than a thousand Legend-tales The Apostle saith that Câ—rist is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the brightnes of his glory It is well translated as well as it might be in so few words but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth somewhat more than brightnesse euen such a bright thing as hath a lustre cast vpon it from some other thing For as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie the act or quality of singing but a song the song it selfe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie the act or quality of imagining but the thing that appeareth to the imagination â—pectâ—um visum so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the thing that hath brightnesse in it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that which receiueth his brightnesse from another So then now you see what a fit word the Apostle made choice of euen such an one as then which none could haue beene deuised by many yeeres study more pregnant to expresse the euerlasting generation of the Sonne of God For though Christ be the true light that enlightneth euery one that commeth into the world yet as he iâ— the second Person in the Trinity hâ— hath this light of his Father and he is as God of God so light of light euen a light springing from the Father For this cause he is called by Saint Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Day-spring or Sunne-rising yea he is called so by Philo the Iew in his booke of the câ—nfusion of tongues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Father of the world Gr. the Father of things that be made his Sonne to spring forth or arise as the morning or Sunne doth a strange testimony of one that was borne Iew and dyed Iew. For though Hierome doth reckon him among Ecclesiasticke writers yet we doe not finde that he ioyned himselfe to the Church of God or turned Christian But the truth is that he liued in the time that the Apostles did and therefore might learne of them to write more piously as Theodoret I remember doth obserue that the Philosophers that wrote after the Gospell was promulgated did correct many of their errors and euery where inserted many Sentences sauoring of truth and godlinesse But to returne to Christ the true Light He sprang from the Father but not as our light doth from the Sunne in time but before all beginnings neither yet as a quality our light is a quality but as being a substance and the Authour of all substance being neither was he euer separated from the Father as the light of the Moone is separated at the least to our appearance from the Sunne in the night and the light of the Sunne from the Moone in the day but He is and was alwayes in the Father and the Father in him and both in the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost in both Vnum non vnus tres non tria that is One thing not one Person three in number not three in nature So saith Prosper Aquitanicus that worthy Scholler of that excellent Master Augustine Cum Pater in Veâ—bo sit semper in Patre Verbum Sitque iâ—â—m Verbi spiritus atque Patris Sic de persoxis tribus est tibi non dubitandumV num vt docta fides confiteare Deum that is For as much as the Father is alwayes in the Word and the Word in the Father and one and the same Spirit common both to the Word and to the Father thou must in such O learned faith he meaneth a man that hath a learned faith be farre from doubting of the three Persons that thou doe confâ—sse one God So said Nazianzen before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I doe no sooner think vpon one but I am compassed about with the light of three I doe no sooner distinguish the three Persons but I am brought backe vnto one God-head So before them both Iustine Martyr or a learned ancient man bearing his nâ—me in the best times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Sonne being a light shone forth out of light by way of generation The holy Ghost being also a light went forth out of light not by way of generation but of proceeding So Mathew of Vandome though he liued in a very corrupt age yet that you may acknowledge it to be true which the Apostles affirme Acts 14. Euen that that is verified of the later times
Salomon the wisest of all thought that if he might ioyne in affinity with his neighbour-Princes and take many of their daughters to be his wiues and women he should not onely strengthen the Kingdome in his owne hand but also stablish it in his house long and long also he thought peraduenture that by occasion of his marriages and affinities being so great many of the vplandish people would be trayned wonne to the knowledge of the true God of Israel but how was he deceiued His wiues and worshippingwomen turned his heart from the Lord he could do little or good no vpon them or theirs And as for the secret vnderminers of Salomons State succession where found they entertainment but among his allies Let me instance this point in one or two examples more Constantine the Great that worthy Christian and great Politician though that if he might build a City in the confines of Europe and Asia that might bee aemula Romae a match to Rome and place one of his sonnes there to keepe his Court he should not onely eternize his name but also fortifie the Empire no lesse then if he had enuironed it with a wall of brasse Also Phocas and Pepinus thought the one if hee might dignifie the Bishop of Rome with an extrauagant Title to bee called Vniuersall Bishop the other if he might lade the Church of Rome with Principalities euen with Principalitie vpon Principalitie they should deserue immortally well not onely of that Sea but also of the whole house of God But the way of man is not in himselfe as Ieremy saith neither is it in man to fore-see what will fall out luckily or crosse The building of new Rome was the decay of old Rome so it proued and the diuiding of the Empire was the destruction of the Empire and no lesse as wise men know also the lifting vp of the man of Rome was the hoysing vp of the man of sinne and the locking of him in the chaire euen in the chaire of pestilence Thus there is no policy so prouident no prouidence so circumspect but the same is subiect to errors and crosses and therefore no cause why it should be trusted to and therefore no cause why it should be gloryed in Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome c. If any wisedome might be boasted of surely one of those kindes of wisedomes that I erst reckoned vp vnto you to wit wisedome or skill in the Arts wisedome or knowledge in Diuinity wisedome or policy touching matters of State but these you haue heard are not to be relyed vpon because they are vncertaine because they are vnperfit and therefore much lesse are we to rely vpon any such as is worse or inferiour to these But yet the world is the world it hath done so doth so yea and blesseth it selfe for so doing therefore this wound hath need to be searched ransacked a little deeper Homer I remember crieth out against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Discord O I would it were perished and therefore out of the company of the gods and men So Cyprian against Couetousnesse O detestabilis caritas mentium c. O the same detestable blindenesse of mens minds c. Hieronymus against Luxury or lechery O ignis infernalis luxuria O Lechery a very hellish fire Augustine against error mistaking O errare O delirare O what a vile thing it is to be blinded with error c. Thus euery one cryed out against those sins wherewith their times were most pestered poisoned Surely if I were appointed to touch the sore of the daughter of our people we haue many so res from the crowne of our head to the sole of our feete we are little else but sores and botches and biles but yet if I were to touch that which doth most of all apostumate and ranckle then I ought to cry out O Policy policy Policy I meane falsely so called but indeed cunning and cudgeling This letteth that the Prince and the Realme cannot be serued many times as they should be nor Iustice administred in many places as it ought to be nor the Gospell of the Son of God so propagated as were to be wished Many could wish that in musters presses the likeliest men to doe seruice and not the weakest of friends should be appointed also that they were holpen to their right that suffer wrong also that the incorrigible were cut off by the sword of Iustice also that the Sons deceitfull workers craftily crept in in pretence to aduance the Romish faith but indeed to supplant English loyalty and faithfulnesse that I say their goings out their commings in and their haunts were better marked and so the danger that is threatned by them preuented But yet to put our hand to the worke euery one to doe some seruice in his place as for ensample Constables to precept the ablest and fittest persons for the warres Sheriffes to make returnes of indifferent Iuries for the tryall of rights Iurors to haue God and a good conscience before their eyes and not to turne aside to by-respects c. This we will not be induced to doe What letteth vs Policy for we say If we shall be precise in our office this yeere or in this action at this time others will bee as precise against vs or ours another time and then what shall wee gaine by it And if we should not leaue somewhat to such a person and to such a cause wee should offend such a great One and he will sit on our skirts Thus policy ouerthroweth Polity that is the Common-weale and thus the feare of men casteth out the feare of God as the Wise man complaineth Another vanity nay wickednesse I haue noted vnder the Sun and that is this There be that haue the dore of faith opened vnto them and haue opportunity to heare words whereby they and their houshold might bee saued and the same doe also consent in the inward man to the doctrine taught and published among vs by authority that the same is the truth and the contrary falsehood and yet to giue their names vnto the Gospell soundly or to protest against Popery and superstition zealously they will not be drawne What with-holdeth them Policy for they thinke that continuing doubtfull nay though they should be enemies if but secret ones they shall leese nothing the State holding as it doth these be the times of mercy though certaine vngratefull men crie out against them as though they were bloody for none other cause but for that they are restrained from shedding innocent blood as heretofore they were wont in the dayes of their tyranny and if there should bee a change then their very doubtfulnesse and staggering would be remembred and they aduanced thereby Thus as Demades said to his country-men of Athens when they paused to decree diuine honours to King Demetrius Take heed my masters lest while you be so scrupulous for heauen and
whereto the whole life of man and his glory and consequently his strength and vigor are compared An horse is but a race they say and so the strongest man vpon earth is but the push of a Pike and the clap of a Pistoll Were not Abimelech and Pyrrhus those most valiant Princes each of them killed by the hand of a woman Was not Totilas that noble Conquerour that had vanquished Rome which vanquished the whole world was not he I say ouercome and slaine by Narses an Eunuch a semiuir What should I stand any longer vpon this God hath chosen as the foolish things of the world to confound the wise So the weake things of the world many times to confound the strong And this may be a third reason against glorying in strength because God himselfe doth many times set himselfe against the mighty Xenophon himselfe saw so much and saith thus God as it would seeme taketh a pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is To exalt the base and to pull downe the mighty And why so Truly not of enuy to their greatnesse as it is written of Tiberius or Caligula that he caused a goodly tall man called Colossus for his stature and strength of meere enuy to his personage to fight after he had done his Law till he was tyred and slaine and as it is likewise recorded of Soliman in our fathers memory that hauing a great German brought prisoner to him of very enuy and both to the German nation he caused his Dwarfe a very Pigmey to take this German in hand being a Gyant to looke to and to hacke him and hew him being bound to his hand to haue many courses at him as if a child were set to thwite a tree asunder and at length with much adoe to get him downe so to poach him in and kill him O no! God is of no such nature as he saith himselfe in Esay Anger is not in me So it may be said most truely of him Enuy is not in him No he enuieth no good quality that is in man which is His owne gift neither doth he hate any that he hath made and redeemed but loueth all and would haue vs to loue one another Neither are the great and mighty ones confounded and brought downe by reason of their folly or for want of iudgement whereby they giue aduantage oftentimes to their enemies albeit I am not ignorant that Synesius that ancient and learned Bishop saith that strength and prudence seldome whiles concurre but hee vnderstandeth I thinke enormous strength in a huge vast body otherwise his speech is not iustifiable for many strong haue beene exceeding crafty withall as Aristomenes of old of whom I spake ere while and George Castriot of late in comparison of whom it is written that they had the strength of a Lyon and the wilinesse of a Fox But here is the quarrell and this maketh God an enemy very oft to the strong and mighty becâ—use by their strength and power they thinke to beare out and maintaine whatsoeuer bad person and whatsoeuer bad cause and beare down and to crush and to tread vnder foot the most righteous of the Land that stand in their way This doth nettle God and prouoke him to displeasure Id in summâ fortunâ aequius quod validius Let me haue might and I haue right enough Sua retinere priuatae domus saith Tiridates in the same place of Tacitus De alienis certare regialaus You would haue me to be content with mine owne Why it is for base-spirited men for Peasants for Boores to seeke but their owne Gentlemen and mighty men they will law and fight for that which is another mans O demens ita seruus homâ— est saith one in Iuuenal You would haue me to vse my seruant well Ah foole is my man a man is my Tenant my neighbour is my neighbour my brother Doth Naboth refuse to sell his Vineyard to Achab to King Achab I will helpe thee to it for nothing saith Iezabel Doth the Senate deny my Master the Consulship Hic ensis dabit This sword shall helpe him to it said aesars Souldier These bee the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Poet calleth them which will haue the Law in their owne hands they leane vpon their swords and their right hand must right them whether it bee right or no. Nec Leges metuunt fed cedit viribus aequum Moestaque victrici iura sub ense iacent Thus they couet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house euen a man and his heritage Mich. 2. And thus as the Wilde-Asse is the Lyons prey in the wildernesse Sirach 13. And as Basil saith vpon Hexameron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Most fishes doe eate one another and the lesse is the foode of the greater so it is too true that in too many places the weaker and the simpler sort of men are a prey vnto the great and mighty ones and these eate vp Gods people as a man would eate breâ—d as it is in the Psalme But what saith Basil in the same place Take heed saith he thou oppressor of the poore thou cruell hard-hearted man lest the same end betide thee that doth bef all those great deuouring fishes namely to be caught thy selfe by the hooke or in the net c. Indeed as for the comfort of the needy and the deepe-sighing of the poore the Lord saith That he will vp himselfe and set at liberty him whom the wicked hath â—nared So for the confusion of the vnmercifull Cormorant he threatneth thus by Iob Hee hath deuoured substance and he shall vomit it for God shall draw it out of his belly And by the Prophet Esay Woe vnto thee that spoylest and wast not spoyled c. When thou ceasest to spoyle thou shalt be spoyled There is no Prince that can bee saued by the multitude of an Host neither any mighty man deliuered by much strength Bee you neuer so strong O yee mighty yet He that dwelleth in the Heauens is stronger then you bee you neuer so well lined or backed or guarded yet He that sitteth betweene the Cherubins is better appointed Therefore trust not in your owne strength much lesse in wrong and robbery make not your selues hornes by your owne power there is no power there is no force there is no puissance that can deliuer from wrath in the day of wrath the children of wrath that is to say them that hale downe Gods vengeance vpon them by their vnmercifulnesse This might bee easily vouched by sundry examples but the time being so far spent it is time to come to the third speciall thing that we are forbidden to glory in to wit Riches Nor the rich man glory in his riches As I gaue this for one reason why strength should not be gloried in because it is not to be compared to wisedome
vp and talke of it at home and abroad but aboue all things let vs offer to God the Sacrifice of righteousnesse of repentance of â—â—â—nkefulnesse of new life that we neuer prouoke him to brinâ—â—â—on vs that which he doth so often threaten in his Word and wee haue so long deserued And so I proceed to that which followeth Surely the rage of man shall praise thee Which is not so meant as that the wicked in their rage should praise God No for then they allow their tongues and teach their tongues to speake all words that may offend Men boyled in great heat and blasphemed the Name of God Reuel 16. But that their rage should yeeld great store of matter for God to raise his praise and glory thereby I meane to make his Power his Prouidence his Wisedome and his noble Acts to be knowne to men Behold sath God by Esay I haue created the Smith that bloweth the coales in the fire and him that briâ—geth forth an instrument for his worke and I haue created the destroyer to destroy but all the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper and euery tongue that shall rise against thee in Iudgement thou shall condemne c. For this cause haue I stirred thee vp to get me honour vpon thee and vpon thy horsemen and vpon thy Chariots saith God to Pharaoh and God hath made all things for his glory euen the wicked against the day of wrath God at the first caused light to shine out of darkenesse and euer since there is no euill in a City but God doth it How by inspiring the euill into the heart of man God forbid No but by directing and ordering the same to the executing of his Iudgement vpon the children of disobedience yea and for the benefit of his children in the end howsoeuer they be in heauinesse for a time as need requireth Inimici â—mnes Ecclesiae saith Augustin quolibet errore â—aecentur vel malitia deprauentur c. All the enemies of the Church by whatsoeuer either error they are blinded or malice depraued if they receiue power to afflict her corporally they exâ—rcise her patience if they crosse her by bad opinion heresies they exercise her wisedome her charity also whilest she is faine to loue them and her bounty also whilest she is faine to teach them and disciplinate them Thus Augustine And thus we see That as cut of the eater Samson gate meate and out of the strong swâ—etnesse Iudges 14. And as of the Vipers flesh the A pothecaries mâ—ke their Treacle so out of the violentest and hardest courses that are taken against the godly God gathereth especiall occasions to illustrate his glory both for Wisedome Mercy and Iustice. What did Sennacherib get for aduancing his Banner against Gods City Saul by practising so as he did against Dauid Gods chosen Ieroboam for lifting vp his hand against the man of God that came from Iudah Nabuchadnezzar for casting Sedrach Mesach and Abednego into the fiery Furnace Herod for casting Peter into the prison and glorying to heare from the mouthes of his flatterers The voyce of God and not of man was he not smitten by an Angell and eaten vp of wormes Acts 12 Yea as Iosephus writeth he made a confession of his weakenesse before his end and ascribed to God the glory due to his Name So did Sennacherib preach by his Statue Hee that looketh vpon me let him learne to feare God So did Nebuchadnezzar confesse that the God of Sedrach Mesach and Abednego was the true God and to be worshipped Saul that Dauid was righteous and himselfe faulty Ieroboam could not haue his hand restored before he confessed he had offended 1. Kings 13. Thus the rage of man praised that is as Kimhi expoundeth it turned to Gods praise tashub hodeah lera in these men But did it in these men onely Truly as the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith The time will be too short for me to tell of Gedeon Barac c. So if I should goe about to relate vnto you what mine owne poore reading could afford out of the continued Story of the Church I should hold you too long The Prince of our Saluation was consecrated by affliction and in his weake manhood triumphed ouer the Prince of darkenesse and so did his poore seruants ouer worldly Gouernours What did Herod and Pontius Pilate and the high Priests and Rulers of the people and Saul also while hee was Saul get by banding themselues against our Sauiour did they not finde and feele that they kicked against the pricke and that they preuailed nothing for all their stirring So Iulian was faine to confesse in the end Vicisti Galilaee And before him Claudius Hâ—â—minianus being strangely visited by God and eaten vp of Liâ—e said Nâ—mo sciat Christianus O let no Christian know of it In like manner about two hundred yeeres agon when Sigismund the Emperâ—ur and the Prelats of Germany had led so many Armies euen Army vpon Army against the poore Bohemians and theiâ— Captaine Zisca which had but one eye and were all defeated almost miraculously it is certaine that though they came forth one way they fled away tenne wayes and though they came sorth by thousands they went home by hundreds and thâ—s in sundry inuasions lest it should be thought to haue hapned by chance did they not cry out that God was become an Hussite To be short when in the yeere 1588. the great Armado was either sunâ—ke in the Seas or dashed vpon rockes or shattered in pieces by our Artillery or surprized by our Forces albeit let there be no mention made of our Forces in that fight but let God haue the whole glory did not the Spaniards sweare and curse and teare God and cry out that he was become a Lutheran Thus the rage of man turned to Gods praise and the more and the mightier and the fiercer they were the more was God honored in taking part with vs his weake ones This for defeating of Forces So for defeating of Policies we need not to goe farther for an example then to the Gun-powder Treason Was there euer any thing carried with greater secrecy They digged deepe euen to hell almost to hide their Counsell from God and said No eye shall see vs we will giue them a blow before they be aware that whosoeuer shall heare of it his eares shall tingle but whosoeuer shall heare it and feele it he shall be torne in pieces Thus as King Peter of Aragon when he resolued vpon the surprize of Sicily kept his plot so secret to himselfe that hee swore hee would teare his shirt from his backe if he thought it were priuy to it And as Nâ—rses said that he was spinning such a piâ—ce of cloth that it should be impossible for the Empresse with all her Councell to vndoe So our Traytors perswaded themselues that they had made all things so sure that their designe should take place maugre all
for it was cruell but added moreouer Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assembly he meant that by his good will he would haue no commerce with them but would shunne and abhorre them as noysome beasts or serpents And so Brethren doe not ye thinke that ye haue done your duty when ye haue cryed out vpon Saul saying What a cankered wretch was he c But be you ware that you doe not imitate his euill deeds lest ye be made partakers of his plagues He was very enuious as ye heard euen now he was very vnthankefull as you partly heard before for both these he is girded at by Abigail in my Text as I thinke good now further to declare vnto you Yet a man is risen to pursue thee c. As if he said Notwithstanding thou wast his Musician and delightedst him with thy Harpy nay his Physician and easedst him in his mad fits when an euill spirit sent of God vexed him Yet he is risen vp to persecute thee c. Notwithstanding thou didst put thy life in thine hand and encountredst the Philistine and destroyedst him deliuering thereby Saul from a great deale of feare and Israel from a great deale of shame yet hee is risen vp againe against thee c. notwithstanding thou didst marry his owne daughter and instead of receiuing Dowry from him didst pay him as it were for a Dowry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two hundred fore-skinnes of the Philistines yet he is risen vp against thee c. Lastly Notwithstanding thou didst that that few others would haue done namely to spare him when thou hadst him at an aduantage and mightest haue nayled him to the ground and so gotten present possession of a Kingdome yet he is risen vp against thee c. Thus she amplifieth or aggrauateth the offence by the worthinesse of the person against whom it was committed so doth she also by the vnworthinesse of the person offending A man is risen vp She doth not say Geber for that may signifie a strange man nor yet Ish for that may signifie a worthy man Benei-Ish worthy men extraordinary men but Adam an ordinary man a naturall man one that is of the earth that is earthly-minded and appointed and wilt thou feare such a one But why did she not say that the King was risen vp against him did she not take Saul for King any longer now he was become a Tyrant and persecuted the faithfull Yes no doubt for the Iesuites were not then borne nor their doctrine broached to wit that subiects may lawfully take armes against their Prince as soone as they become Tyrants and enemies to the faith in the language of the man of Rome This is not that fire that Christ saith he came to cast vpon the earth the fire of teaching the truth the fire of rebuking sinne the fire of conuicting errors the fire of the Spirit that worketh all in all but this is that fire that Saint Iames speaketh of that inflameth the course or wheele of Nature and it selfe is inflamed of hell Therefore as God saith to Adam Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne so we say of that diuellish doctrine From hell it came and to hell let it returne But yet why did not Abigail call him King was it of contempt No but of caution for she was very wise she lay at the mercy of Dauid and knew that it was as easie for him to kill her as to speake the word therefore she keepeth her selfe in clouds generalities for feare of offending before the time A man is risen You know him as well as I I need not name him and your enemies shall be slinged out whether they be of high degree or low degree I will not meddle This is not to equiuocate as the Iesuites practise yea teach be it spoken to their shame But this is to order ones words with discretion as the Psalmist speaketh For though it be neuer lawfull for a man to lie as Augustine proueth soundly wittily learnedly in his bookes to Consentius yet it is lawfull to conceale a truth so farre forth and so long that Gods glory be not impeached thereby nor charity towards our neighbour violated vpon these two points hang all the Law and the Prophets Well we haue seene against whom the offence of enuious ingratitude was committed namely against Dauid and by whom namely by Saul now if we looke vpon the Text againe we shall finde the extent or grieuousnesse of it A man is risen vp to persecute thee and to seeke thy life Marke Saul was not content to hate Dauid inwardly but he proceeds to action he persecutes him also he is not content to persecute him or driue him out of the Country but he seekes his life Thirdly neither will he trust others to execute his malice but he followes the chase himselfe This is vnlimited malice deepe malice bloody malice the like we read of him aboue in this holy Story that when word was brought him that Dauid was sicke he commanded him to be brought bed and all No question but because he would make sure worke and see the killing of him himselfe The like we reade of a great man in France that when the noble Admirall was cast out of a Garret and his braines dasht out vpon the pauement he would not beleeue that the Admirall was slaine before he had with his handkerchiefe wip'd away the blood from his face and perfectly discerned him then he shouted 'T is he indeed a happy beginning But the eye of Iealousie that saw this vrged the arme of reuenge to cry quittance for it But what had the righteous done what had Dauid done to returne to him againe that he should be tossed from post to pillar nay that his life should be sought out for a prey Truly no other thing but that that Abel did vnto Caine of whom it is said that he slewe his brother because his deedes were good and his owne naught The like is written of Caligula that he hated his brother and quarrelled with him deadly because he tooke counterpoyson lest he should be poysoned by him Briefely the like is written of Fymbria that he indited Scaeuola a good man for that by wrenching aside he auoyded the fatall blow of the dagge So except it were for this one fault that Dauid was not willing that Saul should kill him being vncondemned other fault or offence there could be found none But now what is become of Dauids good deeds so many and so many why be they not remembred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Old good turnes sleepe and men be vnmindfull if a man doe twenty good turnes they are written in the dust but if he crosse vs once or doe vs a displeasure the same is grauen in marble and in great letters that one may runne and reade them Yet well-fare the