wise so that hee preferred the loue and good will of a woman before the word of his God So Aaron knewe well enough that there was no Godhead nor diuine power in the golden Calfe yet fearing least the people should stone him he yeelded to their furie he made an Idoll and promulgated the feast of it In like manner Salomon knowing Idols to be nothing yet being ouercome with the flattring inticements of wicked women he graunted to them diuers kindes of Idolatrie It is dangerous for any Prince to suffer and tollerate any Idolatrous worship for the loue or fauour of any be they neuer so neere or deare vnto them Nay we must all learne generally not to harken to the voyce of our dearest friend though it be our owne lawfull wiues if they goe about to drawe vs to any kind of sinne whatsoeuer This was the cause of Adams fall as we heard euen now This was the cause of that ruine of Ahab and his house because he harkned to the voyce of his wife Iesabell and being perswaded by her most vniustly tooke away Naboths vineyard and also most cruelly tooke his life away from him No naturall affections should cause vs to sinne against God or offend his diuine Maiestie our loue to him should bee greater then to any mortall creature whatsoeuer The Heathen could say Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed maior amica veritas Plato is my friend Socrates my friend but truth is a greater friend So may wee say Our fathers our mothers our brothers and sisters our wiues children are neere and deare friends vnto vs but yet Christ is our greatest and best friend he hath done and can do most for vs And therefore nothing should draw vs from his loue And touching Idolatrie it is most odious and abhominable in the eyes of God It is a spirituall whoring from God A denying and forsaking of his Maiestie it hath beene the ruine of many Nations and Kingdomes And therefore in no case to bee suffered nor tollerated for the loue of any Therefore the Lord saith to his people The grauen Images of their gods yee shall burne with fire and couet not the siluer and gold that is on them nor take it vnto thee least thou be snared therewith For it is an abhomination before the Lord thy God Bring not abhomination into thy house least thou bee accursed like it But vtterly abhorre it and count it most abhominable And in another place we are forbidden to hearken to the Prophet that doth perswade vs to goe after other gods and that such a one being conuicted and condemned by the Iudge is to die the death Nay though it bee our sonne or daughter or wife or brother wee must not consent to him nor pittie him nor shew him mercy but thou shalt kill him sayeth the Lord thy hand shall bee first vpon him to put him to death and then the hands of all the people And this is the direct law of God Hee that offereth to any gods saue the Lord onely shall bee slayne There must bee then no sufferance at all of any kinde of Idolatrie This was Salomons sinne and therefore it is sayde that his heart was not perfect with God as the heart of his father Dauid was For howsoeuer hee sinned in adulterie and murther and in numbering the people yet he repented presently and neuer did the like againe and he had alwaies this sinceritie and perfection of heart that he neuer defiled himselfe with Idolatrie neither did hee suffer the true worshippe of GOD to bee corrupted in his Kingdome but kept it sincere pure and sound Hee alwayes hated and detested all false worshippe his soule hated Idols as lame and blind guides therefore hee taketh them away at the beginning of his raigne And hee caused the gods of the Philistims to bee burnt with fire The sorrowes saith he of them that offer to another god shall be multiplied their offerings of blood will I not offer neither make mention of their names with my lips It hath beene a blot and blemish vpon many good Kings because they suffered the high places to remayne and it is the chiefe commendation of good Iosiah that he tooke away all the abhominations out of all the countries that perteyned to the children of Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God This blessed King a worthie president of full and perfect reformation he tooke away not onely grosse Idolatrie but all Reliques and remnants all occasions prouocations appearances shewes of Idolatrie One thing more very necessarie and pertinent wee are to learne by Salomons fall namely Not to be offended though we doe see Christian Princes learned Preachers and great professors men of gifts aboue others to be seduced and drawne into great and grosse sinnes wee are indeede to be grieued and much to lament when wee see or heare such things but yet wee must not bee discouraged in our profession and in the trueth of religion Men of greatest gifts haue beene subiect to great sinnes As Adam Noah Lot Abraham Moses Aaron Dauid Sampson and Salomon Sathan doth most enuie such hee standeth at the right hand of Iehosua Hee will winnow and sifte to the very branne the Apostles of CHRIST as hee himselfe warneth them Indeede the bad liues of Preachers and professors are scandalous and offensiue and hinder many in the way of saluation and maketh the worde and profession ill spoken of by many yea loathed and reiected as the sonnes of Elie by their wickednesse made the offering of the Lord to be abhorred In seeking and receiuing counsell saith one the honestie of life and the prerogatiue of vertue doth much preuaile Who will seeke for a fountaine in a dunghill who will drinke of filthie water for where there is luxurie intemperance and other vices whoe will thinke any good to bee drawne from thence how can I take him to bee my superior in counsell whom I see inferior in manners And can I thinke him fitte to giue mee counsell that cannot giue it to himselfe he that giueth counsell to others he must shew himselfe an example of good workes in integritie and grauitie that his speech bee sound and vnrebukeable his counsell profitable and his life honest He that liueth wickedly in the sight of the people as much as in him lyeth he killeth him that looketh vpon him hee that followeth him perhaps dyeth he that followeth him not liueth but as much as in him lyeth he killeth both Examples are stronger then words and it is a more full teaching by workes then by word The house and conuersation of a Preacher is set on a hill all see it and looke vpon it it is as it were a guide and teacher to others whatsoeuer hee doth others thinke that they may doe the like that word is willingly receiued of the hearer which is vttered from the
age against the true ministers of the Gospell Againe this woman accounteth it the chiefe happinesse in earth to heare true wisedome we preferre euery profit before it wee speake and thinke basely of it we haue neither true desire nor delight to be exercised in it either publikely or priuately we esteeme too much of follie we haue no true resolution to hazard life or goods for this wisedome nay we deface and discredit it by our bad liues and therefore we doe not truely loue it nor make it our ioy or happines and therefore this woman shall rise in iudgement against vs and her example doth make much to our shame and condemnation Finally this woman was with Salomon but some short time she could not stay long hauing a kingdome it may be she stayed some fewe weekes or monethes and in so short time she is called and conuerted by the force and power of Salomons wisedome we haue had a long time a greater wisedome then Salomons and yet it hath had no such power for the good and conuersion of many and let vs here set downe our rest a little The word of the Lord is mightie through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into Captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ It is able to conuert soules and to redresse the waies of young men be they neuer so leaude wilde or wanton This wisedome is of that power if it enter into thy heart and delight thy soule that it will preserue thee from the waies of wicked men and women It is a preseruatiue against all sinne It is compared to a hammer and to a fire which are of great force by the hammer and fire the smith buckles and bends the hard yron to his vse and purpose and is not the hammer of Gods word able to bruise and buckle breake our stonie and hard hearts the fire hath power to enflame to consume to purge and shall not the fire of Gods word be as powerfull to kindle zeale in our hearts to consume sinne and to purifie and clense vs within This word is compared to a shaft or an arrowe which striketh and entreth deepely and is not the word able to strike our hearts and to pearce them through It is compared to raine which sinketh and soaketh into the earth and softneth the hard ground and shall not so many sweet showers and deawes from heauen enter into our hearts soften them and make them fruitfull in grace finally it is the power of God to saluation and sharper then any two edged sword and can it not wound vs and cut downe out sinnes the enemies of our soule The Apostle saith That such is the power of prophecying that it is able to conuert an Infidell there hath beene great power of naturall philosophie in drawing men from the hatred of sinne to the loue of vertue A Philosopher could say when he saw a vitious man that he himselfe had beene as bad if he had not giuen himselfe to the studie of Philosophie And shall not the profession studie and preaching of heauenly wisedome be of greater power to vs there is an example of one Polemon of Athens a wild and Luxurious young man delighting and reioycing in infami◠like some of the swaggering youths of our daies this young man spending a whole night in drinking and wantonnes after the Sunne rising returning home from his riotousnes he entred into the schoole of Xenocrates the Philosopher not to learne but to laugh and deride him The Philosopher omitting the matter he was intreating of began to speake of modestie and temperance and he did it with such grauitie and authoritie that he so moued the young man that he shewed open signes of sorrowe and repentance and after forsooke his luxurious life A worthy example to the shame condemnation of many both old and young in our age which heare daily many worthy sermons full of grace and power and yet they are impudent desperate gracelesse and hard harted nothing can moue them to sorrowe and humiliation for their sinnes If such be the power of naturall Philosophie farre greater is the power of heauenly wisdome As one doth most soundly and truly describe it Onely the heauenly doctrine saith hee the which alone is wisedome bringeth to passe those things which the Philosophers were neuer able to doe The commandemēts of God because they are sincere and pure of how great force they are in the hearts of men daily experience doth shew it Bring me a man inclined to anger ill tongued vnruly and rash with a few of Gods words I wil make him as quiet as a lambe Bring me a couetous person a greedie scraper and a niggard hence forth will I make him liberall Bring me one that is fearefull of death and of paine straightway he will despise both gallous and fire and dangers yea the torments of the Brazen Bull Bring me him that is a leacher an adulterer a ruffion and a rioter henceforth shalt thou see him sober chaste and continent Bring me a cruell person one that thirsteth after blood soone shal that furie be changed into clemencie and mercy Bring me an vniust man vnwise sinfull he shall straitway be iust wise innocent harmelesse so great is the might of godly wisdome that being powred into the hart of men it will at once euen at one push expell and driue out foolishnes Hath euer yet hitherto any of the Philosophers performed these things Or if he were willing were he able to doe it who when they haue spent their whole time in the studie of Philosophie yet neuerthelesse are not able if nature doe a little withstand it to make themselues or any others the better therewith Their wisedome therefore how much soeuer it can doe yet doth it not roote out vices but hide them but a fewe of Gods commandements doe so throughly and wholy change man and so make him new that thou canst not knowe him to be the same man he was The meaning of this worthy man is that the wisedome of the word excelleth infinitely the wisedome of nature be it neuer so absolute And howsoeuer Philosophers sometimes might make some men ashamed of their vices and to forsake them yet they could neuer throughly conuert any because they could not teach them true religion and the feare of God which is the beginning of all true wisedome Many examples we haue of the power of Gods word in the calling and conuerting of mens soules By this both this woman and the Niniuites were conuerted Peter preaching euen to those Iewes that crucified Christ their hearts were pricked and they said Men and brethren what shall we doe And by that sermon he wonne three thousand soules to God Oh the mightie power of the word if the Lord lay his helping hand to it Paul preached to Lidea she gaue attendance to Pauls preaching the Lord
opened her heart and so both she and her house was conuerted In the same manner was the Iaylor and his househould conuerted In an other place the word was of such power that the beleeuers came and confessed and shewed their workes and many also of them which vsed curious Artes brought their bookes and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fiftie thousand peeces of siluer which was of our money about 2000. markes so the word of God grewe mightily and preuailed Thus we see that the word hath beene heretofore of great power to winne soules to God Is it now become weake and feeble nay the fault is not in the word but in the â—tubbornnes hardnes of our harts which will not suffer it to enter nor giue it any place The word is the same it was it is the same seede but is now sowne in a bad soyle and therefore it will nâ—t nor cannot fructifie And that you may know whether the word hath this power in you or no for the conuersion of your soules remember this worthie excellent counsell for your instruction and direction When any is conuerted to the Lord the vaile is taken away therefore the cause of taking away the vaile is our conuersion to God From whence we may gather that whilst in reading the scriptures the vnderstanding of them is kept from vs and whilst that which is written is abscure and shut vp from vs we are not yet conuerted to the Lord for if we were conuerted no doubt the vaile would be taken away Let vs see what it is to be conuerted to the Lord. But that we may the more clearely knowe what is to be conuerted let vs first see what is to be auerted that is turned from the Lord. Euery one then that when the words of the lawe is repeated is occupied in common fables he is auerted Euery one which is bound with the cares of possessions with the desires of riches and of the glory and honour of the world he is auerted that is turned from the Lord He which seemeth to be estraunged from these things and sitteth and heareth the words of the law and is attentiue with his countenance eyes but his heart and thoughts are wandring he is auerted that is turned from the Lord. What is it then to be conuerted and turned to God If we cast all these things behind our backes and giue our selues in studie in deeds in minde and care to the word of God to meditate in his lawe day and night letting passe all other things let vs giue our selues to God Let vs be exercised in his testimonies this is to be conuerted to the Lord. If thou wouldest haue thy sonne to learne the liberall sciences dost thou not free him from other things for this cause thou dost prouide a schoolemaister and bookes and thou dost spare for no cost to haue thy purpose brought to passe Which of vs doth so giue himselfe to the studie of Gods lawe who doth with such studie and labour seeke for heauenly things as he doth for humane and earthly and why doe we complaine that we are ignorant of that which we learne not Some of you so soone as they heare that reiected which is read they straite goe away there is no inquisition of that which hath beene spoken no conscience no remembrance where as it is saide Aske thy fathers and they will tell thee Aske thy teachers and they will teach thee Some tarrie not so long till the lectures be ended some though they heare vnderstand not being in the lower parts of Gods house and occupied with fables of whom I dare say that when Moses is read there is not onely a vaile vpon their heart but there is a wall set betwixt them If he that is present which doth heare and is attentiue and doth enquire and discusse of those things which he heareth and that which he cannot vnderstand he doth aske the meaning of others and so learneth he that shutteth his eares least he should heare and turneth away his face from hearing how is the vaile taken away from his heart Let vs take heed then that when Moses is read when Paul is read there be not a vaile vpon our heart Certainely if we heare negligently and haue no care to learne and vnderstand not onely the scripture of the Lawe and Prophets but of the Apostles and Euangelists we are hidden and couered with a great vaile and I doe feare that by the negligence and foolishnes of our heart that the diuine volumes are not only hidden from vs but sealed as if a booke should be giuen into the hands of man to read and he answereth he cannot read or that it is sealed And therefore we must haue a care not onely to learne the scriptures but we must entreate the Lord by supplications day night that the lambe of the tribe of Iudah may come vouchsafe to take this sealed booke and open it And indeed it is Paul that planteth and Apollo watreth but it is God that giues the encrease he is the author of our ministerie the author of the word the giuer of all gifts and graces to his seruants Good seede is sowne in sundrie grounds but it doth not fructifie in all Man speaketh to the outward eare but God must speake inwardly to the heart or else the word will haue no power to conuert the soule The Gospell is heard saith a father some beleeue and some beleeue not They which beleeue they heare and learne from the father they which beleeue not they heare outwardly but they neither heare nor learne inwardly that is to them it is giuen to beleeue to the other it is not giuen So saith our Sauiour to the Apostles To you it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to others it is not giuen It is said in an other place As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued when Paul Barnabas preached Though Prophets speake to vs though Apostles though Salomon though Iohn the Baptist though Angels and Christ himselfe speake yet they shall nothing auaile to conuert vs except God open our hearts The Lord raigneth both vpon the corne and vpon the thornes but hee sendeth Raine vpon the Corne for the barne and vpon the thornes for the fire and yet it is the same raine so the word of God is powred vpon all let euery one see what roote he hath let him see whether he draweth the good raine if he drawe it to engender thornes is the raigne of God to be accused before it come to the roote that is a sweete raine till it come to a bad heart Now that the word may haue more power in vs hereafter let vs cast off naturall blindnes carnall securitie our olde sinnes and worldly cares let vs come with hungrie and humble hearts denying our selues and desirous to learne let vs come with repentance for our sinnes
wise sonne ouer this mightie people And by his power and helpe he furthereth and helpeth Salomon in building a house to the name of the Lord his God The learned doe obserue That in this King is prefigured the vocation of the gentiles who should helpe to build the spirituall Temple of Christ and indeed he speaketh religiously reioycing when he heard Salomons words and blessing the true God for him as great tokens of calling and conuersion if not greater are apparant in this woman If she amongst others be a figure of the calling of the gentiles then it must needs follow that she her selfe was also called for though God made a separation betwixt Iewes and Gentiles and chose to himselfe for a time the seed of Abraham so that the generall calling of the Gentiles was not before Christ his comming in the flesh yet God had alwaies some amongst them as King Hyram Naamon the Syrian Iob this Queene and others She seekes for true wisedome from Salomon and finds it The Church seekes for the treasures of all knowledge comfort and ioy from Christ She commends and magnifies Salomon the Church magnifieth Christ accounting him as her well beloued husband She pronounceth Salomons followers seruants to be blessed the Church accounteth them happie who heare and receiue Christ in this life and them more happie who behold his glory for euer in the life to come She giueth Salomon precious gifts the Church giueth Christ the best things she hath euen her body and soule as a liuing sacrifice louing Christ aboue all and forsaking all for his sake as Abraham forsooke his owne countrey the Apostles their nettes and Paul accounteth all thingâ— drosse and dung in comparison of Christ And as in this woman we haue a figure of the calling of the Church of the Gentiles so in Salomon we haue a tipe and figure of Christs Salomons kingdome a figure of Christs kingdome his wisedome a figure of Christs wisedome his glory a shadow of Christs glory his riches a tipe of Christs spirituall riches his Temple a tipe of Christs Temple And as Salomon doth kindly accept the gifts and presents of this woman though hee had no neede of them so doth Christ as kindly accept the seruice of his Church And therefore this should encourage vs to giue him the best things we haue with willing and chearefull hearts seeing he is as willing to accept of them aâ— Salomon doth the gifts of this Queene Againe Salomon bestoweth on her euery pleasant thing which she asketh Christ giueth to his whatsoeuer they aske in his fathers name he giueth vs better thingâ— then Salomon should giue this Queene namely hee giueth to vs himselfe his body and blood his spirit his word all spirituall graces yea life eternall For howsoeuer there is some resemblance betweene Salomon and Christ yet he is more excellent then any Patriarke Prince Prophet or Saint whatsoeuer Salomon a King of the earthly Ierusalem Christ the King of the spirituall and heauenly Ierusalem of the militant and triumphant Church Salomon a King of peace of outward and earthly peace Christ the King of inward and euerlasting peace Salomon excelled all Kings of his time in wisedome and knowledge Christ the founder and treasurer of wisedome Of his fulnes haue we all receiued grace for grace for God hath not giuen him the spirit by measure Salomon a Prophet a Preacher Christ as the King of all Kings so the Prince of all Prophets and Preachers Salomon and all the rest spake by him Salomon but a man Christ both man and God Omnipotent Creator of all things Salomon a greeuous sinner Christ pure vndefiled without sinne the Sauiour of repenting sinners meriting life for them and making his word effectuall in them And now let vs further note from this religious woman that religion belongeth to women God is their Creator and therfore they are to serue him The first woman was created in the image of God which is true wisedome holines and righteousnes which was lost by the fall of their first parents and they must seeke to recouer it in Christ who died for them as well as for men They are partakers of both the sacraments they haue soules to saue as well as others they are the weaker vessels and sooner ouercome of Sathan they haue many speciall infirmities they are partakers of many blessings and deliuerances from God Therefore religion the feare of God and diuine wisedome appertaineth to them Besides these reasons we haue plentie of holy examples in the scripture as Euah Sarah Rebecca Debora Marie and Elizabeth with many other holie and religious women If then religion belong to women then much more to men As they excell in place and power so they should excell in grace and wisdome They should be examples of zeale and pietie and teachers of their wiues and families This serueth for the confutation of the Papists who locke vp the scriptures from men and women teaching that doth not belong to them to search the scriptures This also maketh against prophane and carelesse women who are altogether negligent in the matters of religion as though it did not belong to their Sexes at all Here are also reproued wicked and prophane husbands who doe not further but altogether hinder their wiues in the exercise and zeale of religion And most cursed are all Athiests carnall men who scorne and deride any profession or shew of religion in women And finally here is comfort and incouragement for all forward and religious women this may be to stirre them vp to proceed go on in the way of godlines hauing so many both reasons and examples set before them mouing and enforcing them to the zeale of religion And as it appertaineth to all men and women in generall so more especially to Gentiles Nobles Lords Ladies Kings and Queenes as they excell and shine before others in diet in apparell in possessions and dignities so should they goe before them in spirituall graces As they haue receiued more blessings from the Lord so are they more tied and bound to him againe and more zeale pietie and thankefulnes is required at their hands according to the saying of our Sauiour To whom much is giuen of him much shall be required Their places and honours should be inducements to pietie as Samuel said to Saul The Lord sent me to annoynt thee King ouer Israel now therefore obey the words of the voyce of the Lord. As if he should haue said because God hath honoured thee thou art bound to obey him It is their chiefe honour to honour God Those that honour me I will honour saith the Lord. The examples of great persons doth most good or most hurt If they be godly they are a meanes to winne many soules to God by their good examples to drawe them to the exercise of true religion If they be wicked they infect drâ—we many to destruction with them Therefore religion
they had him they would not receiue him but many of them despised him And thus they dealt with the Lord many times before and after this They desire deliuerance out of Egypt and when they are deliuered they desire to returne thither againe They desire Manna from heauen when they were in the wildernesse when they had it being sweete and heauenly food they loathed it and made light account of it They desire to turne out of Babilon into their owne countrey when their returne is graunted a great part of them refuse to returne So in this place how importunate and eager are they with the Lord to haue a King but when hee was annoynted and chosen King some wicked men said How shall he saue vs so they despised him and brought him no presents How can such people be pleased being fickle wauering and changeable misliking the best gouernment that is yea such as the Lord himselfe alloweth and appointeth and such as they themselues sometimes haue liked and desired But yet it is sayd that many of those people shouted sayd God saue the King And when Saul went home to Gibiah there followed him a band of men whose heart God had touched Againe it may be obiected how is God the Author of the calling and authority of Kings how doe they sit in his throne When many of them are most wicked in life and vniust and corrupt in gouerning when all things are full of confusion and disorder but we are to looke to the good wee haue of gouernment And wee are to know that both bad Gouernours and corruptions in gouernement the sinnes are not of God but from themselues God doth neyther allow nor commaund them but forbid and detest them And yet there is some profit in bad Magistrates Many good lawes and some forme of iustice amongst them Wicked Gouernours are as plagues punishments for the sinnes of the people Because when they are good we receiue not that goodnesse at the hand of God thankefully submitting our selues to his lawes and ordinances but abuse the goodnesse of God to our sinfull and beastly lusts Therefore doeth God make a scourge of them and turne them to wilde beasts contrary to the nature of their names euen to Lions Beares Foxes and vncleane Swine to auenge himselfe of our vnnaturall blinde vnkindnesse and of our rebellious disobedience So he turneth the fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednes of them that dwell therein Let vs not take the staffe by the end to seeke to auenge our selues of his rod which is the euill rulers The childe as long as he seeketh to auenge himselfe of the rod hath an euill heart for he thinketh not that the correction is right or that hee hath deserued it neither repenteth but reioyceth in his wickednes and so long shall hee neuer bee without a rod yea so long shall the rod bee made sharper and sharper If he acknowledge his faulte and take the correction meekely and kisse the rod and amend with the learning and nurture of his father and mother then the rod is taken away So if we resist euill Rulers seeking to set our selues at libertie we shall no doubt bring our selues into more cruell bondage and wrappe our selues into much more miserie wretchednes For if the heads is ouercome they will make their yoakes sorer If the people ouercome the Rulers then make they away for a more cruell nation which hath no right to the Crowne If wee submit our selues to the chastening of God and meekely acknowledge our sins for the which we are scourged and kisse the rod amend our liues Then God will take the rod away that is he will giue the Rulers a better heart or if they continue their malice and persecute thee for well doing hee will deliuer thee out of their tyrannie When Israel sinned against GOD hee gaue them vp to one Tyrant or other when they repented hee sent them deliuerance A Christian man in respect of God is but a passiue thing a thing that suffereth onely and doeth nought as the sicke in respect of the Chirurgion or Phisition doth suffer onely The Chirurgion slancheth cutteth out the dead flesh searcheth the wounds thrusteth in tents burneth seweth stitcheth and putteth corasiues to draw out the corruption and last of all layeth too healing playsters and maketh whole The Phisition giueth purgations and drinks to driue out the disease and then with restoratiues bringeth health Now if the sicke resist the razor or searching yron doth he not resiste his owne health and is the cause of his owne death So likewise is it of vs if we resist euill rulers which are the rods and scourges wherewith God chastiseth vs the instruments wherewith God doth search our wounds and bitter drinkes to driue out sinne and corasiues to draw out by the roote the coare of the poxe of the soule that fretteth inward Thus a Christian receiueth all things at the hands of God both good and bad both sweete and sower both wealth and woe and he doth take good Princes as a speciall belssing and bad Princes as a iust iudgement sent for sinne But it will bee obiected That the Lord sayth of some Rulers that they raigned not by him They haue set vp a King saith hee but not by me they haue made Princes and I knew it not The meaning is that the people of Israel had set vp Ieroboam by whom they sought their owne liberty as many Tyrants do not respect Gods worde or will but their owne lusts and affections But wee must distinguish the office from the person and wee must know that men do abuse good things through their owne corruption And therfore whatsoeuer is good in gouernment is from God and hee doth vse the Diuell as plagues and punishments for the sinnes of the people It is sayd by Daniel that God changeth the times and seasons He taketh away Kings and setteth vp Kings And Daniel saith thus to the proud King Nebucadnezer O King thou art a King of Kings and the God of heauen hath giuen thee a Kingdome power strength and glorie And when Pilate sayde to Christ Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee haue power to loose thee Iesus answered Thou couldest not haue power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue But it may bee yet obiected That the authoritie and office of Kings is not of diuine institution Seeing Saint Peter calleth it an ordinance of man and that place is abused by the Pope to the disgracing of Christian Princes The meaning is not that the power of Princes and Magistrates is onely a deuise of man and onely from man But as one saith Est ordinatio diuina secundum substantium ordinatio humana secundum modum ac finum It is a diuine ordinance in respect of the substance and it is humane in respect of the manner and end The office and power of the King is from God The
are preserued and established Therefore Dauid exhorteth his son Salomon To walke in the Waies Statutes and Iudgements of God that so hee might prosper in all things he went about The Lord by Ieremy declaring how happy Iosiah the father had bene and how cursed Iehoiakim the sonne should bee and why the one did speed so well and the other so badly saith Shalt thou raigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not thy father eate and drinke and prosper when hee executed Iudgement and Iustice when hee iudged the cause of the afflicted and the poore hee prospered was not this because hee knew mee saith the Lord but thine eies and thy heart are onely for thy couetousnesse And therefore the Lord threatneth in the next wordes to destroy him This iustice is profitable to the whole Common-wealth both to the good and the bad Therefore the Lord commanding the rebellious sonne to bee put to death So saith hee thou shalt take away the euill from among you that all Israel may heare it and feare Where Iustice is neglected sin raigneth Because sentence against an euill worke saith the Wise-man is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill On the contrary it must follow that where there is true execution of Iustice there the hearts of men are drawne and terrified from euill The blewnesse of the wound serueth to purge the euill and the stripes within the bowels of the belly Againe To the Horse belongeth a whip to the Asse a bridle and arod to a Fooles backe His meaning is that by such sharpe correction foolish men are stayed and kept in order And in another place Smite a scorner and the foolish will beware Meaning that simple and ignorant men will bee warned when they see the wicked punished they will take heed by others mens harmes And the Lord hath ordained iudgements for the scorners and stripes for the backe of fooles To this duty of Iustice the example of God may incite and moue all Christian Magistrates they are in his steed and therefore are to follow his example in punishing offenders Hee is a most iust and seuere Iudge and a very consuming fire against sinne and wickednesse Hee is a God that loueth not wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight hee hateth all them that worke iniquity Againe The Lord will try the righteous but the wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate vpon the wicked hee shall raigne snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this is the portion of their cup. And in another place Surely God will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy pate of him that walketh in his sinnes Most fearefull examples of his iustice and iudgement wee haue vpon the first world vpon Sodom and Gomorrah yea vpon his owne people Israel What kind of offenders wee ought to punish more seuerely wee may haue direction from the Law of God that those whom hee appointed to die should not bee spared for wee must not make our selues more mercifull then God is himselfe wilfull murther is death by the Law of Princes and it is death by the Law of God Yea before the Law written it was said to Noah Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud bee shed for in the Image of God hath hee made him And in the Law Written He that killeth any man hee shall bee put to death And Adultery also is death by the Written Law of God The man that committeth adultery with another mans wife because hee hath committed Adultery with his neighbours wife the Adulterer and the Adulteresse shall die the death Theft was not so seuerely punished but they were to make restitution and restore foure-fold that which they had stolne Theft in our age is more seuerely punished it is certaine that Theft is a grieuous sinne against the Law of God against Equity and Iustice but I see no reason why the Theefe shall dye a shamefull death and the Whore-maister escape with lesser punishment seeing that Salomon compareth the Theefe and the Whore-maister together sheweth in diuers respects that Adultery is a greater and more grieuous sinne then Theft because the Theefe may make restitution and so can neuer the other This is the corruption of Nature that men make more account of money and goods then of religion or honesty and Adulterers being spared and left aliue many questions are raysed and propounded which can hardly bee answered Namely whether the innocent party or nocent party may marry whether they may be reconciled againe or no. Let the Adulterer and Adulteresse according to the Morall Law of God die the death and then these questions will bee idle and superfluous And as Magistrates may punish Murtherers by the same reason they may as well punish Heretickes Idolatours false Prophets for indeed these they murther mens soules they runne a whoring from God and they rob him of his honor We heard partly before that false Prophets and Idolatours were to die the death and wee haue examples of good Kings and Rulers which haue put such to death and if the Magistrate bee the keeper of both the Tables then hee is to punish the transgression of the one as well as the other and if the transgressions of the first Table bee more hainous and grieuous then the transgressions of the second Table there is no reason why they should bee lesse and more slightly punished Moses said to the children of Israel after they had worshipped the golden Calfe Thus saith the Lord God of Israel put euery man his sword to his side go to and fro from gate to gate through the Host and sâ—ay euery man his brother and euery man his companion and euery man his neighbour so the Children of Leuic did as Moses had commanded and there fell of the people the same day about three thousand men For Moses had said consecrate your hands vnto the Lord this day euen euery man vpon his sonne and vpon his brother that there may bee giuen you a blessing this day Iehu slew all the Priests of Baal burnt their Images destroyed the image of Baal and threw downe the house of Baal and made it an house of all filthinesse and vncleanesse Iosiah putteth downe the Idols killeth the Priests the Chemerimes hee burneth the groues brake downe the house of the Sodomites hee defaced the High places hee tooke away them that had familiar Spirits and other abhominations and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord. The like power hath all Christian Kings Princes and Gouernours in their owne Kingdomes and Dominions The Prophet Prophecieth of the latter times saying as from the Lord I will cut off the names of the Idols out of the Land and they shall no more bee remembred And I will
cause the Prophets and vncleane Spirits to depart out of the Land when any shal yet Prophesie his father and his mother that begat him shall say vnto him Thou shalt not liue for thou speakest lyes in the name of the Lord. And his father and mother that begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth He speaketh of the time of the Gospell wherein people shall haue such zeale that they cannot abide nor endure a false Prophet Christian Gouernours haue power from God to compell and drawe men to the outward worship and seruice of God Therefore saith Augustine when men are mad they mislike force and chasticement but when they come to their right minde they are glad that they are corrected for their good recouery Not euery one that spareth is a friend nor euery one that smiteth an enemy Better are the wounds of a friend then the kisses of an enemy It is better to loue with seuerity then to deceiue with too much lenity He that bindeth a mad man and hee that raiseth him vp that is in a deadly sleepe he is troublesome to both but he loueth both God doth not onely teach but punish Let heretickes first bee ouer-throwne and confuted if that will not serue vse religious seuerity The same Father saith first I was of this mind that none were to be compelled to the vnity of Christ that men were to be dealt withall by the word by disputation by reason least those which we knew to bee open Heretickes should become feigned Catholickes but this my opinion was ouercome by examples before mine eyes for this my Citty Hippo being altogether of Donatus side was conuerted to the Catholicke vnity by the feare of Emperiall Lawes Princes and Gouernours are in no case to suffer any hereticall or false worship in their kingdomes And therefore let them hearken to this counsell giuen them by a learned man Let Princes saith he take heed how they suffer any wicked rites and ceremonies to Infidels within their Dominions Salomon was guilty of this fault not that he compelled any of his subiects to worship Idols but that he granted to his Wiues and Concubines being out-landish women places and altars wherein they might worship strange Gods But God was angry with him and requited him according to his fall for as he diuided Gods worship so God diuides his kingdome giuing part of it to his sonne and part of it to Ieroboam This fault of his did spread it selfe to the posterity for Achas Manasses and diuers other wicked Kings had diuers wicked and detestable worships at Ierusalem and were sharply reproued of the Prophets for them And surely the Magistrate cannot be but reproued and condemned when he suffereth Idolatry seeing he hath the sword for the punishment of wickednesse therefore it must be granted that either Idolatry is no sinne or else the Magistrate is to punish it as well as other sinnes The Magistrate must bee carefull to defend the Common-wealth and to prouide as much as may be that no danger nor hurt come vnto it But Idolatry is the cause of famine pestilence warres and other most grieuous iudgements and therefore in no case to be suffered or tollerated in a Christian kingdome and all such transgressors of the first and second Commandement and of the rest of the Commandements of the first table are to bee punished as well as the transgressors of the Commandements of the second Table and indeed false Prophets heretickes Idolaters Papists Iesuites Seminarie Prists do more hurt to a kingdome then murtherers adulterers or theeues seducing killing poysoning the soules of many thousands neither is it to bee counted cruelty to cut off these and such like offendors seeing it is warranted by the authority and commandement of God himselfe It is not cruelty to cut off the cruell though they account it so but hee that smiteth and taketh away the euill in that they are euill is the Minister of God and of the Law therefore the Magistrates doe not defile themselues with bloud in punishing and executing wicked persons for they haue a warrant from the Lord so to do the Lord is with them and doth assist them and such executions of notorious persons by the hand of the Magistrate is as a sacrifice pleasing to God And least it should be a trouble to the Magistrates minde or a corsie to his conscience or any impairing to his credit to deale so seuerely as may be thought with such offendors the Lord himselfe doth comfort and encourage the Magistrate for whereas he commandeth that wicked children cursing their parents shall dye the death and likewise adulterers and other offendors he addeth and repeateth it often to the comfort of the Magistrate His bloud be vpon him as if he should say let not Iudges and Magistrates trouble themselues at the death of such offendors as though they were guilty of their bloud nay their bloud is vpon themselues they are guilty of their owne bloud they haue deserued death and are worthy of it they haue cast away themselues and haue iustly drawne vpon themselues such grieuous punishments by their owne wickednesse and iust deserts It is my commandement and will that such shall dye and therefore I cleare you as innocent and guiltlesse you are in my place you are my seruants and ministers and in this work of iustice you haue done me faithfull seruice But here may be a question propounded whether Princes and Rulers may not remit and pardon the faults of great offendors To remit iust punishments is against the direct law of God and procureth and draweth the wrath of God vpon the Magistrate Cursed be he that hindereth the right of the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow and all the people shall say So be it Againe You shal not doe vniustly in iudgement but thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly The Prophet saith O house of Dauid execute iudgement in the morning and deliuer the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressour least my wrath goe out like fire and burne that none can quench it because of the wickednesse of your workes The Magistrate is the keeper of Iustice he is to do right to euery one and therefore hee may not realease whom hee list To execute iudgement is a good worke it is profitable to the Common-wealth it decaieth and taketh away sin and therefore not to be hindered or stopt of any It is a speciall part of the office of a Magistrate to punish the offendors and therefore he is iustly without partiality to performe it Iust iudgement is the Lords not his and therefore not in his power to remit it he is the Minister of the lawes therefore to do nothing contrary to law When Themistocles was requested of Simonides the Poet to pronounce a certaine vniust sentence in his fauour he answered vertuously As making verses contrary to the Rules of poetry thou canst bee no good Poet so can I bee no good Prince
so Iehoshaphat set himselfe against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir which were come against Iudah and the Lord gaue him a meruailous victory against these enemies This blessed King feared God and both he and his subiects gaue themselues first to fasting and prayer and repentance and so the Lord blessed their Armies against their enemies It is lawfull for Kings to defend and maintaine their owne liberties and to recouer by warres that which hath beene vniustly taken away from them And as in warres there must bee a good cause and a good affection if we looke to speede so the authority and example of the chiefe Gouernours doth much encourage the people and put life into them And as Rulers are to defend their people from the force and violence of enemies abrode so they must not suffer them to bee oppressed at home by their owne Countrey-men And indeed this is most vnnaturall and intollerable that one subiect should oppresse another that Christians Countrey-men and brethren should vexe and torment one another by hard and cruell dealing in the time of the Gospell vnder Christian Gouernours Wee haue not this many yeares blessed be God beene much troubled with violence of forraigne foes but haue liued peaceable a long time And though our enemies haue sometimes made attempts and assaults against vs yet the Lord himselfe hath fought for vs to his great glory and to the shame of our Aduersaries Our greatest troubles exactions and oppressions are amongst our selues one with onother Now this is a speciall part of the Magistrates calling to relieue and defend the oppressed And he may more easily and sooner with lesse charge and danger defend his owne subiects against domesticall oppressours then set himselfe in combate against mighty many and cruell enemies abrode Priuate men may not reuenge their owne wrongs but they are in place to doe it for them It is their office to relieue the oppressed and to auenge their cause As a father ouer his children is both Lord and Iudge forbidding that one brother should auenge himselfe of another but if any cause of strife bee betweene them hee will haue it brought to himselfe or his Assignes to haue it iudged and corrected So God forbiddeth all men to auenge themselues and takes that office into his owne hand Therefore saith the Apostle Dearly beloued auenge not your selues but giue place to wrath For it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord. But yet in the next Chapter the same Apostle sheweth that God hath appointed Princes and Magistrates as reuengers of wrongs For hee saith that the Prince is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare For hee beareth not the sword for naught for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill It is almost impossible that a manshould be an equall and indifferent iudge in his owne cause lusts appetites do so blind vs. And when thou auengest thy selfe thou makest no peace but stirst vp more debate God therfore hath giuen lawes to all nations and hath in all countries placed Kings Gouernours and Rulers in his owne stead to rule the world through them and hath commanded all causes to bee brought before them and they are to determine and iudge of such causes according to the rules of equity and righteousnesse This is part of the counsell which Salomons mother gaue vnto him Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of the children of destruction Open thy mouth iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore The Prophet saith to the Gouernours of Israel Learne to doe well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdow Therfore such as were distressed were wont in their distresse to flye to the refuge of the chiefe Magistrate for their protection and defence The Shunamite returning from the land of the Philistims called vpon the King for her house and for her land which had beene wrongfully taken away from her and the King said to an officer Restore thou all that are hers and all the fruits of her lands since the day she left her land euen till this time Hee caused that to be iustly restored which was wrongfully holden away from her And herein good Magistrates should follow the example of God and resemble his Nature whose Name and Image they carry The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall Hee executeth iustice for the oppressed which giueth bread to the hungry The Lord looseth the Prisoners the Lord giueth sight to the blinde The Lord raiseth vp the crooked the Lord loueth the righteous the Lord keepeth the strangers hee relieueth the fatherlesse and widdow but hee ouer-throweth the way of the wicked Therefore saith the Lord rob not the poore because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement for the Lord will defend their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoile them Againe hee saith Remoue not the ancient bounds and enter not into the fields of the fatherlesse for hee that redeemed them is mighty he will defend their cause against thee When the Children of Israell were sore afflicted by Phaâ—aoh and the Aegiptians the Lord in pitty said I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Aegypt and haue heard their cry because of their Taske-maisters for I know their sorrowes therefore I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hands of the Egyptians c. And afterwards when they were vexed by sundry enemies one after another though they sinned against him grieuously and sundry times yet when they cryed vnto him in their distresse and repented them of their sinnes hee heard their cry and sent them Iudges and Deliuerers to deliuer them and ease them of their oppressions Most excellent and worthy is that worthy speech of that good Queene Elizabeth our gracious Soueraigne of famous memory A speech I say recorded by reuerend Iewel in his answere to Pope Pius his seditious Bull Thus shee speaketh to the Councell and Iudges Haue care of my people you haue my place doe you that which I ought to doe They are my people euery one oppresseth them and spoyleth them without mercy they cannot reuenge their owne quarrels nor helpe themselues See to them see to them they are my charge I charge you as God chargeth mee I care not for my selfe my life is not deere to mee my care is for my people O blessed and gracious speech beseeming a gracious Prince a patterne of piety Wee may obserue in that speech the tender care pitty and loue of her Maiesty to her distressed Subiects and that in those times being in the beginning of her Maiesties raigne about fifty yeares ago there were sundry oppressions and wrongs in the Land How more grieuously are they increased and augmented since that time Citties Townes and Countries are full of exclamations of the
cryes and teares of the oppressed and few or none to pitty or relieue them Is not this lamentable and monstrous that one Christian should vexe spoyle and oppresse another being a sinne against nature reason and all humanity yea such a sinne as the best sort of the Heathen do detest and abhorre The Scripture doth reckon any kind of oppression amongst grieuous and crying sinnes And God himselfe doth denounce most greiuous and fearefull iudgements against all oppressours whatsoeuer The Lord shall enter into iudgement with the Ancients of his people and the Princes thereof for yee haue eaten vp the vineyard the spoyle of the poore is in your houses What haue yee to do that yee beate my people and grinde the faces of the poore saith the Lord euen the Lord of Hoasts And againe Woe vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there bee no place that yee may bee placed by your selues in the midst of the earth This is in mine eares saith the Lord of Hoasts Surely many houses shall bee desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant And in another place Woe to thee that spoylest and wast not spoyled and dost wickedly and they did not wickedly against thee when thou shalt cease to spoyle thou shalt bee spoyled when thou shalt make an end of doing wickedly they shall doe wickedly against thee Another Prophet saith Forasmuch as your treading is vpon the poore and yee take from him burdens of wheate yee haue built houses of hewen stone but yee shall not dwell in them yee haue planted pleasant Vine-yards but yee shall not drink wine of them Another Prophet saith Woe vnto them that imagine iniquity and worke wickednesse vpon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because their hand hath power And they couet fields and take them away by violence and houses and take them away So they oppresse a man and his house euen a man and his heritage Therefore thus saith the Lord behold against this family haue I deuised a plague where out yee shall not plucke your neckes and yee shall not go so proudly for this time is euill And againe the same Prophet saith Heare I pray you ô heads of Iacob and yee Princes of the house of Israel Should not yee know iudgement but they hate the good and loue the euill they plucke of their skinnes from them and their flesh from their bones And they eate also the flesh of my people and flay of their skinnes from them and they breake their bones And chop them in peeces as for the pot and as flesh with in the caldron Then shall they cry vnto the Lord but hee will not heare them Hee will euen hide his face from them at that time because they haue done wickedly in their workes The same Prophet threatneth the heauy iudgement of God against the Treasures of wickednesse against the bagge of deceitefull waights The Prophet Habacucke threatneth as grieuous punishments against all cruell oppressours and all such as get their goods and raise vp their houses and estates by wicked and vnlawfull meanes All the Prophets and the whole Scriptures is full of cursings and threatnings against all kind of oppressours So that their state must needes bee fearefull and damnable which liue and die in such a case Our God is a God of truth and mercy the Law of God is Equity and Righteousnesse and the Lawes of the Land wee doubt not are grounded vpon Reason and Iustice and they were made to this end that euery man might haue his own that all good Subiects may be releiued and defended against-wrong and iniury against the violence and deceite of men Now good Magistrates must see good Lawes executed for the reliefe of distressed people And that ye may the better bee stirred vp to performe this duty Let mee set before you two worthy patternes and examples of good Magistrates The one is the example of Iob who speaketh thus of himselfe When the eare heard mee it blessed mee when the eie saw mee it gaue witnesse to mee for I deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon mee and I caused the widdowes heart to reioyce I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was a Robe and a Crowne I was the eie to the blind and I was the feete to the Lame I was a father to the poore and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently I brake also the lawes of the varighteous man and plucked the prey out of his teeth A worthy example for Iudges Iustices and Magistrates to imitate and follow Iob sheweth before in what credite and fauour hee was among the people when hee came to the place of Iudgement yong men being ashamed of their loosenesse feared his grauity great persons were silent and acknowledged his wisedome all that heard him praised his vpright dealing all loued him and reuerenced him and admired him all were affraid to offend him By what meanes came hee to such authority and credite hee got it not by any corrupt meanes as by pride pompe flattery but by vertue by good gouernment by iustice and mercy Another worthy example is Nehemiah who though hee was a Courtier and liued in the Kings Pallace at case and pleasure yet hee pittieth his deere countrimen the Iewes he mourneth and prayeth for them And afterward when the poore people laied open their want and extremity in time of dearth and complained of the hard dealing of the rich men oppressing them by Vsury he heareth their cries pitties their estate reproueth the oppressours and reformeth them The poore people complaine that the times were so hard that they were faine to pawne their Lands to make their sonnes and daughters bond-slaues and that their owne Country-men would lend them nothing freely to serue their necessity withall but dealt thus hardly with them with pinching and oppressing them with Vsury the reason to moue pitty is that they were of the same nature of the same flesh and bloud with them Nehemiah vpon the complaint of these distressed people is moued with inward compassion chargeth the rich men with their oppressions setteth an assembly against them to shame them hee alleageth the example of Gods mercy who hath redeemed them from the Heathen and therefore that they should bee mercifull to their brethren Hee chargeth them that their doings is euill and wicked that they feared not God that they gaue the Heathen cause to blaspheme God that they dealt as cruelly as the Infidels Hee causeth them to bind themselues with an oath to restore that which they haue vniustly taken hee curseth those that will not keepe their oath hee moueth them by his owne example to mercy liberality and hospitality hee and his lend money and corne to the needy hee kept at his Table an 150. Iewes daily
then would I that the old lawes of England were put in execution such as are called King Edwards lawes of the common lawes of England whereof one was that the goods of an vsurer after his discease should turne to the benefite of the Prince when twelue men had found by proofe that the party disceased was an vsurer in his life time Finally that learned man in that learned discourse against vâ—ury written so many yeares agoe alledgeth many sharpe punishments appointed by the ciuill common lawes And least he should seeme of small credit for to speake too hardly and without proofe let vs see what Mr Iuell in a letter speaketh of that booke What it should worke in others I cannot tell saith he for mine owne part if I were an vsurer neuer so greedily bent to spoile rauen as vsurers be yet would I thinke my selfe most vnhappy if such perswasions could not moue me for what man would not be afraid to liue desperately in that state of life that hee seeth manifestly condemned by Heathens by Christians by old Fathers by the ancient Councels by Emperours by Bishops by Cannons by Decrees by all Sects of all Religions by the Gospell of Christ by the mouth of God And if it be so is not vsury to be punished and restrained by all possible meanes It is the decree of a Counsel that a Cleargy man an vsurer should be degraded and therefore it is counted a deadly sin Another Councell condemneth all for Heretickes who held vsury lawfull Another decreed that manifest vsurers should bee depriued of the communion and fellowship of the Christians in their life and of Christian buriall after death till their heires had restored their vsury Considering therefore the danger and hurtfulnesse of this sin which so commonly reigneth amongst vs let all good Gouernours I say continually set before their eyes this worthy example of good Nehemiah hauing the like care and compassion that he had towards his people vsing all meanes they can to ease them of heauy burdens and to suppresse vsury extortion and all kinde of oppression whatsoeuer Herein they shall bee like God himselfe who is said to execute righteousnesse and iudgement to all that are oppressed And not onely such as be oppressed with wrongs and iniuries are to bee respected of the good Magistrate but also all they whosoeuer that be in want and necessity not being able to maintaine themselues All these I say are to be prouided for by the care and prouidence of good Gouernours and this is a part of Iustice Equity and Righteousnesse This is a speciall part of their office to relieue and helpe the poore by their example counsell and power to draw others and if need require to constraine them to the helping and aiding of the needy Magistrates are Pastors Fathers and Nurses they must see that all their sheepe and children bee fed and nourished God is the creator of the poore and by his prouidence they are poore Christ is their Redeemer and died for them as well as for the rich and therefore they must not bee contemned but much regarded as men yea as Christian men God is the God of the poore of the â—â—iect of the fatherlesse and widdowes he is full of compassion to such hath a care of them hee hath made many lawes giueth many precepts for the defence and reliefe of the poore hath ordained Kings Iudges Magistrates and other officers in the Church Common-wealth for the comfort succour and help of the poore and needy and because there shall be alwayes some poore in the land therefore he commandeth saying Thou shalt open thy hand to thy brother to the needy to the poore in the land And he saith a litle before Thou shalt giue him and let it not grieâ—e thine heart to giue him for because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou doest take in hand to doe Salomon may be commended to bee the poore mans King for he doth commend the poore vnto vs by many exhortations and precepts There is saith hee that seâ—ttereth and is more increased but hee that spareth more then is right surely commeth to pouerty The liberall person shall haue plenty and he that watereth shall haue raine He that â—ppresseth the poore reproueth him that made him but hee honoureth him that hath mercy on the poore He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore shall also cry and not be heard Hee that hath mercy on the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which hee hath giuen Againe He that giueth vnto the poore shall not lacke but he that hideth his eyes shall haue many curses Many such counsels and prouerbes he deliuereth for the comforting and relieuing of the poore And as he gaue this counsell to others so hee was carefull to follow it himselfe Dauid his father prophesieth of him Hee shall deliuer the poore when hee crieth the needy also and him that hath no helper He shall be mercifull to the poore and needy and shall preserue the soule of the poore Christ the true Salomon giueth the like counsell touching the poore and practiseth the same in himselfe being a most liuely and perfect patterne of mercy and compassion to the distressed He faith Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Againe Be mercifull as your father is also mercifull And in another place Giue almes of those things which are within and behold all things shall be cleane to you Sell that yee haue and giue almes make you bagges which waxe not old a treasure that can neuer faile in heauen where no thiefe commeth neither moth corrupteth And when wee make a feast hee biddeth vs call the poore the maimed the lame and the blinde and so saith he thou shalt bee blessed because they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt bee recompenced at the resurrection of the iust He sheweth the fearefull and damnable estate of the rich man who fared delicately euery day but yet had no care to relieue poore Lazarus And as the Lord Iesus doth perswade all men to mercy so hee himselfe was most mercifull ready and willing to do good to the bodies and soules of men Hee is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and ready to helpe in time of need When he saw the multitude hee had compassion vpon them because they were dispersed and scattered abroad as sheepe hauing no Sheapheard And when he saw another great multitude which had nothing to eate he called his Disciples to him and said vnto them I haue compassion on the multitude because they haue now continued with me three dayes and haue nothing to eate and if I send them away fasting to their owne houses they will faint by the way for some of them came from farre And presently hee wrought a miracle for with seuen loues and
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