And therefore let this serue further for our Instruction that we learne highly to esteeme of such as be truly godly seeme they neuer so meane or base in the worlds eye Thus did S. Lawrence that blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus who being demanded of the Tyrant where the riches of the Church lay looking for store of gold and such like treasure he gathered together a multitude of poore Christians telling the Tyrant that there was the riches and beauty of the Church and albeit they were now ragged and vnseemly in the eyes of men yet they should one day be clad in white robes and shine in maiestie and glory before the throne of God The like as I haue read was the practise of Ingo an ancient King of the Draues and Veneds who making vpon a time a stately feast inuited thereunto all his Nobles who were at that time Pagans and vnconuerted to the Christian faith and a multitude of poore Christians His Nobles he set in his Hall below and those poore Christians with himselfe in his presence chamber entertaining them with the royallest cheere and kingliest attendance that might be At which when his Nobles wondered he told them this he did not as hee was king of the Drauâ—s but as king of another world wherein these should bee his companions and fellow Princes To them he would giue ciuill due in the gouernment of the Commonwealth but these hee must loue and honour in his heart as most honoured and best beloued of God Reade this to thy shame who knowest not how to shew the least respect vnto a Christian and if thou wouldst not haue it to condemne thee let it mend thee causing thee to be more respectiue in thy cariage towards such as serue the Lord So shalt thou imitate God like a good childe herein and get a testimonie to thy owne conscience that thou art Gods because thou louest his image which marke of a childe of God may comfort thee when all others in the time of temptation may faile thee Hence also we may haue Direction how to become excellent and famous namely by becomming gracious This way will not faile to effect it and no other course can be auaileable without it Men may be wealthy and ignominious they may haue gorgeous apparell and yet be contemptible Pharaohs horses had costly trappings and the Midianites Camels had chaines of gold about their necks Grace and goodnesse doe more decke and adorne than all these doe or can This is that which the Apostle calleth Seeking glory and honour by well-doing and only is that whereby Abel Noah Abraham and the rest obtained a good report How grosly then are such deceiued as thinke godlinesse doth cause contempt and the way to become honourable is to grow gracelesse and sinfull For can any wise man thinke that the dunghill of wickednesse is a fit Mine to digge out a good estimation or that the puddle water of vanity will make a man seeme beautifull and faire or that the onely way to make a man sweet is to tumble in a iakes Certainly figgs grow not vpon thornes neither is the sweet oyntment of a good name compounded of those stinking ingredients Pride Drunkennesse Whoredome Profanenesse or the like A good name ariseth out of honest things as the Poet could say and not from actions sinfull and dishonest Cain and Esau we know were wicked men and dead many hundred yeeres agoe yet the Scripture neuer speaketh of them but with great reproach as Prophane Esau Cain who was of that wicked one and slow his brother And so Iudas who is neuer almost spoken of but he is called by the name of traitor The Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles haue likewise beene a long time dead and yet how louely are their names Scripture neuer speakes of them but with great respect as Abraham the Father of the faithfull Moses the seruant of God Dauid the sweet singer of Israel And S. Peter S. Paul S. Iohn and so the rest Thus the wicked leaue a filthy sauour behinde them as a greasie snuffe when it goeth out which euery one that passeth by stops his nose at but the godly leaue their names behinde them for a blessing the very remembrance of them is sweet and like the end of some sweet wax candle which euery one loues to haue the sent of euen after it hath left burning Wouldst thou then bee counted excellent See that thou doe worthily in Ephratha and so be famous in Bethlehem It is vertue onely that can emblazon thy name and that will doe it A field of sinceritie charged with deeds of pietie cannot but be accomplisht with a crest of glorie But if thou liuest licentiously and prophanely so loathsome will thy abominable life make thee as that thou shalt scarce euer come into mention of Gods people but with a stile like that of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat that made Israel to sinne And lastly for Consolation let this serue to the godly poore despised by the rich and worldly wise Know thou for thy comfort thou art a choise plant in Gods account and hee that knowes the true worth of things esteemes thee precious and holds thee for one of his iewels of great price whateuer men doe deeme And when that day of separation shall come hee will then make it known to all the world First by his setting thee on his right hand as one of his darlings whom he purposeth to aduance and honour when all other shall be turned to the left hand as base and contemptible Secondly by that his gracious call and sweet sentence Come thou blessed c. The prosecuting of this point would bee very comfortable but I hasten and now come to the fift Particular heere mentioned whereby Gods loue to this his Vineyard was manifested in these words He built a Tower in the midst of it which was as well for the beautifying and adorning it as for the further strengthning of it By which Tower whether wee vnderstand the glorious Temple in Ierusalem that stately edifice and building or Ierusalem it selfe whereunto all the Tribes resorted and the nations came to worship it will leade vs to this Obseruation that The Beautie and Bulwarke of a place is Gods seruice and worship erected and set vp in that place For neither is Ierusalem nor Zion here compared to a Tower especially in regard of the stately buildings multiplicity of Turrets aspiring Towers or the like but in regard of Religion that was found in it In Ierusalem was the continuall worship of God In the Temple the continued seruice of God and this was it which gaue the grace and countenance this made it the golden head of the picture Ladie of the world seat of the Monarchie and as Micah agreeing with this of our Prophet cals it the Tower of the flocke and the strong hold of the daughter of
Their kindred are vere rich and noble For their Father they haue him in whose hands are all the corners of the earth and the strength of all hills is his also The Sea is his for he made it and his hands prepared the dry land A great God is he and a great King aboue all gods For their Mother they haue a great Queene who hath Kings daughters and honourable women for her attendants being clothed in rayment of gold and needle worke For their Brethren they haue Christ the great heire of the world who is not ashamed to call them Brethren and all Saints vpon the earth besides Now seemeth this a light thing vnto you 3. Their Place and Dignitie is very great they are in high place and office being made by Christ Kings and Priests vnto God his Father They are in high authoritie to command and rule like Kings and Priests who haue the chiefest roomes of all 4. Their Attendants are honourable The glorious Angels that are aboue and which excell in strength doe euermore wait vpon them and are become ministring spirits sent forth to minister for those who are heires of saluation Yea Kings and Queenes are but as nurses to them and they must doe them homage worshipping with their faces towards the earth and licking vp the dust vnder their feet What shall we need to speake of other things wherein one man is wont to excell another and thereby wax glorious and become renowned Who are wise besides these Are not these only A wise prudent and vnderstanding people Who are valiant but these Are not these the Chariots and horsemen of Israel Who goe fine but these Are not these they who are arrayed with pure sine linnen and shining Doe not these goe clothed with the golden and silken robes of Iesus Christ and of his Spirit Who fare so well as these Are not these fed with Manna the bread of life Haue not these prepared for them A feast of fat things euen a feast of fined wines of fat things full of marrow of wines fined and purified Who are out of debt but these Hath not Christ discharged them of all their sinnes which are called debts and cancelled the bonds Who haue peace within and without but these God is now reconciled with them so that they haue peace not only with God himselfe and his creatures but also with themselues in their owne soules and consciences Who enioy health but these Their soules are found and well and daily they goe on from strength to strength till they appeare perfect in Sion Who speakes so pure a language as these Their language is the language of Canaan out of their mouths no filthy vnsauoury nor rotten communication doth proceed What shall I saâ— more Who can compare with these who haue the heauens for their inheritance the Scriptures for then euidences the Sacraments for their sâ—ales and the Holy Ghost for their assurer Who haue all things theirs and they are Christs and Christ is Gods Now if this be so that The godly are the choisest plants and chiefest personages why then are such most contemned and accounted according to S. Pauls saying as the filth of the world and off-scowring of all thiâ—gâ— But let me say to worldlings as the Apostle of those great ones who put the Lord of life to death If they haâ—â— knowne they would not haue crucified the Lord of life and glory So didst thou but know who these are and what manner of persons they are whom thou thus despisest thou wouldst more respect them yea loue and reuerence them nay kisse the very ground they goe vpon Indeed they seeme outwardly blacke and weather-beaten but what then Yet vnder that balenesse and blacknesse is hid great honour and beauty Within that leather purse is a pretious pearle In those earthen pots is abundance of golden treasure As meane and base as they seeme in thy eyes they are children of God great Heires and Princes and shall one day reigne with Christ in glory Be therefore well aduised and disdame them not Had Shemei euer thought that Dauiâ— should euer haue recouered againe the Crowne and Kingdome and so Soueraigntie ouer him he would haue spared his cursed speeches vsed against him and haue beene more temperate Or had Iosephs brethren as much beleeued his dreams that they should come and bowe to him as they enuied him for them they would haue vsed him with more mildnes but they when they sold him thought neuer to haue seene him more much lesse did they expect to haue beene told of their crueltie from his mouth And yet what ere they thought it so fell out contrary to all their expectations Now when they heare him which was a Ruler in Aegypt say I am Ieseph your brother whom you sold how amazedly doe you thinke they lookt one vpon another with what palenesse and silence doe they stand before him Wonder Doubt Reuerence Feare Hope Guiltinesse strooke them at once the more they considered they wondred the more and the more they beleeued the more they feared for those words I am Ioseph whom you sold seemed to sound thus much to their guilty thoughts You are murtherers and I am a Prince in spight of you my power and this place giue me all opportunities of reuenge my glory is your shame my life your danger c. Euen thus it is and shall be with all wicked ones When they reuile and mocke Gods children doe they thinke they shall euer see Ioseph more or euer come and bowe before him and doe him reuerence Alas they haue no such thought and yet they must and shall for Ioseph will appeare though not in Aegypt yet in Heauen to their confusion and shame Then will they be vexed and amazed who now set Gods children at nought then will they change their mindes and sob and sighs or griefe of spirit and say within themselues These are the men and women whom we disdained and contemned and called Puritanicall fooles and precise fellowes These are they whom we slandered and molested But now we see now highly they are aduanced being counted amongst the children of God hauing their portion with the Saints Oh that such as vex and molest the righteous either with virulent tongues as Shemei or with violent hands as Herod or with both as Iulian the Apostata whether by themselues as Diotrephes or by other as the Scribes and Pharisies whether closely like Iezabel or openly like Pharaoh would thinke of this change and alteration And how soone it may come who knoweth But certainly it will come and then what the Psalmist speaketh shall infallibly be verified Their horne shall be exalted with glory The wicked shall sâ—e it and be angry he shall gnash with his teeth and consume away the desire of the wicked shall perish
cruell As also what this our Prophet Isaiah saith in the ninth of this his prophesie where speaking of the troubles that should befall the people for their sinnes saith The people shall be as the fuell of the fire no man shall spare his brother And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shal eat on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eat euery man the flesh of his owne arme Where we see warre is compared to the fire and it feedeth vpon and destroyeth the people as the fire consumeth straw or wood or like as an hungry man who snatcheth at the right hand and at the left and is not satisfied such is the vnsatiable hungrie desire of warre there is no measure nor satietie of bloud Let vs thus apply this point First for Admonition vnto vs all that wee be heartily and vnfainedly thankfull for the long peace and prosperitie that we haue enioyed vnder the conduct of our worthy Deborah our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and still doe enioy vnder the gouernment of our peaceable Solomon and Princely Ecclesiastes who came vnto vs like Noahs Doue with an Oliue branch of peace and hath shut the iron gates of warre and setled peace amongst vs so that we may sit euery one vnder our owne Vines and Fig-trees and there is none to make vs afraid Which blessing is no common blessing that we of this little Iland at this day doe enioy Our neighbours round about vs are at this day whirled about in tumultuous broiles while our Britaine like the Center standeth still vnmouable in so much that it is hard to say whether other Nations more enuie or admire vs. In peace our Merchants trade abroad and bring home Wines to make glad the heart of man and Oyle to make his face to shine In peace our Magistrates sit at home and giue iudgement in the gates of Israel for maintaining of peace In peace the Messengers of peace preach vnto vs the sweet tidings of the Gospell In peace our Husbandmen sow their corne in hope and reape with ioy In peace our sonnes as plants grow vp in their youth and our daughters are as corner stones polished after the similitude of a Palace Our garners are full affording all manner of store our sheepe bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets Our Oxen are strong to labour there is no breaking in nor going out there is no complaining in our streets In a word all honest Occupations and honourable Professions thriue vnder the peace that wee enioy For which Peace what cause haue we to be thankfull to the God of Peace Especially considering how often by our sinnes wee haue broken our truce with God and giuen an Alarum to the King of heauen by our Pride and contempt of the Gospell two vsuall fore-runners of the Sword And therefore in the midst of this our peace let vs not grow secure we haue not so many blessings but we may forfeit them all by our disobedience When wee most feared warre God sene vs peace Now we most bragge of our peace we may well feare that God will send vs warre Secondly for Reprehension of such as grudge their owne peace and well-fare and both wish and pray for warres Neuer good daies since so much peace say some and would we had warres againe say others Fooles that we are that know no better how to vse our peace and testifie so great vnthankfulnes for so great a mercy Had we beene in the coats of our fore-fathers or did we feele the scourge of warre as our neighbours doe we would better know how to esteeme this blessing and prize this garland of Peace We neuer saw our Townes and Cities burning whiles the flame gaue light to the souldiers to carry away our goods we neuer saw our houses rifled our Temples spoiled our wiues rauished our children bleeding dead on the pauements or sprawling on the mercilesse pikes we heare not the confused cries of men sounding in our distracted eares some dying others killing other insulting others resisting we see not our high-waies strawed with breathlesse carkasses men and horses wallowing in their bloud and the gastly visages of wounds and death in euery corner these things wee can only iudge of by report and heare-say did we know them by experience wee would not so repine at the peace wee now enioy Were it not a wofull and lamentable thing to see fire without mercie and without quenching consuming houses and eating vp all things making spare of nothing How much more to heare and see and feele the affliction of warre when all things are in confusion and combustion When there is no peace to him that goeth out or in but great troubles to all the inhabitants when Nation is destroyed of Nation and Citie of Citie and all are troubled with aduersitie Alas what good what profit what sweetnesse can we finde in these things And as these are to be reproued so me thinks I finde another sort of people to be sharply censured who goe a degree further than the former counting of warre but as a matter of sport and play So speaketh Abner Captaine of the Host Let the young men now rise and play before vs. His meaning was that they should come forth and trie their valour one in hewing and cutting of another and so shew them a bloudie play Such were those sword-plaies in vse amongst the Romanes wherein cruell spectacles were exhibited on each side in the shedding of humane bloud Such also are our challenges made and performed by Fencers vpon the stage now in vse amongst vs whereby Gods Image is oftentimes defaced and bloud spilt as water vpon the ground and yet what running and thronging to see such bloudie sights being counted by many but a sport or matter of recreation Which kinde of sauage and beastly spectacles Theodosius the Emperour abhorred and would neuer behold And one Demonax among the Athenians hearing the people consult about such plaies told them they must first breake downe the Altar of Mercie because such sights were so mercilesse and cruell Let all such as feare the Lord beware of countenancing such by our presence lest wee make our selues guiltie of their sinnes and stand as guiltie before the Lord of shedding that bloud which they doe shed Thirdly for our Instruction this serues Seeing there is such crueltie in warre and fearefulnesse and deuouring in the sword let vs take heed of the beginnings thereof and cut the cords of all contention and debate liuing peaceably one with another as brethren ought to doe From whence come warres and contentions amongst you saith Saint Iames are they not hence euen of your lusts that fight in your members These distempered lusts are the cause of all strife and contention causing a continuall warre within a man and oftentimes warres with other men to the ruinating not onely of priuate persons