man not this or that man respectiuely The third is the persons desiring this duty at our hands that that is to bee desired not that that this man or that desires not that our friends onely doe desire but that that is to bee desired that is that that all the things of the worlde desires of a man is his goodnesse For first all that our good God for all his goodnesse to vs desires at our hands is but goodnesse Secondly all that the Angels desire of vs is but goodnesse Thirdly what all men desire of vs is but goodnes Fourthly what our selues desire of our selues is but goodnesse Fiftly what all the creatures of the world doe desire of vs is but goodnesse The fourth pillar is the reason enforcing this most excellent dutie of goodnes And in the Text I finde sixe veines of perswasion full of pregnant reason to enforce it The 1. is Facilitas officij The facility of the dutie in that it is but one duty in which all other duties are performed The 2. is Necessitas officiij The necessity of the dutie the bond and obligation whereby we are tied to doe this duty vnto all namely to God to the holy Angels to all men to our selues and to the creatures to all which we are by many and many obligations bound but vnto God in an infinite obligation in that he saith that that is to bee desired of a man The 3. is Modus officij The manner of the seeking of this dutie at our hands it is desired besought intreated begged by all sweet meanes sought for whereas it might haue been commanded The 4. is Tempus officij The time when this duety is to bee performed It is euen now to be desired whilest wee liue heere whilest wee are in health whilest the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land whilest we enioy these many and vnspeakeable blessings of peace plenty the running ouer of our cup. The 5. is Familiaritas offieij The familiarity and naturalnesse of the duty seeing goodnesse is such as that no creature much more man but hath a particular goodnes in it selfe Lastly Excellentia officij The dignity and excellency of the duty in that hee sayd quod that euen that excellent duty of goodnesse and nothing else but that not power honour riches wisedome knowledge and the like but goodnesse If I might be so happy to lead your worthy and prudent eyes to beholde all the roomes of this little frame at this time I should reioyce if not I will leaue the rest to cast your gracious eyes vpon when you please to come this way next The first columne or pillar is the duty it selfe Bonitas Goodnesse Where I beseech you giue me leaue to vse these few quaerees 1. What this goodnesse is 2. Why goodnes is desired at our hands before greatnesse power honour riches vnderstanding wisedome knowledge and the like excellent things or rather why this not any of them at all else which yet are so much desired and sought for by vs. 3. How can goodnesse be so desired of all and practised of so few To which I wil adde a fourth quaere An sit bonitas Whether there bee any such thing as goodnesse and where it is to be found The first is quid what is this goodnesse And well may we enquire what it is that is so great and yet so little So great that it includes all our duties to God to man to the creatures and yet so little that it cannot bee found amongst any of our duties so great that it cannot enter in at the gates of our Cities Townes Houses or Churches so little that it cannot be found in any of them That deuout and good Father speaking of a good conscience Ber. saith that it is Maximum in minimo The greatest thing that can be in the least roome that can be For in the heart of a good man which is a very little thing is found a good conscience which is the greatest thing in the world And herein it is contrarie to the euent of them that digge for precious mynes of golde and siluer for they finde Minimum in maximo a little gold or siluer in a great lumpe and masse of lead or other met tall But in the hart of a good man that is so little it will not giue a Kite his breake-fast is Maximum in minimo The greatest thing that can bee in the least roome that can be that is a good conscience goodnes it selfe that delights both God and man Therefore no maruell seeing goodnesse so great if it hardly get into so narrow a roome as mans heart But I must tell you what this goodnesse is Wee may say of goodnesse as the learned say of God that hee onely can bee knowne Per viam remotionis namely that he is not the heauen nor the earth nor the Angels nor the spirits nor any thing that we see so goodnesse it is not Maiesty and power it is not riches and pleasure it is not birth or beauty it is not prudence knowledge nor is it any thing whereof wee haue most plenty though it bee more worth then all these greatnesses But wee may say of it truely Gen. 19 20 as Lot sayd of Zoar Is it it not a little one and my soule shall liue I will then aduenture to say that goodnesse is a vertue whereby we communicate to others all the good things that are in vs or belong vnto vs for their good This definition I grant is too narrowe for goodnesse for it deserues a larger roome then definitions afforde yet if I should inlarge it neuer so much I should scarcely get any one within the ring of it Now this goodnesse doth either respect the body or the minde Goodnes concerning the minde or soule of man is to labour partly by counsell partly by example of life to gaine the soule of our brother to god and to this goodnesse are these actions required 1. To admonish the vnruly 2. To comfort the distressed 3. To beare with them that are weake 4. To be patient towards all men Of these foure Saint Paule hath giuen vs these precepts 5. 1. Thes 5 14 To chastice the obstinate 6. To pray for all men of what condition soeuer According to that olde verse Consule castiga solare remitte fer ora Goodnesse respecting the body consists in many actions Namely in those foure which our Sauiour commands to feed the hungry Mat. 25 35 36 2. Sam. 2 Deut. 15 7 8. cloath the naked lodge the stranger visite those sicke and in prison 5. To bury the dead 6. To lend liberally and freely to the decayed and imprisoned All six duties included in this verse Visito poto cibo redimo tego colligo condo So then wee see what this goodnesse is and in what how many actions it stands First then if you aske mee wherein we must shew this goodnesse I answere in all the gifts and graces
So then a weeding must be vsed that wise Roman spake most truly Sen. Bonis nocet qui malis parcit He doth hurt the good that spares the quill Therefore the magistrate must ouer be worming of the Land and in that greate worke of purging the common-wealth or reforming any house or Family hee must euer haue respect to these three considerations first to amend him he punisheth Secondly or that the punishment being exemplary may make others the better Thirdly or that the wicked being taken out of the way the godly may liue the more securely But he that will preserue goodnesse must still be lopping away the Canker boughs For as that learned man saith well Lactan. Bonorum salutem custodit qui malos punit He that punisheth wicked men preserues the safety of good men To which that of the diuine Philosopher doth well agree Malitiae medicamentum est poena Plato punishment is the best Phisicke for malice and wickednes Therfore hec that would heale a sicke common-wealth or a fainting Family must minister Dauids phisicke Psal 101 a wicked person must not dwell in his house So Dauid cured his sick kingdome and Court Antisthenes Hence the wise heathen resolued that it was the greatest pest of a common-wealth not to discerne the good from the bad that is to obserue and aduance the vngodly and neglect the iust and vertuous For the goodnesse of the subiects establisheth the kingdome And their improbity ruines and subuerts it And therefore that wise Roman concludes Cic. that neyther house nor common-wealth can long stand if rewards be not prouided for the good and punishments for the wicked We come into our gardens and orchards and seeing them grown ouer with nettles and such other trash presently we fall to weeding pruning and are offended with those that should haue the care of it that it is not done lest we should lose the benefit of the fruite and shall we not much more labour to keepe the garden of the Church and kingdome from the Nettles and weedes of impiety and wickednesse which will at length choake the growth of all goodnesse in the Land But alas what fruite can we expect when not only briers and thistles are suffered to grow vp but are more cherished then the good and wholesom hearbs themselues What happinesse may we look for when the herbs are eyther pluckt vp by the roots or at least so spite-blasted and neglected that they wither and dye for want of plucking vp the weedes of vices that ouertoppe them The third inquiry is How goodnesse should be so desired of all and so little practised of any First shall I say it is like the little book which Iohn tooke and cate Apoc. 10 and it was in his mouth as sweet as honey but made his belly bitter So goodnesse is a sweete subiect to be spoken of but bitter to be practised euery man can relish it with his mouth but few can disgest it in their hearts and fewer practise it with their hands Secondly Or shall I say that as goodnesse doth communicate it selfe to all so it hath a magneticall attractiue power to draw all to the gaze of it the face of goodnesse being so beautifull that the most prophane man in the World would die to bee but dyed in her colours and cloathed with her honourable titles Euen prophane Balaam would gladly die the death of the righteous and cast-away Saule would be honoured and reputed good before the Prophet But because they desire the name and not the thing therefore they are but in a dreame and imbrace a shadow Or thirdly shall I say for that it is the onely shelter of impiety For vnder the couert of goodnesse walke all kinds of impurity and impiety Tuta frequensque via est per amici fallere nomen It is a safe and common course to deceiue vnder pretence of friendship So vnder the cloake of goodnes and Religion is all mischiefe palliated and vizarded And it is one of the most dangerous enemies that goodnesse and good men haue Chrys for as that holy Father saith Malum sub specie boni celatum dune non cognoscitur non cauctur When euill doth maske vnder the vizard of good being not known it cannot be preuented Or fourthly shall I say that goodnesse makes all men that are acquainted with it diminish their goods and come to the contempt of the world that those which haue wiues 1. Cor. 7 be as though they had none those that weepe as though they wept not those that reioyce as though they reioyced not those that buy as though they possessed not those that vse the world as though they vsed it not so that now they become as zealous as in the primitiue age they haue all things common and part to euery man hath need And therefore because men doe soe goodnes to be an ill husband Act. 2 and prodigal of her selfe and substance after a little experience of her they shake her off as not for their profit Or lastly shall I say it is because there are so few examples of goodnesse to prouoke vs Surely euen for all these is this happy duty of goodnesse so much desired of all so little practised of any For goodnesse is bitter vnsauory and distastefull to a carnal man Euery man loues the glorious name of it but cares not for the thing it selfe It is a good shadow and cloake for impiety It diminisheth our substance and the things we loue deare and hath few or no presidents to allure vs to it No wonder then if so few affect it in the practise So come we to examine the 4. last inquisition of this duty An sit bonitas whether there be any good nesse left in the World any such thing as goodnesse is and where it may be found there is such barre nnes of goodnes euery where that we may well say of it as the Lord did of Ieconiah write this man childlesse Ier. 22 a man that shall not prosper in his days So we that God hath bidden write our age destitute of goodnesse not shall goodnesse prosper in our age not for that Ieeoniah had no Son did God commaund thus to write for he had Salathiel but because he had but one Son and the kingdome and gouernment was departed from him Nor doe I say this for that goodnes shal haue no issue but because she shall haue very few children and the kingdome and gouernment is departed from them they shall haue little or no honour dignite or preferment in this world The Prophet spake it long before me Psal 14 The Lord looked downe from Heauen to see if any would vnderstand and seeke after God but they were all gone but of the way there was none that did good no not one If he spake this with griefe of heart I am sure I speake it not without sorrow For what cause of sorrow can be greater when
doe as the Earth doth which nourisheth and sustayneth all liuing creatures Let all the creatures be his schoole-masters vnto goodnesse For all are made to do him good and he is made to doe euery man good Hemo homini Deus non daemō Man must be to man a God not a diuell do him all good but no harme I should neuer haue done in this point if I shold inforce this duty vpon euery particular man therefore I will restraine my selfe to these two obseruations First that euery man must know there is a generall duty of goodnes required of him Secondly that particular men haue personall and particular duties of goodnesse to be expected from them according to their seuerall functions and places First for the generall duty the Prophet expresseth it in foure words Mich. 6 Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to do iustly to loue mercy to humble thy selfe and walke with thy God First the goodnesse of righteousnesse is required of euery man to good rightly iustly to euery man He must be in all his wayes as straight vpright as the Fytre tree that directly without any knot growes vp towards Heauen without bowing a bayre from a most straight line Iob is commended for such a iust and vpright man Secondly the goodnesse of mercy is required of him For Bonum est sui communicatinum Good will disperse and communicate it self We see that trees doe not beare fruite for themselues but for the benefit and good of others and a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things so out of the good treasure of his hands he ministers to the necessities of others He is mercifull liberall and lendeth he hath disperst abroad and the prayse of him endureth for euer The Samaritane in the Gospell was such a mercifull man Thirdly the goodnesse of Humility is required of him without which there is no entrance into ioy God giues grace onely to the humble 1. Pet. 5 He must stoupe that will come in at the low gate of Heauen if he be neuer so well furnished with other graces and want this his portion shall be with hypocrites and vnbeleeuers Fourthly the goodnes of obedience or diligēce is required No Idle by comes to Heauen He that will come there must euer be walking the way that leades to it it is a long iourney and cannot be performed in lesse time then a mans whole life And well may he walke to Heauen who hath God Socium itineris to walke with him If man will walke with God walke as he hath walked walke as he hath taught him and as he doth guide him he shall neuer fayle to come most happily to his iournies end Such a walking man was Enoch By the continuall motion of the Heauens all creatures are ingendred and doe liue without which motion they could not eyther increase or continue So by our motion walking with God all his graces are beginner in vs to 〈◊〉 by that walking do liue in vs and bring vs to eternall life without which walking with God there is no hope that we can liue with him for euer This walking may be expressed in these 3. First that there be a good and holy life For Qualis vita finis ita such as is the life such will be the death Secondly a good fame for that fattens the bones Pro. 15 Thirdly that there be a good Conscience for that is a continuall feast Secondly we obserue that particular men must performe personall duties of goodnesse euery man in his place and talling as Iohn Baptist teacheth when the people came and demanded of him Luc. 3 What shall we do he answered He that hath two coates let him part with him that hath none and he that hath meate let him doe likewise Then the Publicans asked What shall we do He said Require no more then that which is appointed to you Then the Souldiers demanded What shall we doe he said Doe violence to no man neither accuse any man falsely and be content with your wages So that of euery man and woman of what degree or place soeuer they be there is a generall and also a particular and personall duety of goodnesse required which in summe is no more but to communicate to the benefite of others all those graces and blessings of body and minde where with God hath trusted them 3. The parties desiring this duty come to be cōsidered in the next place as the third pillar of my text for it is not said that that this or that man desires of a man or that our friends desire of vs is our goodnes But that that is to be desired of a man that is that that all the things of the world desires of man is his goodnesse First then that which God desireth of a man is his goodnesse as we saw before out of the Prophet Saint Paule affirming the same Mich. 6 This is the will of God 1. Thess 4 euen your sanctification and our Sauiour Be you perfect Math. 5. as your heauenly Father is perfect And how is that He makes his Sunne arise vpon the good and bad and sendeth rayne on the iust and vniust That God lookes for this duty of goodnesse at our hands the parable of the Talents makes it plaine for be that had lapt vp his Talent in a napkin was adiudged to bee cast into fire that cannot bee quenched Euery mans Talents and graces are giuen him of God with this charge Negotiamim donec veniam Occupy till I come put my money my graces of body and minde into the banke that I may receiue my owne with aduantage saith the Lord. The Parable of the wedding gatment shews the same without which who appeares before God shal be bound hand foot cast into vtter darknesse The vniust Steward that had wasted his Masters goods was called to a redde rationem a strickt Audit for all And so shall all wee be for the goods and graces God hath put in our stewardships it shall not auaile vs to pleade that of the Gospell in barre When saw we thee in prison and did not visite thee Math. 25 or hungry and did not feed thee or naked and did not cloath thee For it shall bee answered In as much as you did it not to the least of these you did it not to me depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels The reason why God desires this goodnesse is for that in nothing come wee so neare the diuine and originall goodnesse it selfe which is God as in true sincere goodnesse to others Yea euen to our enemies For as the Prophet saith Psal 78 though God did often deliner the Israelites yet did they still rebell against him So infinite is the goodnesse of God that by no ingratitude or rebellion of man will hee be ouercome vntill hee
GOODNES The blessed mans Badge OR Gods Character stampt on mans Conscience In two Sermons before the most excellent Prince Charles By Richard Myddleton his Highnesse Chaplayne Psal 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his workes Aug. It is the summe of all Religion to imitate him thou doest worshippe LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes 1619. TO THE NOBLE and Vertuous Lady the Lady Olyffe Stapylton the continuance of all graces here and the fruition of eternall happines in Heauen Right worthy Lady GIue mee leaue I beseech you to presēt your better Worth with this lowe addressement of my loue Little I confesse is the value of paper presents and of so much the lesse account by how much our age hath made the number of bookes to bee the medicine or purgation of idle or distempered braines and medicine I wish that truely I might haue stiled it But bookes which should be as Apothecaries shoppes and wise Phisitions store-houses furnished with all manner of remedies for sick and diseased Soules are many times banes to the Soules and pests to the bodies of the readers whilst the subiects handled in them are fitter to be suppressed then printed Mine I dare not commend to be such as it should be because it is maine but thus much I presume to warrant that had the worthinesse of the matter beene so happy to light in a hand skillfull to discipher the true price and pretious value of that good man which is the ground of my discourse I might rightly haue said of it as the good king spake of Goliahs sword 2. Sam. 21.9 there is none to that giue it me The least birds haue euer the sweetest voyces and this small grayne of goodnesse which is the All of man thus hammered out into all the fayre wreaths of golden graces to adorne the Soule will I doubt not finde acceptance with all sorts who are not altogether auerse from goodnesse louing the foolish new fangled dressings of the vaine world better then the graue rich ornaments of a sanctified Soule To your Ladishippe is this labour due from mee who haue been long acquainted with as great a measure of goodnesse in you as I shall euer hope againe to finde in any Your godly patience in great and greatest extremities your sweete and discreete deportments your vertuous disposition to all goodnesse your labour to performe that which is the Soule of all Religion euen goodnesse which is all that is desired of a man hath encouraged mee to dedicate this good Man or man of goodnesse to your goodnesse as not thinking it fit to diuorce those so happily ioyned together Wherein forgiue mee Madam I pray this error in ioyning a dead and imaginary man to a liuing and a gracious Lady which I could not auoide being disappointed of such a liuing man for such a Woman Yet doubt I not such is your noble disposition but that which once had the gracious eare of a most Godly and excellent Prince to entertaine it shall gaine the noble and louing hand and heart of a vertuous Lady to well-come it and then haue I my desire though the tooth of enuy bite neuer so deepe Howsoeuer it fall out this I haue aduentured on for the common good but chiefely for the freeing of my selfe in part from the just imputation of vnthankefullnesse who owing so much respect to your Ladishippe must craue to haue this little peece of Coyne laide vppe in your Closet as an acknowledgement of a greater debt In the meane time I shall euer pray that your Ladyshippe may haue the hope of the Saints who liue and the happines of the righteous diseased who rest from their labours which with all Earthly blessings conducing thereunto our good God for his mercies sake in Christ assure and multiplie vpon you and yours to the full a vpon him who will euer be Your Ladyshippes true friend to command Richard Myddleton GOODNES The blessed mans Badge PRO. 29.22 That that is to be desired of a man is his goodnesse or the desire of a man is his kindnesse AS there are various and diuerse rendrings of these wordes so there are diuerse conclusions arising from them For first some reade them thus There is nothing that a man chiefly a rich man should so much desire 〈…〉 .2 as to doe good from the heart and what can be gathered hence but that rich great men ought to be good men aboue all others Secondly some thus Concupiscentia hominis misericordia eius Gods mercy is mans desire referring the Pronoune his vnto God of whom Salomom had spoken before man desiring nothing in the world so much as to haue God to be mercifull to him and what can be gathered hence but that it is the Lords mercy we are not consumed Lam. 3.22 Thirdly some thus Desiderium hominis est misericordia eius The desire of man is to haue mercy on others referring the Pronoune his vnto man For man ought aboue all things to delight in mercy to man Mat. 9.13 seeing our Sauiour saith I will haue mercy not sacrifice commands man to bee mercifull Luk. 6 36 as our heauenly Father is mercifull And very iust it is that those who haue receiued much mercy shew much vnto others and hauing an hundred thousand talents forgiuen them 〈◊〉 8 24 should forgiue an hundred pence to others And what can be gathered hence but that there is no good in him that is not mercifull Fourthly others do giue this sence of them that many men desire to seeme mercifull and good and what can be gathered hence but that there are more hypocrites then good men in the world Lastly Saint Ierom and others collect this sence that the poore man is mercifull and compassionate towardes others out of the experience of his owne wants according to that of Dido Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco My owne wounds haue taught mee to consider others woes And what can be gathered hence but that there is most true goodnesse where are least goods But the best sence is that goodnesse that is to say to liue holily and godly and to doe good to others is the whole duty of man Eccl. 12 as the wise Preacher hath well exprest it Feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole duty of man Albeit I may seeme at the first blush to haue layd my foundation in a barren soyle since goodnesse hath so little ground in this world yet I will labour to bring timber and materialls out of my Text to make the building though not very beautifull yet I am sure very profitable which is the scope of my proiect in this little frame The structure of which little building stands vpon foure columnes or pillars The first is a duty goodnesse The second is the generality of the requisition of it at our hands for no man is exempted from this duety in that he saith indefinitly of a
of body and minde 1. Ioh. 3 in our temporall goods and liues also if neede so require Secondly if you aske me why wee must shew this goodnesse I answere because we are all members of one body and stand in neede of mutuall helpe and comforts Ph. 4 without which neyther the body nor members could continue in any perfect health But I may goe a degree or two higher and doe no iniury vnto goodnesse And then I may say that it is fully conteyned and expressed in these two words Pietas Probitas piety and honesty That is exercised in diuine things this in humane These are the two golden pillars of all goodnesse These are the two glistering torches that doe light vs to eternall happinesse Wouldest thou haue the great God propitious vnto thee Viue piè liue a godly life Wouldest thou haue man beneuolent and louing vnto thee Viue probè liue honestly Wouldest thou make them both thy friends ioyne them together in thy whole life so shalt thou with one labour binde both God and man vnto thee the one of these without the other will not serue thy turne Piety without Probity and honesty is nothing worth probity and honesty without piety and godlinesse is lesse worth Piety without probity is scandalous probity without piety superstitious the one without the other is altogether ruinous but ioyne them both together in holy wedlocke and thou shalt neuer make aberration from the chiefest good Hierocles For the heathen man spake truely Finis virtutum charitas principiumque pietaes The end of vertues is charity and the beginning is piety And to the same purpose another as well Nulla est via alia quâ ad felicitatem eatur quà m pietas Iamblicus There is no other way to felicity then piety The diuine truths approuing the same 1. Tim. 4. that godlinesse is profitable to all things which hath the promise of the life present 1. Tim. 4.8 and of that that is to come What made Socrates to bee esteemed the best and most happy man of his time Was it not this onely that hee consecrated himselfe to the loue of piety and probity godlinesse and honesty Zenophen reports this of him Erat adeo religiosus vt sine Dei consilio nihil ageret adeo iustus vt nemini ne exigua quidem in re noceret prodesset autem ijs maxime qui ipso vterentur adeo continens vt nunquā id quod incundius er at meliori anteponeret He was so religious that he neuer did any thing without the counsaile of God so iust that he neuer hurt any man no not in the least thing but helped them exceedingly who would vse his meanes so continent that he neuer preferred that which was more pleasant to that which was much better Behold an admirable patterne of goodnesse behold what and how great study and care this heathen man placed in the practise of these two worthy parts of goodnesse Behold what infamy this Gentile casts vpon vs Christians nay what iust condemnation Thus must we doe if euer we will doe the duety of my text if euer wee will be good men if euer we will come in the presence of God Plato For so could the diuine Philosopher aduise Let this saith he be thy onely ayme Dei cultu vitae puritate by the worshippe and seruice of God and purity and cleannesse of life to obtayne a wished and happy end at the last Now this piety that you may the better know wherein it consists doth exercise it selfe eyther in the outward worshippe of God or in the outward and inward worshippe of God together The inward worshippe of God alone and by it selfe which consists onely in the minde and inward man is practised in these two duties the first is the knowledge of God the second is the feare of God by these two as by two filuer conduits doe piety and religion flow into the affections and minds of men First for the knowledge of God Io. 17.3 our Sauiour witnesseth This is life eternall to know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ the same doth the Apostle Rom. 10.14 How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard This truth is so pregnant that the very heathens haue acknowledged it one of them saying Deum colit Sen. qui nouit Hee doth worshippe and feare God that knowes God And another of them Iambl Dei cognitio similem Angelis reddit The knowledg of God makes a man like vnto the Angels Secondly for the feare of God is it not the beginning of al wisedome Eccles 12 13. Feare God and keepe his commandements for that is Totum hominis All the whole duty of man this was also acknowledged euen by the heathen wise men One of them could say Quis non timet omnia prouidentem Cic. cogitantem animaduertentem Who is it that doth not feare the all-prouident all-seeing and all-punishing God The glory of this dutie did the heathen king Cyrus see so much innobled in Zenophons History who dying called his two Sonnes vnto him and left them this golden Legacy Pertimescite Deos O Filij vt nihil impij nihil nefarij vel committatis vel deliberetis O my Sonnes I beseech you feare the Gods that you neuer eyther commit or deliberate vpon any impious nefarious or vngodly thing O how wise was this Father if hee had knowne the true God to leaue to his posterity such an inestimable pearle by testament And how happy those Sonnes to whom such an inheritance more rich then all the Patrimonies of the world was demised and giuen to whom Timor Dei the feare of God was left as Legacy in respect of which all other vertues are but as Strepitus verborum the sound of words without matter I will adde to this a Legacy of the same nature but better directed I thinke in the world not such another to paralell it that of good king Dauid to Salomon his Sonne 1. Chron. 28.9 And thou Salomon my Sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts If thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer How many shall wee finde in our times who will take it in great dudgeon and derision if you tel them that they haue none of this goodnesse in them no knowledge of God no feare of God And yet their whole liues shewes them to haue no more of eyther indeede then Cyclops had Eurip. whose goodnesse in the Poet is thus depainted Non vlla numina expanesco Coelitum sed victimas veni deorum maximo ventri offero Deos ignoro caeteros I feare no powers of
and of more maiesty and vse vessels of honor dishonor 2. Tim. 2. Thirdly those parts of the house that are destitute of goodnesse as sinkes draughts and such voyding places seruing for base yet necessary vses are ordayned to the common good of the whole house and so as that it cannot want them without a great inconuenience And therefore if the master builder to preuent these particular euills should leaue them our of his building he should preiudice and hurt the common good of his house which cannot bee without them So hath our God prouided in this goodly building of the World that euery man should bee good in his nature and kinde and that some should be vessels of honor better then the rest and withall that the wicked and impenitent which are the sinks and draughts to keepe the rest of the house sweete should for the common good exercise and seruice of the whole house be tollerated as necessary though stinking and noy-some euills Next are wee to consider the markes and euidences of goodnesse that it may bee knowne of euery man It is so painted out in the holy Scriptures and in such broade characters that euen runners may reade them Therefore if you would know where goodnesse is by the head you must obserue these foure enrollements First her witnesses Secondly her seales and assurances Thirdly vshers Fourthly her attendants First the witnesses which testifie for goodnesse are to bee found out For if witnesses bee needefull in euery doubtfull case then to prooue where true goodnesse is witnesses will bee most needefull If you please to call for them 2. Cor. 7. Saint Paùle hath rankt them for you into a short but sweete summe These witnesses are without all exception they wil proue infallibly where goodnesse is Let vs produce them The first witnesse is a care to come out of our sinnes The second is a clearing of the Conscience by a true and vnfayned repentance The third is an indignation against sinne and our selues for our sinnes The fourth is a holy feare to fall into any sin againe The fift is a great desire to be out of that fearefull and damnable estate The sixt is a zeale of Gods glory The seauenth is a punishing and taking vengeance of our selues for our sinnes that God may not punish vs nor take vengeance on vs here or hereafter Examine the goodnesse of thy heart by these witnesses If these witnesse for thee then happy art thou that euer thou wast borne if not labour to get these witnesses but take heede of suborning them The seales and assurances of goodnesse come next to be examined Call for them of Saint Peter 2. Pet. 1 they are also seauen in number The first of them is a liuely faith working by loue The second is a sound knowledge of God in Iesus Christ The third is temperance in all the good creatures of God the fourth is patience to beare sweetely whatsoeuer God shall please to lay vpon him The fift is godlinesse not to stagger or swerue from the commandements of God for any disaster The sixt is brotherly kindnesse in dispensing the blessings of God The last is loue of God and man euen our enemies that they may not want the vttermost of our helpe in body goods and minde If these things be amongst vs and abound wee shall neuer bee vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ These seales make our calling and election sure for if these things be in vs we shall neuer fall Let our labour bee to get these seales of goodnesse to seale vnto vs the inheritance of Heauen But the better to know this noble Empresse this goodnesse we must also behold her vshers For as Kings and noble Personages are knowne by their vshers euen so is goodnes Now shee hath not only one but fiue seueral vshers Gal. 5 no quarter waiters they waite all at once The first is called loue for all true goodnesse proceeds from loue The second is ioy for goodnes reioyceth whē it doth any good The third is peace for euen the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding is in the heart of him that loues goodnes The fourth is long suffering for no iniuries can abate his goodnes The last is gentlenesse to entertaine sweetly all occasions of doing good And then followes goodnes All these I call vshers to goodnes because they leade and conduct goodnes to all her honourable actions for these make the way for goodnesse to worke In a word the last meanes to know goodnes by is her attendants They are not many but they are very excellent you may euer know her by them They are but three Gal. 5 as Saint Paul accounts them but they are worth all the glittering traynes of Kings and Emperours of the world One of them is called Faith a fit attendant to waite on goodnes and all great personages The second is Meeknesse the sonne and heire of Faith euermore at the heeles of goodnes that shee swell not with any conceite of her owne worth The last is Temperance another of Faiths issue to bring goodnes onely necessaries and to keepe off all superfluities Thus goes goodnes attended you easily may know her by her traine no King in the worlde is so nobly attended For seldome doe such seruants as these get any roome to serue in with great personages Onely goodnes giues them entertaynement else they might goe a begging For who will admit into his seruice such poore base bare leane hunger-bitten strangers as faith meeknesse and temperance but I must make an end Thus you see what a worlde of excellent matter my theame offers mee euen a whole body of Diuinity an Ocean of learning But I must now be contented to haue brought you thus farre acquainted with goodnesse in hope that Gods grace may so work the loue of it in your harts that you may be enamoured and rauished with the wonderfull beautie of it And that this beautifull Rahel may possesse the loue of your hearts the onely way is to put away that bleare eyde Leah the loue of the world for the loue of goodnesse and the loue of this world can neuer stand in any league together The sicke person though hee change his bedde and lodging neuer so oft hath neuer the better rest because hee carries his sicknesse with him the cause of his vnrest So though we lie neuer so soft though we think neuer so well of our selues yea except wee put away the loue of our goods which doth hinder euermore the loue of goodnes we shall neuer become the children of goodnesse or heires with God Temporall things may wel be compared to the tree that the Elephant leanes vnto that beeing halfe cut thorow deceiues him when he leanes vnto it Like vnto mandrage which if duly taken is good phificke but if immoderatly it casts one asleepe congeales the spirits and killes the naturall faculties So doe riches and the things of this life if we
loue them immoderately they cast vs into strange dreames make vs growe colde in deuotion and religion congeales our affections and in conclusion kils both soule bodie Like the seedes of henbane which kill all birds sauing Sparrowes Auicenna to whom they are nourishing food it kils not thē as one saith because their veines are so narrow that the fumes of it cannot passe to the heart to kill it as they doe to other creatures So temporall blessings doe not hurt the godly as they doe the wicked because they haue the narrowe veines of knowledge and pitty so that the deadly fumes of that henbane the loue of worldly things neuer passe to the heart If riches increase if honours increase they set not their hearts vpon them For as the Wise man saith Syr. 39 Omnia bonis in bonum All things to the good godly are turned to good If then we will giue our own soules satisfaction touching this excellent duty of goodnes which is Totum hominis All that can be desired of a man let vs not leane to this false deceiuable tree of the world that is cut thorough and deceiues and ruines all the Elephants and mighty men of the worlde that leane vnto it nor let vs so greedily swallowe this Mandrage which stupifies our vnderstandings and reasons congeales our deuotion goodnesse and casts vs into a dead sleepe of security Nor let vs aduenture vpon this henbane that so soone kils the heart except we bee assured of our selues that we are those holy Sparrowes that will not suffer the fumes of it that is the loue of the worlde to possesse our hearts For it is this goodnes onely that is like vnto Salomons siluer Eccles 10 and answereth vnto all I know the world doth like much better of Salomons siluer then of Salomons goodnesse but it is for want of that acquaintance with goodnes that they haue with siluer Cicero saith that in his time Nihil erat tam populare quà m bonitas There was nothing that the people of Rome affected more then goodnes and what made goodnes so popular but the practice of it and the number of excellent persons as Cato Fabritius and many more who loued and countenanced it Such men are the very barres gates and brazen walles of kingdomes Therefore one sayd wel Chrys that in a kingdome well gouerned the want of one good man was more then the famine of bread and wine For wee haue seene God send a famine for the demerits of one man and after that abundance for one good mans sake What goodnes hath a common-wealth if it haue no good men And what wants it if it want not good men To which purpose is that Clem. in Ituer lib. 1 one reports of Saint Peter that he heard Saint Peter speake it That if Abraham had not interceded when God burnt Sodome and her three sisters with fire and brimstone the whole world had been burnt so wicked was the whole worlde at that day and yet at Abrahams prayer the iudgement fell onely on Sodome and her three sisters And surely it seemeth that the prayer of Lot saued Zoar albeit the Inhabitants were most flagitious and wicked men And of such value are good men that a Father confesseth Aug. whensoeuer he heard a knell ring for the dying his soule was sore perplexed whether hee should pray for the good that die that they might liue longer or the wicked that liue that they might liue better For that there is as great reason to weep for the life of the badde as for the death of the good All this that I haue sayd is to shew the vnualuable worth of goodnes good men and what preseruatiues they are to that State wherein they liue and are cherished Now must I then conclude all I haue to say in these three obseruations out of the Text. The first is that vnder this one vocable of Goodnes is comprised all the substance and marrow of piety religion and honesty and vnder that word Man euery man liuing of what condition soeuer whereby we may be put in minde of an excellent grace that should be amongst vs namely vnity That wee should bee all Tanquam vir vnus As one man in euery thing that tends to the glory and preseruation of the Church and Policy to bee thus one is to bee all and more then all to be more or lesse then thus one is in the end to be none and lesse then none Diuision is an ill companion to glory perpetuity and safety A house diuided a Kingdome a City cannot stand Truth that cannot lie hath spoken it and those diuided shall surely feele it One is the beginning of all numbers without which no number can bee into which all numbers are resolued and by addition of which Acts 17 numbers are multiplied So God hath of one blood made all nations of men nay wee are all the of spring of God himself who is simplicissima vnitas The most simple vnity And we cannot bee of the number of his children except wee beginne continue and end in one nay resolue all as one man and so by addition of this one shall we be multiplyed as the starres of Heauen which cannot be numbred All excellent things in nature are but one one Frmament one Sunne one Sea one Earth one Fire one Ayre euery pretious stone is but vnio an vnion of many beauties and perfections in one body All excellent things aboue nature are but one one God one Faith one Hope one Charity so in my Text one man one goodnes therefore if wee will bee excellent any kinde of way in nature or in grace wee must be one As many members make but one body many branches but one tree many graines but one loafe so many persons by faith and loue make but one Church My doue Cant. 6 my vndefiled is but one saith Christ Ye are all one in Iesus Christ saith Paule Gal. 3 there is neither Iew nor Gentile English not Scottish bond nor free male nor female but all are one Gen. 45 What then Then fall not out by the way saith Ioseph to his brethren Gal. 5 If you bite and deuour one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another Charity and loue is like the cement and mortar that of many stones and those different in nature makes one wall able to keep off the violence of many stormes Like the seed Pistillij that of sundry peeces of flesh in one pot makes not onely good broth but also one firme lump For whersoeuer the seeds of charity sowne in the heart by the holy Ghost do boyle they work a sound cōiunction of natures in themselues most diuided Wheresoeuer is bonitas goodnes there all mē are but as one man euery one labouring the good of another as his own The Poets feigne that the three Gorgons being three most beautifull sisters had all three but one eye which they
lent one to another by turnes so must wee lend not onely all the eye of the heart but euen all the good wee haue receiued to the good of others For as there are many members of the body yet but one heart to impart life to them all so all cit wee are many yet must we haue but one heart the multitude of beleeuers haue but one heart Acts 2. one soule God will giue them one heart and put a new spirit into them Shall the wicked say Ezek. 11 Marsupium sit vnvm Pro. 1 let vs haue all one purse and shall not wee much rather say Let vs haue one heart Beholde how good and ioyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell in vnity First it is good Secondly pleasant Sen. Et nullius boni sine socio iucunda possessio Without a cōpanion there is no pleasure in any possessions Thirdly it is deare for brethren and what more deare then they Fourthly it is safe for in vnum they dwell in vnity Many valiant souldiers are not easily ouercome many stickes in a bundle many small hayres in a lace are not easily broken by the strongest man Consider that this goodnesse is the true stampe figure feature and shape of a perfect man and deliuers vs all the dimensions of a good Christian Would you make choyce of seruants Here is their full dimension goodnesse If he haue it not he is no fit seruant for he is not man but beast Will you haue a wife chosen out of the multitude Beholde here is her dimension too euen goodnesse If she want this she is no fit wife Would you haue a magistrate to your liking Here is his dimension also euen goodnesse Would you haue an excellent preacher Here is his dimension goodnes If they want this they are no fit magistrates no fit preachers And the same man we say of all sorts of men O that God would giue vs the goodnesse of his grace to chuse our wiues and seruants our magistrates and preachers by this dimension Then how happy should masters of Families be in their wiues and seruants How blessed should the Church bee in their magistrates and preachers What mischiefe the want of this direction works in all estates is well seene and lamentably felt But especially if the seruants of kings and Princes be not aduanced for their goodnesse If the wife and seruant know not God feare him not leade not a godly and Christian life they are ill chosen wiues and seruants If the magistrate and the preacher doe not the like and make a Conscience of all their wayes they are but staynes to their places and banes to their owne Soules It is not wealth nor wit nor beauty and kindred in wiues It is not sharpenesse of witte excellency of shape Learning wisedome nor other excellent qualities in seruants that makes them fit but onely goodnesse It is not witte and experience and skill in the Lawes and policy not eloquence and profoundnesse in the magistrate and preacher that makes them fitte but onely goodnesse For that is the whole dimension of an excellent man and what hee wants of that hee wants of Man Lastly seeing goodnesse is such that it delights God Angels men and all the creatures and euery good giuing perfect gift is from aboue Let vs labour by all holy meanes to acquaint our selues with this goodnesse that so we may procure the continuance of Gods goodnesse to vs and turne away his iudgements from vs. You cannot but remember how that for want of this goodnesse amongst vs God hath taken his goodnesse from vs and scourged this kingdome with many plagues Fires consuming many townes and much treasure and riches and after fires waters drowning many townes and much lands And after waters pests and sicknesse wasting and wandring thorowe the veines of this land And after all these worse then all these a deadly vnrecouerable blow which striking at the roote lopt away the noblest highest and chiefest branch the right eye of this land the glorious Sun-rising of a happy succeeding age the very ioy of our hearts took away Pr. Hen. I say suddenly and for our finnes for our pride whoredome and other monstrous impieties for want of goodnesse I say it againe and againe for want of goodnes Let vs take heede that our sinnes prouoke not God any more For as the wife Roman said well Sen. In illa die qua luserant nauigia absorbentur In the same day that the shippes seeme to dally and play with the Ocean in the same day are they swallowed vp So was it with vs then and so now wee were vnder sayle top and toppegallant but suddenly a storme came that not onely made vs strike sayle but brake our maine mast close to the hatches God grant it neuer bee so any more with vs. The Israelites would not let Dauid goe out to battell lest they should extinguish the light of Israel How much more ought our care to be that our vngodlinesse and impieties put not out the light of England For our sins are more like to do it to vs then Dauids battles to them God in his greatest mercy continue his goodnesse to vs that this blessed sparke of our hope Pr. Char. this glorious beame of our comforts be neuer put out bee neuer eclipsed but that he may come to his graue in a full age Iob. 5 as a shock of corne commeth in in his season that the stones of the fielde may be at league with him and the beasts of the field at peace with him that there may be peace in his Tabernacle all the dayes of his life and in his death the peace of God Amen FINIS LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes dwelling in Foster-lane 1619.