committed to him against that day being warie in keeping and faithfull in restoring whereas those that depend vpon the applause and opinion of other men are made sometimes great sometimes little Ber. Ser. de nat Io. Bap ferè initio Arist eth li. 5. cap. 5. and sometimes nothing at all and this caused the Philosopher to discard Honour from being Felicitie 1 This is one bad propertie of worldy honour to puffe vp to inflame those that are held in reputation being a notable and daungerous firebrand of pride foorth of which there ariseth a smokie vapour that will scarcely suffer a man to know himselfe For as when Bucephalus was without his furniture any man might ride him but being in his caparison he would suffer no man but Alexander to come on his backe so many there are which in their meane estate were mild but being aduaunced became loftie and imperious When Samuel first spake to Saul of his promoting to the kingdome he speakes basely of himselfe 1. Sam. 9.21 thus Am not I the sonne of Gemini of the smallest Tribe Diuerse of the Caesars at their first entring vpon the Empire saluted their followers with the terme of Fellow souldiers Commilitones Sueton. but ere long both Saul and the Caesars became verie haughtie WheÌ„ Herod was applauded by those flatteâ—ers which cryed at the hearing of his oration The voyce of God Act. 12.12 it lifted vp his heart with a daungerous vaine-glorie that cost him his life What effusion of bloud did the coÌ„tention for honour cause in the broiles betweene Caesar and Pompey And how many lost their liues about the like in the warres betweene the houses of Lancaster and Yorke in our land Yea did not the iealousie of this vain honour moue Herod to murther the infants Euseb lib. 1 cap. 9. Macrob. Saturn lib. 2. cap. 4. not sparing his owne child as the Historians do write that hee might haue slaine our Sauiour 2 As honour inflameth the owner with pride so it kindleth enuie in others For as whilest the doue playeth herselfe in her flying and taketh pleasure in her swiftnesse of wing the hauke seizeth vpon her so whilest men doe content and please themselues with worldly honour enuie which alwaies waiteth vpon honour layeth hold vpon them and many times fetcheth them downe Hee therefore spake truely who called obscuritie the mother of tranquillitie but fame and honour the foundation of danger Dan. 6.3.4 When Daniel was preferred aboue the other rulers and gouernours of Darius those rulers and gouernours sought an occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdome and their malice had bene effectuall against him had not the Almightie hand of God stopped the mouthes of the fierce Lions It was indeed a great honour for Dauid to kill Goliah 1. Sam. 18.9.10 and to be met receiued home with dauncing and singing Dauid hath slaine his ten thousand but the same had like to haue cost Dauid his life For when he fled from Saule to Achish the king of Gath 1. Sam. 21.11.12 thinking there to be safe by being vnknowne the kings seruaÌ„ts said to him Is not this Dauid the king of the land did they not sing vnto him c. Oh how glad would Dauid then haue bene if he had neuer bene partaker of that daungerous honour which would not tolerate his safetie This is no small preiudice yet behold a farre greater inconuenience accompanying honour whilest some seeking to hold their reputation in the world dare not professe or practise those things which may tend to the honour and glorie of Almightie God as those chiefe rulers which durst not confesse Christ for feare of the Pharisies Ioh. 12.42 because they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God 3 Honour and glorie is verie brittle like Archimedes glassie spheare Hath not experience shewed that those whose excellencie mounted vp to heauen Iob. 20.6 and made their nest as high as the Eagle Ier. 49.16 haue bene brought downe So that it wold make a man not considering the slipperinesse of honours ladder to wonder with the Prophet ouer the king of Babel How art thou falne from heauen ô Lucifer Isa 14.12 sonne of the morning and cut downe to the ground thou that didst cast lots vpon the nations What is become of those foure Monarchies of the world which the king of Babylon saw in a vision are they not almost vanished like his dreame and vision of them which hee vtterly forgot Alexanders pompe and solemnitie at Babylon Dan. 2. was wondrous great Q. Curt. lib. 10. when he kept as it were a parliament of the whole world For he lay seuen daies vnburied but not many dayes after he could scarce obtaine the honour of buriall Adonibezec had the glorie of conquest ouer seuentie kings Iudg. 1 7. who hauing their thumbes cut off picked crummes vnder his table yet at last himselfe had the like disgrace to be conquered and to lose his thumbes But that of many others was a most lamentable and memorable spectacle of Zedechiah 2. King 25.6.7 who being a mightie king was taken captiue by the Babylonians arraigned at Riblah saw his children slaine before his face had his eyes pickt out and lastly was led to Babel where he dyed miserably Lo here the inconstancie of worldly dignitie and the mutabilitie of those that enioy honour to shine for a while and presently to be obscured to be aduaunced to honor for a litle space and quickly to be debased to be very rich to day and to morrow to be impouerished Hest 3.1.7.10 now to be with Haman exalted to the highest seate of dignitie and by and by to be hanged Is it not straunge to haue knowne the father a great commander and to see the sonne a base vassall the one to inhabite a stately pallace the other to liue in a poore cottage the one to sit vpon his triumphant throne the other to lye in the dust of desolation But thus it cometh to passe Pro. 27.24 For riches remaine not alway nor the crowne from one generation to another Yet is this more straunge to behold one and the same man brought from the highest pitch of earthly felicitie to the lowest step of extreame miserie 1. Cor. 7.31 Thus doth the fashion of this world passe away and the glorie thereof vanisheth like the vapour of smoake And the Lord of hostes hath decreed this to staine the pride of all glorie Esa 23.9 and to bring to contempt all those that be glorious in the earth Seeing now that the honour ctedite and worship of this world is but a vulgar applause the nurse of pride the firebrand of enuie and the companion of inconstancie good Lord what do men meane so earnestlie to hunt after it Alas who would make any reckoning of this vaine and variable world Who art thou that gloriest in this glassie and windie vanitie What art thou greater
meditations is rather to stirre vp the affections of the godly then to conuerse with the conceipts of any curiously affected August de Genes ad Li er lib. 2. cap. 9. I like his iudgement who holds the disputes about the forme and figure of the heauens to bee vnprofitable and his censure Damasc de Orthodox fid lib. 2. c. 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. who saith That to search out the substance of them is vnlawfull whereunto if I may adde my owne opinioÌ„ I hold it impossible Farewell theÌ„ to the schoolemens friuolous and fruitlesse discourses about the forme the substance and quantity of the heauens Very glorious things are spoken of thee Psal 87.3 thou citie of God If the Prophet might say so of the terrestriall Ierusalem how much more may it iustly bee said of the celestiall citie which is aboue and the mother of vs all And Saint Iohn indeede hath made a very excellent description of that glorious kingdome Reu. 21. calling it first in generall Reu. 21.11 The holy Ierusalem which had the gloâ—ie of God shining in it and her shining was like a stone most precious as a Iasper stone and cleare as Christall Then in particular he sets downe the forme of it which was very perfect being quadrangular then the quantitie it was large and spacious containing many cubits then the matter and ornaments of it which was pure gold and all manner of precious stones then the adiuncts belonging to it the brightnes of glorie shining therein By which speeches borrowed from things which are most precious in mens estimation Saint Iohn would teach vs to conceiue of those excellencies Ioh. 14.1 which no man indeed is able to value Our Sauiour cals heauen his Fathers house and therefore it must needes be exceeding beautifull and glorious Dan. 4. Nebuchadnetsar spake ambitiously of his Pallace Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie But of the Lords house it may be iustly said Is not that great Bethel which the Lord himselfe hath built for the house of his kingdome the habitations of his Saints and for the honour and ornament of his Maiestie If the heauens which are subiect to vanitie Psal 19.1 do declare the glorie of God what shall the pure and Christall heauens doe when they are changed and refined Hâ—b 1. If the builders of the tabernacle were renowmed as those that had perfected an excellent worke Psal 74.5 how much more excellent shall that tabernacle bee whose maker and builder is Heb. 11.10 God Psal 84.1 Oh how amiable are thy dwelling places ô Lord of hostes Doth the beautie of the temple exceede Dauids conceipt and leaue him to the taske of admiration Oh how admirable amiable and glorious do wee thinke the kingdome of heauen shall bee Reu. 21.22 where the Lord God Almightie and the Lambe are the temple where the king is Veritie the lawes Charitie the honour Equitie the peace Felicitie the life Eternitie as Saint Augustine saith Plutar. in vita Them 2 Themistocles hauing a peece of ground to sell appointed the Cryer to proclaime in the sale thereof that whosoeuer would buy it should haue a good neighbour so although the kindome of heauen be excellent of it selfe yet Almightie God sending foorth his Criers and Ambassadors to offer the same to the world Mat. 3. 2. Cor. 5. hath caused them to adde this in their proclamation That whosoeuer obtaineth it shall haue many good neighbours euen the holy Saints and blessed Angels that which is aboue all he shall behold God Almightie and Christ Iesus the immaculate Lambe of God shining there in most resplendent glorie Reue. 22.4 They shal see his face and his name shall bee in their foreheads This was one of the last requests made by Christ in the behalfe of his Church Father I will that those which thou hast giuen me Ioh. 17.24 be with me euen whâ—re I am that they may behâ—ld my glorie which thou hast giuen me a gracious petition for a blessed habitation and a glorious vision How earnestly did Moses importune the Lord Exo. 33.18 saying I beseech thee shew me thy glorie and it was a singular fauour that the Lord vouchsafed to shew him a glimpse of his glorie which he calleth his backe parts Vers 23. because a man is almost past fight when his backe is turned But behold Christ hath prayed for and the Lord hath promised a more glorious view of him in the life to come 1. Ioh. 3.2 For wee know that when he shall be made manifest we shall see him as he is A man that lookes into the sea cannot see to the bottome and he that lookes vp to the heauens can behold no further then the HorizoÌ„ and so indeed is this vision of Gods Saints bounded in the limites of finitenesse Yet is there as great difference betweene their present and future contemplation of glorie 1. Cor. 13. as betweene looking a man in the face and beholding him in a glasse for then they shall as fully behold the glorie of God as the fraile condition of mankinde may possibly permit When the Queene of Sheba had seene al the honour and magnificence of Salomon shee said with admiration Happie are thy men 1. Kin. 10.8 happie are these thy seruants that stand euer before thee and heare thy wisedome If those were so happie who stood before Salomon to behold and heare his wisedome oh how happie shall they bee who shall stand before Almightie God and our blessed Sauiour to behold and see their glorie Psal 16.11 For in their presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thâ—ir right hand are pleasures for euermore And this is the cause Psa 42 1.2 that as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters so do the soules of the godlie pant after the Lord longing to appeare before his presence The ponderous stone inclineth downeward and lighter substances are carried vpward thus euery thing seeks his center Now the Lord is the Soules Center and like Noahs doue it finds no rest till it returne to him that gaue it Aug. Confes lib. 1. cap. 1 according to Augustines saying O Lord thou hast made vs for thy selfe and our heart is vnquiet till it rest in thy selfe But when the soule of man hath once attained this mercie then can the child of God say Psal 17.15 I will behold thy face in righteousnesse and 〈◊〉 satisfied with it because it yeelds him the fulnesse of comfort and contentation 3 When Christ was transfigured vpoÌ„ the mount wee reade that Peter albeit himselfe was not changed Luk. 9.33 said vnto our Sauiour Iesus maister it is good to be here If Peter spake thus onely vpon the view of Christs transfiguration how much more shall the children of God reioyce at the last
vale of miserie neuer longing or looking after the heauenly mansions prepared by our Sauiour Ioh. 14.2.3 let â—hem know that one day they must leaue all and not haue so much as the benefite of one of the walkes of their gardens or galleries but in stead thereof shall bee shut vp in that lothsome place of darknesse which yeeldeth nothing but wailing weeping and gnashing of teeth SECT 7. Of a great familie and many attendants IF sumptuous buildings remaine like a cottage in a vineyard Esa 1.8 and like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers as the Prophet speakes of Ierusalem they become the passengers wonderment and display the owners vanitie but when they are fraught and furnished with great families then doe men as well commend them as admire them yet is all this but vanitie Vide. Sect. 12. 13. For if those Oeconomicall leagues and linkes which are most neare and naturall be vaine as it is euident they are then can it not be otherwise in that which is more remote and seruile Many there are who are exceeding proud of their great traines and their many seruants but as iustly as a ruinous house may be proud of many proppes or a prisoner of his many keepers The blessed Angels go about the world neither hauing nor needing any seruants what shall we repute them inferiour to vs silly men that both haue and need them nay rather in their power let vs view our owne weaknesse and be humbled Seruants should indeed be props and pillars to their maisters but they oftimes become chinks and pillers being neither silent in their secrets nor faithfull in their affaires fulfilling our Sauiours saying A mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold Mat. 10.3 Mich. 7.6 Psal 101. Dauid was as industrious as might be to free his house from badde seruants yet had he a leude Achitophel who gaue vngracious counsell to his rebellious sonne 2. Sam. 6. Our blessed Sauiour had but twelue disciples that were continually conuersant with him yet one of them yea he whom he trusted with his treasure proued a traitour And doe not our owne stories make mention of diuers great meÌ„ The Dukes of Buâ—kingham and Suffolke and others Hollinsh which haue bene vtterly vndone by the treacherie of their vntrustie seruants Is it not an ordinarie thing for men to haue such seruants as will kindle and nourish the coales of contention and incense and stir vp their maisters to vnlawfull actions and attempts Such were the seruants of Abraham and Lot Gen. 13. who iangled among themselues eueÌ„ to the separation of their maisters though kinsmen and deare friends such were the seruants of Abimelech Gen. 21. who vnknowne to the king their maister offered Abraham iniurie in his welles of water yea the seruants of another Abimelech wronged Isaac likewise Gen. 26. euen contrary to the expresse commaundement of the king It is no maruell that Saul had a Doeg to feed his malitious humour 1. Sam. 22. in accusing Dauid and Abim lech when as Dauid had followers that perswaded him to a wicked reuenge 1. Sam. 24. euen to lay hands vpon the Lords annointed But what are all seruants such God forbid yea I know there are some that doe feare God vnfainedly serue their maisters faithfully yet I feare that summe is small We reade not of one seruant that went with Noah into the arke not one that departed with Lot out of Sodome yet is it not lâ—ke that either of theÌ„ was without seruants Besides this if a man do seriously consider his dutie as well as his dignitie he shall finde that his superioritie and attendance is rather a matter of burthen then of honour Oneris quaÌ„ honoris for behold how many seruants hee hath so many soules hee hath to answer for The maister is charged with the seruants sanctifying of the sabboth Exo. 20 10. and Abraham is commaunded to circumcise euery man-child Gen. 17.12 both him that is borne in his house and him that is bought with money yea the commaundement is doubled and vehemently vrged Ver. 13. He that is borne in the house and he that is bought with money must needes be circumcised And this is Abrahams praise pronounced by the Lords owne mouth that he will teach not onely his sonnes but his houshold also to keepe the way of the Lord Gen. 18 19 to doe righteousnesse and iudgement The strictnesse of this dutie hath caused the Spirite of God in the sacred Scriptures 1. Kin 5.15 to coÌ„found the names of father and maister Mat. 8.6 sonne and seruant to teach vs that as the obedience of seruants to their maisters should be filiall so the care of maisters ouer their seruants should be parentall Here then those that haue great families euen troupes of seruants and followers may rather learn to be humbled then exalted vpon the conceit of their great trains A maister is not seene in the possession Arist Pol. lib. 1 cap. 4. but in the vse of his seruants To possesse many seruants is a meere vanitie but not to vse them is a dangerous iniquitie To prescribe Oeconomicall precepts it is not my purpose in this place onely one rule I would perswade euery maister of a familie to learne of ingenious Seneca Sen. Ep. 47. Not to esteeme of a seruant by his mysteries but by his manners and of vertuous Dauid Psal 15. To make much of such as feare the Lord for there is little hope that he shall be a good seruant to his maister that hath no care to serue the Lord. SECT 8. Of Honour fame and glorie IT is a straunge thing and worthie of admiration that men should be proud in the schoole of humilitie and vaineglorious in the place of shame and reproch where all the creatures of God betweene heauen and earth being subiect to vanitie for mans fall and fault are badges and ensignes of his dishonour Againe what madnesse is this when men haue a theater in heauen to desire earthly spectators to seeke to conquer in one place Chrys hom 17. in Rom. and to be crowned in another Yet behold this folly and madnesse possesseth the minds of most men who being employed in the heauenly warfare of Christianitie doe seeke to be crowned with the vanishing shadow of earthly honour and estimation What is the â—onour glorie and credite of the world but a certaine vulgar applause not the reward of resplendent vertue but the popular guerdon of vanitie and many times the recompence of apparant iniquitie He is a foole that will commit his glorie to the chest of another mans lips Bern. super Cant. Serm. 13. medio it is a wiser course to keepe it thy selfe but the safest of all to commit it to the custodie of him 2. Tim. 1.12 Cautus in â—ustodiendo fidelis in re â—ituendo Bâ—rn ibid. who is able to keepe that which thou hast