therein diuers Adde moreouer that some may for certaine respects renounce their right and others with a good conscience vse it that God both in the ones abstaining and the others vsing may be glorified For the justice of God is so much the more famous against a most deadly enemie of the Church when as his goods are possessed by Ester and the equitie of the Iewes cause is so much the more apparant that being content to put away the force of their enemies danger wherein they were they do abstaine from the spoile Heere is to be learned that those who enioy goods giuē them by Princes must wisely forese◠what shall be conuenient and lawfull for them to do and what be the circumstances of the fact And thus farre of the forfaiture of Hamans goods Now his honors and dignities Mardochaeus obtained who came into the kings presence when Ester had tolde what he was vnto her and when the king had taken off his ring which he had taken from Haman and had given it vnto Mardochaeus Mardochaeus had alreadie receiued great honor for that benefit which he had done for the king and his faithfull seruice towards him when he was led by Haman through the streetes of the citie vpon the kings horse and in the kings apparell but that honor was but short now he receiueth firme and stable dignitie so that he possesseth the chiefe degree of honor with the king as Salomon faith When the wicked Pro. 28. 28. perish the iust are multiplied who lay hid whiles the wicked raigned These things also holp him to obtaine these honors that besides his faithfulnes alredie knowē vnto the King the Queene Ester shewed the King what he was vnto her to weet her cosen germane who had brought her vp and been vnto her in steed of a father Wherefore the King who loued the Queene entirely did therfore loue Mardochaeus so much the more Hereby wee perceiue partly the wisedome of Mardochaeus who hitherto had willed his kinswoman to conceale her kindred and her Nation partly the silence and discretion of Ester in keeping secret that which she was bidden Notwithstanding the Kings carelesnesse is wonderfull in this poynt that in foure or fiue yeares space hee enquireth not what an one or whence she was whom he had chosen for his wife and did so esteeme of her that preferring her before all the rest hee bestowed on her the Crowne royall But because shee was brought into the kings house among the damsels of the Citie of Susa dwelt in the Citie it is likely she was accounted the daughter of some natiue Citizen especially when her father and mother being dead the cōtrary did not appeare But whatsoeuer was done or supposed herein the admirable prouidence of God shineth in it who in fit time doth make known the vertue and state of his that he may preferre them to high dignitie so farre as is expedient for the good of the Church The Kings Ring taken from Haman and giuen vnto Madochaeus doth note the chiefe degree of honour with the King of which Haman was worthily depriued and Mardochaeus made possessor The King therefore acknowledging his error in chusing Haman is now more wise in the choise of an other whose fidelitie towards the King wisedome and modestic in gouernment constancie in aduersitie and moderation in honour were sufficiently before hand tryed This is a great benefit when kings haue beene deceiued whether by their willes and rash affections or by the deceits and crafts of those whom they haue preferred that yet at the last they bethink thēselues to appoynt men for gouernment whose faithfulnes vertue is sufficiently known and tryed And here in Haman is that fulfilled which is spoken Psal 49. vers 17. That every one whē he dieth shal take nothing with him neither shall his pomp descend after him And likewise that which Dauid wisheth against the enemies of the Church That their daies be fewe and an other take Ps 109. 8. their office So Eliakim a faithfull man and diligent Isai 22. 20. succeedeth Shebna an hypocrite the steward of the house of Hezekiah And Matthias the faithfull in the roome of Act. 1. 26 Iudas the traytour For although when they dye they cary not with them their goods or their honors or their estates callings yet those who vse them well cary this praise with thē that they haue faithfully discharged their duetie and do retaine with honor the titles of that dignitie which they had attained So when Moses or Isaiah are remembred they are alwaies named the Prophets and faithful seruants of God but the memorie of Achitophel Iudas is alwaies with reproch and they are only called traytors Wherefore the honor of good men doth as it were rest with them in their sepulchres and yet flyeth through the whole world in the mouthes of men but the name of the wicked perish for euer and those dignities which they haue abused wickedly are as it were by violēce taken from them with euerlasting shame Mardochaeus accepteth willingly the honor which is offered him by the king neither did hee thinke it vnlawfull to beare office in the court of an infidell king and to manage the kings chiefest businesse The same did Ioseph in Aegypt and Daniel in Babylon Wherehence it is apparant that it is lawfull for a faithfull man to beare any office in the courts of kings though infidels so that he be not thereby compelled to do any thing against his consciēce Fardermore the Lord to shew that kingdomes are gouerned by him and distributed according to his good pleasure oftentimes by this meanes doth promote his seruants for the profit and commoditie of his Church as in Ioseph and Daniel and heere in Mardochaeus and Ester is euident So Constantine the great was promoted to the Empire that hee might bridle the persecutors of the Church who had three hundred yeeres together raged against it and represse the pride of Licinius his companion in the Empire who euen then oppressed the Christians In our time God hath raysed vp some good Kings and Princes who by armes and lawfull power haue defended the truth and protected the Church frō the violence of tyrants vnto whome also the the Lord hath giuen their dignities who did abuse them to the oppressing of the faithfull Behold how in a moment the Lord changeth the state of this world casting downe the proude and haughtie and contrariwise lifting vp the abiect and Luc. 1. 51. 52. humble as the blessed Virgine doth sing in her Canticle And this may suffice to be spoken cōcerning Hamans being spoiled of his goods and Ester and Mardochaeus enriched with them Let vs now see with what care and with what minde Ester endeuoured and laboured that her people might be deliuered from that danger which hanged ouer them For the kings commandement set forth by Haman though the author thereof were dead yet retained still his force Ester therefore being
vnthankefulnesse are turned into mourning and misfortune Let vs therefore learne in our ioy and gladnesse to acknowledge the true author thereof and to reioyce in good and honest things and to keepe a measure in mirth and especially let vs take heede that it be not hurtfull vnto any or turne to contempt and disgrace of our brethren But this ioy of Haman was turned on a suddaine into sorrowe and melancholie For when Haman sawe Mardochaeus in the Kings gate who did neither arise nor moue himselfe for him he was enflamed with great rage against him Heere let vs first consider the constancie of Mardochaeus and then speake afterward of Hamans wrath We heard before that Mardochaeus was bolde vppon the most plaine and expresse commaundement of God whereby the Iewes were commaunded to haue continuall enimitie with the Amalekites out of whose nation Haman sprang the reason is expressed Exodus 17. verse 16. and Deuteron 25. verse 18. 19. because â—he Amalakites came out to fight with the â—eople in the desart to destroy them Now â—y how much the greater that Haâ—ans pride was and his crueltie against the Church so much the more is Mardochaeus to be commended that he vouchsafeth not to honor him whom God by an irreuocable decree had commanded to be holden for an enemie and had appointed to vtter ruine and destruction For among the notes of a good man this is not the last to despise the wicked Psal 15. 4. Therefore Mardochaeus did not sinne either in pride or rashnes or desperatnes when as he would not bow himselfe before such an enimie who had sworne the slaughter ruine of the people of God but on the contrarie his constancie is worthie so much the greater praise by how much the greater and certainer his danger was and so much the more commendable was his courage by how much the more the malice and crueltie of his enimie increased Wherefore this constancie witnesseth that he hath done nothing rashly from the beginning and that it repented him not that he had rather obeyed God then man and that he had not cast off his hope for that bloudie edict proclaimed against him and his nation and that he was not ashamed of his religion nor of that testimonie which he had yelded vnto the truth This constancie our Lord Iesus Christ requireth in all the faithfull when he biddeth them not to be ashamed of him and his word before Luc. 9. 26. Mat. 10. 26. 28. men neither to be feared with their threats neither to feare men but to feare him who can cast bodie and soule into hell fire This constancie brought forth so many Martyrs and constant Confessors of Christ Iesus who confessed and defended his truth in the midst of torments But if any man thinke that Mardochaeus should haue done better if he had kept himselfe farther from the kings gate either at first or at this time that Haman might not haue been so incensed I answere that he was one of the porters of the kings gate otherwise he had in deede been an impudent fellow if of purpose he had stoode there to prouoke Haman vnlesse perhaps we shall say that he was moued by some â—eculiar and extraordinarie motion of Gods Spirit which the prosperous end â—id shew If any except that although he â—ere one of the porters yet he might â—ake some excuse for his absence and â—ot prouoke so mightie an aduersarie aâ—ainst him and his nation I say that a strong faithfull couragious man doth not willingly seeke for starting-holes which may easily turne to his disgrace Besides that peraduenture they who were the keepers of the kings gate were so straightly holden to their office that it was no easie matter for them to be absent though they vsed some faire shew and pretence though at this day it be vsuall and although he had once or twise absented himselfe yet could he not always be away now Haman alwaies frequeÌ„ted the kings house and passed in and out euery day by that gate Therefore let vs rather admire imitate this coÌ„stancie of Mardochaeus then seeke out matter against it or carp and mocke at it and so that we find sufficieÌ„tly in our heart conscience by the expresse testimonie of the word of God that we obey his commandemeÌ„tâ— in not obeying men let vs little care foâ— the reproches of men who condemne â—â— as mad men and obstinate least we be caâ—ried hedlong into destruction I confessâ— that earnestly and diligently we ought tâ— desire of God the spirit of wisdome anâ— discretion least perhaps vnder pretenâ—â— of zeale and constancie we be drawen 〈◊〉 way by some vehement passion of the flesh or heate of minde And heere by the way we must vnloose this question whether at this day a faithfull man knowing the Pope to be Antichrist such as hee is described 2. Thess 2. may with a good conscience honor and worship him with those honors which others do The answere is easie when as this so great honor is giuen vnto him not ciuilly but religiously and that he thereby may be acknowledged such an one as he would be accounted to weete the head of the Church the vicar of Christ the Ambassador of God on earth nay a God on earth a faithfull man cannot with a good conscience giue him this honor nay hee ought not giue him any honor least by his assent he seeme to confesse that he is such a one as he sayeth he is And vnto this may that be referred which Saint Iohn sayeth that he is not so much as to be 2. Ioh. v. 10. saluted which professeth not the doctrine of Christ And we reade also in the Ecclesiasticall historie that Saint Iohn would Euseb l. 3. ca. 25. not go into that place where Cerinthus the heretique was And thus much of Mardochaeus constancie By reason of this fact Haman was very vehemently enflamed with rage For men are not more angred then to see that they are despised by good men nor more prouoked by any thing then by seeing the constancie and courage of the godly Hence also we perceiue that the ioy of the wicked is not durable because themselues trouble it with their owne passions vpon very small occasion For what great matter was there here why Haman should so rage Did it not suffice him that he had attained so great riches honor possessions was it not enough that he was preferred before all the rest of the courtiers that he was reuerenced of all beloued of the King inuited by the Queene although he were not so honored by Mardochaeus who was a base fellow a captiue a stranger without fauour without authoritie But ambition and the desire of honor can neuer be filled neither granteth it any rest vnto them whose minds it hath once possessed With ambition there is mingled a desire of reuenge and a greedinesse to ouercome all men and make them subiect vnto them at their pleasure which are vehement passions whereby
the vnquiet mind is euer tossed vp and downe so that it cannot long enioy that good which they hane gotten but by how much the lighter the matter is wherewith they are offended so much the more doo they waxe madde vnlesse they bring it to passe according to their minde not knowing that it is not a small vertue to contemne smal things and such as cannot hurt and on the other side that it is great wisedome so to rule his affections that the vse and enioying of those good things which they haue gotten be not lost But Haman doth litle esteeme whatsoeuer riches estimation dignitie and honour which he hath receiued of the King vnlesse out of hand he be reuenged on Mardochaeus yet hee is said to haue perforce refrained himselfe and come home to aske counsell of his wife and friends He would no doubt willingly haue laid violent hands on Mardochaeus as reuenge and wrath do quickly moue the cruel but he repressed himselfe because Mardochaeus was as it were in a sanctuarie whiles he is in his office in guarding the kings gate and it wold also be accounted a contempt done vnto the King to lay bloudie hands on any of his seruants besides he thought with himselfe that it was better that hee should be put to death with shame keeping therein also some forme of law then that he should die by open force Adde hereunto that God doth restraine the furie of the wicked that they may not execute whatsoeuer they determine Hence let vs learn euen by force to restraine our passions not onely for a time as Haman did that after they may by deceit and guile obtaine a more cruell effect but that euill desires may altogither bee restrained and viterly extinguished in vs that wee may be obedient to Gods will and driue out of our minde all desire of reuenge and if we haue any iniurie offered that we leaue our cause and reuenge vnto him And thus far of Hamans anger Now being thus full of rage hee calleth his friends to counsell and especially his wife Zeresh as the chiefe and principall of his counsell In which thing hee seemeth to deale prudently as becommeth a wise man but neither was the matter oâ— such weight whereof they did consult neither ought he to come to counsaile so enflamed with anger neither shuld he vse those counsellours who depended onely on his becke and would say and do all things after his lust neither was the thing so hotly to be proposed And truly hee vseth not such counsellours who will perswade him to any moderation but those who will finde a way how they may speedily fulfill his furious passion wherefore it is also not any whit to be marueiled at that the conclusion of this counsell was so foolish and arrogant But let vs heare how he proposeth the matter He sheweth them the glory of his riches and the multitude of his children and all the things wherein the King had promoted him and whereby he had exalted him aboue all the Princes seruants of the king which was euen the heaping vp of his glory that he only was broght in by the Queene with the king to the banquet and that he only was also bidden with the king the next day To what end all this that he might procure the greater enuie to Mardochaeus and that his fact might seeme the more bold and intollerable that therby he might moue his friends to the like rage reuenge against him therefore might desire them to shewe him some speedie way whereby he might be reuenged of his enemie otherwise he professeth vnto them what miserie he is in For saith he All this auaileth me nothing at what time soeuer I see this Iewe Mardochaeus sitting at the Kings gate That proude recounting of his riches the multitude of his children and the honour and dignitie to which the King had exalted him is a most certaine testimonie of the munificence and liberalitie of God towards the wicked the effects whereof he doth many wayes powre out vpon them next that the wicked do sufficiently know their goods commodities and greatnes but neuer attribute them to their true author whence it commeth that they wax wanton in arrogancie vanitie and foolish presumption yea and in exceeding crueltie that it is a capitall crime if any submit not themselues vnto them and yeeld not vnto them diuine honors Moreouer the nearer their ende approacheth the more do they glory and set out their magnificence But this is aboue all most worthie of obseruation which out of Hamans owne confession is manifest that the griefe and trouble wherwith the wicked are driuen for that they cannot by and by as they would destroy the godly who they see cannot bee bowed or brought by any meanes to be subiect to their tyrannicall affections do let that they cannot haue any taste of their prayse glorie riches honour and nobilitie of their stocke So the enemies of the Church of God to whom at this time all things came to passe as they wished as abundance of goods honours estates fauours and dignities yet not content therwith they desired to see the vtter ruine and ouerthrow of the faithfull For when they saw but one only Prince louing true godlinesse and taking vpon him the defence of the Church al their ioy perished and delight which they shuld haue taken of those honours riches and fauors which GOD had in abundance heaped vpon them Yea and the hatred of the Gospel had taken such deepe roote in the hearts of the poore commons astonied and bewitched by the conspirators the successors of Haman that they can abide none who professeth the sincere doctrine of the sonne of God And what I pray was the ende and marke of all the counselles and assemblies of their cleargie and of all their Preachers was it not that the people being stirred to vproares should not suffer any to enioy life who would not consent togither with them to the same idolatrie So then euen with their owne commodities and in the middest of their quiet are they troubled whiles they see any one Mardochaeus that is any one that wil constantly striue for god and his truth against the errors pride and ambition of Antichrist Thus haue you the oration of Haman to his friends not from whom hee looked for counsaile but whome he would kindle with him vnto wrath But it becommeth vs when we are to deliberate of any matter not to call to counsell those who will speake for our fauour and smoothe vp our desires but graue men who with all libertie and freedome of speech will admonish vs what is honest what is profitable and all passion must be far away from our counsels they must rather be gouerned by reason that we may be ready to heare those things not which please vs but which are honest and comely Finally if we must deliberate of any matter it must be free to discusse al things on euery side to obiect to
not altering any thing either for hatred or for fauour which yet courtiers are wont to do The good minde and vnfayned good will of the king to do Mardochaeus good is thereby apparant that euen earely in the morning hee enquireth who of the courtiers were in the court that he might consult with them about the honouring of Mardochaeus according to his minde And it seemeth that the reading and the communication of the king with his seruants continued euen vntill the morning that together with the light of the day God also might bring some light of deliuerance and safetie vnto him who by the most cruell determination of his enemie was condemned to a shamefull death Heere the most notable and euident prouidence of God doth appeare that Assuerus doth not determine of himselfe neither taketh counsaile with his seruants who were present what reward and honor Mardochaeus should haue nor in what maner or by whome this honor should be done vnto him For perhaps it neuer would haue come into the kings minde or the mindes of his seruants to haue deuised such a kinde of honor for Mardochaeus as Haman prescribed when he was demanded Loe how God doth leade and direct the wils and counsailes the times and seasons yea the words and talke of meÌ„ by his hidden prouidence to fulfill that which he hath decreed and that euen when men know not of it and thinke or deliberat of nothing lesse then to obey Gods will or performe serue his purpose prouidence on which yet alone we ought to depend bending our intent wholy on this to do our duetie faithfully obey him and place our whole coÌ„fidence in him Behold then how Haman when he came to desire that Mardochaeus might be hanged on a gibbet is most fitly by God and the king chosen to set downe the sentence of most high honour to be bestowed on Mardochaeus and himselfe to be the minister thereof and by this meanes yeeld vnto him most exceeding honor whome he went about to bring to extreme shame and violent death Haman was come very early in the morning to satisfie his vnsatiable desire of reuenge by obtaining authoritie to destroy Mardochaeus with a shameful death So at this day the deadly enimics of the Church sleepe not neither giue themselues any rest but continually are in the Kings house and stand at his elbow and neuer leaue crying in the eares both of the king and of all that are in any fauour and authoritie with him to encourage them to the destruction of the whole Church Haman is called in out of the vtter court because as we haue heard it was not lawfull for any to go in any farther vnlesse he were called by name Now that he was exceeding ioyfull it is likely for he thought that by this meanes there was most fit occasion offered vnto him to obtayne his bloudie demaund That Haman of our time that day that he was called earely vnto the king to receiue the due reward for his deserts did marueilouslie reioyce thinking that there was occasion offered vnto him Luc. 6. 25. vtterly to destroy and roote out the faithfull professors of the Gospell But the matter fell farre otherwise then Haman supposed although allured by the first speech of the kings hee nourish great hope in his minde and did promise vnto himselfe greater honors then hitherto hee had enioyed Assuerus therefore asketh him What shall be done vnto the man with whose honour the King is delighted Wisely doth Assuerus suppresse his name whome hee would honour but that wisdome came from God who would haue those honours due vnto Mardochaeus to be appointed and described by the mouth and counsaile of his most deadly enemie For otherwise it is not probable that Assuerus would mocke Haman or go about to intrap him but God did pitch the nets for this proude and craftie enemie Moreouer the Holy Ghost doth open vnto vs the proude thoughts of Haman when he is sayd thus to haue pondered in his minde Whome would the King rather bring to honour then me So God is wont often to lay open the secret thoughts of his enemies that hee may laugh at their pride make knowen their insolencie wantonnesse and shew theÌ„ to be altogether inexcusable Of this sort were the foolish imaginations of the mother of Sisera who when she perceiued Iud. 5. 28. 29. 30. that her sonnes chariots stayed perswadeth her selfe that he was busie in deuiding the spoiles and that euen then whoÌ„ he was dead being ignobly slaine by Iael a woman So Isai doth deride the foolish Isai 14. 13. boastings of the king of Babylon as though he would climbe vp aboue the cloudes and place his throne and seate in heauen and make himselfe equall with God So the thoughts of Nabuchadnezar are detected when he said in his hart Is not this that great Babylon whose foundation Dan. 4. 30 my hands haue layed Heerehence we learne by experience that the ambitious are neuer filled with honor and although they be most wicked vnworthie yet they thinke theÌ„selues worthie of all honor magnificence as this Haman heere perswades himselfe that he alone amongst al the rest was worthy that honor which the king meant to bestow vpoÌ„ any and that he only deserued such great honours as any man was able to deuise So are the wicked wont to build castles in the ayre euen when their destruction hangeth ouer their heads as Salomon excellently Prou. 16. 18. describeth Pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before a fall Wherefore we ought to hold for suspected all vaine hope of glorie and magnificence due vnto vs wherewith we feede our fantasies and then to feare the greater fall when we go about to be exalted aboue our measure Let vs rather imitate Dauids modestie so that we may truely glorie with him Lord mine heart is not Psal 131. 1. haughtie neither are mine eyes loftie neither haue I walked in great matters which are too high for mee Wherefore Haman thinking that hee shall pronounce sentence of honours to be bestowed on himselfe doth thus answere to the kings question That the man whome the King would honour shall 1 be apparelled with the Kings apparell 2 be â—â—ryed vpon the Kings horse 3 haue the Kings crowne set vpon his head 4 and that by one of the chiefe Princes 5 and so to be lead with triumph thorough the streetes of the citie 6 to haue proclaymed before him Thus shall it be done vnto the man whome the King will honour Haman makes no mention of gifts or rewards to be bestowed on him whom the king wold honour he had forsooth riches sufficient and he was only desirous of honour And it might be that he had this hope â—n himselfe that when hee was exalted â—â—to so high dignity he might easily take what occasions he listed to get riches That Haman of our age thought himselfe worthie no lesse honour then this did nay rather
32. 33. 34. 5. Of that humanitie and gentlenesse which best beseemeth great estates 35. 36. 37. 9. Of the manners and customes of diuers Nations 38. Of modestie and temperancie in common conuersation and of the contrary extreame 39. 40. SERMON III. 10. The slips of Princes in obseruing of lawes 46. 47. Against drunkennesse euen that mery drunkennesse which men scarcely esteem so 47. 11. The vanitie of the mind of great Princes 48. What inconueniences many times arise by bewtie 49. 12. Against the vnchaste curiositie of women 50. 51. Of the reuerence which wiues owe to their Husbands 52. Wrath and anger is a fruite of drunkennesse 52. How much Princes offend who are gouerned rather by passions then by reason 54. The daungerous effects of the wrath of Princes 53. Moderation is especially required in Princes 54. 13. How great the profit is of wise Counsellors 55. What manner of men the Counsellours of Princes ought to be 56. 57. By what meanes the discretion and felicitie of a Prince is knowne 57. 58. SERMON IIII. Ver. 15. What order is to be obserued in deliberating of great affaires 64. 65. 66. None be he neuer so high in calling ought to be iudge in his owne cause 67. 68. Ver. 16. Of the vertues of a wise Counsellor 68. 69. 70. How we ought to iudge of other mens doings 71. 72. 73 The vncertaintie of humane things 74. 75. Of the vse of good lawes and of rewards and punishments 75. 76. 77. The obedience which wiues owe to their husbands 78. The lawes of Nature and of Nations is confirmed by the Law of God 79. Ver. 21. Of the number of Counsellours 79. 80. Ver. 22. All hastinesse is daungerous in publike Counsailes and in Proclamations which cannot be reuoked 81. 82. CHAP. II. SERMON V. Ver. 1. Passions are asswaged in time and the vse of reason called backe againe 87. 88. Ver. 2. 3. In matters of great weight the iudgement of young men is to bee suspected 90. 91. The miserie of the flatterers in Court 93 How great the infelicitie is of Princes who raigne wickedly and yet haue seruants ready to obey and fulfill their willes 94 Vers. 4. Flatterie is the bane of Princes 95 The goodnesse of God in vsing the disorders of Princes to the commoditie and profit of his Church 97 Ver. 5. 6. The estate of certaine of Gods Church in this world 97 Ver. 7. How farre forth bewtie doth helpe women that feare God 98 Ver. 7. 11. What care Parents ought to haue of their children 99 We must haue especiall care of Orphanes after the example of Mardochaeus 100 SERMON VI. Ver. 9. 15. The meanes of procuring loue and fauour 107. 108 The fruite of the feare of God 108. 109 110 Vers 10. Of wisedome and silence 110 111 Ver. 12. Of pleasure lawfull and vnlawfull 116. 117. 118 Ver. 17. The speciall prouidence of God 120 Of the honour and greatnesse of the faithfull 121. 122. SERMON VII Ver. 18. Of what sort the bankets both of high and lowe ought to be 128. 129 Ver. 20. Modestie doth exceedingly become great men 131. 132. c. Ver. 21. Of conspirators 136. 137 The instabilitie of the state of Princes 138 139 22. The wonderfull deliuerances of Princes 140. 141 Of false accusers 143 Ver. 23. How causes are to be ordered in iudgement Ibid. Publike Histories and their vse 144 We must alwais performe our duties 144 145 CHAP. III. SER. VIII Ver. 1. The vnaduisednesse of Princes i◠chusing their seruants 149 Gods patience in suffering the wicked The church oftentimes beholdeth the prosperitie of her enemies 15◠Ver. 2. The vanitie of Courtiers 15◠The constancie of the faithfull 154. 155 Ver. 3. The inconstancie of Apostataes 157 Ver. 4. Against priuie accusors 158 Ver. 5. 6. Of the rage and furie of the proud 159 SERMON IX Ver. 7. Of Lots 167 Against diuinations 168. 169. c. 8. The accusations of the enemie of the Church 174. 175 The hatred and conspiracie of the wicked against the Church 176. 177 9. Of the expences of the wicked to ouerthrow and destroy the Church 178. 179 10. The carelesnesse of Princes and the effects of false slaunders 18◠c. SERMON X. 12. The falles of those who serue Princes 194. 195 13. Cruel proclamatiōs against the church 196 197. c. The furious zeale of persecutors 199 14. The dangers of the faithfull and Gods care ouer them 200. c. 15. The wicked will of the vngodly 206 Their pleasures and delights in the distresses of the Church 206. 207. CHAP. IIII. SERMON XI 1. What the godly ought to do when they heare the practises of the wicked 213. 214 Of the outward signes of sorrow 214. 215 Of repentance and the circumstances thereof 216. 217 4. In publique calamities priuate men may not giue themselues to mirth 222. 223 5. We must haue a care of those that are afflicted 223. 224. c. 6. 7. We may not blame that which is well done whatsoeuer ensue of it 227. The dutie of all and namely of those who are of greatest authoritie in helping the Church 228. 229 SERMON XII Ver. 9. The feares of great Princes 233 The miserie of vnequall mariages 236 The greatnesse of Kings 237. 13. The fearefull are to be confirmed but yet without flatterie and to be stirred vp to do their dutie 238. c. 16. Of holy assemblies fasting and prayer 244. 245. The dutie of all in publike dangers 246. CHAP. V. SER. XIII Ver. 1. Of the ornaments of apparell 256. 2. The fruit of faith and humbling our selues before God 258. 259 3. The immoderatenesse of Princes 260 4. Of the modestie and wisedome of the faithfull 263. 264 5. Whether the wicked are to be honored and how farre we may gratifie them 265 266. SERMON XIIII Ver. 9. What ioy is to be commended what to be blamed 273. 274 The constancie of the faithfull 275. c. What honor we may giue or refuse to giue to the wicked 278. 279 The restlesse estate of the ambitious 280. 281 10. Of bridling our passions 282 The furious rage of the wicked 283 11. Their vaine glory and foolish anger 284 285 13. What our cōsultations ought to be 286. 287 14. A patterne of wicked Counsellors and of euill counsell 288. 289 The furious crueltie of the enemies of the Church 289. 290. 291. CHAP. VI. SER. XV. Ver. 1. Of the care that God carrieth of his 296 The wonderful meanes of the deliuerie of the Church 296. 297 Of the waking and care of Princes 299 The vse of Histories 300. 301 2. Good deeds are neuer forgotten before God 302 3. Of their rewards 304. 305 Of good Counsellors 305. 306 4. The consideration of the admirable effects of Gods wil for the profit of his 307. 308 6. The foolish arrogancie of the wicked when they are neare their fall 308. 309 9. The wonderfull furie of Ambitiō 310. 311 10. The hearts of Kings are in the hands of God 313 The