no carnall sleights or abilities should be able to doe them good in that fearefull day and so might seeme to be proper to that Nation and to that occasion yet for all that if we will not mistake it we are to take it for an euerlasting Sermon there is mention in the Reuelation of an euerlasting Gospell and euen for a generall Proclamation against all haughtinesse and vaine confidence of men whether they be Iewes or Gentiles young or old euen against all those that doe not set God before their eyes making him their stay but doe boast themselues of the sharpenesse of their wit or of the strength of their arme or of the greatnesse of their wealth which the Lord doth not account of And that this generall vse is to be made of this parcell of Scripture the holy Ghost himselfe the best Interpreter of his owne meaning doth plainly declare 1. Cor. 1. ver 31. and 2. Cor. 10. ver 17. To which places for breuity sake I doe referre you And here that obseruation of Tertull. in his booke De spectaculis hath fit place Specialiter quaedam pronunciata generaliter sapiunt cùm Deus Israelitas admonet disciplinae vel obiurgat vtique ad omnes habet Certaine things vttered in the Scriptures for one special purpose or vpō one speciall occasion haue yet a generall drift or importment when God admonisheth the Israelits of their duty or findeth fault with them for neglect thereof it concerneth all So then as the Apostle saith to Timothie That he suffered trouble for the Gospels sake vnto bonds but the Word of God was not bound and as it is said of Abel Heb. 11. That he being dead yet speaketh So it may said in some sort of the Prophet Ieremy that though he were bound as concerning bodily presence to his Countrymen the Iewes and though his bones are rotten long sithence yet for all that his words remaine liuely in operation euen to this day and by the same he speaketh and preacheth vnto vs now here assembled And what doth he speake vnto vs in the words of my Text In summe in grosse this much to purge out the old leauen of arrogancy and insolency that we may be a sweet leauen of modesty and thankfulnesse vnto the Lord. In particular these two points first that we would weane our selues from all carnall boasting whether of our wit cunning or of our power and authority or of our wealth and other abilities this in the former verse Secondly that we would entertaine embrace a spiritual kind of reioycing for Gods great mercies and fauours towards vs and namely for this that he hath vouchsafed to reueale himselfe his truth and mercy vnto vs this in the later verse Touching the former Many are deceiued beloued concerning the mat-terof boasting for neither is it proper to a few fooles onely as some haue imagined for these fooles are found euery where neither is it a fault of vanity onely or indiscretion but euen of iniquity sinfulnes If any doubt of the general spreding of the infection whether it be epidemicall let him think but of two sayings the one of Salomon the other of Seneca In the 20. of the Prouerbs Salomon saith Many will boast euery one of his goodnesse but who can finde a faithfull man Where he sheweth the fault to be generall or as good as generall So Seneca Epistle 47. speaketh indefinitely Regum nobis induimus animos euery one of vs beareth the minde of an Emperour then we will not be farre behind for boasting This for sentences as for examples let me produce vnto you but two of hundreds namely of Cato the elder of Tully What a notable man was Cato the elder He had that commendation giuen him by consent which none in his time was thought to deserue except it were one to be Optimus Orator optimus Senator optimus Imperator as Plinie reporteth to wit a most singular Orator a most singular Senator or Statesman and a most singular Generall and yet this so incomparable a man was so much giuen to boast himselfe that his veriest friends were ashamed of him As for Tully he was so excellently qualified that none but a Tully that is one admirably eloquent is sufficient to speake of his worthinesse and yet this is not left vnremembred by them that were willing to conceale a small blemish in him that his speech which flowed from him as sweet as the hony hee made to taste as bitter as worme-wood many times by his interlacing of his owne praises Thus as dead flies corrupt the sweet oyntment as Salomon saith and as desperate staruelings that haue nothing else to feed on will fall to their owne flesh as Plutarch saith and eate the brawnes of their own armes so for want of other boasters many will fall to boast themselues and though they offend God be offensiue to men yet they will doe it That such doe offend God not onely are displeasing to men may appeare hereby first for that God doth expressely forbid it as in my Text and in diuers other places of the Scripture Secondly for that he hath sharpely punished this sinne not onely in his enemies as in old Babel for boasting and saying I am and none else I shall be a Lady for euer and in now Babel for her proud names of blasphemy wherof this was one as Hieronymus saith Roma aeterna Rome shall flourish for euer but also in his dearest children as in Dauid for numbring the people of a vaine-glorious mind and in Ezechiah for shewing his treasures to the Ambassadours of the King of Babel of the like bragging pride Thirdly for that the Saints of God haue greatly abhorred this vice and refrained it as much as might bee as Saint Paul to the Galatians God forbid that I should glory but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ God forbid And to the Corinthians If I must needs glory I will glory of mine infirmities that is I will be farre from carnall boasting Lastly for that God hath wrought this instinct or law of Nature in the very heathen to condemne it as namely Tully that I told you of euen now howsoeuer he fell in practice yet when he spake from his booke he could say Deforme est de seipso praedicare falsa praesertim It is an euil-fauoured thing to make vaunt of ones owne doings specially if he lye neuer so little And the Greeke Orator saith To speake of my selfe that which may sound to mine owne praise I take it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so odious a thing nay so burdenous and so irkesome that very necessity shall not inforce me to doe it These points might be enlarged by amplifications and set forth with variety of colours and strengthened with many reasons and proofes you may easily gather but as they that haue a long iourney to make and but a
feare and anxiety and all to be brought to a combustion But what was the issue of all this The Emperour had successe in most battels and he fought 52. more than euer did any before or since and saw the end and confusion of all his foes saue of his sonne whom God suffered to suruiue to make him a subiect and spectacle of his wrath After the dayes of Henry the fourth the succeeding Emperours had much adoe with their disloyall subiects being set on by them of Rome who would be counted Fathers and yet incense their children one against the other that themselues might deuoure them being weakened with open mouth How did they deale with Fredericke the second to remember him onely They worke a conscience in him to make warre vpon the Infidels as though Christ would haue his Kingdome aduanced by the materiall sword But that was euen their houre and the power of darkenesse and while he is beyond the Seas they inueigle his subiects at home to rebell against him yea to shew that they hated the Christian Emperour more than the Mahometan they send vnto the Souldan the Emperours picture that he might the more easily destroy him But the Souldan dealt generously with him and acquaints him with the plot and aduiseth him to looke to himselfe To make the matter short he maketh peace in the East to the aduantage of the Christians there and hasteth home with all speed and by his valour and prudence soone recouereth what was lost in his absence Thus in Italy But was he suffered to be quiet in the Empire in Germany No there the Popes set vp against him Anti-Emperours two or three one after another presuming that if one did misse the other would hit But the deceitfull man rosteth not that that he taketh in hunting Prouerb 12. And this gift is giuen to such persons of the Lord that they lie downe in sorrow all of them that admitted of their election and tooke vpon them the name of Emperour the true Emperour being aliue did in a manner suddenly perish and come to a fearefull end one of them was slaine with an arrow another in the marishes of Frizeland the third otherwise all by a violent and vntimely death If I had not promised the contrary I might tell you of Henâ—y the seuenth poysoned by a Monke in the Sacrament Of Lodowicke of Bauaria vexed with all the stormes that perfidious malice could bring vpon a Prince both of these Emperours So of our King Iohn deuested of his Regalitie and bereaued of his life by vnpriestly practices So of Philip surnamed the Faire the French King brought in danger to haue suffered as much And truly by the hands or heads of such as Aeneas Syluius that was afterwards Pope speaketh of in his Story of Austrich Non fuit vllum insigniter grande malum in Ecclesia quod non exeat originem sumat à Presbyteris that is Whatsoeuer great mischiefe hath befallen the Church the same was caused or occasioned by some Shauelings But as all misery hath its determined period and as the Psalmist saith The rod of the wicked shall not lie vpon the lot of the righteous for euer So when the fulnesse of time came that the mysterie of iniquity should be reuealed it pleased our good God that stirred vp the spirit of Cyrus to send them that were in captiuity vnder old Babylon vnto their owne Country Land of promise to stirre vp the spirits also of many Kings in our later times to slip out their neckes and the neckes of their subiects I say to quit themselues and their subiects from the yoke of new Babylon that is Rome These hauing the Booke of God layd open which had beene for a long time hid like as the Booke of the Law had beene vnder Iosiah more plainely and explicatly than for many hundred yeeres before did easily by the light thereof discerne vsurpation from right and superstition from true worship They dared also to examine the validity and authority of the Bulls that came from Rome and were ashamed that they were so long gulled and affrighted by Scarre-crowes Hereupon it came to passe that our King Henry the eighth a magnanimous Prince pluckt his necke out of the collar and feared not to put in the Letany from the Bishop of Rome and his detestable enormities Good Lord deliuer vs. By his example or not long before Gustauus King of Swethland a Prince likewise of great valour and wisedome he banished the Pope and his authority out of his Kingdomes So did also Christian King of Denmarke a Prince not much inferiour to either of the former in vertue that I speake nothing of the Princes and Free Estates of Germany which fell from the Pope by heapes yea and Henry the second King of France yea and Charles the fifth Emperour though both of them most superstitious protested against the Councell of Trent summoned by the Pope thereby not a little questioning and shaking his absolute authority neither had this declining and sinking stayed here but as it is written in the Reuelation Babylon is fallen it is fallen So surely it had beene vtterly ruined if it had not beene strengthened or vnderlayed by new props or Buttraces They fable of Innocent the third that he forsooth should haue a vision or dreame that Saint Peters Church in Rome tottered and had fallen if those worthy Fryers Dominicke and Francis had not offered their shoulders And surely it had gone hard with the Romish cause ere this if the Iesuits the last vomit of Satan and the last hope of Antichrist had not stayed it from ouerthrow These are they that comming out of the smoke of the bottomelesse pit Reuelation 9. haue power giuen them as the Scorpions of the earth haue power and though their faces be like the faces of men and their haire like the haire of women that is though they vse great Hypocrisie and Flattery and insinuation as great as Harlots doe to entertaine and retaine their Louers yet their teeth are as the teeth of Lions and will deuoure their soules that doe beleeue them and their bodies that doe oppose them nay that doe trust them too farre They write of Paris the Troian that what time his mother went with him she dreamed she was with childe of a fire-brand and so he proued to his Country being the authour of the vtter desolation thereof They write also of Dominicke the Fryer of whom I spake euen now that his mother being with child of him she dreamed she had a whelpe in her wombe that had a fire-brand in his mouth and so he proued barking against the truth reuealed in Gods word being the cause of the burning and butchering of those good and faithfull men the Albigenses by hundreds and by thousands Briefely it is written of Caligula that Tiberius presaged of him that he would proue a very poysonous Serpent to the people of Rome and a
Salomon the wisest of all thought that if he might ioyne in affinity with his neighbour-Princes and take many of their daughters to be his wiues and women he should not onely strengthen the Kingdome in his owne hand but also stablish it in his house long and long also he thought peraduenture that by occasion of his marriages and affinities being so great many of the vplandish people would be trayned wonne to the knowledge of the true God of Israel but how was he deceiued His wiues and worshippingwomen turned his heart from the Lord he could do little or good no vpon them or theirs And as for the secret vnderminers of Salomons State succession where found they entertainment but among his allies Let me instance this point in one or two examples more Constantine the Great that worthy Christian and great Politician though that if he might build a City in the confines of Europe and Asia that might bee aemula Romae a match to Rome and place one of his sonnes there to keepe his Court he should not onely eternize his name but also fortifie the Empire no lesse then if he had enuironed it with a wall of brasse Also Phocas and Pepinus thought the one if hee might dignifie the Bishop of Rome with an extrauagant Title to bee called Vniuersall Bishop the other if he might lade the Church of Rome with Principalities euen with Principalitie vpon Principalitie they should deserue immortally well not onely of that Sea but also of the whole house of God But the way of man is not in himselfe as Ieremy saith neither is it in man to fore-see what will fall out luckily or crosse The building of new Rome was the decay of old Rome so it proued and the diuiding of the Empire was the destruction of the Empire and no lesse as wise men know also the lifting vp of the man of Rome was the hoysing vp of the man of sinne and the locking of him in the chaire euen in the chaire of pestilence Thus there is no policy so prouident no prouidence so circumspect but the same is subiect to errors and crosses and therefore no cause why it should be trusted to and therefore no cause why it should be gloryed in Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome c. If any wisedome might be boasted of surely one of those kindes of wisedomes that I erst reckoned vp vnto you to wit wisedome or skill in the Arts wisedome or knowledge in Diuinity wisedome or policy touching matters of State but these you haue heard are not to be relyed vpon because they are vncertaine because they are vnperfit and therefore much lesse are we to rely vpon any such as is worse or inferiour to these But yet the world is the world it hath done so doth so yea and blesseth it selfe for so doing therefore this wound hath need to be searched ransacked a little deeper Homer I remember crieth out against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Discord O I would it were perished and therefore out of the company of the gods and men So Cyprian against Couetousnesse O detestabilis caritas mentium c. O the same detestable blindenesse of mens minds c. Hieronymus against Luxury or lechery O ignis infernalis luxuria O Lechery a very hellish fire Augustine against error mistaking O errare O delirare O what a vile thing it is to be blinded with error c. Thus euery one cryed out against those sins wherewith their times were most pestered poisoned Surely if I were appointed to touch the sore of the daughter of our people we haue many so res from the crowne of our head to the sole of our feete we are little else but sores and botches and biles but yet if I were to touch that which doth most of all apostumate and ranckle then I ought to cry out O Policy policy Policy I meane falsely so called but indeed cunning and cudgeling This letteth that the Prince and the Realme cannot be serued many times as they should be nor Iustice administred in many places as it ought to be nor the Gospell of the Son of God so propagated as were to be wished Many could wish that in musters presses the likeliest men to doe seruice and not the weakest of friends should be appointed also that they were holpen to their right that suffer wrong also that the incorrigible were cut off by the sword of Iustice also that the Sons deceitfull workers craftily crept in in pretence to aduance the Romish faith but indeed to supplant English loyalty and faithfulnesse that I say their goings out their commings in and their haunts were better marked and so the danger that is threatned by them preuented But yet to put our hand to the worke euery one to doe some seruice in his place as for ensample Constables to precept the ablest and fittest persons for the warres Sheriffes to make returnes of indifferent Iuries for the tryall of rights Iurors to haue God and a good conscience before their eyes and not to turne aside to by-respects c. This we will not be induced to doe What letteth vs Policy for we say If we shall be precise in our office this yeere or in this action at this time others will bee as precise against vs or ours another time and then what shall wee gaine by it And if we should not leaue somewhat to such a person and to such a cause wee should offend such a great One and he will sit on our skirts Thus policy ouerthroweth Polity that is the Common-weale and thus the feare of men casteth out the feare of God as the Wise man complaineth Another vanity nay wickednesse I haue noted vnder the Sun and that is this There be that haue the dore of faith opened vnto them and haue opportunity to heare words whereby they and their houshold might bee saued and the same doe also consent in the inward man to the doctrine taught and published among vs by authority that the same is the truth and the contrary falsehood and yet to giue their names vnto the Gospell soundly or to protest against Popery and superstition zealously they will not be drawne What with-holdeth them Policy for they thinke that continuing doubtfull nay though they should be enemies if but secret ones they shall leese nothing the State holding as it doth these be the times of mercy though certaine vngratefull men crie out against them as though they were bloody for none other cause but for that they are restrained from shedding innocent blood as heretofore they were wont in the dayes of their tyranny and if there should bee a change then their very doubtfulnesse and staggering would be remembred and they aduanced thereby Thus as Demades said to his country-men of Athens when they paused to decree diuine honours to King Demetrius Take heed my masters lest while you be so scrupulous for heauen and
causa It is not the punishmeÌ„t it is the cause that maketh a true Martyr For our parts we say vnto them as Optatus doth to their like Nulli dictum est Nega Deum Nulli dictum est Incende Testamentum Nulli dictum est Aut Thus pone aut Basilicas destrue â—stae enim res solent Martyria generare That is To none of them hath it beene said Deny God To none of them hath it beene said Burne the New Testament To none hath it beene said Offer incense or throw downe Churches for these things are wont to engender Martyrdomes Thus Optatus lib. 3. And I pray you is not our cause like to Optatus his and theirs to the Parmenians When haue our Magistrates vrged any of them that haue beene sent from Rome much lesse Recusants to deny God except they make him of Rome to be their God Nay both they and we doe exhort them with all instance to turne from that vanity and to trust in the liuing God Cursed be he that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme So When doe we vrge them to burne the Bible or any part of the Bible Nay this hath beene their fault and sticketh to them for infamy like the Leprosie of Gehezi To set fire vpon the translated Bibles wheresoeuer they could finde them and to burne them by hundreds on an heape yet the worst translation made by our men is founder and more agreeable to the Originall then the Translation of the Seuentie and yet the Apostles themselues suffered the same nay vsed the same as is euident to the Learned so farre were they from defacing it To be short When and where haue our men forced them yea or perswaded either to put Incense vpon the Altar or to throw downe Churches Nay it is their proper guise euen now in the time of the Gospell when shadowes and carnall worship should cease to perfume their Altar and their vestiments and many things that I know not nor care to learne and it hath beene their ordinary practice where they haue beene the stronger to destroy not onely Churches but also as many as haue beene assembled in them to heare Gods Word and to receiue the Sacrament euen bloudily and butcherly with a rage that reached vp to heauen Witnesse the Massacres that they made at Vassey at Merindol and Cabrias in Piemont in Calabria and where not So that we haue great cause to flee from them not onely to goe away and they no cause to flee from vs who neuer thirsted after their blood nor drew it but constrained and in our defence But to what purpose all this Since they whom it concerneth are not here and them that are here it doth not concerne yet as our Sauiour made full account that some of his Auditors would relate vnto Herod what opinion he held of him and therefore said vnto them Goe yee and tell that Fox So we are content that they take information by some of you that we maintaine and are instant that there is cruelty in their side and not in ours and a good cause with vs and not with them and therefore that there is cause why they should returne to vs and no cause in the world why we should turne to them And let so much be spoken of the Question It followeth Simon Peter therefore answered him Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of euerlasting life And we haue beleeued and knowne for we doe beleeue know Heb. that thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God In this answere Saint Peter doth two things First he denyeth flatly that hee or his fellow Apostles haue any such meaning Then he bringeth reasons of their constant adhering to him The denyall is set forth by way of Interrogation for more vehemency sake and containeth in it a reason drawne from the excellency of Christ before other teachers Lord to whom shall we goe meaning there was no Master worth the thinking of in comparison to him and therefore that they were farre from any such purpose The reasons drawne from the excellency of Christ are two The one from the excellency of his Doctrine Thou hast the words of euerlasting life the other from the excellency of his person Thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God Our heart and conscience telleth vs so much therefore we are not men but deuils if we forsake thee To this effect is Saint Peters answer in the name of his fellowes Let vs take the words before vs in order as they lye and first speake of the Interrogation Simon Peter therefore answered him saying Lord to whom shall we goe The first thing that we are to learne out of these words is this namely That truth and a good cause hath alwayes some to maintaine it The Disciples fell away yea many of the Disciples fell away yea they fell away so that they came no more at our Sauiour as the Text hath it but yet hee was not left without witnesse he had the Apostles to beare record to him and to stand for him So the High Priests and the Elders yea and the whole multitude of the Iewes cryed out against him and would not otherwise be satisfied then with his death but Ioseph of Arimathea a Councellour a iust man and a good consented not to their plots and practices Luk. 23. So Obadiah was not carryed away with the streame of the time to kill Gods Prophets and those that worshipped the Lord with holy worship but hid them in Caues and prouided for them though it were with the jeopardy of his head So Ruben though he had sinned before a great sinne and had highly offended God thereby and his father too yet in this no question he pleased both that he dissented from his brethrens bloody designe to murder their bother Ioseph and both disswaded them and deliuered him The like example of constancy and magnanimity appeared in Caleb and Iosuah Numb 14. who opposed themselues not onely to their fellowes being tenne to two but also to the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel being an hundred thousand to one against all they stood boldly for the maintenance of Gods glory in the power of his might and the truth of his promise saying Rebell not against the Lord neither feare yee the people of the Land for they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them and the Lord is with vs feare them not Thus they and this was counted to them for righteousnesse vnto all posterity for euer-more Yea that God that prospered the Midwiues of Egypt for not subscribing to the bloody decree of Pharaoh and his Councellors did also highly aduance these his seruants not onely bringing them into the Land of Promise the place of rest where they would be but also making one of them Generall Captaine ouer his people anâ— giuing him admirable victories and the other also a great man and a mighty and of such
thy lap Or who wil deny that God gaue the Israelites victory against the Medianites because they brought Pitchers into the field and light in the Pitchers Or that God did not feed them with bread from heauen and water out of the rocke for that they gathered the one and brought vessels at the least their mouthes to receiue the other It is one thing to be the true cause of a thing the conduit-pipe or fountaine another thing to bring a bucket nay not so much as that but to bring onely a mouth or a hand to take it Indeed i◠God should say to vs as Marius did to his Souldiers I can helpe you to water but you must buy it with blood or as Saul did to Dauid 1. Sam. 18. Thou shalt haue my daughter in marriage but shee must cost thee an hundred foreskins of the Philistims or as Caleb said to his men Ioshua 15. I will bestow my daughter vpon one of you but hee that will haue her must first win Kiriath-Sepher hee must quit himselfe like a man and fight valiantly then it were another matter then might some say The way of the Lord is righteous onely it is not liberall it is but hire for seruice wages for merit He loued vs for we loued him first doth for vs for we did for him But now when he saith vnto vs Beleeue onely and the Lord will doe great things for thy soule trust perfectly in the grace of God that is brought vnto thee in the Gospell and thou shalt become a child of Abraham an heire of God and fellow heire with Christ euen a vessell of Saluation who can impeach or blemish Gods bounty and liberality with the least note of mercinarinesse for he that saith Beleeue the Gospell and it will saue thee seemeth to say in effect no more then this He that hath an eare to heare let him heare as it is in the Gospell or Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it as it is in the Psalme or Wash thy selfe in Iordan and be cleane as it is in the holy Story Now as this maketh much against our Aduersaries that are merit-mongers So it maketh nothing at all for Gospellers that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and thinke that because they pretend a faith that they may doe all things and be excused for all things This therefore shall be the twofold vse of this Circumstance of the quality that ought to be in the persons to be saued by the Gospell both for confutation that the Aduersaries of our free iustification by Christ preached in the Gospell be proued to be false Teachers deceitfull workemen c. And for reprehension that if any man thinkes he may vse the cloake of faith for a colour of vnrighteousnesse that he be vnmasked Which points I cannot stand now to enlarge vnto you hauing already pressed vpon your patience but will referre the handling thereof to some other time To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost three Persons but one euerlasting and indiuisible God be ascribed all power might Maiestie and Dominion now and for euer Amen Amen A SERMON VPON THE SECOND OF KINGS· THE FIFTH SERMON 2. KINGS 18.13 Moreouer in the foureteenth yeere of King Hezekiah Sennacherib King of Asshur came vp against all the strong Cities of Iudah and tooke them THE Prophet hauing declared in the foure verses immediatly going before my Text what griefe King Hezekiah and his faithfull subiects had suffered by hearing what Gods enemies had done to their brethren those of the ten Tribes in destroying their Country burning their Cities killing a great number of them carrying away the remnant of them into captiuity all this because oftheir wickednes rebellion against God Now here at the 13. verse he beginneth to shew what and how much they suffered in themselues And what was that Surely they were not onely afflicted with present euils as of the spoiling and sacking of most of their Townes of the exhausting of their Treasures both prophane and sacred and with blasphemous reuilings of them and of the true God whom they worshipped c. but also with feare of future euils as namely that the mother-Citie it selfe the glory of that Kingdome Hierusalem should be taken their Temple destroyed their King and Nobles led away their young men slaine with the sword their women abused c. And which did most of all vexe the soule of the righteous that they that were so sawcy with God as to blaspheme him before the victory would if they should preuaile be hardned in their villanies and say of a truth that the Iewes worshipped a thing of nought This is the summe of the euils mentioned in this Chapter and in part of the next partly suffered indeed of the faithfull partly suffered in feare and expectation Now what mercy the Lord shewed them in the end and what confusion he brought vpon their enemies the same is described towards the later end of the Chapter following Let vs now take the Story in order as it lyeth hauing thus before-hand pointed at the generall heads The first thing that I note vnto you is The continuance and progresse of troubles to the Church noted in this word Moreouer Good Lord might one say what a world is this one depth calleth on another one misery in the necke of another Finis alterius mali gradus est futuri The end of one mischiefe is a step to another as Seneca saith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labour bringeth labour vnto labour as it is in Sophocles Why no sooner came Hezekiah to the Kingdome but hee must presently in hand with a reformation and what reformation Surely not of slight matters which might be borne with but of things which immediatly concerned the glory of God he was to purge out Idolatry which had taken deepe roote in the time of his wicked father and to settle an order for the right seruice of God which for a long time was decayed This and more hee was to doe which purchased to him great charges great jarres and great contradiction Now he was no sooner out of this but his neighbours nay his brethren according to the flesh the Israelites are inuaded by the common enemie These hee dare not helpe lest hee should bring present mischiefe vpon himselfe Againe he must see them perish before his eyes though hee knew that his owne day was comming and after that the enemy had done with them then he would haue a saying to him This was bitter euen as bitter as death but yet for all this the wrath of the Lord is not turned away but his iealousie burneth like fire and catcheth hold vpon the Iewes themselues In the foureteenth yeere of Hezekiah Sennacherib came vp against all the Cities of Iudah c. Loe not long after they had beene the beholders of a Tragedie they were made to be Actors that is sufferers in it themselues This is the image of mans life
of the Britans themselues The Soldan of Persia hyred the Turkes against the Caliph of Babylon what became of it Well by their meanes the Caliph is ouercome but is the Soldan euer a whit the neere No out of the frying-pan he fell into the fire and was ouercome by those Turks himselfe whom he had hyred So who made them Lords of Constantinople Did not the Emperour of Constantinople himselfe who hyred them against the Bulgarians Who of Hungary in our owne time Did not Iohn the Vayuod of Transiluania who laboured them against the Austrians Let vs passe to another Countrey It was thought high policy forsooth by certaine of the Romane Emperours to entertaine the Gothes in seruice that so they might be secured from other Barbarians but were the Gothes content to become stipendaries No they picked a quarrell to sacke Rome it selfe and ceased not till they became Lords of the greatest part of Italy Well the Gothes are insolent and cannot be endured therefore the Longobards must be sent for but did the Longobards remaine faithfull to them No after they had helped them to beate the Gothes they turned them also out of their possessions called the Land by their owne name So the Longobards also they became Tyrants as it was conceiued and therefore the French must be sent for but were they set at full liberty by them No they changed onely their Lord they were not deliuered from a Lord nay in stead of one Lord they had two the Emperour and the Pope the one ouer their heads the other at their elbowes Should I runne this course and tell you how the French were serued by the Normans the Spaniards by the Moores the Moores or Africans by the Arabians c. I might hold you too long In a word the danger of strangers is confessed by all whom folly or priuate respects hath not blinded For indeed if either of these be in a man then the case is altered He that is vnwise thinketh that he may stop a streame with his foot as well as hâ— may let it in and that cold water is good in the fit of an hot Ague because it easeth for the present time and that Vsury is a good thing because his turne is serued for the time by that which he tooke to interest But tell me how you will like of it when the day of paiment commeth then you will cry out vpon the Vsurer as fast and complaine that you were eaten vp of him So is euery Nation that seeketh not to God for helpe nor stirreth vp it selfe to valiantnesse nor is desirous to be trained in feates of warre but trust vnto strangers They that are gotten for money will also forsake you for money and when you shall haue most need of them then they will call for their pay or impudently bid you adieu I could tell you of diuers Princes that by these meanes haue beene deceiued and vndone euen at the instant when they were to ioyne battell with their enemies But let vs returne to the stranger Sennacherib and the Assyrians You heare how we may profit hereby that the Iewes were so plagued by them whom before I warrant you they honored as their best deseruing friends Let this be the first thing that we note in the person of Sennacherib The second thing shall be his ambitious couetousnesse My Text saith Sennacherib King of Ashur came vp against all the strong Cities of Iudah and tooke them Why might one say did his Ancestors leaue him nothing to doe at home that he must find himselfe some worke abroad As though it were not as busie a piece of worke yea and as honorable too to establish well that which was gotten to his hands as to get more or was that Kingdome that came to him by inheritance too straight and too little that he must seeke a larger to maintaine his estate as Philip said to his sonne Aliud tibi Râ—gnum quaerendum est Macedonia iam non capit Why the Kingdome of the Assyrians was in those dayes the mightiest Monarchy that was in the world and verily a great part of the East were tributary to them how then could they be destitute of possessions and rents We see â—herefore that it was neither want of worke nor want of wealth What was it then Mary this is that that the Prophet Hacacuk said Chapter 2. The proud man is as hee that transgresseth by wine hee enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied What should you tell him how much he hath All the while there is any thing which hee hath not he thinketh himselfe a poore man Doth not the fire catch fagot vpon fagot nay whatsoeuer fewell it may reach vnto and is neuer weary Such is Ambition doth not the Wolfe as Plinie writeth forget the meat before him if hee doe but once looke backe and doth he not seeke for a new prey as though hee had had nothing This is Coueâ—ousnesse Indeed as He that desireth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer Eccles. 5. So he that desireth Dominion shall not be satisfied with Dominion Iulius Caesar got so many victories as none did before him or since and yet it is written of him that that which he had done he thought of as onely the foundation as it were and the beginning of the glorious frame that he would reare The Romanes could not indure to haue their desires bounded out by the Ocean but needs they would haue a sight of this Iland Nor Alexander coetent himselfe with the whole World but thought it was too little for him Aestuat infoelix angusto limite mundi What maruell then if the Assyrians and by name Sennacherib were not content with his hereditarie Kingdomes but would needs adde Iudah to them for you heare how this desire is vsuall and euen as it were naturall It is true that Henry the last French King hauing but a couple of Crownes of Polony and France the one in title the other in hand seemed to haue beene fully content with them and therefore he gaue for his Symboll of Posie Manet vltima coelo the last remaineth in heauen Howbeit if you marke the Posie a little better you will confesse that it containeth not that modesty or contentednesse indeed that it promiseth at the first sight or beareth shew of For he doth not say Manet altera coelo the other next Kingdome is in heauen but the last is in heauen not barring himselfe from the accepting of more if they should be offered or might be gotten But well fare the Spaniard for dealing plainely for he proclaimeth on the house-top nay in the eares of all the world his insatiable Ambition with his Plus vltra Howbeit He that setteth bounds to the Sea and saith Hitherto shalt thou goe and no further and Here shall it stay thy proud waues the same holdeth all the Tyrants of the earth in a chaine and will not suffer them to goe one
Lord presently rise vp and come among them were they deliuered as soone aâ— they groaned O no The King sent and deliuered Ioseph the Prince of the people let him goe free but when his feet were first hurt in the stockes the yron entred into his soule He was many yeeres in prison first So the Israelites were hardly dealt with in Egypt by their Taske-masters that thâ—y cryed out for the very anguish of their hearts Againe in the Land of the Chaldees they serued tenne Apprentiships before they had leaue to returne to their Countrey This for the faithfull before Christs time As for the faithfull since as God in the 15. of Gen. told Abraham Know this of a surety That thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres and shall serue them and shall be euill intreated but the Nation whom they shall serue will I iudge and afterward they shall come out with great substance So you shall find that the Church had but little peace or rest for the better part of foure hundred yeeres after Christs comming in the flesh and in the later perillous times prophesied of by the Apostles Antichrist had no sooner gotten to high strength which he compassed in Gregorie the seuenths time by superstitious false-hood established in Innocent the third his time by bloody Lawes but the faithfull went to the post and wandred vp and downe hungry and naked and had no dwelling place and were counted as the filth of the world and the off-scowring of all things yea the time was that whosoeuer killed them thought he did God good seruice and this for the most space in a manner that the persecution lasted in the Primitiue time This may suffice to shew Gods patience both towards his seruants and towards his aduersaries The second thing is his Iustice. For although God make a shew as though he were asleepe and saw not what is done as also he sometimes maketh a shew as though he heard not yet for all that at the appointed time he will not faile an inch but comming he will come and will not breake and the iust shall liue by faith but woe be to the wicked it shall be euill with him the reward of his hands shall be giuen him The Lords Seate is prepared for Iudgement and the Lord ruleth ouer all if he whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on Iudgement hee will execute vengeance on his enemies and reward them that hate him Hee will make his arrowes drunke with blood and his sword shall eate flesh c. Deut. 32. This for his Iustice in punishing the wicked as for his Iustice to right the Godly and comforting of them you know what 's written in the 12. Psalme Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighs of the poore I will vp saith the Lord and set at liberty them whom the wicked hath snared It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with him For that the righteous should be euen as the wicked be that farre from God said Abraham Genes 18. In this world many times there seemeth to be but a small difference betweene the deuout and profane the pure and polluted him that sacrificeth and him that sacrificeth not Thus all things seeme to fall out alike to the one and to the other nay the wicked seeme to be the warmer and to haue a greater portion in this life What then is the way of the Lord vnrighteous God forbid nay let God be iust and all men sinners as it is written But this it is The Heauen of Heauens is the Lords and for them to whom it was appointed euen for them that call vpon him in truth and thinke vpon his Commandements to doe them but the earth and the commodities thereof He distributeth without respect of persons euen to them that are his children by creation onely and not by adoption But yet there is a difference betweene the prosperity of the one and the other for the ones is but with anxiety of heart euen in laughter their heart is heauy the others is with cheerefulnesse and ioy in the Spirit the ones is a pledge of the greater preferment in the world to come the others is their whole portion and as if God should say Let them take that and looke for no more the ones is with the blessing of the people who wish they had more the others with their curse and hatred who are grieued that they haue so much Briefly the one flourish but for a time and often fore-see the ruine of their house in their life-time but generally within a few Generations their name is cleane put out but now the other hauing their house built not with blood or oppression but vpon the foundation of Iustice feele no shaking or tottering of it while they liue and when they are to leaue the world they are full of hope that their house shall not be like the grasse on the house tops which withereth before it commeth forth Psalme 129. but that it shall continue for a long season euen for many generations Therefore let not the godly be discouraged because he is kept downe and troad vpon neither yet let the wicked be bragge because their imaginations prosper for God hath not forsaken the earth neither hath he forgotten to doe Iustice but his eyes are ouer the righteous and his eares are open to their prayers as for the wicked his countenance is set against them to roote out the memoriall of them from off the earth God is iust let this content the godly he telleth all their bones so that none of them are broken he hath all their teares in his bottle will right them in due time And that God is iust let this appall the wicked he shall cast vp that which he hath gotten vnlawfully the Lord will draw it out of his belly God ariseth to Iudgement This we haue considered of It followeth To saue all the meeke of the earth It is good to be zealous in a good matter alwayes sayes the Apostle to be wise to doe good and in euill to haue no skill as the Prophet doth intimate So it is good to rise betimes to serue God to doe the workes of righteousnesse of mercy and of our lawfull and honest vocation that is pleasing to God that is well reported of by men Abraham did so he rose vp early in the morning to offer a sacrifice to the Lord which he had prescribed So Iob rose betimes to offer for himselfe and his children The good Lepers blamed themselues for sitting still hauing so good newes to impart to their neighbours touching the great plenty of victuall the Lord had sent them by the running away of the Syrians So the people rose in the morning to come vnto Christ to heare him in the Temple Luke 2. And Lysias the high Captaine caused
the mind to be expressed or at the least shadowed by the apparell of the body and the getting or possessing of these qualities to the attiring or adorning of the same You know what Saint Peter saith Decke your selues with lowlinesse knit it vnto yâ—u make it your girdles as it were And Saint Paul to the Galatians As many as are baptized haue put on Christ. And to the Romanes Put yee on the Lord Iesus make him your bearing-cloth as it were So to the Ephesians Cast off conceâ—ning the conuersation in times past the old man c. and put ye on the new man make him your inwaâ—d garment So to the Colossians As Elect of God holy and beloued put on the Bowels of mercies gentlenesse humblenesse of mind meekenesse long suffering make them your outward garment Many such places may be found in the new Testament For the old let one be in stead of all Let not mercy and truth forsake thee bind them on thy necke make them thy chaine and write them vpon the Table of thine hea t make them thy Tablet I will trouble you with no more Citations Now this and the like kinde of phrasing may be thought to be vsed by the holy Ghost for two causes First because wee are dull of vnderstanding and cannot conceiue of spirituall matters but by carnall descriptions secondly because he would draw vs away from that which is viler to that which is more precious from that which is pleasing to our senses to that which is profitable to our soules Further this phrasing our Sauiour and his seruants may be obserued to haue vsed in others matters besides apparell Doe you tell me that my mother and my brethren would speake with me Hee that doth the will of my Father in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother He doth not deny his carnall kindred but preferreth the Spirituall So in Saint Iohn Doe ye aske me who hath brought me meat My meate is to doe the will â—f him that sent me So againe Doe yee bragge that ye are Free-men and were neuer seruants to any If the Sonne hath set y u free then are yâ—u free indeed but if yee commit sinne then are yee the seruants of sinne So the Apostle will ye know what is the riches to be accounted of Godlinesse is great riches if a man be content with that he hath c. Would yee know what Sacrifices be best To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased So Bernard Would you know where be my merits My merit is the mercy of the Lord while hee is not voyd of mercy I am not voyd of merit So Chrysostome Would you know what 's the best fast To fast from sinne So Prosper The best keeping of Holy-dayes is to feriat from dead workes Yea out of the Church you shall find this figure and phrasing to be vsed Where are your children Epaminondas My children are my victories said he and namely that gottâ—n at Leuctra they will perpetuate my name Who is the best Patriot The best Carthaginian Hostem qui feriet mihi eâ—iâ— Carthaginiensis What 's the bâ—st Diuination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The best Diuination is to fight fâ—r ones Country Who is the most Capitall Enemy What the Noblest Conquest To conquer ones affections that the greatest Conquest and sensuality the deadliest enemy So what 's the best Fortresse A good Conscience What true Nobility Vertue To returne to the faithfull Nazianzâ—n hath a good speech to our purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Shame-fastnesse is a faire flowre in a Maidens garland Palenesse that is a great ornament Vertues they be the brauest platting of the haire Thus he and Tertullian before him Vestite vos Serico probitatis c. Put on the Silke of honesty thâ—â—iffiny as it were of Sanctimony and the purple of Chastity Taliter pigmâ—ntatae Dâ—um habebiâ—â—s amatorâ—m If you trimme your selues thus nay if you paint your selues with this kind of painting you shall haue God himselfe your Louer By this time I know you are more then satisfied that â—ob in saying he did put on Iustice made it his garment did speake no strange thing but that which many both of the Church out of the Church haue spoken And this to drawe vs from that which is too much â—steemed to that which ought onely or chiefely to be esteemed Certainely gold and siluer and purple and scarlet and the like and garments and ornaments made of the same are not of themselues common or vncleane Euery creature of God is good saith Saint Paul And euery Ordinance of man not repugnant to the Ordinance of God is obediently to bee yelded vnto saith St. Peter Both Riches and Honour come of thee O Lord c. and it is in thy hand to make great and to giue strength 2. Chron. 29. And He that hath set some aboue their brethren in dignity for the maintenance of peace and order hath prouided for such more costly ornaments and habiliments for the better distinguishing of them from others Esau the elder brother had fairer clothes then Iaaâ—ob the younger Gen. 27. And Ioseph being promoted by Pharaoh was not scrupulous to weare a Ring of gold and a chaine of gold and Silke or fiue Linnen Gen. 41. No more was Daniel scrupulous to be clothed in purple being aduanced by Belshashar Dan. 5. No more Morâ—ecat to be brauely mounted and gorgeously apparelled by the appointment of Ahashuerus as it is in the Booke of Esther Nothing that entereth into the belâ—y defileth a man if his heart be cleane So nothing that is put on the backe if his heart be humble Howbeit as one may be a glutton and highly offend the Maiestie of God iâ— he feed aboue the measure of moderation though meates of themselues be things indifferent So let a man prate neuer so much that his heart is vpright that he is not high-minded and hath no proud lookes yet if hee weare apparell beyond the compasse of his calling or other then Law doth allow he lyeth and speaketh not the truth but maketh himselfe a grieuous transgressor Meates for the belly and the belly for meates saith the Apostle And so apparell for the backe and the backe for apparell and God shall destroy both the one and the other True yet as he that weaâ—eth should not despise him that weareth not So he that weareth not should not iudge him that weareth for God hath called vs in peace This I speake not to giue way to braueing and flaunting the speciall sinne of this age for the which the Land mourneth and fadeth and seemeth to be pressed downe with it as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues as the Scripture speaketh or to excuse them that offend that way By no meanes but to remoue
in the name of God let the Magistrate vse his discretion I will not be against the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make some smart for example-sake but for life cases when life is at the stake I thinke S. Pauls rule is to be followed as well in that case as any other Wee may not doe euill that good may come thereof And likewise Tertullian hath a good rule Nulla est necessitas delinquendi quibus vna est necessitas non delinquendi that is There is no necessity to offend vpon this or that pretext for as much as this onely necessity lyeth vpon vs not to offend And that it is not safe to giue seuerity the reines to worke her will and to put to death for example sake Let me tell you a Story out of Seneca which in briefe was thus A couple of Souldiers going abroad to forrage when they had beene forth a time at the length one of them returneth alone without his fellow It was obserued complained on and he brought before the Iudge Martiall who charged him with the murthering of his fellow but he denied it and besought liberty to seeke out his fellow It would not bee granted but he was condemned to die and a Centurion charged to carry him out of the Campe according to the manner and to see execution done When they came to the place of execution behold the Souldier that had beene missing appeared and then there was great ioy betweene him and his fellow and in the whole presence also who were glad to haue life saued The Centurion also thought hee could doe no lesse but bring the supposed murderer backe for as much as hee for whose sake he was to die was found to be aliue He thought also I warrant you that he should haue great thanks of the Iudge for stopping wrong but heare what followed heare and wonder The Iudge Piso by name let him be named and remembred to his perpetuall shame condemneth all three to die The first because he had condemned him before the second because he was the cause that his fellow was condemned the third because he had not done execution vpon the condemned Thus said Seneca Excogitauit quemadmodum tria crimina faceret quia â—ullum inuenerat He was so witty that he was able to make three crimes of neuer a one For the point This Piso being neither absurd for conceit nor very bad for disposition for so it is written of him had some reason to moue him to doe as he did and in likely-hood this that he would Sancire Disciplinam militarâ—m by the death of three both to make Souldiers affraid to straggle and Vnder-Officers wary to fulfill the command of the Superiour without staggering Howbeit though Piso would wash himselfe in Niter as our Iob speaketh yet he cannot blot out the staines of hard-hartednesse And cruelty is cruelty howsoeuer it be coloured and plastered Well we haue seene that Preiudice is a great hinderer of Iustice and it is not excused by pretence of publicke good Thus farre we are gone A second hinderer of Iustice and staine to the Magistrate is Partiality If there come into your company a man with a gold Ring and in goodly apparell and there come in also a man in vile rayment and yee haue respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say vnto him Sit thou here in a good place and say vnto the Poore Stand thou there or sit here vnder my foot-stoole are ye not partiall in your sâ—lues and are become Iudges of â—uill thoughts Thus Saint Iames concerning priuate Partiality The like we are to thinke also of publike If they that are in Commission should say Da Trebio Ponâ— ad Trebium c. O make roome for such a one hee can further such a great mans cause that is to be heard I must looke that he haue no wrong but on the poore mans case we haue no care which end goeth forward he can make no friends he can worke no reuenge therefore let vs destroy the trâ—e with the fruit let vs tread him downe like mire in the street let vs make him an example to all busie-bodyes that will dare to maintaine their right or once to quacke against their betters Then we walke not vprightly but haue the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Tâ—e Law is plaine Deut. 1. You shall haue no respect of persons in Iudgement but shall heare the small as well as the great you shall not feare the face of man And the Apostle chargeth Timothy that he doe nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by titing the Ballance of one side And the Prophet Ezechiel reckoning vp â—he grieuous sinnes of Iuda maketh this an especiall one that the City was full of Muttah what 's that Mishpat mutteh that is Iudgement turned from the bias as it were as the Hebrew Interpreter doth expound it Yea and nature taught the naturall Poet to condemne it for a great sinne in the Gouernours when they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is depraue Iudgements by partiall inclining to one side What a shame was that for Cesar to confesse Melior causa Cassij sed denegare Bruto nihil possum Cassius his cause is better but Brutus must goe away with the cause because he is neerer vnto me Haec caro tangit Brutum Also Henry the Emperour the seuenth of that name is much taxed in Story for that being appealed vnto by a couple of Lawyers who contended about the Soueraignty of the Emperour making their agreement betweene them that he for whom the Emperour should giue Sentence shâ—uld win an horse of his fellow He faire pronounced truth to be on his side that spake most for his power authority whereupon this Prouerb was taken vp Alter respondit aequum sed alter habet Equum Such a one hath right on his side but the other rides the horse Thus you heare how Partiality hath peruerted right corrupted Iudgement euen in the highest Magistrates thâ—refore not to be doubted but inferiour Magistrates be somtimes tainted How can they chuse all the while they cannot see all things theÌ„selues but must follow the leading of others who may be deceiued deceiue Therefore the Shrieues are to be admonished that they returne none for Inquest men that are like to serue mens turnes for the tryall of Nisipriusses or which will helpe to cast away men vpon displeasure but such as are esteemed men of vertue or worth Men fearing God hating couetousnesse and no way obnoxious For as the inward senses may be abused if the outward doe mistake misreport vnto them as that to be sweet which is not that to be blacke which is not And as Cyprian saith If the water at the well-head be corrupted the streame or perle running from the same will not be wholesome So if they that should conuey truth to the Magistrates euen as
dealt so cruelly with vs But now when the Precept of humiliation is to the Creator of all things shall flâ—sh and blood disdaine to submit it selfe to God weake flesh and blood to the mighty hand of God It was a reason that Iosephus vsed in his Oration to his Countrey-men to perswade them to submit their neckes to the yoke of the Romanes for as much as they had gotten the Dominion of the greatesâ— part of the world The same reason vsed Rabshakâ—h to them that were besieged in Ierusalem that for as much as the King of Assyria had subdued many other Nations strong and mightie therefore they might with credit enough yeeld Dignitate Domini minùs turpis est conditio seâ—uâ— By the honor of the Master the base estate of the seruant becommeth more tolerable It was some comfort to Marcus Antonius hauing wounded himselfe to death in desperation that he was ouercome not by any base coward but by a valiant Roman AEnaeae magni dextrâ cadis So Aeneas bade one comfort himselfe Salâ—em ne lixae manu cadam saith the valorous Admirall of France Slay me and spare not but yet not by the hand of a skullion Let not a boy slay vs said Zibah and Zalmumah Iudg. 8. but rise thou and fall vpon vs for as the man is so is his strength Therefore for as much as we are required to humble our selues vnder Almighty God who made the heauens and the earth by his great power and by his stretched-out Arme and nothing is hard vnto him Ieremy 32. Behold he will breake downe and it cannot be built he shutteth vp a man and he cannot be loosed Iob 12. He putteth his hand vpon the Rockes and ouerthroweth the mountaines by the roots Iob 28. For as much I say as he is the Creator of the Spirits of all flesh not onely of their bodits and doth what he will both in heauen and earth turning man to destruction and againe saying in mercy Turne againe ye children of men Shall we bridle it or bristle it against him shall we scorne to answer when he calleth obey when he commandeth sorrow and mourne when he chasticeth shall we receiue good of the Lord and then to be vnthankefull euill and then be impatient Nay rather let vs hearken to the Commandement in my Text Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God and to the promise annexed that he may exalt you Foelix Ecclesia saith Austin cuise Deus debitorem fecit non aliquid accipiendo sed omnia promittendo Happy is the Church to whom the Lord hath made himselfe a debtor not by receiuing any thing at her hands but by promising all things Surely though the Lord had onely commanded bade vs on our Alleageance to imbrace humility and to remoue arrogancy farre from vs we were bound euen for the Commandement sake to yeeld all obedience to it For doth not a sonne honor his Father and a seruant his Lord And are we not his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which he hath appointed that we should walke in them Againe if he had tendered the vertue humility vnto vs in it owne kind without any painting without any sauce as it were were it not worthy to be looked vpon nay to be tasted nay to be swallowed downe as most wholesome meate Whatsoeuer it seemeth to you of the wise it hath beene esteemed either the most excellent or the most necessary of all vertues Some call it the Rose of the Garden and the Lilly of the field Some the Queene of all vertues Some the mother Some the foundation and ground-worke Some the roote Certaine it is saith Bernard Nisi super humilitatis stabile fundamentum spiritale aedificium stare non potest A spirituall building cannot stand steady except it be placed vpon the sure foundation of humility Augustine goeth further and saith to Dioscorus that it is the first thing in Christianity and the second and the third and almost all in all for saith he except humility doe both goe before and accompany and follow after all whatsoeuer we doe well pride will wrest it out of our hands and marre all Therefore humility is to be thought vpon and by all meanes to be coueted after euen for the very worth of it though there were no promise annexed to it to drawe vs on But now when God is so good and gracious to vs as to promise vs promotion for the issue and cloze wee must needs shew our selues very dull and very vnhappy if we doe not striue for it as for siluer and digge for it as for treasure The Husband-man is content to goe forth weeping and to bestow his precious seed so that he may returne with ioy and bring his sheaues with him So euery one that proueth Masteries is content to abstaine from all things so that he may obtaine a Crowne though the same be a corruptible one So the Souldier to approue himselfe to him that hath chosen him to the Warfare The Captaine and specially the Generall to get glory what paine and hardnesse doe they sustaine or rather what doe they not sustaine It is written of Alexander I will trouble you but with one Story that being in the farther parts of Asia one while striuing against heat and thirst another while against cold and hunger another while against craggy Rockes another while against deepe and dangerous riuers c. he could not containe but burst forth in this exclamation O yee Athenians what difficulties and dangers doe I endure for your sakes to be praised and celebrated by â—our pennes and tongues Now if to be extolled by the pennes and tongues of vaine men could preuaile so much with a Prince tenderly bred and of great estate should not wee much rather submit our selues to Gods will and pleasure and prouidence and euen deny and defie whatsoeuer worth may seeme to be in vs that hee may aduance vs and bring vs to honour God surely vseth to make great ones small and smal or meane ones great as Xenophon speakes Nay the blessed Virgin being moued by the holy Ghost acknowledgeth as much He pulleth downe the mighty from their seat and exalteth the humble and meeke He maketh high and maketh low yea he maketh them high that before were low if in humility and meekenesse they possesse their soules Dauid kept his fathers sheepe and was not ashamed nay he braggeth of it in an holy kind of reioycing in the Psalme That the Lord tooke him as he followed the Ewes great with Lambe to be a Ruler in Iacob and a Gouernour in Israel So Agathocles so Willigis to trouble you with no more the one was exalted to bee King of Sicily being but a Potters sonne the other to be Archbishop of Mentz a Prince Elector in Germany being but a Wheelers sonne They acknowledged Gods prouidence and worke in their aduancement and were so farre from being ashamed of their base parentage that the one would not
shift for themselues by flight before they had put their Generall Sertorius in safety So the Galles had their Soldurios that is deuoted men which vowed to liue and dye with their Lord as Bodin out of antiquity doth gather So the French Protestants are much commended by the equall for that they bâ—stowed the young Princes of Nauarre and Condie in a strong Castle out of gun-shot before they hazarded the great battell of Moncounter The King is so to the Common-weale as the helme is to the shippe or rather as the shippe is to the passengers while the shippe is safe there is hope to recouer the land be we neuer so farre from it though the Sea and winds doe neuer so much swell and rage but if the Shippe sinke or be dashed on the rockes there remaineth nothing but a fearefull looking for of drowning and destruction Therefore the safety of the King being the safety of all what maruell if the Prophet begin with Kings and aduise them to looke about them This may be one cause Another this We know that there is no cloth that doth so kindely take the colour that the Dyer would staine it with as the people are apt to imitate the guize and carriage of their Prince the similitude is not mine but Nazianzens therefore because the conuerting of him is the conuerting of hundreds at a clap and his auersenesse or stiffenesse the auersenesse or standing out of multitudes this also may be thought to be a cause why he beginneth with Kings When was there a good King in Iuda for there were but few in Israel after that Ephraim departed from the house of Dauid that sought the Lord with all his heart but he drew the people to be well-giuen at the least-wise in comparison On the other side when was there a wicked King that did set set vp Idols in his heart or worshipped the Hoast of heauen or burnt incense vnto Baal but the people were as forward and as sharpely set vpon Idolatry as he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The subiect is wont to emulate and imitate the life of his Gouernour or Prince saith one Historiographer and another Princeps quum Imperio maximus sit exemplo maior est that is Be the Prince neuer so great for command yet he commandeth most by his example It is somewhat strange Circumcision is a painefull thing specially in them that are out of their Infancy it may be gathered hereby for that the Turkes vsing it at this day vpon their children being of sâ—me yeeres doe vse such dissembling towards them for the circumstance of the time when they doe it and yet when the King of Sichem had yeelded thereunto the whole City followed So Diodorus writeth of the Aethiopians that when their King had caught some mayme or marke in any part ofhis body the manner was for all his Fauorites to maime or marke themselues in the same part Is it not written of Rehoboam expressely that when he forsooke the Lord all Israel did so with him Also is it not to be obserued in the Ecclesiasticall Story that when Iulian fell from Christ vnto Paganisme Valens in stead of the truth imbraced a lye the vile Heresie of the Arians a great part of the Empire did so likewise On the other side when Iosiah serued the Lord with all his heart all Iuda did so all his dayes And when Constantine the great and Theodosius the great gaue themselues to aduance the faith of Christ and to purge out the old leauen of Heathenisme there was such a change in the Empire on the sudden that Zosimus and Eunapius being Pagans doe much complaine thereof in their writings therefore me thinkes Fulgensius speaketh to good purpose and agreeable to true experience that although Christ dyed indifferently for all the faithfull yet the conuerting of the mighty Ones of the world is of speciall seruice to winne soules vnto Christ. Hee doth symbolize with that learned Writer that allegorizng vpon those words of Saint Iohn touching the taking of so many great Fishes doth congratulate vnto the Church the happy conuerting of Princes because by their conuetsion many were brought vnto Christs Fold Yea Plutarch a Heathen man saw in a manner as much touching the great force that is in the example of Princes for he in the life of Dio speaking of Plato his sayling into Sicily to doe some good vpon King Dionysius maketh this to be the speciall motiue for that the reforming of the King would be the reforming of the whole Iland So then the Kings piety and sound perswasion being as effectuall for the winning of the soules of his subiects as his bodily safety is auaileable for the conseruing of their worldly estates Our Psalmist without doubt had great reasâ—on to doe as he doth to begin with Kings This may suffice for the naturall placing of the words and withall touching the incomparable good that redoundeth to the common Estate by the Kings piety and safety I come now more closely to the Duty of Kings for of that onely and of the touch of the time Now which shall be for application I shall speake at this time Be wise now therefore O Kings Two kindes of wisedome are required in Kings and Princes wisedome or knowledge in Gods matters otherwise called Diuinity and wisedome or knowledge in matters of the world otherwise called Prudence or Policy Both are contained in the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifieth also good successe to note that God many times crowneth pious prudence prudent piousnes with many a temporall blessing Both are not onely for ornament like the two Pillars that Salomon put in the Porch of the Temple but also for speciall vse like the hands of Aaron Hur which did support the armes of Moses for the discomfiture of the Amalekites For if they be pious only in Gods matters be not otherwise prudent then they are fitter for the Common-weale of Plato then for the corrupt estate of Romulus for the Cloister then for the Court Againe if they be prudent or politicke onely be not pious then they are fitter to be Kings of Babel where dwelleth confusion then of Hierusalem where Gods glory is seene and more rightly to be called the children of this world which goeth to nought and perisheth then the children of God who loue truth in the inwards and caâ—e for none but for such as worship him from a pure heart with a good conscience Well they must bee Diuines as it were this is first required I say not in profession but in knowledge they must know God the onely Lord and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ they must know Christ and him crucified and the power of his Crosse and vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions that they may be conformable vnto his death they must separate and distinguish truth from error cleane from vncleane right from
sword by the sword of the enâ—my or by handling their owne sword dastardly or vnskilfully Againe many haue lost that for want of gold which they got by the sword euen children can instance these points Therefore as Ioseph is commended for his good husbandry in that he gathered together an infinite deale of corne and layd vp the same in store-houses against the yeeres of deaâ—th And as Calebs daughter is commended for her good huswifery in that she would not suffer her husband to be content with the fields allotted vnto him but she would needs begge of her father the springs of water for the continuall watering of the same Briefly as on the other side Hezekiah is commended for his good policy that he caused the people to stop all the fountaines and the riuer that ran thorow the middest of the Country that the enemy might be distressed for want of water So if we will not haue the riuer of our hope turned away by the enemy nor otherwise dryed vp if we meane either to win or to saue we must be willing most willing to furnish the State with store of treasure before-hand that there be â—o want when time requireth I confesse that Eusebius reporteth of Constantius Chlorus that he should say that he cared not to haue treasure in his owne coffers all the while his friends his louing subiects had money in their coffers or purses because he could command the same But I thinke it was spoken more confidently than prouidently for howsoeuer it may be as certain that is in friends hands as if it were in our own yet it is not so ready and that euen Constantius himselfe did find for he was faine to detaine with him the Embassadours of Dioclesian to whom he vttered that confident speech for a good time before he could amasse that together that was worth the shewing as is to be seene in the same Eusebius So it is Quod à multis fit negligenter fit It is commonly said that is That which is to be done by many hands it will be long before it be done and so that which is to be gathered from many hands will be long in gathering If any thing be to be receiued we striue who shall be foremost fearing all will be gone before we come but if any thing be to be layed out we striue to be hindmost hoping the burthen will be borne before we come Now by this staggering and looking one vpon another as Iacobs sonnes are said to haue looked one vpon another when they knew not what to doe for want of corne there hapneth delay and delay proueth many times dangerous Neither is that in the 17. of Deut. Where Moses sayth The King shall not gather vnto him much siluer and gold against that which is proiected for in that place not so much the hauing as the coueting nor the coueting simply as to couet with an euill couetousnesse to set our nests on high as the Prophet speaketh to couet to bestow vpon our lusts as Saint Iames speaketh to couet to make ostentation of our wealth as Hezekiah did and by his example Aquinas doth explicate Moses Lastly to couet and to gather by extreme exactions such as Rehoboam would haue vsed and Marcus Antonius de facto did vse imposing vpon Asia two maine Tributes in one yeere who therefore was told but mannerly and perswasiuely not rudely that if he would haue two such Tributes in one yeere he must help them to two Haruests in one yeere But English Tributes moderate Tributes such I say as haue these three properties intimated by the very Etymon of the three Chaldee words signifying Tribute Ezra 4. Mindah belo halac namely that first they be Mindah that is in a measure and moderate according to Saint Pauls rule Make your Collection as God shall haue prospered you 1 Cor. 16. And as it is in the 11. of the Acts They decreed to send to the Brethren that dwelt in Iudea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is According to euery ones store Secondly they must be halac that is goe ouer the Land in generall without partiality according to Saint Pauls rule Againe 2 Cor. 8. Not that others should be eased and you pressed or wringed but that there be an equality Lastly they must be Belo that is inueterate or ancient so farre and so long as the common State requireth no more For salus Regis salus Reipub. salus Reipub. summa Lex that is The safety of the King is the safety of the Common-weale the safety of the Common-weale is a Law aboue all Lawes such Tributes I say Customes Subsidies Fifteenes call them how you will are as necessary many times to vphold a State as the outward ayre which we drawe-in is necessary for respiration and for the refreshing of the vitals as the blood in the veines is necessary for the conseruing of life It was said in old time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is You may not define and stint the charges of warre And the like may be said of the charge of a King and Kingdome that they can hardly be rated or stinted Besides those that are ordinary albeit who can recite halfe the ordinary charges of either how much are they forced many times to bestow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vpon the secret purposes and aduantages of the State as Pericles brought in his account to the Athenians how much in exploratores as Consalvus brought in his account to his master of Spaine witnesse Arnold Ferron Now in these cases is it for Sophocles his sonnes to implead as it were their father for dilapidating or are wee not rather to request him with all instance as Saint Paul was requested 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his sonnes whom he had begotten in the Gospell that he would receiue a blessing of vs and are we not to yeeld willingly to bestowe and to be bestowed againe as the same Apostle speaketh for his sake Lastly I grant that when the holy father of Rome I call him holy as the falling-sickenesse is called an holy sickenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made this argument namely The Church of Rome is mother to the Church of England and consequently I said he the father thereof therefore since children are not to suffer their parents to want you must supply me with two Prebends out of euery Cathedrall Church with two portions out of euery Religious house c. I say when he made this argument vnto them they denyed the argument and contradicted his agents And no maruell for as when Rabshakeh bragged that his Lord the King of Assyria had preuailed against such a God and such a God and the other God Hezechiah answered Truth for they were not Gods but the worke of mens hands so say I that the English had great reason to deny to ayde the father of Rome and the Church
Phaâ—ton to the whole earth and so he proued shewing himselfe not onely an enemy to vertue but also to all that that sauoured of it And truly he that had the skill to cast the Iesuites their natiuity or rather that will by the fruite iudge of the tree will confesse that of all the Spawne that Satan or his Vicar haue cast out or allowed in these later hundred yeeres none haue wrought either more dishonour to God or hurt to his Church or danger to Common-weales than these Plutarch maruelleth how a man could be compounded of so many contraries as Alcibiades was iocund with the merry sad with the graue babblatiue with praters of few words with the silent a rioter with boone-companions abstinent with the abstenious c. in a word a very Cameleon changing himselfe into all colours saue white for these be Plutarch words The like writeth Tully of Catiline in Oration pro Caelio The like we may say of the Iesuites as also some of themselues at the least of their friends giue forth Iesuita est omnis homo that is A Iesuite is an euery-ody fellow for all companies he can blow hot and cold with one breath play fast and loose with one hand hold with the Hare and runne with the Hound goe to the Kings of the earth and incense them against their subiects specially if they smell of Heresie as they call Heresie repaire to the subiects and blowe the coales of mutiny against the Prince specially if he giue the least cause of Iealousie to him of Rome with the iouiall they will not sticke to quaffe and carouse yea to dance and game Ordine ad Deum to winne them forsooth the Apostles were wont to vse that method in preaching no doubt with the austere they will bend the browe and put such a face of grauity vpon it as though the Quintessence of vertue might be extracted out of their fore-heads intus Nero foris Cato totus ambiguus that is A Nero inwardly a Cato outwardly euery way an Hypocrite or doubler Thus as the Apostle became all things to all men to winne some so they become all things to all men to ouerthrowe the faith of many Volo virtutes eorum proferre c. that is I will acquaint you with their vertues saith Tertullian of some Heretickes but this I acknowledge to be the greatest vertue in them that they doe emulate the Apostles peruersely for the Apostles raised such as were dead to life and these make such as were aliue dead Aeneas Syluius compareth Monks and old witches together saying Non audet Stygius Pluto tentare quod audet Infelix Monachus plenaque fraudis anus that is The Deuill himselfe is not so venturous as wretched Monks and charming old women be And the like complaint might be taken vp and might haue beene taken vp this many and many yeeres past concerning the Iesuites that their attempts are desperate and their executions bloody for the most part They will not play small play nor busie their refined wits about trifles as Domitian is reported to haue spent certaine houres in the day in catching flies O no but as one said to Antonius the Triumvir Thy fishing is to take vp Townes and Fortresses and Kingdomes and the lik so their fishing is to hale vp at one draught a whole Seignory or Principality Is any man great with a Prince or a State him they seeke by all meanes by promises by gifts by threats to winne him to their side if they cannot make him to be for them then they will doe their best or worst to make him away Nay they are not content to strike at a seruant and to seeke to vnhorse him but no worse than Dauid will serue their turne Dauid the Anointed of the Lord him they persecute his life they seeke to take away as it is in my Text Fight not against small nor great but against the King of Israel onely said the King of Syria So these strike onely at the fairest So did they in Queene Elizabeths time What doe you speake of killing of Leicester said one of the foureteene Traitors that were En-Iesuited the Queene is the onely marke Thus in England So in France Let King Henry the third a counterfeit Monke be killed by a true Monke Iames Clement doe thou vpon the remission of thy sins and to be made a Saint strike him and one blow for all that thou needest not strike him againe Thus they dispatched Henry the third for feare lest he would wholy reuolt from them So did they deale against Henry the fourth though he had turned to them yet because he had stood out long and the holy Father was not wholy reconciled to him therefore they proclaime that it was a meritorious deed to kill him Hereupon one Iohn Castile a Nouice of theirs attempts vpon his person and strikes out one of his teeth he meant to haue striken him to the heart but the King stooping downe vpon occasion receiued the blow into his mouth My mouth said the King afterwards conuinceth the Iesuites And Barrier a disciple of theirs came with a resolution from Meloun to stabbe him Barrier missed then but Rauillacke afterwards did the deed being poysoned by the Iesuites their doctrine that for as much as the Pope is Christs Vicar or Vice-gerent whosoeuer fighteth against any of his creatures or fauorites he fighteth against Christ himselfe and therefore may lawfully be murthered Before that euen about this time twelue yeeres they attempted against our now Soueraigne whom God in his mercy preserue and as though it had beene a small thing to kill a King and no body besides they conspired to destroy the whole State with him head and tayle branch and rush as the Prophet speaketh The King Queene and their Children they were as it were the head the Counsellors and Honorable men they as it were the brest the Commons assembled in Parliament they as it were the feet Vpon all these and vpon thousands more that dwelt or lay neere the Parliament-house they thought to bring a Panolethry an vniuersall destruction We read of twenty thousand slaine in a Towne of Italy called Fidenae in the dayes of Tiberius by the fall of a Theater but this was by casualty the finger of God was in it but men call it casualty So we read of many hundreds yea thousands blowne vp into the ayre and torne in pieces by gun-powder bestowed in mines vnder the earth for such mischiefe but this was in time of hostility and by enemies So we read of Mithridates conspiracy against the Romanes in Asia of Hamans conspiracy against the Iewes in Persia to haue them massacred all in one day as one man but these were Pagans and knew nothing of God or godlinesse So we read of Vesperae Siculae matutinae Parisienses that is Sicilian Euen-song and Paris-Mattens also of Danish and Normandish Washals in which there was an horrible slaughter made
beware of it euery one specially young men and that you may escape Drunkennesse take heed of drinking much wine and strong drinke otherwise you will fall into the extremity which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which without serious repentance without the greater repentance will bring a man to destruction both of body and soule The Lord saue that which he hath bought Amen Amen FINIS A SERMON AT THE FVNERALL OF THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD MILES LATE LORD BISHOP OF GLOVCESTER PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRALL CHVRCH of GLOVCESTER vpon the ninth of Nouember 1624. by THOMAS PRIOR Master of Arts and one of the Prebendaries there PSALME 16. My flesh shall rest in hope LONDON Printed by Elizabeth Allde for Robert Allot dwelling at the Blacke Beare in Pauls Church-yard 1632. A FVNERALL SERMON VPON THE DEATH OF MILES SMITH LATE LORD BISHOP OF GLOCESTER 2 TIMOTHIE 1.12 For I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that Day BLackenesse and sadnesse haue clouded this day for a principall Pastor a great Prelat is now fallen in our Israel Himselfe occasioned the choise of this Text and the scope of it is this Paul appointed a Preacher of the Gospell laboureth therein much but men worldly-wise accounting his preaching foolishnesse and babbling doe scoffe reproche and persecute to dash and to discourage him yet cannot he through cowardice be diuerted from his way nor through selfe-guiltinesse be ashamed of his worke For when else-where he looketh on the Gospell it selfe he is bold and saith I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation And here looking on the future reward of his now paines and patience with like confidence hee saith againe I suffer these things neuerthelesse I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued c. They obserue a difference vsuall betweene credere Deum Deo in Deum to beleeue a God to beleeue God and to beleeue in God But here the holy Ghost obserueth not this difference for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be rightly englished whom I haue beleeued yet it imports no lesse than if it had beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom I haue beleeued For by it he giues firme assent to the premises with application to himselfe and relyance on God that they shall be performed to him accordingly which is to beleeue in God And for proofe of this our Apostle telleth vs that he hath committed to Gods custody as he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pawne a Pledge or that which he intrusted him withall And what that is take from Interpreters ancient and moderne One saith his soule another which is all one himselfe his workes saith a third a fourth addeth his sufferings a fifth his Saluation And from all you haue the whole truth and nothing else For thus it standeth God hath deposited with Paul the gifts of his Grace these he vseth to his masters best aduantage and suffers much for it but that blankes him not that puts not him out of heart for his depositum is with God to whom he hath committed his soule himselfe his doings his sufferings to be rewarded with life and saluation Of this to be sure he supporteth his confidence with two props One the Alsufficient power of God who is able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of power to keepe all for him Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Power of God is either Immanent working in himselfe or Transient towards the creatures And this Absolute by which he can doe more than he will or Actuall by which he doeth what he will And that this actuall power which the Almighty pleased to determine by his Will is here meant is plaine by the Other prop of his confidence to wit His experience of the effects of the other diuine Attributs implyed in I know whom I haue beleeued q. d. A God of Wisedome Truth Righteousnesse Goodnesse Loue and whatsoeuer may assure me But when is the time of his expectation At the Day that shall set an end to all dayes to all times called by an eminency in the Text that Day id est that great and fearefull day of Christ in which the Lord Iesus shall come to iudge the world In summe thus our Apostle He who knowes that he whom he hath intrusted can will keepe for him against the appointed day that which he hath committed to his trust needeth not to be ashamed of his sufferings for it But such an one I know my God to be c. Thus he reasons And by this time you know his meaning and whereat he aymes scil To speake his knowledge of God In a two-fold Proposition 1 Generall that he knowes who he is saying I know whom I haue beleeued 2 Particular that he knowes what a one specially in one of his Attributes viz. of Power Which Power is Inuincible able to keepe that which is committed vnto him Which Power is Vnchangeable vntill or against that day According to this the first Meditation we shall fall on will runne thus That God and none but God is the comfort of the faithfull in his troubles The beleeuer in afliction drawes not comfort out of the standing Pooles of outward sufficiencies but out of the liuing Fountaines of the Alsufficiency of the Lord Almighty He romes not vp and downe this Sublunary world to releeue himselfe being hard bestaed No that were with that vncleane spirit in the Gospell to walke through dry places seeking rest and finding none but when he with Dauid is greatly distressed his house rifled his goods spoiled his wiues captiuated his Ziglag fired his associates mutinous meditating death and stoning him then fetcheth he his comfort from Heauen so Dauid comforted himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 And truely to enlarge our selues a little here whither should a man in such a case flie but hither For nothing can afford solide comfort that it selfe cannot at least take away the cause of discomfort That Romans griefe prompt so much to him who to his friends that would comfort him about the losse of the Consulship saith Omnes consulere scitis Consulem facere nescitis All can giue me counsell yee cannot make me Consull Could outward things rid vs from the troubles of this life from death the end of this life from damnation after death then said they something worth the harkening to but this they cannot doe for breuities sakes insist on one Not from Death for as the Candle failes before it is well lighted or is choaked with much moisture or is puffed out with the wind or is extinguished by the hand of man or goeth out of its owne accord So man if not intombed in his mothers bell◠dyeth not in the cradle withereth not growing vp be not conquered when ablest to conquer but doth hold out till old age then
said Out of the belly of Hell cryed I Chap. 2.2 Then vers 4. I said I am cast out of thy sight Oh that God rather than lose them would so pursue ours and fetch them home before past recouery O that themselue would fore-apprehend the bitternesse of outward crosses specially of sickenesse when these refuges will proue but a lye vnto them Oh that they would consider how conscience will then board them and present to them the sin-reuenging wrath of God enough to make the heauens to melt and the earth to tremble Ah poore dying man whose life doth hang before him stayes it It s with that intolerable companion a wounded spirit departs it t is into the insufâ—erable and vnquencheable flames of hell But whereto tends this to driue to desperation Nay but to God Whither should the aâ—â—righted child goe but to his Father Whither the tyred but to him that can refresh him the wounded but to the Chirurgeon A people but to theiâ— God To whom shall wee goe say the Disciples by Peters mouth thou hast the words of eternall life To Christ then to Christ and by him vnto the Father who saith I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me And againe Neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoeuer the Son will reueale him Where to finde comfort in distresse ye know the way ye know When Noahs Doue found no rest for the sole of her foot she returned into the Arke vnto him againe so let vs returne vnto God againe out of whom no rest can be found no not for the sole of our foot The Law was that if a man found his enemies Oxe or Asse going aâ—tray he should returne it home to the owner sure I am we owe no lesse to our own soules when they go astray from God Let vs therefore send them homewards with Dauids direction Returne to thy rest O my soule Thus haue we opened the fountaine of Pauls consolation next you shall see how he doth assure it I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him id est intrusted him withall When a foundation is laid in a proportion Geometricall they build and the more weight is laid on the foundation the firmer so where God is the foundation settle thy building vpon him intrust thy selfe and whatsoeuer thou art with him and be sure For They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but abideth for euer The meanes to secure our felicity is to intrust our selues and our causes with him For he is both Able to keepe all and it may stand him vpon First He is Able for nothing is hard to the Almighty He is able by his absolute power of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham To mix all things and to bring them backe to their former Chaos And what else not And by his Actuall power he can cast Satan from heauen like lightning can deliuer him into the chaines of darkenesse can rescue out of his Kingdome whom he will can keepe them being so deliuered vnto Saluation That then which is committed vnto him doth not perish because the euerlasting Arme is vnderneath Him wilt thou keepe in perfect peace saith Isaiah whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Trust ye in the Lord for euer for in the Lord Iehovah is euerlasting strength And secondly in a sort it stands his Maiesty vpon to doe for them that depend vpon him else what shall bee done to his great Name how will the enemy insult the godly hang downe the head or how will any be bold to cast themselues on him in aftertimes In their pressures therefore they may resolue with Dauid Our heart shall reioyce in him because we haue trusted in his holy Name Psal. 33.21 Wouldest thou then O Christian man finde sanctuary in a storme and a City of refuge against the pursuer when other mens hearts doe faint would thine be stable when the spirit of other men can scarce beare their owne infirmity would thine finde helpe against the wound of spirit when not ciuill honesty not good intentions not formall prosession nor the bare name of Christian can steed thee wouldest thou then want wherewith to foile and fell thine enemy when thou art to dye wouldest thou bid defiance to death and hell In a word when the heauens shall be on fire about thine eares wouldest thou be able to looke vpon the Sonne of man Let the Lord be thy relyance and the most High thy confidence gather thy selfe vnder his wings and trust vnder the shadow of feathers bewaile thine vnaptnesse to beleeue on him confesse thine aptnesse to leane on lying vanities and stirre vp thy soule to rely on heauen Doe we call Acts and Deeds of men security and shall we not trust that which God hath sealed and deliuered vnto vs children rely wholly on their parents and shall not we rely wholy on our heauenly Father Neuer man yet trusted in God and was disappointed and shall we now be forsaken If Iehosaphats people will beleeue in the Lord they shall be established if beleeue his Prophets they shall prosper If we be not wanting to our selues wee shall not want any thing necessary If thou canst beleeue saith our Sauiour to that man in the Gospell all things are possible to him that beleeueth dependance on God is better than all worldly confidences And better is it than Sauls Armour to be able to affront an enemy as Dauid did Goliah saying I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the Armies of Israel For that armeth with Power inuincible able to preserue and with Power vnchangeable able to preserue for euer for this cause our Apostle is bold and saith He is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that Day Where of the last Day in the last place Now in that he doth so slight his sufferings and the shame of them for his expectation at the day of Iudgement he learneth vs That it doth much concerne a man to prouide that it may go well with him at that Day Let the fire saith Ignatius that holy Martyr vnder Traian in his Epistle to Rome the gallowes deuouring of wild beasts breaking of bones pulling asunder of my members the pressing of my whole body the torment of the Deuill or hell it selfe come vpon me so that I may winne Christ Iesus Winne Christ Iesus What 's that This is that and no other for which our Saint Paul suffered the losse of all things and did count them but dung that he might winne Christ Philip. 3.8 But what may that be Reade the 11. and 12. verses and you shall heare himselfe That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and