a precious fountaine and well of lâ—fe Therefore saith Salomon The mouth of the righteous is a well spring of life and the instruction of a wise man is as such a well to turne away from the snares of death And againe vnderstanding is a wel-spring of life to them that haue it The necessitie and commoditie of wisedome all trees plants hearbes all fruits and creatures haue neede of water for comforting nourshing and sustaining them but this water is farre more excellent then all fountaines wells or water in the world this is true Aqua vitae the water of life that other water commeth out of the earth this from heauen that common to the most vile wicked and to all creatures and beasts this peculiar and proper to the sonnes and daughters of God that water not to be found euery where sometimes it quite fadeth and faileth in time of drought but this is offred to all and doth neuer vtterly decay that water cannot preserue life against violence diseases and age This doth defend vs against Sathan and sinne and maketh vs alwaies strong and liuely those waters may be stayed and stopped by the policie malice of man as the Philistimes stopped the wells which Abrahams seruants digged in his time but this well can no mortall man stop This wisedome is also compared to foode to bread to a feast and banquet of most dilicate costly dainties wisedome hath built her a house and hewne out her seuen pillars she hath killed her victuals drawne her wine prepared her table she inuiteth and calleth her guestes to eate and drinke with her corporall foode is pleasant to the tast the foode of wisedome is pleasant to the soule bodily foode nourisheth poore weakely bodies wisedome reuiueth and raiseth vp wounded soules and afflicted consciences by earthly foode we growe stronger and higher by this spiritual foode we growe in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ other foode onely for the bellie but for a time this foode for the inward man and endureth both in life and death it is durable foode and nourishment that abideth and sticketh by vs it is the bread and foode of life and finally it maketh vs truly happie and blessed and therefore to be chiefely esteemed and desired Wisedome is the beginning saith Salomon get wisedome therefore and aboue all thy possessions get vnderstanding exalt her and she will exalt thee she shall bring thee honor if thou imbrace her shee shall giue a comely ornament to thine head yea she shall giue thee a crowne of glory And again thus speaketh wisedom Oh yee foolish men vnderstand wisedom and ye ô fooles be wise in hart giue eare and I will speake of excellent things and the opening of my lippes shall teach things that be right receiue mine instruction and not siluer knowledge rather then gold for wisedom is better theÌ„ precious stones and all pleasures are not to be compared to her shee is then excellent vpright perfect true iust plaine easie and sweet she promiseth grace fauour friendship riches of the minde As knowledge temperance patience righteousnes she promiseth honor and glory to all her friends and followers as a Princesse shee shall either make thee honourable in the eyes of prophane people as shee did Ioseph in Pharaohs sight or she shall make thee gratious and glorious in the eyes of good men of Angels and of God himselfe she will make vs Kings Priests Prophets Oh most blessed bountifull and gratious wisedome happie yea thrise happie are all thy true disciples and followers Let vs therefore harken to that counsell of wisedome My sonne heare my words and hide my commandements with thee keepe my commandements and thou shalt liue and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes binde them vpon thy fingers and write them vpon the table of thine heart say to wisedome thou art my sister Againe Harken oh children to me for blessed are they that keepe my waies heare instruction and be yee wise refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching dayly at my gates and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores for hee that findeth me findeth life and shall obtaine fauour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me hurteth his owne soule and all that hate me loue death The way therefore to make a people happie is to heare and obey this wisedome this is that which the seruants of God haue chiefely desired wished for in this life Salomon himselfe when he was put to his choise to aske what he would passed by all other things this is his onely desire prayer to God to giue him an vnderstanding heart This was Iobes felicitie I haue not departed sayth he from the commandement of his lips and I haue esteemed the words of his mouth more then mine appointed food This was Ieremies felicity Thy words were found by me and I did eat them and thy word was vnto me the ioy reioicing of my heart And this was Dauids chiefe happines One thing saith he haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord to visit his Temple But most liuely and fully hee sheweth that this was his chiefe ioy and felicitie in the 119. Psalme thorow that whole Psalme for this is the chiefe scope and drift of that large and sweete Psalme that that man is onely truely happie that frameth his religion and life according to the blessed rule of the word of God he commendeth the diginitie profit and sweetnes of that word he prayeth many times for the vnderstanding and practise of it he setteth forth the great account and estimation he had of it the speciall loue and delight he had in it I haue had sayth he as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellers the lawe of thy mouth is better to mee then thousands of gold and siluer thy word is a lanthorne to my feete and a light to my paths thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the ioy of mine heart I reioyce at thy word as one that findeth a great spoyle But to let all the rest passe let vs consider and view a litle one whole part of that Psalme wherein he proueth that his chiefe happines was in this word of wisedome Oh how loue I thy law Hee cannot vtter the great loue that hee bare to it as who should say I loue it aboue all things in the world there is nothing so deere and so precious to mee and because many protest their loue to Gods word and yet indeed loue it not they shew forth no fruites of loue Dauid proues his loue by his often meditation of the word It is saith he my meditation continually As if he should say
bee counted blessed What enemie is so iniurious or contumelious as the pleasures of some are to them Many are so drowned in pleasures that they are brought to a custome and cannot want them which for this cause are most miserable because they haue made those things most necessary which are superfluous therefore they serue their pleasures and doe not enioy them they loue their euils which is the chiefe of all euill Another sayeth that true ioy is not possessed vnlesse peace and righteousnes be kept and holden The first is as it were the roote that is righteousnes the second is peace the third is ioy from righteousnes proceedeth peace from peace proceedeth ioy they reioyce in temporall things which haue not learned to desire eternall things If we list to giue our selues to pleasures a hundreth yeeres yea adde another hundreth and if thou list ten hundreth more what is this to the reward of eternity is not all the time of this life wherin we seeme to enioy pleasures serue our lusts but the sleepe of one night in comparison of eternitie There is a ioy which is not giuen to the wicked but to them ô Lord which doe willingly worship thee whose ioy thou thy selfe art and this is the true blessed life to reioyce of thee and for thee this and no other is true blessednesse but of the vanitie of these men which repose felicity either in humane wisedome or in the glory of the world in riches or pleasures we haue partly spoken before And let Salomon deside and determine this matter both by his sentence and example he pronounceth of all these things Vanitie of vanities vanities of vanities all is vanitie If he had but thus spoken in his wisedome being diuine and inspired we should beleeue him and rest vpon his iudgement but he speaketh also vpon experience and proofe If a poore man had spoken it we might haue reiected his iudgement as one that neuer tasted the excellencie of riches and pleasures but it is spoken by Salomon a famous and worthy king who excelled and abounded in all wisedome glory wealth and pleasures hauing tasted of all he protesteth and crieth out that all is vanity And marke what one sayth of that sentence If those sayeth he which are occupied in power and riches they would write this verse vpon all their walles vpon their houses vpon their dores and gates and specially if they would write it in their consciences that they might alwayes haue it before their eyes and feele it in their heart that all is vanitie And thus wee see sundrie enemies opposites to wisedome we see the miserable estate of such as want her of such as despise her and repose their happines in other things And howsoeuer many be against her and she hath but few faithfull friends and few doe respect or regard her as they ought but prefer most base and vile things before her yet is this wisdome iustified of all her childrē Now let vs come to some further vses of this doctrine for the instruction and comfort of her friends and followers First then this serueth for the instruction of the sonnes daughters of wisedome that with all diligence care reuerence they continually hearken to true wisedome Though outward hearing be not sufficiēt yet it is commended as profitable and necessary and as meanes to conuey grace knowledge and faith to the heart and it is the chiefe end why God hath giuen vs eares euen thereby to hearken to his voice Without this hearing how should we know God how should we loue him how should we feare and beleeue in him Who so is among you that feareth the Lord saith Esaiah let him heare the voice of his seruant Again hearken vnto me my people giue eare vnto me ô my people hearken vnto me you that know righteousnes the people in whose heart is my law we are readie to hearken to fables to heare histories to heare the letters of our friends the Proclamation of Princes and some are very ready and willing to heare the Idolatrous Masse shall not we be more ready and willing to heare the voyce of our God The publike assemblies are the schooles of wisedome wee must like good schollers with diligence resort thither and be content both to heare and learne wee must like Cornelius heare with reuerence whatsoeuer shal be spoken from the mouth of God wee must with Lidea giue attendance to Pauls preaching and wee must daily watch at the gates of wisedome and giue attendance at the postes of our doores we must willinglie neglect no time nor occasion that may serue for our instruction in this schoole But of this poynt I will stand no more because heeretofore in the commending of wisedome we alledging manie testimonies of holie Scripture from whence we may drawe sufficient reasons and motiues to stirre vs vp to carefull hearing Now I adde another vse that seeing our felicity lyeth in wisedome we must not only carefully heare it but also loue it most deerely and esteeme it aboue all things else whatsoeuer Some there be diligent hearers but yet they doe not so highly esteeme of this wisedome as they should neither doe they shew the fruits of that loue which this deserueth they thinke it good but not the chiefest good but we are to loue and esteeme this wisedome not as an ordinary or common thing but as it is indeed the best and the chiefest of all things preferring it aboue all riches pleasures or any thing else in the world be they neuer so pleasant profitable or excellent esteeming this as most good most necessary and that we had better want all the best things in the world then this and who indeed will not thus esteeme of this felicity being the greatest felicity of this life and that which will leade vs to eternall happines Such an account and estimation had the wise man of it when hee putteth it in the first place preferreth it before all things Our Sauiour Christ counteth it the one thing needfull and the good part that shall be neuer taken from vs he compareth it to a treasure hid in the field and to a pearle of great price which when a man hath found for ioy thereof he selleth all that he hath and buyeth it The blessed Apostle he esteemeth all things else drosse and dung in cōparison of this excellent knowledge so that our loue to this it must be rare sincere and perfect like our loue to God himselfe and indeed so much as we loue God so much we loue his word and as little as we loue the one so little we loue the other The speciall note to proue our loue to God is our true loue to his word now where true loue is there is hungring and thirsting and eager desiring of that which we loue there is a delight and a ioy vnspeakable when we haue it Wisdome calleth those onely to be her
body wee may haue too much surfet of it to our hurt yet it is not so in this spirituall foode wee may be too wise in the world too wise in our owne conceit but we can neuer haue too much of this spirituall wisedome so long as we liue in this world and he that is most wise or holie hath his wants and doth dayly desire increase of grace Corporall food saith one when wee haue it not doth breed in vs a great desire to haue it when we haue it and eate it and fill our selues with it we oftentimes loath it but on the contrary spirituall dainties and foode when wee haue them not we loath them when we haue them in truth we the more desire them In bodilie foode appetite breedeth fulnesse and fulnesse breedeth loathing in spirituall foode appetite breedeth fulnesse and fulnesse breedeth appetite and desire for spirituall daynties when they feede and fill they doe increase in the minde an earnest and ardent desire Therefore oh worthie Citizens confesse and acknowledge this great blessing of God vpon you be thankful to God for it others confesse this blessing vpon you they are glad reioyce for it and would be more glad to haue the like blessing in some sort amongst themselues they take paines to come to take some part with you in this grace and many neighbours and strangers haue receiued much comfort and profit by these blessed gracious meanes which you enioy in such abundance It may be some amongst you do scarcely confesse this blessing they thinke it needlesse or that they may well spare it but most vnkind vnthankfull are these without grace or vnderstanding Others say happie are you but they can neither feele nor see any such happines It may be some of Salomons Courtiers and seruants thought it no great happines to haue such a maister such a diuine teacher to be partakers of such heauenly wisedome but yet this woman a stranger a Gentill pronounceth them happie and happie were they indeed if they knew their owne happinesse And I doubt not but many of you doe acknowledge with ioy this to be the chiefe happinesse of your citie to haue so long time so sincerely in such varietie of gifts so plentifullie the true wisedome of Christ preached and published amongst you Indeed the Lord hath not dealt so with euery nation with euery towne or citie Nay the Lord hath stricken many countreys and townes with palpable darknes but there is light cleare light the day light yea the cleare light of the sunne in this worthie place where you dwâ—ll Many places haue long endured the most bitter famine of the soule they haue bin depriued destitute many yeres of the sweet bread of life but here hath bin many yeares plentie and others come hither to get food and sustenance for their soules We therefore brethren as helpers exhort you that you receiue not this grace of God in vaine but receiue with meekenes the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your â—oules And here by your patieÌ„ce let me stir you vp to more care and diligence in resorting to Sermons on the weeke day There is great negligence and slacknes in some not onely of the common prophane sort but also of some professors of the Gospel a fault I say in neglecting so many Sermons which they might heare if slothfulnesse worldlinesse or some idle conceit did not hinder them If wee did sincerely loue this wisedome and esteeme it as our chiefe felicitie wee would neglect no time nor meanes which is offered to vs hee that truely loueth the word doth loue it at all times A Sermon in the weeke day tryeth our true loue to the word On the Saboth day men are compelled to come by force of lawe all sorts of men come then Publicans and Pharises Atheists and time-seruers but to come on the weeke-day when law doth not bind vs when we haue other occasions to hold vs back it is a more sure signe of our sincere loue zeale to the word And though the Saboth day be chiefly ordeined for diuine seruice and Sermons that day we are wholie to giuâ— ourselues to such exercises without distraction and though the Lord giue vs liberty to worke the sixe daies yet we owe him all the dayes of our life and euery day we are to prefer heauenly things before earthly and the soule before the body when occasion is offered whensoeuer the Lord calleth though it bee to the losie of the best things we haue Euery one is to answere with Abraham Heere I am and with Samuell after hee knew it to be the Lordes voyce speak Lord for thy seruant heareth And with the Aposties to be ready to forsake all when CHRIST calleth Euery day we are to preferre Heauen before earth things most necessarie before things lesse necessary things publike before things priuate This care and pollicie we haue in the matters of the world Euery day wee must remember and practise these holy scriptures Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy minde with all thy soule That wisedome is the beginning that wee must first seeke Gods kingdome and labour for the meate that neuer perisheth and that there is one thing needfull Oh that wee would often thinke with our selues how much we are bouÌ„d to God how many duties he requireth of vs how many graces we want how weake we are in faith and knowledge Oh that wee would seriously remember the vanity of riches and pleasures the shortnes of this life the comforts of the Worde the great necessity and vse of it in all the occasions of our life And that we would consider how dull and forgetful we are what measure of knowledge zeale loue and sanctification is required of vs what account wee are to make for not hearing for losse of many Sermons which we might haue heard and what a blessing the plentifull preaching of the word is then would wee thinke no time too much nor too long that is spent about it but would say with this woman Happy are they that may alwayes heare such wisedome And if it be a happy thing to heare then are they vnhappy which heare not Those that keep themselues from hearing they hinder their owne happines Some say they goe to a Sermon when they haue nothing to doe As who should say they would not goe if they had anie thing to doe at all but these doe not rightly esteeme of wisdome preferring it before all things Nay as it seemeth they preferre all things before it There is a promise of blessednes made to such as come though they be neuer so small a number But there is no such promise made to them which vppon light occasions absent themselues from holy meetings Nay our Sauiour Christ threatneth such that they shall neuer taste of his heauenly Supper There is nothing lost by seruing of God at any time to such onely he promiseth
wise sonne ouer this mightie people And by his power and helpe he furthereth and helpeth Salomon in building a house to the name of the Lord his God The learned doe obserue That in this King is prefigured the vocation of the gentiles who should helpe to build the spirituall Temple of Christ and indeed he speaketh religiously reioycing when he heard Salomons words and blessing the true God for him as great tokens of calling and conuersion if not greater are apparant in this woman If she amongst others be a figure of the calling of the gentiles then it must needs follow that she her selfe was also called for though God made a separation betwixt Iewes and Gentiles and chose to himselfe for a time the seed of Abraham so that the generall calling of the Gentiles was not before Christ his comming in the flesh yet God had alwaies some amongst them as King Hyram Naamon the Syrian Iob this Queene and others She seekes for true wisedome from Salomon and finds it The Church seekes for the treasures of all knowledge comfort and ioy from Christ She commends and magnifies Salomon the Church magnifieth Christ accounting him as her well beloued husband She pronounceth Salomons followers seruants to be blessed the Church accounteth them happie who heare and receiue Christ in this life and them more happie who behold his glory for euer in the life to come She giueth Salomon precious gifts the Church giueth Christ the best things she hath euen her body and soule as a liuing sacrifice louing Christ aboue all and forsaking all for his sake as Abraham forsooke his owne countrey the Apostles their nettes and Paul accounteth all thingâ— drosse and dung in comparison of Christ And as in this woman we haue a figure of the calling of the Church of the Gentiles so in Salomon we haue a tipe and figure of Christs Salomons kingdome a figure of Christs kingdome his wisedome a figure of Christs wisedome his glory a shadow of Christs glory his riches a tipe of Christs spirituall riches his Temple a tipe of Christs Temple And as Salomon doth kindly accept the gifts and presents of this woman though hee had no neede of them so doth Christ as kindly accept the seruice of his Church And therefore this should encourage vs to giue him the best things we haue with willing and chearefull hearts seeing he is as willing to accept of them aâ— Salomon doth the gifts of this Queene Againe Salomon bestoweth on her euery pleasant thing which she asketh Christ giueth to his whatsoeuer they aske in his fathers name he giueth vs better thingâ— then Salomon should giue this Queene namely hee giueth to vs himselfe his body and blood his spirit his word all spirituall graces yea life eternall For howsoeuer there is some resemblance betweene Salomon and Christ yet he is more excellent then any Patriarke Prince Prophet or Saint whatsoeuer Salomon a King of the earthly Ierusalem Christ the King of the spirituall and heauenly Ierusalem of the militant and triumphant Church Salomon a King of peace of outward and earthly peace Christ the King of inward and euerlasting peace Salomon excelled all Kings of his time in wisedome and knowledge Christ the founder and treasurer of wisedome Of his fulnes haue we all receiued grace for grace for God hath not giuen him the spirit by measure Salomon a Prophet a Preacher Christ as the King of all Kings so the Prince of all Prophets and Preachers Salomon and all the rest spake by him Salomon but a man Christ both man and God Omnipotent Creator of all things Salomon a greeuous sinner Christ pure vndefiled without sinne the Sauiour of repenting sinners meriting life for them and making his word effectuall in them And now let vs further note from this religious woman that religion belongeth to women God is their Creator and therfore they are to serue him The first woman was created in the image of God which is true wisedome holines and righteousnes which was lost by the fall of their first parents and they must seeke to recouer it in Christ who died for them as well as for men They are partakers of both the sacraments they haue soules to saue as well as others they are the weaker vessels and sooner ouercome of Sathan they haue many speciall infirmities they are partakers of many blessings and deliuerances from God Therefore religion the feare of God and diuine wisedome appertaineth to them Besides these reasons we haue plentie of holy examples in the scripture as Euah Sarah Rebecca Debora Marie and Elizabeth with many other holie and religious women If then religion belong to women then much more to men As they excell in place and power so they should excell in grace and wisdome They should be examples of zeale and pietie and teachers of their wiues and families This serueth for the confutation of the Papists who locke vp the scriptures from men and women teaching that doth not belong to them to search the scriptures This also maketh against prophane and carelesse women who are altogether negligent in the matters of religion as though it did not belong to their Sexes at all Here are also reproued wicked and prophane husbands who doe not further but altogether hinder their wiues in the exercise and zeale of religion And most cursed are all Athiests carnall men who scorne and deride any profession or shew of religion in women And finally here is comfort and incouragement for all forward and religious women this may be to stirre them vp to proceed go on in the way of godlines hauing so many both reasons and examples set before them mouing and enforcing them to the zeale of religion And as it appertaineth to all men and women in generall so more especially to Gentiles Nobles Lords Ladies Kings and Queenes as they excell and shine before others in diet in apparell in possessions and dignities so should they goe before them in spirituall graces As they haue receiued more blessings from the Lord so are they more tied and bound to him againe and more zeale pietie and thankefulnes is required at their hands according to the saying of our Sauiour To whom much is giuen of him much shall be required Their places and honours should be inducements to pietie as Samuel said to Saul The Lord sent me to annoynt thee King ouer Israel now therefore obey the words of the voyce of the Lord. As if he should haue said because God hath honoured thee thou art bound to obey him It is their chiefe honour to honour God Those that honour me I will honour saith the Lord. The examples of great persons doth most good or most hurt If they be godly they are a meanes to winne many soules to God by their good examples to drawe them to the exercise of true religion If they be wicked they infect drâ—we many to destruction with them Therefore religion
wise so that hee preferred the loue and good will of a woman before the word of his God So Aaron knewe well enough that there was no Godhead nor diuine power in the golden Calfe yet fearing least the people should stone him he yeelded to their furie he made an Idoll and promulgated the feast of it In like manner Salomon knowing Idols to be nothing yet being ouercome with the flattring inticements of wicked women he graunted to them diuers kindes of Idolatrie It is dangerous for any Prince to suffer and tollerate any Idolatrous worship for the loue or fauour of any be they neuer so neere or deare vnto them Nay we must all learne generally not to harken to the voyce of our dearest friend though it be our owne lawfull wiues if they goe about to drawe vs to any kind of sinne whatsoeuer This was the cause of Adams fall as we heard euen now This was the cause of that ruine of Ahab and his house because he harkned to the voyce of his wife Iesabell and being perswaded by her most vniustly tooke away Naboths vineyard and also most cruelly tooke his life away from him No naturall affections should cause vs to sinne against God or offend his diuine Maiestie our loue to him should bee greater then to any mortall creature whatsoeuer The Heathen could say Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed maior amica veritas Plato is my friend Socrates my friend but truth is a greater friend So may wee say Our fathers our mothers our brothers and sisters our wiues children are neere and deare friends vnto vs but yet Christ is our greatest and best friend he hath done and can do most for vs And therefore nothing should draw vs from his loue And touching Idolatrie it is most odious and abhominable in the eyes of God It is a spirituall whoring from God A denying and forsaking of his Maiestie it hath beene the ruine of many Nations and Kingdomes And therefore in no case to bee suffered nor tollerated for the loue of any Therefore the Lord saith to his people The grauen Images of their gods yee shall burne with fire and couet not the siluer and gold that is on them nor take it vnto thee least thou be snared therewith For it is an abhomination before the Lord thy God Bring not abhomination into thy house least thou bee accursed like it But vtterly abhorre it and count it most abhominable And in another place we are forbidden to hearken to the Prophet that doth perswade vs to goe after other gods and that such a one being conuicted and condemned by the Iudge is to die the death Nay though it bee our sonne or daughter or wife or brother wee must not consent to him nor pittie him nor shew him mercy but thou shalt kill him sayeth the Lord thy hand shall bee first vpon him to put him to death and then the hands of all the people And this is the direct law of God Hee that offereth to any gods saue the Lord onely shall bee slayne There must bee then no sufferance at all of any kinde of Idolatrie This was Salomons sinne and therefore it is sayde that his heart was not perfect with God as the heart of his father Dauid was For howsoeuer hee sinned in adulterie and murther and in numbering the people yet he repented presently and neuer did the like againe and he had alwaies this sinceritie and perfection of heart that he neuer defiled himselfe with Idolatrie neither did hee suffer the true worshippe of GOD to bee corrupted in his Kingdome but kept it sincere pure and sound Hee alwayes hated and detested all false worshippe his soule hated Idols as lame and blind guides therefore hee taketh them away at the beginning of his raigne And hee caused the gods of the Philistims to bee burnt with fire The sorrowes saith he of them that offer to another god shall be multiplied their offerings of blood will I not offer neither make mention of their names with my lips It hath beene a blot and blemish vpon many good Kings because they suffered the high places to remayne and it is the chiefe commendation of good Iosiah that he tooke away all the abhominations out of all the countries that perteyned to the children of Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God This blessed King a worthie president of full and perfect reformation he tooke away not onely grosse Idolatrie but all Reliques and remnants all occasions prouocations appearances shewes of Idolatrie One thing more very necessarie and pertinent wee are to learne by Salomons fall namely Not to be offended though we doe see Christian Princes learned Preachers and great professors men of gifts aboue others to be seduced and drawne into great and grosse sinnes wee are indeede to be grieued and much to lament when wee see or heare such things but yet wee must not bee discouraged in our profession and in the trueth of religion Men of greatest gifts haue beene subiect to great sinnes As Adam Noah Lot Abraham Moses Aaron Dauid Sampson and Salomon Sathan doth most enuie such hee standeth at the right hand of Iehosua Hee will winnow and sifte to the very branne the Apostles of CHRIST as hee himselfe warneth them Indeede the bad liues of Preachers and professors are scandalous and offensiue and hinder many in the way of saluation and maketh the worde and profession ill spoken of by many yea loathed and reiected as the sonnes of Elie by their wickednesse made the offering of the Lord to be abhorred In seeking and receiuing counsell saith one the honestie of life and the prerogatiue of vertue doth much preuaile Who will seeke for a fountaine in a dunghill who will drinke of filthie water for where there is luxurie intemperance and other vices whoe will thinke any good to bee drawne from thence how can I take him to bee my superior in counsell whom I see inferior in manners And can I thinke him fitte to giue mee counsell that cannot giue it to himselfe he that giueth counsell to others he must shew himselfe an example of good workes in integritie and grauitie that his speech bee sound and vnrebukeable his counsell profitable and his life honest He that liueth wickedly in the sight of the people as much as in him lyeth he killeth him that looketh vpon him hee that followeth him perhaps dyeth he that followeth him not liueth but as much as in him lyeth he killeth both Examples are stronger then words and it is a more full teaching by workes then by word The house and conuersation of a Preacher is set on a hill all see it and looke vpon it it is as it were a guide and teacher to others whatsoeuer hee doth others thinke that they may doe the like that word is willingly receiued of the hearer which is vttered from the
maner of choosing and gouerning the common-wealth is in many things humane and the end is for the good and preseruation of man and so are lawfull Pastors though their calling be diuine yet they are chosen approued and ordeined for the benefite of men And thus the Apostle defineth a High Prieste To bee taken from among men and is ordeyned for men in things perteyning to God And so is a King taken from among men ordeyned for men in things pertayning both to God men That is for the good both of the Church and Common-wealth As for the Popes office and vsurped supremacie it is meerely humane nay it is diabolicall and against the examples and authoritie of holy Scripture Hee hath no true nor iust warrant from the Law Prophets Euangelists nor Apostolicall writings But of this it may be wee shall speake more hereafter It is sufficiently proued already and it shall appeare more plainely hereafter that the office and power of Princes is diuine sacred Now because some Kings are giuen of God to his people in loue and mercy and some in wrath iudgement Let them try themselues whether it may be sayd of them as it is sayde of Salomon in this place That God in loue to them and in loue to his people hath set them in his owne throne Let them know then that such a King as is giuen of God in loue is both qualified with gifts fit for his calling and will and must necessarily performe the duty of his place as this Queene testifieth of Salomon in the words following It is sayd of Dauid that as hee was chosen from the sheepe-folds to feede Gods people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel so hee fedde them according to the simplicitie of his heart and guided them by the discretion of his hands And it is sayde of him in another place that hee raigned ouer all ISRAEL and executed iudgement and iustice and hee himselfe protesteth that he gouerned his Court Church and Common-wealth according to the true rules of mercy and iudgement And it is sayde of Salomon that all Israel feared him for they saw that the wisedome of God was in him to doe iustice and to performe faithfully the duty of his place and calling A learned writer vpon that Psalme 78. sayeth God did choose Dauid to this end that hee should feed his people and therefore he fed them He chose Saul to afflict his people therefore he afflicted them For marke what the Lord sayd to the people that would needes haue a King hee threatneth them and giueth them that King in his wrath This sayth he shall be the manner of the King that shall raigne ouer you Hee will take your sonnes and appoynt them to his Chariots and to bee his horsemen and some shall runne before his Chariot Also hee will make them as Captaynes ouer thousands and Captaynes ouer fifties and to eare his ground and to reape his haruest and to make instruments of warre and the things that serue for his Chariots He will also take your daughters and make them Apothecaries and Cookes and Bakers And hee will take your fields and your vineyards and your best Oliue trees and giue them to his seruants And he will take the tenth of your seede and of your vineyards and giue it to his Eunuches and his seruants And he will take your men seruants and your maide seruants and the chiefe of your young men and your Asses and put them to his worke Hee will take the tenth of your sheepe and you shall be his seruants and you shall cry out at that day because of your King whom you haue chosen you and the Lord will not heare you at that day But it may be some will say May Kings thus oppresse the Common-wealth no they haue no such authoritie by their office But this King was sent in wrath from God to plague this people and therefore hee doth plague them Samuelthreatneth to that people the deminution of those liberties which the Israelites enioyed before vnder the Iudges He admonisheth them of the hard estate which was to ensue This was Gods doing in his iustice for the sinnes of the people For God is in heauen hee may doe whatsoeuer hee will his wayes are all iust and righteous But as for Kings they nâ—ay not doe what they list they are bound to the lawes of God to the lawes of charitie equitie and righteousnesse But those which are giuen in wrath they shall vexe and afflict the people Christ sayd to Peter Feede my sheepe It was sayd to Antichrist Deuoure destroy beate downe seduce the people because they receiue not the loue of truth that they might bee saued Therefore he destroyeth seduceth and deceiueth as many as hee can The Lord threatneth in Zacharie I will raise vp a shepheard in the Land which shall not looke for the thing which is lost nor seeke the tender lambes nor heale that which is hurt nor feede that which standeth vp he shall eate the flesh of the fat and teare their clawes in peeces Our Sauiour Christ sayth That a thiefe commeth to steale kill and destroy So that by their deedes practises and fruites both of Princes and Ministers it may bee easily gathered whether they bee sent to a people in loue or wrath But of the dutie of such Gouernours as are giuen in loue wee shall speake hereafter Now as the dignitie of Kings appeareth in that their calling is so diuine and from God himselfe so in this also that they are in his place and throne and haue so many honourable titles giuen vnto them in the Scripture They are called nurcing fathers and mothers shepheards of the people leaders keepers helpers Gouernours yea in some sense Sauiours and God doth giue them his owne name counting them gods not by nature for so they are men like other men borne and conceiued as other and shall dye like men But they are gods by office they are the Vicegerents and Images of God This is a great honour great excellencie and dignitie to be admired and reuerenced of all men Yet let mee admonish you that the same or the like titles and dignities may be applyed to the faithfull Ministers of God though they be accounted and taken by most men as vile base contemptible and the very off-scourings of the world And many which doe magnifie and almost adore great persons Gouernours and Magistrates it may bee for feare â—latterie fauour and lucer euen these doe vilâ—sie scorne contemne and disgrace the calling of the Ministers as much as they can But let them know that there is some likenes and affinitie betwixt the calling of a Magistrate and the calling of the Minister As good Princes are the blessings of God so are good ministers as we haue heard before when wee intreated of true wisedome As the calling of the Magistrate is sacred and diuine so is the calling of the Minister it is the holy Ghost that
so Iehoshaphat set himselfe against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir which were come against Iudah and the Lord gaue him a meruailous victory against these enemies This blessed King feared God and both he and his subiects gaue themselues first to fasting and prayer and repentance and so the Lord blessed their Armies against their enemies It is lawfull for Kings to defend and maintaine their owne liberties and to recouer by warres that which hath beene vniustly taken away from them And as in warres there must bee a good cause and a good affection if we looke to speede so the authority and example of the chiefe Gouernours doth much encourage the people and put life into them And as Rulers are to defend their people from the force and violence of enemies abrode so they must not suffer them to bee oppressed at home by their owne Countrey-men And indeed this is most vnnaturall and intollerable that one subiect should oppresse another that Christians Countrey-men and brethren should vexe and torment one another by hard and cruell dealing in the time of the Gospell vnder Christian Gouernours Wee haue not this many yeares blessed be God beene much troubled with violence of forraigne foes but haue liued peaceable a long time And though our enemies haue sometimes made attempts and assaults against vs yet the Lord himselfe hath fought for vs to his great glory and to the shame of our Aduersaries Our greatest troubles exactions and oppressions are amongst our selues one with onother Now this is a speciall part of the Magistrates calling to relieue and defend the oppressed And he may more easily and sooner with lesse charge and danger defend his owne subiects against domesticall oppressours then set himselfe in combate against mighty many and cruell enemies abrode Priuate men may not reuenge their owne wrongs but they are in place to doe it for them It is their office to relieue the oppressed and to auenge their cause As a father ouer his children is both Lord and Iudge forbidding that one brother should auenge himselfe of another but if any cause of strife bee betweene them hee will haue it brought to himselfe or his Assignes to haue it iudged and corrected So God forbiddeth all men to auenge themselues and takes that office into his owne hand Therefore saith the Apostle Dearly beloued auenge not your selues but giue place to wrath For it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord. But yet in the next Chapter the same Apostle sheweth that God hath appointed Princes and Magistrates as reuengers of wrongs For hee saith that the Prince is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare For hee beareth not the sword for naught for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill It is almost impossible that a manshould be an equall and indifferent iudge in his owne cause lusts appetites do so blind vs. And when thou auengest thy selfe thou makest no peace but stirst vp more debate God therfore hath giuen lawes to all nations and hath in all countries placed Kings Gouernours and Rulers in his owne stead to rule the world through them and hath commanded all causes to bee brought before them and they are to determine and iudge of such causes according to the rules of equity and righteousnesse This is part of the counsell which Salomons mother gaue vnto him Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of the children of destruction Open thy mouth iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore The Prophet saith to the Gouernours of Israel Learne to doe well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdow Therfore such as were distressed were wont in their distresse to flye to the refuge of the chiefe Magistrate for their protection and defence The Shunamite returning from the land of the Philistims called vpon the King for her house and for her land which had beene wrongfully taken away from her and the King said to an officer Restore thou all that are hers and all the fruits of her lands since the day she left her land euen till this time Hee caused that to be iustly restored which was wrongfully holden away from her And herein good Magistrates should follow the example of God and resemble his Nature whose Name and Image they carry The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall Hee executeth iustice for the oppressed which giueth bread to the hungry The Lord looseth the Prisoners the Lord giueth sight to the blinde The Lord raiseth vp the crooked the Lord loueth the righteous the Lord keepeth the strangers hee relieueth the fatherlesse and widdow but hee ouer-throweth the way of the wicked Therefore saith the Lord rob not the poore because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement for the Lord will defend their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoile them Againe hee saith Remoue not the ancient bounds and enter not into the fields of the fatherlesse for hee that redeemed them is mighty he will defend their cause against thee When the Children of Israell were sore afflicted by Phaâ—aoh and the Aegiptians the Lord in pitty said I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Aegypt and haue heard their cry because of their Taske-maisters for I know their sorrowes therefore I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hands of the Egyptians c. And afterwards when they were vexed by sundry enemies one after another though they sinned against him grieuously and sundry times yet when they cryed vnto him in their distresse and repented them of their sinnes hee heard their cry and sent them Iudges and Deliuerers to deliuer them and ease them of their oppressions Most excellent and worthy is that worthy speech of that good Queene Elizabeth our gracious Soueraigne of famous memory A speech I say recorded by reuerend Iewel in his answere to Pope Pius his seditious Bull Thus shee speaketh to the Councell and Iudges Haue care of my people you haue my place doe you that which I ought to doe They are my people euery one oppresseth them and spoyleth them without mercy they cannot reuenge their owne quarrels nor helpe themselues See to them see to them they are my charge I charge you as God chargeth mee I care not for my selfe my life is not deere to mee my care is for my people O blessed and gracious speech beseeming a gracious Prince a patterne of piety Wee may obserue in that speech the tender care pitty and loue of her Maiesty to her distressed Subiects and that in those times being in the beginning of her Maiesties raigne about fifty yeares ago there were sundry oppressions and wrongs in the Land How more grieuously are they increased and augmented since that time Citties Townes and Countries are full of exclamations of the