an order for thou shalt die and not liue haue included in them a secret condition to wit vnlesse they should truly repent For so in Genesis God saide to Abimelech for his keeping of Abrahams wife beholde thou art as a deade man thou shalt surely die yet there followeth afterward restore the wife to hir husband for he is the Prophet of the Lord he wil pray for thee and thou shalt liue As the threatnings of GOD doe conteine in them a hidden condition of repentance so the promises of aduancement in his temporall elections do cōprehend in them a secret condition of continuance in such duties as their function requireth In which because now Saule doth not abide but falleth to manifest rebellion against the word of God he is therefore most iustly cast off and reiected Samuel before hee did denounce this iudgement of God in reiecting Saul did first as it is saide in the xi verse of this Chapter cry all night vnto the Lord Where a doubt may arise how Samuel could pray in faith seeing that his prayer may seeme to be against the decree of GOD. The like may be saide of Abraham praying for the Sodomits and of Ieremie praying against the captiuitie of Ierusalem Saint Augustine doth verie well answere this question Quomodo side orant sancti vt petant à Deo contra quà m decreuit nempe quia secundum voluntatem eius orant non illā absconditā incōmutabi lem sed quā illis inspirat vt eos exaudiat alio modo How doe the Saints pray in faith when they require a thinge of GOD against that which hee hath decreed Truely because they pray according to his will not his secret and vnchangeable purpose but according to that will which hee doth so inspire into them that hee heareth them some other way hee heareth them if not that way which they desire yet vndoubtedly that way which hee knoweth to be most expedient for them And in the meane time their charitable affection obeying the generall commaundement of GOD cannot but be agreeable to the grounde of faith We reade of Narses that noble Captaine of Italy who subdued the Goths vanquished the Bactrians and receiued by dedition all the Cities of Tuscia that he neuer gaue his enemies the battaile but hee wept in the Temple the night before Such was the humaine and louing affection heere in Samuel who before hee commeth to be a minister of the iudgements of GOD against Saul doth first mourne and lament all the night before and earnestly solicite the Lord by humble praier Afterwarde hee doth faithfully discharge that which the Lord had giuen him in commission concerning Saul of his wilfull rebellion against GOD in reseruing the fattest of the Cattle of the Amalekites whereas GOD had commaunded their whole substance to bee vtterlye destroyed And also of his wretched ingratitude in contemning that good God by whom he was of in a manner nothing annointed to be the king and heade of the Tribes of Israell Saule being reprooued and manifestly found guiltie doth as is the part of notable hypocrits first giue glorious words to the Prophet and stand vpon iustifying of himselfe Blessed art thou of the Lord I haue fulfilled the commandement of the Lord. Secondly he posteth off the fault to others accusing y e people that they had spared the best fattest of the cattell to offer them in sacrifice vnto God And last of all hee continueth obstinate in defending of himselfe thinking that the accusing of others might be for him a sufficient excuse and alleaging the feare of the people as a cloake to couer his casting awaie of their feare of God I feared saide he the people and therefore I obeied their voice But Samuel sheweth him what were indeed the true causes of his sparing of Agag and of his carying away the fattest of y e sheep Oxen of the Amalekites to wit first his setting his heart vpon the prey thou hast saith he turned thy selfe to the prey and done wickedly in the sight of God and secondly a stubberne disobedience against the worde of God which he doth at large describe in this verse which now especially is offered to our considerations Wherein we haue two especial things to obserue First the nature and effects of rebellion which are here set out by comparing it with witchcraft and Idolatrie Secondly the iudgement of God against Saul being found guiltie of this detestable offence Because thou hast cast awaie the worde of the Lord therfore the Lord hath cast awaie thee from being King Rebellion may well be resembled to witchcraft and Idolatrie in fower especiall respects first in regard of the originall in that they all proceede of one fountaine all fruites of infidelitie all manifest workes of the flesh all proceede of yeelding to the suggestions of Satan and renouncing to be gouerned by the spirit of God Gregory Nazianzene saith verie well of witchcraft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there can be no good vse of witcheries sorceries by which the Deuill doth enter and take possession of man So of Idolatry the Apostle speaketh that those things which the Gentiles sacrificed to Idols they sacrificed vnto deuils not to God The like may be saide of wilfull disobedience For as faith is notably approued and declared by obeying the will of God so a stubberne rebelling against y e commaundement of GOD is an euidēt token of an vnfaithfull renouncing of God If any of vs being sieke shoulde haue two seuerall persons come vnto vs whereif th one should bring a soueraigne medecine to cure our maladie and the other should bring a box of most deadly poyson how shall it appeare in which of these two we place our greatest confidence Surely the embracing of the parties counsaile and the taking of his receipt will manifestly declare of whether of them we haue conceiued the better thoughts and whether we do more rely vpon though we speake well of the one and neuer so much commend his excellent knowledge yet if we follow the aduise of the other he is the man whome our heart doth most preferre Euen so it falleth out in matters which do concerne our feeble and diseased soules Whosoeuer they are that do refuse the soueraigne salue of repentance offered vnto them by the heauenly Phisition Iesus Christ and do receiue the deadly poyson of rebellion ministred vnto them by Sathan their owne deedes do beare apparant witnesse against them that howsoeuer in word they cal Christ their Lord and Sauiour yet in the hearte the suggestions of Sathan haue found the chiefest harbour Secondly rebellion may well be compared to these sins of witchcraft superstition Idolatry in regard of y e nature qualitie of y e offence because they are all most odious detestable in y e sight of God How abominable these trāsgressiōs are is sufficiently made manifest vnto vs by those punishments which God
and make hauocke of his seruants yet hee doth also determine appoint a time when their outrage and crueltie shall be punished and reuenged He permitted for a time Pharaoh to oppresse the Israelits Senacherib to triumph against Ezechias with blasphemous speches but he appointed also the time when the one should be ouerwhelmed in the sea and the other murdered by his owne children He suffered for a time Herod Nero Maxentius Dioclesian Maximinus and others to persecute the faithfull Christians in the primitiue Church but hee determined also a time when Herod should be eaten vp with wormes Maxentius fall off a bridge and together with horse harnes be ouerwhelmed in y e waters Dioclesian poyson himselfe Nero cut his own throat Maximinus so be plagued w t vermine y t no Phisitian could abide to come neare vnto him A time the Lord gaue to the Amalekites to embrew their hands in the bloode of the Israelits and a time also did the Lord prescribe when their crueltie should be remembred to their vtter confusion For if God as the Psalmist speaketh doe put the teares of his Saints in his bottell much more shall God remember the bloud of his Saints The Amalekites shewed themselues to haue cruell and very vnmercifull heartes when they murdered such as were faint wearie and by reason of their weaknesse no waie able to encounter with them But now lege talionis by the law of like recompence God doth commaunde an vtter destruction of them their wiues their children their sucklings their cattell and whatsoeuer appertaineth to them that iudgement may be without mercie to them which shewed no mercie Achab and Iezabell for Naboths vineyard caused Naboths bloud to be shed but as dogs did licke the bloude of Naboth so of dogs also was their bloode afterward deuoured Adonibezeg cut off the thumbs and toes of seuentie Kings made them gather breade vnder his table the same despightfull reproach which he had measured to others was at the last in like manner measured to himselfe A most cruell enuie it was in Haman that could no way be satisfied but with the hanging of harmelesse Mardocheus but by the iust iudgment of God Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the same gallowes which he had prepared for Mardocheus Seneca writeth that Xerxes the King of Persia when one Pithius came vnto him and desired him that of his fiue sonnes which were prest out of all to be souldiers in Xerxes his armie it would please him to graunt him one of them to go home with him to be a comfort to his ould age The King tooke that sonne whom the father had made choyce of and causing him to be pluckt in peeces he cast the limmes of the dead carkase on either side the waie commaunding his army to passe through them and saying that he would in this manner purge and purifie his armie But what did ensue thereupon Xerxes himselfe not long after being vanquished by the Grecians was compelled to runne ouer the dead carkases of his armie to saue his owne life God in his law did commaund the Iewes mercifully to make prouision for their poore and needy But they as the Prophets do euery where conuince them had no care to strengthen the hand of the poore nay most vnmercifully they bought and sould the poore for ould shooes they vtterly made no account of them But at the last they themselues were ouerrunne by strangers and being exiled out of their natiue soyle were made a swarme of beggers to all posteritie Euen so to these mercilesse Amalekites by the same tenour of Gods iustice though many hundred yeares after yet now at the last there is iudgement denounced without mercie against them which shewed no mercie For as when a man falleth timber the longer he draweth his blow the deeper the Axe doth enter and as the Archer the longer he draweth his arrowe the more violently it doth strike and pearce eauen so the longer the Lord doth withholde his hand from punishing vnrepentant transgressours the more seuerely at the last is the vengeance brought against them But heere it may seeme strange to some that these Amalekites so long after should receiue the punishment of their predecessors transgression Doth it stand with the iustice of God for the fault of the forefathers so many hundred yeares after to destroy the posteritie Heere some doe make answere that God doth lay temporall punishments vpon the sonne for the fathers offence because temporall punishments do oftentimes turne to the good and benefit of them which are afflicted So it is threatned against Ezechias that because of an ambitious minde he shewed the Babilonians his treasures therefore his children should be depriued of their kingdome and caried awaie captiue But further seing that as Leui though he were fower generations after Abraham is yet saide to be shut vp in the loynes of Abraham so euery posteritie ought to be accounted as included in the personne of the predecessour it may well be reputed iust in humaine lawes when any are found guilty of treason to account the bloode attainted and it must needes be acknowledged most iust in God to lay the punishment of the trespas of the parents vpon the children continuing in their parents wickednesse Otherwise if the children though by nature being children of wrath being yet by faith graffed into the true vine Christ Iesus doe see what their fathers haue done and feare and not commit the like then saith the Prophet the sonne shall not beare the fathers offence neither shal the father beare the sonnes offence but that soule that sinneth that shall die You shall no more vse that prouerbe The fathers haue eaten sower grapes the childrens teeth are set on edge as I liue saith the Lord ye shal vse this by-word no more in Israell When Saule was about to put in execution the commaundemente of God concerning the destruction of these Amalekites who continuing in the steps of their forefathers were still professed enemies of the people of God the Lord doth so order the matter y e first the Kenits who dwelled in the mountaines amongst the Amalekites should be called out and set free from that calamitie and bloodshed These Kenits were descended of Iethro who by comfort and good counsaile had shewed mercie vpon the Israelits as they came from Aegypt therefore doth the Lord now shewe mercie vpon thousandes vnto such as feared him and regarded his commaundements The best treasure therefore which parents can lay vp in store for purposes of God do seeme to varie which notwithstanding do abide stedfast and grounded fast for euer onely by the vnstable mutabilitie of man they appeare to become variable The decrees of Gods iudgements as that of Ionas against the Niniuits yet fortie daies and Niniuy shall be destroyed and that of Esay against Ezechias put thy house in
in his word hath denounced against thē The law is in Exod. that witches should not be suffered to liue in Leuit. that if any haue a spirit of diuinatiō southsaying they shal dy the death yea it is denoūced against such as seeke any helpe of them that they shal be cut off frō amongst the people For Idolaters there needeth no mention of any other law but only y t which is contained in the thirteenth of Deuteronomy where the Lord doth commaund vs that if any do entise vs to go after any strange God our eye must not pitie him neither must we shew any mercy vpon him though it be thy brother the sonne of thine owne mother or she that sleepeth in thine owne bosome or thy friend that is as deare vnto thee as thine owne soule yet saith the law thou shalt kill him thy hand shall be first vpon him Some to prooue that Idolaters are not now to be punished by death do alledge that parable in S. Mathews gospel where the seruants are cōmanded not to plucke vp the tares frō amongst y e wheat but to let thē both grow together vntil y e haruest But our Sauiour doth there himselfe expound it that by the seruants are not mēt the Magistrats but the Angels of God and by the tares are signified not Idolaters only but generally all the children of the wicked The purpose then of the Parable is not to abridge the authority of the Magistrate but to shew how in this world the Lord with long patience doth permit the hypocrits to be mingled with the faithfull vntill in the haruest which is there interpreted to be the end of the world he shall by the ministery of his Angels seperate the sheepe from y e goats and the good wheate from the darnell For so I do rather translate it thā tares for that Tares are called Aphacae or viciae syluestres wild firches but Zizanium the word here used is according to Dioscorides Lolium Darnell or Ray and S. Hierom doth yelde this cause why he doth interpret it by Lolium because that Darnell so long as it is in the blade can hardly be descerned from good corne and so hypocrits in the Church for a long time can hardly be distinguished from true Christians They say further that to punish Idolatours with death is nothing els but to throw them headlong to vtter condemnation The like may be saide in deliuering from the punishment of death any other mischiefe whatsoeuer because that if the malefactours be executed in y e time of their vnrepentance they are depriued of all hope of saluation But their execution is no occasion of their vnrepentance yea rather it is an ordinary means to drawe such desperate mindes to some considerations of themselues when seing their end to be most certainely at hand they begin then or neuer to thinke of their owne estate to renounde the world and to call the Lord to remembrance They seeke also to strenghthen their opinion by that saying of Salomon the throne of a King is established by mercie But mercie and iustice cannot be saide to be things contrary seing they are both commaunded by one God who is neuer contrary to himselfe Dauid in his meditations doth giue the first and principall place to mercie my song shall be of mercy and iudgement yet hee affirmeth afterward in the same Psalme that betimes he will destroy all the wicked of the land that he may cut off all the workes of iniquitie from the Cytie of GOD. Moses is saide to be the mildest man in all the earth yet he proceeded zealously against Idolaters when at one time were slaine about three thousande Samuell was of an humble spirite as may appeare by his submitting himselfe to be accountable to the common people ouer whom he was gouernour offering them to recompence whatsoeuer iniury had beene done vnto them yet we see with what courage and zeale hee did afterward hew in peeces Idolatrous Agag To spare the Wolues is no mercie to the flocke but extreame cruelty The Israelites shewing too much fauour to Idolaters are threatned to receiue then a iust reward when they should finde those whom they had spared to be at the last whipps to their sides and thornes in their eyes As by the punishment of death the Lord hath declared how greeuous and horrible the sinnes are of witchcraft and Idolatrie so by the same meanes he hath laide open to vs how odious rebellion is and how hainous is the offence stubbornly to disobey the commaundement of GOD. There needeth no further proofe of it but only to call to minde howe not the death of a few particular men but death it selfe and the death of all men came first into the worlde by the disobedience of man If riotous persons which will not harken to the voice of their parentes be condemned by the lawe to be storied to death then what death doe they deserue which wilfully resist the cōmandement of the eternal God If they escaped not which despised him y e speaketh in earth how shal they escape y e despise him which speaketh frō heauen As by tēporal plagues the greeuousnes of these sinnes are equally made manifest so in eternal punishments Saint Iohn in the Reuelation doth signifie that they equally haue their portion The fearefull saith hee that is they which feare men more than God and the vnbeleeuers and the abhominable that is the stubberne wilfull contemners of God and witches and Idolaters and Liars they shall haue their part in the lake burning with fire brimstone which is the second death A third resemblance wherein rebellion may well be compared with witchcraft and Idolatrie is in that as it appeareth heere plainely by the ensample of Saule it is full of many glorious pretences and excuses The witches haue a goodly pretence for their charmes and sorceries when they defend that to heale the sicke to releeue griefe and paine to recouer things lost must needes be a good and charitable deede But they consider not that good is to be done by good lawfull means we may not cast the price of blood into Corban we may not robbe the poore to builde a Temple we may not doe euill that good may come of it Sorceries as ye haue heard are in the Law euery where condemned the Prophets doe threaten sharpe iudgements against them The very heathen men which knewe not the worde of God yet by the lawe of nature they saw them to be most wicked and abhominable Plato doth condemne all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iuglars and Wisards and all those which can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring dammage to their enemies by sacrifices and inchantments If they pleade that they do good and no harme Galen doth well call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witcheries and sorceries not only superfluous things and
Three Sermons vpon some portions of the former lessons appointed for certaine Sabbaths The first containing A displaying of the wilfull deuises of wicked and vaine vvorldlings Preached at Tanridge in Surrey the first of February 1597. The two latter describing the dangers of discontentment and disobedience Preached the one at Tanridge and the other at Crowhurst in Iuly then next following By Simon Harwarde LONDON ¶ Imprinted by RICHARD BRADOCKE for RICHARD IOHNS 1599. TO THE RIGHT honorable and most Reuerend Father in Christ my singular good Lord Iohn Lord Archbishoppe of Canterbury primate of all England and Metropolitaine and one of the Lords of her Maiesties most Honorable priuie Councell manie healthfull and happie yeares in all ioy and continuance of all honorable felicitie IT hath often fallen out most Reuerend my very good Lord that small things haue beene offered informer ages to mightie and noble Potentates But then though small in quaÌ„tity yet haue they either bene such matters as like Pearles haue in a little roome contained greate worth or els they haue beene such as in case of necessitie haue supplied a want or stode in some good steade to those great Personages to whom they haue beene deliuered and presented The treatise of Isocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent to king Nicocles was shorte and compendious The water which Plutarch doth report to haue beene taken vp with the palme of a poore mans hand and with a cheerefull countenance exhibited to King Artaxerxes was but of very small quantitie yet was the one very precious eloquent and full of well compacted instructions and the other very needfull coÌ„modious to remooue or ease some present distresse and extremitie But this my discourse being penned as it was vttered in rude and homely manner and containing also nothing but that which is so farre and so many degrees better knowne to your Grace than I am any way able to expresse and make manifest I should in no case aduenture to present it vnto your Grace but that I haue had heretofore so often and so plentifull experience of your Graces exceeding clemencie that not only it hath often accepted great and exquisite volumes written by them who haue had a calmer quietnesse for their studies and haue beene that way of farre more fit sufficiencie but also hath sometimes fauorably receiued such poore tokens of my humble and deutifull affections as my troublesome estate of sustenaÌ„ce and slender talent of knowledge haue bene able to addresse afford In the Preface of my Sermon next following which was first printed because indeede I ment not at this time to haue set forth any more I haue signified that when I consented to the publishing thereof my purpose was before it in the same volume to haue prefixed one other Sermon made some eight years since vpoÌ„ the beginning of the first psalme But seeing that both there are now no more copies of that Sermon to be had amongst the Stationers that also I perceiue there haue bene a coÌ„uenient sufficient nuÌ„ber of them alreadie printed dispersed I haue thought it not amisse in lieu steed therof to adde this short speach had at Tanridge the first of Feb. last past vpon a portion of the first lesson appointed for the Sabbath In which as certain learned Iustices of Surrey who in heart honor your Grace M. Bostock M. Sander my very good friends with other vertuous religious gentilmen theÌ„ asseÌ„bled had bin worthy to haue had more exact matter theÌ„ my voice eyther did or could at that time deliuer somuch more now your Grace shoulde haue had if any way my penne had bin of power to prepaire it This Sermon describing as it doth the originall cause of both those enormities which are condemned in the treatises following and hauing bene as it was in time first made and vttered doth therefore now iustly chalenge to possesse here in order the first and principall place And being by the Printer vnited with the rest into one little discourse as to frame thereby some sleÌ„der gift to beginne the new yeare withall I doe here most humbly present it vnto your Grace hoping that the greatnesse of my sincere and deutifull desires shall not be measured by the smalnesse of my gift and praying that J may remaine still continued in the good fauour of your Grace to whom god the disposer of all times grant that this and many other good yeares may be most healthfull prosperous to the ioy of vs all who do hartilie desire the long peace of the Church and to your eternal most Honorable renowne From Tanridge this second of Ianuarie 1598. Your Graces most humble in all deutie Simon Harward A DISPLAYING of the wilfull deuises of wicked and vaine worldlings The text Esay cap. 59. ver 5. They hatch the egges of the Cockatrice or dropbloud and weaue the Spiders webbe he that eateth of their eggs shall dye euen he which is sprinkled shal be as though a Viper did burst out vpon him THE Prophet Esay beloued in the Lord hauing a little before described the great misery of the Iewes who togither w t their King Achas were compelled by their enimies to seeke help of a deadly foe to wit of Tiglah Pilleser King of the Assyrians and that in such base manner that their King besids the humble sending of presents was enforced to bende and crouch with these seruile speaches seruus tuus filius tuus sim let mee bee thy seruant and thy son onely saue me this time from the hands of Retzin king of Syria which abiect abasing y e Prophet doth notably name to be euen a throwing downe into hell Hee doth afterward expresse the causes of that and all other their calamities which were indeede their wickednesse in their liues and their damnable hypocrisie in their fastings and seruice of GOD. Which their iniquities although he haue in the chapter last going before very liuelily deciphered them and very effectually condemned them yet in this chapter hee houldeth on still y e same argument declaring vnto them that God is of as great power to assist them as euer he was to deliuer their forefathers his hand is not shortned but that hee can saue neither is his eare made heauie but that hee can heare Onely their iniquities made a seperation betwixt God and them as afterwards was likewise saide vnto them by the Prophet Ezechiel that by their â—prophaning of diuine sacrifices and by their wicked abhominations they had set vp posts and pillers against God and made a wall betwixt God and them The enormities which at this time did make a diuision betwixt God and this people and cause the Lord euen to hide his face from them are expressed heere in the verses last going before to be of thre seuerall sorts First the bloudy oppressions of their handes outward dealings your hands saith Esay are full of bloud and your fingers defiled
concerning The fruites of our repentaunce towardes God wherein Dauid Psal 1. doth place The chiefest blessednesse and felicitie of man I haue thought good to adde thereunto this Sermon which I made at the same Church where you and others Iustices Gentlemen were assembled on the ninth of Iuly last past vpon a part of the first Lesson by the order of our Church appoynted for that Sabboth as concerning that duetifull contentment of minde which as good subiects we owe all to our Prince and Countrey that as in the first we are put in remembrance of our duetie towards the Lord of Lords and Prince of Princes so in this other as well we which vttered and heard it as others into whose handes it shall come to be read may be admonished of those loyall affections which we ought continually to beare to our moâ— gracious Soueraigne and our established Common-wealth As I am well assureâ— that these affections are and haue alwayâ— bin throughly setled in your faythful hartes so I doubt not but ye are also a fully desirous that by this slender labour and by all meanes possible others may be allured drawen to the like disposition Thus hoping that you will as louingâ— accept the reading and publishyng as you haue already done the hearing I commit this my short Discourse to your Worshippes and you and it to the blessing of the Almightie From Tondridge this .xij. of Iuly 1598. Your Worships assured in the Lord Simon Harward 1. Sam. 12.19 VVe haue added a vvickednesse to all our other sinnes in asking vs a King WHen Nachash the King of the Ammonites Right Worshipfull and beloued in Christ had now brought the inhabitantes of Iabesh Gilead into so greate distresse that onely vpon seauen dayes respite they were to yeelde vp their Citie into the enemies handes vpon a very hard condition which was that euery one of the Citizens should haue his right eye plucked out The people of Israel partly because they saw Samuel their Iudge to be olde and feeble and partly because they perceiâ—ed the sonnes of Samuel Ioel and Abiah though ruling in the place and stead of their Father yet not walking in the wayes and â—teps of their Father as dispayring to haue any ayde or deliuerance by their Iudges in which state of gouernment God had foâ— many yeeres so happily preserued themâ— They come with one consent to theâ— Iudge and desire that they may haue King Samuel when he had vsed maâ— meanes and many forcible argumentes 〈◊〉 disswade them from this their malcontentâ— and dispayring minde and seeing euidently that no perswasions could take any plaâ—n their wilfull hartes doth now at the laâ— call vpon the Lord in the time of Wheat haruest for a sodaine and miraculous thuâ—der and storme of raine that thereby as were by an other voyce of God the peoâ— might be further certified both how greuously they had offended and how for thâ— offence the Lorde was highly displeasâ— with them When the Israelites saw â—parantly that Samuel had no sooner call vnto the Lord for that thunder and rainâ— but that presently his request was heaâ— and that in terrible manner in the sight aâ— hearing of the whole people they were aâ—nished and being wonderfully striken wâ— sodaine feare They desire Samuel to pâ— to the Lord for them that they die nâ— adding these wordes which now I haue read as a reason of their petition and a confession of their desart For say they we haue sinned besides all our other sinnes in asking vs a King What this offence was which the Prophet doth seeke so many wayes to lay open vnto them it shall the better appeare if we consider these two especiall obseruations First the mightie prouidence and infinite goodnesse of God extended towardes that people so many yeeres together during the tyme of the gouernment of the Iudges And secondly how small weake the occasions were for the which they desire to shake off that blessed gouernment as also on the other side what great and waighty causes they had to haue bin contented with that estate wherein God had so long and so miraculously protected them How long the people had liued deliuered defended and gouerned by Iudges S. Augustine doth record it in his 18. booke de Ciuitate Dei where he affirmeth that at that time wherein Rome was buylt which was by Romulus in the time of Iosias king of Iuda the Hebrewes had bin seauen hundred and eighteene yeeres in the land of Canaan whereof sayth he seauen twentie appertaine to Iosua three hundred twentie and nine to the Iudges and three hundred sixtie and two to the Kinges where he maketh three seuerall estates of Gouernment vnder which it pleased God that his people Israel should liue The first was vnder Dukes as in the dayes of Moses and Iosua The second was by Iudges which differed from Iosua for he was appoynted a gouernour in the time of prosperitie when Sehon the King of the Amorits and Ogge the King of Basan were ouerthrowne and vanquished but the Iudges were first inaugurated and inuested into their callinges in some great distresses by the affecting of some notable deliuerance Neither were they like the Dictators aduaunced amongst the Heathen for they were chosen by the voyces of men but these by the voyce of God him selfe They were chosen out of men of greatest accompt and best furnished for the vndergoing of such a charge but these were raysed vp miraculously out of the inferiour sort and lowest degrees of people and inabled extraordinarily by the gyftes and presence of the Almightie as it is sayd in the second Chapter of the Iudges The Lord raysed vp Iudges which deliuered them out of the handes of their oppressours And when the Lord did raise vp any Iudges the Lord as it is sayd there was with that Iudge and did deliuer the people out of the handes of the enemies all the dayes of that Iudges life There were also many differences betwixt them and the Kinges which folowed In the Kinges succession of blood tooke â—lace in the Iudges it tooke no place The Kings had a greater authoritie in ruâ—ing and commaunding then the Iudges would chalenge The affayres hauing good successe against the Madianites the people offered to Gedeon that he should Reigne â—s king ouer them But Gedeon answeâ—ed Neither will I reigne ouer you neyâ—her shall my childe reigne ouer you but â—he Lord shall still raigne ouer you The Kinges were some of them holy and some picked the Iudges were all the faythfull â—eruantes of God though some times erâ—ng yet alwayes rysing againe by repenâ—nce The Kinges did some of them saue the people from inuasions and some noâ— but the Iudges did euer deliuer them froâ— the hands of their oppressours And theâ—fore they haue the Hebrewe name Mosâ— grim Sauiours giuen vnto them as in 〈◊〉 thirde Chapter of the Iudges it is sayd Othoniel that the Lord did stirre vpâ— Sauiour
consuming of their substance the wasting of their health trouble and vnquietnesse in their owne house shame and confusion abroade the losse of spirituall graces in this life and the losse of life eternall in the worlde to come What fruite doth the couetous miser reape by his abundance of welth when hee doth not possesse his goods but is possessed of them when hee hath them and cannot finde in his heart to vse them when hee hath no hope to haue them blessed to the third generation and especially what will it profit him if hee shoulde winne all the worlde and in the meane time loose his owne soule As liuing in the obedience of Gods worde in goodnesse of life is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a greate gaine and profit so disobeying the Lord by riotousnes of life doth heape vpon man all plagues and miseries The people which here vnder Saul doe against the commaundement of GOD keepe some cattell to make a wil-worship of their owne do reserue the best fattest of the sheepe and Oxen wherein wee may further obserue how forwarde and zealous men are to set forth maintaine those things which they haue hatched in their owne braine against the direct rule of Gods word For I can account no better of their sacrifices when they will make them as seales of their disobedience against God The people of Israell to erect a golden Calfe would part with their Earings euen the best Iewels they had but in the true worshippe of God euery thing went hard with them they were continually murmuring grudging against Moses and Aaron When Elias could finde little succour amongst the Israelits their successours Iezabel to maintaine the Idolatry of Baal kept fower hundred Chaplaines as it is saide in the Scriptures there were fower hundred Priests of the groues that did eate at Iezabels table Wee see in our daies many monuments and remnants of superstition which do sufficiently lay open to vs how forward they were in times past to maintaine their wilworshippe and we see also on the other side more is the pittie by too lamentable experience how colde and backwarde we are to vpholde and resorte vnto the true seruice of God framed according to his worde Manie now are like vnto childreÌ„ who if they be coÌ„maunded any thing by their parents they are eyther by and by hungry wearie or straight way oppressed with heat or colde but if they runne headlong vpon any deuise of their owne braine they continue in their trauell a long time without feeling hunger or colde a whole day will scarce suffice for their vaine inuentions Euen so it is with many men which though they be growne in stature yet are children in vnderstanding and knowledge what pleaseth their owne humors and affections y t they are forwarde with greate charges to sustaine But if any thing be coÌ„maunded by godly lawes of Christian Princes agreeable to the worde of God of that they make little or small account So likewise it falleth out in the performance of the duetyes of the second Table If there be any thing that shall disobey the commaundement of GOD any riotousnes of life any pride any vncleane lustes any excesse and surfeting how forward are we nay how prodigall to compasse and accomplish such dissolute affections But if any thing be to be done in obedience of the word any poore to be releeued any vertuous acte to bee performed alas how colde are we then how sparing yea rather how froward how obstinate Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and stubborne resisting as superstition and Idolatry Of the second part of this text to wit of the iudgement of God denouÌ„ced against Saul for this his rebellion I shall godwilling intreat at some other conuenient time In y e meane while as the Lacedemonians by shewing to their children the lothsome sight of dronkards would therby withdraw their youth from that lewde and beastly vice So let this viewe and beholding of the horrour of rebellion effect and worke in our hearts a perfect hatred of all disobedience Let vs earnestly endeuour to be that flock of Christ which heare his voice and follow him that so we may be certainly assured that he will giue vnto vs eternall life and that nothing shall bee able to plucke vs out of his hands Let vs shewe forth the fruite of our faith by humble obedience as did faithfull Abraham y t walking after y e spirite we may be fully certified that we liue by the spirite Let vs order our conuersation duetifully in the feare of God as becommeth obedient children in sacrificing mortifying our owne wills and affections y t so being sonnes and daughters yea kings and priests to God the father in this life we may raigne with him for euer in his eternall kingdome in the world to come whereunto he speedily bring vs all that mercifully dyed for vs all our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one true and euerliuing God bee all honour glory thanksgiuing praise now and for euer Amen Errata In the first Sermon for strong r. stong for portinus r. protinus In the second sermon fol. 3. b. r. moshegnim fol. 5. b.r. effecting of some fol. 18. a. r. Longins fol. 14. a. actions that can be In the third for honoradi r. honorandi The often sudden changing of the Character was the Printers conceipt in the absence of the Author Esay 37.9 2 Reg. 16.7 Esay 57.9 Esay 58. Esay 56.1 Eze. 8.9 Ver. 3. ver 4. Rom. 3.15 Psal 7.15 Deut. 32.33 Prop. lib. 3. Eph. 4.19 Berâ— lib. 1. de coÌ„sider Eph. 5.14 Psal 58.5 Iob. 21.14 Act. 7.51 Rom. 3.13 Eph. 4 29. Gal. de theâ—i ac cap. 8 Math 20.15 Pro. 22.6 Hiero. in Esa 30 c. in 59. Math. 13.28 Sap. 2. v. vlt. Eph. 4.26 Hiero. in Esa 59. 2. Cor. 11.1 Apoc. 12.9 Gen. 3.1 2. Cor. 4.4 2. Sa. 11.2 Math. 13.25 Lib 1. de hist animal Ca. 6 Psal 49.1 Eccle. 37.30 Zach. 5.4 Gal. 5.21 Lib. 2â— de hist animal cap. 33. 2. Sam. 11. 1. Sam. 15. Act. 6.10 1. Ioh. 3.12 Ver. 3. ver 7. 1. Iohn 3.15 Gen. 27.41 Act. 7.52 5.30 Deut. 14 13. Deut. 22.6 Leuit. 19.14 Iud. 1. Iud. 9.5 Iud. 9. v. 53 1. Reg. 21.19 2. Reg. 9. Hest 9.14 Psal 69.27 Chrisost in Mat. 15. Basilia ps 14. Eccle. 34.22 Ambr. vt si Gratian dist 86. Amos 8 5 1. Thes 4 6 Ier. 12 13. 17. Gen. 4.10 Iob 31 38 Ecc. 34 26 Psal 52 2. 55 22. Laer lib 6 Cap. 1. Greg. super Ezech. Aug. super Ioh. tract 42. Psal 55. ver vlt 2. Chr. 20.15 2. Sam. 23.16 2 Sam 16 2 Sam. 16 Psa 55. ver vlt. 2. Sam. 18 7. Sam. 17 23 Tom 3. lib 15 pag. 439. Pag. 421. Mart. fox Tom. 2. Homer â— Sa. 24.14 Pro. 4.23 1. Reg. 21. Gen.