the spirit of meeknes Ea est animantium omnium natura vt mansuetudine potius quam violentia reguntur Such is the nature of all creatures that it is wonne rather by gentlenesse then austerity specially Man animal sui iuris a creature saith Seneca at his owne Seneca dispose and not so easily awed as wooed Blandienti possum Hieron epist 40. ad Ruffinam ac quiescere non timeo comminantem I can saith Hierome be contented to be intreated but menacing cannot disaster me Hence it was that Alphonsus often walked without his Panormit l. 2. de reb g. Alphon. Plut. Num. gard but Numa vtterly discharged them in token that they were Sheepe not Wolues meeke not imperious innocent not iniurious and loued rather to be loued then feared There is no surer guard to a Prince then the perfect loue and good will of his Subiects There is no such way to Plut. Arat. winne their loue as gentlenesse There is no such way either for the Magistrate to insinuate himselfe into the heart of the people or for the Minister to worke vpon the heart as for the one and the other to be calme where they might be rough to be Sheepe where they might be Wolues Behold I send you as Sheepe Sheepe saith Pliny are in great request both in regard Hist natur l. â— cap. 67. that they serue for sacrifices as also by reason that their fleece yeelds so profitable an vse Not onely the heathen sacrificed Sheepe to pacifie their false gods deuills whom Psal 96. 5. they worshipped in stead of God but the true worshippers of the One and true God celebrated yeerely their Passeouer Exod. 12. 24. with this sacrifice and was besides a perpetuall peace-offering Leuit. 3. 7. for sinne Good gouernours in Church and Common-wealth Doct. spend euen their liues for the good of Church and Common-wealth A good Shepheard giueth his life for his Sheepe Ioh. 10. 11. Baiazetts praier for his army was much like Dauid his prayer for the people To dye himselfe deseruedly for his credulity rather then so many Innocents should be slaughtered as Sheepe vndeseruedly for him I haue sinned said Dauid yea I haue done wickedly but these Sheepe what haue 2 Sam 24. 17. they done Let thy hand I pray thee be against me and against my fathers house The two Decij the Father and the Sonne Liu. decad 1. l. 8. 10. Luendis periculis publicis piacula as sacrifices to free the Common-wealth from danger deuoted themselues for their armies So did Codrus for the Athenians for when in the warre of Peloponesus he vnderstood by Oracle that that side Herodot should haue the victory whose captaine should be slaine he tooke vpon him the habit of a poore common souldier and so became a sacrifice for his countrey When Pompey Plut. Pomp. on Syllas behalfe would haue put all the Mâ—mertines to the sword Sthenius a gouernour among the Hymerians tooke all the fault vpon himselfe telling Pompey that it was hee that had perswaded his friends and compelled his enemies to doe as they did Lycurgus a law-giuer among the Lacedemonians Plut. Lycurg after that he had sworne them to the vnuiolable keeping of his lawes till his returne thrust himselfe into perpetuall exile because that hee would haue the lawes that he had made for their good perpetually kept These were good Platonists borne not for themselues but for their countrey Your Skarlet then is not this peoples but your owne Vse blood that you ye Iudges must be euer ready to spend for them Our Lawne the robe of purity whitned in the bloud Apoc. 7. 14. of the Lambe We must not be found to seeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12. 14. not yours but you nor you seeke to be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuer a â—ot the richer but a great deale the more honourabler by your places When you reckon your liuing you may value your reueâ—ues but not your office Habere enim questui rempub non modo turpe est sed scelestum Cic. lib. 1. offic nefarium To rise by the ruine of the Common-wealth is abhomination to vndoe many to make One is both sin and shame it is to be a wolfe and not a Sheepe Whereas those that Christ in my text sends must bee Sheepe not Wolues in disposition of nature meeke and simple vsefull towards others to feede and clothe Behold I send you as Sheepe Simon thou sonne of Iona louest thou mee more then Iohn 21. 15. these He said vnto him yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee He said vnto him feede my Lambes He said to him againe the second time Simon thou sonne of Iona louest thou me he Verse 16 said vnto him yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Hee said vnto him Feede my Sheepe He said vnto him the third time Simon Verse 17 thou sonne of Iona louest thou me Peter was sorry because he said vnto him the third time louest thou me and said vnto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I loue thee Iesus said vnto him Feed my Sheepe He asked him thrice that a threefold confession might make amends for a threefold deniall but all the matter in charge was of feeding Good Gouernours must be Feeders Dauid fed Israel Doct. Barzillai Dauid The widdow fed the Prophet and the Prophet Psal 78. 72. the Children of the Prophets 2 Sam. 19. 32. Take heede therefore vnto your selues and to all the flocke 1 Reg. 17. 15. 2 Reg. 4. 38. whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you ouer-seers to feede the Vse 1 Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud Acts 10. 28. Take heede to your selues for he that hath no care of his owne saluation will haue none also of others Take heede Mar. ex Cal. vnto your selues and all the flocke for a man shall answer not onely for himselfe but for all also vnder his charge I come against the shepheards saith the Lord and will require Ezek. 34. 10. my Sheepe at their hands Take heede vnto your selues and to the flocke to feede the Church of God First exemple Seneca Conuersationis by example of good life because plus mouent exempla quam verba example is more powerfull with the multitude then precept Secondly verbo Praedicationis by preaching of tho Word because the Priests lippes should Mal. 2. 7. preserue knowledge and the people should seeke the Law at his mouth Lastly Fructis Orationis by his continuall intercession for them God forbid that I should sinne against the 1 Sam. 12. 23. Lord and cease praying for you Woe vnto the Shepheards of Israell that feede themselues Vse 2 Should not the shepheards feede the flocke Woe to the ignorant Ezek. 34. 2. and couetous shepheards for they are dogges not
TWO SERMONS VPON THAT GREAT EMBASSIE OF OVR LORD AND SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST Recorded by his Euangelist Saint MATTHEW Chap. 10. v. 16. Preached by IOHN SCVLL an humble Professor and Minister of the Word LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham 1624. TO THE RIGHT WORTHY THE RIGHT wel-deseruing of Church and Common-wealth Sir HENRY WILLIAMS Knight FAcile omnia tenenti multa superfluè Bern. ep 138. ad Hen. reg Ang. ingeruntur Many words to a man of vnderstanding are more then enow It was your desire to haue some thing said on this ensuing Text your desire to know intimates your will to obserue Prius vtique est scire deum consequens Lactant. de inst lib 6 cap 5. est colere A man must know God before he can serue him It was your pleasure to assigne me the Speaker your choice argued your opinion Oh that it were as easie for me to make good as for him that sometimes saide to say Faciam vt ista de me tua duplicetur opinio It is now Cic. Epist your propper goods It is your goodnesse to communicate it to the good of others Bonum quo Communius eo melius Arist The more common that a good thing is the more good it will doe Quibus parum vel quibus nimium est mihi ignoscant Aug. de Ciuit. Dei li 22 c. 30. quibus autem satis est non mihi sed domino mecum congratulantes agant gratias If ought be amisse the fault is mine If well the praise is Gods And now as Demosthenes spake to the Athenians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That as he respected them in all things so they would him in this one So also would I make bold of you to beg this fauour that as I haue euer honoured your Vertues and now ventured into the world to Obserue you so you would vouchsafe to Patronize my Obedience a more acceptable sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. 22. then the fat of Rammes and to suffer it to passe vnder your name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an Argument of your Isocr ad Dem. Fauour and my Respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some body perhaps may be the better for it you cannot be the worse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though not Isocr sup the richer yet the more renowned Pleaseth it you that as you haue made your House as Obediahs Caues to hide the Prophets of the 1 Reg. 18. 13. Lord and to feed them so you would make your Name also as the house of the Lord to preserue the Bookes of the Prophets and protect 2 Reg. 22. 8. them And so I leaue this Suckling at the breasts of your fostering and you and yours to the fostering Father of the Church and rest Totus in eo tuus cuius tu totus es IOHN SCVLL Aug. ad Paulin. ep 32. The first SERMON MATH 10. 16. Behold I send you as Sheepe in the midst of Wolues be ye therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues PLus est in metuendo mali it was the Cic. Torq ep li. 6. ep 82. experience of a man many waies renowned quam in eo ipso quod timetur the feare commonly is greater then the hurt for we feare alwaies the worst and speed better often times then we hoped But Precogitatum malum as a great Philosopher Seneca obserueth minus offendit that expectation Superanda omnis fortuna ferendo Virg. of ill mitigates the extremity of the ill for either we labour to preuent it or resolue to endure it Christ Iesus in this Text fore-warneth his Apostles of the hard measure that they should meete with in the world and because they should not thinke it vncouth when it came hee thereupon warneth them to be wise as Serpents Marl. in hunc locum and so to shunne it to be innocent as Doues and so to beare it In the precedencie of this Chapter Iesus Christ sent his Apostles with Commission and Instruction with Commission to Preach verse 7. for that is to doe the worke of an 2 Tim. 4. 5. Euangelist Secondly to worke miracles verse 8. the appendix as Beza speakes to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signes and 2 Cor. 11. 12. tokens saith the Apostle of an Apostle Hee sent them with Commission their warrant for what they did with Instruction their Caution how to behaue themselues meekely or sternely as Heralds in Gods steed to denounce Peace or warre according as they to whom they are sent are either worthy or vnworthy verse 13. But that iourney of theirs like the Doues out of the Arke Gen. 8. 9. was neither farre nor long but as was Dauids victorie ouer the Lyon and the beare his encouragement to venture vpon 1 Sam. 17. 34. Marl. ex Calu. Goliah so was that of theirs Durioris militiae praeludia quaedam their Preparatiue to this their second but longer farther and more dangerous Expedition This Text then is but the Renewing of the former Negotiation with like Commission and Instruction Behold send you c. there is the Commission Be ye therefore c. there is the Instruction These are the two essentiall parts of the body of this Text either of which hath as Hierome speakes of the Reuelation tot Sacramenta quot verba as many Hier. ad Paulin. ep 83. mysteries as members The first in the first is the Preparation to their Mission in the first word Behold the second is the power authorizing in the second word I behold I the third the Mission in the third word Send Behold I send the fourth the Legates in the fourth word You Behold I send you the fifth the Opposition betweene them that are sent and them to whom they are sent the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheepe the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wolues The Instruction is an Imitation first of Serpents secondly of Doues to learne Wisedome of the one and Innocencie of the other Thus as you see haue I like Ahimaaz crost the next 2 Sam. 18. 23. way and brought you on the sodaine as was Habakkuk to Dan. 14. 36. Babel to the holy Citie but you come not as Baladan to Esai 39. 1. Hezekias to see but as the Eunuch to Ierusalem to worship Acts 8. 27. and in the interim to spend some minutes in the Lords house as the Queene of Sheba did moneths in Salomons to 1 Reg. 10. 1. learne the manner Behold I send you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Selah in the old testament concludes some thing or Hier. epist 2. ep 64. other remarkeable that went before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold in the new foreshewes the like matter of note in that that followes To teach vs that what manner of men God sendeth into Doctrine Church and common-wealth to what conditioned men they be sent and how they conuerse among vs is a matter of
the other Captaines least hee should be circumuented in the doing of what he was commanded He flees so soone as he hath done least he should be apprehended for the doing If the duty of our calling expose vs vnto necessary danger and wee dye for our consciences as Iohn for reprouing Herod our death is precious Math. 14. 4. Right deare in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Psal 116. 13. Saints If we escape as Eliah out of the hands of Iezabel 1 Reg. 19 2. our life is honourable Triumphat Victor imperator non Aug. Confess l. 8. cap. 3. vicisset nisi pugnasset The Conqueror returnes triumphantly but had he not conquered he had not triumphed and had he not fought he had not conquered quanto maius Ibidem periculum fuit in pralio tanto maius gaudium in triumpho The greater the danger was in the fight the greater by so much is the glory in the triumph Horatius Cocles stood single Liu. decad 1. lib. 2. against Porsennas whole Army till the bridge was broken behind him then he leapt into the water and saued himselfe by swimming His first care was to performe his duty to his Countrey his next care was to reserue himselfe for his Countrey Wee cannot at once performe all duties wee owe to Church and Common-wealth Dauid did his Father Iesse good seruice when being his Shepheard and but a stripling 1. Sam. 17. 34. hee slew the Lyon and the Beare and rescued his Sheepe He did his Master Saul better seruice when his Captaine and a man hee slew his ten for the others one Saul hath killed his thousand and Dauid his ten thousand but the Cap. 18. 7. best seruice he euer did was Gods and his Countries when an old man and a King when hee fed Iacob Gods people Psal 78. 72. and Israel his inheritance when hee fed them with a faithfull Verse 73 and true heart and guided them prudently in all his wayes To teach vs to walke warily betweene despaire and rashnesse Vse Neither with the Circumciliones to force men to kill Aug. contra lit Petiliani lib 2. cap. 83. vs through a vaine hope to become Martyrs Martyrem non facit poena sed causa It is not the paine but the cause that makes a Martyr nor yet with the Stoicks presume of security Aug. cont Crescon l. 3. cap. 47. through opinion of fatall necessity Nusquā tuta fides A man knowes not whom to trust Therefore it is that our blessed Sauiour in the next verse bids vs Beware of men Ye are in the Text as Sheepe in the middest of Wolues Be ye Mat. 10. 17. therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues The Creatures serue man foure manner of wayes 1. Either Aug. de Gen. ad Lit. lib. 3. cap. 17. vtiliter Probando Demonstratiuely for our good as the Angels 1. to direct Israel in the way 2. to comfort Eliah with bread and water and Hagar with shewing her a well Exod. 13. 21. 1 Reg. 19. 6. 3. To protect the Israelites from the Aegyptians Ioshuah Gen. 21. 19. with the Sword Elisha with Horses and Chariots of fire Exod. 14. 19. 4. To deliuer the Apostles out of prison 5. To reioyce at Iosh 5. 13. 2 Reg. 6. 17. and assist our well doing our conuersion our prayers 6. To take charge ouer vs while we be aliue 7. To carry Acts 5. 17. Luc. 1◠10. vs to Heauen when wee be dead The second vse of the Apoc. 8. 3. Creature is Poenaliter Laedendo Exemplarly to punish as the Psal 91. 11. fiery Serpents in the Wildernesse the Diuels in Hell The Luc. 16. 20. third seruice that the Creature doth vnto man is i. Salubriter Num 11. 6. Luc. 16. 23. exercendo naturally to vse Some for foode as the cleane beast 2. Some for rayment as the Sheepe 3. Some for Leuit. 11. 47. physicke applicando naturalia actiua passiuis by applying naturall causes to produce naturall effects 4. Some for necessity as the Elements without vs and without which we cannot liue one minute or within vs and whereof we are composed and without which we are not 5. Some for pleasure as Saul his House and Wiues the Kingdomes of 2 Sam. 12. 8. Israel and of Iudah giuen to Dauid The fourth kind of seruice that man hath of the Creature is Ignoranter docendo inducing him by the instinct of Nature either ad studium Sapientiae To enrich his vnderstanding with wisedome as the Serpent or ad Comparandam exercendamque virtutem To crowne his actions with morall vertues as the Doue Nothing is so naught but is good for something The Spider gathereth the infected ayre the Toade affoords a stone precious for the sight The Viper on Pauls hand proues Acts 28. 3. him an Apostle not a murtherer Behold I giue vnto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and ouer all the power Luc. 10. 19. of the Enemy and nothing shall hurt you The Angels that sinned the old World that repented not are ensamples how 2 Pet. 2. 4. we fall from grace or remaine impenitent after warning The Serpent that deceiued vs in Paradice where was nothing to offend vs teacheth vs in my Text to walke warily in the World where are Wolues to deuoure vs. Men may goe to Schoole and learne euen of brute Doctrine beasts The Pismire prepares in Summer against Winter Prou. 6. 7. The Riuer-Horse finding himselfe ouer-grosse by reason Plin. bist nat l. 8. cap. 26. of his high feeding sets his body against the sharpest reede hee can meete with and so pricketh a vaine in his legge and letteth himselfe bloud The Hart drawes arrowes out Plin l. 8. c. 27. of his body by eating of the hearbe Dictamnus The Lyzards eate of the hearbe Calaminth and it is their antidote against the byting of Serpents The Land Torteyse prepares himselfe with Marioram against he fights with them The Swallowes cure the soare eyes of their young ones with Celedine The Dragon his squeazy stomacke with Lectuce The Stocke-Doues Iayes Merles Owsels with bay-berrias Partridges House-Doues and Turtle-Doues with Pelletary of the wall all water Fowle with Cicory If the Swine hath eaten of the hearbe Hyosciamus he taketh Creafishes and it is his antidote wilde Oliues the Elephants after the swallowing of the Lyzard Camelion and Pismires the Beares after Mandrake Apples Finally the Snake by restinesse and lying still all Winter hath a certaine membrane or filme growen ouer his whole body but hauing recourse to Fenell with the iuyce thereof hee casteth that old coate that clogged him and appeareth fresh slicke and young againe O that the painfull Pismire could set sluggards on worke Vse or that the Apostles Law were better obserued that he that 2 Thess 5. 10. would not worke should not eate O that we that are more