powred downe in as abundant measure vpon you all your cittie and people aged infants and cattell and whatsoever is vvithin your gates or possession as my faithfull purpose hath beene truelie and effectuallie to preach his mercy according to the matter and scope of this present historie To him that is able to keepe you that you fall not and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glorie vvith ioie that is to God only vvise and our saviour be glory and maiesty and dominion and power both now and for ever Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT THE FVNERALLES OF THE MOST REVEREND FATHER JOHN LATE Arch-bishoppe of Yorke Novem the 17. in the yeare of our Lorde 1494. Printed at Oxford by Ioseph Barnes 1599. Psalme 146. Trust not iâ— Princes nor in anie sonne of man for there is no helpe in him his breath departeth and he returneth to his earth then his thoughtes perish THat precept of the sonne of Syrach though I never were willing to neglect I vvoulde most gladly haue observed at this time thou that arte younge speake if neede bee and yet scarsly when thou art twise asked For that which Euripides in Hecuba spake of a noble and vnnoble man I holde to bee true of an olde and young man delivering the same speech though it bee all one in wordes it is not so in force and authoritie The rule I am sure is ever for the most parte against the younger No man when hee hath tasted old wine desireth new for hee saith the olde is better Antigonus gaue his iudgement of Pyrrhus that he woulde prooue to be some great man if he lived to bee olde The wearie oxe treadeth surer a proverbe which Ierome vsed against Augustine being short of his yeares Omnia ferte aetas animum quoque Age bringeth all thinges and with all thinges vvisedome Surely for mine owne part I never thought it convenieÌ„t that the gravity of this present busines should not be aunswered with gravity both of person and speach and my witnesses are both in heaven and earth how iustly I can excuse my selfe as Elihu did Iob 32 Beholde I did waite vpon the wordes of the auncient and harkened for their knowledge I stayed the time til some elder and riper iudgement might haue acquited me from this presumption For as I wished all honour bounded within sobrietie to the name of my living maister so this to his memorie being deade that these last accomplishments of our christian humanitie towardes him might haue beene honoured both vvith the presence and paines of some honourable person And that amongst other his felicities it might haue beene one more which Alexander pronounced at the tombe of Achilles when he put a garland about his statue or piller O te foelicem cui mortuo talis praeco contigerit O happie Achilles who being deade haste gotten thee such a trumpeter of thy praises as Homer vvas Howbeit vnder that name and nature where in it commeth vnto me beeing imposed not sought and rather a burthen than either suite or desire of mine as an end of my service which for that vertuous spirites sake that sometimes dwelt in it I owe to the deade corpse I haue adventured the chardge that vvhatsoever my vvantes othervvise bee no man mighte say I vvanted duetye And as one besides not vnvvilling to take this advantage though of a most vnhappye and vnwelcome time to seale vp my former affections and to publish to the worlde what my losse is It was saide of olde time and in some case it may be true Animo dolentâ— nihil oportet credere that a man shoulde never beleeue a grieved or troubled minde I thinke the contrary animo dolenti magis oportet credere a man shoulde rather beleeue a minde in the griefe thereof And it is the best excuse for my bolde endevours at this time that beeing no straunger either to his death the eyes of vvhose body and vnder God of mine owne hope I holpe to close vp either to that sorrow which his death hath divided amongst vs his skattered flocke I am able to say that by my hearing vvhich others but by heare-saie and vvith a tongue fired at the altar of my hearte quickened and enlived I meane from the sense of that inwarde sorrow which I haue conceaved I haue laide the foundation of my speech from the wordes of the Psalme Put not your trust in Princes nor in any sonne of man for there is no helpe in him c. 1 Princes are an honourable callinge but they are the sonnes of men 2 The sonnes of men are creatures not farre inferiour to Angelles but there is no helpe in them 3 There is no helpe in them because not onely their puissaunce and strength but also the verye breath of their nostrelles departeth 4 When their breath is departed they are not placed amongst the starres but returne to their earth 5 Their devises are not canonized and kept for eternity for their thoughtes perish You see the first and the last highest and lowest of all the sonnes of Adam They may be made honorable Princes but they are borne sinfull the sonnes of men borne weake there is no helpe in them borne mortall their breath departeth borne corruptible they returne to their earth and lastlye thâ—t mortalitye and corruption is not onely in their flesh but in some parte or remnaunt of their spirites for their thouâ—htes perish The Prophet if you marke it climbeth vp by degrees to the disabling of the best men amongest vs and in them of all the rest For if Princes deserue not confidence the argument must needes holde by comparison much lesse meaner men The order of the vvordes is so set that the members follovving are evermore either the reason or some confirmation to that that wente before Trust not in Princes VVhy because they are the sonnes of men VVhy not in the sonnes of men because there is no helpe in them Why is there no helpe in them because when their breath goeth foorth they turne againe to their earth What if their fleshe bee corrupted Nay their thoughtes also come to nothing For first this first order and rancke vvhich the Prophet hath heere placed the Princes and GODS of the earth are by birth men secondelie vveake men and such in vvhome no helpe is thirdly not onely weake but dyinge their breath goeth out fourthlye not onelye dying but subiect to dissolution they turne to the earth fiftelye if onely their bodies vvere dissolved and their intendmentes or actes mighte stande there vvere lesse cause to distruste them but their thoughtes are as transitorye as their bodies Chrysostome deriveth it thus Trust not in Princes either because they are menne or because helpelesse or because mortall or because corruptible both in the frames of their bodies and in the cogitations of their heartes or lastelye Si dicendum est aliquid mirabile if a manne maye speake that vvhich the vvorlde maye iustlie vvonder at Trust
LECTVRES VPON IONAS DELIVERED AT YORKE In the yeare of our Lorde 1594. By JOHN KINGE Newlie corrected and amended Printed at Oxford by IOSEPH BARNES and are to be solde in Paules Church-yarde at the signe of the Bible 1599. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD KEEPER OF THE GREAT SEALE MY very singular good Lord such honor and happines in this world as may vndoubtedly be accompanied with the happinesse and honour of Saintes in the world to come RIGHT Honourable in this prodigall and intemperate age of the vvorlde wherein every man writeth more than neede is and chooseth such patronage to his writinges as his heart fancieth If I haue taken the like libertie to my selfe both of setting my labours openly in the eies of men and your Honours eies especially over my labours I hope because it is not my private fault your Lordshippe will either forget to espie or not narrowly examine it The number of bookes written in these daies without number I say not more then the worlde can holde for it even emptieth it selfe of reason and moderation to giue place to this bookish folly and serveth vnder the vanitie thereof but more than well vse the titles whereof but to haue red or seene were the sufficient labour of our vnsufficient liues did earnestlie treate with mee to giue some rest to the Reader and not to devide him into more choice of bookes the plentie whereof hath alreadie rather hurte then furthered him and kept him barer of knowledge For much reading is but a wearinesse to the flesh and there is no ende of making or perusing many bookes For mine owne part I coulde haue beene wel content not to haue added more fulnesse to the sea nor to haue trained the credulous Reader along with the hope of a new seeming booke which in name and edition and fashion because the file hath a little otherwise beene drawne over it may so bee but touching the substance that of the Preacher was long since true and togither with the growth of the worlde receiveth dailie more strength That that is hath beene and there is no new thing vnder the sunne But as we all write learned and vnlearned crow-poets and py-poetesses though but our owne follies and ignoraunces and to purchase the credite of writers some as madde as the sea some out their owne shame and vncurable reproch whose vnhonest treatises fitter for the fire then the bookes of Protagoras presses are daily oppressed with the worlde burthened and the patience of modest and religious eares implacably offended so the ambitious curiositie of readers for their partes calling forth bookes as the hardnes of the Iewish heartes occasioned the libell of divorce and a kinde of Athenian humor both in learned and vnlearned of harkening after the Mart asking of the Stationers what new thinges thereby threatning as it were continually to giue over reading if there want variety to feede and draw them on made me the more willing to goe with the streame of the time and to set them some later taske wherein if their pleasure be their idler howres may be occupied My end and purpose therein if charitie interpret for mee will be found nothing lesse than vaine ostentation Because I haue spoken at times and may hereafter againe if God giue leaue and grace the meditations of my hearte to as manie and as chosen eares almost as these bookes can distract them vnto and these which I nowe publish were publicke enough before if the best day of the seven frequent concourse of people and the most intelligent auditory of the place vvherein I then lived may gaine them that credite So as this further promulgation of them is not much more then as the Gentiles besought Paule in the Actes the preaching of the same wordes an other sabbath day and some testimonie of my desire if the will of God so bee to doe a double good with my single and simple labours in that it grieveth mee not to write and repeate the same thinges And to adioine one reason more I shall never bee vnwilling to professe that I even owed the everlasting fruite of these vnworthie travailes to my former auditours who when I first sowed this seede amongst them did the office of good and thankefull grounde and received it with much gladnesse To whom since I vvent aside for a time farre from the natiue place both of my birth and breede as Jonas went to Niniveh to preach the preachinges of the Lorde or into the bellie of the fish out of his proper and naturall element to make his song so I to deliver these ordinarie and weekelie exercises amongest them the providence of God not suffering mee to fasten the cordes of mine often remooved tabernacle in those North-warde partes but sending mee home againe let it receiue favourable interpretation with all sortes of men that I send them backe but that labour which they paied for and therein the presence of my spirite pledge of mine hearte and an Epistle of that deserved loue and affection vvhich I iustlye beare them I trust no man shall take hurte heereby either nearer or father of excepte my selfe vvho haue chaunged my tongue into a penne and whereas I spake before with the gesture and countenance of a livinge man haue nowe buried my selfe in a dead letter of lesse effectuall perswasion But of my selfe nothing on either part I haue taken the counsaile of the wise neither to praise nor dispraise mine owne doinges The one hee saith is vanitie the other folly Thousandes will bee readie enough to ease mee of that paines the vncerteinty of whose iudgement I haue now put my poore estimation vpon either to stande or fall before them Howbeit I will not spare to acknoweledge that I haue done little heerein without good guides And as Iustus Lipsius spake of his Politicke centons in one sense all may bee mine in an other not much more then nothing For if ever I liked the waters of other mens vvelles I dranke of them deepely and what I added of mine owne either of reaching or exhortation I commende it to the good acceptance of the worlde with none other condition then the Emperour commended his sonnes sipromerebuntur if it shall deserue it Nowe the reasons which mooved mee to offer these my first fruites vnto your good Lordshippe may soone bee presumed though I name them not For when the eie that seeth you blesseth you and all tongues giue witnesse to your righteous dealing shoulde mine bee silent yea blessed bee the God of heaven that hath placed you vpon the seate of iustice to displace falshood and wrong The vine of our English Church spreadeth her branches with more chearefulnesse through the care which your honour hath over her You giue her milke without silver and breade without mony vvhich not many other patrons doe In this vnprofitable generation of ours wherein learning is praised and goeth naked men wondering at schollers
LECTVRE Chap. 1. ver 15. So they tooke vp Ionas and cast him into the sea and the sea ceased form her raging ver 16. Then the men feared the Lord c. IN the former verse was the dedication of the sacrifice wherein they sanctified themselves by praier cōmended their action to Gods good favor in this is the offering of the sacrifice before the attēpting whereof being their finall doome animadversiō vpō the life of Ionas a iudgement without redemptiō they observe the charitablest wariest principle in exercising discipline that may be helde that is not to trie an extremity till they haue tried all meanes and then if the wounde bee vncurable and past hope to apply the fire or the sword to it They dealte with Ionas in this course as a skilfull surgian with his patient a parte of whose body being putrified and eating on by degrees threatneth the losse of the whole if it be not staied as the transgression of Ionas being but a member in the ship went forwarde like a canker and was at hande to haue invaded the whole company The professour wil first enquire the cause of the maladie how commeth it what hath thy diet thine exercise beene as these aske Ionas vvhat haste thou done what is thine occupation c. and when hee is answered by his patient I haue eaten and dranke intemperately exceeded the strength of my bodie incontinentlie lived as Ionas reported how farre hee had disobeyed perhappes hee may chide him as these chide Ionas Why haste thou done this a man of thy yeares education discretion as these implie to Ionas a man of thy knowledge calling and commission yet he wil do more than expostulate for that were to afflict the afflicted and to heape griefe vpon griefe hee will advise with the patient himselfe as these with Ionas vvho best knoweth the state of his body as Ionas the counselles of God What shall wee doe vnto thee And though he bee aunswered there is no helpe but one mine arme must be cut or my legge sawed of and then the rest of my body may be saved as Ionas answered Cast me into the sea and the sea shall bee calme vnto you yet hee will prooue his skill otherwise as they their endevours by rowing to saue the ioint if possibly it may be done But when there is no other helpe the sore retayning his anger as the sea her impatience both fretting on still and crying for a desperate remedie then will the one vse his corrosiues and sharpest instrumentes commending the successe of the cure vnto God as these after praier tooke vp Ionas and cast him foorth In the two next verses ensuing vvee may obserue 1. their proceeding as it were by steppes to the action They tooke vp Ionas 2. the accomplishment thereof They cast him into sea 3. the event The sea ceased from her raging 4. the demeanour of the mariners after their release both in their inwarde affection Then they feared the Lord exceedingly in the open testification thereof 1. by sacrifices witnesses of their present thankfulnes and 2. vowes pledges and earnests of their duty to come Eleazar an ancient interpreter of the Bible thinketh that the sentence is heere perfited They tooke vp Ionas and by a period or full pointe severed from that vvhich followeth They cast him into the sea Therevpon he collecteth that the Mariners assaied fiue experimēts to acquit themselues from danger 1. The private invocation of everie man vpon his owne God 2. the throwing forth of their wares 3. their casting of lottes 4. their common supplication 5. their letting downe of Ionas into the sea vp to the necke and pulling him backe againe that it might appeare vnto them that Ionas was the Man whome the sea desired because whilst his body was in the waters the sea stood when taken backe it boiled againe There is no warrant in my text for this opinion therefore I charge you not with it For as there is no reason to loose one worde of the writings of God not the least fragment of the broken meate so on the other side to adde vnto them is an iniurie and a plague will follow it Onely this I obserue as the complement of all their former humanity specified in many particulars before that though they coulde not cast him foorth but they must first take him vp amongst them yet seeing the history might haue concluded both in one the latter implying the former and rather doth it by noting the order and distinction of two sundry actions and by making a space betweene thē First they tooke him vp c. then they cast him forth it argueth a treatable deliberate gentle proceeding in thē that that which they did they did by leasure and without violent or turbulent invasiō Hierome with others cōment vpō the wordes Tulerunt non arripuerunt nō invaserūt They tooke him they haled him not they caught him not vp in a rage they set not hastily vpon him but bare him in their armes as it were with honour due estimatiō Because it was the funerals and exequies of a prophet of the Lorde their last service vnto him they did it with reverence And in trueth there needed no invasion or force to be vsed against him Hee was brought to his end tanquā ovis which was the Embleme of the sonne of God as a lambe that is dumbe before the shearer so opened hee not his mouth Tulerunt non repugnantem They tooke him without resistance For what should resistance haue done Ducunt volentem fata nolentem traehunt I will not say The destinies as the Poet doth but the will and power of God for these are the right destinies and he that so vnderstandeth them with Saint Augustine Teneat sententiam corriga◠linguam Let him keepe the opinion onely amending his tongue But the will and power of God leade him that is willing to goe and pull him that is vnwilling I never red that Moses opposed himselfe by the least thought of his heart to the ordinance of God when hee saide vnto him Beholde the daies are come that thou must die though Moses might haue lived many yeares For in the last of Deuteronomy his eies were not dimme nor his naturall force abated Rather he spake vnto the people with cheerefulnesse alacrity of hart embracing the tydings of his death I am an hundred and twenty yeares olde this day I can no more goe out and in also the Lord hath said vnto me Thou shalt not goe over this Iordan Young men amongst vs thinke they are priviledged because they are in their full strength old men though they haue a foote in the graue thinke they may be long old There is none so striken in yeares but thinketh hee may liue a year more Be we young or old if ever the message of God be sent vnto vs as to Ezechias Put thy house in order dispatch thy worldly affaires
favour and partiality to the religion established no place lefte to dissemble with God or man Tanti meriti tanti pectoris tāti oris tantae virtutis episcopu as Augustine spake of Cypriā so worthy so wise so well spoken so vertuous so learned a Byshope gaue such counsaile vnto them 3. To all the members of the Church of England vnity of soule and heart to embrace the doctrine authorized And lastly to himselfe peace and rest in the assured mercies of God This peace he hath plentifull fruition of vvith the God of peace For though he seemeth in the eies of the foolish to be dead yet is he in peace And like a true Hebrew he hath eaten his last passeover amongst vs and it is past from death to life where with vnspeakable ioy of heart he recompteth betweene himselfe and his soule Sicut audivimus sic et vidimus As I haue heard so now haue I seeene and felt in the citty of our God and with the blessed Angells of heaven and all the congregation of first borne singeth the songue of Moses a songue of victory and thanksgiving rendring all blessing honour glory power to him that sitteth vpon the throne and the Lambe that was killed and that vndefiled Spirit which proceedeth from them both by whome hee was sealed vp at his death to his everlasting redemption A SERMON PREACHED IN YORKE THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF NOVEMBER IN THE YEARE OF our Lorde 1595. being the Queenes day Printed at Oxford by Ioseph Barnes 1599. 2. King 23 25. Like vnto him was there no king before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule c. THE remembrance of Iosias is like the perfume that is made by the arte of the Apothecarie it is svveete as hony in all mouthes and as musicke at a banquet of vvine he behaued himselfe vprightly in the reformation of the people and tooke away all abominations of iniquitie hee directed his hearte vnto the Lorde and in the time of the vngodlie hee established religion vvhich to haue done in a better season the zeale of the people and favour of the time advauntaging him had beene lesse praise The lande vvas sowen with none other seede saue idolatrie and iniquitie vvhen he came vnto it For by that vvhich is written of him we may know what he reformed All idolatrous both Priestes and monuments whether Chemarims or blacke friars Priestes of Baal of the sun moone or planets though founded and authorized by both ancient and late kings before him namely in these recordes by Salomon Ahaz Manasses Ieroboam togither with their high places or valleyes their groues altars vesselles vvheresoever hee found them either in Ierusalem or Iudah in Samaria or Bethel in the temple or in the courtes of the temple vpon the gates or in the kings chambers not sparing the bones of the Priestes either living or deade but raking them out of their graues besides the impure Sodomites and their houses sooth-sayers and men of familiar spirites he destroyed defiled cut downe burnt to ashes bet to powder threwe into the brooke and left no signe of them Hee followed both a good rule and a good example His rule is here specified according to all the law of Moses his example in the chapter before hee did vprightly in the sight of the Lord an◠walked in all the waies of David his father and bowed neither to the right hande nor to the lefte Hee was prophecied of three hundred yeares vpward before his birth a rare singular honour that both his name should be memorable after his death as heere we finde it and written in the booke of GOD before ever his partes were fashioned His actes are exactelye set downe in this and the former Chapters and in the second of Chronicles and foure and thirteeth vpon the recital wherof is this speach brought in by waie of an Epiphoneme or acclamation advancing Iosias aboue all other kings and setting his head amongst the stars of God The testimonie is very ample which is here given vnto him that for the space almost of fiue hundred yeares from the first erection of the kingdome to the captivity of Babylon vnder the government of 40. kings of Iudah and Israell there was not one found who either gaue or tooke the like example of perfection In the catalogue of which kings though there were some not many vertuous and religious David Salomon Asa Iehosaphat Iehu Ioash Amasia Iothan Hezekias yet they haue all their staines their names are not mentioned without some touch The wisdome honor riches happines of Salomon every way were so great that the Queene of Saba worthily pronounced of him Blessed be the Lord thy God which loved thee c. Will you know his blemish but Salomon loved many out-landish women and they broughte him to the loue of many out-landish Gods so he is noted both for his corporall spiritual whordomes Asa the son of Abiam did right in the eies of the Lord as did David his father 1. King 15. his heart was vpright with the Lord all his daies he put downe Maachah his mother for idolatrie The bitter hearbe that marreth al this is but he put not downe the high places Iehosaphat did well hee walked in all the waies of Asa his father declined not ther-from but did that which was right in the eies of the Lord 1. Kin. 22. neverthelesse the high places were not taken away Iehu did well God gaue him this testimony 2. King 10. because thou haste diligently executed that which was right in mine eies therefore shall thy sonnes vnto the fourth generation sit on the seate of Israell but Iehu regarded not to vvalke in the vvaies of the Lorde God of Israell vvith all his heart Amafiah did well he did vprightlie in the sight of the Lord 2. King 14. yet not like David his father David himselfe so much renowned as the principall patterne of that royall line to be imitated by them yet hath a scarre vpon his memory hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned from nothinge that hee commaunded him all the daies of his life 1. King 15. thus farre good saue onelie in the matter of Vriah the Hittire Onelie Iosias is without spotte or vvrinckle like vnto him was there no king And as in the number of bad kinges Rehoboam did ill Ieroboam worse for hee sinned and made Israell to sinne but Omri vvorse than all that went before him 1. King 16. yet Ahab worse than all before him in the same place so in the number of the good though Salomon did wel Iehosaphat perhaps better David best of al yet Iosias is beyonde the vvhole companie vvhich either went before or came after him Like vnto him was there no king It had beene a great praise to Iosias to haue had none better than himselfe to haue matched the vertues and godlines of his progenitours
are all gone out of the way c. When this canker of impiety hath so overspred and eaten into the manners of people then is fulfilled that which Esay puâ—teth dovvne for a sounde position Let mercie bee shewed to the wicked yet hee vvill not learne rigtheousnesse in the lande of vprightenesse will hee doe wickedly and will not beholde the maiesty of the Lorde If neither the mercy nor the maiesty of God nor the company of the righteous can reforme him then is his bettering despaired and past hope I neede no farther examine this part The cause why Ionas cryed against Niniveh vvas the cry of their sinnes their regions vvere vvhite to harvest their iniquities ripe and looked for a sickle from heauen to cutte them dovvne The sufficiencie of vvhich cause to deriue the iudgementes of GOD vpon vs Ieremy layeth downe in his prophecy Manye nations shall passe by the citye meaning of Ierusalem and shall saye everye man to his neighbour vvherefore hath the LORDE done this to this greate citie then shall they answere Because they haue forsaken the covenant of the Lorde their GOD c. For the iudgement of the Lorde pronounced by David shall stande longer then the stars in the firmament Him that loveth iniquitye doth his soule hate Vpon the wicked hee shall raine snares fire and brimstone and stormie tempestes this is the portion of their cuppe And in the first Psalme it is a singular opposition that is made betvveene the iust and the wicked Non sic impij non sic the wicked are not so that thou mayest vnmoueably beleeue how vnmoueably God is bent to deny the wicked his grace hee strengtheneth the negatiue by doubling it Therefore the wicked shall not stand in iudgement for they are fallen before their iudgment commeth What shall they not rise againe Surely yes but not in iudgement saith Ierome for they are already iudged The wickednesse of our land what it is and in what elevation of height vvhether modest or impudent private or publique vvhether it speaketh or cryeth standeth or goeth lyeth like an aspe in her hole or flyeth lyke a fiery serpent into the presence of God your selues bee iudges vvrite my vvordes in tables that they may bee monumentes for latter daies for when your childrens children shall heare them hereafter they will skarselye beeleeue them The moneths of the year haue not yet gone about wherin the Lorde hath bowed the heavens and come downe amongst vs with more tokens and earnests of his wrath intended then the agedst man of our lande is able to recount of so small a time For say if ever the windes since they blew one against the other haue beene more common and more tempestuous as if the foure ends of heaven had conspired to turne the foundations of the earth vpside downe thunders and lightnings neither seasonable for the time and withall most terrible with such effectes brought forth that the childe vnborne shall speake of it The anger of the clouds hath beene powred downe vpon our heades both with abundance and saving to those that felt it vvith incredible violence the aire threatned our miseries with a blazing starre the pillers of the earth tottered in many vvhole countries and tractes of our Ilande the arrowes of a woefull pestilence haue beene caste abroade at large in all the quarters of our realme even to the emptying and dispeopling of some partes thereof treasons against our Queene and countrey wee haue knovvne many and mighty monstrous to bee imagined from a number of Lyons whelpes lurking in their dennes and vvatching their houre to vndoe vs our expectation and comfort so fayled vs in Fraunce as if our right armes had beene pulled from our shoulders VVee haue not altered the colour of the hayre of our heades nor added one inch to our stature since all these thinges haue beene accomplished amongst vs. Consider then vvell and thinke it the highest time to forsake your highest wickednes I call it highest wickednes for if wee knew how to adde any thing in our severall veines and dispositions to those idols of sinne which we serue some to our covetousnesse some to our pride some to our vnchastnes some to our malice and such like wee would breake our sleepe nay we would compasse sea and lande to encrease it Yet howsoever it fareth with the multitude let there bee a seede and remnaunt among vs left to entreate for peace Ten righteous persons would haue saved Sodom it may so stand with the goodnes of God that a few innocent fooles shall preserue the island as Iob speaketh Let vs thankfully embrace the long sufferance of our God forepast leading vs as by a hande of friendship to repentance and let vs redeeme with newnesse of life our dayes and yeares formerly mispent least by impenitent transgressing against the law of our maker we fall vpon his sentence of wrath irrevocably past and resolved by him I haue thought it and will not repent neither will I turne backe from it THE THIRD LECTVRE Chap. 1. ver 3. But Ionas arose vp to flie vnto Tharsish from the presence of the Lord and he went downe to Iapho c. THe commission given to Ionas we haue already weighed it followeth that wee handle his recusancy disobedience therein coÌ„mitted This verse now in haÌ„d delivereth the whole body therof with every member belonging vnto it 1. his preparatioÌ„ is set downe in that he arose 2. his speede to fly 3. the end and period of his iourney to Tharsis 4. his end and purpose why to Tharsis to escape the preseÌ„ce of the Lord. 5. the opportunities helpes and furtherances to his travel are exactly put downe 1. he went downe to Iapho an haven-towne 2. hee found a ship going to Tharsis 3. he paid the fare thereof 4. he went downe into it 5. lastly his reason of flying to Tharsis is againe specified with a regression in the end of the verse that he might goe from the presence of the Lord. A notable patterne of mans disposition 1. the Lord biddeth him arise he ariseth who if he had sitten still till his flesh had cloveÌ„ to the pauement or if he had streched himselfe vpon his bed and folded his armes to sleepe he had done a service more acceptable to God 2. he is bidden to go but not coÌ„tent with going he doth more theÌ„ so hee flieth hee hath the feete of an hinde and the wings of a doue to do that hee should not who had reapt more thankes if he had crept but like a snaile in his right course 3. He is bidden to go to Niniveh he goeth to Iapho and Tharsis he is not idle but he doth ill he doth that which he was not charged with like one of those Lords in Ieremy who told God to his face we are Lords we wil no more come at thee so doth he flatly crosse overthwart that directioÌ„ which God had set
conscience I am afflicted the inheritaÌ„ce I am diminished liberty I am restrained for thy sake These are arguments perswasions that haue done good as Augustine affirmeth of the Donatistes and Circumcellions in Affricke that being terrified by paines they began to enter into consideration with themselues whether they suffered for iustice or for obstinacie and presumption But you will say that some men are not bettered hereby Shall wee therefore saith Augustine reiect the phisicke because the sicknesse of some is incurable For of such it is written I haue smitten your children in vaine they receiue no correction And for the better managing of the whole cause he addeth this iudgement If they were terrified and not taught it would seeme tyrannie againe if taught not terrified it would harden them in an inveterate custome make theÌ„ more sluggish to recâ—iue their saluatioÌ„ As for that obiectioÌ„ of liberty of conscience he answereth it in an other place It is in vaine that thou saiest leaue me to my free will for why proclaimest thou not liberty in homicides and whordomes aswell GOD hath given indeede free will vnto man free from coaction but it vvas not his will meane time that either the good will of man shoulde bee without fruite or his evill will without punishment Tertullian is of the same minde with Augustine that it is meete that heretickes shoulde bee compelled to doe their duetie not allured I say compelled if allurement will not serue for they must not alway bee prayed and entreated Hee that hath a phrensie must be bound â—nd he that hath a lethargy must be prickt vp and he that hath strengthned himselfe in heresie whether he keepe it privately to himselfe or diffuse it amongst others must violently be pulled from it These persons hath Augustine distinguished For there are some heretickes troublesomely audacious others anciently sluggish and taken with a sleepy disease neither of these may in wisedome be forborne There are some makers others but followers proselytes disciples in heresies these are either weake or indurate So then first counsell and afterwardes compell them if that will not serue to bring them to the service of God according to that forme which the lawes of our countrey haue set downe though I wish not one haire of their heades diminished but vvhen they strike at our heade and had rather powre bloude into their veines then let it out but when the atrocity of their actes can no longer bee tolerated yet were I worthy to giue advise I would haue a writer go with his inckhorne from man to man and marke them in the foreheades that mourne for the vvelfare of our realme and as bond-men to their brethren they should hew woode and draw water to the hoast of Israel as Iosuah vsed the Gibeonites for their guile Who will pitty the charmer that is stung by the serpent because it was the folly of the charmer to go to neare or who will favour that man that nourisheth a gangrene within his body and seeketh not helpe to remooue it We nurse vp lions whelps for our owne overthrow as Amilcar brought vp his sonnes for the ruine of Rome we play too boldly at the holes of aspes we embolden the faces encourage the harts strengthen the handes of them that keepe an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a daily recorde of all our actions and haue taken to vse whatsoever hath beene spoken or done against them these many Halcyon yeares of ours meaning to exchange it ten for one if ever they see the day of their long expected alteration But the cause is the Lords Whatsoever they looke for let vs vindicate his dishonor who hath made this countrey of ours a sanctuary for true religion a refuge and shade in the heate of the day for persecuted professors who haue beene chased like bees from their owne hiues a temple for himselfe to dwell in Let vs not make that temple a stewes a coÌ„mon receit for all coÌ„mers that both Atheists Papists Anabaptists and all sortes of sectaries may hold what conscience they will and serue such God as like themseles THE EIGHT LECTVRE Chap. 1. vers 6. Call vpon thy God if so bee that God will thinke vpon vs that wee perish not I Haue noted before out of these words both the carefulnesse of the Ship-master continued towardes his charge and the liberty or rather license hee gaue vnto Ionas to serue his peculiar God Touching which indulgence of his I shewed my opinion whether it bee expedient that a governour shoulde tolerate a distraction of his subiectes into divers religions Mee thinketh there are two thinges more implyed in this member Call vpon thy God carying the reasons why hee called vpon Ionas after this sort For either he affected the person of Ionas supposing perhappes that some merit and grace in the man might more prevaile by prayer then the rest or els he affianced the God of Ionas and as one weary or distrustfull of his owne hoped there might be an other God more able to deliver them I will not enter into coniectures too farre but surely it is likely enoughe that either by the lookes or speech or attire or behaviour or some forepassed devotion or other the like notice the maister conceaved a good opinion of Ionas The forehead sometime sheweth the man as the widow of Shunem by the very vsage countenance speech of Elizeus was able to tell her husband Beholde I know now that this is an holy man of God that passeth by vs continually If this were his reason it was not greatly amisse because there is great difference betweene man and man For neither the priority of birth which Esau had of Iacob Gen. 25. nor the heigth of stature which Eliab had of David 1. Sam 16. nor the pompe and honour of the world which Haman had of Mardochai Esther 3. nor all the wisedome of Chaldea which the Astrologers had of Daniel nor the antiquity of daies which many daughters of Sion had of the blessed Virgin nor the prerogatiue of calling which the Scribes and Pharises had of poore fishermen nor the countrey which Annas and Caiaphas had of Cornelius nor eloquence of speech which Tertullus had of Paule nor any the like respect is able to commende a man in such sort but that his inferiours in that kinde for more vertuous conditions may be magnified aboue him It may be the maister of the shippe vvas so perswaded of Ionas that though he were but one to a multitude a stranger amongst strangers a scholler and puny amongst marchants and souldiours whose state and carriage was every way beyond his yet he might haue a spirit blessing and wisedome beyond all theirs and therefore repaireth vnto him Arise call vpon thy God How onelye and incomparable vvas the favour vvhich Abraham the great father of many people found in the eyes of God who being but dust and ashes as himselfe confessed pleaded vvith his maker as
In alto non altum sapere not to bee high-minded in high desertes is the way to preferment Davâ—d asketh Quis ego sum domine O Lord who am I He was taken from that lowlines of conceipt to be the king of Israell Iacob protesteth Minor sum I am lesse than the least of thy mercies hee was preferred before his elder brother and made the father of the twelue tribes Peter crieth exi à me domine homo peccator sum Goe out from mee Lorde I am a sinfull man he heard feare not I will henceforth make thee a fisher of men Iohn Baptist soundeth Non sum diguus I am not worthy to loose the latchet of his shoe hee was founde worthye to laye his handes vpon the head of Christ. The Centurion treadeth in the same footesteps Non sum dignus I am not worthye vnder the roofe of whose house thou shouldest come his commendation was rare I haue not founde so great faith no not in Israell Paul departeth not from the same wordes Non sum dignus I am not worthy to bee called an apostle he obtained mercy to the example of those that were afterwardes to come The blessed Virgin in her aunswere to the Angell sheweth that the salutation no way lifted vp her hearte ecce ancilla Domini beholde the hande-maide of the LORD shee obtaineth that for which all the generations of the vvorlde shoulde call her blessed This base and inglorious style of the most glorious Saintes of God Non sum dignus and the like shall get vs the honour of Saintes shall raise vs from the dust and set vs vpon thrones take vs from amongst beastes and place vs with Angels What was it in the blessed Virgin the mother of Gods first-borne the glory and flowre of women-kinde that God regarded so much She telleth you in her songe of thanksgiving Hee hath regarded the lowlinesse of his hand-maide yea the bloude and iuice of that whole song is in praise of humility Hee hath scattered the proude in the imaginations of their hearte hee hath put downe the mighty from their seate and hath exalted the humble and meeke O that the women of our age could singe Magnificat with that humblenesse of spirite that Marye did My soule doth magnifie the Lorde that recompence woulde bee theirs which followeth hee that is mighty hath magnified mee againe and holie is his name But they magnifie themselues too much with pedlers ware what shall I tearme it vnprofitable garments which the moth shall fret and time it selfe rotte vpon their backes but they never thinke in their hartes how God may bee magnified It is not without some mystery that the Angels tolde the shepheards Luke 2. this shall be a signe vnto you you shall finde the infant wrapt in swadling clothes In signum positi sunt panni tui O bone Iesu sed in signum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A signe that is spoken against a signe that is done against we cannot abide thy clowtes thy ragges O Lorde Iesu nor any part of thy humility His nativity was by his ordinance first preached to shepheardes hee contended with his fore-runner who shoulde bee the lowlier of the two hee tooke fisher-men to bee his disciples embraced young children paide tribute to his inferiours fled away that hee might not be made a king washed the feete of his apostles charged the leper not to tell any man rode vpon an asse sought his fathers glory not his owne to whome he was obedient to the death even to the death of the crosse In all which hee doth not lesse than proclaime vnto vs learne of mee to be humble and meeke and you shall finde rest for your soules I say but this The maister is worthy your hearing the lesson your learning the recompence your receaving In this beâ— of humility let mee rest your soules for this time and let vs beseech the God of maiesty who is higher than the highest in the earth who will resiste the proude and giue his graces to the humble and meeke that whether wee aske wee may aske in humility or whether wee haue receaved we may vse it without vaineglory that all our wordes and workes may be powdered with that salt in the Psalme which shall eate out all ostentation Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the honour and praise Amen THE XVII LECTVRE Chap. 1. ver 14. Wee beseech thee O Lord wee beseech thee let vs not perish for this mans life THe praier of the marriners beginneth not till you come to these wordes the other were the wordes of the history reporting vvhat they did these now propounded are their owne or at least the summe and effecte of them Wee may reduce them to two heads first a Petition and therein a preface Wee beseech thee O Lorde wee beseech thee comprising the manner and forme of praying and the matter or substance of the petition let vs not perish for this mans life c. 2. the reason For thou Lorde hast done as it pleased thee So as in the wordes of the history signifying howe they behaved themselues togither with the pitition and the reason of the same wee finde eight conditions requisite to the nature of praier Fiue wherof wee haue already dealt in the sixte vvee are to proceede vnto The Importunity they vse implied in the doubling and iterating of their suppliant tearmes Wee beseech thee O Lorde wee beseech thee Woe bee to him that is alone who when he hath spoken once speaketh no more as if he were weary of wel-doing and repeÌ„ted himselfe that he had begun If his former request be weake and infirme fainting in the way to the mercy of God hee hath not a friende to helpe it nor a brother to say vnto it Be stronge This double supplication of theirs falleth as the showres of the first and latter raine if the one faileth of watering the earth sufficiently the other fulfilleth the appetite and thirst thereof So should our praiers bee beâ—t that as the kine of the Philistines which bare the Arke though they were milche and had calues at home yet they kept the straight way to â—ethshemesh and held one path and lowed as they went and turned neither to the right hand nor the left neither ever stoode still till they came into the field of Iosuah where he was reaping his harvest so the affection of our soules bearing the Arke and coffer of our suites though it hath worldly allurements to draw it backe as the kine had calues yet keepeth on the way to the house of God as they to Bethshemesh holding one path of perseverance lowing with zeale turning neither to the right nor to the left hand with wandring cogitations till it commeth into the field and garden of God where her harvest groweth We beseech thee we beseech thee This ingemination of speech noteth an vnmooueable and constant affection to the thing we affect as if the tongue and hearte
alive they sent him away to remoove their eie-sore God to be a stewarde both for AEgypt and Israell Nay God sent him thither and they sent him not the incomprehensible reaches of God were so far above theirs and his wisdome in the good handling of a bad cause doeth so much obscure and discountenance their malice that it seemeth not to be at all and the ministers in the action as it were cast aside the highest dispenser and moderatour thereof onely is remembred you sent mee not hither but God the purposes of your heartes were nothing in comparison of that everlasting decree which the immortall and onely wise God made to himselfe See what a race and pedegree of blessings Origen bringeth downe from the rotten stocke of that vngratious practise If Ioseph he not sold Pharaos dreames are not expounded none maketh provision of corne Egypt and the country about Egypt and Israell sterveth in the time of dearth the seede of Israell goeth not into Egypt to seeke bread neither returneth out of Egypt with miracles no wonders are wrought by Moses and Aaron no passing through the red sea no Manna from heaven no water from the rocke no lawe from Sinai no going into the land of Canaan c. These are the blessings and commodities which the envy of the Patriarkes bringeth forth by Gods most mighty and wise dispensation So that we may truly say Particular mischiefes are common commodities The life of the Lyon is maintained by the death of the Lambe the cruelty of tyrants giveth Martyres their glory and crowne And the bloud of Martyrs becommeth the seede and propagation of the church If any demaunde whether this good might not better have beene procured by good meanes I answere with Augustine Melius iudicavit Deus de malis benefacere quà m mala nulla esse permittere It seemed better to the wisedome of God to worke good out of evill than to suffer no evill at all I now conclude the point As in the statutes lawes of our common wealth there are many things contained more than the lawes either commit or allow as treasons felonies heresies and the like which notwithstanding the lawes order dispose of so in the will of God within the compasse and pale of his arbitrement much more is contained than either by action or autorizement from him could ever be defended and yet is that will of his iudge and disposer of al those particulars And whether Ioseph be sold into Egypt or Ionas throwne into the sea or the son of God himselfe nailed vpō a crosse we may safely vniversally say with the Mariners in this prophesie Thou Lord haste done as it pleased thee Surelie there is not an evill in th◠cittie nor vpon the face of the earth but God hath some vse of it Those sins within our land that take al from men as coveteousnesse extortion oppression vsury they take not that from God vvhich his wisdome maketh of them I meane the profit vse of most vnnaturall vices Happily they take the substance of their brethren and by taking such snares away saue their soules or if they take their liues they ease vnlade them of a great burthen of their sinnes to come The drunkard drinketh himselfe a sleepe not God and bringeth his owne senses and wits into a trance but provoketh quickneth the righteous Lorde to do a worke of iustice The adulterer wrappeth himselfe within the armes of his harlot and thinketh he is safe and not perceived but never shal be able to vnwrappe himselfe from the armes of Gods goverment The murtherer that spoileth the life of his mortall brethren if every wish of his hearte were a two edged sworde shall never kill the life of Gods immortall providence He shall saie to the hardest hearte at which the preaching of prophets and denunciation of iudgementes hath often recoiled open thy dores that I may enter into thee to declare my iustice and to the reprobatest minde that ever hath beene dulled and benummed with sinne though thou feelest not my grace thou shalt feele my vengeance Envie cānot hinder his benignity nor the hotest malice vnder heauen drie vp this spring of his goodnes What shall we say then Because God maketh vse of thy sinnes art thou excused Is not thine evill evill because he picketh good out of it deceiue not thy selfe therein When thou hast done such service to thy maister and maker though seven and seven yeares as Iacob did to Laban thou shalt loose thy wages and thy thankes to O well were thou if thou didst but loose for thou shalt also gaine a sorowful advātage It is vnprofitable nay miserable service which thou hast thus bestowed Babylon shall bee the hammer of the Lorde a long time to bruse the nations himselfe afterwardes bruised Assur his rod to scourge his people but Assur shall bee more scourged These hammers rods axes sawes other instruments when they have done their offices which they never ment shal be throwne themselves into the fire and burnt to ashes Sathan did service to God it cannot bee denied in the afflicting of Iob winnowing of Peter buffeting of Paul executing of Iudas and God did a worke in all these either to proove patience or to confirme faith or to trie strength or to commend iustice yet is Sathan reserved in chaines vnder darkenes to the retribution of the great day Iudas did service to God in getting honour to his blessed name for the redemption of mankinde whilst the world endureth Yet was his wages an alder-tree to hang himselfe vpon and which is worse he hangeth in hell for eternall generations He had his wages and lost his wages That which the priest gave him he lost and lost his Apostleshippe but gained the recompence of everlasting vnhappinesse and lieth in the lowest lake for the worme and death to gnaw vpon without ceasing Will you heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements For this is the whole duety of man This is the will of God wherewith we are highly charged and he will strictly require it The booke that is clasped vp let vs leave to the Lambe and to the blessed Trinity Those of Moses the Prophets the Psalmes of Christ and his blessed Apostles wherein we may run and read the ordinances of the most High belong to vs and our seede after vs. These let vs carefully search and meditate in them day and night let them wake and sleepe walke rest live and die with vs and whatsoever he hath secretly decreed whether by our weakenesse or strength sicknesse or health falling or standing which in his hidden counselles is locked vp and cannot be opened but by the key of David let vs beseech him for Christes sake to turne it to our good that his name may be glorified his arme made knowne his wisdome iustice and mercy more and more magnified and our sinfull soules by the abundant riches of his grace finally saved Amen THE XX.
two singular and almost despaired deliverances first of their bodies from a raging and roaring sea a benefite not to be contemned for even the Apostles of Christâ— cried in the like kind of distresse vpon the waters helpe Lorde wee perish secondlye of their soules from that idolatrous blindnes wherein they were drowned and stifled a destruction equall to the former and indeed far exceeding The horrour of this destruction was never more faithfully laid out in colours than in the eighth of Amos. Where after repetition of sorrowes enough if they were not burnt with hote irons past sense as that the songes of the teÌ„ple shoulde be turned into howlinges feastes into mourning laughter into lamentation that there should be many dead bodies in every place even the nuÌ„ber so great that they should cast them forth in silence without obsequies the sunne going downe at noone and the earth darkened in the cleare day that is their greatest woe in the greatest prosperity yet he threatneth a scourge beyoÌ„d al these Behold saith the Lord I have not yet made your eies dazell nor your eares tingle with my iudgements though your eies have beheld sufficient misery to make them faile yet behold more The daies come I give you warning of vnhappier times the plagues you have endured already are but the beginnings of sorrow the daies come that I will send a famine in the land if the mouth of the Lord had here stayed famem immittam I will send a famine had it not sufficed Can a greater crosse thinke you be imagined than wheÌ„ a wofull mother of her wofull children shall be driven to say As the Lorde liveth I have but a little meale left in a barrell and a little oile in a cruise and beholde I am gathering two stickes to go in and dresse it for me and my sonne that wee may eate and die and much rather if it come to that extremity that an other mother felt when shee cried vnto the king Helpe my Lord O King This woman saide vnto mee give thy sonne that wee may eate him to day and wee will eate my sonne to morrowe so we sodde my sonne and did eate him c. yet hee addeth to the former by a correction not a famine of bread nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of God and they shall wonder not as the sonnes of Iacob who went but out of Israell into Egypt but from sea to sea and from the North to the East shall they runne to and fro to seeke the worde of the Lorde and shall not finde it This was the case of these men before a prophet spake vnto them and the wonders of the lawe were shewed amoÌ„gst them And this was the case of our countrey when either it fared with vs as with the church of Ierusalem signa non videmus non est ampliùs propheta wee see no tokens there is no prophet lefte or if we had prophets they were such as Ezechiell nameth they saw vanities and divined lies and the booke of the law of the Lorde though it were not hid in a corner as in the raigne of Iosias nor cut with a penknife and cast into the fire as in the daies of Iehoiakim yet the comfortable vse of it was interdicted the people of God vvhen either they could not reade because it was sealed vp in an vnknowne tongue or vnder the paine of a curse they might not and such as hungred and thirsted after the righteousnes of Iesus Christ were driven into Germany and other countries of Europe to enquire after it But blessed be the Lord God of Israell for hee hath long since visited and redeemed vs his people If our many deliverances besides either by sea from the invasion of the grande pirate of Christendome or from other rebellions and conspiracies by land had beene in nuÌ„mber as the dust of our grounde this one deliverance of our soules froÌ„ the kingdome and power of darkenesse the very shadowe and borders of death wherein we sate before the sending of prophets amongst vs to prophecie right things to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord and the tidings of salvation had far surpassed them Let vs therfore with these mariners sing a song of thanksgiving not onely with our spirites My soule blesse thou the Lorde and all that is within mee praise his holy name but with sacrifices and vowes also as audible sermons and proclamations to the world let vs make it knowne that great is the mercy of Iehovah to our little nation THE XXII LECTVRE The last verse of the 1. Chap. Or after some the first of the second Now the Lorde had prepared a great fish to swallow vp Ionas and Ionas was in the bellye of the fishe three daies and three nightes WEE are now come to the second section of the prophesie wherin the mercy of God towardes Ionas is illustrated It beginneth at my text and parteth it selfe into three members 1. The absorption or buriall 2. the song 3. the delivery of the Prophet Isiodore in three wordes summeth the contentes of it Cetus obiectum voratum orantem revomuit The whale cast vp Ionas first cast forth then devoured afterwards making his moue to God Ionas is swallowed in this present sentence The iustice and mercy of God runne togither in this history as those that runne for the maisterie in a race And it is harde a long time for Ionas to discerne whither his iustice will overcome his mercie or his mercy triumph over iustice They labour in contention as the twinnes in Rebecca's wombe And although Esau bee first borne red and hairy all over like a rough garment yet Iacob holdeth him by the heele and is not farre behinde him I meane though the iudgment of God against Ionas bearing a rigorous and bloudy countenance and satiate with nothing in likelyhode but his death that most straÌ„ge vnaccustomed seemeth to have the first place yet mercy speedeth her selfe to the rescue and in the end is fulfilled that which God prophecied of the other paire The elder shall serue the yonger For when iustice had her course and borne the preeminence a greate space mercy at lengh putteth in and getteth the vpper hande To vs that haue seene and perused the historie who haue as it were the table of it before our eies and know both the first and the last of it it is apparant that I say that although he were tossed in the ship cast forth into the sea deuoured yet God had a purpose prevised herein to worke the glorie of his name the others miraculous preservation But Ionas himselfe who all the while was the patient and set as a marke for the arrowes of heavenlye displeasure to be spent at and knew no more what the end would be than a child his right hand from the left what could he thâ—â—ke but that heaven and earth land and sea life and death all 〈◊〉
haue saved Ionas Put from the succor of the ship froÌ„ the frieÌ„dship of his associats having no rocke to cleaue vnto far from the shore and neither able perhaps nor desirous to escape by swimming yeelding himselfe to death and to a living graue with as mortified an affection as if lumps of lead had been cast down yet God had prepared a meanes to preserue the life of Ionas EveÌ„ the bowels of a cruel fish are as a chariot vnto him to beare him in safety through those vnsearchable depthes O how many wonders in howâ— few wordes how many riddles and darke speeches to the reason of man he will scarselie beleeue when they shall be tolde vnto him 1. That so huge a fish shoulde bee so ready to answere at the call of the Lorde to saue his prophet 2. So able to devour a man at a morsel without comminutioÌ„ or bruise offered to any one bone of his 3. That a man could liue the space of 3. daies and nights in a fishes belly But so it was The Lorde doeth but vse a preamble to finish his worke intended He suffereth not the ship to carry him forth-right to the city but so ordereth the matter that the Mariners deliver him to the sea the sea to the whale the whale to the Lorde and the Lorde to Niniveh That we may learne thereby when our sinnes hange fast vpon vs the harbour of a warme shippe cannot bee beneficiall but when wee haue shaken them of the sea shall make a truce and the vngentlest beastes bee in league with vs. The demaunde of the earthlie man in these vnprobable workes hath ever beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how can this bee Though an angell from heaven shall tell Sarah of a sonne after hath ceased to bee with her after the manner of women shee will 〈◊〉 within her selfe and saie What after I am waxen olde and my Lord 〈◊〉 But what saith the Angell vnto her Shall any thing bee harde to the â—orde VVhen the children of Israell wanted flesh to eate and cryed in the eares of the Lorde quis dabit VVho shall giue vs flesh to eate God promised it for a moneth togither vntil it should come out of their nostrels And Moses saide sixe hundreth thousande footemen are there among the people of whom I am and thou saiest I will giue them flesh to eate a moneth long Shall the sheepe and the beeves be slaine for them to finde them either shall all the fish of the sea bee gathered togither for them to suffice them But the Lorde aunswered him is the Lords hand shortened Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to passe vnto thee or no. Elizeus prophecied in that wofull famine of Samaria when they bought an Asses head and Doues dunge at an vnreasonable rate To morrowe by this time a measure of fine flowre shall bee solde for a shekell c. Then a prince on whose hande the king leaned aunswered the man of GOD Though the Lorde woulde make windowes in heaven can this thinge come to passe the prophet aunswered him Beholde thou shalt see it with thine eies but shalt not eate thereof Saint Augustine in his thirde epistle to Volvsian and elsewhere giveth the rules to satisfie these distrustfull reasonings Wee must graunte that GOD is able to doe some thinge vvhich wee are not able to finde out in such works the whole reason of the doing is the power of the doer It is GOD that hath done them Consider the authour and all doubts will cease Therefore if Marie receiving a message of vnexpected vnwonted conception shal say at the first how shall this thing be yet when the angell shal say vnto her that it is the worke of the holy ghost and the might of the most high that her coâ—zen Elizabeth hath also conceived in her olde age though shee had purchased the name of barren by her barrennesse because with God saith the angell nothing is vnpossible then let Marie lay her hande vpon her heart and saie Beholde the hand-maide of the Lorde that is without further disceptation I submit my selfe to the power of God But if that former reason of his all-sufficient might bee not of strength enough to resolue either pagans abroade or atheistes at home touching the likelihoode and probability of such vnlikely actes but the innocencie of the sacred Scriptures wherein they are written must be arraigned and condemned by their carnall reason and our whole religion derided because wee iustifie them I will say no more vnto them but as Augustine doth in his bookes of the city of God Quicquid mirabile fit in hoc mundo profectò minus est quà m totus hic mundus The very creation of the worlde which being the booke of nature they runne and read and can deny no part of it though they deny depraue the booke of scripture sheweth them a greater miracle in the world it selfe than whatsoever in these or the like singularities seemeth most incredible A great fish Some of the rabbines thinke that the fish was created at that moment when Ionas was to be swallowed Others that he had lasted from the sixt day of the world A thirde sorte that it was a whale that first devoured Ionas that afterwardes the Lord beckened vnto him then hee cast him into the mouth of a female which was full of yong where being streightned of his wonted roume he fel to praier Fabulous inveÌ„tions fruit according to the trees that bare it Whither tâ—e fish were created at that instaÌ„t or before sooner or later I list not enquire Neither will I further engage my self herein thaÌ„ the spirit of God giveth me direction Only that which the prophet setteth downe in 2. words by a circumlocution a great fish it shall not be amisse to note that the evaÌ„gelists abridge name more distinctly in one shewing the kinde of the fish therefore Matthew calleth it the belly of a whale So do the 70. interpretours from whom it is not vnlikely the expositour of Matthew tooke his warrant I never found any mentioÌ„ of this goodly creâ—ture but the wisdoÌ„e of God the creator was willing to commeÌ„d it in some sort In the first of Genes God saide Let the waters bring forth in abundance every creeping thing that hath the soule of life howbeit in all that abundaunce there is nothing specified but the whale as being the prince of the rest and to vse the speach of Iob the king of all the children of pride vvherein the workemanshippe of the maker is most admired for so it is saide Then God created the whales and not singlie vvhales but vvith the same additament that this prophet vseth the greate vvhales So doth the Poet tearme them also immania caete the huge vvhales as being the stateliest creature that mooveth in the waters Likewise in the Psalme The earth is full of thy riches so is the
lefte the cofferer and treasurer of the soule to remember the Lorde with how came this gift of memory to a soule so taken and possest that as Orbilius a Grammarian in Rome forgot not onely the letters of the booke but his owne name so this is even deade and buried vnder it selfe and hath forgotten to thinke a thought and laide aside all her accustomed heavenly meditations Ionas without question had never remembred the Lorde vnlesse the Lorde had first remembred him Bernarde vpon the wordes of the Canticles I sought him in the night season Every soule amongst you saith he that seâ—keth the Lorde that it turne not a great blessing into a greate mischiefe let her knovve that shee is prevented by the Lorde and that shee is first sought before shee can seeke For then are our greatest felicities changed into our greatest woes when being made glorious by the graces of God wee vse his giftes as if they were not given and ascribe not the glory of them to his holy name Who hath first loved him Giue mee a man that ever loved GOD and was not first beloved and enabled therevnto it shal bee highly recompensed vnto him But it is most cerâ—aine that hee loued vs vvhen vvee were his enimies and when we had not existence or being I say more when wee made resistaunce to his kindenesse Wee can promise no more in this heavenlesse race and exercise of Christianity than the Prophet doeth in the Psalme I will runne the waies of thy commaundementes when thou hast set my hearte at liberty Wilt thou runne with thy feete before thy heart be prepared or canst thou run with thy hart before God hath enlarged it or canst thou runne the way without the way which is Iesus Christ a vvay that thou canst not see till thine eies bee opened and illightened or wilt thou runne the way of Gods commaundements when thou canst not discerne the commaundementes of God from the motions and fansies of thine owne minde not so But when the Lorde shall haue set thine heart at liberty then runne when the LORDE hath quickened and rubbed vp thy memory then remember him Otherwise without that helpe wee lye lame and impotent as the creeple at the poole of Bethesda all the daies and yeares of our life are spent like his without ease of our infirmities and the vertue of the waters of life as of those in the poole are by others caught from vs. Ierome translateth the wordes with some little difference from others I remembred the Lorde That my praier might come into his holy temple So his praier came vnto the Lorde by meanes of his praier for that remembring of the Lorde was his praier But whence came that former praier that made way for the later Fulgentius in an epistle to Theodorus a senatour laying a sure foundation and axiome to the rest of his speech would haue all that we doe or enioy ascribed to the grace of God Next that the helpe and assistance of that grace must be craved of God Thirdly that the craving of his grace is also it selfe the worke of grace For first it beginneth to bee powred into vs that it may afterwardes beginne to be begged by vs. As vnlesse the light of the aire first goe into our eies our eies though made to see yet see nothing Fourthly vve cannot aske hee saith vnlesse wee haue a will to aske and what wil is there if God worke it not Lastly hee counselleth all men diligently to converse in the scriptures vvherein they shall finde the grace of God both preventing them in such sort that when they are downe they may rise vp and accompanying them to hold them in their right course and following them till they come to these heavenly beatitudes And as he accounteth it a detestable pride of the hart of man to do that which God in man condemneth he meaneth sinning so much more detestable that when a man doth attribute to himselfe the giftes of God Thus much by the iust occasion of my texte because hee saide when his soule fainted vvithin him yet he remembred the LORD which I say againe hee coulde never haue done his reason knowledge will memorie all being past excepte the Lorde had first remembred him After his feare againe his hope I remembred the Lorde and my praier came vnto thee into thine holy temple The particulars are quickely had after that fainting and fit of his soule 1. what hee did hee remembred 2. whome hee remembred the Lorde All the rest serveth for explication As namely 3. how he remembred him by praier For it seemeth that not only his memory but al the faculties and affections of his soule were set on worke by him 4. How his praier sped It was not stopped by the way but came vnto the Lorde and did the part of a trustie embassadour 5. It is not amisse to know that every soule is the Lordes the soule of the father and the soule of the childe are his and that the promises are made not only to Abraham but to his seede after him and to all of that seede in particular for hee is neither multiplied with multitudes nor scanted with paucities so caring for one that hee omitteth not the care of many so for many that he ceaseth not to care for one and therefore the praier heere sent was peculiarly his owne as of a person accepted chosen vnto the Lord my praier 6. The faithfull coniunction of his soule with God which the Apostrophe and suddaine change of the speech causeth me to note For now he speaketh not to vs or to his owne spirit as before I remembred the Lorde but vnto the Lorde himselfe laying his mouth to those pure vndefiled eares my praier came vnto thee 7. The place wherein it was presented vnto him into thine holy temple which either he meaneth of heaven the pallace and basilicke of the great king or of the temple of Ierusalem which all the children of God in those dayes had respect vnto So Daniell though he prayed in Babylon yet opened hee the windowes of his chamber towardes Ierusalem And Salomon made request at the dedication of the temple that if ever his people in the time of famine battaile captivity or any the like tribulation shoulde pray towardes that citty and towardes that house of praier the Lord that sate in heaven would vouchsafe to heare them Though not sure of the place yet this I am sure of that whither soever of the two be spoken of the holy Lorde hath dedicated it to holinesse and called it by the name of an holy temple setting thereby a barre about it as hee did aboute the mounte to keepe out beastes and brutish men For as his temple vpon the earth none should so that other more sacred and secret that is in heaven none shall ever enter into that is vnholy and vncleane To draw these scattered braunches home to their roote againe the
generall substance of them all togither is this that Ionas received hope by remembring the Lorde for his part and that the Lorde on the other side accepted his prayer and gaue successe to it As Ieremie spake in the Lamentations so mighte Ionas say It is the mercie of the LORDE that I am not consumed The reason is For his compassions fayle not The danger seemed vncurable because it lighted vpon the soule not to the crazing and distempering alone but the vtter overwhelminge of it and no hope left in himselfe to heale the hurte What doth he then hee betaketh himselfe to the glasse of memory to see what succour hee can finde there and as it is placed in the hinder parte of the head so he reserveth it for the hinder part of his miseries maketh it his latest refuge to ease his heart I haue red of memories in some men almost incredible Seneca writeth of himselfe that he had a very flourishing memory not only for vse but to deserue admiratiom He was able to recite by hearte 2000. names in the same order wherein they were first digested Portius Latro in the same author wrote that in his minde which other in note-bookes A man most cunning in histories If you had named a capitaine vnto him he would haue runne thorough his actes presently Cyneas being sent from Pyrrhus in an embassage to Rome the nexte day after he came thither saluted all the Senatours by their names and the people round about them A singular gift from God in those that haue attained thereto howsoever it bee vsed But yet as the obiect which memory apprehendeth is more principall so the gift more commendable As Tully comparing Lucullus and Hortensius togither both being of a wonderfull memory yet preferreth Lucullus before Hortensius because he remeÌ„bred matter this but words Nowe the excellentest obiect of all others either for the memorie to accounte or for any other part of the soule to conceaue is the Lord. For he that remeÌ„breth the Lord as the Lord hath remembred him that nameth his blessings by their names as God the starres and calleth them to minde in that number order that God hath bestowed them vpon him if not to remember them in particular vvhich are more then the haires of his head yet to take their view in grosse and to fold them vp in a generall summe as David did vvhat shall I render to the Lord for all his benefites though he forget his owne people and his fathers house though the wife of his bosome and the fruit of his owne loines yea though he forget to eate his bread it skilleth not hee remembreth all in all and his memorye hath done him service enough in reaching that obiect And for your better encouragement to make this vse of memory vnderstande that it is a principall meanes to avoide desperation onely to call to minde the goodnesse of the Lorde forepassed either to our selues or others Thinke with your selues that as it was hee that tooke you from your mothers wombes and hath beene your hope ever since you hungâ— at the breastes and hath opened his handes from time to time to fill you vvith his goodnesse so hee is as able to blesse you still Compare and lay togither the times as David did that because hee had slaine a lyon and a beare at the folde therefore GOD woulde also enable him to prevaile against Golias So if the mercies of the Lorde haue beene so bountifull tovvardes you in former times to create you of the slime of the grounde and to put y a living and reasonable soule into you to nurse you vp in a civil and well-mannered country to redeeme you with the bloude of his begotten sonne to visite you vvith the lighte of his gospell to iustifie you with the power of his free gratuitall grace to fill your garners with store and your baskets with encrease and to giue you sonnes and daughters to the defyinge of your enemies in the gates saye to your selues his arme is not shortened hâ—â— is the same to day that yesterday hee will never forsake vs witâ— his loving kindenesse This is the course that David taketh in tâ—e Psalmes a capitaine never more skilfull to leade in the vvarres though the Lorde had taught his fingers to fighte than to conduct the desolate in the battailes of conscience Call to remembraunce thy tender mercies O Lorde which haue beene ever of olde This was the songe that hee sange to himselfe in the nighte season in the closet and quire of his owne breast vvhen hee communed with his private heart and searched out his spirites diligentlie Hath the LORDE forgotten to bee graciouâ— hee hath then lefte his olde wont No David forgot that the Lorde was gracious and afterwardes confessed his faulte of forgetfulnesse stirred vp his decayed memory and saide But I vvill remember the yeares of the right hande of the most high Not the momentes nor houres nor dayes of a few moment any afflictions which hee hath delt foorth vnto me with his left hande but the years of his right hand his wonders and actes that have beene ever of olde So likewise in an other Psalme Our fathers haue trusted in thee O Lorde Our fathers haue trusted in thee and were not confounded What is that to vs yes we are the children of those fathers sonnes of the same hope and heires of the same promises When the disciples of Christ mistooke the meaning of their maister touching the leaven of the Pharisees supposing he had said so because they had brought no breade he reprooved them for lacke of memory O yee of little faith vvhy thinke you thus in your selues doe yee not remember the fiue loaues vvhen there were fiue thousand men and howe many baskets full yee tooke vp neither the seaven loaues when there were foure thousande men and howe many baskets yee tooke vp thus we shoulde remember indeede how few loaues and howe many thousandes of men haue beene fed with them and what reversions and remnantes of mercy the Lord hath in store for other times O good Iesus saieth Barnarde vpon the Canticles VVee runne after the smell of thine ointmentes the perfume and sweeee savour of thy fat mercies Wee haue hearde that thou never despisest the poore afflicted Thou diddest not abhorre the theefe vpon the crosse confessing vnto thee nor Matthew sitting at receipt of custome nor the woman that washt thy feete with her teares nor the woman of Canaan that begged for her daughter nor the vvoman taken in adultery nor the Publican standing a farre of nor the disciple that denied thee nor the disciple that persecuted thee and thine nor the wicked that crucified thee therefore wee runne after the smell of thine ointmentes and hope to be refreshed with the like sent of grace Many haue written preceptes of memory and made a memoratiue art apointing places and their furniture for the helpe of such as are
is no question but hee speaketh vvithout a tongue and such instrumentes of speech as are ordinarie vvith the sonnes of men For vvhat eares had the light the firmament and other his vvorkes to heare and obserue his wordes if hee had pronounced them or vvhat capacitie and intelligence had the fish in this place But as the office of speech in man is to bee the messenger and interpreter of his hearte and to signifie his conceiptes invvardely and secretly purposed so somevvhat the LORDE doeth vvhereby he imparteth a knowledge even vnto insensible creatures what his minde and pleasure is Therefore it is saide that the LORDE spake to the fish when he commaunded that service of him and compelled him to execute his will when hee mooved him to more mercie than nature had shaped him vnto and brought him to the shore whome the hugenesse of his bodie naturally enforced to keepe the depthes of the sea It sheweth what divinity there is if I may so tearme it in the word of God how imperious to command how easie to obtaine when it hath commaunded One fiat is of power to make that which was never made before and had lyen in everlasting informitie if GOD had spared to speake to establish nature when it is not and to change nature when it is to create angels men birdes beastes fishes to store heaven earth and the deepe with innumerable armies of creatures and to make them bowe their knees to their maker and render vnlimited obedience to all his decrees VVhen God was manifested in the flesh and wente aboute doing good as the Evangelist writeth a beleeving Centurion in a suite that dearely affected him desired not the travaile of his feete nor any receite of physicke to heale his servaunte no not so much as the laying on his hande vvhich some had requested nor comminge within the roofe of his house but onely a woorde from his lippes Speake but the woorde LORDE and my servaunte shall bee healed Man liveth not by breade neither recovereth by physicke onelie but by everie worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God A leper had tolde him in the nexte wordes before Lorde if thou wilte thou canst make mee cleane Voluntas tua opus est Thy will is thy worke And hee saide I will bee thou made cleane As if with the breath of his mouth hee had spoken to his leprosie bee gone as hee afterwardes spake to the Devilles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee packing into the hearde of swine and they went the next way over the rockes and cleâ—ues as if a whirle-winde had borne them He rebuketh the windes and the sea in the same place with more authority than ever Peter rebuked Ananias and Saphira and with the like successe for he smote the breath from the windes and motion from the sea and a greate concussion of waters became a greate calme Who is this that the windes and the sea obey him For they not onelie heare him but heare him vvith effecte they goe and runne and stande still like servauntes of their master and as it were liue and die at his commaundement The prophet in the twenty nine Psalme speaketh of one voyce that the Lorde hath a mightie and glorious voice a voice that hath a sensible sounde indeede and smiteth the eares both of man and beast sometimes with tingling and astonishment that it breaketh the cedars even the cedars of Libanus and shaketh the wildernesse even the wildernesse of Cadesh that it divideth the flames of fire maketh the Hindes to cast their calues and discovereth the forrestes But this voice whereof I speake maketh the cedars even the cedars of Libanus and createth the vvildernesse even the wildernesse of Cadesh formeth the flames of fire fashioneth the Hindes and their younge ones and planteth the forrestes And this was the worde that spake to the fish to cast vp Ionas Beholde at the voice of the Lorde Leviathan casteth his young and aborteth a prophet before hee is willing So true it is by absolute experience which the spirit of God testifieth Heb. 4. That the worde of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two-edged sworde and entreth through even vnto the dividing of the soule and the spirite and of the iointes and the marrowe and is a discerner of the thoughtes and the intentes of the hearte Neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and open vnto his eies vvith whome wee haue to doe You heare how farre it entered in the wordes of my text It went into the bowels of a Whale lying in the bowels of the seas and as narrowly searched all his entralles as Laban Iacobs stuffe it divided betweene his teeth and their strength that they coulde not chew and went betweene his stomacke the appetite therof that it durst not concoct it drew him as an angle and hooke to the land ransackte his mawe and opened the straights of his throate that the prophet of the Lord might come forth Hee cast vp Ionas The manner of his comming foorth seemeth to haue beene without ease and pleasure to the Whale For as a stomake over-charged or offended with meate that it hath received is not at rest till it hath vnloaden it selfe so the VVhale feeling a morsell vvithin him vvhich hee cannot turne into nutriment what shoulde hee doe for his owne quiet but by the riftings and reachings of his stomacke sende it foorth Thus it is saide of the hypocrite Iob the twentith VVho hath vndone manie and spoiled houses which hee never builded vvhose wickednesse vvas sweete in his mouth as perhappes Ionas in the mouth of the fish and hee hidde it vnder his tongue c. That his meate in his bowels was turned and that the gall of aspes was in the middest of him that hee had devoured substance and shoulde vomit it vp for GOD woulde draw it out of his bellie that hee shoulde restore the labour and devour no more that â—ee shoulde feele no quietnesse in his bodie neither reserue any thing of that vvhich hee desired There you heare at large what the nature of a surfitte is And doubtlesse ill gotten goods vvhen a man snatcheth at the right hande and catcheth at the lefte vvithout beeing satisfied and eateth vp the people of the lande as breade is a spirituall surfitte and not a kindelye or hole-some mainetenance to him that hath coveted it So is pleasure and sweetnesse in sinning vvhen one favoureth it as Zophar there speaketh and vvill not forsake it but keepeth it close in his mouth though it dwell in darkenesse as darke as night and saie to the soule and reines hide mee safe yet it is a surfitte too and vvhen the bellie hath beene filled vvith aboundaunce thereof it shall bee in paine to continue the phrase of that booke and GOD shall sende vpon it his fierce vvrath The angell of the Laodicaean Church Revelation
his rest before he had first laboured and finished the vvorke of sixe daies wee are ever in our Sabbathes and restes and suffer our daies of worke to slide without remembraunce But as verily as the God of heaven hath sanctified both labour and rest in his owne person so truely shal it be fulfilled that if we rest in the time of labour we shall labor in the time of rest Ionas arose And went to Niniveh The first-borne of idlenes is to do nothing the next issue shee hath is to doe that that appertaineth not vnto vs. For to follow vnnecessary businesse to keepe our selues in exercise is little praise and most commonly it falleth out that there is a fellowshippe and affinitie betweene these two as Paule vvriteth of the wanton yong widowes that they learned nothing in their idlenes but to go about from house to house and that they were not only idle and did nothing but were also pratlers and busi-bodies and given to vtter vncomely speech a curious kinde of people to know the liues and affaires of other men desidious and negligent to amende their owne The corruption is natural to vs al aunciently descended Adam in that richest roiallest liberty of his over all the works of Gods handes had more desire to knowe and to doe that that was forbidden him then all the rest and the very commaundemente of God which should haue restrained him gaue occasion to his vvill to become more wilfull From thence it commeth that we his vnwise and vngracious children are Physitians to other men rather then our selues states-men in forraine common-wealthes rather then our own medlers in any calling of life rather then that which God hath enioined vs. Harpers will deale with the scepters of princes and tel them how to rule The people will put on Aarons robes and teach him how to teach The cobler will finde fault with the thigh of the picture though his art go no higher then the foote The Emperours stewarde will pervert scriptures to strengthen the Arrian heresie though fitter to be a market man or to command broth for the Emperour in the kitchin Vzzah will beare vp the arke though he overthrow himselfe by it and Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire though they burne in the flames of it God will surely require of vs all for doing more then we should or that which wee ought not as he did of the Iewes for doing lesse Quis ista à vobis requisivit VVho hath required these things at your hands There are diversities of giftes and diversities of administrations and diversities of operations though the spirite be but one and God the same that worketh all in all Are all apostles are all prophets are all teachers are all doers of miracles haue all the giftes of healing doe all speake with tongues doe all interpret Or hath not God devided these graces to sundry men that every one mighte knowe and doe what belongeth to his calling The members in the body of man are not the same nor ordained to the same function If the whole bodie were an eie where were the hearing or if the vvhole vvere an eare vvhere vvere the smelling Seeing then that we haue giftes that are diverse according to the grace that is given vnto vs whither we haue prophesie let vs prophesie according to the proportion of faith or whither an office let vs waite on the office hee that teacheth on teaching hee that exhorteth on exhortation hee that distributeth let him doe it with simplicitie he that ruleth with diligence hee that sheweth mercy with cheerefulnesse Let every man as hee hath received the gifte mâ—nister the same and not his brothers or companions as good disposers of the manifolde grace of God One and the same spirite which is the author of order not of confusion see how constant he is and like himselfe in the mouthes of sundry Apostles to teach this ambitious and idly busie age bringing into nature the like deformed informity of thinges by mingling all togither wherein the worlde sometimes was and whilst it doeth all thinges doing nothing worthy of thankes neither to bee wise in matters appertaining to God or man more then may stande vvith sobriety and having a charge of their owne properly distinguished not to trouble their heades with aliene and vnnecessary affaires It was a worthy epigramme that Aldus Manutius wrote vpon the dore of his chamber to avoide such wearisome ghestes Their cause of troubling him a maÌ„ carefully bent to enlarge the bounds of good learning was negotij inopia want of businesse for then their agreement was Eamus ad Aldum come let vs go to Aldus At length to prevent them hee set an vnmannerly watchman at his dore which could not blush and whose entertainement was on this maner Whosoever thou arte Aldus doeth heartily beseech thee if thou haue ante bunesse with him briefely to dispatch it and presently bee gone vnlesse thou commest as Hercules did when Atlaâ— was wearie to put his shoulders vnder the burthen For neither thy selfe canst want worke of thine owne at anie time nor any of those that repaire to this place To conclude the note Ionas arose and hasted before at his first call there wanted not speed to his travaile he went like the lightning as Ezechiell speaketh of the foure beastes and spared neither the paines of his body nor the benefite of winde and sailes to beare him forwardes But he lost the approbation and rewarde of his labour bâ—cause he mistooke Tharsis for Niniveh and bended his course to a wrong place Now he hath learned the song of David I will not onely runne but I will runne the way of thy commaundementes And as the feete of the beastes before mentioned which in the tenth of Ezechiell are interpreted to bee Cherubins were straight feete so are the feete of Ionas straitned towardes Niniveh and like an arrow that flyeth to the marke so setteth he his face and heart vpon the place commaunded According to the worde of the Lorde The most absolute constant infallible rule that ever was devised and as many as walke according to this rule they shall not faile to be blessed It was deservedly wished and longed for in the Psalme O that my waies were made so direct that I might keepe thy statutes so shoulde I not bee confounded vvhilst I had respect vnto thy commaundementes It is said of the children of Israell Numbers the ninth that at the mouth of the Lorde they iournied and at the mouth of the LORD they pitched or lay still They knew his minde by the clowde that vvas over the tabernacle For if it abode vpon the tabernacle two daies or a moneth or a yeare they also abode but if it vvere taken vp then they vvente forwarde Againe it is added in the same place and as it were vvith a breath to praise their obedience At the commaundement of the Lorde they pitched and
at the commandement of the Lorde they iournyed and at the commaundement of the Lorde they kepte the Lordes watch by the hande of Moses O happy and heavenly sound of wordes where the lustes of their owne eies and counsailes of their owne hearts were displaced and the commaundement of the Lorde in all thinges for going and tarrying from a day to a month and so to a yeare was only observed That which David demaunded in behalfe of a yong man wee may aske of yong and old and all sorts of men In quo corriget c Wherewithall shall a yong man amende his waies or an old man his or theirs the Prince subiect noble vnnoble Priest prophet for we are all crooked and haue neede to be rectified But wherewithall even by ruling our selues after thy worde Whither shall we else goe as Peter akt his master in the gospell Thou hast the words of eternall life not only the words of authority to commaunde and binde the conscience nor the wordes of wisedome to direct nor the wordes of power to convert nor the woordes of grace to comforte and vpholde but the wordes of eternall life to make vs perfitely blessed And therefore wo to the foolish prophets that follow their owne spirites and prophecie out of their owne heartes so likewise wo to the foolish people that follow their own spirits walke by the dimme and deceitfull light of their owne devises I may say vnto such as Ieremy to their like in the eighth of his prophecie How doe yee saie we are wise and the law of the Lord is with vs for he answereth them with wonder and demonstration to the world that they were to senselesse to builde vpon so false a grounde Loe they haue reiected the worde of the Lorde and what wisedome is in them The messenger that went to Micheas to fetch him before Ahab and Iehosaphat might sooner haue craved his head and obtained it then one word from his mouth contratying the word of the Lord. He spake him very faire in a fowle matter Beholde nowe the wordes of the prophetes declare good vnto the king with one accorde Let thy worde therefore I pray thee he like the word of one of them and speake thou good But the prophet wisely aunswered him knowing that the best speech is that not which pleaseth the humours of men but the minde of GOD As the Lorde liveth though I die for it my selfe whatsoever the Lorde saith vnto me that will I speake So like wise whatsoever the Lorde saith vnto vs that let vs doe and let vs learne how dangerous it is to swerue from his will I say not by open rebellion as Ionas did but in the least commaundemente by the smart of Moses and Aaron who being willed in the twenteth of Numbers onely to speake vnto the rocke and to vse no other meanes saue the word of their mouthes and it shoulde giue water vnto them because they smote it with the rodde and smote it twice both to shew their distrust of the promise of God and to vtter their impacience they were also smitten with the rod of his lips and had a iudgement denounced against them that they should not bringe the people into the land which hee had promised vnto them Now Niniveh was a great and an excellent citty of three daies iourney Wee haue heard of the greatnesse of Niniveh twice before once so late that a man woulde thinke it were needelesse so presentlye to repeate it Howbeit we shall heare it againe and this third time in an other manner then before forciblie broughte in as it vvere and breaking the hedge of the sentence and with greater pompe of wordes and every place of her ground exactly measured vnto vs. Ionas was going apace to Niniveh The history was running onwards as fast and keeping her course And it may be the mindes of those that heare or reade the history passe too quickly lightly over the sequele thereof They heare of the greatnes of Niniveh as that Queene did of the greatnesse of Salomon but they will not beleeue howe greate it is vnlesse they may see it with their eies and haue a table or map thereof laide before them at lardge This is the reason that first the vvisedome of God interrupteth the sentence and maketh an hole as it were in the midst thereof as God in the side of Adam and closeth not vp the flesh againe till the greatnes of Niniveh be thoroughly known Now Niniveh c. That is I must tell you by the way once againe for feare of forgetting I will rarher hinder the history a while then not put you in mind of a matter worthy your gravest attnetiō That Niniveh was a great cittie yea very great a citty though lent to men yet better beseeming the maiesty of God so stately and excellent that we find not in earth wherewith to match it and somewhat to say in particular not filling your ere 's alone vvith generall tearmes the very vvalke of their borders will aske the travaile of three daies A great and excellent cytty or exceedingly great The mother tongue wherein the history was written hath it thus a cytty great to God The like maner of speech is vsed by Rachel Gen. 30. Whē Bilha her maid had the secōd time borne a son to Iacob Leah ceast to be fruitful with the wrestlings of God haue I wrestled with my sister and gotten the vpper-hand that is with wrestlings aboue the nature and reach of man I take the meaning of the phrase to be this if life finite and infinite haue any proportion Either that Niniveh was as greate for a cittie as God is great for a God or that it surpassed so farre the nature of created and inferiour thinges that nothinge but the most excellent himselfe must bee named vvith it or happily as Troy vvas feigned to bee the buildinge of the Goddes so no worke-man in heaven or earth vvas worthye to bee credited vvith the building of Niniveh but the chiefe of all Others do otherwise interpret it I knowe That therefore it is called a cittye to GOD because there was no idoll in it but it was truely and properly dedicated to the service of one onely God whereas the contrary is manifest both by the multitude of her fornications mentioned in the thirde of Nahum and by Nisroch their false God which Senacharib was worshipping in the temple of Niniveh when his two sonnes slew him or because it was in especiall regarde with GOD in that hee sent a prophet to reclaime it and to plucke it foorth of the fire of his intended iudgement whereas Bethleem the least amongest the thousandes of Iudah and but an handefull to Niniveh and Bethania the towne of Marie and Martha though more tender in the eies of GOD for the birth doctrine and miracles of more then a prophet were never so called Vndoubtedly the reason
3. according to the worde of the Lorde which erst he had disobeyed Thus farre we vnderstood whither he went nowe we are to learne what hee did in Niniveh namely 1. for the time Hee beginneth his message presently at the gates 2. for the place hee had entred but a thirde parte of the citie so much as might be measured by the travaile of one day 3. for the manner of his preaching hee cried 4. for the matter or contentes Yet fortye daies and Niniveh shall bee destroyed I haue tasted nothinge of this present verse but vvhat mighte make a connexion with the former For the greatnesse of Niniveh repeated in the latter ende thereof served to this purpose partly to commend the faith of the Ninivites who at the first sounde of the trumpet chaÌ„ged their liues partly to giue testimony ito the diligence constaÌ„cy of the Prophet who was not dismaide by so mighty a chardge And Ionas beganne to enter into the city All the wordes are spoken by diminution Ionas beganne had not made an ende to enter the citty had not gone through A daies iourney which was but the third parte of his way Not that Ionas began to enter the citty a daies iourney and then gaue over his walke for hee spent a day and daies amongest them in redressing of their crooked waies But Niniveh did not tarry the time nor deferre their conversion till his embassage vvas accomplished amongest them which is so much the more marveilous for that he came vnto them a messenger of evill and vnwelcome tydinges it is rather a wonder vnto mee that they skorned him not that they threw not dust into the aire ran vpon him with violence stopped his mouth threw stones at him with cursing and with bitter speaking as Shemei did at David as Ahab burdened Elias with troubling Israell so that they had not challenged Ionas for troubling Niniveh because he brought such tidinges as might sette an vprore and tumulte amongst all the inhabitantes That vvicked king of Israell whome I named before hated Micheas vnto the death for no other cause but that hee never prophecied good vnto him A man that ever did evill and no good coulde not endure to heare of evill And for the same cause did Amaziah the priest of Bethell banish Amos from the lande for preaching the death of Ieroboam and the captivitie of Israell therefore the Lorde was not able to beare his words and hee had his pasporte sealed O thou the seer goe flee thou avvaie into the lande of Iudah and there eate thy breade and prophecie there but prophecie no more at Bethel for this is the kinges chappell and this is the kinges courte so I woulde rather haue thought that they shoulde haue entertained Ionas in the like manner because hee came with fire and sworde in his mouth against them the cittye is not able to beare thy wordes vvee cannot endure to heare of the death of our king and the vniversall overthrow of our people and buildings O thou the seer get thee into the lande of Iudah and returne to thy cittye of Ierusalem and there eate thy breade and prophecye there but prophecie no more at Niniveh for this is the kings chappell nay this is the court of the mighty Monarch of Assyria But Niniveh hath a milder spirite and a softer speech and behaviour in receiving the Lordes prophet Now on the other side if you set togither the greatnesse of Niniveh and the present on-set vvhich the prophet gaue vpon it that immediately vpon his chardge without drawing breath hee betooke him to his hard province it maketh no lesse to the commendation of his faithfulnesse then their obedience For when hee came to Niniveh did hee deliberate what to doe examine the nature of the people vvhether they were tractable or no enquire out the convenientest place wherein to doe his message and where it might best stande with the safegarde of his person did he stay till hee came to the market place or burse or the kings palace where there was greatest frequency and audience No but where the buildings of the citty beganne there hee began to builde his prophecie And even at the entrance of the gates hee opened his lippes and smote them with a terrour of most vngratefull newes Againe he entered their citty not to gaze vpon their walles not to number their turrets nor to feede his eies with their high aspiring buildings much lesse to take vp his Inne and there to ease himselfe but to travaile vp and downe to wearie out his stronge men not for an houre or two but from morning til night even as long as the lighte of the daie vvill giue him leaue to worke I departe not from my texte for as you heare 1. Ionas began protracted not 2. to enter not staying till he had proceeded 3. to travaile not to be idle 4. the whole day not giving any rest or recreation to his bodie If wee will further extende and stretch the meaning of this sentence we may apply it thus It is good for a man to begin betimes and to beare the yoke of the Lord from his childe-hoode as Goliath is reported to haue beene a warriour from his youth to enter in the vineyard the first houre of the daie and to holde out till the twelfth to begin at the gates of his life to serue God and even from the wombe of his mother to giue his bodie and soule as Anna gaue her Samuell Nazarites vnto the Lord that his age and wisedome and grace may growe vp togither as Christes did And that as Iohn Baptist was sanctified in his mothers wombe Salomon was a witty childe Daniell and his yong companions were vvell nurtured in the feare of the Lorde and David wiser then his auncientes so all the parts degrees of his life from the first fashioning of his tender limmes may savour of some mercy of God which it hath received That whether hee bee soone deade they may say of him hee fulfilled much time or whither he carry his graye haires vvith him downe into the graue he may say in his conscience as David did Thy statutes haue ever beene my songes in the house of my pilgrimage As for the devils dispensation youth must bee borne with and as that vnwise tutour sometimes spake It is not trust mee a faulte in a younge man to followe harlots to drinke wine in bowls to daunce to the tabret to weare fleeces of vanity aboute his eares and to leaue some token of his pleasure in every place so giving him lycense to builde the frame of his life vpon a lascivious and riotous foundation of long practised wantonnesse it vvas never written in the booke of God prophets and Apostles never drempt of it the law-giver never delivered it heâ—l onelye invented it of pollicy to the overthrow of that age which God hath most enabled to doe him best service And as it was the
vvisedome of the king of Babylon to take the young children of Israell whom they might teach the learning and tongue of Chaldaea rather then their olde men so it is the wisedome of the Devill to season these greene vesselles vvith the liâ—our of his corruption that they maie keepe the taste thereof while life remaineth But their bones are filled with the sinne of their youth and it lyeth downe with them in the dust and when their bodies shall arise then shall also their sinne to receiue iudgement So sayeth the wise preacher giving them the raines in some sort but knowing that the end of their race vvill be bitternesse Reioice O young man and let thy hearte cheare thee in the daies of thy youth walke in the waies of thine hearte and in the sight of thine eies but knowe that for all these thinges God will bring thee to iudgement Let the examples of Elie his sonnes whome hee tenderly brought vp to bring downe his house and whole stocke to the ground and the boies that mockt Elizaeus be a warning to this vnguided age that the LORDE will not pardon iniquitie neither in young nor old and that not only the bulles and kine of Basan but the wanton and vntamed heighfers and the calues that play in the grasse shall beare their transgressions It is the song of the young men Wisedome the seconde Let not the flowre of our life passe from vs c. and it is the cry of the young men in the fifth of the same booke vvhat hath pride profited vs For whilst they take their pleasures vpon earth the Lord writeth bitter thinges against them in heaven Iob. 13. and shall make them possesse the iniquities of their youth And hee cryed His manner of preaching was by proclamation lowde and audible that it mighte reach to the eares of the people hee hid not the iudgementes of God in his heart as Mary the words of her Saviour to make them his proper and private meditations but as ever the manner of God was that his prophets should denounce his minde least they might say wee never hearde of it so did Ionas accordingly fulfill it Thus Esaye was willed to cry and to lifte vp his voice like a trumpet Ieremye to crye in the eares of Ierusalem to declare amongst the nations and even to set vp a standarde and proclaime the fall of Babylon And Ezechiell had a like commaundement Clama vlula fili hominis Crie and hovvle sonne of man for this shall come vnto my people and it shall lighte vpon all the princes of Israell Our Saviour likewise bad the Apostles vvhat they heard in the eare that to preach vpon the house toppes They did so For being rebuked for their message and forbidden to speake anie more in the name of Iesus they aunswered boldly in the face of that vvicked consistory vvhether it bee fitte to obey God or man iudge yee Wisdome her selfe Proverbs the first crieth not in her closet and the secret chambers of her house but vvithout in the streetes neither in the vvildernesse and infrequent places but in the heighth of the streetes and among the prease and in the entrings of the gates that the sounde of her voice may be blovvne into all partes If Iohn Baptist vvere the voice of a crier in the vvildernesse then vvas Christ the crier and Iohn Baptist but the voice Surely it wanted not much that the very stones in the streetes shoulde haue cried the honour and povver of God for even stones vvoulde haue founde their tongues if men had helde theirs The commaundement then and practise of God himselfe is to crie to leaue the vvorlde vvithout excuse the nature of the vvord biddeth vs crie for it is a fire and if it flame not forth it vvil burne his bovvels harts that smothereth it I thought I woulde haue kept my mouth bridled saith the prophet Whilst the wicked was in my sight I was dumbe and spake nothing I kept silence even from good but my sorrowe vvas the more encreased My heart vvas hot within mee and while I was musing the fire kindled and I spake with my tongue lastly the nature of the people vvith vvhome vvee haue to deale requireth crying Deafe adders vvill not bee charmed with whispering nor deafe and dumbe spirits which neither hear nor answere God cast forth without much praier and fasting nor sleepie and carelesse sinners possessed with a spirite of slumber and cast into a heavy sleepe as Adam vvas vvhen he lost his ribbe so these not feeling the maines that are made in their soules by Sathan awaked without crying Sleepers and sinners must be cried vnto againe and againe for sinne is a sleepe What can you not watch one houre And dead men and sinners must be cried vnto for sinne is a death and asketh as manie groanings and out-cries as ever Christ bestowed vpon Lazarus Exiforas Lazare Lazarus come forth and leaue thy rotten and stinking sinnes vvherein thou hast lien too manye daies Happy were this age of ours if all the cryings in the daie time could awake vs. For I am sure that the cry at midnight shall fetch vs vp but if the meane time vvee shall refuse to hearken and pull awaie the shoulder and stoppe our eares that they shoulde not heare and make our heartes as an adamant stone that the vvordes of the Lorde cannot sinke into them it shall come to passe that as hee hath cried vnto vs and vvee vvoulde not heare so wee shall crie vnto him againe and hee vvill not answere And saide yet fortie daies and Niniveh shall bee overthrowne The matter of the prophets sermon is altogither of iudgement For the execution whereof 1. the time prefined is but forty daies 2. the measure or quantity of the iudgement an overthrow 3. the subiect of the overthrow Niniveh togither with an implication of the longe sufferance of almighty God specified in a particle of remainder and longer adiourment in the fourth place yet forty daies asmuch as to say I have spared you long enough before but I will spare you thus much longer The onely matter of question herein is how it may stande vvith the constancie and truth of the aeternall God to pronounce a iudgement against a place which taketh not effect within an hundred yeares For either he was ignorant of his owne time which we cannot imagine of an omniscient God or his minde vvas altered vvhich is vnprobable to suspect For is the strength of Israell as man that hee shoulde lie or as the sonne of man that hee shoulde repent is hee not yesterday and to day and the same for ever that vvas that is and that is to come I meane not onelye in substance but in vvill and intention doeth hee vse lightnes are the wordes that hee speaketh yea and nay Doth hee both affirme and deny to are not all his promises are not all his threatnings
Israell in the desert to some not houres to others not minutes but their spirit departeth from them as Iacob vvent from Laban and the Israelites from the land of Egypt without leaue taking carrying away their iewels and treasures and vvhatsoever in this life is most deare vnto them O happie are they to vvhome this favour is lente vvhich vvas shewed to Niniveh yet forty daies for thy repentance But thrise most vvretched on the other side vvhome the Angell of God hath aunswered time shall be no more vnto thee the night is come wherein thou canst not worke the vision is ended the prophecy fulfilled the doores shut vp thy gracious visitation past who in the closing of an eie are pulled from the lande of the living their place is no more knowne Let me tell you for conclusion that which was spoken to Niniveh in this place vnder condition was afterwards simply pronounced by Nahum Niniveh was destroied indeede Tobias before his death hearde of the fall of Niniveh the monarchie that said within it selfe here will I dwell was translated into Babylon He that endured Ierusalem so longe was afterward so obstinate against it that if Moses and Samuell had stoode before him to aske her pardon hee woulde not haue beene entreated hee that forbare that froward and stubborne generation forty yeares long afterwards sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest And as he hath spared and spared and spared so hee will overturne and overturne and overturne Ezech 31. and as he hath added yet more houres and yet more yeares and yet forty daies so hee will add yet more plagues and yet more punishments and yet more vengeance According to his fearfull commination Levit. 26. I will yet plague you seven times more yet seven times more still with further repetition as there is no end of our sinnes so there is no end of his anger This were the preaching fitt for these times blessings must sleepe a while mercy go aside peace returne to the God of peace not be spoken of That reverend religious honest estimation which was of God in former times there is mercy with thee o Lord and therfore shalt thou be feared is now abandoned and put to flight This rather must be our doctrine there is iudgement with thee o Lord with thee o Lord there is ruine and subversion vvith thee are plagues o Lord with thee there is battaile and famine and snares and captivity storme tempest there is fire brimstone with thee O Lord therefore thou shalt be feared Happy are we if either loue or feare will draw vs to repentance if our marble and flinti heartes wil be softned with any raine that falleth if our stiffe and yron-sinued neckes will bow with any yoke either the sweete yoke of the gospell of Christ or the heavye vnsupportable yoke of the lawe and iudgement But if Niniveh continue as it hath begun Niniveh shall bee overthrowen I am not a prophet nor the sonne of a prophet to set the time either of forty or fifty daies or yeares more or lesse hee sitteth aboue to whome it is best knowne and is comming in the cloudes to determin that question But mercye and iustice I knowe are two sisters and as the one hath had her day so the other shall not misse hers and the Lord hath two armes two cuppes two recompences and doubtlesse there is a rewarde for the righteous and doubtlesse there is also a plague for obstinate and impoenitent sinners THE XXXIIII LECTVRE Chap. 3. vers 5. So the people of Niniveh beleeved God and proclaimed a fast c. THE third part of the fowre whereinto the Chapter divideth it selfe containeth the repentance of Niniveh continued vvithout interruption from the beginning of the fifth verse to the end of the ninth where it is ioifully embraced by the mercy and pardon of God towards her which was the last parte The first of these five which we are presently to deale with is the generall table contents of that which the other fowre diduce into speciall branches as Ezechiel first portraied the siege of Ierusalem vpon a bricke to give the people of the Iewes an image of that misery vvhich afterwardes they should finde distinctly and at large accomplished For whatsoever wee heare in the lineall succession of all the rest touching their faith fastes sackloth proclamations vvithout respect of person or age wee have broched vnto vs in this prooemiall sentence Their ordering and disposing of this weighty businesse of repentance with every office and service belonging vnto it is so comely convenient and with such arte as if David were to apoint the Levites and priestes of the temple their courses againe and to settle the singers and porters in their severall ministrations hee could not have shewed more wisedome and skilfulnes For such are the duties tendered to God by this people of Niniveh as were these officers of the temple Some principall others accessary some morall others ceremoniall some for substance others rather for shew and to set out the worke some to the soule belonginge others to the body and outward man And in all these the first have the first places the second and inferiour such as are fitte for them Faith goeth before works in worke fasting goeth before sackloth in the persons the greatest goeth before the lesse in the doinge of all this the proclamation of the king and counsaile goeth before the excecution of the people The army that Salomon spake of was never better set nor almost the starres of heaven better ordered then this conversion of Niniveh First they beleeved God For the Apostles rule admitteth no exception Without faith it is vnpossible to please God For he that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and not onely his being but in his nature and property that he is also a rewarder of them that seeke him This is the first stone of their building the first round of the ladder of Iacob whereby they climbe to the presence of God From faith which is an action of the minde they goe to the workes of the body Fasting and sackloth For faith cried within them as Rachel cried to Iacob giue mee children or I die Faith is hardely received and credited to be faith vnlesse it be testified For that is the touchstone that the Apostle trieth vs by Shew mee thy faith by thy workes So first they quicken the soule for faith is the life of it and then they kill the body by taking away the foode thereof wherein the life of the body consisted and buryinge it in a shrowde of sackloth In their workes they begin with fasting as it were the greater thinges of the lawe and end with sackecloth as the lesse For as Ierome noteth fasting is rather to be chosen without sackcloth then sackcloth without fastinge therfore is fasting put before sackecloth But if wee shall adioyne
vndone both gentlemen meane men in our country so much broughte some to shame as their backe bellie pride and profusion What means shall we vse to crush these vipers amongst you declaiming will not serue Denouncing of the iudgements of God we haue found vnprofitable by over-long experience Haue we not beaten your eares I mistake the aire the winde a thousand times vvith faithfull earnest detection of these monsters pride prodigality strangenes of apparell excesse of meates drinkes and haue we not gained thereby as if we had preached but fables Niniveh is fallen long since because shee returned to that wallowing which here shee repented her of But Niniveh shal rise againe and stand vpright against vs and condemne vs face to face for shee repented in hunger and thirst we in satiety gluttony surfetting drunkennes for either we never repente at all or these are the stomakes which we bring in repentance And Niniveh repented in sacke-cloth and ashes stuffe of the coursest woofe and workemanship and of the simplest fashion that their wits coulde invent we in our silkes and velvets of French Italian Iewish Turkish Barbarian hellish devises for either vve never repent at all or these are the guises and shewes we bring in repentance These these are the stomakes we goe with I say not to our beddes to stretch our selues and to take our ease till we haue gotten our appetites againe and these are the weeds we carry I say not to the theatres to bee stared vpon nor to the kings court where soft raiment is more tolerable to be worne But vvith these stomakes and these weedes we goe to the temple of the Lorde his house of praying and preaching and as boldly present our selues therewith as if the favour of God were sonest wonne by such intemperancies Whither we be a people defiled and corrupted as these in Niniveh were vvee are not so shamelesse to dissemble and whither prophets haue beene amongst vs as Ionas was in Niniveh let their wearied tongues and sorrowfull soules for their lost labour witnes an other day whither the iudgementes of God some we haue already felt and some wee haue cause to feare though not so grievous as they did we neede none other messengers to report then our eies standing in our heades and beholding some parte of them accomplished And lastly we would thinke it a great wrong vnto vs to be chardged with vnbeleefe Wee say wee beleeue God as frankely and confidently as ever the men of Niniveh did Thus far wee will be equall with Niniveh But shewe me your faith by your workes as they did in Niniveh If your sinnes haue deserved a iudgement and iudgement hath beene sounded by prophetes besides the preaching of experience and prophets you say are beleeved because you receiue them as those that speake in the name of the Lord I say againe shew me your faith by your workes as that citie did When did you fast I name not bread and water but from superfluous sustenance VVhen did you pull one dish from your tables or one morsell from your bowels Nay doe you not daily adde and invent for pleasure even till the creatures of God which die for your liues cry out vpon you we desire not to bee spared but not to bee abused vvee refuse not to serue your necessitie but your riot kill to eate but to eate deliciouslie and intemperately kill vs not Or when did you chandge one sute or thred of your rayment in signe of suppliant and contrite spirites shall I say by proclamation no nor by the secret and single decree of any private heart Or from the greatest to the least No. For greatnesse will not stoupe but at greater iudgementes The Lorde doth bruise but the heele of the body when the poore are smitten vnlesse he reach the head the rich and mighty amongst vs feele it not Brethren there must be some ende of these things our eating and drinking not to liue but as if wee woulde die with fulnesse and wearing of pride like a chaine to our neckes and a mantle to our whole bodies or if Moses and Samuell vvere amongst vs they woulde be weary of their preaching Yea there must be some ende or if Moses and Samuell vvithall the angels in heaven vvere amongst vs to bestowe both their preachings and praiers that we might be saved they should saue but their owne soules and neither vs nor our sonnes and daughters This is an yeare of temptation whereof I maie saye as Moses did in Deuteronomie of a straunge prophet Tâ—ntat vos dominus vester The LORDE your God prooveth you whither you loue him or no vvhither you can bee contente for his sake to leaue superfluities a while and to lay aside vanitie and converte your heartes and handes to the workes of mercie In the timeliest time of your harvest hee covered the heavens with a sacke to teach you the way to sacke-cloath and sent leanenesse vpon the earth to teach you frugalitie and thriftinesse in the vse of his blessinges Manie the poorer of our lande vvoulde bee glad vvith the disciples of Christ to rubbe an eare of corne betweene their handes for reliefe of their hunger if they coulde come by it Their bowels sounde like shaumes for vvante of foode and their teeth are cleane vvhen your barnes and garners are filled to the toppe your presses runne over and your bellies are satisfied vvith more then the flower of vvheat O take somewhat from your bellies and backes if you haue any loue to that hidden Manna the meate that perisheth not the fruites of the tree of life in the middest of the paradise of God if any desire to those vvhite garmentes washt in the bloud of Christ and rather to shine hereafter as the starres in the firmament then as glo-wormes vpon the earth in this present life take from your bellies and backes both in regard of your owne soules to witnesse humility and sobriety before God and man and for your poore brethren sake that they may bee fedde and clothed It is Christ that hungreth and Christ that must satisfie you Christ that craveth and Christ that must give vnto you Christ that lieth at your gates and Christ that must advaunce you to glorie Hee is the advocate to the poore and the iudge of the rich hee hath the sentence of blessing and cursing in his mouth and to those that are plentifull givers he shall render a plentifull recompence THE XXXV LECTVRE Chap. 3. ver 6. For word came vnto the king of Niniveh and he rose from his throne c. THE first of those fiue verses vvherein the repentaunce of Niniveh is laide downe is nothing else I told you but a generall comprehension of that which is afterwarde repeated and repolished with more particular declaration Therein they lay their foundation low and sure for the first stone of their building that beareth vp al the rest is faith plainly and expressely mentioned which if
you may know what the cry of the beasts was That which David speaketh of the heavens and firmament day and night Psalm 19. that they declare the glory of God and shew forth his handy workes least any shoulde mistake hee explaineth in the thirde verse They haue neither speech nor language yet without these is their voice hearde so wee may say of these beastes that though they cried not vnto the Lorde as the men did yet they cryed after their vsage R. Iarhi hath a conceipt that they tyed their dammes and their foles asunder and said before the Lorde of the worlde vnlesse thou take pittie on vs wee will not pittie these I will not thinke them so vnwise to haue conditioned with God but I will easily admit that they might parte the olde and the yong and doe all that was to bee doone to fill the aire with lamentable outcrying To acquite the king and his counsaile from folly or distraction of their wittes in this so vnvsuall and vnreasonable an acte I shewed you the manner and nature of sorrow before how gladly it seeketh companions Est aliquid socios habuisse doloris It is no little comfort in discomforts not to be left alone in lamenting and to see all thinges turned into mourning that are neare about vs. For as vvee desire nothing more then heavines of spirite in such a case and the cheerefulnes of any thing is as welcome vnto vs as prickels to our eies so vvee blesse that creature whatsoever it is that will helpe to feede vs in our melancholike humors Wee wish fountaines of water in the heades both of men and beastes to be a patterne for our imitation and to draw vs forward in our well-pleasing pensivenes And as in the contrary affection when the name of God was highly to be magnified and there was iust cause to exult and triumph David contâ—â—ted not himselfe with the secret of his owne spirit or with aw kiâ—g his lute and harpe to praise the Lorde but hee desired the harmâ—â—ny of heaven and earth to bee added vnto it so did the childâ—â—â— of Babylon in their songe O all yee workes of the Lorde blesse yee 〈◊〉 Lorde praise him and magnifie him for ever So did the Prophetâ— in their writings Reioyce O heavens showte yee lower partes of the earth burst forth into praises yee mountaines ye forrestes and every tree therein Even so is the nature of griefe never so well pleased as when all the pleasures of the worlde are exiled Shee calleth heaven aboue too weepe the earth beneath to lament beasts to pine away rockes to cleaue in twaine the mouÌ„taines to giue none other Eccho but lamentations the rivers to runne with teares and all the fruits of the earth to bee changed into worm-wood and bitternesse And as it mooveth the affection so it instructeth our vnderstanding also it putteth vs in minde of the hugenesse and horrour of sinne howe dangerous the contagion thereof is to touch not onely our selues but all the creatures of God that belong vnto vs. It is for our sinnes sake that the whole creature Rom. 8. is subiect vnder vanitye that is a fliting and vnstable condition and not onely vnder vanity but vnder corruption yea vnder a bondage and thraldome of corruption not of it selfe but for him that hath subiected it which is either God offended with sinne or man that provoked him and it groneth with vs and travaileth togither in birth and putteth out the head to looke and watch for the revelation of the sonne of God because that is the time vvhen her service shal be ended Genesis 3. besides the curse of the serpent the curse of Eue the curse of Adam in his ovvne person In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate thy bread that is all callinges of life shall bee laborious and painefull vnto thee and thou shalt eate the hearbe of the fielde common and wast not the fruites of the garden as thou didst before and thistles and briers shall the earth bring foorth vnto thee though thou spende thy labour to the contrarie it is added in the same place maledicta esto terra propter te the earth which thou treadest vpon and vvhich is free from deserving the curse the earth which was made before thee and thou made of the earth cursed bee that earth for thy sake Likewise Genesis the sixte when the Lorde â—aw the wickednesse of man howe greately it was encreased then it repented the LORDE that ever hee had made man and hee was sorrie in his hearte therefore he saide I vvill destroie from of the earth the man whome I haue created hee stayeth not there but from man to beast from creeping thinge to the soule of the heaven for I repente that I haue made them not onely the man but these that were created for mans vse Beholde the vngraciousnesse of sinnefull man VVee were made the Lordes and rulers of the earth both of the fruites and of the people and living creatures thereof vvee haue dominion over all the vvoorkes of GODS handes all thinges are put in subiection vnder our feete all sheepe and oxen yea and the beastes of the fielde the birdes of the aire and fishes of the sea and vvhatsoever vvalketh through the pathes of the sea but wee haue chandged our governemente into tyranny and are not content with the rule vnlesse vvee seeke the spoile nor vvith the vse and commodity vnlesse we worke the ruine and wracke of our poore bond-servantes Quid meruistis oves saieth Pythagoras in the Poet what haue our harmelesse sheepe and oxen deserved at our handes thus to be misused But we the nocent wretches of the worlde workers of all iniquitie deserving not roddes but scorpions cause innocency it selfe to bee scourged for our transgressions But that the providence of God restraineth them it is a marvaile that they breake not their league and shake of their yoke of obedience towardes vs and vvith their hornes and hoofes and other naturall artillerie make warre vpon vs as their vnrighteous Lordes whome it sufficeth not to haue vsed their service alone vnlesse wee plundge them besides into such vndeserved vengeance Againe the punishing of their beastes vvas to adde something to their owne punishmente for vvhen these are not fed and nourished and kept in heart not onely the beast but the owner himselfe smarteth for it Vndoubtedly it is a blessing to men that their oxen are stronge to labour their horses swifte to the race their asses and camelles meete for their burthens that their bullocke engendreth without fayling their covve calveth vvithout casting their sheepe bring forth thousandes and tenne thousandes in their streetes and it is a curse on the other side to be berefte of these commodities as in the fift plague of Egypt Now then a parte of the vvealth and substaunce of Niniveh consisting in these beastes by reason of the service they enioyed and profit they reaped thereby doeth not the afflicting of
pleasure in Though I speake with the tongues of men angelles and haue not charity I am as sounding brasse or a tinckling cymball though I had the gift of prophecy and knew all secrets and knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I coulde remooue mountaines and had not charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before I was little I was but a sound now I am nothinge What can we lesse pronounce of the prayer of Ionas though one that spake with the tongue of a man in coÌ„parison of other men the tongue of an angell a tongue of the learned a tongue refined like silver though one that had the gift of prophecy and knewe as many misteries of knowledge as was expedient for flesh and bloud to be acquainted with one that had faith enough to saue him in the bottome of the seas the bottome of the mountaines the bottome belly of a monstrous fish but that the want of loue was sufficient to haue lost the blessing grace of all his hearts desires And said I pray thee O Lorde was not this my saying c. Consider now I beseech you what he prayed and therein howe long it is before hee commeth to the matter intended a foolish and vnnecessary discourse interposed of his owne praise but his subiection to the wil of God not thought vpon For what is the substaÌ„ce of his prayer that which is inferred after a loÌ„g preface therfore I pray thee take away my life from mee hee strengthneth it by reason for it is better for me to die than to liue Why better the cause of this commodiousnes and convenience are contained in the prolocution in those frivolous vaine speeches that are first laide downe I beseech thee was not this my saying c. Asmuch as to say I was thrust forth into a charge which from the first houre I had never liking vnto wherin I thought said and resolved to my selfe from the very beginning that I should be deceived Admit all this Say thou foresawest it and that the end would bee other than thou lookedest for oughtest thou therfore to haue refused thy message a necessity was laid vpon thee and thou mightest well assure thy selfe that woes would haue lighted vpon thee as many as the haires of thy head if thou didst it not Leaue the event to God let him vse his floore at his pleasure whither hee gather into the barne or skatter as the dust of the earth do thou the office of a prophet Againe thou sentest me to denounce a iudgment thou meantest nothing but wel vnto theÌ„ I preached righteousnes and severity thou art a gracious God and full of pitty I made their accounts perfect and straight that destruction should fal vpon them at the end of forty daies thou takest a pen of thy mercy and dashest thy former writing writest theÌ„ a longer day yeares and generations to come I know not how many Vpon this he concludeth therefore now O Lord take away my life c. But we will weigh the conclusion when we come to it Mean-time we must rip vp his former speaches which were of preparatioÌ„ making the way to his suit before haÌ„d Peruse theÌ„ who will he shal finde them fuller of affections than words and such a bundell of errors wrapt togither as one would hardly haue imagined in a prophet Wherein by a blind selfe-liking loue to his owne wit iudgement he is carried from reason truth obedience from that reverent estimation which he should haue had of God For howe often in so short a space doth he challendge wisedome to himselfe I beseech thee O Lord I appeale to thine own coÌ„scieÌ„ce speake but truth be not partiall in thine owne cause was not this my saying I am able to alleadge particulars I can remember the time and the place when I was yet in my countrey therefore I prevented it If I had had mine own will I had stopt this inconvenience for I was not to learne that thou vvast a gracious God there was no pointe of fore-sight wherein I mistooke Thus his saying his providence his prevention his knowledge these are the thinges that hee standeth to much and to long vpon Thy saying Ionas or my saying or the saying of any mortall man what are the wordes of our lippes or the imaginations of our harts but naughtie foolish peruerse from our youth vp if God direct them not or vvhat thy prevention and forecast or of all thy companions prophets or prophets children in the world to knowe what to morrow will bring vpon you or the closing vp of the present day vnlesse some wisdome from heaven cast beames into your mindes to â—llighten them As Elizeus directed the hand of Ioash the king of Israell to shoote and the arrow of Gods deliverance followed vpon it and so often as he smote the ground by the apointment of the prophet so often and no longer he had likelihoode of good successe so the Lord must direct our tongues hearts in all that proceedeth froÌ„ them and where his holy Spirit ceaseth to guide vs there it vvill bee verified that the prophet hath Surelie everie man is a beast by his owne knowledge Therefore the advise of Salomon is good Trust in the Lorde vvith all thine hearte and leane not vnto thy vvisedome in all thy waies acknovvledge him and he shall direct thy pathes Be not wise in thine owne eies and feare the Lorde and departe from evill so shall health bee to thy navell and marrow to thy bones You haue heard the counsaile of the wise nowe ioine vnto it for conclusion the iudgment of the most righteous Wâ—e vnto them that are wise in their owne eies and prudent in their owne sight Wisedome presumed you see and drawne from the cisterne of our owne braine is in the reputation of God as the sinnes of covetousnesse oppression drunkennes and such like and standeth in the crew of those damned and wretched iniquities which God accurseth I pray thee I like the note that Ierome giveth vpon this place he tempereth his complaint because in some sort he accuseth God of iniustice For this cause he sweetneth the accusatioÌ„ with faire flattering speach For to haue challendged God in grosse blunt tearms had bin to apparant therfore he commeth with a plausible glosing insinuation vnto him I pray thee O Lord for remembring that fearful name of his Iehova wherein he saw nothing but maiesty dreadfulnes could he do lesse than entreate him if he had spoken but to the king of Niniveh in whose dominions he was or to Ieroboam the second who raigned in his own natiue couÌ„try the very regard of their persons and place would haue enforced him so much It was the couÌ„saile that AEsop gaue to Solon enquiring what speach he should vse before Croesus either verye little or very sweete For a prince is pacified with curtesie and
chardge you at this time with these particulars 1. what Ionas made a booth 2. for what vse to sit vnder the shadowe of it 3. how long to continue till hee mighte see vvhat vvas done in the cittie The 1. and the 2. shew vnto vs the one the nature the other the vse of all buildinges By nature they are but boothes and tabernacles and such as the Prophet reporteth of Sion that shee shoulde remaine as a cottage in a vineyarde and like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers Or as Iob speaketh in the 27. of his booke like a lodge that the watchman maketh no longer to abide than till that service is ended I would be loth to tearme them the houses of spiders and moathes as Iob doth but compared with eternity such they are The patriarches and people of auncienter times dwelt but in tentes easily pight and as easily remooved and as many other things in antiquity so this amongst the rest was a figure to all the ages of the world to come that so long as they dwell vpon the earth they haue but a temporall and transitory habitation The earth which we dwel vpon is but our place of soiourning and wherein vvee are strangers as God tolde Abraham Gen. 17. In the 47 of the same booke Pharaoh asked Iacob howe many were the daies of the yeares of his life Iacob to expresse our condition of travailing and flitting vpon the earth to and fro aunswered the king the whole time not of my life but of my pilgrimage or rather pilgrimages by reason of often remooues is an hundreth and thirty yeares Few and evill haue the daies of my life beene and I haue not attained vnto the yeares of the life of my fathers in the daies of their pilgrimages David 1. Chron. 29. giveth thankes vnto the Lord in behalfe of himselfe and his people that they were able to offer so willingly towards the building of the temple because all thinges came of him and from his owne hande or liberalitie they had given vnto him For saith he we are strangers before thee and soiourners like all our fathers our daies are as the shadowe vpon the earth and there is none abiding Thus Iacob and his fathers David and his Princes and his people and their fathers al were pilgrimes Let vs see nowe what vse the Apostle maketh hereof Hee saith of Abell Enoch Noah Abraham Sarah and the rest that all these died in faith and received not the promises but sawe them a farre of and beleeved them and receaved them thankefullie and confessed that they vvere strangers pilgrimes on the earth For they that say such things declare plainly that they seeke a country It may bee their owne from whence they were exiled the Apostle aunswereth no. For if they had beene mindefull of that countrey froÌ„ whence they came out they had leasure to haue returned But now they desire a better that is an heavenly Wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God for he hath prepared for theÌ„ a citty Likewise he exhorteth vs Heb. 13. As Iesus to sanctifie the people vvith his owne bloud suffered without the gate so that we should goe forth of the campe bearing his reproach for here we haue no continuing citty but wee seeke one to come And our Saviour told his disciples Ioh. 4. that in his fathers house there were many mansions or settled dwellings for here wee haue but tabernacles Houses I confesse we haue as foxes haue thtir holes birdes their nestes and bees their hiues to be chased and driven from them but till the promise be fulfille which is mentioned Revel 21. that the tabernacle of God shal be with men that is men shal be with the tabernacle of God and God dwell with vs and we with him in heavenly Ierusalem we must trust to that other prophecie Mich. 2. surgite ite arise and depart for this is not your rest The vse of buildings is that we may sit vnder the shadowe thereof The posterity of Noah Gen. 11. having fouÌ„d out a place in the plaÌ„ie of Sinar said go to let vs build vs a citty towre to get vs a name Was that the end of buildings Nabuchodonosor Dan. 4. built them a palace for the house of his kingdome and for the honour of his maiesty to vaunt of the mightines of his power and to forget the God of heaven Was that the end of building It seemeth by the wordes of Salomon Eccles. 2. that hee made him great worke and built him houses to prooue his hearte vvith ioie and to take pleasure in pleasant thinges Or was that the end of building Some build wonders of the world as the walles of Babylon set vp by Semiramis the house of Cyrus the tombe of Mâ—usolus All which buildings whither they be summer-parlours as Eglons Iud. 3. or winter-caÌ„hbers houses in the citty or TusculaÌ„ farmes in the couÌ„try were they as stately for heigth as the spires of Egypt or as the teÌ„ple of the great Diana of the Ephesians which as they were woÌ„dred at for their buildings so for their ruine dissipation or were they as sumptuous for cost as that pallace of king Alcinous the wals wherof were of brasse the gates of gold the entries of silver they are all but vanity and vvhen vvee haue all done there is none other vse of building than to sit and shadovve our selues and to defend our bodies from the violence of the weather and other forreigne iniuries It is a sickenesse that some men haue to spend their time in building as the Epigramme noted Gellius Gellius aedificat semper Gellius is alvvaies building or repayring or chaunging or doing somewhat to keepe his hand in If a friend come to borrowe money of him Gellius hath no other word in his mouth but I am in building Alas to what purpose are these lardge and spacious houses without inhabitants chimneyes without smoake windowes not for prospect but for martins to breed and owles to sing in Such are the tenants insteed of families heretofore kept hospitality maintained nowe hedge-hogs lying vnder the walles wesels dwelling in the parlours Ieremy doth notably taxe the vanity of a great builder Hee saith I wil build me a wide house and lardge chambers so he wil make himselfe greate windowes and seele theÌ„ with Cedar paint them with Vemiâ—ton But shalt thou raigne saith the prophet because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar did not thy father thy grandfather eate and drinke and prosper when they executed iudgement and iustice kept houses relieved the poore but thine eies thy heart are but only for covetuousnes oppression for vainglory to coÌ„maund and over-looke the country round about and to leaue a name behind thee even to do this and according to the endes thou proposest herein so shall the Lord visite thee Till he might see what should be done in the citty But the
beast So was the house of Niniveh sowen for her inhabitants were multiplied as the grashoppers her marchaÌ„ts as the stars of heaven her princes and captaines as the locustes Nah. 3. Shall not I spare Niniveh wherein there is such a multitude Or if thou art not mooved with a multitude doth not the age of infants and suckelings touch thy heart that cannot speake caÌ„not stand cannot helpe themselves that sticke to their mothers as apples to their trees if thou plucke them away before their time they perish Is this thy welcome of babes into the world is this the milke thou wilt feede them with Is this thy stilling and pacifying of them to quiet theÌ„ with death Is this thy nursing of their teÌ„der vngrown limmes to wrap theÌ„ vp in flames of fire as in swath-baÌ„des to rocke theÌ„ a sleepe with pittiles destructioÌ„ can thine eares endure that lamentable confused harmony of so many young musitiaÌ„s singing in their kind as nature hath taught them crying vp togither into heaveÌ„ wilt not thou cry for coÌ„pany say O Lord stay thine haÌ„d forbeare theÌ„ or can thine eies behold the shrinking of their soft members at every pull of griefe their sprawling vpon the ground their flesh scorched with heat as a scrole of partchmeÌ„t not be moved I stay not vpoÌ„ this point but the age of youÌ„g infants hath evermore bin pittied The midwives of Egypt Ex. 1. though straÌ„gers and chardged with the kings coÌ„mauÌ„dement yet would not slay the childreÌ„ of the Hebrews Even the daughter of Pharaoh himselfe Exo. 2. finding Moses hid in the bulrushes had compassion on the babe for it was a goodly child wept One of the properties of an impudeÌ„t barbarous cruell nation described Deut. 28. is it shall not regard the person of the olde nor have compassion vpoÌ„ the young There is a notable place to this purpose 2. King 8. where it is saide that Elizaeus looked vpon Hazael a servant and messenger vnto him from Benhadad the king till he was ashamed the man of God wept Hazael demauÌ„ding why weepeth my Lord he auÌ„swered because I know the evill that thou shalt doe vnto the children of Israell for their strong cities shalt thou set on fire and their young men shalt thou slay with the sword and shalt dash their infants against the stones and rend in pieces the women with child then Hazaell said what is thy servant a dogge that I should doe this great thing So brutish a part he held it to doe such villany vpon the mothers and their infants Or if thou regardest not their age doth not their innocency affect thee say that the elder sort have sinned because they have iudgment and election in them but what have these infantes done who know not their right hand from their left nor haue attainned to their yeares of discretion nor able to distinguish betvveene straight and crooked good and evill but are altogither innocent It is a circumlocution of their ignorance simplicity the like wherof we haue Esay 8. before the childe shall haue knowledge to crye my father or my mother that is before he can speake or discerne the one from the other Which was no more than went before in the 7. of the same prophecy before the childe shall haue knowledge to eschewe the evill and choose the good The sonne of Syrach speaketh of a foole in the same manner hee knoweth not the way into the citty that is ordinary and common things which every man knoweth We shall reade that God hath evermore had a speciall regard to the infant because of his harmelesnesse and innocency he commaunded Deut. 21. that they shoulde bee spared in warre and the women and the cattle excepting those of the Ammonites in the same place and of those citties which were altogither execrable in the sight of God as of Iericho Iosh. â— and of Edom and Babylon Psalme 137. Their innocencye is every where proposed as a patterne for the riper ages to imitate Our Saviour tolde his disciples Mat. 18 having first placed a little child in the midst of them except yee bee converted and become as this little childe yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven And in the 19. of the same Evangelist suffer little children to come vnto mee for to such as these are belongeth the kingdome of God The Apostles of Christ framed their exhortations from the same presidents brethren be not children in your mindes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in malice be you infants and as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the worde that yee may grow therby But if thou hatest the children togither with their parents as wee destroy the whelpes of wolues even for their kinde sake because the fathers haue eaten the sowre grape the childrens teeth must needes be set on edge and the infants smart for their offences shall I not spare Niniveh wherin there is much cattle What haue the dumbe beasts deserved that they shoulde also perish Salomon in the 12. of the Proverbs sheweth what the practise of the iust is even in this case A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell And his rule agreeth with that practise Prov. 27. Bee diligent to knâ—w the state of thy flockes and take heede to thy heardes Iacob hath pitty vpon the children and vpon the ewes and the kire with yong vvhich were vnder his hand for hee saide to his brother Esau if I should over-driue them one day all the flocke would die The errand that he sent Ioseph in Genes 37. was goe see whether it bee well with thy brethren and how the flockes prosper David 1. Sam. 17. obiecteth his life vnto a Lion afterwards to a beare rather than on sheepe should miscarry Howsoever Philip complayned cuiusmodt est vita nostra cum ad asâ—llorum occasiionem videndum est how basely is our life conditioned vvhen we must liue to make provision for asses to one in his army who told him that there wanted foode for their beasts yet it is true that some part of our care forecast must this way be imployed We also know that the lavv of God favoureth them Deut. 25· Thou shalt not muzzle vp the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne and the Sabboth though made for man yet it extended to the resting of the beast And either nature or profit or something else mooved the hard hearted Iewes if their oxe or asse were fallen into a pit even vpon the sabboth day to pull him out Moses kept lethroes sheepe Iacob Labans the Patriarches his sonnes were all sheepheardes David followed the ewes Saul sought asses Amos was taken from the heardes that you may know the care of these vnreasonable creatures not to haue bene small in former times The last branch of amplificatioÌ„ which God vseth against Ionas was the store of
not in Princes even for this very cause because they are Princes and in least safetye themselues O happye governours sayeth one if they knevve their miseries more vnhappye if they knovve them not Tam ille timere cogitat quà m timeri it vvas Cyprians iudgement of one in governmente that hee hath as greate cause to feare as to bee feared The authoritye or preheminence of Princes amongst menne is great if the kinge saie kill they kill if spare they spare and but that it is the ordinaunce of GOD a thinge vvhich his ovvne righte hande hath planted not possible to stande for they maie all saye It is thou that subduest my people vnder mee and their promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the VVest nor from the suffrages of the people nor from the line of their auncient progenitours nor from the conquest of their swordes but from the Lord of hoastes GOD telleth Cyrus Esay the fiue and fortieth his servant his anointed to vvhome hee had opened the dores of the kingdome and whose hande hee helde I haue called thee by thy name and surnamed thee though thou hast not knowne mee I finde it noted vpon that place that his name was Spaco before which by the testimony of Herodotus and Iustine in the language of the Medes signifieth a dogge but God chandged that name and called him Coresch or Cirus which in the Persian language soundeth a Lorde Iob in his ovvne person describeth the state of Princes and rulers That vvhen he vvente out of the gate to the seate of iudgemente the young men sawe him and hid themselves the aged arose and stoode vp the princes stayed their talke and laide their handes vpon their mouthes vvhen the eare hearde him it blessed him and when the eie sawe him it gaue witnesse vnto him after his wordes they replied not and his talke dropped vpon them and they waited for him as for the raine neither did they suffer the light of his countenance to fall to the ground This is the reason that men are so willing to seeke the face of the ruler for being in the highest places they are able to gratifie their followers vvith highest pleasures They that haue power are called benefactours Luke 22. Elizaeus asked the woman of Shunem 2. Kings 4. in whose house he had lodged what he might do for her is there any thing for thee to bee spoken for to the king or to the capitaine of the host as the greatest remuneration that his heart could then thinke vpon Now as their port and presence is very glorious vpon the earth so neither is it permanent and vvhilst it hath beeing it is dailie assaulted both with domesticall and forreigne daungers He that created great lightes a greater to rule the day and a lesse the night he hath also created great rulers on the earth some to be Emperours some kings some subordinate governours some in Continents some in Ilands some in provinces c. And as he shall chandge the glory of the former that the sunne shall bee darkened and lose his shining and the moone shall bee turned into bloude so hee shall staine the beauty of the latter and lay their honour in the dust and those that haue beene clothed in purple maie happe to embrace the dunghill Hee saith in the Psalme I haue saide that yee are Gods and the children of the most High but yee shall die like men and fâ—ll like the rest of the princes It is a prerogatiue that God hath to call thinges that are not as if they were but if they themselues shall take vpon them to bee Gods vvhen they are but men the Lord will quickely abase them Zenacharib is in his ruffe for a time vvhere is the King of Hâ—math and the King of Arpad Kings which he had destroyed and haue the Gods of the nations delivered their clients and oratours out of my handes and Hezechias let not thy God deceaue thee prowde challendges But a man might soone haue asked him where is the King of Assur and hath Nisroch the God of Assyria delivered Zenacharib himselfe out of the handes of God and Zenacharib let not thy God deceaue thee nay take heede that thine owne sonnes deceaue thee not thy bowelles thy flesh and bones shall murther thee vvhere thou art most devoute Herod is content at the first to admit the perswasion of the people the â—oice of God not of man but as hee receaved his glory and pride in a theatre so his shame and downefall in a theatre the people showted not so fast in his eares but another people sent from God gnaweth as fast within his bowelles and maketh him alter the stile of his oration I that but lately vvas called a God and thought to be immortall by you am now going to my death But take them in their happiest and fortunatest courses both kings and kingdomes as they haue their beginnings and their full strength so they haue their climacterical dangerous years as he spake of France so also their periodes and determinations And these are the lottes they must all dravve in their courses as I haue found them recited regnabo regno regnavi sum sine regno I shall reigne I doe reigne I haue reigned I haue nowe done reigning Surely those that are good princes indeede whose thrones are established with mercy iudgemeÌ„t they haue neede daily hourely to be commended vnto God Good lucke haue yee with your honour vvee wish you prosperity O Lord giue thy iudgementes vnto the King and thy righteousnesse vnto the Kings son send them helpe from thy sanctuary and strengthen them out of Sion for their honour is dearely bought they drinke worme-wood in a cup of gold they lie in a bed of Ivory trimmed with carpets of Egypt but over their heads hangeth a naked sworde the point down ward by a small horse-haire threatning their continual slaughter They might al pronounce but that they are strengthned with the arme of God of their honourablest robe and ensigne of their maiesty O nobilem magis quà m foelicem pannum O rather noble than happy garment if men did throughly know how many disquietments daungers and miseries it is replenished with if it lay vpon the ground before their face they would hardly take it vp That which seemeth high to others is steepe and headlong to them Isboseth never wanteth a maÌ„ in his owne campe nor Elah a servant in his owne house nor David a sonne from his owne loines besides Doegs and Shemeis and Achitophels wicked counsailours blasphemous railers traiterous spies to doe them mischiefe To conclude therefore our duety to princes is not confidence and faith in them but faithfulnesse and obedience towards them Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars giue him tribute custome honour feare serue him with your fieldes and vineyardes for his maintenance with your liues and the liues of your sonnes for his defence pray
take him into her possession Let the covetous also remember this Nature shal as narrowly examine them at their going out as at their first entring They brought nothing with them into this world but skin over their teeth and over the other partes of their bodie and it is as certaine they shall carry avvay nothing They ioine house to house field to field by disioyning the companies and societies of men they vvill dwell alone vpon the earth leaue the inheritance of the worlde to their babes after them And as they vvere happy common-weales heretofore wherein these speaches Mine Thine were least heard so are we falleÌ„ into these vnhappy and vnrighteous daies wherein there is small care taken what communities bee overthrowne and dispersed so all may acrue to a fewe Lordes Socrates carried Alcibiades bragging of his landes to a map of the world and bade him demonstrate where his land lay He could not espie it for Athens it selfe was but a smal thing I will not deale so sparinglie with you ye rich men of this world for the Apostle distinguisheth you to shew that there are both riches and a worlde to come I will tell you where your lande lieth and vvhat is truely mine and thine and belonging to every man So much measure of ground to the length and breadth of your bodies as maie serue to burie them in or so manie handfulles of dust as your bodies goe into after their consumption This is terra mea terra sua terra vestra my earth and his earth and your earth more than this we connot claime Therefore as the son of Sirach asked the prowd Quid superbis terra câ—â—is so I the covetous quid concupiscis terra cinis VVhy doest thou covet earth and ashes vvhen if it vvere possible for thee to possesse as much grounde as ever the devill shewed vnto the sonne of GOD from that high mountaine yet in the ende thou shalt be driven from all this as the people of Canaan vvere driven from that lande vvhich they thought their everlasting inheritance and thou must betake thy selfe to thine ovvne earth to that little quantitie and rod of grouÌ„d which nature hath proportioned unto thee Ecce vix totam Hercules Implevit vruam Behold great and victorious Hercules the subduer of the monsters of the world when he was dead and his bodie resolved into ashes scarselie filled an earthen pitcher Amongst other thy purchases forget not to buy a field as AbrahaÌ„ did to bury thy dead in a potters field such as they had at Ierusalem bought with the price of bloude vvherein thy bones and the bones of thy sonnes and nephewes may be bestowed· Now the thoughtes of man are endlesse Aboue all things man hath an vnfaithfull hearte saieth the Prophet as deepe as the sea vvho can finde it out I leaue it to the searcher of all hartes to examine The ambitious hath his thoughtes as lardge as hell such as Pyrrhus had from Macedon to Greece from Greece to Italy c. The voluptuous his thoughtes let vs eate and drinke Better is a living dogge than a dead lion The malicious his thoughtes vvho vvill giue mee of his flesh to eate The covetous his thoughtes soule take thy rest to daie or to morrovve wee will goe into such a cittie and there continue a yeare and buy and sel and gaine Such are the purposes and supposals of men minding earthlie things But the Lord knoweth the thoughts of meÌ„ that they are but vanity I would they were not grosse impiety And they imagine such counsailes as they are not able to bring to passe for their thoughts perish Plus proficitur cum in rem praesentem venitur there is more good done by one example than by manie preceptes Perhaps I haue told you a tale as to men a sleepe and novve I haue done you aske me vvhat is the matter This is the matter if there vvere none other explication the present spectacle before your eies is the example of this precept the life of this letter this precept the sentence or moral of this spectacle For if you will aske me of the person proposed to your view what he was surely he was a Prince a great state of the land and I maie saie of him as David said of Abner hoaâ—e princeps cecidit in Israele this daie is there a chiefe man fallen in England If you demauÌ„d further what he was by generatioÌ„ I auÌ„swer one of the sonnes of men If what by impotencie and imperfection vnable to helpe either himselfe or others there is no salvatioÌ„ in him If whither he were mortall or no yea for his spirit is departed from him If what becommeth of his body you see we haue brought it to the earth and thither 〈◊〉 must returne If what of his minde his thoughtes are also gone Lastly if you wil know the vse take an advise and counsaile out of all these put not your trust in him nor in anie the like fraile mutable creatures Blessed is the man whose helpe is in the Lord Non â—lle homo aut ille homo non ille angelus aut ille angeâ—u not this man or that man not this Angell nor that Angell but the God of Iacob the Lorde of hostes vvhich made heaven earth the sea and all that therein is and keepeth his promise for ever He that not long since was a glorious tree amongst vs like the Cedar of Libanus his boughes were a shadow to these North partes hath had the message of the Lord by his angell accomplished vpon him hew downe the tree and there is but a stumpe left a remnant of that substance now to be hid and buried in the earth till the daie-spring froÌ„ an high the light of Gods couÌ„tenance shal againe visite it Do you doubt of the fal of Princes handle see his body that here lieth examine his nostrels if there be any breath in them his eies if they haue any sight his cheeks if any colour his veines if any warme bloud and then beleeue as the Samaritans did not because of my word but because your selues are witnesses vnto it And as his body in life hath giveÌ„ you many an instructioÌ„ so let his dead breathlesse corpse adde one more vnto you of coÌ„moÌ„ vnevitable mortalitie It hath bin the maÌ„ner of auÌ„cient times to coÌ„meÌ„d their dead rather to testifie their good affection bemoane their losse to hold out the lampe of their vertuous liues to others left aliue than to gratifie the deceased Thus David commended Saul and Abner Elizaeus Elias the Apostles those Sainctes whome the worlde was not worthy of Nazianzen Basil making his followers in comparison with him for his excellent parts no more than an Eccho to the true voice Thus Bernard lamented Malachy complayning that his very bovvells were pulled from him and he could not but feele the wounde Our
but he is better thaÌ„ they all though they all were equall in dignitie and authority and had power in their hands and counsaile by their sides yet were they inferiour vnto him in the care of Gods service To haue compared him with Manasses his grand-father or Amon his father who went next before him and whose steps he declined contrary to the maner of childreÌ„ for vvho would haue thought when Manasses did ill and worse than the Amorites and Amon no better that Iosias would not haue followed them or to haue matched him with a few given him preheminence within some limited time say for an age or two or three had sufficientlie magnified him But all times examined chronicles and recordes sought out the liues and doings of kings narrowly repeated Iosias hath the garland from them all the paragon to all that went before him and a preiudice to as many as came after him The reason is because he turned His father grandfather went awry they ranne like Dromedaries in the waies of idolatry but Iosias pulled back his foot David turned to his armed men strength of souldiours Salomon to the daughters of Pharao Moab RehoboaÌ„ to his young couÌ„sailers Ieroboam to his golden calues Ezechias to the treasures of his house contrary to the word of the Lord Deut. 17. hee shall not provide him many horses neither shall he take him many wiues neither shall he gather him much silver and gold Some had even solde themselues to worke vvickednes had so turned after the lusts of their owne hearts that they asked who is the Lord but Iosias turned to the Lord the onely strength of Israell as to the Cynosure and load-starre of his life as that which is defectiue maimed to his end perfectioÌ„ as to his chiefest good as to the soule of his soule as to his center and proper place to rest in They said like harlots we will goe after our lovers that giue vs breade and water wooll flax but Iosias as a chast and advised wife I will goe and returne to my first husband The maner measure of his turning to the Lorde was with all his heart withall his soule c. You seeme to tell me of an Angell of heaven not of a man that hath his dwelling with mortall flesh and that which God spake in derision of the king of Tyrus is true in Iosias thou art that anointed Cherub for what fault is there in Iosias or how is he guilty in the breach of any the least commandement of the law which requireth no more than is here perfourmed Least you may thinke Iosias immaculate and without spot vvhich is the onely priviledge of the sonne of GOD know that he died for sinne because he coÌ„sulted not with the mouth of the Lord he was therfore slaine at Megiddo by the king of Egypt But that which was possible for flesh bloud to do in an vnperfect perfection rather in habite thaÌ„ act endevor than accomplishment or compared with his forerunners followers not in his private carriage so much as in his publike administration in governing his people and reforming religion all terrors difficulties in so weighty a cause as the chandge of religion is for chandge it selfe bringeth a mischiefe all reference to his forefathers enmity of the world loue to his quiet set apart he turneth to the Lord with all his hart c. So doth the law of loue require God is a iealous God cannot endure rivals hee admitteth no division and parâ—ing betweene himselfe Baal himselfe Mammon himselfe and MelchoÌ„ his Christ Beliall his table the table of devils his righteousnes the worlds vnrighteousnes his light and hellish darknes I saie more he that forsaketh not I say not Baal Mammon Melchom Beliall but father mother wife brethren sisters landes life for his sake loveth not sufficiently For as God himselfe ought to bee the cause why we loue God so the measure of our loue ought to bee vvithout measure For hee loveth him lesse than he shoulde vvho loveth any thing with him What not our wiues children friendes neighbours yea and enemies to Yes but in a kinde of obliquity our friendes and the necessaries of this life in God as his blessings our enemies for god as his creatures so that whatsoever we loue besides God maie be carried in the streame of his loue our loue to him going in a right line and as a direct sun-beame bent to a certaine scope our loue to other either persons or things comming as broken reflexed beames froÌ„ our loue to God You see the integritie of Iosias in every respect a perfect anatomy of the whole man every part he had consenting to honour God and that which the Apostle wished to the Thessalonians that they might be sanctified throughout and that their whole spirite soule and body might be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of Iesus Christ their spirit as the reasonable and abstract part their soule as the sensuall their bodie as the ministeriall and organicall is no way wanting in Iosias For whatsoever was in the hart of Iosias which â—yra vpon the sixth of Deut. S. Augustine in his first booke of Christian Learning expound the will because as the hart moveth the members of the body so the will inclineth the partes of the soule whatsoever in his soule vnderstanding sense which Mat. 22. is holpen with another word for there is soule minde both whatsoever in his strength for outward attempt performance all the affection of his heart all the election of his soule all the administration of his bodie the iudgment vnderstaÌ„ding of the soule as the Lady to the rest prosecution of his will excecution of his strength he wholy converteth it to shew his service and obedience to almighty God Bernard in a sermon of Loving God in his 20. vpoÌ„ the Canticles expoundeth those words of the law thus thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart that is kindly affectionately with all thy soule that is wisely discreetly with all thy might that is stedfastly constaÌ„tly Let the loue of thy heart enflame thy zeale towards 〈◊〉 let the knowledge of thy soule guide it let the constancie of thy might confâ—â—me it Let it be fervent let it be circumspect let it be invincible Lastly the rule which he fastneth his eie vpon was the law of Moses and the whole law of Moses other rules are crooked and 〈◊〉 this only is straight as many as minde to please God must 〈◊〉 themselues wholy to be directed thereby not turning eithâ—â— to the right hand or to the left This history considered I pray you what hindereth the commauÌ„dement government of the king both in causes and over persons of the church For 1. in the building of the temple Iosias giveth direction both to Shaphan
of a fierce countenance and vnknowne language all the commoâ—ions and perturbations of kingdomes invasions of kings one vpon the others dominions rebellions of subiectes and so much of Christendome at this day buried in the very bowels of Turcisme and infidelity yea the extirpation of the Iews and planting of the Gentiles vpon their stocke and hereafter the casting out of the Gentiles and filling of the Iewes againe they are al rightly and orderly derived from the former cause For the sins of the people the princes the people themselues the government the policy the religion the peace the plenty of the land shal often be chandged We haue long and faithfully preached against your sinnes the dissolvers you see of kingdomes common weales that if it were possible we might bring them also to their periode and set some number and end of them VVill you not be made cleane when shall it once be But if our preachings cannot mooue you he that in times past at sundry times and in sundry manners spake vnto our fathers hath also sundry voices and sundry kindes of preachers to speake vnto you You heare that the chandge of a Prince is one of his Preachers It shall preach more sorrow vnto you more wringing of your hands rending of your harts than ever erst you were acquainted with Remember the vision that Michaeas saw all Israell scattered like sheepe because their king was taken from them and thinke how wofull a day it will bee when this faithfull shepheard of ours which hath fed her Iacob with a true heart Formosi pecoris Custos formâ—sior ipsa an happy Queene of an happy people the Lord yet saving both her vs with the healthfull power of his right hand shall be pulled from vs. Wee haue hitherto lived in peace equall to that in the daies of Augustus such as our fathers never sawe the like and vvhen wee shall tell our childrens children to come thereof they will not beleeue it VVe haue sitten at ease vnder the shaddowe of our vines nay vnder the shaddow of this vine wee haue shaded solaced our selues and lived by her sweetnes But it may fall out that as when the Emperour Pertinax was dead they cried with redoubled showtes into the aire till they were able to cry no longer while Pertinax lived and governed wee lived in safety and feared no man so wee may send our late and helpelesse complaintes into heaven O well were wee in the daies of Queene Elizabeth when perfite peace was the walles of our country and the malice of the enemy prevailed not against vs. The sword of a forrein foe bandes and captivitye is an other of his preachers Will you not feele the warnings of Gods wrath till the yron haue entred into your soules and drawne bloud after it you knovv vvho it is that hangeth over your heades of vvhome and other princes I may say as they said in Athens of Demades and Demosthenes their oratours Demosthenes is meete for Athens iustly assised and fitted to the city Demades over-great so vvhen other kinges holde themselues contended vvith their kingdomes he is too greate for Spaine and many other kingdomes and Dukedomes cannot suffice him but he yet devoureth in hope all the dominions of Christendome and drinketh downe with vnsatiable thirst the conceipt of a Monarch and for this cause there is a busye spirite gone forth in the mouthes of all his Prophets Vnus Deus vnus Papa vnus rex Christianismi Magnus rex Catholicus vniversalis There is but one God one Poâ—e one King of Christendome the greate and Catholicke and vniversall Kinge Hee hath once already buckled his harnesse vnto him with ioye and assured presumption of victory But they that pulled it of by out-stretched arme of one more mighty than himselfe more reioyced God graunt that they bee not found in England vvho haue saide vpon that happye and miraculous event in discomfiting his forces vvee vvill trust in our bovves and our svvordes and speares shall heereafter deliver vs. There touching of late in Cornevvale the vtmost skirt of our lande no doubt vvas some little vvarning from God But it vvas no more vnto vs than if the skirt of our cloake had beene cutte avvay as it vvas to Saule vvee say our skinne is not yet rased The commotion in Irelande thoughe a quicker and more sensible admonition is but a dagger held to our side and till the pointe thereof sticke in our heart till there bee firing of our tovvnes ransackinge of our houses dashinge of our infants against the stones in the streetes vvee vvill not regarde O cease to incense the iealous God of heaven Turne not his grace and mercie into wantonnes Let not his strength bee an occasion vnto you to make you vainely confident nor his peace licenciouslye secure nor the abundance of his goodnesse abundant and intolerable in transgressing his lawes And if there were no other reason to make you tremble before his face yet do it for your owne politicke good because you are threatned by a deadly enimy vvho accompteth himselfe the cedar and vs but the thistle in Libanon and whose povver is not contemptible though God hath often cast him downe Neveuiant Romani auferant regnum à nobis at least that the Romanes and Spaniardes for they are brethren in this case come not vpon vs by the righteous sufferaunce of our God and take away our kingdome Surely our sinnes call for a skourdge and they shall receaue one For they even whip and torment the patience of God The arrowes of death are prepared against vs and they shall shine with our gall if with humble repentance we prevent them not Our pride calleth for humiliation shee is ascended on high and asketh who shall fetch me downe yet I haue red of those whose wimples and calles and perewigges haue beene turned into nakednes and baldnes and they haue run too and fro smiting their breastes and tearing the haire of their heades suffering it to be blowne about their eares with the wind and not regarding to bind it vp so much as with an haire-lace Our clocks are not vvell kept nor our chimneyes good which I haue heard to be two signes of a well ordered common wealth that is our hours are mispent our callings not followed and the breathing of the chimneies is choked vp hospitalitie and reliefe to the poore almost banished The poorer haue had their plagues already skarsitie of bread within these few yeares often renewed Their teeth haue beene cleanâ— and white through want of food when yours haue beene furred with excesse of meats and drinkes But rich men gentlemen looke also for your draught in the cup of the Lord either some mortal sickenes to your bodies to eate vp your flesh as you haue eaten others and then whose shall these thinges bee which with so much sweat of your browes carefulnes of heart wracke of conscience breach of charitie wrong to humane
societies you haue laid togither â—or some barbarous and vnmercifull souldior to lay open your hedges reape your fields rifle your coffers levell your houses with the ground and empty you and yours out of all your possessions as you haue emptied your poore neighbours Your mercilesse mony exactions you the infamous vsurers of the North of England you the Iewes Iudases of our land that would sell Christ for mony if hee were amongst you you the engrossers of graine in this time of death and withall the engrossers of your owne woes on whom the curse of the poore lighteth ratified in heaven for not bringing forth your corne you that adde affliction to affliction and strengthen the hand of penury amongst vs vse the talents of the Lord not your owne pounds to the honourable advauntage of your maister and the durable gaine of your soules least ye become the vsurers of his vengance and receiue the wages of your vnfaithfulnesse an hundreth-fold The land mourneth because of other and they shall mourne that cause her heavinesse ConteÌ„pt of God will take away our Gods of the earth atheisme anarchy confusion of all estates mingling of heade and foote will goe togither O pray for the peace of Ierusalem Pray for the peace of England Let praiers and supplications be made for all people especially for Christian kings most especiallie for our soveraigne Lady and Mistresse Let vs feare God and all the enemies of the world even the kingdome of darknes shall feare vs. Let not our sinnes reigne and our Queene shall long reigne over vs. Buy the length of her life with your silver and gold you that are rich in this world rich in this lande distribute to the poore scatter for Gods sake God that seeth from aboue will be mindfull of your good deedes and prolong her Maiesties daies Humble your selues in time you high-minded and high-lookt that her horne may be exalted and her roote flourish amongst vs yet manie yeares Traitours forbeare at length to plot your treasons which haue long bred never brought forth The Lord is king and his hand-maide is Queene bee the earth never so impatient Time-serving hypocrites lay downe your dissimulations How long will you halt betweene Rome and England Rebels forsake and resigne your vnlawfull armes Say not as those seditious did vvhat parte haue we in the sonne of David the sonne of David shall prevaile the daughter of King Henry prosper in all her waies vvhen your heades shall lie low enough and your swordes shall haue drunke their fill of your owne flesh Let it suffice you the vntamed broode of our lande to haue blotted your memories with none other censure than that which is written in the booke of God that a band of souldiours follovved Saul whose harts the Lorde had touched but they were wicked that cried howe shall he save vs And you my beloved brethren and the true children of England knit your soules and tongues togither as if you were one man say with a strong vnited cry a perfite heart that God may regard it from aboue O Lord preserue Queene Elizabeth And let AMEN even the faithfull witnes of heaven the worde truth of his father say Amen vnto it Even so Lord Iesu AmeÌ„ Amen harken to the praiers of they servants that goe not our from fained lippes let her ever be as neam vnto thee as the signet vpon thy finger as deare as the apple of thine eie as tender as thine owne bowels water her with theÌ„ deaw of heaven as the goodliest plant that ever our country bare hide her like a chosen shafte in the quiver of thy carefullest providence and giue her a long life ever for ever and ever Amen Vix totâ vitâ indices Senec. Oâ—erat discentem turba non instruit Jd. Eccles. Vlâ— Eccles. 1. Scribimus indocti doctique Pers. Poscimus indocti doctique Act. 17. Chap. 13. Soles acceptior esse sermo vivus quà m scriptus Bernard A mortuâ pelle ad hominem vivum recurre Gregor Laudare se vani vitu perare stulti Aristot. apud Valer. Max. Lib. 7. Ca. 2. Nihil egi sine Theseis Nihil nostrum omnia Iuvenal Cantic vlt. Quid sinâ— dicant qui possunt duÌ„modo quod dicunt probare valeaÌ„t August enchirid cap. 38. 1. Chro. 12. 1. Sam. 18. Vnus Cato mihi pro ceÌ„tum millibus Plato instar omnium Luke 5. Aul. Gell. noct Attic. 13.5 Revel 4. Revel 21. Proverb 8. Psal. 119. Math. 23. Verba innumerabilia vnum tantùm verbum omnia Hugo de arca Noe. Seneca Gregor 〈…〉 Gregor in moral Hieron The argumeÌ„t of the prophecie Psal. 145. Onmis latitudo scripturaâ—um Non tantùm auri massas tollunt veâ—ùm bracteolas parâ—as Chrys. hom 1. ad pop Antio Chap. 1. Praeco mittitur missus contemnit contemnens fugio fugiâ—â— dormis c. Jsidor lib. de patrib veâ— testamen The text And The word Psal. 119. Of the Lorde Luke 1. Came. Zach. 1. Nee verbum ab intentione quia veritas nec factum à verbo quia virtus est Bern. homil 4. super Missus est 2 Pet. 1. Rom. 11. 1 The commission 1. King 1â— Revel 2. Zach. 13. Revel 2. Rom. 10. Heb. 5. Esai 6. Actes 19. 1. King 22. 2 King â— Ier. 2â— Ier. 23. Ezech. 1â— Iud. 3. Actes 19. Zeph. 1. Zach. 13. 2. Sam. 20. Deut. 18. 2. Sam. 12. Revel 12. 2. The persoÌ„ charged 2 King 14. 1 King 17. Ier. 44. Esai 4â— Luke 4. 1. Sam. 19. Jn Moriae encomio Subtilitates plusquam Chrysippea et ultra-muÌ„danae Id. Loc. Theol. 12.5 Iob 5. 3 The matter of the commissioÌ„ Ier. 1. Ezech. 2. Genes 4. Nah. 3. Arise and goe Iob. 7. Gen. 47. Wisd. 15. Mat. 20. Vulgo dictuÌ„ precio ac pecuniis datis brachiae effracta sunt Zach. 1. 1 Thes. 5. Ezech. 38. Eccle. 33. Gen. 3. 2. Thes. 3. Ioh. 4. Gen. 2. Gen. 3â— Prou. 26. 1. Sam. 3. Prov. 24. To Niniveh Gualter in Ion. 2. King 19. Ar. Mont. 1. Reason Deut. 20. 2. Sam. 20. Luke 10 Homil 15. Nisi gehenna intentata esset omnes in gehennaÌ„ laberemur Non ergo minus quod semper dico dei provideÌ„tiam gehenna commendat quà m promissio regni Homil. 5. ad pop Antioch 2. Reason Zach. 8. Math. 1. Zach. 14. 3. Reason Esai 16. 4 Reason Math. 12. Math. 21. ConclusioÌ„ Luke 10. Act. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20. Psal. 68. That great city Chap. 1â— Anius vpoÌ„ Berosus Raph. Volâ—â—â—ter 6. Natur. hist 13. Ar. Mont. Iun. Trii Diodor. Siâ— Strabo Paulus de Palatio vpoÌ„ Ionas Two reasoÌ„s why Niniveh is so commenâ—ded Chap. 20. Affectum inquirit non factum exigit Ambros. de patriarch Chap. 2. Math. 12. Act. 12. Act. 21. 1. Pet. 4. 2. Pet. 1. Num. 1â— Esai 40. Chap. 3. Ibid. August 8. dâ— civi dei 23. Chap. 18. Vrbâ— aeterna Lament 2. Ibid. 4. Ierem.
49. In their greate plague 2 What Ionas is to do at Niniveh 1 King 19. Chap. 58. Ier. 48 Ezech. 13. Esay 30. Ier. 23. Lachrymae auditorum laudes tuae sint Toleramus illas tremimus inter illas The 3. generall part Psal. 14. A doubt aunswered 1. King 18. Ier. 2. Vt honesâ—â— peccare videantur Chap. 6. Naevus in articulo puâ—ri Iam. 5. 2. King 19. 2. Chro. 28. Voluptatum monstra non species Cypr. in prolog de Cardin. ope Christi Chap. 26. Ier. 22. Psal. 2â— Vt immobiliter credas firmitatem negatimis iterando moÌ„strat Cassiod The yeare of the Lord 1593. and 1594. Iob. 22. Ierem. 4. 1 He arose 2 To flie 3 Vnto Tharsis 4 From the preseÌ„ce c 5 He went downe c. The disobâ—dience of Ionas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thes. 3. Non agit sed satagis Non nihil agit sed male sed aliud Ier. 2 Genes 2. Genes 3. Ierem. 6. Prou. 1. Acts. 9. Numb 25. Numb 2â— 1. Sam. 15. 1. Sam. 28. Filijâ— inobedientiae sua voluptas ido lum est c. tract de praecept dispens Prov. 18. in the vulgar 1. Sam. â— Li. 1. epist 3 Quasi veritas post eos navigare non posse◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 119. Augustine 1. Cor. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tortuosae viae malis semper mori bus applicaÌ„tur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What Tharsis Chap. 9. Why to Tharsis Act. 10. Exod. 2. Exod. 3. Ierem. 10. 2. King 3. Tu qui Christianus et fuge forum vt neque patiaris neque faciat fraudem Mich. 6. Quanta spissitudo navium 4 digitoruÌ„ Anach Neptunum procul à terra The conclusion Esa. 42. Rom. 3. Galat. 3. Galat. 5. Zach. 4. Augustine Genes 2â— Chap. 21. Fugiebat fugam Dei iram non sagiebat Chrysost homil 5. ad pop Periclitatur navis quae periclitaÌ„tem exceperat 2. Sam. 14. Eccle. 39. Anima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 40. Phil. 2. Heb. 5. Bernard Horat. 1 The Lord Obstrictis alijs praeter Japyga Psal. 18. Chap. 37. Iob. 1. Iob. 38. Chap 4. Iob. 38. Iul. Scal. Exerc. 188. Herodoâ— * Some say Cyrus 2. King 19. August 2. de doct Christ. 3 de Trin. 7. Exod. 8. Iob. 1. 2 The Marriners August de correctione Donatis Habet iustâ— venerationeÌ„ quicquid excellit Tull. August de Trin l. 3. c. 2 epist. ad Volus Tull. Psal. 139· Sil. Itaâ—â—â— Navigantes neque inter vivos neque inter mortuoâ— Pittac 1. Chro. 11. Psalm 48. 1. Car. od 14 Quamvis poÌ„tica pinuâ— Syluae filia nobilis c. Ezech. 27. Non humanae conditionis necessita tâ— sed miserationis voluÌ„tare SenteÌ„ 3 dist 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 13. Vulg. Epist. 87. ad Oger Psal. 51. Gillibert in Cant. 3. ser. 19. Hieron Nulla est gens tam fera c. Tul. Actes 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tul. AcadeÌ„ quaest Acts. â— 6 Aul. Gel. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amat quia amat Bern. Iudg. 16. Iud. 4. Mat. 16. Ibid. Act. 22. Chap. 26. Chap. 3. Act. 26. Act. 9. Qualem noÌ„ repperit unuÌ„ c. De ira Dei Contempsit derisit abiâ—cit Lact. de origine erroris 2. Cap. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Math. 1â— Esa. 19. Act. 19. Dan. 3. Dan. 6. Psal. 51. 2. They cried every man vpon God Statius Every man vpon his God Exigua thuris impeâ—sa Curt. Rom. 1. Theocriâ—uâ— in Cle. Alex protrep De fall relig lib. 1. cap. 10 Dea Muta Ibid. Clem. Aleâ— in protrepâ— Pavorem palloremque Terminus Stercutiuâ— Cloacina Bacchus Venus Lavernâ— Iuvenal 2. King 1â— Jnstitut 〈◊〉 3. cap. 10. De vaniÌ„tate idolorum tract 4. Quando vn quam aut cum fide caepiâ— aut sine â—ruore desâ—â— Sic â—hebanorum gormanitas rupâ—a Rex unus est apibus c. Vna cella du obus diis non rectè dicâ—da Val Max Quasi qui dam fluvius eloquentiae Tullianae Caelius Lactantius Firmianus De falsâ—elig lib. 1. cap. 3 Minut habebunt singuli â—er 〈◊〉 Virtutis perfecta naturae c At officia multi parti ta sunt * Ne ipsam quidem quae una est habere videatur * Multi dit populares unus naturalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nec opus est proprio vocabulo nisi cum nomen exigit multitudo Sâ—â—om 5. Non vt nomeÌ„ eius proferentes dicimus sed propter rei inâ—ffaâ—ilis ampliâ—â—udineÌ„ Exod 3. Ego sum existens se ipsum non existentibus opponem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 And cast forth their wares Perierâ—m nisi periisseÌ„ 2. King 5. Esa. 3â— Iohn 9. Chap. 13. Ibid. 19. Ibid. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignavaratio Eruson Eccle. 38. Iud. 7. Pacuvius Vnus si dici debet vnissimuâ— Ber. ad Eugen Iob. 2. Ephes. 5. Math. 6. Prover 16. Tam vita vivit quam angelus Abbac 2. Senec. Dispensaâ—â—res magiâ— Dei quam divites appellandi â— Tim. 6. Concin◠〈◊〉 magis pâ—obo quam lâ—ngaÌ„ The third person Ionas Eccle. 32. Elementum in loco suo non poÌ„derat Homil. 5. ad pop Aâ—rocissimus vitae humanae publicanus somnus Ionas was gonne downe Into the sides or thighes Of the keele catinae He lay downe And slept Was fast a sleepe Ovid. 11. Metamor Gen. 2. Salust Lib. ep 22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian Et malit meis veluteÌ„ iam propriis vernaculis adfavebam Lib. 1. Iob. 7. Ovid. Fit fera fit volucris sit toto corpere serpens Psal. 68. Psal. 88. Omnium somnos illiuâ— vigilantiâ— defendit Psal. 76. Ier. 51. 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 10. 2. Cor. 12. Zach. 3. Amos. 3. Verse 6. Text. Maior est poena à damnato damnari Cypr. de sing cler Chap. 3. Num. 27. Num. 11. Arâ— artium disciplina disciplinaruÌ„ regere hominem Nazianz Superiores sunt qui superiores esse sciunt Ber. ser. 23. in cant Civium non servitus trae dita sed 〈◊〉 tela Nec resp tuâ— sed tu reip Senec. de â—le Strom. 5.2 de consid ad Eugen. Nec siâ— inflectere sensus c. Nehem. 6. Lam. 4. Eccle. 10. Ibid. Esay 3 Ibid. Psal. 100. The necessitie of government De legib 3. Exod. 1. Persius 〈◊〉 4. Spirituâ— vitalis Si mens illa imperii subtrahatur Senec. Arist. 1. Pol. Pastoreâ— pecorum maâ—gis quà m reges geÌ„tium Genes 9. Li. 9. de civ Dei cap. 9. Cuius iussu homines nas 〈◊〉 eius iussu reges constituuntur Rex instituitur à Deo constituitur à populo Datur illi regnâ— Ã Deo traditur à populo Regnat rex à Deo per et propter populum Eligitur rex à Deo conâ—firmatur electus â populo Vindic. tyran qu. 3. Psal. 2 Nullus est horum qui non conscensa iurri semet in marâ— precipitaturus sit sâ— iussero Pluâ—ar Ios. 1. Mat. 17. Rom. 13. ConclusioÌ„ At mihi plaudo ipse domi Horat. Leges loqueÌ„tes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 5