were willing to dwell therevpon O Absalon O my sonne Absalon O Absalon my sonne my sonne was the mourning of David when hee heard of the death of Absalon as if his soule had beene tied to the name and memory of his sonne and his tongue had forgotten all other speech saue only to pronounce Absalon It sheweth what loue our Saviour bare to the holy city in that he repeated his sorrowes over it O Ierusalem Ierusalem as if hee had made a vowe with David If I forget Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning or rather my tongue her moving I caÌ„not leaue thee at the first naming thou art deeper in my hart therefore I say Ierusalem and againe Ierusalem I ever regarded thy welfare with vndoubted compassion The marâ—iners import no lesse in repeating their request we beseech thee O Lord and once againe we beseech thee pardon our importunate out-cries our heartes are fixed yea our heartes are fixed our soules are athirst for thy loving kindnes wee will giue thee no rest till thou receivest our praiers The longer AbrahaÌ„ talked with God Gen. 18. the more he gained Hee brought him from the whole number to fiftie and from fiftie to ten before he lefte him Behold I haue begunne to speake vnto my Lorde and am but dust and ashes let not my Lorde be angry and I will speake againe and once more I haue begun to speake and once more let not my Lord be offended Once more and againe you see are able to send away cloudes of fire and brimstone And so far was it of that God was angry with his instant request that he gaue him both a patient eare and a gracious answere If ten be found there I will not destroy it It pleaseth the eares of his maiesty right well to bee long intreated his nature is never so truely aimed at as when vvee persvvade our selues that our impatience in praier can never offende his patience He that hath twise and ten times togither ingeminated the riches of his mercy as Exod. 34. The Lord the Lord is mercifull gracious slowe to anger abundant in goodnes truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity sin transgressioÌ„ What did he meane therby but that twise and ten times togither we should cry for his mercy Wee beseech thee O Lorde vvee beseech thee A woman of Canaan in the gospell calleth vpon our Saviour Have mercie vpon mee O Lord thou sonne of David my daughter is miserably vexed with a devill hee answered her not one worde It appeareth that shee called still because his disciples said Sende her away for shee crieth after vs Then hee vvas not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell yet shee came and vvorshipped him saying Lorde helpe mee hee aunswereth It is not meete to take the childrens breade and cast it to vvhelpes Shee replyed vpon him Truth Lorde but the vvhelpes eate of the crummes that fall from their masters table Then Iesus answered and said vnto her O woman great is thy faith Shee fastened vpon Christ with her praiers as the vvoman of Shunem vpon Elisha with her handes Shee caught him by the feete and saide vnto him As the Lorde liueth and as thy soule liueth I vvill not leaue thee Consider what discouragements her poore soule digested 1. shee was not aunswered by Christ 2. shee had backe-friends of his disciples 3. she was none of the lost sheepe 4. shee was a whelpe yet in the ende shee obtained both a cure for her daughters infirmity and a commendation for her owne faith Shee wrought a miracle by the force of her praiers shee made both the deafe to heare and the dumbe to speake she cried to the eares and tongue of her redeemer Ephata Bee yee opened heare and aunswere my petition fullfill my request Non importunus nec impudenses c. It is not a sawcie nor shamelesse part in thee to aske remission of thy sinnes at Gods handes without ceasing thou giuest him occasion to doe a memorable acte conveniente to his nature glorious to his holy name That which man giueth hee looseth and dispossesseth himselfe of it is not so with God thou art not the better God the worse thou the richer God the poorer for his giftes Open thy mouth wide and he will fill it enlarge thy belly and he will satisfie thee Fons vincit Sitientem The fountaine and source of his goodnes is aboue the desire and thirst of thy necessities If you observed it in the last historie The disciples of â—hrist thought it an impudent parte that the Syrophoenissian cryed after them Sende her avvaye Did Christe so accounte it or woulde he dismisse her Doubtlesse it ioyed his hearte to suspende her desâ—res in expectation and consequentlye to extende them to holde her long in his companye hee saide to himselfe I am vvell pleased that shee cryeth after mee it delighted his eares to heare her redoubled obsecrations more than the instrumentes of David coulde haue done it gaue him matter to vvorke vpon it tried a faith it vvanne a soule it occasioned a miracle Bernard to this purpose noteth of the spouse in the Canticles beginning her suite and woing of Christ so rudely as shee doeth let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth though to entreate a greate fauour of a greate Lorde shee vseth no flattery vnto him shee seeketh no meanes shee goeth not about by driftes and circumlocutions shee maketh no preamble shee worketh no benevolence but from the abundance of her heart sodainely breaketh forth Nudè frontesque satis Barelie and boldelie enough let him kisse mee vvith a kisse of his lippes The parables in Sainte Luke the one of a friende called vp at midnight the other of a wicked iudge instruct vs thus much that vnlesse vvee holde a meaner opinion of God than of a common vulgar friend which were too base to conceiue or a more vnrighteous iudgment of him than of the most vnrighteous iudge than which what can bee thought more blasphemous vvee shoulde not distrust the successe of our praiers but that improbitie and importunitie at the least would draw him to audience It was midnight with these marriners when they called at the gates of God the friende and louer of the soules of men the vnseasonablest and deadest time in the iudgement of humane reason They called for more than loaues the reliefe and succour of their liues more deare vnto them than any sustenaunce Their friende Nay their enemy vvas at hande and the last enemie of mankinde The gates seemed to be shut all hope of deliverance wel nigh past the children were in bedde a sleepe vaine was the helpe of man their arme was weake and their ores vnprofitable Angels and Saintes could not helpe them yet they knocked at the gates of their friend once We beseech thee O Lord and because he denied them the first time they knocked againe We beseech thee O Lord and I doubt not
with God on high mourning and lamenting his wretchednes not in a caue of Horeb as Elias did not in a caue of Adullam as David but in the ougliest vncomfortablest vaulte setting hell aparte that ever vvas entred O Lord where shall thy spirite forsake thy chosen ones if wee climbe into heaven there it is as apparant to the worlde as the sunne in his brightnesse If we bee driven into the wildernesse there it will attend on vs. If we lie downe in the bottome of the sea if in the bowels of a whale within that bottome of the sea there will it also embrace vs. To conclude all in one for this time there was never contemplation or study in the world so holy and heavenly in the sight of God so faithfull and sociable to him that vseth it as praier is It travaileth by day it awaketh by night with vs it forsaketh vs not by lande by water in weale in woe living nor dying It is our last friend an◠indissolublest companion therefore wee must praie There was never name so worthy to bee called vpon in heaven or earth so mighty for deliverance so sure for protection so gainefull for successe so compendious to cut of vnnecessarie labours as the name of Iehovah our mercifull father and the image of his countenaunce Iesus Christ. Therefore to the Lord. There was never citty of refuge so free for transgressours never holes in the rockes so open for doues never lappe of the mother so open to her babes as the bowels of Gods compassions are open to beleevers Therefore we must pray in that stile of propriety which Thomas vsed when he looked vpon Christ my Lord and my God Lastly there was never affliction so great but the hande of the Lorde hath beene able to maister it therefore if we walke in the shadow of death as where was the shadow of death if these bowels of the whale were not we must not take discomforte at it The Lord sitteth aboue the water flouds the Lord commandeth the sea and all that therein is He that hath hidden Ionas in the belly of a fish as a chosen shafte in the quiver of his mercifull providence and made destruction it selfe a tabernacle and hiding place to preserue him from destruction blessed be his holy name and let the mighte of his maiestie receiue honour for evermore he will never forsake his sonnes and daughters neither in health nor sicknesse light nor darknesse in the lande of the living nor in the lande of forgetfulnesse And therefore as David cursed the mountaines of Gilboah that neither dew nor raine might fall vpon them because the shielde of the mighty was there cast downe so cursed be all faithlesse and faint harted passions that throwe away the shielde of faith and open the way for the fierie dartes of the devill to worke their purpose But blessed be the mountaines of Armenia for there the 〈◊〉 found rest Blessed be the power and mercy of our God for these are the mountaines vvherevpon the arke resteth these are the holy hils whereon the Sion and church of the Lord hath her everlasting foundations The Lorde liveth and blessed be our strength even the God of our salvation for ever and ever be exalted Amen THE XXIIII LECTVRE Chap. 2. ver 2. And said I eryed in mine affliction to the Lord and he hearde me out of the belly of hell cried I and thou heardst my voice IN the wordes of the history before we come to Ionas speaking frō his own person I noted 1. his action during the time of his imprisonmēt praier 2. the obiect of his praier the Lorde 3. the applicatiō his God 4. his house of praier the belly of the fish 5. the specification of it he said which particle only remaineth to bee adioyned to the former before wee proceede to to praier it selfe It beareth one sense thus I will not onely acquaint you that Ionas prayed but I will also expresse vnto you what that prayer was this was the summe and substaunce of it the matter hee framed and compiled to his God was to this effect Hee praied and saide that is these were the very wordes this was the tenour and text of his songe indited But if the worde bee better lookt into it may yeeld a further construction For in the three principall tongues Hebrew Greeke Latine there hath ever bene held a difference betweene speaking saying the former being more generall vnperfite belonging to as many as vse the instruments of speech Thersites spake though hee spake like a Iay they speake of whome the proverbe is verified little wisedome much prating Eupolis noted them in the greeke verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are excellent to talke but very vnable to say The later is more speciall noteth a wise deliberated speech graue sententious weighed in the ballance as it is in the words of Syrach vttered to good purpose Tully in his rhetorickes giveth the difference in that he ascribeth saying to oratours alone speaking to the cōmon people that the one cōmeth from nature the other from art Such was the handling of that argument in the 45. Psalme whereof the authour witnesseth before hand My heart is inditing a good matter his tongue was but the pen of a ready writer It was sermo natus in pectore a matter bred in the breast not at the tongues end And such was the song of Ionas in this place It was drawne as deepe as the water from the well of Iacob the sentences wherof were advisedly penned the words themselues set vpon feete and placed in equall proportions A skilfull and artificiall song as if it should haue fitted an instrument cōposed in number measure to the honour of his name who giveth the argument of a song in the night season who in the heaviest and solitariest times when nature calleth for rest quickeneth vp the spirit of a man and giveth him wisdōe grace to meditate within himselfe his vnspeakable mercies I doe not thinke that the praier of Ionas was thus metrically digested within the belly of the fish as now it standeth But such were the thoughts and cogitations wherein his soule was occupied vvhich after his landing againe perhappes he repolished brought into order fashion as a memoriall monument of the goodnes of God that had enlarged him It ministreth this instruction vnto vs al that when vvee sing or say any thing vnto the Lord we keepe the rule of the Psalme Sing yee praises vvith vnderstanding that as Iohn Baptist went before Christ to prepare his vvaies so our heartes may ever goe before our tongues to prepare their speeches that first vvee speake within our selues as the woman with the bloudy issue did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for shee saide within her selfe if I may but touch the hemme of his garment afterwardes to others first in our harts with David in
sentence in the last vvordes of the sentence this Ionas knevv hee saieth and vpon that knowledge resolved long since vpon his resolution laboured to prevent it We are now come to that which if Ionas had rightly conceived of it would never haue grieved him to see the bowels of pitty opened enlarged towards his poore brethren Did Ionas know that God was gracious mercifull slow to anger of greate goodnesse repenting him of the evill I will render these variations in as many wordes more did Ionas knovve that God was gracious in affection mercifull in effecte longe suffering in vvayting for the conversion of sinners of greate kindenesse in striking shorte of their sinnes repenting him of the evill in vouchsafing mercy to sinners and remitting their misdeeds Did Ionas know that God was graciois in himselfe by nature mercifull towards his creatures by comunicatioÌ„ long suffering before he inflicteth vengeance of great goodnes in the number measure of his stripes penitent in the stay intermission thereof is it so strange offeÌ„siue vnto him that God should spare Niniveh a thing which his nature maÌ„ner was so inured vnto The words though different in sound the power signification of them not all one yet in the principal they all agree knit their soules togither in the commendation of Gods mercy The 1. importeth a liberall disposition franknesse of heart gratuitall vndeserved benevolence not hyred and much lesse constrained but voluntarily and freely bestowed The 2. a commiseration over other mens miseries motherly bowels tender compassion towardes those that suffer affliction Saul Saul why persecutest thou me We haue not a high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities I would not the death of a sinner It goeth to his heart when he is driven and inforced to take punishment The 3. bewraieth a nature hard to conceiue not willing to retaine wrath and when it seemeth to be angry not angry indeede vsing rather a fatherly scourge of correction than a rod of revenge The 4. declareth that there is no end of his goodnes although he is somewhat in all things nay all in all yet he is much more in mercy more than in other his properties for his mercy is over all his workes to the good evill friendes enemies that when he giveth he giveth with an open hand not sparingly more than our tongues haue asked or our hearts ever thought of Lastly he repenteth him of the evill that is altereth the word that is gone out of his lips sheweth how easie hee is to be intreated that the rod may be pulled forth of his handes even when he is smiting vs. Paul in his voiage towards Rome speaketh of a certain place which was called the faire havens We are now arrived at the faire havens they are in number many for the harbour and rode of a wearied sea-beaten conscience which hath long bin tossed in a sea of wretchednes more comfortable and safe than ever was the bosome of a mother to her yong infant Happy is the soule that landeth at these havens and blessed be the God of heaven which hath given vs a carde of direction to leade vs there vnto the witnesse of his holy word written and sealed that can never deceiue vs. For these are the words of the ignorant but hee that knew them bare record and his witnes is true they are the wordes of a prophet who spake not by his private motion but as he was mooved by the holie Ghost Nay they are not the wordes of one but of many prophets that in the mouthes of sufficient witnesses they might be confirmed Ionas reciteth them in this place Ioel repeateth them in the second of his prophecy David hath the same thrise in his Psalmes either al or the most part of them Moses in the 14. of Num. bringeth in their perfect catalogue Nay they are not the words either of Moses or David or the prophets but of God himselfe The fountaine and well-head froÌ„ whence they haue all drawne them as Moses there confesseth is the proclamation which God made Exod. 34. wheÌ„ he descended in the cloud delivered his name in this manner the Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnes in truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquites transgression and sinne Ho all yee that thirst come to the waters of comfort Heare are welles enough to be drawen at drinke at the first fountaine the Lord is gracious and if your appetite be not there quenched go to the second the Lorde is mercifull if you be yet thirsty go to the thirde the Lord is slow to anger thence to the fourth and fifth bibite inebriaminâ— drinke til your seules are more thaÌ„ satisfied Doe you not read 1. Sam. 17 of fiue smooth stones which David chose out of a brooke to fling at Golias here is the brooke my brethren the history of this prophet and these are the fiue smooth stones which are now proposed Let them not lie in the brooke vnhandled vnoccupied but put theÌ„ in your scrip as David did beare theÌ„ in your minds lay theÌ„ vp in your hearts apply theÌ„ to your coÌ„sciences that they may be ready at hand against the face of the Philistine against the force of Satan if ever he steppe forth to deâ—â—e the Lord of hostes or any Israelite in his campe We finde but 3. temptations Mat. 4. that Satan bent against the sonne of God differing both in the place in their strength The 1. was vpoÌ„ the ground of turning stones into bread the 2. vpoÌ„ the pinacle of the teÌ„ple of casting his body downe the 3. vpon an exceeding high mountaine of coÌ„mitting idolatry The 1. concerned his power the 2. his life the 3. his conscience And our Saviour refelled him in al these with 3. several answers But here we haue matter answere enough for more than 3. teÌ„ptations for if Satan obiect vnto vs lower vpon the ground as it were that God is a righteous iudge full of indignation impatience not making the wicked innocent answer him that withal he is a gracious God caÌ„not deny himselfe If he climbe higher in temptatioÌ„ as it were to the pinnacle of the temple reply vpoÌ„ thee but thou art vnworthy of that grace because thou art full of iniquity vnrighteousnes answere him that withal he is a mercifull God and sheweth greatest pitty where there is most need of it If he assault thee a third time thinke to overthrow thee as it were vpon the toppe of a mountaine by telling thee that thou hast long continued in thy sinnes that thou broughtest them from the wombe and they haue dwelt with thee to thy gray haires answere him that God is as much commended for his longe sufferance If yet his mouth be not stopt but he maintaine a further plea against thee
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
there anie vessell more or lesse in honour then the rest are Moses is no better then Samuel Samuel thē David David a king then Amos an heardman Iohn Baptist more then a prophet not more then a prophet in this auctority Peter or Andrewe the first that was chosen not better then Paul that was borne out of due time The foure beastes in the Revelation haue eies alike before and behinde and the Apostles names are euenly placed in the writings of the holy foundation Salomon the vvisest king that euer vvas in Ierusalem perceiued righte vvell that wheresoeuer the vncreated vvisedome of GOD spake it spake of excellent thinges even thinges seemelie for Princes David his princelie father before him had so high a conceite of these ordinances of the most high that vvhere he defineth any thing he esteemeth them for value aboue great spoiles and thousandes of gold and silver yea all maner of riches and for sweetnesse aboue the hony and the honycombe where he leaueth to define he breaketh of with admiration wonderfull are thy testimonies I haue seene an ende of all perfection but thy commandement is exceeding broade meaning thereby not lesse then infinite The Iewes acknowledge the old testament abhorre the new the Turkes disclaime Iulian atheists and skorners deride Grecians haue stumbled at both olde and newe Papistes enlarge the olde vvith Apocryphall vvritings some of the ancient heretickes renoūced some prophets others added to the number of Evangelists but as the disciples of Christ had but one Maister or teacher in heauen and they were all brethren so one was the authour of these holy vvrittes in heaven and they are all sisters and companions and vvith an vnpartiall respect haue the children of Christes familie from time to time receiued reverenced and embraced the whole and entire volume of them They knowe that one Lorde vvas the originall fountaine of them all vvho being supremely good vvrought and spake perfect goodnesse One vvorde and vvisedome of God revealed these wordes to the sonnes of men himselfe the subiect and scope of them one holie Ghost endited them one bloude of the lambe sealed and confirmed the contentes of them one measure of inspiration vvas given to the pen-men and actuaries that set them downe one spowse and beloved of Christ as gages of his eternall loue hath received them all in keeping And surely shee hath kept them as the apple of her eie and rather then any maime or rent shoulde bee made in their sacred bodye shee hath sent her children into heaven maimed in their owne bodies and spoiled of their dearest bloud they had thinking it a crowne of ioie vnto them to lay downe their liues in the cause of trueth And therefore as branches of the same vine that bare our predecessours to vvhome by devolution these sacred statutes are come vvee esteeme them all for Gods most royall and celestiall testament the oracles of his heavenly sanctuary the onelie keye vnto vs of his revealed counselles milke from his sacred breastes the earnest and pledge of his favour to his Church the light of our feete ioy of our heartes breath of our nostrels pillar of our faith anchor of our hope ground of our loue evidences and deedes of our future blessednes pronouncing of the vvhole booke with every schedule and skrole therein conteyned as hee did of a booke that Sextius vvrote but vpon farre better groundes vivit viget liber est supra hominem est It is a booke of life a booke of liuelyhood a booke in deede savouring of more then the wit of man Notwithstanding as the parcelles of this booke were published and delivered by divers notaries the instruments of Gods owne lippes in divers ages divers places vpon divers occasions and neither the argument nor the stile nor the end and purpose the same in them all some recounting thinges forepassed some foreseeing thinges to come some singing of mercy some of iudgement some shallowe for the lambe to wade in some deepe enough to beare and drowne the Elephant some meate that must bee broken and chevved vvith painefull exposition some drinke that at the first sighte may bee supt and swallowed dovvne somevvhat in some or other parte that may please all humours as the Ievves imagine of their Manna that it rellishte not to all alike but to everie man seemed to taste accordinglie as his hart lusted so though they vvere all vvritten for our learning and comforte yet some may accorde at times and lende application vnto vs for their matter and vse more then others Of all the fovvles of the ayre I meane the Prophetes of the LORDE flying from heaven vvith the winges of divine inspiration I haue chosen the Doue for so the name of Ionah importeth and Ierome so rendereth it to Paulinus to bee the subiecte of my labour and travell vndertaken amongest you vvho vnder the type of his shipwracke and escape figuringe the passion and resurrection of the sonne of GOD and comming from the sea of Tharsis as that Doue of Noahs Arke came from the vvaters of the floude vvith an oliue branch in his lippes in signe of peace preacheth to Niniveh to the Gentiles to the vvhole vvorlde the vndeserved goodnesse of GOD towardes repentant sinners For if you vvill knowe in briefe vvhat the argument of this Prophet is it is abridged in that sentence of the Psalme The LORDE is mercifull and gracious of longe suffering and of grette goodnesse Hee is mercifull in the first parte of the prophecy to the Mariners gracious in the seconde to Ionas long suffering in the thirde to the Ninivites and of great goodnesse in the fourth in pleading the rightfulnesse of his mercie and yeelding a reason of his facte to him vvhich had no reason to demaunde it So from the foure chapters of Ionas as from the foure windes is sent a comfortable breath and gale of most aboundant mercies And as the foure streames in paradise flowing from one heade vvere the same water in foure divisions so the foure chapters or sections of this treatise are but quadruple mercie or mercie in foure parts And so much the rather to bee harkened vnto as an action of mercie is more gratefull vnto vs then the contemplation the vse then the knowledge the example then the promise and it is sweeter to our taste beeing experienced by proofe then vvhen it is but taught and discoursed You heare the principall matter of the prophecie But if you woulde knowe besides what riches it offereth vnto you it is a spirituall library as Cassiodore noted of the Psalmes of most kindes of doctrine fit for meditation or as Isidore spake of the Lordes prayer and the Creede the vvhole breadth of scripture may hither bee reduced Here you haue Genesis in the sodaine and miraculous creation of a gourd Moses and the lawe in denuntiation of iudgement Chronicle in the relation of an history Prophecy in prefiguring the resurrection of
aliue through ranges and armies of teeth on both sides without the collision or crushing of any limme in his body and entereth the streights of his throate where he had greater reason to cry thaÌ„ the childreÌ„ in the prophet the place is to narrow for me and liveth in the entralles of the fish a prison or caue of extreame darkenesse where he found nothing but horror and stinch and loathsome excrementes What shall we say herevnto but as Ierome did vpon the place where there was nothing looked for but death there was a custodie in a double sense first to imprison and yet withall to preserue Ionas Thus farre you have hearde first that a fish and for his exornation great fish secondly vvas prepared thirdly by the Lorde fourthly to swallow vp his prophet Now lastly if you will learne what tidings of Ionas after his entring in the monsters mawe it is published in the nexte wordes And Ionas was in the belly of the fish three daies and three nightes Therein I distinguish these particularities First the person Ionas not the bodye of Ionas forsaken of the soule as the bodye of Christ lay in the graue but the whole and entire person of Ionas compounded of bodye and soule livinge mooving feeling meditating not ground with the teeth not digested in the stomake not converted into the substaunce of the fish and neither vitall nor integrall part diminished in Ionas Secondly the place vvhere he was in the remotest and lowest partes the bovvelles of the fish as Ieremy was in the bottome of the dungeon where there vvas no water where what nutriment he had amiddest those purgamentes superfluities the Lorde knoweth but man liveth not by breade alone or what respiration and breathing being out of his elemente amongst those stiflinge evaporations vvhich the bellye of the whale reaked forth but wee may as truely saye man liveth not by breath alone Thirdly the time hovve long hee continued there three daies three nightes when if the course of nature were examined it is not possible to bee conceived that a man coulde liue so one moment of time and his spirit not be strangled within him Physitians giue advise that such as are troubled with apoplexies falling sicknesses or the like diseases should not be buried till the expiration of 72. howres that is three daies and three nightes In which space of time they say the humours begin to stop giue over their motion by reason the moone hath gone through a signe the more in the Zodiake For this cause it was that our Saviour vndertooke not the raisinge of Lazarus from the dead till hee had lien 4. daies in the graue least the Iewes might haue slaundered the miracle if hee had done it in hast and saide that Lazarus had but swooned The like he experienced in himselfe besides the opening of his heart that if falshoode woulde open her mouth into slaunder it might bee her greater sin because he was fully dead Who would ever haue supposed that Ionas fulfilling this time in so deadly and pestilent a graue shoulde have revived againe But the foundation of the Lord standeth sure and this sentence hee hath vvritten for the generations to come My strength is perâ—ited in infirmity vvhen the daunger is most felt then is my helping arme most welcome We on the one side vvhen our case seemeth distresseful are very importunate with God crying vpoÌ„ him for help It is time that the Lord haue mercy vpon Sion yea the time is come if in the instant he answer not our cry we are ready to reply against him The time is past and our hope cleane withered But he sitteth aboue in his provident watch-towre who is far wiser than men thinketh with himselfe you are deceived the time is not yet come They meete the ruler of the synagogue in the 5. of Marke tell him thy daughter is deade why diseasest thou thy maister any further Assoone as Iesus hearde that vvorde a word that he lingred and waited for he said vnto the ruler of the Synagogue be not afraid onely beleeue And as Alexander the great solaced and cheered himselfe with the greatnes of his perill in India when he was to fight both with men and beasts their huge Elephantes at length I see a daunger aunswerable to my minde so fareth it with our absolute true monarch of the world who hath a bridle for the lippes of every disease and an hooke for the nostrels of death to turne them backe the same vvay they came it is the ioy of his hart to protract the time a while till he seeth the heigth maturity of the daunger that so he may get him the more honour Martha telleth him in the 11. of Iohn when her brother had beene long dead lien in the graue till he stanke past hope of recovery Lorde if thou hadst beene here my brother had not beene dead And what if absent was he not the same God Yet he told his disciples not long before Lazarus is deade and I am gladde for your sakes that I vvas not there that you mighte beleeue You see the difference Martha is sory and Christ is glad that he was not rhere Martha thinketh the cure commeth to late and Christ thinketh the sore was never ripe till nowe In the booke of Exodus when Israel had pitched their tents by the red sea Pharaoh and host marching apace and ready to surprise them they vvere sore afraide and cryed vnto the Lord and murmured against Moses hast thou brought vs to die in the wildernesse because there were no graues in Egypt wherefore hast thou served vs thus to carrie vs out of Egypt c. Moses the meekest man vpon the earth quieted them thus Feare yee not stande still and beholde the salvation of the Lorde which he will shew to you this day For the Egyptians whome yee haue seene this day yee shall never see them againe The Lorde shall fight for you therefore hold you your peace Neither did Moses feed them with winde prophecy the surmises of his owne braine for the Lorde made it good as followeth in the next verse vvherefore cryest thou vnto mee speake vnto the children of Israell that they goe forwarde Thus when the wounde was most desperate they might haue pledged even their soules vpoÌ„ it we cannot escape when their legges trembled vnder them that they could not stand still their hearts fainted that they could not hope the waters roring before their face the wheels of the enimy ratling behinde their backs they are willed to stand still not on their legges alone but in their disturbed passions to settle their shivering spirites to pacifie their vnquiet tongues and to go forwardes though every step they trode seemed to beare them into the mouth of death The state of the daunger you see Ionas is in the belly of the fish three daies and three nightes Long enough to haue
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