then Tyre and both before the Trojan warre Iustin lib. 18. Curtius sayes Agenor built them both No matter which were the antienter 〈◊〉 both famous townes of merchandise they weâ—â— the Sidonians Homer celebrates for many-aâ—ted many-crafted and cunning-crafted men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Virgill for the verses or the kindreds sake Sidonia Dido though Iustin say shee was born at Tyre Famous Queene Dido discontented at her hushands death fled into Africk there built Carthage and so renowned her sexe aswell as name that once a woman gat the third part of the world Iustin lib. 18. lib. 2. at Tyre was Cadmus borne that did build Thebes and for ought we know our selves might come from Tyre at Tyre the art of navigation and of making glasse the siderall science and martiall discipline with many other learned arts their first invention had The freedome and incomparable commodity of the sea gave them variety of fame and fortune too their youth they did diffuse throughout all the world and who but Tyre and Sidon in all the Colonies of Africk and Europe did beare the name as Iustin Curtius Plinij Mela and others report at large But what need heathen authors the sacred text is full and gives praecedency perpetually to Tyre From Tyre did David and Solomon fetch their Caedar for sumptuous building of a Temple to the omnipotent God 2 Chron. 2.3 Tyre was the Mart and fare for all the world Fine wheat and spices Unicornes hornes and Elephants teeth lead iron and tynne they were no traffick with them But silk and purple silver gold and pearle the sardius topaze and the diamond the Chrysolite and the onix the jasper sapphire and the emeraude with every other pretions stone their shops and garments were as rich below as if they would compare with the pavement of the new Hierusalem above the starres Read the 27. and 28 Chap. of Ezekiel and wonder whether ever there were a statelyer City in the world then was this purple Tyre this golden Tyre nay that is not enough but this crowning Tyre Queene of the seas nay goddesse of the seas whose merchants were princes and their chapmen the Nobles of the world Thou great creator of new Princes where and when thou pleasest Thou whose very servants can susteine such losse of ponderous summes without any sensible decay as would make a Noble man of other Countryes shrink into his prime originall againe As the Prophet Esay doth describe thine honour in termes as rich as thou art proud Esay 23. Thou that fearest Neptune more then God or Alexander the great hast thou not yet beene often enough destroyed Once did Nebuchadnezar ruine all thy state another time Alexander the great Those Monarchs honoured thee in attempting such a prize And had the Romane Monarch Caesar been thy foe thou hadst againe beene honoured here But now t is Herod a vassall King What is the cause between yee or if not so the pretense what is it Monarchs and free Cities seldome doe agree these to preserve and magnifie their owne invite the neighbour subjects to like freedome with themselves those to maintaine their ambition and their lust strive to enslave the others like unto their owne Embassadors Agents and Merchants whosoever you be that traffique into other common wealths whose forme peradventure may differ from your owne your licence is from God to preserve each other in exchanging friendshipps wealth and wares but no authority have you to destroy each others forme The stately melancholy comes aswell from God as doth the sanguine mirth Monarchs as lawfull as free cities are free cities as legitimate as they I speake for servants faith that they be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 medlers in other Princely governments where they have nothing to doe Preserve your owne then let others look to theirs preserving is good but over-magnifying ruines all as Tyre and Sidon here were like to do For which Herod was hostilely intended against the Tyrians and Sidonians The greater riches are the greater prey by armes that cannot by submission must defend themselves Your riches Tyre and want of armes are your destruction now unlesse you doe submit it is better to want wealth then government of wealth For which Herod was hostilely intended against the Tyrian and Sidonian Townes There is a truer God of Tyre then they themselves their pride and covetousnesse their falsehood in their wares the true God of Tyre doth justly punish now in suffering Herod to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a denouncer of warre against the Tyrian and Sidonian pride Remember Tyre you long agoe were given of God for your Idolatry to Asers tribe Iosh 19. v. 29. your Idolatry doth still remaine for which God suffers Herod now to threaten warre upon you Remember Tyre and Sidon how that our Saviour Christ vouchsafed to come to you Mat. 15. when never a Tyrian nor Sidonian would vouchsafe to come to him but only a Syro-phenician dwelling neere whose daughter was so piteously perplexed with a devill Now therefore hee hath delivered you into Herods hands Deus impios per impios punit God punisheth sinners by sinners greater then themselves the Idolatrous Israelites by more Idolatrous Nebuchadnezer the proud mercilesse Tyrians by Herod that was more mercilesse then they They that are prime in Gods favour shall bee prime in punishment too if they prove unthankfull unto God the Tyrians have praeheminence in both and therefore in the method of Gods revenge the warre is principally against the Tyrian towne against the Tyrians and Sidonians and principally against the Tyrians Herod caries a most bloody minde Nay Tyre you shall have judgement to a scruple now you boasted that your chapmen were as rich as Noble men in other countryes were By what men sinne they shall be punisht by the same by chapmen did you sinne by chapmen shall you be punisht here is a chapman for you but in a Nobler kinde if ye will joyne all together to make a good reward Blastus shall mediate your peace unto the King _____ So much of the Tyrians and Sidonians Now of their action But they came all with one accord unto him But who acquaints them with the displeasure of the King Likely some messenger did advertise them of the Kings designe some summons or some pretensive claime there was A Kings wrath is like the roaring of a lyon saith Solomon Prov. 19.12 Now a lyons roaring is but a proem to the devouring of the next good prey he meets and the wider he roares the greater is the preparation of his stomack to devoure So is the fury of a King Inferiours therefore must not looke for much discussion of the cause but presently appease the displeasure that 's begunne and therefore they came all with one accord unto him They came and they came all and they came all with one accord unto him Unanimity is the Kingdomes wall and weale Not like a heard of furious bulles that turne their heads one against
come all away make up the Quire higher and higher sing prayses unto God untill he find himselfe well pleased with gentle thankes for such his more then gentle favor unto all in giving Kings and times of peace And you sweet sister Church of Tyre and Sidon that doe border neere whose land is nourisht partly by the Kings keepe this day sacred with our selves make up the Quire higher and higher sing praises unto God until he find himself wel pleased with more then humble thankes for such his more then gentle favour to you all in giving you so gratious a neighbour King a King of peace No fuming Herod no froward Rehoboam He no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no war-braind man but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man whose wisedome studies nothing more then how he may make peace As his Father was so is hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peace maker with all kingdomes round about and why But that every one may enjoy your owne sweet pleasurable peace at home Were there a King of alchimy the warres would eat him up could all your braziers turne their pewter into gold yet the warres would eat them up nay were all your faces as hard as adamant it selfe yet the warres would bruise them to pieces like a potters vessell Your rings and jewels your silkes and amorous tokens your chaines of gold and books of rare delight nay your religion it selfe and all would be made but a speedy prey unto the bloody foe Now silver flocks of sheep and smoother heards of cattell your generous horses and your palaces of State troopes of revenues and curiosities of wares your religion and the very love of God himselfe they are all your owne because yee enjoy Kings and times mediators of your peace Great is the blessing of peace amongst us oh that our praises were as great as it Wonder many doe that of all nations we should enjoy such peace wonder should I as well as they if there were not an haereditary benediction in it for of peaceable parents do peaceable children proceed as his father was so is he a man of peace nay a maker of peace Doe we attribute it then altogether to the race not so neither but chiefly unto God the giver both of the race and peace a race may faile but never God! Cease wee to wonder then the God of peace doth love our land and therefore blesseth us with Kings and times of peace no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is our King Let us in thankfulnesse live peaceably at home love we our neighbours as Christ the King of peace loved us have peace with all men as much as in us lyes not for the belly sake as the Tyrians with King Herod had but for our Saviours sake who would wee should have peace with all He is worse then Herod that will not entertaine a peace when faire conditions offer to him he is worse then a Tyrian that will not seeke for peace when as the Kings displeasure is proclaimed against all that bring disturbance to the Church or State and when as nor they nor we can long be nourisht without the pleasure of the King For he is a King of peace and thereby doth most justly intitle himselfe unto a kingdome greater then our owne For the most Christian King is he who imitateth most our Saviour Christ who is the prince of peace For so suffered he the tares among the wheat till harvest come the ripenesse of season that shall root out all Yet if any offended have there be many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neare and deare unto the King many gentle mediators that will procure their peace Or if you will not render thankes to God because you enjoy the blessing of such a King or because your mediators are as good as Blastus was yet render thanks because your land more happy is then was the Tyrian and Sidonian soile You are not nourisht by other countries so much as they by you they send to calk your ships you feed their bowels with the finest wheat Their silkes and stuffes may please you well but never nourish you so much as your owne warme native cloth can do the enliving restaurative of decaying heat Their fruits and spices please your tast but wholesome juycie meat engenders purer blood to nourish any body then all their spices doe and in such meate doth our Kingdome most copiouslie abound above them all Therefore render praise to God For there the emphasis is at nourishing not at pleasing your kingdome is pleased but it is not nourisht by any other kingdome so much as by your owne Therefore render thankes to God and please your owne King you are in better case then ever the Tyrians and Sidonians were Some if they durst would say what need this pleasing of him Yes die power most justly is in him Among the Romanes two of the aediles might export their corne as they thought fit but with us the command is altogether in one mans hands and so he may undoe a forreiner and pleasure his owne without controle whensoever he shall please Wherefore seeing his providence hath given you good liberty to use worthily and wisely do you enjoy your peace least falling into the power of cruell men with doubtfull sighes and groanes in vaine yee often doe desire the liberty you lost But if with prudence and thanksgiving you receive the present peace you doe invite the Lord to give you greater joy Nor Origens sepulcher nor Caracalla's tombe nor many a future monument beside had ever so famous been at Tyre if thus they had not well preserved their peace Wherefore give thanks for the Churches and the Kingdomes peace they shall prosper that love them both So much of the Laudative The Instructive shall conclude Though your Country be nourisht by no other earthly princes land yet by the King of heavens country it is take heed then how ye displease that King the King of heaven and earth the King of kings and God of gods the super-supreme commander of all things for by his countrey wee are nourisht every one as how or why Heaven and earth are all his countrey the sea and all to blast to blight to burne to drowne or how hee please But how should wee displease him then or who knowes that he is displeased O the question The plague continues blew amongst us the famine hath begun to whet her hungrie teeth the Cataracts of heaven are let loose drie aries into watry pisces changed the ransome of a King into the subjects ruine for military March is made a standing poole All these are more then signes that the King of kings is highly displeased with us and doe you aske then who knowes that he is displeased with us or what the cause is that hee is displeased doe you aske When as our sinnes so superabundant are what marvell if he drowne your corne with immoderate showres in the field to punish those
Noble Blastus THE HONOR OF A LORD CHAMBERLAINE AND OF A GOOD BED-CHAMBER-MAN OR The COVRTIER justified in Conditions of Peace BEING A Sermon preacht the 27. of March 1631. before Sir LVCIVS CARY and the Congregation at Burford Church in Oxfordshire WITH Speciall Relation to the Coronation-day and the Plague and Dearth then among the people BY IOHN RANDOL Bachelor in Divinitie of Brasen-nose Colledge in Oxford LONDON Printed for Tho Lambert neare the Hospitall-gate in Smithfield 1633. ACTS 12.20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon but they came with one accord to him and having made Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine their friend desired peace because their countrey was nourished by the Kings countrey And Herod was war-minded or intending warre to the Tyrians and Sidonians but they came with one accord to him and perswading Blastus who was one over the Kings bed-chamber or of the Kings-bed-chamber they desired peace because their countrey was nourished by the Kings THis text conteineth a designe of King Herod a designe of warre And usually designes of warre are in the spring as now the season is with us designes of warre which private men ought not to handle yet appertain to us all it doth to render thanks for having so gracious a King of peace in whom there is no designe of warre virtues by their contraries doe best appeare the Kings grace by Herods bloody minde the happinesse of our peace by the unhappinesse of Herods warre therefore have I chosen this text to celebrate this day a day of peace wherein our Soveraigne Lord a King of peace beganne his raigne for the good of other kingdomes aswell as of our owne because hee is not hostilely intended against any realm he is not but God is as we shall justly commemorate unto you how God by famine hath designed a warre against us all unlesse as the Tyrians sought peace with Herod so we with God Thus is the text sutable to remember us both of this present precious daye and of this present deare yeare The parts are these 1. Herods designe against the Tyrians 2. The Tyrians prevention of such designe The designe is for war a passionate designe he was not only angry with them of Tyre and Sidon as the former translations did read it but highly displeased with them and more as the last translation notes in the margent that Herod did beare an hostile mind intending warre against them as it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Erasmus a war-minded man plusquam iratus hee was more then angry for hee did meditate a warre against them bellum enim meditabatur saith Lintrensis he had a fighting minde and meditated warre against them pugnacem gerens animum meditans ac moliens belium saith Lorinus yes yes anim◠moliens bellum he was bent for war saith the Tigurine This is the first part Herods designe against the Tyrians and Sidonians Then the second part is their preventiō of this design by pacifying the King wherin observe their expeditiō of redresse they came presently to the King and their unanimity they came with one accord then their prudent and respective dealing by a mediator having made Blastus their friend having perswaded Blastus who is described by his office to be one of the Kings bed-chamber or one over the Kings bed-chamber by whose meanes they preferre their submissive request to the King himselfe for peace by way of petition they desired peace and lastly the cause of all because their countrey was nourisht by the Kings countrey there 's cause enough for their desirance of peace but his desire of warre hath no mentioned cause at all we are to examine the conjecturall doctrines of both sides beginning with King Herod and his passionate designe for warre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was wrathfully minded to make warre against them Of Herod and his passion When iniquity runnes in a line transgression downe a whole blood in some generations you shall scarce finde any good of all the name Herod the son of Antipater slew all the yonger innocents when Christ was borne and would have murdered our Saviour too if providence had not prevented it by a saving dreame Herod his sonne Tetrarch of Galilee slew Iohn the Baptist Mar. 6. and most despitefully used our Saviour at his death Luke 23. and this third Herod in the text slew Iames the Apostle emprisoned Peter drew his own Traine-band to execution and now is in a quartan ague of choler and melancholy mixt with sordid blood untill he have laid the Tyrians dishonorably at his feet Among Ieroboams race one yong man was found 1 Kings 14.13 that had pious intentions toward God and it was but onely one But among the Herods none In mariage then be carefull with what race yee interveine Fortes creantur fortibus Gracious men of gracious parents come and cruell impes from bloody loynes if otherwise it is by chance Lois was good Eunice good Timotheus good S. Paul brings downe the line Grand-parents parents children all good 2 Tim. 1.5 Aristotle can sit yee with a contrary tale wherein the grandfather was evill the father evill and the sonne evill A plea being entred against a man for beating of his own father he thus answers to defend himselfe Most honourable Judges in regard my father beate my Grandfather before he dyed and mine owne son hath likewise beaten me let it not seeme so heynous a crime unto your sacred eares if I have beaten my father also est enim hoc generi nostro proprium For it is the property of all our generation to beate their fathers sometime or other before they die A goodly property Another drawing his father by the head unto the utmost doore his Father intreated him there to rest for so far he drew his Father and left him there Arist lib. 7. Eth. cap. 6. a chapter and examples suting with these Herods best of any next unto the word of God for they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 angry men by nature and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quickly angry by inheritance and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deeply and bitterly angry unto warre and blood and death it selfe Men full of revenge and of greater mischiefe full This was the property of all their generation Heavens blesse women from such husbands men from such a Prince as Herod was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man suddenly inflamed with anger meditating nothing but war and death upon every light suspition of offence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet was not he the chiefe Commander of the State but an underling deputie or Lieutenant only Regunculus a vassall-King Claudius Caesar was the chiefe Emperour of all Judaea and the world besides Herod a contemptible man in comparison of him of an obscure fortune in Caligulaes time cast into prison but a while agoe and now his bolts being newly knockt off and the fury tost into such honour
height both of sin of disgrace in blood the angry waspes and bees are full of stings the King of Bees saith Seneca hath none solus ipse rex aculeo caret No more should Herod have Or what will you say if Herod never meant yet did pretend a warre to uncrest the Tyrians pride and so inrich himself But the text sayes not that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a man intending warre but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man really meditating a warre indeed and I say both safety and honour it is for Kings to bee contented with their owne to bee Kings over themselves as well as other men that is truely to be a King indeed Or if any man say the warre was intended because tribute was not paid that defence is false for such their speedy petitioning of peace with cost shewes either Tribute was not due from them or if due then it never was denyed Or what if the Tyrians did receive S. Peter and his doctrine with triumphant joy who so lately had displeased Herod might he not therefore justly threaten them a warre what if they did so did the Caesareans receive S. Peter too why then should he meditate a warre against those more then these these under his Empire were those not so if therefore against the Caesareans he did not move a war for interteining of S. Peters faith much lesse against the Tyrians ought it to be done as learnedly Zanchius and Lorinus against Baronius prove What Prince did ever move a warre against those that were not under his coÌ„mand meerely only for religion sake for other things they may but meerely and only for religion sake Lorinus in his conscience thinkes they may not Lor. de fide Bello So thinke our Church who never do destroy an heretick meerely for religion sake but for some other additament of cause No no their owne faire Chronicler Iosephus who describes this very progresse of Herod to his death reports no cause at all and an unworthy warre it needs must be that is not worthy of a cause Nor do the Fathers give him any but as S. Chrysostome sayes because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In 〈◊〉 facile irascens vanae gloriae cupidus a vaine glorious man proud and ambitious of a fierce overconfident mind unsatiable both in wealth and honour and where such natures be if no other cause be found it is reason enough to move a warre upon you meerely because you are next neighbour to them si ob nullam aliam causam tamen propter vicinitatem ô the miserable condition of evill neighbourhood it is the common infelicity of every age that neighbours seldome doe agree and the potenter they be the greater still the fewd because mighty men would ever dwell alone saith Esa ch 5.3 and being willing to fall out though cause be wanting yet preteÌ„se is easie to be found 't is il to neighbour next unto a covetous man but worse to border next unto an ambitious Prince for as covetous meÌ„ adde house to house so tyrants realme to realme no other kingdome is so great but their appetite is as great as it still thirstingly extending their line over others though they have not so much as any just colour of a warre that 's the tyrants case never contented prudently to rule their owne though that bee greater charge then well they can performe be their own dominions never so large yet the next territory would make a sweet addition to it If Herod could but adde Tyre and Sidon to his kingdome of Judaea for which hee is now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man meditating of a war And is this thy meditation Herod thou knowst the law if a meane man remove the marke of his Neighbours Land he shall bee accursed for it much more a Prince if he Hosea 5.10 the World it selfe is transitory why then do you not enlarge your vertues rather then your lands in coveting others goods why will yee lose your owne your owne good conscience which ten thousand times more pretious is then all the gold of Tyre know then to be contented whensoever yee have enough know then yee have enough whensoever yee are contented with it though ye shed no blood nor any combat wage yet if you meditate or pretend a strife to procure conditions of advantage to your selves by ruine of other men that neither did offend God nor you the Caelestiall spirit will brand you for it as he doth this Herod in the text that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man intending war or blood or any thing to procure unlawfull conditions of advantage to himselfe And is this thy meditation still O Herod and dost thou prosper in it after such abundance of sanctified blood as thou hast shed one would have thought some thunderbolt might have dasht out thy braines the earth have opened and so the bloody wretch dropt downe at once as Satan did from heaven to hell or that some potent enemy might have invaded well his land and put him to the inglorious halter or to the revengefull sword But loe prosperity in conditions of gain and peace The wicked in their seasons may have good successe be free from troubles others doe receive Psal 73. Ier. 12. Conjecture not the worse of holinesse because unholy men doe prosper in the world they have their heaven here till suddenly the oracles of God take place and then in a moment they tumble to the ground ingloriously as Herod did consumed of wormes proud wormes-meat that we are threatning a finall destruction unto others when we our selves are the very next to be destroied Meteors that blaze by night and perish the next faire morning with the rising sunne vaine glorious fury boile on boile on your blood is not yet hot enough is it set your heart on fire then the very wilde fire of revenge But is this a royall passion fitting for a King to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon every light occasion the fomente of a warre the dismall issue shewes how vile it is with God The wormes within a moneth encounter him to death Though just warres be necessary to represse bold sinnes yet unjust are odious both to God and men Dij talem terris avertite pestens God in his good time take all such Herods away from troubling of quiet men So much of Herod and his passionate intention of a warre now come to the people against whom the Tyrians and Sidonians of them and their actions Then Herod was hostilely intended against the Tyrians and Sidonians Tyre and Sidon two ancient townes upon the Sirian sea lay sixe Germane miles apart not far from Herods jurisdiction Tyras the sonne of Iaphet built the one and Sidon Hams grandchiâ—d did found the other if Divines may be beleeved So that Tyre in likelihood might be the antienter both mentioned Gen. 10. ver 2. and ver 15. But if heathens credit have the Phaenicians built Sidon