made Saints dead men are made aliue From it all manner of vertues spring and with it are nourished And were it not for it the whole world and euen the Church it selfe would be worse then a wildernesse and turned into Sodom and Gomorrah But as it is in vaine to sow Seed in the fire aire or water or any where but in the earth which is in the middle of the world and that it may prosper well the ground must be quiet not troubled or tossed nor continually troden on and both it and the seed to be cast into it must be pure and good not mingled or corrupt So it is bootlesse to sow the Word in the eares onely or in the eyes or vnderstanding and memory or indeed any where if not in the heart which is in the midst of a man And that it may thriue and flourish the heart must be quiet and not disturbed or tossed with the stormes and tempests of fleshly passions It must be cleansed of noysome and stinking weeds It must not be troden vnder foote and continually walkt vpon by wordlly cares carnall desires and foolish fansies which keepe a great coile and are alwaies trotting vp and downe in worldings belly-gods and naturall men and the seed must be sowne purely and not mingled with the tares and darnell of heresies and errours A Ship cannot saile without Sea-roome and seed cannot thriue without Earth-roome No more can the Word without Heart-roome If the ground receiue not the seed into it and cherish it and giue it scope to roote it selfe in it the seed cannot prosper and come to perfection So the Word of GOD thriues not except the heart receiue it meekely cherish it louingly and giue it roome to roote it selfe throughly Drunkennesse and gluttony doe drowne this Seed couetousnesse and worldly cares do choke it vnchaste desires do scortch and burne it rage and contumacy repell it hatred and malice pinch and bite it hardnesse of heart and double mindednesse will not suffer it to roote well Euery man would haue his ground good yea what is there that a man would not haue to be good his wife his childe his seruant his friend his fellow his apparell his house his horse his dogge hee would haue all good and shall himselfe be naught Shall the heart which is the onely seed-plot of the Word which is able to saue his soule shall it be euill and suffred to be euill and ouergrowne with euill weedes Why is it that the raine falling and the Sunne shining vpon a well ordered Garden makes it sweete and flourishing but vpon some other peece of ground and it brings out nothing but Mosse and Weedes The fault is in the ground not in the Sunne or Raine So one man is benefited by the Word it takes well and bringeth forth fruites in him and another doth not reap any good by it it proueth not in him by reason of his vncapablenesse and wicked lusts that will not giue way vnto it but makes him to resist it and rebell against it A man may set or sow in our fields whiles wee sleepe or though wee would not But the Minister cannot sow the Word of GOD in our hearts if wee snort in sin if wee bee regardlesse of the Word and will not receiue it Seed may bee pickt out of the ground and eaten of birds whether a man will or no his corne may bee burnt his plants may be stollen or puld vp and broken downe though hee would not But wee and the Word that is sowne or grafted in vs cannot bee separated against our wils our Bibles may bee taken from vs by force but the Word ingrafted in vs cannot bee taken from vs against our will the birds of hell cannot steale it from vs and pick it out except we our selues be willing if euer wee and it do part wee must thanke our selues Seed sowne in the ground after a time comes vp and flourishes for a time but at length it decayes and withers For this is the nature of seed it is partly turned into the ground and turnes the ground partly into it It turnes and is turned it suckes and drawes to it a certaine nurriture out of the ground at length shootes out growes vp and increaseth a certaine space then in processe of time it decayeth and at length dyeth But the Word doth otherwise For the Word being sowne in the heart that entertaines it taketh thriueth comes vp and beareth fruite It is not turned but it turneth the heart It is not corrupted but rather corrupteth and killeth the euill qualities that are within vs It it is no whit turned into man but it rather turnes a man into it and workes him to it will It suckes no nourishment from man but it affoords strength and comfort vnto man and it neuer decayeth of it selfe It dies not neither can it bee by any meanes rooted vp or taken from vs but by our wils Wee yeelding consent thereto If euer it faile and die if it bee parched and dryed vp it is long of vs and not of it There is no plant which time killeth Nature hath appointed it a time to liue and a time to die be the ground neuer so good the yeares neuer so seasonable the heauens neuer so benigne yet it must decay and die But if the Word be planted in a good and honest heart it cannot be rooted out nor perish except the ground proue barren and naught except a man do waxe weary of the Plant vnlesse a man would be ridde of it it will not away but will grow vp with him and will saue his soule by the blessing of GOD. This Seed is at this day scattered in all places amongst vs yet it takes but badly in the most The Seed is good but the ground as it seemes is for the most part naught That is the onely good ground which receiues it gladly giues it free passage willingly and brings sorth the fruites thereof patiently Men neuer more delighted in goodly Gardens and Orchards in variety of fruites and flowers then at this day But without doubt there is none of all their Seedes or Sets comparable to this For this brings fruites of all kindes that are good Fruits of which a man cannot surfet Fruits without which a man is more miserable than a very beast Fruites for the which a man shall bee crowned with life eternall Fruites which themselues are fruitfull one fruite bringeth forth another without the corruption losse or lessening of it selfe And whereas all their feedes are not able to saue the body from death this Seed is able to saue the soule from hell and to giue a man assurance that his dead body also shall be raised vp from death to life Their seeds and their plants and flowers do replenish and beautifie their grounds but this Seed and the fruites there of doe fill and garnish the soule Those if they prosper doe commend the soyle but this if it thriue doth commend the
brings great commodity I haue heard a fellow say sometimes he cares not for any man he feares no mans displeasure What doth this discouer but pride and folly foolish pride and proud folly There is no man almost but he may do the best man good or the greatest harme Hath not a flye choakt a man was not a raskall the death of the great French King And yet the fellow feares no body cares for no body When pride is in the wit is out They say when they spleene swels the body pines and whiles a caske is full of winde it is voide of wine So we may truely say the soule prospers not vertue is in truth a stranger whiles the heart doth swell with pride and abounds with arrogancy and selfe-conceitednesse In one word there are none better then the humble there are none worse then are the proud and as honor followes the humble so perdition waites vpon the proud Of Hearing and Speaking IT is good counsell which Saint Iames doth giue Be swift to heare and slow to speake GOD hath giuen a man two eares but one tongue thereby teaching vs to heare more and to speake lesse The eares Hee hath made open without a couer but Hee hath inclosed the tongue within a double fence the lips and the teeth thereby shewing that we should be quicke and swift to heare and slow to speake GOD hath giuen a tongue to euery beast that is voide of reason but the faculty of speaking onely vnto man to whom Hee hath giuen an vnderstanding spirit whereby Hee would instruct vs that reason should rule our wordes and that our tongues should not runne before our wits And Hee hath made our eares Erect to heare heauenly things and not hanging downe like Blood-hounds as if they had beene made to heare earthly things or lies and errours which come out of hell it selfe The eare serues to learne with the tongue serues to teach with a man learnes not with his tongue nor teaches with his eares There is a time saith Salomon to keepe silence and a time to speake A fooles bolt is soone shot but a wise man will consider what he speakes whereof when where why how and before whom And his words vttered in season are like Apples of Gold with pictures of Siluer their inside is better then their outside but both good Some speake very much not because they haue the Art of speaking but because they want the skill to hold their peace He that knowes not how to hold his tongue knowes not how to vse his tongue Hee is the onely skilfull man that knowes when to speake and when to hold his peace Either a man should not speake or speake to purpose Either he should be silent or his words should be better worth then silence Three things are very commendable in a man Wisedome in the minde a certaine Manly modesty in the countenance and a well gouerned silence in the speech Simonides and Xenocrates were wont to say that they neuer repented them of their silence but that they were sorry sometimes for their speeches If men did well consider that life and death is in the power of the tongue and that in many words there cannot want iniquity and that an account must one day bee giuen of euery idle word certainely they would not so abuse their tongues as they doe to swearing and lying to taunts and slanders to cursing and rayling to wantonnesse and vanity neither would they bee so vnreuerent in the House of GOD as they vse by babling whispering seeing they shold come thither to pray and not to prate to vse their eares and not to abuse their tongues Nothing is ours longer then wee vse it well Our tongues are not ours if wee doe abuse them but our enemies for whom wee vse them when wee do abuse them An euill tongue comes from an euill heart For were the heart good the tongue could not bee naught A messenger which a man sends to his neighbour may lie or reuile and speake euill and deliuer a false errand whether the man that sent him will or no or though hee thinke not of it or meane cleane contrary but a mans owne tongue which is the messenger or interpreter of the heart can say no other then the heart doth bid it Euill must bee minted in the heart before it bee vttered in the tongue A good heart causeth a good tongue and a naughty heart a naughty tongue Of painting the face IF that which is most ancient be best then the face that one is borne with is better then it that is borrowed Nature is more ancient then Art and Art is allowed to helpe Nature but not to hurt it to mend it but not to marre it for perfection but not for perdition but this artificiall facing doth corrupt the naturall colour of it Indeed GOD hath giuen a man oile for his countenance as Hee hath done wine for his heart to refresh and cheere it but this is by refection and not by plaister-worke by comforting and not by dawbing and couering by mending and helping the naturall colour and not by marring or hiding it with an artificiall lit What a miserable vanity is it in a man or woman beholding in a glasse their borrowed face their bought complexion to please themselues with a face that is not their owne And what is the cause they paint Without doubt nothing but pride of heart disdaining to bee behind their neighbour discontentment with the worke of GOD and vaine glory or a foolish affectation of the praise of men This kind of people are very hypocrites seeming one thing and being another desiring to bee that in shew which they cannot bee in substance and coueting to be iudged that they are not They are very grosse Deceiuers for they study to delude men with shewes seeking hereby to bee counted more louely creatures then they are affecting that men should account that naturall which is but artificiall I may truely say they are deceiuers of Themselues for if they thinke they doe well to paint they are deceiued if they thinke it honest and iust to beguile men and to make them account them more delicate and amiable then they are in truth they are deceiued if they thinke it meete that that should bee counted GODS worke which is their owne they are deceiued If they thinke that they shall not one day giue account vnto CHRIST of idle deeds such as this is as well as of idle words they are deceiued if they thinke that GOD regards not such trifles but leaues them to their free election herein they are deceiued Now they that deceiue themselues who shall they be trusted with A man that is taken of himselfe is in a worse taking then he that is caught of another This selfe-deceiuer is a double sinner he siones in that hee is deceiued hee sinnes againe in that he doth deceiue himselfe To bee murdered of an other is not a sin in him that is
indignity can it bee to men to honour their Politicall Mother Hee that honours an absolute Potentate aright whether King or Queene honours the power and authority which is Diuine and not Humane and honours the person for the Power not the Power for the person Bee the person good or bad the Power is good it is of GOD And it may fall out that an euill man may bee a good Monarch But whatsoeuer the Monarch is the Monarchy the Monarches power is euer good and neuer bad For there is no power but of GOD and the powers that be are ordained of GOD Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the ordinance of GOD. And they that resist shall receiue to themselues condemnation Let euery soule therefore bee subiect vnto the higher Powers and not because of wrath onely but euen for conscience sake Of Death DEATH is not euill but to an euill man for to the godly death is good to the wicked death is euill to him it is the dore of life to this it is the entrance into hell The sting of death is sinne pull out this sting repent of sinne and death can do hurt but good Flye from sinne and death cannot be fearefull The sooner the Saint dies the sooner hee comes to his Crowne The longer a man liues the more time he spends vpon the Seas the sooner a man dies that dies well the sooner he comes into the hauen Hee dies well that liues well a bad death cannot follow a good life He liues and dies well that liues and dies in the faith and feare of IESVS CHRIST who is Rest to him that trauels Health to him that is sicke Refreshment to him that is weary and Life to him that dyeth eitheir for Him or in Him Death is not euill but an euill death This euill death no man dyeth which dyeth either In or For the seruice of CHRIST IESVS Of the Immortality of the Soule THE soule saith Austen is a created Substance Inuisible incorporeall Immortall being like to GOD that made it It is possible that the sould should be destroyed as it was for the Sunne to stand still for the sea to stand diuided for the fire not to burne the three children but this is not by the nature thereof but in regard of the power of GOD who is able if Hee pleased to turne the whole world into nothing as Hee once made it of nothing But indeed the soule of a man shall neuer die shall neuer bee dissolued as is the body but continueth whole and firme for euer For the proofe hereof I suppose it the surest way for euery man to fortifie himselfe with the vndoubted testimonies of holy Writ The Spirit saith Ecclesiastes returnes to GOD that gaue it The soule of the poore beggar was in ioy but the soule of the rich Epicure was in torment after their bodily death CHRIST said to the Thiefe now a dying This day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradise And to His FATHER Into Thine hands I commend my Spirit Steuen being now ready to depart prayed LORD IESVS receiue my spirit Saint Paul saith Wee loue rather to remoue out of the body and to dwell with the LORD And againe I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with CHRIST By which it is most certaine that the soule doth liue after the body is dead But what though the soule shall liue for euer if it liue in paine as the soules of the damned do Surely it were better not to be then to be tormented and out of ease Therefore let vs die before wee die and leaue our sinnes before wee leaue the world If our soules do die to sinne in this life they shall not die by sinne in the life to come If they liue to GOD by grace in this world they shall liue with GOD in glory in the world to come The world is mortall but the soule of man is immortall Why should that that is immortall bee pind on that that is mortall Why should the soule that cannot die be buried in the loue of those things that cannot but die and come to nothing The body is mortall the soule is immortall why should wee make more account of That then This Why should we desire a good body and care not though wee haue a naughty soule If we neglect our soule we shall not saue our body if we forget out soules we forget our selues The soule was not made for the body but the body for the soule The soule therefore shoule be preferred to the body but he which neglects the chiefest and sets most by the meanest corrupteth both and condemnes himselfe But he that looketh well to his soule though hee be more carelesse of the body yet he shall not proue vnlucky for in tendring the safety of his soule hee shall saue his body also Of the Resurrection of the Body THERE is a resurrection of the iust and iniust the iust shall rise to iudge the iniust to be iudged the iust shall be absolued the iniust shall be condemned Euen that body that fell the selfe-same shall rise againe by GODs Omnipotency For euen they that sleepe in the dust shall rise that must rise againe that fell this mortall must put on Immortality I shall see GOD in my flesh saith Iob mine eyes shall behold Him and none other for mee If there were no resurrection then is not CHRIST risen againe for in Him we all dyed in Him we are all raised vp from death and this we haue in Soe the day shall come when we shall haue it in Re. Neither is there any reason that another body and not the same which serued CHRIST and suffered iniuries for Him should be giuen vnto a man but it is host iust that the same body which was burnt or butchered for CHRIST should be glorified of CHRIST and that a man should receiue his reward and rest in that body in which he performed his seruice The body restored shall be a true body and not a Spirit For Gloria non tollit naturam sed extollit Glory doth not destroy but perfite Nature All defects deformities weakenesses and imperfections shall be remoued and all fulnesse feature fauour strength and perfections shall be giuen it And whereas many fall in their infancy children of a spanne long yet it is not to be imagined that they shall be raised vp of such a stature but in the stature of a man and yet the same body euen as the body of an old man for substance is the same it was in his youth or child-hood though enlarged and otherwise disposed And al-be-it it shall rise a spirituall body yet it followeth not that it shall be a Spirit no more then it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a soule when it fell because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an animall or soule-soule-body naturall body but it is a naturall body now because it is nourished and preserued by naturall meanes as food rayment sleepe physicke recreation labour A
GOD in heauen but thee Whom haue I to guide and comfort me whiles I liue with men on earth but Thy SPIRIT In whom desire I to end my daies and die but euen in Thee With whom would I liue when I doe remoue but euen with Thee Grant that I may so liue to Thee and so die in Thee that I may liue eternally with Thee But my life doth scarre mee for when I sift it I finde it is either full of sinne or empty of good And if any fruite appeare therein it is either so feigned or so vnperfite or some way or other so corrupted as that either it cannot please or cannot but displease the most righteous and holy Iudge What shall I now doe Or whether shall I goe Thy Passion O LORD is my refuge and singular comfort Therein is my confidence on that I stand Thy Mercies are my Merites Thine Indulgence is my Iustice Thy Grace is my Glory Thy Crosse my Crowne and Thy Death my Life IESVS is a Name full of delight and sweetenesse Mel in Ore Melas in Aure Iubilus in Corde Hony in the mouth Melody in the eare and Ioy in the heart I will reioyce and trust in Thy Saluation I will not contend against Thee in the Vallies nor on the Mountaines The King of Israel is a Mercifull King Thy mercy it is thy mercies O LORD that I onely thirst for My soule thirsteth after Thy mercies as the chased Hart doth after water LORD IESVS in Thy mercy make mee pertaker of Thy Merites Of the Law THE Law saith Doe this and thou shalt liue It rests not in faith but exacteth action and promiseth life to them which keepe it It allowes not infirmities but requireth all perfections and if a man faile but in one point thereof it denounceth a curse vnto him Alas then what are wee what shall become of vs who are grieuous and continuall sinners Our very Iustice being strictly sifted by the Law which is the rule of Iustice would bee found iniustice and that would be contemned in the strict iudgement of the Iudge which is commended in the iudgement of the worker But could not this Law haue beene exactly kept Surely Adam might haue kept it if hee would but as the case now standeth wee cannot but trangresse it Neither yet is there iniustice in GOD For by commanding things impossible Hee makes not men sinners but humble that euery mouth should bee stopped and that all the world should bee made subiect vnto GOD because by the workes of the Law no flesh shal be iustified in his sight For when wee haue receiued a commandement and perceiue what is wanting in vs wee are put in minde to send vp our cries into heauen and GOD will haue mercy vpon vs and that so wee may know that wee are not saued by the workes of righteousnesse which wee haue done but by His owne free Mercy For indeed therefore was the Law giuen and is yet vrged to shewe not what wee can doe but what wee should doe and that the proude might see his weakenesse and seeing it might bee humbled and being humbled might confesse it and confessing it might bee saued Not resting vpon his owne dignity but on GODS Dignation not in his owne iustice but in the Righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST Being therefore terrified by the Law let vs seeke for comfort in the Gospell And seeing all hope in our selues is cut off by the Law let vs flie to CHRIST IESVS Who is the fulfilling of the Law and in Whom whosoeuer beleeueth hath the perfection of the Law They say the Elephant as knowing his owne deformity loues not to looke into cleere water Foule faces would haue false glasses and such as would vent their copper loue not the Touchstone And they that haue deceiptfull wares like not the light But I doe desire to vnderstand the Law exactly that I may see all my deformities and foulenesse mine hypocrisies and false-dealings that so I might bee brought to a loathing of them and finding mine imperfections towards the Law I might bee prouoked to seeke for the perfection reuealed in the Gospell I will indeuour to keep the Law exactly but when I faile I will flie to the Grace of the Gospell speedily as knowing that not by mine owne iustice but by the iustice of CHRIST I must bee iustified and that I am not saued for any graces in mee but by the grace of GOD in CHRIST vnto mee Of Sinne. SINNE is the transgression of the Law If there were no Law there could bee no sinne The Law claimes obedience and when it is transgressed then sin is committed And the more men wander from it the more they sinne The cause of sinne is not GOD who is Truth and Goodnesse Wisedome and Iustice but a mans owne will yeelding to the diuell For it cannot bee that Hee should make vs fall into sinne who makes vs rise from sinne and that Hee should be the Author of that whereof Hee is reuenger And though Sathan be politique to beguile yet hath he no power to compell he cannot make thee sinne except thou wilt It is true hee can bewitch thy body inchaunt thine eyes and dull thy eares whether thou wilt or no but he cannot compell thy soule to sinne he cannot make thee sinne against thy will A man standing in a showre of haile or bullets or beeing among persons infected with the plague may be strucken and infected though he would not bee so but no tentation darted from the Diuell no bad example scandall or suggestion of any sinner can doe thee harme except thou yeeld vnto it Know that when thou sinnest it is not against but with thy will For the foundation and roote of sinne is in our selues and whosoeuer sinnes is the proper cause vnto himselfe of sinne It is true that God doth harden the heart and deliuer men vp sometimes vnto a Reprobate sence but how Not by the insusion of hardnesse or immission of corruption but by not imparting mercy and by leauing a man to himselfe and deliuering him vp into the hands of sathan For then Hee is said to harden when Hee doth not soften to deliuer them when Hee doth not retaine them to giue them vp when Hee lets them go and to leade them into temptation when Hee doth not deliuer them When therefore I shall commit a sinne I will not accuse GOD I will not impute all to the diuell but I will condemne my selfe smite my breast and say with the Publican GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner I haue hard some complaine they cannot chuse but sinne O fearefull bondage O vnhappy necessity But who constraines thē against their wils Nothing But thus it is Euill thoughts of sinne beget delight delight consent consent action action custome custome necessity What shall a man doe that is thus intangled Let him beware of custome for the custome of sinning takes away the sense of sinne and let him preuent or mortifie euill thoughts which
are the diuels harbingers for hee lodges not but where they haue taken vp his lodging for him There are some vse to minish their sinnes either they are not great or they are not many Sure it is that the smallest sinne that can bee beeing the offence of the greatest Maiesty deserueth death and therefore is great enough to destroy the soule and though there were but one yet that were one too many For one foote of a bird taken or one wing belimmed may cost her her life One hole in a Ship may sinke her One bullet may kill as well as twenty The smallest sin is in it nature mortall yea the omission of the smallest duety which the Law of GOD requireth deserueth eternall death For cursed is euery one which continueth not in All Things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them If the smallest curse of GOD bee too great to suffer then the smallest sinne against GOD is too great to doe As I therefore desire to escape all curses so will I by the grace of GOD bee carefull to auoide all causes and will neuer count that little which might make mee sustaine so great a losse as is the forfeite of my soule Of the Gospell THE Gospell is good newes from heauen of remission of sins reconciliation to GOD redemption from hell death and condemnation and of resurrection to life and glory by the merites of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST O happy newes O ioyfull tydings What newes more welcome to prisoners then of a Goale-deliuery What more pleasing to malefactours then to heare of their Princes pardon What would a blind man more willingly heare of then that his eie-sight shall bee restored to him Or what better tydings can bee brought to a man sea-beaten and spent with labour then that hee shall most certainely obtaine an hauen where hee shall most safely rest free from the malice of Pirates and fury of all foule weather Yet for all this the Gospell with many findes but poore acceptance It is because men haue no thorough feeling of their miseries they feele no misery and therefore affect no change What cares a clunch for learning or good manners that blesseth himselfe in his rudenesse and inciuility What cares a man for meate that feeles no hunger What doe you talke to him of cloathes that feeles no cold nor nakednesse The lacke of things causeth estimation the sense of lacke When men haue beene worne with warres how pleasing is the newes of a true and constant peace When a man feeles his disease and sees death staring in his eyes O how welcome is the Physition How welcome should hee bee that would bring him newes of a medicine which hee might easily haue that would cure him and set him vp againe When Sea-men haue beene long at Sea and spent their victuals and water euen a pound of bread would bee worth a pound in siluer and a little fresh water how welcome would it bee vnto them And if men would but duely consider of their captiuity slauery miseries and necessities into which they are driuen by sinne and wherein they are inwrapped they would bee glad to heare of deliuerance And beautifull should be the feete of those which shall bring vnto them glad tydings of peace I will therefore examine my selfe by the Law that I may bee brought to esteeme of the Gospell I will mediate of my slauery which I am brought to by transgressing the Law that I may duely respect the liberty which is Preached in the Gospell Mine owne bitternesse shall make mee delight in this Sweetnesse and mine owne vngraciousnesse in this so great a Grace Of the Law and the Gospell THE Law saith doe this and thou shalt liue The Gospell saith Beleeue in the Lord IESVS and thou shalt be saued In the Law there is seuerity but in the Gospell mercy In the Law there is reserued no repentance but by the sentence thereof hee that sins must die But the Gospell admits repentance and promiseth life to him that turneth vnto GOD. The Law terrifies but the Gospell pacifies The Law discouers sin but the Gospell couers it The Law requires a mans owne iustice but the Gospell Preacheth pardon in the iustice of another to wit of CHRIST The Law is written after a sort in the hearts of all men Pagans and Christians but the Gospell is not so generally knowne to all And the Gospell was not first and then the Law But the Law was first and then the Gospell To finde out my sinnes I will veiw the Law but to reade my saluation I will looke into the Gospell To despaire of my selfe I will weigh the Law but to hope in CHRIST I will receiue the Gospell If I were disposed to stand vpon my good deeds I would sticke to the Law but being desirous of mercy I will flye to the Gospell If I would stand vpon my iustice I wold plead the Law but crauing Grace I go to the Gospell Yet this will I doe because the Law is the rule of good workes I will endeuour to keepe it with care and conscience Yet euery day will I pray and say GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner Of Good and Euill GOOD is more ancient then euill Sanctity is elder then sinne vice is yonger then Vertue There was first an Angell then a diuell First a Man then a sinner First a True-man then a thiefe In good no man can bee too much in euill no man can bee too little Hee that would encrease in good let him thinke hee hath yet too little Hee that would decrease in euill let him remember still hee hath too much The way to learne vertue is to vnlearne vice Hee taketh the ready course to become good which repenteth of his euils And Hee onely will proue a Saint which feelingly confesses himselfe to bee a sinner Of the Church Vniuersall THE Holy Catholique Church is the Corporation or Communion of Saints Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on earth This is the Mysticall Body of CHRIST who is the onely Head thereof by whose SPIRIT euery Member thereof is animated as euery part of the naturall body is animated of the soule And from which Head euery true mysticall Member deriueth all Spirituall life sense and motion And as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the Church receiue all her brightnesse both of grace and glory from IESVS CHRIST This Church is the Vine of GODS delight the Spouse of CHRIST His Faire One His Wel-Beloued GODS House and Citty the LORD and Keeper whereof is GOD the Wall His omnipotent Grace and gracious Omnipotency the Watch-towers are His Prouidence and Omniscience Her Ensignes or Armes are Faith Righteousnesse Peace Charity and ioy in the Holy GHOST Her foundation is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Her Gate is CHRIST Her Religion is the seruice of the blessed TRINITY Her Citizens are all poenitent and true Beleeuers and all the Saints of GOD. This is the
heart comforted the conscience quieted and the life adorned Wee sinne daily so wee should repent daily and as wee fall so should wee rise To sinne is not so dangerous as to liue in sinne If a breach in a sea-wall bee not stopt in time it will both waxe bigger and indanger the dry Land If a Ship continually let in water and bee not continually pumped out it will sinke her If a Mole bee suffered to runne in a Medow shee will spoyle it If a sword bee let rust in the scabberd the rust will marre either one or both So if wee stoppe not the breaches and holes made by sinne in our soules it will sinke them If wee kill not that Mole it will waste vs If wee skoure not our selues from that rust by true repentance it will consume vs both soule and body Alexander Seuerus made an act that none should salute the Emperour that knew himselfe a Thiefe so no man should presume to professe or speake to CHRIST IESVS no man should dare to put vp his suits vnto GOD. that by sinne robbes GOD of his glory and continues in it without repentance For GOD heareth not sinners If I regard wickednesse in mine heart saith the Psalmist GOD will not heare mee But GOD heareth the desire of the poore The righteous cry and the LORD heareth them The LORD heareth them that are of a contrite heart His eye is vpon them that feare him Hee will also heare their cry and saue them And they feare Him that do repent of sinne and turne vnto him For the feare of the LORD is to hate euill as pride arrogancy and the euill way and by the feare of the LORD men depart from that that is naught Neither is it enough to forsake some notorious and grieuous offence but euen all all without exception of any all all are serpents poyson and pollutions One hole in a ship vnstopt one breach in a wall vnrepaired one wing belimed one claw taken in the snare may in danger and loose all so but one sinne knowne and cherished discerned and not dissmissed one faculty one affection but one intrapped and captiuated of a sinne espied and yet beloued euen but one is able to destroy the soule to damne the whole man both soule and body Yet though sinne bee very dangerous and continuance in it more yet how vsuall is it with vs to delay our repentance Tomorrow next weeke ere long next yeere or before I dye Yet a little sleepe a little slumber anon one houre longer one halfe houre a minute O LORD how vnwilling are wee to rise being once laid downe Being once fallen a sleepe how loath are wee to bee wakened being sicke with a pleasant phrensie how how displeasing a thing is it to come into our wits againe And to see our madnesse wee that know not whether wee shall liue an houre longer no not a minute further yet wee will promise to our selues a day a weeke a month a yeere olde age Yea wee will liue in a state in which wee would bee loath to die Away away with these delayes let vs redeeme the time which taries no mans pleasure Let vs repent now that wee may haue our pardon now let vs liue like Saints least wee die like diuels Let vs leaue our sinnes now now whiles wee haue time to sinne For if a man will not leaue sinne till hee can sinne no longer sinnes leaues him and not hee them Hee that will not part from his sinne till his soule bee ready to part from his body it is to bee seared that hee parts not with sinne but his sinne with him and that hee is not willing to let go his sinne as long as hee is able to keepe himselfe O LORD preserue mee from the deceipts of sinne Hide Thy face from my sinnes and put away all mine iniquities Create in mee a cleane heart ô GOD and renew a right spirit within mee Shew mee the way that I should walke in and stay my steps in thy pathes that my feete do not slide Of perseuerance in the Faith THE Faith is a peerelesse Iewell once giuen to the Saints neuer to bee left or lost Without perseuerance in it neither the fighter obtaines a victory nor the Victor his Garland Take away perseuerance and sortitude hath no praise wel-doing hath no reward and a good beliefe no fauour Not he that beganne well but hee that holds out to the end hee shall bee saued Hee that is faithfull to the end of his life he shall enioy the Crowne of Life But they that withdraw themselues shall perish Thou destroyest all them ô LORD that go an whooring from thee But what wilt thou do to perseuere in the faith First intend and purpose it Secondly pray earnestly for it and trust not to thine owne strength What is man if GOD forsake him A Reede a Rush a Leafe a Shadow a Bubble a Something Nothing Thirdly make nothing an Article of thy Faith whereof there is no warrant in the Word and professing that which is indeed a truth bee able to proue and shew it out of the Word I suppose many would haue stood out for the truth in Queene Maries daies which did not had they beene acquainted with the Scriptures and seene them speaking for it But hee that shall professe Articles of the true Faith and be not certainely perswaded in his heart by testimonies of the Word that they are true doubtlesse this man except greater grace befall him will not bee able to endure the tyrants sword What Shall a man cast away his life loose his liberty vndo wife and children forsake all pleasures profites and preferments and that for a faith which he can shew no ground for Though there be a ground yet if hee see it not if hee bee not sure of it hee will forsake his ground and for feare giue out Finally receiue the faith for the faith sake euen because it is the good Word of GOD wholesome true and sauing And embrace it not for any externall respects about it as riches honour prosperity liberty or numerositie of professours For if we follow it for these things then when they are remoued wee shall forsake it euen as rauens doe a karcase when the flesh is eaten vp and as false-hearted persons do their friends when their wealth is gone and their state subuerted If a Maister take liking of a seruant because hee sees him faithfull and quicke then will hee like him still whiles hee perceiues those vertues in him If hee take him for his youth or beauty then when these things fayle hee will waxe weary of him If an Husbandman loue esteeme of a peece of ground because it is fruitfull and pleasant hee will loue and make account of it during the delicacy and fertility thereof The Faith of CHRIST is no changling one and the same for euer if wee receiue and follow it simply for it selfe because it is true good and needfull then except wee strangely
murdered but for a man to be deceiued in what hee is forbidden is a sinne it were better to bee murdered then so to bee deceiued For there the body is but killed but here the soule her selfe is endangered Now how vnhappy is the danger how grieuous is the sin when a man is meerely of himselfe indangered It is a misery of miseries for a man to bee slaine with his owne sword with his owne hand and long of his owne will Besides this painting is very scandalous and of ill report for any man therefore to vse it is to thwart the precept of the Holy GHOST in Saint Paul who saith vnto the Phillippians in this wise Whatsoeuer things are true but a painted face is a false face Whatsoeuer things are venerable but who esteemes a painted face venerable which is venereous rather then venerable Whatsoeuer things are iust but will any man of iudgement say that to paint the face is a point of iustice Who dare say it is according to the will of GOD which is the rule of iustice Doth the Law of GOD command it Doth true reason teach it Doth Lawes of men eioyne it Whatsoeuer things are chaste and pure but is painting of the face a point of chastity which is so commonly vsed amongst impure whoores and curtezans Is that pure that proceeds out of the impurity of the soule and which is of deceipt and tends vnto deceipt It that chaste which is vsed to wooe mens eyes vnto it Whatsoeuer things are louely but will any man out of a well informed iudgement say that this kinde of painting is worthy loue or that a painted face is worthy to be fansied Whatsoeuer things are of good report If there bee any vertue if there bee any praise think on these things But I hope to paint the face to weare an artificiall colour or complexion is no vertue neither is it of good report amongst the vertuous I read that Iezabel did practise it but I find not that any holy Matrone or religious Virgine euer vsed it And it may perhaps of some be praised but doubtlesse not of such as are iudicious but of them rather hated and discommended A painted face is the deuils Looking-glasse there hee stands peering and toying as an Ape in a looking-glasse ioying to behold himselfe therein for in it he may reade pride vanity and vaine-glory Painting is an enemy to blushing which is vertues colour And indeed how vnworthy are they to bee credited in things of moment that are so false in their haire or colour ouer which age and sicknesse and many accidents doe tyrannize yea and where their deceipt is easily discerned And whereas the passions and conditions of a man and his age is some thing discouered by the face this painting hindereth a mans iudgment herein so that if they were as well able to colour the eyes as they are their haire and faces a man could discerne little or nothing in such kind of people In briefe these painters are sometimes iniurious to those that are naturally faire and louely and no painters partly in that these are thought sometimes to bee painted because of the common vse of painting and partly in that these artificial creatures steal away the praise from the naturall beauty by reason of their Art when it is not espyed whereas were it not for their cunning they would not bee deemed equall to the other It is great pitty that this outlandish vanity is in so much request and practise with vs as it is Of Prayer PRAYING is the begging of things needfull as the remouing of some euill and the conferring of some good When we heare GOD speakes to vs When we pray we speak to GOD. Some wish for this and some for that But I wish for my selfe For if I haue my selfe I lacke nothing but if I lacke my selfe I haue nothing Some say Who will shew vs any good But I say with Dauid LORD lift thou vp the light of Thy Conntenane vpon mee cast mee not away from Thy presence and take not Thine Holy SPIRIT from mee For where His SPIRIT is there is Life but where it is not there is nothing but death And he that hath His Grace hath all but he that hath it not wants all How euer people thinke of themselues I for my part will thinke my selfe to bee the greatest sinner for I know more sinnes and imperfections in my selfe then in any man else and therefore I will not boast with the Pharisee but beate my breast and say with the Publican GOD be merciful to me a sinner Amongst beggars not the neediest or honestest but sometimes the strongest and loudest runnes away with all the almes But GOD sees the secrets and knowes the necessities of all His Suppliants and bestowes His fauours on them that are most humble and poorest in spirit not respecting strength of sides loudnesse of voyce or shew of violence and importunity but intention of Spirit deuotion of affection the loud cries of the heart and inward vehemency inward and substantiall violence and importunity Some pray they may keep their goods some their credite others their friends or children I will pray that I may keepe my selfe for if I keepe my selfe I haue something but if I loose my selfe I am nothing yes some thing worse then nothing Some say they are turmoyled with their sins which they cannot be rid of but still they come againe like the fits of an ague Their course is to pray with feruency and continuance When Moyses prayed the Israelites preuailed When Christians pray their flesh is foyled It is good for them to resolue resolutely to decree the leauing extinguishing of thē and further to auoide occasions which are as matches to giue fire to them or as bellowes to blow them vp Thirdly duely and daily to weigh the danger and vilenesse of them fourthly to meditate well of the excellency and cōmodity of those vertues that are contrary finally in no wise to forget but to remēber to pray earnestly for GODS assistance It is more easy to driue the deuill out of the body then to coniure his messenger the flesh or any fleshly lust out of the scule when it hath once taken possession of it Onely GOD can take the strong man binde him and cast him out and GOD will not do it except Hee be entreated It is strange to see how earnestly men will begge for mony meate drinke cloathes of men but yet forget to begge spirituall Graces of GOD. It appeares they begge them not because they are for the most part rude sensuall impious idle and very enormious Now if they did as feelingly and as instantly begge grace of GOD as they do outward things of men certainely GOD who is farre more mercifull and open-handed then the kindest men would not could notedeny them but would heare their cries Men being sicke pray earnestly for health being ready to bee vndone pray heartily to bee deliuered but are not so earnest
soule-soule-body because it is gouerned of the soule so it is called then a spirituall body because it shall be at the Spirits command and shall bee more pure and subtill and fuller of agility then it is in this world and shall not haue need of such naturall and bodily helpes to succour and sustaine it In a word all glorified bodies shall haue a temper of elementary qualities brought to such an equality that heate shall not ouercome moysture nor this that but there shall be peace for euer without discord and contention There is nothing goes from these bodies nothing is put to them there is no defect no superfluity no aliment no excrement their temperature is altogether invariable Neither may it seeme harsh to any that these our bodies shall be raised vp againe For GOD that knowes their frame and is thoroughly acquainted with their substance is Omnipotent and Eternall and can most easily do it If an Image or Statue were broken in peeces yet so long as the worke-man that made it liues and whiles his skill lasteth his memory and fancie faile not and matter wanteth not there is hope it may be made againe as good as euer But GOD our Maker is One and the Same for euer and both can and will performe all his Promises made in His Word The howre shall come in which all that are in the graues shall heare His Voyce the voyce of the Son of man and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation O that my soule might rise from sinne in this world that my body might rise from death to Life and Glory in the world to come Of the last Judgement VVEE must all appeare before the iudgement seate of CHRIST Hee shall iudge the world that was iudged of the world Hee shall condemne sinners who was Himselfe condemned for a sinner Hee will recompense to euery one according as his deeds haue beene and no man shall escape His Power Faire words can not deceiue Him gifts cannot corrupt Him intreaty cannot moue Him fig-leaues cannot delude Him But as men haue brued so shall they drinke euen as they haue baked so shall they eate They that haue done well shall speed well but they that haue followed reprobate and wicked courses shall be condemned The more Grace men haue shewed the more Glory they shall receiue and the more men haue sinned the more smart they must suffer O that wee could say with Saint Ierome As oft as I thinke of that day I tremble all ouer For whether I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer else I do me thinkes I heare that terrible Trumpet sounding in mine eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium Arise yee dead and come to iudgement O that we would iudge our selues in this world that we might escape the fearefull iudgement of the wicked in the world to come Of Life Eternall THEY that haue serued GOD aright in this world shall liue eternally with GOD in the world to come They that haue liued vnto CHRIST and haue dyed in the faith and feare of CHRIST shall be raised by the Power of CHRIST and shall enioy His face for euer to their vnspeakeable comfort and contentment and as men haue excel'd in grace so they shall exceed in glory It is more easy to tell what shall not be in that life then what shall be There shall be no mourning nor misery no want nor weakenesse no sinne nor sorrow no wearinesse nor weeping no death nor dolour no hunger nor thirst no ach nor anguish no diseases nor discontentments no troubles nor tentations But what shall bee there who is able to expresse No eye hath seene no eare hath heard no heart hath yet conceiued What are the good things which GOD hath prepared for those that loue Him There is supreme Felicity perfite Liberty true Charity sweete Eternity immortall Happinesse and happy Immortality Eternal Security and secure Eternity There GOD shall be seene without end loued without loathing and praysed without wearines There is whatsoeuer is desired and nothing is desired which is not there Thy food is not thy rayment nor it thy light nor these thy mony but there God will be all in all to all his children They shall possesse him and he them for euer and for euer For that life shall see no death those ioyes shall haue no end that state shal neuer sustaine a change This life this state these ioyes God of his mercy grant vs for Christ Iesus sake To whom with the holy Ghost be ascribed all honor praise power might and maiesty now and euermore Amen Trin-vni Deo Gloria â—or 3. 18 Mat. 12. 5 Luk. 8. 2 * Or rather Baptisme and the LORDS Supper An. Dom. 1346. Further Adam sinned but we all are punisht but now if the father eate the sowre grapes the sonnes teeth shall not be set an edge * I meane it not as if any of them were either gracious or glorious in the same degree with her
from Him and though shee brought Him into the world yet Hee redeemed her out of the world Some out of vanity will call her the Queene of heauen shee is in truth a Saint in heauen shining in heauenly glory more then any Queene or Empresse in earthly here below yet shee is not the Queene of heauen For her Son receiued not his Royalty of her neither hath Hee inuested her with any other Royalty then such as Hee hath bestowed on all whom Hee hath loued and washed from their sinnes whom Hee hath made Kings and Priests to GOD. It is the pleasure of some to call her our Lady a Title which shee knowes belongs not to her though perhaps endowed with greater grace and glory then any other Saint besides For CHRIST IESVS is our onely LORD and hers as well as ours and as Hee receiued not His Lordship from her so Hee hath not bestowed it on her Hee is the onely Head and Husband of the Catholique Church Militant and Triumphant whereof His mother is not a Mistresse but a Member and which hath indeed a LORD but not a Lady This onely will I adde he that speakes or onely thinkes a thought dishonourable of the Mother it is pitty hee should receiue any honour by her SON Of the Incarnation of Christ THE WORD was made Flesh Hee that was true GOD became also true Man without diuision of Person or confusion of Natures assuming that Hee had not and continuing what Hee was Being Creator Hee became a creature that wee creatures might be brought into fauour with our great Creator Being GOD Hee was made Man that what wee had lost by man wee might recouer by Him that was GOD and Man Being GOD Hee tooke the nature of man vpon Him and marryed our flesh vnto His Deity that man which was for his adultery separated frō his GOD might by Him who was truely Flesh be marryed and ioyned anew vnto his GOD. It was miraculous that a Virgin chast shold bring forth a Sonne but not to be doubted of considering Gods Omnipotēce For He that could make the world of nothing Hee that was able to take Adā out of the earth He that could giue Sarah a child in her old age He that made Aarons rod bud He was as able doubtlesse to make the wombe of a virgin fruitfull For with him nothing is impossible if he doe but speake the word it is done It is strange that God should bee man that a virgine should be a mother that the mother should bee daughter to her owne sonne and that a mortall and weake woman should conceiue bring forth the immortall and Almighty God But let vs turne vp our eyes to God and grant that he is able to doe that which wee are not able fully to comprehend In things of wonder we must ascribe the reason of worke to the power of the worker In a word our Sauiour by his Incarnation hath honoured both sexes Mans in taking of his shape and Womans by being conceiued borne brought vp by a Woman And so amends hath beene made in that Sexe For as a Woman brought sinne into to the world so a Woman also brought forth and brought vp that SAVIOVR by whom alone wee are deliuered from our sinnes As by a Woman came Sinne Sicknesse Sorrow Bondage Errour Death So in a Woman came a Sauiour for Sinners a Physitian for the Sicke a Comforter of the Heauy-hearted a Redeemer for Captiues a Guide for Straglers and euen Light and Life it selfe for them that sit in darknesse and in the shadowe of Death Of Miracles A Miracle is some extraordinary thing done by the power of God aboue the course of nature such as was the creatio of the world of nothing the diuiding of the red sea the standing of the Sunne in the dayes of Iosua the Mother-hood of that vntouched Maiden the turning of Water into Wine and such like Some things may bee aboue nature as the conuersion of a sinner or true saith in Christ which is aboue created and corrupted nature and yet no miracle being common ordinary and vsuall in the Church Some things are strange and wonderfull yet no miracles because there are naturall causes of them though perhappes not certainly discerned alwayes nor of all as Comets Earth quakes Eclipses excepting that Eclipse of the Sunne at the Crucifixion of Christ which to see it was ashamed and amazed so it is maruailous but not miraculous that the Crocodile should eate and not moue his neatheriaw that the Salamander should indure the fire vnburnt that Pismires shold prouide for Winter that the King amongst the Bees should onely want a sting that a Worme should worke out Silke and that a Spider should draw a Webbe out of his owne bowels to intangle the Flies with Furthermore some things are strange and beyond nature yet not miraculous not truely miracles because they are done by the power and assistance of the Diuell as are many things said and done by such are possessed of Diuels Miracles were wrought in the Primitiue Church very often till the Christian Faith was sufficiently confirmed but now hauing beene so aboundantly confirmed so generally beleeued hee were himself a very wonderment that will not now beleeue it without a wonder And because that Antichrist shall come with his lying wonders that is either not true but appearing to bee true or truely tending to maintaine his lies and errors therefore we must take heed of wonders that we be not by new wonders misled and drawne away from the old way For his wonders serue not to confirme the faith but to try the faithfull This is a Lesson neuer to be forgotten No signe no wonder no miracle must withdraw vs from Christ and his faith but and if any Man or Angell should preach otherwise then we finde written in the holy Scriptures or shall presume to adde to substract from or to change the faith receiued wee are to hold him as accursed If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames saith Moses and giue thee a signe or a wonder and the signe wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying Let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them What then Thou shalt not quoth he giue eare to the words of the Prophet or dreamer of dreames Why so For the LORD your GOD proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soules Of Marriage MArriage is the Coniunction of but one man and but one woman for if it were lawfull to haue two wiues at once our Sauiour would not haue said that hee that puts away his wife except for adultery and marries another commits adultery The Man and his Wife are a matrimoniall Creature the Man is as the soule and the Woman is as the body The Man as Soule is to animate and rule the Woman as body is to be animated and ruled
of the Man The soule they say followes the temperature of the body as concerning operations and it is often likewise seene that the house goes much after the House-wifes humour The husband is the wiues head the wife then is as the husbands body Who but mad-men will mis-vse their bodies And who but bad women will mis-vse their heads Our women are very curious in decking and dressing of their heads I would they were as carefull in pleasing of their husbands I hold them best carefull that are carefull of both their heads together Of both her heads what if I said her husband was the better For her owne head is but head of her body but her husband is head both of her head and of her body her head serues to rule her body but her husband serues to rule her head her head is the better part of her body but her husband is the better part of her selfe It is true hee without her is a bodilesse head and as true againe shee without him is a headlesse body Wisedome Fore-cast and Direction belong to the head to Obey to Bend and to bee Gouerned are for the body Sure hee is an ill head that wanteth wit forecast care and gouernement and she is as bad a body that is vnruly vntractable and which wil not be directed A good wife is like a Marchants Ship laden with all kinds of vertues as it were with wares shee is for labour and not to lie still and is fitted for burthen rather then for battery Her Pilot and her Owner is her husband It is certaine women must be obedient to Princes as Subiects to Pastors as Sheepe but to their husbands onely as they are their wiues Wee requite in a looking-glasse principally that it do truely shew vs the colour of our faces for though it be set in gold or bee deckt with pearles yet if it bee deceiptfull wee care not for it the Gold or Pearles may bee esteemed but it is contemned The principall commendation of a wife is not gold siluer wealth or out ward brauery but Modesty Chastity Piety Verity Sobriety and Humillity If these things bee in her shee is worthy loue and will win the heart of any man that is a man and not a Bedlem that is a man and not a deuill But though she bring wealth and worship with her yet if these things be wanting in her which were chiefly expected of her and are most required surely she is but as a deceiptfull glasse a man is meerely cousened in her And though she haue brought with her coffers of gold yet can she not but be in truth contemned except she mend her manners Riches Beauty Brauery greatnesse of birth in a vicious proud profane and head-strong woman are but as good flowres or fine feathers stuck in a peece of dung Of a King GIVE vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars Caesar is euery free full and absolute Monarch The things of Caesar are Loue Honour Reuerence Obedience Fidelity Tributes Subsidies Customes and supreme Authority vnder GOD ouer all his Subiects in all Temporall and Secular things A King is a cetaine Mixed Creature made of all the people in a Kingdom Man is a little world and a King is a little Kingdome There is not a man within his Kingdome but he is as a part and member of the King Therefore as euery member of the body serues in his place for the good of the whole body and is obedient to the head where wisedom power prouidence and gouernment lyeth So euery Subiect should serue for the good of the State and seek it in his place and shold shew himselfe obedient to the King who is his Head And as the head challengeth a right in euery member and therefore doth good vnto them all and is affected with compassion if euen the smallest of them bee wronged or ill affected So a King hath a certaine right in all his subiects hee should animate and rule them all with his authority and by his Lawes hee should study the welfare of them all and should be affected truely with all their wrongs and miseries The head will yeeld to the cutting off an ill-affected member chusing rather that one should perish then all but it is not simply delighted in the death of any of the members So a good King loues not to destroy any of his subiects but had rather saue a thousand then kill one yet hee doth as it were enforce himselfe to draw his sword as knowing that it is better to cut off one then disturbe or loose all But though the head may determine to cut away a member yet doth it not by it selfe but by some other member or instrument so though iudgement and determination belongs vnto the King yet executions thereof are fittest by farre to bee performed of others But al-be-it the head agree to the destruction of a member yet no member is seene to lift it selfe vp against the head with violence as it were to strike or hurt it So is it altogether sauage and vnnaturall for Subiects to lay violent hands vpon the sacred bodies of their King who is as Mount Sinai which was not to bee touched vnder paine of death Mercy and Iustice are two saue-gards of a King and most comely for him If nothing can be safe from him there can be no safety for him His safety and security stands in the safety and security of his Subiects of whom it is safer for him to be loued then to be feared It is surer for him to tye them to him by Princely humanity then to exasperate and awe them with tyrannicall seuerity The King of the Bees himselfe is alone without a sting Nature would not that he should be cruell and hath left his anger without a weapon Doubtlesse Clemency is a Princely vertue Herein a King may shew himselfe like the KING of Kings who though able easily to be reuenged of all that doe offend him yet is he so indulgent that he pardons many and sometimes deferres the punishments of His veriest enemies and strikes not alwaies when cause is giuen Him Euery King should remember to serue the KING of Kings CHRIST IESVS to whom all Kings are Vassals It is iust that they should be punisht with rebellious treacherous vnfaithfull and wicked Subiects that themselues neglect the Lawes of their SOVERAIGNE and are vnfaithfull to their GOD And herein a King doth most of all serue CHRIST to wit in doing that good and hindring that euill which hee could neither do nor hinder but as he is a King Some think a woman may not raigne What did Debora among the Ifraelites If woemen as many Virgines and Widdowes may be Ladies and Mistresses of seruants euen Males Why may they not be Queenes if the Prouidence of heauen bring them to it The Regall power is neither Masculine nor Foeminine but Diuine Sonnes are tyed to honour their naturall mothers and surely without staine vnto their sexe and what blemish or