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A07451
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A sermon of nobilitie· Preached at VVhite-hall, before the King in February 1606. By George Meriton Doctor of Diuinity, one of his Maiesties chaplaines in ordinary; and parson of Hadleigh in Suffolke.
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Meriton, George, d. 1624.
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1607
(1607)
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STC 17838; ESTC S112666
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13,872
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40
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honours are of a higher strayne darkening the royalties of the world as the Sunne obscureth the light of lesser Starres It was a high step of earthly honour to which Moses was mounted when he was called The Sonne of Pharaoes Daughter doubtlesse it is a great blessing of GOD to bee borne of any honorable parents the Sonne of GOD though hee came poore into the world yet would hee not descend of anignoble stocke and Paul in the Epistle to the Romans when hee would magnifie the dignity of CHRIST in both natures saith of him that he came of The linage of Dauid according to the flesh Nobility it is in earth the image and splendor of GODs diuinity O what is then Christian Noblenes how matchlesse ablessing is it to be allyed vnto diuine nature to call the high GOD of heauen our father was it such an honour that Dauid should become the Sonne of Saule a wicked King of Israell and can it seeme a smale thing to become the Sonnes of the holy one the GOD of Israell O behold what loue the father beareth vs that we should be called not seruants any more but friends Iohn the 15. and 15. verse Nay more the Sonnes of GOD not so much the Sonnes of Men as the Sonnes of GOD. It was not our birth day when wee first sam light and were borne into the world but when GODS countenance did first shine vpon vs when saluation in CHRIST IESVS was offered vnto vs. The Graecian virgins reckoned their age from their marriage saith Homer and then began Christians to liue when first we are espoused vnto our husband CHRIST Let other men therfore shew the images of their Ancestors let them fetch their pedigree from Hercules or if they thinke it so fit let them deriue themselues from lupiter so as we may haue this honour of the Saints to call the immortall GOD our Father so as we may say Our Father which art in heauen Which we may boldly do if we feele the power of the spirit within vs if GOD hath anoynted vs with the oyle of gladnes aboue others if wee haue our partes in Diuine Nobility Nobility hath and is knowne by fruits They received the word readely they serehed it dayly c. I may not belong in measuring out of frutest to prescribe in this poynte were with doting Phormio to entreat of warfare before Captaine Hamball in generall therefore a word or two for the finishing of my text Nobles may not resemble the Noblest trees such as were consecrated to the Heathenish Gods for they for the most part were either barren or without good fruit as the Oke the Beech the laurell the mirtle They may not be like Beastes wherof the Noblest are the cruelest nether are these the vertues of Noble men to dice well to drinke well to waste lauishly to wanton it veneriously to forget that they were euer borne or that they shall euer die say not wee haue Abraham to our father stand not so much vpon the bloud you haue as vpon the good you doe fruites you must bring forth good ones toe euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Luke the 3. there is danger els vnto your selues and the seed of the wicked shall not be renowned for euer Esay the 14. and 20. verse here is Daunger els vnto your progenie Againe to whom much is giuen much is of theÌ„ required where the Lord soweth liberally there he expecteth a plentifull crop and the better the frutes arc the more they argue a true Nobility Iustice Wisdom bounty Magnificence greatnes of mind seene in iminent daungers fortitude gentlenes clemency with many such like are good fruits common to all the kinds by which they are made profitable not to them-selues alone but do shine as stars are helpfull vnto others And hence it commeth to passe that euen by instinct of nature we doe willingly obey a generous and noble personage this caused the sheepheardes to yeeld obedience vnto Romulus though brought vp as a sheepheard amongst them they beheld in him a noble spirit notable vertues directed not so much to priuat as to publike good There is a question moued by Piccolo â—ineus a Philosopher of our age concerning men being noble by Nature and quality of mind yet oppresied with pouerry and hauing the world to frowne vpon them what calling they may choose and life professe wherein they may be fruitefull His answere is good that in noe case they may practise any base or mechanicall trade wherein men of low degree may be imployed with prayse and coÌ„mendation but either saith he they must addict them-selues vnto atteÌ„dance vpoÌ„ their Prince in some honorable office for the pleasure of a king is not a wealthie but in a wise seruant Pro. the 14. and 35. or they may giue them-selues vnto Chevalry and leade a martiall life for it is a peece of happines to a country if there can be happines in war when as Captaines are gentlemen and gentlemen Captaines or lastly they may bee Priests I wot well that this sort of people for the space of many yeares haue had little honour by Parliament giuen vnto them except standing by a rogue whilst he is whipt and keeping a beggars regester may be called honour Yet to be a Mayor of a Towne or Citty or a Iustice of Peace in the Countrey I might goe higher cannot sort so well with noble estate as Priesthood may heerein may Nobles liue and deuote them-selues vnto Gods seruice without disparidgement The Prophet Samuel was a Priest a man of God an honorable man sayth the text the first of Samuel and the 9. Chapter The Patriarks were Priests and Kings in their families Vos genus electum regale Sacerdotium Ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood the first of Peter the second Chapter and 9. verse Ecce cum regia dignitate Sacerdotium Hieron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 copulauit Priesthood is ioyned with regalitie Rex non est merè laicus a King may be a Priest without dishonour Many of your Auncestors Right Honorable haue liued in this order and thereby not onely retained their noblenes but amplified also and enlarged the same which craueth vnto vs the continuance still of a good regard at your Honours hands What kind of men may better entertaine the word of God then the Ministers of the word Who vse more diligently to search the Scriptures then Ministers the interpreters of the Scriptures and yet are these the onely notes whereby the Apostle doth commend vnto vs heere the most Honorable men The fruites then of the best Nobles are these with readynesse to receiue the word with dilligence to search it Two actions to Receiue to Search Two conditions readily dayly the obiect of both the word of GOD the end of both to be confirmed in the truth Zegedine tells vs of foure fruites whereby true Christian Nobles may bee discerned First they
acknowledge CHRIST to be their Sauiour Secondly they are indued with his spirit Thirdly they abhorre to serue sinne Lastly they are strong in faith all which are couched in the words of my text for he that receiueth the word must needs acknowledge CHRIST he that receiueth it with all readinesse hath assuredly his spirit he that searcheth the Scriptures dayly attendeth not vnto sinne he that searcheth with these Baereans to confirme himselfe groweth from faith to faith from strength to strength till he commeth to be a perfect man in Christ Iesus To receiue the word doth not barely signifie to take it but to retaine it Actes the 3. Chapter and 21. verse and like good ground to fructifie Mark the the 4. Chapter To search is not an idle but an earnest inquiry to search with lights Zophany the first Chapter to looke into hearts and reynes Psal the 7. into euery cranny and corner very narrowly To receiue readily argues a willing minde to search dayly an industrious spirit to search for to learne an humble and an honest heart The summe of all then is this The best Nobles makes best account of the Gospell of Christ they heare it with a glad heart they study it to amend their lines by it they say vnto it as Elisha said vnto Elias I will not forsake thee and with noble Iosua they meditate in it day and night Let your Lordships therefore bee pleased to giue me leaue as Peter speaketh in his second Epistle and third Chapter to stirre up and warme your pure mindes and though you haue knowledge yet to put you in remembrance of these dutyes If you care to be in the number of those who are the best If you tender the continuance of that Honour which the Lord hath already powred vpon you or expect any future accesse thereunto as Hierome sayd to Saluâ—na Semper in manibus sit diuina lectio Let the word of GOD dwell in you aboundantly Persist in honoring the highest with your hearts by giuing glory vnto him with your liues by adorning his doctrine with your countenance and riches by incouraging the practises and profession of pietie and as when the Lyon roareth the beasts of the Forrests doe tremble and quake so when the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda speaketh though but by a meane messenger you that be of his Court yeeld him reuerence These be the paths beaten by the noblest Christians in these standeth the whole duty of men most honorable vpon performance whereof and no condition els the Sonne of GOD himselfe made challenge to the glory of his Father Iohn the 17. Chapter and 3. verse I haue glorified thee on earth and now glorifie me with thy selfe in heauen Blessed be the GOD of glory who hath bedecked this Land with such glorious lights so many noble Christians and if that Kingdom be happy whose King is the sonne of Nobles Eccle. the 10. Chap. and 17. vers then assuredly great is our happines hauing in the middest of Nobles so Noble a King in all kinds of Nobility Noble by nature a King not by election but by birth descended from a most ancient and matchlesse samely Noble by fortune hauing his lap filled with all her fauours being owner of Kingdomes Countries and Cities wealthy and populous which adds a splendor and Maiesty vnto him Noble morrally possessed with heroicall vertues and beawtifyed with a true Idea of a princely minde Diuinely Noble the Defender of the true faith who is the Sonne of Adam who is the Sonne of GOD. Noble by an exact conspiration of all kindes together Whose spirituall and immortali seed is Nobilitie from Heauen whose Materiall is Nobility from Nature whose immediate forme is nobilitie of manners whose instrumentall and externall fulgor is nobility of Fortune This is the most perfit and most rare Nobility in the world shining in some fewe Christian Princes and Nobles from GOD Nature Vertue Fortune The Lord blesse your Royall Maiesty that as you haue receiued the word from your youth so you may defend the faith with constant resolution and loue the Gospell vnto your liues end The Lord blesse all your Nobles that as they be by their best title Christian so their fruites may be euer answerable to their calling The Lord blesse the worthy Prince with the rest of the young and Honorable Branches of this Land and make them know that if Angels fall they become Princes of darkenes that if young Nobles degenerate they become the common calamities of their Countrey that they are as so many Lucifers fallen from Heauen The Lord for his mercies sake blesse vs all that hauing GOD to our Father in this life we may raigne with Father Sonne and Holy Ghost in the life to come Amen FINIS