doctrine of saluation speaking in sinceritie as of God in the sight of God casting from them the cloakes of shame neither handling the word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth approuing themselues to the consciences of all good men There be many worthie meÌ„ in our Church of excellent gifts and graces whose ministrie hath beene powerfull to call many thousands from sinne and error to truth and holines to the conuersion and sauing of soules Our Church holdeth the true foundation it setteth it selfe by doctrine and sword against all heretickes it hath bredde many worthy Martyrs it is a true witnes keeper interpreter and translator of the holy scripture it is an helper and harbourer of the Saints and it doth truely call vpon the name of the true God and hath the true word and Sacrament the essentiall markes of the true Church What cause then is there of separation from vs though there be great oddes betwixt these two kindes of Recusants the one in greater degree of error then the other Yet we dare bouldly say to them both as Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians who began to contemne their Apostle Paul and to get other teachers If he that commeth saith Paul preacheth an other Iesus then him whom wee haue preached or if you receiue an other spirit then that which you haue receiued either an other Gospell then that you haue receiued ye might well haue suffred him As if he should say If any man can preach a better Iesus a better Gospell a better spirit they might hearken to him but indeed none could doe it And therfore he saith in an other place Though that wee or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise theÌ„ that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now againe If any man preach vnto you otherwise then that you haue receiued let him bee accursed We preach the true Iesus according to the scriptures that there is no Name vnder heauen that wee can be saued by but by him that hee is both true God and man that he is the King the Priest and Prophet of his Church we preach the true Gospell containing the doctrine of Faith and Repentance To this doctrine is ioyned the true spirit the spirit of Adoption the spirit of boldnes of comfort and sanctifâ—cation If any of them can teach a better Iesus a better Gospel a better spirit we will harken to them The Papists they teach hold many things corruptly of Christ Iesus the sonne of God ouerthrowing the power and ende of his comming and derogating from him the glory of our owne and full redemption by their Masse and manie Mediators they abolish the Priesthood of Christ by the Popes supremacie making him the vniuersall head of the Church they diminish dishonor and quite ouerthrow the Kingly Office of Christ by their owne Inuentions and vaine Traditions they take away his Propheticall office their Gospell is full of superstition and Idolatrie adding and diminishing at their pleasure making newe Articles and new Sacraments their spirit is a spirit of Error of Ignorance of doubting and torment But to let these goe and to come to the other It may beâ— some will say that they hold the same Iesus and Gospell with vs Let it be graunted that they and wee agree in all matters concerning Faith and saluation as it may appeare by their owne confession of Faith wherin there is nothing that is sound and Orthodoxall but they receiued it from vs Many of them specially of their founders and first beginners were bredde and borne amongst vs they had their faith if they haue any their knowledge the word and SacrameÌ„ts from vs they confesse they holde the same things with vs and other Churches touching matters of Faith the more shame for them to flie and run away from vs as though they had some better Iesus some better Gospell then wee haue where as all may see that they haue no other And therefore their separation is most vnkinde and ridiculous Let the best reformed churches in the world who haue giuen vs the right hands of fellowship Let them I say be Iudges between vs them or let the scriptures theÌ„selues truly opened applied be the true touch-stone triall betweene vs. Let them shew bring forth one scripture commanding or one holy example approuing such a separation from such a church from such ministers holding professing teaching that which they do from wheÌ„ce you your selues haue receiued all the good things which you holde maintaine or professe in matters of Religion So that you might say as Carneados a Philosopher was woont to say of his Maister and reader Chrisippus If it had not bene for Chrisippus I neuer had bene any body So might you say If the pride of your heart will suffer you If it had not beene for the church of EnglaÌ„d many of you could neuer haue had Bible Faith nor knowledge in the matters of your saluation Now you doe very ill requite the fathers that begot you the mother that bare you thus to flie from them to accuse slaunder reuile and curse them Herein you deale as Aristotle dealt with his maistar Plato who hauing gotten great Learning from his master did after oppose himself against him and by all meanes sought his disgrace and discredit Therfore Plato was wont to call Aristotle a Mule because when shee hath filled her self with her mothers milke she will beate her damme with her heeles Plato signified by this the ingratitude of Aristotle for when he had receiued from Plato the principles of Phylosophie and encrease of knowledge therein he became enemy to the schoole of Plato and with his Familiers and Schollers did alwayes contend and striue against Plato If the dealing of these men bee not as harde and vnkinde against our Church let any reasonable indifferent men iudge And are they not too neere like the Viper who gnaweth out the dammes bellie and so liueth by the death of her damme But of the vnthankfulnes of these men to God their Prince and this Church we shall speake of it in an other place For this time I referre them to the iudgment of two worthy men writing iointly vpon the 13. chap of the Prouerbs 13. verse the words are these He that despiseth the word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement hee shall be rewarded This sentence say they will presse so vpon the Brownists who are become bitter despisers of the Ministrie of Iesus Christ by separating themselues from the Churches of God and deprauing all the holy meanes of saluation howsoeuer they preteÌ„d to stand for sinceritie yet they resist it taking vpon them to be chaÌ„pions for Christ his kingdom they fight against it though their argumeÌ„ts seeme to be grounded on the word yet being well sifted they proue meere falacies haue no agreement with the meaning of the holy Ghost in the
neighbour they are full of precepts and exhortations full of graue counsell and sweete consolations they informe all men in the seuerall duties of their callings they commend vertue and forbid vice they set downe rewards for the godly and punishments for the wicked they speake of Christ the wisedome of wisedome the wisedome of the Father The Canticles intituled The Song of Songs the most excellent and holie Song is no vaine nor idle booke of wanton loue as carnall men may falsely conceiue and imagine but it is altogether mysticall speaking of the spirituall loue of Christ and his Church And thus writeth one of this booke The Canticles sayeth he is a certaine spirituall and holie delight in the Mariage of the King and the Queene of this heauenlie Citie that is Christ and the Church but this is all in mysticall figures to inflame vs the more to search the truth to delight the more in finding the appearance of that Bridegroome to whom it is said there Trueth hath loued thee and of that Bride that receiueth this word Loue is in thy delightes As for the booke of the Ecclesiastes it doth intreate of the same argument we haue now in hand of the chiefe felicitie of man in this life that it is not in humane wisedome nor in pleasure nor in vertue if it be considered as it is in it selfe nor in any publique or priuate state of life Againe he sheweth what is true felicitie namely to feare God and to worship him with a true and vnfaigned heart This booke maketh nothing for Epicures and Atheists though hee seeme to stirre them vp to eating and drinking and to reioyce as though this was the chiefe felicitie of man in this life S. Augustine applieth that in the place before alledged to spirituall eating and drinking to the participation of Christs table For he sayeth The Preacher cannot meane of carnal eating because in an other place of that booke he saith It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart Againe the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the hearts of fooles are in the house of mirth yet sometimes it may be and it is most likely that he speaketh not in his owne person but in the person of Epicures not allowing their speech nor practise For doth he not say of laughter and pleasure Thou art mad And doth he not in an other place scoffe and threaten yong men for their vaine delights and pleasures saying Reioyce ô yong man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement And presently after he giueth him this counsell Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth And ô ye Atheists Epicures and Libertines marke and remember the conclusion of that booke as he began so he endeth crying and repeating Vanitie of vanities sayeth the Preacher all is vanitie and the last word of his booke are these Let vs heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole dutie of man for God will bring euery worke to iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill This is the chiefe wisedome of Salomon which is extant written and recorded for the instruction of all posterities this is true and diuine wisedome and though it was not then written when these words were spoken yet the same or the like he taught this woman she receiued beleeued it and with great ioy doth heere commend and magnifie it Therefore true felicitie consisteth in true and diuine wisedome which was vnknowne to the Philosophers for their wisedome was earthlie false and contrary to it selfe and as there is one Creator and gouernor of the world one God one truth so there must needs be but one true wisedome because whatsoeuer is true good it cannot be perfect except it be singular And therefore it is worthilie said All the wisedome of man consisteth in this one thing that he know and worship God this is our doctrine this is our sentence and therefore with as high a voice as I can this I testifie this I proclaime and this I denounce this is that which all the Philosophers in their whole life sought for but could neuer finde nor comprehend it because they held a false religion or else vtterly ouerthrew religion let them therefore goe which haue troubled the life of man for what should they teach or whom should they instruct who haue not instructed themselues whom can the sicke man cure or whom can the blind rule or guide shall wee tarrie then till Socrates know any thing till Anaxagoras finde light in darkenesse or shall we stay till Democrates draw out the truth or till Empedocles dilate the paths of his minde or Arcesilus and Carneades perceiue and vnderstand Behold a voyce from heauen teaching the truth and shewing to vs light more cleare then the sunne it selfe Why are wee iniurious to our selues and so slow to receiue wisedome How manie worthie men haue spent themselues in seeking and yet could neuer finde He that will bee wise and blessed let him heare the voyce of God let him learne righteousnesse let him contemne earthly things receiue heauenly that so he may attaine to the best and greatest good to the which hee was borne casting a side all other religions Let vs come to the true religion and wisedome this true wisedome consisteth in the knowledge of our selues and in the knowledge of God this is the height of wisedome in comparison of which all knowledge is ignorance and if thou hadst the perfect knowledge of all Arts and Sciences what would it profit thee if thou knowe not thy selfe thou wandrest abroad and thinkest thou knowest many things and yet are blinde at home But ô blessed soule which is filled with wisedome of God and happie is he who desireth to be wise in Gods sight for one little drop of this true wisedome is more worth then a riuer and sea of worldly wisdome In all the creatures the Lord doth shew his wisedome and power but most of all in man creating him after his owne Image and likenes many knowe many things and yet knowe not themselues they see others and passe by themselues the better thou doest knowe thy selfe the better thou shalt knowe God Set before thine eyes the miserie of thy body and the shortnes of this miserable life and so thou shalt come to GOD thou must beginn◠with the knowledge of thy selfe this will humble thee and make thee feare God If thou wilt knowe what thou art looke thy selfe in a glasse The glasse of a man is an other man If an other be earth dust and wormes such a one
Sodom and Gomorah whose state no doubt is most grieuous and miserable as their â—innes was most hainous and abominable S. Peeter saith that they are alreadie condemned and therefore neuer likely to be saued What then shall be the fearefull state of those which shall be subiect to greater destruction damnation such are all carelesse and vnprofitable hearers which profit not nor yet are brought to repentance by the preaching of the Gospell these are in harder case then the Iewes theÌ„ the Infidells or the Sodomities because they haue greater meanes and a more cleare light then euer they had he that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes If I had not come and spoken to them saith Christ they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sin His meaning is that their sinne had beene the lesse if he had not come so that the comming of Christ his death and passion his glorious Gospell offering grace and saluation to all doth not ease lessen or excuse the sinne of any but doth rather aggrauate their sin so maketh their punishmeÌ„t the sorer which expresse not the vertue of his death the power of the Gospel in their liues conuersation And therfore the Apostle doth terrifie the Corinthians with the examples of the Iewes who had great graces priuiledges who were vnder the Cloud al passed through the sea were al baptised vnto Moses in the Cloud the sea did all eate the same spiritual meate did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they draÌ„ke of the spiritual rocke which followed them and the rocke was Christ The meaning is they had speciall signes of Gods protection fauour many rare deliuerances they had Moses they had the law the couenant they had sacraments sacrafices yet with many of theÌ„ God was not pleased for they were ouerthrowne in the wildernes And the Apostle setting downe diuers iudgements which fell vpon them for their sins in the end he saith All these things came vnto theÌ„ for ensamples are written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world is come Wherefore let him that staÌ„deth take heed least he fall Let vs therefore applie all the former examples to our selues make goog vse of them we haue had the Gospel of Christ a long time preached amongst vs and that souÌ„dly pleÌ„tifully as you haue heard And yet many are in darkenes vnder the light being very ignorant not knowing the principles of holy religion not being able to giue a reason of the true faith Others though they haue knowledge yet they haue not truly repented but liue still in their old sinnes other and most of all though they professe repentance and that they haue forsaken their old course of life yet they bring not forth fruites of amendment they seeme to hate euill and yet doe no good at least they leaue many good things vndone they faile much to the discredit of the Gospell in practise and obedience they make small conscience of many duties of pietie equitie and charitie they make a shew of godlines but denie the power thereof So that we may complaine as the heathen man complained of the carelesnes of many hearers in the Philosophers schooles Some saith hee come to heare but not to learne as to a stage play for recreation sake to delight their eares they are carried away with the speech with voyce with fables a great part of such hearers thou shalt see in the Philosophers schoole they goe thither when they are Idle and haue nothing to doe they goe not to this purpose to receiue any law or rule of life that so they might amend their manners with the same mindes and with the same purposes many resort to heare sermons The Prophet complaines of such hearers or rather the Lord by the Prophet saying Thou sonne of man the children of thy people that talke of thee by the walles and in the doores of the houses and speake one to an other euery one to his brother saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord for they come vnto thee as the people vse to come and my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouthes they make iestes and their heart goeth after couetousnes and loe thou art vnto them as a Iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can sing well for they heare thy words but they doe them not And when this commeth to passe for loe it will come then shall they know that a Prophet hath beene among them We haue had blessed be God a flourishing Church a long time the Gospell soundly preached in many places of our land many men in the Church of great learning and gifts many zealous and forward professors of the truth the fame of these things hath comforted other Churches hath caused many strangers to come amongst vs and to liue with vs Oh that I might truly say as this woman sayd to king Salomon in the two former verses before this text It was a true word sayth shee that I heard in my owne land of thy sayings and of thy wisedome howbeit I beleeued not this report til I came and had seene it with my eyes but loe the one halfe was not told mee for thou hast more wisedome and prosperitie then I hane heard by report oh that the strangers that are or haue bene amongst vs might truely say wee see and perceiue by experience more zeale more religion more sinceritie more pietie and goodnes theÌ„ we heard of before we came But may they not to our great shame may they not see much defection and declining from the zeale of former times much Atheisme Poperie and prophanenesse much hypocrisie and dissimulation great contempt of the word and ministers much cursing and blasphemie much oppression in Church and Common-wealth and finally may they not see most places full of idlenesse full of wantonnesse and most filthie vncleanenesse and therefore we may iustly complaine as other haue done long since in their times and cuntries let vs heare the complaints lay them to our own hearts the Gospell is preached amongst vs and a blessed life is offred to vs by Christ nothing is required of vs but obedience puritie and honestie of life but we doe obstinately contemne this diuine and holie request therfore the Niniuites and this woman shal condemne vs. I speake nothing of persecutors and oppressors of diuine wisedome but I speake of such as professe the Gospell amongst vs the common sort doe very badly spend the Saboth day which should be consecrated to diuine wisedome others had rather giue themselues to drinking and playing then to praying or hearing many Citizens Townesmen looke to their Shops and Trades or else they take iourneyes or if they bee at home they are prophanely occupied
or if they come to the Sermon their mindes are at home they are like Idols that haue eares and heare not eyes and see not they doe not consider and marke nor beleeue those things which are spoken of the contempt of this world against couetousnesse oppression and deceit If they be somewhat neerely touched they gruntle like Swine they barke like Dogges such as are learned and haue knowledge beeing delicate and dainetie they thinke the plaine and simple stile of preaching agreeing to the Scripture to haue small sweetnesse or delight in it they stand vpon eloquence and mans wisedome it is grieuous to them to heare a plaine simple Preacher though he speake with power of the spirit Great persons men of state and countenance which are scarcely accounted men but halfe Gods they thinke it a discredit to heare many sermons I am afraid saith a Father that the Queene of the South comming froÌ„ the farthest part of the world to heare the wisedome of Salomon that she shall iudge men of this age and the men of Niniuie repenting at the preaching of Ionas shall condemne those which despise a greater then Ionas so many among the people shall condemne many Ministers in the Church withdrawing themselues from their Ecclesiasticall dutie and doing those things which doe not beseemeâ— a Minister yea they doe not beseeme a simple Christian An other complaineth both of Ministers and people saying Woâ— be vnto you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites which shut the kingdome of heauen before men By these words the Lord will shew that the Priests of the Iewes did all things for couetousnes and who knew by the scriptures that Christ was come and they considered because Christ was beleeued and receiued that the custome of sacraficing and offering would cease and that the sacrifice of righteousnes would preuaile but they did shut the doore of truth when they decreed that if any should say he was the sonne of God he should be shut out of the Synagogue so now hereticall ministers they doe shut the doore of truth for they know if the truth be made manifest the Church would leaue them and they should be cast downe from their places What then is the ignorant people to be excused No for if thou wouldst buy thee garments thou seekest to sundry Chapmen and where thou maist haue the best garments and the easiest price those thou takest and therefore thou must seeke and search for teachers and enquire where truth is and where is error It is not forbidden to know the confessions of all men and to choose that which is best according to the saying of the Apostle Proue all things and hold that which is good If for worldly busines thou wouldest goe to a place thou knowest not thou dost not cease from thy purpose because thou knowest not the way but thou doest trie this and that way thou dost aske seek and enquire and so findest the right way If thou wilt enter into the truth of the scriptures sometimes pray sometimes search the scriptures sometimes seeke by good workes sometimes enquire of this minister sometimes of that that so thou maist see who they be that haue the keyes of knowledge If these things be not done it is because the word of God is not beleeued nor the promise of blessednes desired nor the last iudgement feared Where is this care of searching and the truth to be found where is that diligence of inquiring Men are readie to heare receiue and beleeue any thing like children they are carried away with any kinde of doctrine they are still ignorant and fall into many errors because with this woman they will not diligently and carefully seeke for the truth where it may be found All others are carefull and painefull to learne and seeke the true knowledge and skill as much as they can of their trades and sciences onely Christians are idle careles and ignorant in their profession Harken I pray you saith the same father is it not an absurd thing that the Physition the Shoomaker and Weauer and generally all workemen striue for the profession of their Arts but a Christian cannot bring a reason of his religion those Artes being neglected are but the losse of money the contempt of religion is the losse of the soule and yet we are so madde that we imploy all our care and thoughts that way and we make no account of the necessarie defence of our soule for this cause the heathen knowe not their error but take offence and mocke vs for they being in error doe all things for the defence of their errors We being professors of the truth can say nothing for defence of it and for this cause the very heathen doe condemne our doctrine of weakenes they suspect in vs some fraude and foolishnes and so they speake euill of Christ as of a liar we are the cause of this blasphemie Saint Peeter commandeth vs to be readie to giue a reason of the faith that is in vs to euery man that asketh And S. Paul doth exhâ—rt vs That the word of God may dwell plentifully in vs. But what say the foolish people to this they say blessed is the simple soule and he that walketh simplie walketh boldly this is the cause of all euill that many cannot rightly and truly applie the scriptures for by the simple is not meant the foole but he that is honestly and vprightly minded for if it were so vnderstood in vaine were the saying of Christ Be wise as serpents and innocent as doues Let vs blush and be ashamed that the Samaritan woman was so carefull in learning that her worldly busines could not hinder her from the doctrine of Christ We enquire nothing in the knowledge of heauenly things but are carelesse and neglect all things Which of vs I pray you when we come home doth any thing worthy of a Christian who doth search repeate or remember the scriptures The scriptures are giuen not onely that you should haue them in your bookes but also in your hearts I doe not forbid to get you bookes nay I doe admonish you and entreate you that you get them yet so that you doe oftentimes repeat both the letters and the sense in your minde that by it that may be made pure For if in whatsoeuer house the Gospell of Christ is the diuell dare not enter how much lesse shall the diuel ore sinne touch that soule which is familiar with the diligent reading of it therefore sanctifie thy soule and sanctifie thy body this shall come to passe if thou haue alwaies in thy minde and tongue the Gospell of Christ Seeing therefore there is such ignorance impenitencie prophanenes disobedience and vnthankfulnes amongst vs not onely the former examples but many others shall rise vp in iudgement against vs in the last day The Gâ—ecians shall condemne vs in that day for they reuerently esteemed and heard their Philosophers disputing doubtfully of vice and vertue but wee
and a sincere loue to the word And aboue all things let vs pray hartily and continually to the father and founder of all good gifts for the blessings of all good lessons and instructions to our soules let vs confesse our owne weakenes and say in our soules with the spouse to her husband Christ Drawe me and we will runne after thee Finally let vs pray with Dauid be beneficiall to thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy lawes I will runne the waies of thy commandements when thou shalt inlarge my heart Teach me ô Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it to the end Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy lawe yea I will keepe it with my whole heart Direct me in the path of thy commandements for therein is my delight Incline my heart to thy testimonies and not to couetousnes turne away my eyes from regarding vanitie and quicken me in thy way Looke vpon me and be mercifull to me as thou vsest to doe to those that feare thy name Direct my steppes in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God Let thy good spirit lead me vnto the land of righteousnes And in an other place Teach me thy way ô Lord and I will walke in thy truth Knit my heart to thee that I may feare thy name And let vs pray with the Prophet Ieremie Heale me ô Lord and I shal be whole saue me and I shall be saued for thou aâ—t my praise turne thou vs vnto thee ô Lord and we shall be turned And indeed the calling and conuersion of a sinner is the great worke of God as great as the worke of our creation And indeed what is our conuersion but an new creation for God that commandeth light to shine out of darknes is he which shineth in the he arts of his children conuerted It is he that must make both the eare and the heart tractable and flexible It is he that both must make vs willing to doe good and also able to doe good It is he that must inwardly perswade the heart and by his spirit teach vs inwardly before we can be truely conuerted Let therefore ministers of the word giue attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine Let them stirre vp the grace of God that worthy thing in them Let them be faithfull and wise stewards in disposing the secrets of God Let them preach sincerely diligently and feruently Let their affections and life be vpright and holie Let them be wholy possessed with the desire of Gods glory with the loue of Christ and with loue to the soules of the people and then their ministrie shall be acceptable to God If not powerful to conuert yet to confound their recompence shall be with the Lord their labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. We are vnto God saith the Apostle the sweet Sauiour of Christ in them which are saued and in them which perish to the one we are the Sauiour of death vnto death and to the other a Sauiour of life vnto life and who is sufficient for these things And seeing that Paul is nothing Apollos is nothing but the effect and blessing is of God Let them striue and wrastle with them by humble and hartie prayer continually vehemently priuately and openly for the assistance of his spirit and the blessing of their labours that he would perswade Iapheth that he might dwell in the tents of Shem that he would circumcise the hearts and eares of the people and take from them the vaile that hindreth as ignorance prophanes vnbeleefe hardnes of heart and such like That he would power water vpon the thirstie and floods vpon the drie ground That hee would take away their stonie hearts and giue them hearts of flesh that so they might walke in his statutes finally that he would giue them vnderstanding hearts that they might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome That they may discerne the things that differ that they may be pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ That they may walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things that the same signes of conuersion may be seene in their people as were truely found in this woman And indeed many if not all the notes of good hearers which in the beginning I obserued in her are true signes and notes of her calling In that she takes so great paines and bestowes so much cost to seeke for true wisedome In that she is so carefull to enquire and search out the truth of religion In that she speaketh and thinketh so reuerently of Salomon her teacher reposing true happines in true wisedome and stirreth vp others to be of her minde these and sundrie other are signes and tokens of her conuersion She speaketh not like a Pagan Heathen or Idolater but like a worshipper of the true God she blesseth him and confesseth him to be the disposer of kingdomes and acknowledgeth Israell to be Gods people and howsoeuer before either by secret inspiration or by report she heard of the true God of his worship and of Salomons wisedome yet now she doth fullie taste the truth of it in her owne soule the secrets of her hearts are made manifest shee worshippeth God and saith plainely that God was in that place The diuine wisedome of Salomon had parswaded this daughter of Iapheth to come to the tents of Shem to be a member of the visible Church and to imbrace the truth of religion and no doubt she went ioyfully home and indeuoured by all meanes possible to establish the lawe and worship of the true God in her owne countrie Our Sauiour as you haue heard commended this woman and ioyneth her with the Niniuites who no doubt truely repented though many of them fell away afterwards It is true that all the Kings of the earth sought the presence of Salomon to heare his wisedome that God had put in his heart as we may see in this chapter I doe not say that all these were called and conuerted It may be many of them came to heare and see newes rather for humane then diuine wisedome to see the glory and royaltie of Salomon the beautie of the Temple and his Pallace which he had builded or vpon some other sinister respects Among so many this woman is especially named singled out and commended yea a whole storie is recorded of her and not of the rest the cause of her comming was religion She lost not her labour but got fruit and profit by her comming and sheweth plaine testimonies of her conuersion Indeed something is said of King Hyram that he euer loued Dauid and when he hard the words of Salomon he reioyced greatly and said Blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen to Daâ—id a
sinne they must needes rise againe by repentance and so be saued And I haue neuer read in all the scripture that God doth professe any such loue to a reprobate God saith of Iacob I haue loued him because he was chosen I haue hated Esau because he was reiected Againe we haue heard alreadie that Salomon was a figure and tipe of Christ Iesus the sonne of God the Sauiour of the world Againe he was also as we haue heard inspired by the holy Ghost and a writer of the holy scripture Some reprobates haue spoken the truth and haue preached and prophecied as Balaam and Iudas but the Prophets and writers of holy scripture are all elect and saued so far as we know Our Sauiour Christ saith that the wicked shall see Abraham Isaacke and Iacob and all the Prophets in the kingdome of God and themselues thrust out of doores Now Salomon was a preacher a Prophet a writer of scripture and therefore we doubt not but he hath his part in the kingdome of heauen Finally the booke of the Preacher is called by the Hebrewes the repētance of Salomon and so it seemeth by the first beginning and entrance of it where he cryeth out Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie They be the words of one that had tasted of all the pleasures in the world that could be deuised and yet at last being wearie of all and renouncing all he reposeth all true felicitie of this life in true religion and the feare of God This may serue to satisfie vs touching the repentance and saluation of Salomon And now because we vpon some iust occasion haue made some digression not impertinent nor vnprofitable and because this fall of Salomon is abused by many let vs before we proceed further deliuer some good instructions and vses touching this his fall First then consider how dangerous the prosperitie the great wealth and honours of the world are and therefore let vs not too much desire them nor set our hearts or delights too much vpon them For thorough the corruption of our nature many wax proud contemning God and men iniurious to themselues and others being wanton luxurious and Lasciuious And therefore the Lord saith to his people Israel When thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the land which he hath giuen thee Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements and his lawes and his ordinances which I commaund thee this day least when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein and thy beasts and thy sheepe are increased and thy siluer and thy gold is multiplied and all that thou hast is increased then thine heart be lifted vp and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and out of the house of bondage And in an other place he complaineth of that people saying He that should haue beene vpright when he waxed fatte spurned with his heele Thou art fatte thou art grosse thou art loaden with fatnes therefore he forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation How should I spare thee saith the Lord thy children haue forsaken me and sworne by them which are no Gods though I fed them to the full yet they committed adulterie assembled themselues by companies in the harlots houses They rose vp in the morning like fed horses for euery man neighed after his neighbours wife Again I did knowe them in the wildernes in the land of drought as in their pastures so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted Therefore haue they forgotten me Oh that the great men of the world the Potentates Princes States Nobles and all the wealthy of the earth would remēber this who by their power and wealth take libertie to sinne and to liue licentiously without controulement and are infatuated by worldly cares and pleasures whereas the end of all outward blessings is to make vs more thankfull and more holy God gaue his people the lands of the heathen and they tooke the labours of the people in possession the end of this and of all their former blessings is that they might keepe his statutes and obserue his lawes And seeing that great prosperitie is so dangerous let vs pray with the wise man Giue me not pouertie nor riches feed me with food conuenient for me least I be full and denie thee and say who is the Lord or least I be poore and steale and take the name of my God in vaine Great abundance is dangerous and extreame pouertie is dangerous the competent estate is the best and let vs be content with it and let euery one harken to that counsell of the Lord saying Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man glory in his strength neither the rich man in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me Againe by this example we see that great and good Princes are subiect to falling some haue good beginnings and continue long and yet in the end they decline and fall away Nero in the first fiue yeares of his raigne was of such liberatie clemencie and gentlenes that he passed all Princes that were before him he either for gaue or else diminished all taxes and payments He was so gentle and fauourable to all degrees that he would admit them to come to salute him and also did salute them himselfe by name He made many good lawes but although he did these and such like things with great honour at the beginning of his raigne yet at the last forgetting the Imperiall dignitie he opened his wantonnes his fleshly pleasures his riot his Auarice his crueltie Oftentimes he attempted to kill his owne mother Agrippina She escaped often at last the Centurion comming towards her with a naked sword in his hand slew her she putting forth her belly cried out That hee would strike that part first for this bellie saith she is to be pierced through with Iron which brought forth such a monster Then the Centurion thrust his sword into her bellie and so slew her with many woundes after this horrible murther was done Nero being both without feare and shame beheld the Carkasse of his mother being slaine He killed Seneca his maister and Burrus one of his gouernours What will you more he ceased not to kill whom he pleased and that for what cause soeuer he pleased Tyberius who succeeded Augustus raised vp of himselfe at the beginning of his raigne no small hope of goodnes but afterwards proued a very Tyrant and most filthy man Alexander the great at the first ruled iustly and valiantly but after he was so effeminated with the daintie delicates of Pasia that he became proud leacherous a drunkard a murtherer by the which vices he both shortned his owne daies and made himselfe to be detested of his