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
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
them by his spirit and giuing them the faith of truth euen the faith of his elect calling them by the Gospell to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ these be the sure notes and markeâ— of those which are truely wise and truely happie yea happy here and happy for euer Therefore let vs pray with the Prophet euery one of vs saying Looke vpon vs 〈◊〉 Lord be mercifull vnto vs as thou vsest to do to loue those that loue thy name We must not thinke then that this woman ascribeth happines to the bare hearing of Wisedome but this hearing includeth knowledge Faith and practise Therefore the Schoolemen make three kindes of hearing The one sensituâ— with outward eare an another Intellectuall that is with vnderstanding the third they call Auditus obeditiuus that is hearing with obedience The foolish Virgins they haue Lampes but no oyle in them they haue onely a bare profession and knowledge without inward grace or practise but the wise Virgins haue their Lamps full of oyle full of Faith obedience holinesse Such as be only hearers and not practitioners of wisedome they be like vnto a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse and when he hath considered himselfe hee goeth his way and forgetteth immediatly what manner of one he was such are foolish and vnfruitfull hearers With true wisdome there is always ioyned true religion sanctification Therefore saith one Wisedome is no other thing but Truth it selfe in the which the true Felicitie shall be found It is in no place it is euery where it admonisheth abroad it teacheth at home it maketh all better and none worse Againe he that loueth himselfe being a Foole shall not profite in wisedome Neither can it be possible to be such a one as he desireth to be except he hate himselfe as hee is Both these must be ioyned together Religion and wisdome but men are deceiued that will seeke religion without wisedome and therefore they fall into false Religions because they haue left true Wisedome And some giue themselues to wisedome without religion but therefore their wisdome is false vaine because they haue no â—are of the religioÌ„ of the true God who would guide instruct them in the way of the best and happiest wisedome Of this vniting of religion and wisdome together Lactantius writeth excellently Where Wisedome saith hee is coupled with Religion there must of necessitie bee true religion and true wisedome because in worshipping God wee haue wisdome that is wee must knowe what is to bee worshipped and how and in being wise we must worship God that is we must performe in truth and deed that which we know where then is wisedome with religion to be found euen there where the one true God is worshipped where the life and all our actions are referred to one head and he concludeth thus in wisedome is religion in religion is wisedome they cannot be separated nor put asunder because to be wise is nothing else but to honor the true God with iust and holy worship And most worthily after he saith thus Wisedome pertaineth to sonnes which requireth loue religion to seruants which requireth feare as they are to loue and honor their father so these are to feare and reuerence their maister God being one because he taketh vpon him both these persons of a father and a maister we ought to loue him because we are his children and to feare him because we are his seruants And therefore it cannot be that religion should be separated from wisedom nor wisedome from religion because the same God is he who must be knowne which is a part of wisedome and must also be honoured which is a part of religion but let religion goe before and let wisedome follow because we must first know God and then we must worship him the fountaine of wisedome and religion is God himsâ—lfe Therefore prophane and wicked men are not truely wise and so not truly happie the Lord complaineth of such people they are a nation voyd of counsell neither is there any vnderstaÌ„ding in them Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Bernard alledging this place They would vnderstaÌ„d saith he the things which are of God the things which are of the world and they would foresee the torments of hell then they would abhorre hell desire heauen and contemne the earth And this is true knowledge saith he to know that the Lord will come to iudgement though we cannot knowe when he will come And where as some wil say that all men know this euen the wicked themselues but saith he this knowledge worketh repentance amendment of life and a care desire to liue honestly And S. Iohn saith That euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure so that true knowledge and true sanctinÌ„cation goeth together Therefore S. Iohn saith in an other place Hereby we are sure that we knowe him if we keepe his commandements he that saith I knowe him and keepeth not his commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him So that this standeth as an infallible true principle that those which are truly wise are truly happie in this life and in the way to that full and perfect happines in the life to come But now at last to obserue and prosecute the chiefe maine point and doctrine of this place which is this that the way and meanes to make a people happie is rightly to heare and obey wisedome this is the principall ioy and happines of Gods Children in this life And therefore saith Salomon Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome and the man that getteth vnderstanding for the merchandises therof is better then the merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold it is more precious then pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared to her length of daies is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory her waies are the waies of pleasure and all her pathes prosperitie she is a true life to them that lay hold on her and blessed is he that retaineth her see the fruits of wisedome immortalitie durable riches eternall glory true Ioy and peace she is a tree of life to the soule like that tree in paradise a signe of Gods fauour â—or like to the tree of life shewed to Moses in Marah which sweetned bitter deadly waters or like the tree of life in the Reuelation 22. vers 2. which brought forth twelue fruits and the leaues thereof were for the curing of the gentiles or like any liuing good tree which bringeth forth good fruit to the preseruation of life Therefore the wise man saith Take hold of instruction and leaue not keepe her for she is thy life And againe Hee that regardeth instruction is in the way of life Such a tree is wisedome It is compared also to
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
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
prouidence that there shall bee some poore as long as the world endureth Let them therefore bee content with their state seeing God who knoweth what is best for them hath so decreed it in his Wisedome It may bee if they had riches they would abuse them in pride and wantonnesse he can if he see good turne their want into plenty Let them know that many worthy men haue beene in want and necessity Let them take their pouerty as a crosse and let them be patient and humble the rather because sometimes their owne idlenesse and loosenesse of life hath caused it let them repent of their sinnes past let them take heed hereafter of pride enâ—y slothfulnesse and vnlawfull shifts and meanes Let them depend vpon God and cast their whole care vpon him and though they bee poore in the world let their chiefe care bee to bee rich in grace in knowledge and in faith and so they shall bee sure to bee greatly in the fauour of God Let euery one of them say with the Apostle I haue learned in what state I am there-with to bee content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to bee full and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth mee Let them bee kind and pittifull to those which bee in like case with them seeing they are in the same misery Let them bee thankefull towards their Benefactors and though some rich-men bee hard-hearted vnmercifull to theÌ„ let them not curse but blesse and pray to God for them who is able to mollifie and soften their hard hearts for it may bee God in his iustice doth turne the hearts of men from them because they haue turned their eares and hearts from him they haue beene hard hearted against God against Gods word and against their brethren and therefore the hearts of others are iustly hardened against them Let them remember and follow the example of poore Lazarus which though the rich man dealtmore cruelly with him theÌ„ did his dogs had no pitty at all of so poore a creature yet this poore man did neither grudge repine nor curse and therefore being full of faith and patience he was receiued into Abrahams bosome And finally seeing that God hath such a great care of the poore in making so many Lawes for them in giuing so many preceps for their reliefe and taketh their cause to be his owne and seeing he hath appointed Ministers to speake for them and Officers and Magistrates yea Kings and Princes for their defence and reliefe Let the poore I say bee carefull to serue feare that God which is so carefull of them let them reuerence and loue the Ministers louingly embrace that word which doth perswade moue prouoke all men to the duties of mercy loue liberality Let them honor the Magistrates who are appointed as fathers vnto them who take care and watch and take continuall paines to comfort and helpe them And let them say in their soules blessed be God for good Gouernours And thus we haue heard many good parts of good Gouernours that by their meanes the wicked are punished the good are praised and countenanced euery man possesseth his owne oppressions and wrongs are suppressed the poore and needy are comforted and relieued and all these benefits duties this gracious Queene includeth in these words Equity and Righteousnesse One duty yet remaineth which is also a part of Equity and that is to establish and mainetaine true Religion this is the first chiefe duty of a good Prince though I haue referred it to the last place Good Princes are not onely to haue a care of iustice in punishing the wicked of mercy in defending the good and releeuing the distressed but also to plant and maintane the worship of God in their Kingdomes Thus much wee haue heard already that Religion Diuine Wisedome belongeth to all sorts degrees of men to rich and poore to yong old to men women children and most of all to Princes Gouernours who are to be giudes and ringleaders to others We haue examples before our eyes of a religious Queene comming so great and long a iourny to be resolued in the truth of religion reposing the greatest happines in true heauenly wisedome Here also is the example of Salomon a mirrour of Religion and Diuine Wisedom to all the world who also planted and established the true worship of God in his Kingdome We haue heard also that God is the authour of the callings of Kings and Princes that they are in his steed and carry his Name and Image therfore they of all others are to be most Religious to be most carefull that the true God who hath so highly aduanced them may bee worshipped and serued in their Kingdomes And this is Equity and Righteousnesse to command establish the Law and Seruice of their Creator and Protector And further wee haue heard that it is the duty of Gouernours to ouerthrow and roote out all false worship all false doctrine heresie and idolatry as all these are to bee remoued so in steed of these good Princes are to plant true Religion to establish faithfull Teachers in their Kingdomes They must be examples of Religion and Piety to others they must guide their families so carefully religiously that they may be patternes and presidents to others If Religion be first in their owne hearts also planted in their houshold and families they will be also carefull that all the people committed to their charge may feare God be truely Religious This is part of the counsell of Iethro Moses father in law wishing him that hee should prouide not onely men of courage and iust men hating couetousnesse but also such as feared God There be generall places in the Scripture as Loue God with all thine heart with all thy soule with all thy strength Feare God and keep his CoÌ„mandements Seeke for Gods Kingdome Labor for the meat that neuer perisheth These such like commandements exhortations as they belong to all Christians so also to Magistrates They are keepers of both the Tables of the Commandements therfore to maintaine the one as well as the other they must see as well the duties to God performed to him as the duties to meÌ„ one to another They must haue a care not only of iustice peace ciuil honesty but also of the sincerity of Religion The King is commanded to haue the book of the Law to reade in it continually that so he may learne to feare both his God and to keep al the words of the Law Dauid saith Be wise ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare reioyce in trembling kisse the sonne least hee bee angry And in another place he saith Kings of the earth all people Princes
and Myrrhe to Christ she offereth and giueth to Salomon precious things they were a figure of the calling of the Gentiles so was she a tipe of the same long before they came a great iourney from the East to seeke for Christ she came from the South a great and dangerous voyage to heare and enioy the wisedome of Salomon Marie Magdalen Ioanna the wife of Cusa Herod his steward with many others follow our Sauiour Christ to heare his sermons the Eunuch the treasurer of Ethiopia came to Ierusalem to worship God It is lawful then to seeke for instruction abroad if we lacke it at home Merchants venter vpon the seas to farre countries for trafficke many goe to the Indies for gold Such as lacke prouision at home goe to markets and faires for it if our cattle want foode or water we will seeke farre and neere for them how farre doe men runne what paines do they take for humane learning how carefull are they to get mony how painefull to finde it if they loose it many flie to Rome and Rhemes not for wisdome but for foolishnes not for truth but for errors not for foode but for poyson many trudge many a mile on pilgrimage to worship Idols stockes stones yea some to ioyne with the enemies to worke treason against their lawful Prince this example will not serue their turne There is a lawfull peregrination to visit good men to conferre to learne artes tongues religion the Iewes were commanded to goe to Ierusalem sundrie times in the yeare but it was about the true worship of God Elkanah the Priest went euery yeare to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hoasts in Shilo S. Paul went to Ierusalem to visit Peter and to conferre with him the popish peregrinations are vnlawfull they make it a principall part of Gods seruice there is no commandement for them they visit dead mens bones Images and reliques This superstition as many other was inuented many yeares after Christ others trauell and take vpon them great and dangerous iournies to the hurt of bodie and soule But the paines and trauell of this woman is to learne diuine wisedome teaching vs to refuse no paines in seeking for the meanes of our saluation but to labour with all care and diligence for the profite the comfort and the good of our soules Thirdly a good hearer must bee inquisitiue and carefull to learne This woman a Queene is not ashamed to confesse her ignorance to aske questions and to bee taught The wise man saith Hear◠ô yee children the instruction of a Father giue eare to learne vnderstanding The Apostle complaines of some women that were euer learning but were neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth There are many hearers but fewe learners The care of this woman is not onely seene by her cost and labour in comming but by opening her heart and mouing doubtes asking questions conference and reasoning with good men are gratious meanes to further vs in the true knowledge of God The people must looke for the Law of God at the Priests mouth The Apostles aske of Christ their maister the interpretation and meaning of harde parables The CorinthiaÌ„s write to S. Paul to be resolued in certaine doubts And heere by the way obserue two notes of a good teacher in Salomon they must be able and apt to teach secondly readie and willing not nice strange and stately The graces of God are giuen for the good of others the ende and vse of the ministrie is to instruct and resolue doubts But manie in the Church are vnable to teach others are vnwilling others both vnable and vnwilling these are all confuted by Salomons example who both abounded in wisdome and was willing to impart it to others He was as readie to answere as this woman was to aske hee was as readie to teach as shee was to learne Fourthly after her hearing and learning she comends her teacher highly and speaketh reuerently of him So must good hearers haue a reuerent estimation of such as instruct them from the mouth of God Dauid receiuing good counsell from Abigail blesseth both her and her counsell The woman in the Gospell hearing the gratious words that proceeded out of the mouth of Christ cried out Blessed is the Wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke The holie Apostle Saint Paule commends the Galathians for this cause that they esteemed him as an Angell of God yea euen as Christ Iesus In an other place Wee beseech you brethren that yee knowe them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admâ—nish you that you haue them 〈◊〉 singular loue for their workes sake And wheÌ„ you feele the power and fruit of their ministrie say with this woman Blessed be God blessed be such men blessed be such seruants which haue called me comforted and strengthned me happie are those people which may daily heare such wisedome Fiftly she acknowledgeth the chiefe felicitie of this life not to consist in riches honor pleasure but in wisedome So good hearers ought to esteeme it the greatest happines vnder heauen to haue a resident and teaching minister expounding and applying to them the wisedome of the true SalomoÌ„ Chrst Iesus But of this point I meane to speake more largely and fully after Sixtly she stirreth vp Salomons Courtiers and seruants to know this their happie estate it may be some of them scarcely acknowledged any such thing as many carelesse and vnthankfull people in our daies hauing good pastors yet neither feele nor confesse any blessing at all strangers can say happie are such a people though they themselues knowe no such thing good hearers must by this example not onely heare the word of wisedome and highly esteeme it themselues but stirre vp others to the like affectioÌ„ towards it they would haue others partakers of the same graces with them and indeed if they find it a blessing and comfort to themselues they will imparte it to others and labour to make others partakers of the same coÌ„forts with them Esaiah prophecieth that such shal be the zeale of the people vnder the Gospell that they shall say one to another Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob he will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his 〈◊〉 And Zâ—cariah saith They that duell in one 〈◊〉 shall goe to another to call their brethren saying 〈◊〉 let vs goe pray before the Lord and seeke the Lord of Hoasts Euery one shall answere I will goe also Andrew being called calleth Simon Peter his brother and â—hilip calleth Nathaniel the woman of Samaria being once acquainted with Christ Iesus calleth her neighbours saying Come see a man that hath told me all things that euer I did she had beene a companion with them in sinne now she would haue them companions with her in
and confesse yet they silent and neuer speake once a good word of them others are malitious and doe daily carpe depraue disgrace and diminish as much as they can the gifts of God in his seruants Againe this reprooueth those which hunt for glorie praise this they greatly seeke for and desire though they haue no care of vertue nor wisdom these are like the Pharises proud vaine-glorious Hypocrites seeking onley the praise of meÌ„ What is more vnseemely or more infamous then to be desirous of glorie the more we seeke and desire it the lesse we shall finde it If thou wouldest be glorious despise glorie and thou shalt be glorious to all the vaine glorie of this world is a deceitfull sweetnâ—s an vnprofitable labour a perpetuall feare and a dangerous preferment vaine glorie it flyeth lightly it pursueth easily but it doth inflict not alight wound but doth easily kill such as be blind and negligent it is a secret venom a subtill euill a close plague the mother of hypocrisie the beginning of many vices the rust of vertue the mouth of holines the blindnes of the heart be not proud for the praises of men when thou knowest there are many wants and infirmities in thee if thou seeke for praise thou hast lost it and thy good deeds are corrupted let God be praised in them and not man who is an instrument let the holiest say Not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it The Apostle saith of himselfe By the grace of God I am that I am And againe Let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord for he that praiseth himselfe is not allowed but he whom the Lord praiseth when we haue done al that we can let vs count our selues vnprofitable seruants esteeme thy self vnprofitable God will count thee amoÌ„gst them that are profitable If thou wilt be great in heaueÌ„ thou must be small in earth small in thine owne conceit and thinke rather of thy manifold sinnes both of commission and omission rather then of any goodnâ—s that is in thee What a vanitie madnes is it to desire to be wel spoken of praised and glorified of men if we seeke it we shall scarce attaine it when we haue it it is worth nothing at all being but the breath and blast of fewe mens mouthes and vpon euery light occasion soone altred and changed Christ himselfe was tossed too and fro with the speech of men some said he was a Samaritan and had a diuell others said he was a Prophet sometimes they will make him a King receiue him into Ierusalem with triumph of Hosanna a litle after they crie Crucific him crucifie him and preferred the life of Barrabas a wicked murtherer before him The Barbarians at the first they count Paul a murtherer and presently after they say hee is a God Let vs therefore be of the Apostles minde saying As touching me I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgment No I iudge not my owne selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth mee is the Lord. The praises or dispraises of men are little to be regarded they account some iust holie vertuous honest which are nothing so what are these men the better for the flattering speeches of men when God their owne consciences can tell them that they are no such kind of men at all but indeed prophane vniust vile and naught Some againe are accounted in the mouths of men as wicked and notorious hypocrites what neede they care for these speeches when God and their owne conscience doth witnes that they are sincere in hart desiring to liue honestly and vprightly in the sight of God and men The testimonie of a good conscience is a sufficient bulwark against all false reports and slanders whatsoeuer but the common mischiefe and poyson amongst men is the pleasing speeches of flatterers and clawbacks which doth feed them in their humours and magnifie them to the skies when there is litle or no cause at all Nay when rather they are to be blamed and dispraised There be two kindes of persecutors saith one first of such as doe dispraise vs and secondly of such as doe praise vs but the tongue of the flatterer doth more hurt and persecute vs then the hand of a persecutor I had rather to be reproued of any then to be praised of a flatterer no reproofe is to be feared of him that loueth the truth but he that flatteringly praiseth doth erre and confirmeth vs in error Therefore true is that saying of Salomon he that rebuketh a man shall finde more fauour at the leÌ„gth then he that flattereth with his tongue And the wounds of a friend are better then the kisses of a flatterer Therefore saith Dauid Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefit and let them reproue me and it shall be as a precious oyle that shall not breake my head The desire of praise doth hinder zeale in religion and constancie in the profession of Christ How can ye beleeue saith our Sauiour which receiue honor one of another and seeketh not the honor that coÌ„meth of God alone And in another place it is said that many of the chiefe rulers beleeued in Christ but because of the Pharises they did not confesse him least they shuld be cast out of the Synagogue for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God It is almost an vniuersall vanitie to be desirous to be praised when we deserue it not and not to praise those who are worthie of praise and this is a vaine thing that through our ignorance oftentimes that is concealed which is and that is published which is not Lâ—udâ—mâ—â— mendacitâ—r delectamur inaniter we are falsely praised and we delight in vanitie so that they which are praised are vaine and they which doe praise are liâ—rs man is not to be praised in his life which praise is a temptation and tryall vpon the earth yet is he to be praised who is dead to sinne liues to God It is a vaine and a seducing praise whereby the sinner is praised in the desires of his soule yet he is to be praised who can truely say I liue not but Christ liueth in me and so not he but the life of Christ is praised the gifts and graces of God wheresoeuer we finde them are to be reuerenced honoured and magnified with praise and ioy And let the best take heed that they be not desirous of vaine-glorie It is lawfull to receiue due praise when it is offered and we are not vtterly to renounce and forbid it good men are not ignorant of the goodnes that is in them and therefore they reioyce that God hath giuen vnto men such good affections to like so
our greatest good and therfore are to beleeue and hope for it nor haue power to liue accordingly vnlesse our beleefe and prayer obtaine helpe of him who hath giuen vs that beleefe and hope that he will helpe vs but such as FouÌ„d the perfection of felicitie in this life placing it either in the bodie or in the minde or in both or to speake more apparantly either in pleasure or in vertue or in pleasure and rest together or in vertue or in both or in natures first effects Fondly and vainely are these men perswaded to find true happines here The Prophet scoffeth theÌ„ saying The Lord knoweth the thoghts of men Or as S. Paul hath it of the wise that they are vaine Some of the Philosophers haue counted vertue in a perfect life some in the tranquilitie of the minde some prosperitie with vertue some to be without sinne and some haue counted it the best happines to die well Solon being asked of Cressus who excelled all in riches whether euer he sawe a man more happier theÌ„ he He named one Tellus an Athenian a priuate man who had left his children and kinsefolke well brought vp and instructed had happily ended his daies and being asked againe whoÌ„ next to him he did thinke to be happie he named Cleobin and Bitis brethren men of small estate who were both dead and left behinde them a great name and praise of their pietie The King being angrie said vnto him doest thou theÌ„ put me in no place of happines Yes saith Solon I doe easily confesse that thou art a King flourishing with wealth and gouernment but yet not to be called happie before thou dost happily end thy life Of all the Philosophers Plato and his disciples came neerest to true Christianitie and in defining true happines he determined that the end of all good was the attaining of a vertuous life which none could doe but he that knewe and followed God neither is any man saith he happier by any other meanes and therefore he affirmeth that to be a Philosopher is to loue God whose nature is incorporiall the Philosopher is then blessed when he enioyeth God he held God to be the creator of the world the light of vnderstanding the good of all actions the beginning of nature the truth of doctrine the happines of life he saith it must be a wise mans continuall meditation to follow God and to be like him that is to be iust holy wise Finally he placeth beatitude true blessednes in the life to come these are diuine and heauenly points and therefore he was called Diuinus Plato and some thinke that he had seene some part of the scripture as Ieremiah or Geneses And a man would thinke that he wrote and spake like a Christian and in the things aboue named he and we doe agree but yet he was vaine in his imaginations and his foolish heart was full of darknes being ignorant of the true wisedome he held diuers grose errors as the worshipping of many Gods the eternitie of the world and denied the resurrection of our bodies but this we hold with him that there is no true felicitie in this life but in another and therfore it is rightly said the true beatitudâ— is vnattaineable in this life for none liues as he list but he is happie and none is happie but he is iust yet the iust liueth not as he list vntill he attaine that sure eternall hurtlesse vndeceiuing state that he naturally desireth and cannot be perfect till he haue his desire but what man here vpon earth can say hee liues as he list when his life is not in his owne hand he would liue faine and he must die how then liueth he as he list when he liueth not as long as he list but if he list to die how can he liue as he list that will not liue at all and if he desire to die not to forgoe all life but to change it for a better theÌ„ liueth he not yet as he list but attaineth that by dying But admit this he liueth as he list and brought himselfe to this to desire nothing but what is in his owne power as Tâ—â—rence saith Since you cannot haue what you would desire that which you may haue yet is he not blessed because he is a patient wretch for beatitude is not attained except it be affected and if it be both attained and affected then must this affect needs surmount all other because all other things are affected for this and if this be loued as it ought to be for he that loues not beatitude as it ought to be cannot be happie then cannot it choose but be desired to be eternall Againe earthly riches can neither blesse vs nor our Children with happines we must either lose them in this life or deeme them to be enioyed after our death by one we cannot tell whom perhappes by those wee would not should haue them no it is God the minds true wealth that makes vs happie and this happines is in the life to come there shall the Creator bestowe all the gifts of nature vpon vs and giue them not onely as goods but as eternall goods not onely to the soule by reforming it with wisedome but also to the body by restoring it to the resurrection there the vertues shall not haue any more conflicts with the vices but shall rest with the victorie of eternall peace which none shall euer disturbe for it is the finall beatitude hauing now attained a consummation to all eternitie We are said to be happie heere on earth when we haue that litle peace that goodnes can affoord vs but compare that happines with that other and this shall be held but plaine miserie there is health without infirmitie strength without decay fulnes without loathing freedome without bondage beautie without deformitie abundance without want securitie without feare knowledge without ignorance or error holines without sinne Ioy without any sorrowe Ioy I say full vniuersall sufficient eternal what a glory and Ioy to haue alwaies the presence and sight of God whose beautie the Angels doe wonder at whose light darkeneth the Sunne Oh blessed sight to see God to see him in himselfe to see him in vs and vs in him Oh happie sweetnes and sweete happines whatsoeuer we desire we haue it desiring no more at all and whatsoeuer we shall haue we shall loue with a blessed loue all things to be desired are to be found in him his countenance sweete and amiable he is sufficient for reward we shall alwaies behold him haue and enioy him delight in him This is the whole good and felicitie of man to knowe and loue him that loued him what dost thou loue oh my soule what desirest thou oh my flesh whatsoeuer thou louest or desirest there it is If thou louest and desirest beautie there the righteous shall shine as the Sunne is the kingdome of the Father If thou desire health and life there it is for euer If
respect of wilde beastes theeues enemies Christ was borne amoÌ„gst them he was brought vp and dwelt with them he came to them preaching in euery Citie Towne Synagogues his wisedom cryed in their streetes and at their doores This gracious woman spent much was at great charges in comming and returning and giuing costly presents to Salomon Christ freely offreth to them temporall and spiritual graces foode to soule and body and yet they regard him not She was moued with fame and report which is often falâ—e and vntrue they saw before their eyes his wonders wisedome There came to Salomon a man being onely a tipe of Christ but the Sonne of God the true Messias the wisedome of the father came of his owne accord to them yea he came amongst his owne but his owne receiued him not She came to learne to be resolued and satisfied of her doubts Christ offreth them diuine wisedome such as is able to satisfie and resolue any that are willing to learne in all the matters of their saluation but they being carried away by a conceit of their owne wisedome and righteousnes thinke scornâ— to be resolued by him this Queen aboue all things preferreth this heauenly wisedome as the chiefe treasure felicitie but they make the commandements of God to be of no force by their owne traditions She moueth many doubts to Salomon with a good minde to be resolued they indeed aske many questions propound many doubts to our Sauiour but with most wicked malicious mindes to catch entangle and intrappe him in his speech This Queene commendeth magnifieth reuerenceth SalomoÌ„ her teacher but they râ—uile and blaspheme our Sauiour Christ She stirreth vp others to loue and honour Salomon they withdrawe others so many as they can from honouring of Christ She accounteth it true happines to heare Salomons wisedome they feele and finde no such thing though they heare the wisedome of Christ She a stranger admireth Salomon they of the same countrey stocke and kindred with Christ Iesus and yet reiect and despise him She most thankfull to God and to Salomon for the comfort good which she had receiued but they most creul vnthankfull against Iesus Christ thogh he bestowed many great blessings benefits vpon them they were those bad husbandmen to whoÌ„ the Lord set his vineyard and sending his seruants to receiue fruit some of them they beate and some of them they killed and at last sending his sonne they said among themselues This is the heire come let vs kill him and let vs take his inheritance Therefore saith our Sauiour to these That the kingdome of God should be taken from them and shall be giuen to a nation which shall bring forth the fruits thereof Finally this woman obserued all things that Salomon spake or did and wondreth but they are so blinde that neither the power of his doctrine nor the greatnes of his miracles could moue them to admiration She was not brought vp in the schoole of God and yet seeketh for instruction they were learned in the lawe and the Prophets and yet despise the true teacher and Prince of Prophets Therefore shall this Queene rise it iudgement against these blind and obstinate Iewes which is not so to be taken aâ— if she had any power of iudging or condemning for that properly belongeth to Christ but that by this example and fact oâ—hers they shall be conuicted and left without excuse It shall clearely testifie to all the world that their damnation is most iust THE FOVRTH SERMON MAny worthy and excellent things we haue heard alreadie of this gracious woman her great care desire and loue to knowe the truth in comming so great a iourney to her great paines and charge her reuerencing and magnifying of Salomon and accounting the hearing and obeying true wisedome as the greatest felicitie in this life We haue heard her example commended by our Sauiour Christ and alledged by him to the shame and condemnation of the Scribes and Pharises and all the obstinate and vnbeleeuing Iewes who did not receiue but reiect him that was far greater then Salomon Now let vs adde the other example of the Niniuites applied also by our Sauiour to the same purpose against the Iewes and so let vs make some vse of them both to our selues The men of Niniuie saith Christ shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall conemne it for they repented at the preaching of Ionas and behold a greater then Ionas is here Heere is a like comparison as before to the same vse and ende the Niniuites being Gentiles strangers from the coÌ„mon-wealth of Israel yet at the preaching of Ionas suffer themselues to be reproued reformed these were Israelites the seede of AbrahaÌ„ to whom pertained the Adoption the couenant the promises the law the oracles of God yet they wil not harkeÌ„ to the voyce of the soÌ„ne of God the sauiour of the world They had but one Preacher of the word the prophet Ionas these had manie prophets yea Iohn the Baptist Christ him selfe yet they did not belieue them The Niniuites in one day at one Sermon were touched conuerted To them the word had bin preached a loÌ„g time many yeres yet they were not the better They repeÌ„ted at the preaching of Ionas being confirmed by no signe nor miracle they saw daily new signes and wonders wrought among them such as neuer any did before yet they coÌ„temned both his Doctrine and miracles Theywere moued at the preaching of Ionas a stranger being a Iewe coÌ„ming froÌ„ the Iewes a nation odious to theÌ„ but these loathed CHRIST being their owne Countryman borne among them The Niniuites endured Ionas his sermon threatning most fearfull and general destruction vpon them but they hated Christ and could not abide him but thought him worthie of death though he preached offered to them the treasures grace of mercie Finally they belieued Ionas a mortall and sinfull man these would not belieue Christ being not onely man but God whom they could not reproue of any sinne hauing so many witnesses from the Law froÌ„ the prophets from God the Father from Iohn the Baptist and from his owne glorious works And very notably doth one knit vp this comparison together in these words The Niniuites saith he a nation strange froÌ„ God Ionas a wan vnknowne of a base condition came to them No man commended him vnto them before hee came none foretold his comming he wrought no miracles at all hee got no mans fauour by any benefites hee promised no great matter he onely threatneth destruction and he preached no longer then three dayes but CHRIST was promised long before by the Oracles of the Prophets often commended by the testimonie of Iohn and his Father proceeding from the same progenitors of whom they gloried he had taught them a good while and wrought many miracles among them he bestowed many benefites vpon many both vpon their soules
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