vigorousnesse in his extreme old age that he confesseth that hee was as lusty at eighty fiue yeeres of age as he was at forty and as sufficient for managing matters of warre or matters of peace as you may see Ioshuah 14. Thus there is a reward with the Lord and a speciall reward for them that cleaue fast vnto the Lord and doe sanctifie him both in their hearts and in their tongues as Peter doth in my Text and will not be carryed away by the example of the multitude to thinke or say as they doe But on the contrary side you know in the Psalme they are condemned who seeing a Thiefe runne with him and are partakers with the Adulterers Yea Saul though he threw neuer a stone at Saint Stephen yet because he kept the clothes of them that stoned him he may be reckoned among the persecutors Yea Moses himselfe that Saint of the Lord at other times so zealous so faithfull so couragious yet because at the waters of Meribah he did not sanctifie the Lord and rebuke the people for their rebellion with that edge and resolution as he ought to haue done is told plainely by God himselfe that he should not enter into the Land of Promise see it he should but put his foote in it he should not See the 20. Chapter of Numbers and the 32. of Deuteronomy Let vs consider of these things Beloued It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God It is a dangerous thing to deale remissely in his businesse who is jealous of his seruice and requireth the whole man If this were done to Moses a greene Tree what shall be done to a dry And if Moses were condemned because he was not so hot as he should haue beene doe they thinke to escape that are key-cold This I say because some thinke that they make Religion beholding to them and God their debtor for euer if they doe not fall away from it as well as others and if they doe not openly blaspheme and raile vpon it though in the meane time they speake neuer a word for it But as God said to Moses I will make thee a greater Nation and a mightier then these though all these should be brought to nought And as Christ said in the Gospell I tell you the truth that if these hold their peace the stones shall speake So we may write vpon it that God is both able and willing to defend his Truth howsoeuer many shall agree to betray it and rather then he will leaue it vnmaintained he will open the mouthes of the dumbe and the children that are yet vnborne shall praise the Lord. In the meane time as it is said in Genesis The Nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I iudge saith God And in the Gospell Woe be to that man by whom offences shall come and especially Woe be to the man by whom the Sonne of man shall be betrayed So let these men-pleasers and place-pleasers know that as they are ashamed to confesse Christ before men so he will not be pleased to confesse them before his Father which is in heauen Gordius the Martyr was of that minde for being exhorted by a friend of his to keepe his conscience to himselfe and not to professe it made answer as Basil writeth that the Truth is not onely betrayed of them that doe plainely forsake it but of them also that will not publikely confesse it Fulgentius was of the same minde Nec immeritò talis seruus abijcitur punitur c. Such a seruant saith he is worthily reiected and punished because by one and the same silence he establisheth error who being forestalled by error or time doth not by meanes of his silence vouch and maintaine the Truth Euen as further saith he he that doth not establish Gods glory doth euacuate it and he that doth not refute and ward the blow of dishonour from God doth no lesse then heape it vpon him Why my Brethren our cause is good it is Gods we haue proued it so to be in hundreds of discourses the times are fauourable we haue the Bride-groome with vs why then should any mans heart faile him ô verè Phrygiae neque enim Phryges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that be in pace Cerui I inuert Tertullians words will they be in praelio Leones will they be as valiant as the Lyon in the day of battell when the wicked compasse them about at their heeles and draw them before Rulers yea and peraduenture to a fiery tryall that shew themselues as fearefull as the Deere in the dayes of peace in Alcyon dayes They feare where no feare is saith the Psalmist the shadow of the mountaines maketh these to feare saith one in the booke of Iudges By the Art of dissembling many thinke they haue great aduantage The Protestant taketh them for theirs for their comming to Church The Romanist theirs because they speake neuer a word against them so they gaine on both sides Wherefore if they should be any thing busie so they call sincere dealing then they should leese such a Gentlemans custome and such a Gentlewomans fauour c. Thus the loue of man casteth out the loue of God and the feare of man casteth out the feare of God But where is Elias euen he himselfe said Elizeus Where is Brutus I would thou wert aliue Brutus it was once written vnder his statue We may say Where is Peter and his spirit He confesseth in my Text and denieth not but saith plainely that there was none worth the looking after but Christ nor no Doctrine worth the harkening after but his It was a great blot to Osius of Corduba his reputation that had beene a faithfull Confessor in the dayes of persecution that following the sway he was seene to be present and an abettor in the Conuenticles of the Arrians and so those other Bishops did themselues most hurt that deserued the imputation of Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All sauing a few followed the time On the other side Paphnutius is much renowned in Story for withstanding the greatest part of the Councell of Nice in a cause of truth wherein he also preuailed And so in these last perilous times Vergerius the Italian and Dalthius the Hungarian and Fricius the Polonian excellent learned men and great Statists and two of them Orators from great Princes deserued no lesse honour though they had not so good successe for Trent Conuenticle would not be like Nice Councell in manfufully proposing and defending many points of Christian Religion euen as they are taught and vrged by vs. They learned it of the Prophet I will speake of thy testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed Or of Saint Peter in my Text who answered boldly and cared not who heard him that Christ was to be followed and he onely Let vs also Beloued be followers of Saint Peter in this point and let this be our first note or lesson To be
not onely they had fauour with their owne people but also they haue beene awed of their very enemies Some haue beene so blessed some few pauci quos aequus amauit Iupiter atque ardens euexit ad aether a virtus sayes the Poet. Some few that haue beene extraordinarily tendered by God and which haue beene mirrors of all vertue and goodnesse Howbeit that you may not thinke the worse of our Hezekiah nor derogate from the perfection of his vertues hereby for that he was inuaded by Sennacherib and not suffered to liue in peace You are to vnderstand that as in naturall and artificiall workings it is not enough that the Agent haue vertue and vigor in it but the patient also or that which it should worke vpon must be rightly disposed and capable of the working as for example How long would it be before you could mould Iron or make mortar of sand or make a piece of dadocke-wood to flame c So likewise for the price and estimation of vertue it is not enough that there be excellency in the doer but there must be some inclination and affection to it in the beholder or witnesse In the great battell that was fought betweene the Romans and the Parthians wherein there were so many thousands of the Romanes so miserably slaine there were twenty Romane Souldiers as Plutarch writeth that fought so valiantly and laid about them so manfully that their enemies that had beene able to hacke them in pieces suffered them to escape thorow the middest of them How so The Parthians were valiant men themselues and therefore no maruell if they honoured valour in other men On the contrary side Proculus a goodly tall man that had gotten the victory of as many as encountred him striking them downe one after another Caligula did not suffer to escape aliue but commanded him to be slaine Why so Caligula was a cowardly wretch himselfe and therefore enuyed the opinion and marke of man-hood in whomsoeuer it was eminent So Xenocrates as the same Plutarch writeth in the life of Phocion was of that reuerend estimation and credit for his wonderfull grauity that they who knew him thought that it was impossible for any to be so carryed away of his passions but euen by the sight of him he should find an alteration in his mind yea and shew some blushing too in his countenance This impression he wrought in others but yet when he came to Antipater with other Ambassadours to waigh him to equity and clemency he could not get as much as a good morrow from him or that he should take him by the hand Why so Antipater was a wicked man the Story sayes and being not vertuous himselfe he had not learned to know vertue in others Hereupon it is found true that was said of the ancient Philosopher that honor is a matter of courtesie and rather in honorante then in honorato And which a learned man of late dayes hath written Quidam laudem merentur quidam habent as though it were not alwayes giuen to whom it is due but others that doe not deserue it will goe away with it sometimes You see therefore that it is not a certaine rule to iudge of mens worth by their renown For although Wisedome and so Vertue and Piety be iustified of her children that is of them that be wise vertuous and godly yet for all that with them that are wicked it is not of that price but contrariwise despised scorned abhorred No maruell then if Hezechiah were not esteemed of Sennacherib according to his vertuous acts all the while Sennacherib was so bad a man as he was first an Idolater then proud then couetous then crafty then puffed vp with successe of his warres else-where c. For the contrary were rather to be maruelled at if darknesse could abide light sowre sweet or euill good The same is to be said to those that are tempted thus to thinke in their hearts Why if our Prince were so peerelesse a Lady as we make her so godly so wise so iust so clement also if the reformation which she hath wrought were according to the Word of God as it is pretended then surely the Lord would haue caused the feare of her to be vpon all the Nations round about vs and no man should be so hardy or so malicious as to assaile vs all the time of her gouernment Answer as the truth is as hath beene partly shewed already that God sometimes for the comfort of his weake ones and that his bounty may be the more sensibly felt euen with carnall hands doth grant peace and quietnesse to his Church and restraine the hearts of Tyrants so that they haue neither power nor heart to doe any euill to his Sanctuary Howbeit this commeth by priuiledge and is not ordinary Againe for some certaine time it is granted but not for ones life Salomon indeed had peace round about for the greatest part of his raigne but had Dauid likewise No he had both his hands full all the dayes of his life and yet who comparable to Dauid So Hezechiah a great part of his raigne was free from any inuasion by the enemy and though his neighbours Lands were on a fire yet in his owne he felt no losse but did he remaine in that securitie No about the middest of his raigne he was brought in ieopardy of his Estate by the Assyrians who could not keepe in any longer the malice that boyled in their brests But some man will say Yet by your leaue Hezechiah was to blame so to prouoke Sennacherib as he did a Prince of farre greater puissance and strength then himselfe for did he not deny him his tribute and so bring vpon himselfe and his people an vnnecessary warre Indeed if it were so Hezechiah was much to blame and Sennacherib was before him not onely for strength of Forces but also for goodnesse of cause and therefore a very euill match made But wel-beloued iudge nothing before the time but iudge with righteous iudgement and as Dauid saith Psalme 40. so say I Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore or afflicted whom God hath visited In the 53. of Esay the godly confesse their fault for iudging Christ to haue beene plagued and smitten of God for his owne sinnes And in the 9. of Iohn the Apostles are told their fault for that they could no sooner see a blind man one that was borne blind but they must presently aske Master who did sinne this man or his parents that he was borne blind The like reproch doth belong vnto vs if we take the like course of mis-iudging either of Hezechiah or of them that be in like case with Hezechiah Hezechiah did not pay him tribute Why Because he did owe him none for if he had owed any then he had sinned in not rendring it according to that of the Apostle Rom. 13. Giue to all men their duty Tribute to whom Tribute Custome to whom yee
causa It is not the punishmeÌ„t it is the cause that maketh a true Martyr For our parts we say vnto them as Optatus doth to their like Nulli dictum est Nega Deum Nulli dictum est Incende Testamentum Nulli dictum est Aut Thus pone aut Basilicas destrue â—stae enim res solent Martyria generare That is To none of them hath it beene said Deny God To none of them hath it beene said Burne the New Testament To none hath it beene said Offer incense or throw downe Churches for these things are wont to engender Martyrdomes Thus Optatus lib. 3. And I pray you is not our cause like to Optatus his and theirs to the Parmenians When haue our Magistrates vrged any of them that haue beene sent from Rome much lesse Recusants to deny God except they make him of Rome to be their God Nay both they and we doe exhort them with all instance to turne from that vanity and to trust in the liuing God Cursed be he that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme So When doe we vrge them to burne the Bible or any part of the Bible Nay this hath beene their fault and sticketh to them for infamy like the Leprosie of Gehezi To set fire vpon the translated Bibles wheresoeuer they could finde them and to burne them by hundreds on an heape yet the worst translation made by our men is founder and more agreeable to the Originall then the Translation of the Seuentie and yet the Apostles themselues suffered the same nay vsed the same as is euident to the Learned so farre were they from defacing it To be short When and where haue our men forced them yea or perswaded either to put Incense vpon the Altar or to throw downe Churches Nay it is their proper guise euen now in the time of the Gospell when shadowes and carnall worship should cease to perfume their Altar and their vestiments and many things that I know not nor care to learne and it hath beene their ordinary practice where they haue beene the stronger to destroy not onely Churches but also as many as haue beene assembled in them to heare Gods Word and to receiue the Sacrament euen bloudily and butcherly with a rage that reached vp to heauen Witnesse the Massacres that they made at Vassey at Merindol and Cabrias in Piemont in Calabria and where not So that we haue great cause to flee from them not onely to goe away and they no cause to flee from vs who neuer thirsted after their blood nor drew it but constrained and in our defence But to what purpose all this Since they whom it concerneth are not here and them that are here it doth not concerne yet as our Sauiour made full account that some of his Auditors would relate vnto Herod what opinion he held of him and therefore said vnto them Goe yee and tell that Fox So we are content that they take information by some of you that we maintaine and are instant that there is cruelty in their side and not in ours and a good cause with vs and not with them and therefore that there is cause why they should returne to vs and no cause in the world why we should turne to them And let so much be spoken of the Question It followeth Simon Peter therefore answered him Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of euerlasting life And we haue beleeued and knowne for we doe beleeue know Heb. that thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God In this answere Saint Peter doth two things First he denyeth flatly that hee or his fellow Apostles haue any such meaning Then he bringeth reasons of their constant adhering to him The denyall is set forth by way of Interrogation for more vehemency sake and containeth in it a reason drawne from the excellency of Christ before other teachers Lord to whom shall we goe meaning there was no Master worth the thinking of in comparison to him and therefore that they were farre from any such purpose The reasons drawne from the excellency of Christ are two The one from the excellency of his Doctrine Thou hast the words of euerlasting life the other from the excellency of his person Thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God Our heart and conscience telleth vs so much therefore we are not men but deuils if we forsake thee To this effect is Saint Peters answer in the name of his fellowes Let vs take the words before vs in order as they lye and first speake of the Interrogation Simon Peter therefore answered him saying Lord to whom shall we goe The first thing that we are to learne out of these words is this namely That truth and a good cause hath alwayes some to maintaine it The Disciples fell away yea many of the Disciples fell away yea they fell away so that they came no more at our Sauiour as the Text hath it but yet hee was not left without witnesse he had the Apostles to beare record to him and to stand for him So the High Priests and the Elders yea and the whole multitude of the Iewes cryed out against him and would not otherwise be satisfied then with his death but Ioseph of Arimathea a Councellour a iust man and a good consented not to their plots and practices Luk. 23. So Obadiah was not carryed away with the streame of the time to kill Gods Prophets and those that worshipped the Lord with holy worship but hid them in Caues and prouided for them though it were with the jeopardy of his head So Ruben though he had sinned before a great sinne and had highly offended God thereby and his father too yet in this no question he pleased both that he dissented from his brethrens bloody designe to murder their bother Ioseph and both disswaded them and deliuered him The like example of constancy and magnanimity appeared in Caleb and Iosuah Numb 14. who opposed themselues not onely to their fellowes being tenne to two but also to the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel being an hundred thousand to one against all they stood boldly for the maintenance of Gods glory in the power of his might and the truth of his promise saying Rebell not against the Lord neither feare yee the people of the Land for they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them and the Lord is with vs feare them not Thus they and this was counted to them for righteousnesse vnto all posterity for euer-more Yea that God that prospered the Midwiues of Egypt for not subscribing to the bloody decree of Pharaoh and his Councellors did also highly aduance these his seruants not onely bringing them into the Land of Promise the place of rest where they would be but also making one of them Generall Captaine ouer his people anâ— giuing him admirable victories and the other also a great man and a mighty and of such
presently rise vp and come among them were they deliuered as soone aâ— they groaned O no The King sent and deliuered Ioseph the Prince of the people let him goe free but when his feet were first hurt in the stockes the yron entred into his soule He was many yeeres in prison first So the Israelites were hardly dealt with in Egypt by their Taske-masters that thâ—y cryed out for the very anguish of their hearts Againe in the Land of the Chaldees they serued tenne Apprentiships before they had leaue to returne to their Countrey This for the faithfull before Christs time As for the faithfull since as God in the 15. of Gen. told Abraham Know this of a surety That thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres and shall serue them and shall be euill intreated but the Nation whom they shall serue will I iudge and afterward they shall come out with great substance So you shall find that the Church had but little peace or rest for the better part of foure hundred yeeres after Christs comming in the flesh and in the later perillous times prophesied of by the Apostles Antichrist had no sooner gotten to high strength which he compassed in Gregorie the seuenths time by superstitious false-hood established in Innocent the third his time by bloody Lawes but the faithfull went to the post and wandred vp and downe hungry and naked and had no dwelling place and were counted as the filth of the world and the off-scowring of all things yea the time was that whosoeuer killed them thought he did God good seruice and this for the most space in a manner that the persecution lasted in the Primitiue time This may suffice to shew Gods patience both towards his seruants and towards his aduersaries The second thing is his Iustice. For although God make a shew as though he were asleepe and saw not what is done as also he sometimes maketh a shew as though he heard not yet for all that at the appointed time he will not faile an inch but comming he will come and will not breake and the iust shall liue by faith but woe be to the wicked it shall be euill with him the reward of his hands shall be giuen him The Lords Seate is prepared for Iudgement and the Lord ruleth ouer all if he whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on Iudgement hee will execute vengeance on his enemies and reward them that hate him Hee will make his arrowes drunke with blood and his sword shall eate flesh c. Deut. 32. This for his Iustice in punishing the wicked as for his Iustice to right the Godly and comforting of them you know what 's written in the 12. Psalme Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighs of the poore I will vp saith the Lord and set at liberty them whom the wicked hath snared It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with him For that the righteous should be euen as the wicked be that farre from God said Abraham Genes 18. In this world many times there seemeth to be but a small difference betweene the deuout and profane the pure and polluted him that sacrificeth and him that sacrificeth not Thus all things seeme to fall out alike to the one and to the other nay the wicked seeme to be the warmer and to haue a greater portion in this life What then is the way of the Lord vnrighteous God forbid nay let God be iust and all men sinners as it is written But this it is The Heauen of Heauens is the Lords and for them to whom it was appointed euen for them that call vpon him in truth and thinke vpon his Commandements to doe them but the earth and the commodities thereof He distributeth without respect of persons euen to them that are his children by creation onely and not by adoption But yet there is a difference betweene the prosperity of the one and the other for the ones is but with anxiety of heart euen in laughter their heart is heauy the others is with cheerefulnesse and ioy in the Spirit the ones is a pledge of the greater preferment in the world to come the others is their whole portion and as if God should say Let them take that and looke for no more the ones is with the blessing of the people who wish they had more the others with their curse and hatred who are grieued that they haue so much Briefly the one flourish but for a time and often fore-see the ruine of their house in their life-time but generally within a few Generations their name is cleane put out but now the other hauing their house built not with blood or oppression but vpon the foundation of Iustice feele no shaking or tottering of it while they liue and when they are to leaue the world they are full of hope that their house shall not be like the grasse on the house tops which withereth before it commeth forth Psalme 129. but that it shall continue for a long season euen for many generations Therefore let not the godly be discouraged because he is kept downe and troad vpon neither yet let the wicked be bragge because their imaginations prosper for God hath not forsaken the earth neither hath he forgotten to doe Iustice but his eyes are ouer the righteous and his eares are open to their prayers as for the wicked his countenance is set against them to roote out the memoriall of them from off the earth God is iust let this content the godly he telleth all their bones so that none of them are broken he hath all their teares in his bottle will right them in due time And that God is iust let this appall the wicked he shall cast vp that which he hath gotten vnlawfully the Lord will draw it out of his belly God ariseth to Iudgement This we haue considered of It followeth To saue all the meeke of the earth It is good to be zealous in a good matter alwayes sayes the Apostle to be wise to doe good and in euill to haue no skill as the Prophet doth intimate So it is good to rise betimes to serue God to doe the workes of righteousnesse of mercy and of our lawfull and honest vocation that is pleasing to God that is well reported of by men Abraham did so he rose vp early in the morning to offer a sacrifice to the Lord which he had prescribed So Iob rose betimes to offer for himselfe and his children The good Lepers blamed themselues for sitting still hauing so good newes to impart to their neighbours touching the great plenty of victuall the Lord had sent them by the running away of the Syrians So the people rose in the morning to come vnto Christ to heare him in the Temple Luke 2. And Lysias the high Captaine caused
be serued with other plate then with earthen to shew how Nobly he was descended The other gaue for his Armes the Wheeles and had this Motto or rather Memento written in his bed-chamber in great letters Willigis Willigis recole vnde veneâ—is O Willigis remember whence thou camest This indeed is the way to become high to be exalted before God and before wise men to be lowly in our owne eyes to confesse that we are wormes and not men that we are sinfull men and not Saints that we are vnworthy the least of Gods mercies and that it is of his mercy onely that we are not consumed For what haue we that we haue not receiued what haue we receiued but we haue corrupted and made worse what haue we corrupted but for the same we deserue to be called to account yea to be cast forth of Gods house asvnprofitable seruants And is it a time then for vs to be high-minded or to feare to be lofty or to be humble This is certaine Christ came not to call the righteous those that in the pride of their heart thinke themselues to be such much lesse to reward them much lesse to crowne them but sinners penitent and humble sinners to faithfull repentance and consequently to saluation They that are whole need not the Physician care not for the Physician but they that are sicke and are heauy laden and bowed downe with the burden of their sinnes they cry out in great humility God be mercifull to me a sinner Those the Lord receiueth into grace and maketh them to sit at his right hand and giueth them a name in his house better then of sonnes and daughters as the Prophet speaketh Now as we are to thinke meanely of our selues in respect of Sanctity if we will be found in Christ not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is by the faith of Iesus Christ by which onely we can attaine vnto Gods Kingdome So we must beware that we take not too much vpon vs in respect of knowledge you know that knowledge puffeth vp 1. Cor. 8. And Iob Let men feare God for he will not regard any that are wise in their owne conceits And Nazianzen Whatsoeuer I know by my selfe I know nothing better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wiselyer then others except some thinke this to be my wisedome to know that I am not wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither doe I come neere true wisedome Thus Nazianzen And he had it from Saint Paul 1. Cor. 3. If any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise Neither did Saint Paul make a rule for others onely and not for himselfe as the manner of the world is to lay heauy imputations vpon others and to exempt themselues no but as he strippeth himselfe of all opinion of righteousnesse 1. Timoth. 1. saying there that of sinners he was chiefe So to the Corinthians he disclaimeth all credit for knowledge for humane knowledge saying I esteeme to know nothing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified Thus Saint Paul iudged himselfe that he might not be iudged of the Lord to be arrogant And who would not propose to himselfe his example to follow rather then those proud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as Sir Thomas Moore writeth of in an Epistle to Dorpius who take vpon them to be ripe in those things which they neuer heard nor read Doubtlesse many there bee that might haue attained to knowledge but that they thought they had attained it already as Seneca saith And therefore modesty and humility are good meanes through Gods blessing to aduance men to learning But to recount what we haue done in this later part and to proceed to that which remaines You haue heard Saint Peter promise on Gods behalfe that he will exalt those that humble themselues whether it be in matter of piety and vertue before God or in learning or skill before men Now some will say peraduenture we see not the accomplishment of these promises for how many modest and humble men be there and euer haue beene that haue wanted preferment nay that haue wrestled with great extremities Were not the Christians in the Primitiue time vnder Heathen Princes and in the later perillous times vnder Antichrist kept vnder the hatches for hundreds of yeeres Did not they hunger and thirst and were naked wandred vp and downe in sheep-skins goat-skins as it were and had no dwelling place and were counted as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things Call you this exaltation or aduancement Hic pietatis honos sic nos in Sceptra reponis I answere or rather Saint Peter answered for me in the one word of my Text which is as yet vntouched 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in due time they shall be exalted The Kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation saith our Sauiour Luke 17. And it is not for men to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power said he againe Though it stay yet wait thou for it shall surely come and not stay as the Prophet speakes Knowne to God from the beginning are all his workes and best knowne vnto him are the best times of working Peraduenture wee shall not enioy our selues the Land or preferment that is promised to vs As Abraham got not himselfe in the Land of Canaan the breadth of a foot yet our posterity may haue it Peraduenture we shall be in trouble and heauinesse till our old age as Iacob was the greatest part of his time and then we may be prouided for to our content as Iacob was in the Land of Gosen Peraduenture we shall be oppressed by Tyrants diffamed by slanderers held in bands and imprisonment by vnrighteous Iudges yet when the time appointed shall come the Lord will cause their truth to appeare as the light and their righteousnesse as the Noone-day The King will send and deliuer them the Prince of the people will let them goe free He dealt so with Ioseph And did he not deale so with Daniel Also with Paul and Silas in the 16. of the Acts Well be it that you should be in continuall trouble and anxiety all your life long that you should be clapt vp in a Dungeon fast bound in fetters and iron and that you had none to comfort you and that none cared for your soule yet if Christ shall cause his heauenly light to shine into your habitation the light of the Gospell I meane If hee shall reueile himselfe vnto you and cause the scales of ignorance to fall from your eyes and especially the shackles of impiety and iniquity to fall from your hands and hearts you are no longer losers but gainers no longer of low and base condition but highly preferred and exalted Let the brother of low degree reioyce in that he is exalted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint
shift for themselues by flight before they had put their Generall Sertorius in safety So the Galles had their Soldurios that is deuoted men which vowed to liue and dye with their Lord as Bodin out of antiquity doth gather So the French Protestants are much commended by the equall for that they bâ—stowed the young Princes of Nauarre and Condie in a strong Castle out of gun-shot before they hazarded the great battell of Moncounter The King is so to the Common-weale as the helme is to the shippe or rather as the shippe is to the passengers while the shippe is safe there is hope to recouer the land be we neuer so farre from it though the Sea and winds doe neuer so much swell and rage but if the Shippe sinke or be dashed on the rockes there remaineth nothing but a fearefull looking for of drowning and destruction Therefore the safety of the King being the safety of all what maruell if the Prophet begin with Kings and aduise them to looke about them This may be one cause Another this We know that there is no cloth that doth so kindely take the colour that the Dyer would staine it with as the people are apt to imitate the guize and carriage of their Prince the similitude is not mine but Nazianzens therefore because the conuerting of him is the conuerting of hundreds at a clap and his auersenesse or stiffenesse the auersenesse or standing out of multitudes this also may be thought to be a cause why he beginneth with Kings When was there a good King in Iuda for there were but few in Israel after that Ephraim departed from the house of Dauid that sought the Lord with all his heart but he drew the people to be well-giuen at the least-wise in comparison On the other side when was there a wicked King that did set set vp Idols in his heart or worshipped the Hoast of heauen or burnt incense vnto Baal but the people were as forward and as sharpely set vpon Idolatry as he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The subiect is wont to emulate and imitate the life of his Gouernour or Prince saith one Historiographer and another Princeps quum Imperio maximus sit exemplo maior est that is Be the Prince neuer so great for command yet he commandeth most by his example It is somewhat strange Circumcision is a painefull thing specially in them that are out of their Infancy it may be gathered hereby for that the Turkes vsing it at this day vpon their children being of sâ—me yeeres doe vse such dissembling towards them for the circumstance of the time when they doe it and yet when the King of Sichem had yeelded thereunto the whole City followed So Diodorus writeth of the Aethiopians that when their King had caught some mayme or marke in any part ofhis body the manner was for all his Fauorites to maime or marke themselues in the same part Is it not written of Rehoboam expressely that when he forsooke the Lord all Israel did so with him Also is it not to be obserued in the Ecclesiasticall Story that when Iulian fell from Christ vnto Paganisme Valens in stead of the truth imbraced a lye the vile Heresie of the Arians a great part of the Empire did so likewise On the other side when Iosiah serued the Lord with all his heart all Iuda did so all his dayes And when Constantine the great and Theodosius the great gaue themselues to aduance the faith of Christ and to purge out the old leauen of Heathenisme there was such a change in the Empire on the sudden that Zosimus and Eunapius being Pagans doe much complaine thereof in their writings therefore me thinkes Fulgensius speaketh to good purpose and agreeable to true experience that although Christ dyed indifferently for all the faithfull yet the conuerting of the mighty Ones of the world is of speciall seruice to winne soules vnto Christ. Hee doth symbolize with that learned Writer that allegorizng vpon those words of Saint Iohn touching the taking of so many great Fishes doth congratulate vnto the Church the happy conuerting of Princes because by their conuetsion many were brought vnto Christs Fold Yea Plutarch a Heathen man saw in a manner as much touching the great force that is in the example of Princes for he in the life of Dio speaking of Plato his sayling into Sicily to doe some good vpon King Dionysius maketh this to be the speciall motiue for that the reforming of the King would be the reforming of the whole Iland So then the Kings piety and sound perswasion being as effectuall for the winning of the soules of his subiects as his bodily safety is auaileable for the conseruing of their worldly estates Our Psalmist without doubt had great reasâ—on to doe as he doth to begin with Kings This may suffice for the naturall placing of the words and withall touching the incomparable good that redoundeth to the common Estate by the Kings piety and safety I come now more closely to the Duty of Kings for of that onely and of the touch of the time Now which shall be for application I shall speake at this time Be wise now therefore O Kings Two kindes of wisedome are required in Kings and Princes wisedome or knowledge in Gods matters otherwise called Diuinity and wisedome or knowledge in matters of the world otherwise called Prudence or Policy Both are contained in the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifieth also good successe to note that God many times crowneth pious prudence prudent piousnes with many a temporall blessing Both are not onely for ornament like the two Pillars that Salomon put in the Porch of the Temple but also for speciall vse like the hands of Aaron Hur which did support the armes of Moses for the discomfiture of the Amalekites For if they be pious only in Gods matters be not otherwise prudent then they are fitter for the Common-weale of Plato then for the corrupt estate of Romulus for the Cloister then for the Court Againe if they be prudent or politicke onely be not pious then they are fitter to be Kings of Babel where dwelleth confusion then of Hierusalem where Gods glory is seene and more rightly to be called the children of this world which goeth to nought and perisheth then the children of God who loue truth in the inwards and caâ—e for none but for such as worship him from a pure heart with a good conscience Well they must bee Diuines as it were this is first required I say not in profession but in knowledge they must know God the onely Lord and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ they must know Christ and him crucified and the power of his Crosse and vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions that they may be conformable vnto his death they must separate and distinguish truth from error cleane from vncleane right from
them we must not be euery one a wolfe to his neighbour according to the Prouerb Homo homini Lupus but euery one as it were a God vnto him Homo homini Deus forasmuch as God hath made all of one blood to dwell vpon the face of the earth And as the Prophet saith Haue we not all one Father hath not one God made vs why doe we transgresse euery one against his Brother c This much and a great deale more we are to learne hereby that the Son of God is our maker Now from his Diuine estate acts the Apostle riseth higher to his Diuine Nature and Person in these words Who being the brightnes of his glory and the expresse Image of his Person c. The Iesuits that write the life of their Founder Ignatius Loiola report that Christ forsooth appeared to him at the Eleuation as he was at Masse in a Church at Venice as I remember and there he discerned the Hypostaticall vnion of two natures in Christ and the reall distinction of the three Persons in the God-head Doe you beleeue them Noâ— nor I thinke their owne disciples doe beleeue them more in this than they beleeue their Saint Thomas of Aquine telling them that the Crucifixe commended him in these words Bene scripsisti de me Thoma Thomas thou hast written well of me well for their kitchin but not well for their conscience for the edifying of it in holy faith in holy doctrine Miserable companions was it not enough for them to be grieuous to men but they must grieue our God also Esay 7.13 was it not enough for them to beguile the people with lying vanities but they must abuse them also with lying miracles or apparitions saying with the lying old Prophet 1 Kings 13. An Angell spake vnto me in the word of the Lord when there was no such matter and with the false Prophets Ieremy 23. I haue dreamed I haue dreamed But what saith the true Prophet in the same place The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame let him deliuer it for a dreame and for no better and hee that hath my Word let him speake my Word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord God hath no need neither doth he like that one should make a lye for his sake Iob 13. Neither that his truth should abound to his glory by any mans lye Rom. 3. This one part of my Text doth more clearely open the truth and may more soundly settle our consciences than a thousand Legend-tales The Apostle saith that Câ—rist is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the brightnes of his glory It is well translated as well as it might be in so few words but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth somewhat more than brightnesse euen such a bright thing as hath a lustre cast vpon it from some other thing For as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie the act or quality of singing but a song the song it selfe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie the act or quality of imagining but the thing that appeareth to the imagination â—pectâ—um visum so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the thing that hath brightnesse in it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that which receiueth his brightnesse from another So then now you see what a fit word the Apostle made choice of euen such an one as then which none could haue beene deuised by many yeeres study more pregnant to expresse the euerlasting generation of the Sonne of God For though Christ be the true light that enlightneth euery one that commeth into the world yet as he iâ— the second Person in the Trinity hâ— hath this light of his Father and he is as God of God so light of light euen a light springing from the Father For this cause he is called by Saint Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Day-spring or Sunne-rising yea he is called so by Philo the Iew in his booke of the câ—nfusion of tongues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Father of the world Gr. the Father of things that be made his Sonne to spring forth or arise as the morning or Sunne doth a strange testimony of one that was borne Iew and dyed Iew. For though Hierome doth reckon him among Ecclesiasticke writers yet we doe not finde that he ioyned himselfe to the Church of God or turned Christian But the truth is that he liued in the time that the Apostles did and therefore might learne of them to write more piously as Theodoret I remember doth obserue that the Philosophers that wrote after the Gospell was promulgated did correct many of their errors and euery where inserted many Sentences sauoring of truth and godlinesse But to returne to Christ the true Light He sprang from the Father but not as our light doth from the Sunne in time but before all beginnings neither yet as a quality our light is a quality but as being a substance and the Authour of all substance being neither was he euer separated from the Father as the light of the Moone is separated at the least to our appearance from the Sunne in the night and the light of the Sunne from the Moone in the day but He is and was alwayes in the Father and the Father in him and both in the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost in both Vnum non vnus tres non tria that is One thing not one Person three in number not three in nature So saith Prosper Aquitanicus that worthy Scholler of that excellent Master Augustine Cum Pater in Veâ—bo sit semper in Patre Verbum Sitque iâ—â—m Verbi spiritus atque Patris Sic de persoxis tribus est tibi non dubitandumV num vt docta fides confiteare Deum that is For as much as the Father is alwayes in the Word and the Word in the Father and one and the same Spirit common both to the Word and to the Father thou must in such O learned faith he meaneth a man that hath a learned faith be farre from doubting of the three Persons that thou doe confâ—sse one God So said Nazianzen before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I doe no sooner think vpon one but I am compassed about with the light of three I doe no sooner distinguish the three Persons but I am brought backe vnto one God-head So before them both Iustine Martyr or a learned ancient man bearing his nâ—me in the best times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Sonne being a light shone forth out of light by way of generation The holy Ghost being also a light went forth out of light not by way of generation but of proceeding So Mathew of Vandome though he liued in a very corrupt age yet that you may acknowledge it to be true which the Apostles affirme Acts 14. Euen that that is verified of the later times of
by the sword of the enâ—my or by handling their owne sword dastardly or vnskilfully Againe many haue lost that for want of gold which they got by the sword euen children can instance these points Therefore as Ioseph is commended for his good husbandry in that he gathered together an infinite deale of corne and layd vp the same in store-houses against the yeeres of deaâ—th And as Calebs daughter is commended for her good huswifery in that she would not suffer her husband to be content with the fields allotted vnto him but she would needs begge of her father the springs of water for the continuall watering of the same Briefly as on the other side Hezekiah is commended for his good policy that he caused the people to stop all the fountaines and the riuer that ran thorow the middest of the Country that the enemy might be distressed for want of water So if we will not haue the riuer of our hope turned away by the enemy nor otherwise dryed vp if we meane either to win or to saue we must be willing most willing to furnish the State with store of treasure before-hand that there be â—o want when time requireth I confesse that Eusebius reporteth of Constantius Chlorus that he should say that he cared not to haue treasure in his owne coffers all the while his friends his louing subiects had money in their coffers or purses because he could command the same But I thinke it was spoken more confidently than prouidently for howsoeuer it may be as certain that is in friends hands as if it were in our own yet it is not so ready and that euen Constantius himselfe did find for he was faine to detaine with him the Embassadours of Dioclesian to whom he vttered that confident speech for a good time before he could amasse that together that was worth the shewing as is to be seene in the same Eusebius So it is Quod à multis fit negligenter fit It is commonly said that is That which is to be done by many hands it will be long before it be done and so that which is to be gathered from many hands will be long in gathering If any thing be to be receiued we striue who shall be foremost fearing all will be gone before we come but if any thing be to be layed out we striue to be hindmost hoping the burthen will be borne before we come Now by this staggering and looking one vpon another as Iacobs sonnes are said to haue looked one vpon another when they knew not what to doe for want of corne there hapneth delay and delay proueth many times dangerous Neither is that in the 17. of Deut. Where Moses sayth The King shall not gather vnto him much siluer and gold against that which is proiected for in that place not so much the hauing as the coueting nor the coueting simply as to couet with an euill couetousnesse to set our nests on high as the Prophet speaketh to couet to bestow vpon our lusts as Saint Iames speaketh to couet to make ostentation of our wealth as Hezekiah did and by his example Aquinas doth explicate Moses Lastly to couet and to gather by extreme exactions such as Rehoboam would haue vsed and Marcus Antonius de facto did vse imposing vpon Asia two maine Tributes in one yeere who therefore was told but mannerly and perswasiuely not rudely that if he would haue two such Tributes in one yeere he must help them to two Haruests in one yeere But English Tributes moderate Tributes such I say as haue these three properties intimated by the very Etymon of the three Chaldee words signifying Tribute Ezra 4. Mindah belo halac namely that first they be Mindah that is in a measure and moderate according to Saint Pauls rule Make your Collection as God shall haue prospered you 1 Cor. 16. And as it is in the 11. of the Acts They decreed to send to the Brethren that dwelt in Iudea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is According to euery ones store Secondly they must be halac that is goe ouer the Land in generall without partiality according to Saint Pauls rule Againe 2 Cor. 8. Not that others should be eased and you pressed or wringed but that there be an equality Lastly they must be Belo that is inueterate or ancient so farre and so long as the common State requireth no more For salus Regis salus Reipub. salus Reipub. summa Lex that is The safety of the King is the safety of the Common-weale the safety of the Common-weale is a Law aboue all Lawes such Tributes I say Customes Subsidies Fifteenes call them how you will are as necessary many times to vphold a State as the outward ayre which we drawe-in is necessary for respiration and for the refreshing of the vitals as the blood in the veines is necessary for the conseruing of life It was said in old time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is You may not define and stint the charges of warre And the like may be said of the charge of a King and Kingdome that they can hardly be rated or stinted Besides those that are ordinary albeit who can recite halfe the ordinary charges of either how much are they forced many times to bestow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vpon the secret purposes and aduantages of the State as Pericles brought in his account to the Athenians how much in exploratores as Consalvus brought in his account to his master of Spaine witnesse Arnold Ferron Now in these cases is it for Sophocles his sonnes to implead as it were their father for dilapidating or are wee not rather to request him with all instance as Saint Paul was requested 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his sonnes whom he had begotten in the Gospell that he would receiue a blessing of vs and are we not to yeeld willingly to bestowe and to be bestowed againe as the same Apostle speaketh for his sake Lastly I grant that when the holy father of Rome I call him holy as the falling-sickenesse is called an holy sickenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made this argument namely The Church of Rome is mother to the Church of England and consequently I said he the father thereof therefore since children are not to suffer their parents to want you must supply me with two Prebends out of euery Cathedrall Church with two portions out of euery Religious house c. I say when he made this argument vnto them they denyed the argument and contradicted his agents And no maruell for as when Rabshakeh bragged that his Lord the King of Assyria had preuailed against such a God and such a God and the other God Hezechiah answered Truth for they were not Gods but the worke of mens hands so say I that the English had great reason to deny to ayde the father of Rome and the Church of
a place of celestiall pleasure and celestiall plenty plenty that neuer faileth and pleasures for euer-more And thus haue you our Meditations on the Text. A word more of this present occasion we haue done When I was appointed by this right Reuerend and Honorable Prelate to this seruice I found him declining any Encomium of his pr aises for well knew he what Austin hath and what hath Augustine or any of the Fathers that he knew not That the soule receiued among the blessed regardeth not the commendations of men Imitationem tantùm quaerit it liketh their imitation better But as the Elders of the Iewes to Christ in another case on the Centurions behalfe He is worthy thou shouldest doe this for him for he hath loued our Nation and built vs a Synagogue he is worthy to be remembred of vs for he loued our Nation id est vs Ministers and he furnished your Synagogues your Churches with the plentifull preaching of the Gospell The same which moued Israel so honourably to interre that good high Priest Iehoiada is our cause this day For he did good in Israel both towards God and towards his house Ye daughters of Israel weepe ouer him who clothed you in scarlet with other delights and put on ornaments of gold vpon your apparell Two singular ornaments crowned him which seldome meete in one man Learning and Humility Learning the ornament of his mind and humility the ornament of his learning Iulius secundus studying long for an Exordium to his matter was asked by Iulius Florus Nunquid tu melius dicere vis quà m potes I haue matter if I must fit it with speech I must speake better than in this cantle of time I can speake Therefore lest I should Frigidè laudare which Fauorinus liketh not I le giue it you in grosse considering his much reading with the happinesse of his memory how well acquainted with Histories Ecclesiasticall and profane with the Iewish Rabbins and the Christian Doctors with Diuines ancient and moderne with Fathers Greeke and Latin how perfect in the Greeke the Hebrew the Chaldee the Syriacke and the Arabicke tongues I am bold to affirme that there are few so learned men vnder heauen One monument of his learning haue we for which the age now doth and the children vnborne shall blesse his memory That he began with others but finished alone with one of the greatest and most learned Bishops of the Church of England set forth the new and most exact translation of the Bible wherein as it was said of Ierome for translating the Septuagint into the Dalmatian tongue he deliuered the Scriptures suae linguae hominibus to Englishmen in English The sole merit of which worke preferred him to this place of gouernment in the Church For with Basilius Magnus Non ex maioribus sed ex propria virtute Nobilitatem duxit He eennobled himselfe with his owne worth and vertue And touching his Humility as it was said of Piso so more truely of him Nemo fuit qui magis quae agenda erant curaret sine vlla ostentatione agendi No man did more good than he with lesser shew of ostentation How he decked himselfe inwardly with lowlinesse of minde and did put himselfe vnderneath himselfe euery one that knew him knew On a time and many such I could tell you a poore Minister sending in to speake with him abruptly he brake off a most serious discourse saying But the Minister must not stay lest we should seeme to take state vpon vs. Therein imitating that great and inuincible Supporter of the Faith of one Substance Athanasius of whom Nazianzene writeth that being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 growne to a super excellent height of vertue yet was he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easie of accesse and facile to entertaine the poore mans suit When in his sickenesse one hoped for his recouery he gaue the answer that Saint Ambrose gaue to the Nobles of Millaine that desired him to pray for life Non ita inter vos vixi vt pudeat me viuere nec timeo mori quoniam Dominum bonum habemus I haue not so liued among you that I am ashamed to liue neither am I afraid to dye because our Lord is good How he perseuered in the truth you shall heare Some few dayes before his death in the presence of a worthy and truely Noble Knight I heard him discourse sweetly of the Certainty of Saluation and of Perseuerance in Grace comfortable truths so much opposed by Papists Arminians and carnall Gospellers And in conclusion he did affirme That he which holds the Protestants doctrine and faith herein hath built his house vpon the Rocke and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against him Not many houres before his departure for as Ambrose of Acholius non obijt sed abijt I found him as mee seemed victorious vpon some conflict and Quis Sanctorum sine certamine coronatur What Saint was euer crowned but vpon a combat saith Saint Ierome I drew neere his bed he reached for my hand and greezed it and now you see the cause of my choise saying I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that Day This occasioned some thing concerning relyance vpon God by Faith yea said he I had fainted vnlesse I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the liuing Mention being further made of Faith and Hope and of their obiect But saith he againe in Dauids words The mercies of the Lord are from generation to generation on them that feare him Mercy brought in thoughts of Christ oh saith he in the words of that holy Martyr None but Christ None but Christ. Being told how preciously the Lord esteemeth the death of such he replyed Right deare Right deare in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Some prayers made for him vpon his desire at conclusion he said Amen I thanke God Amen enough enough Amen I thanke God They write of Lanfrancus sometime Archbishop of Canturbury that he often prayed and obtained to dye such a death that neither hindered speech nor memory this blessing God afforded our Reuerend Bishop for as I am certified by one most deare to him and worthy to be beleeued when he was leauing this life he looked on her and on the rest of his children in the chamber present and said Christ blesse you all And like that old Patriarke Iacob he moued himselfe vpon the bed and cryed Christ Iesus helpe and so Christ tooke him and conclamatum est His soule is now at rest his name is among the Worthies of the Church his estate is with his children and now are we to returne his body to the dust from whence it was taken The best fruits shew their goodnesse when they haue lyen let him lie a while and mellow let vs