this Christian euerie true Christian must thus arme watch stand run wrestle resist striue fight and ouercome The vse of the doctrine is to encite al the seruāts of the Lord to be Martialists to be souldiers in this wicked world Our life is militia Vse we haue an oath sacramentū militiae we haue an armour Armaturam militiae we haue a place locum militiae we haue a combat luctam militiae we haue a reward coronam militiae our dāgers diuerse our conflicts mightie our adversaries many Cic. pro Arch Poet. Nihil horū ora vultus mouerunt within vs guilty consciences oppressing vs before vs trapps for our destruction to ensnare vs behind vs memorie of sinns past to torture vs ouer our heads the wrath of God to terrifie vs vnder our feet the dungeon of damnation to entrappe vs the flesh insulting the world triumphing the deuil tempting sinne slinging Nihil horum ora vultusque mouerunt Wel my beloued at the length Arise arme your selues fight the Lords battels Alexander the yonge Prince did more earnestly desire to learn because Arist the Prince of Philosophers taught him And the souldiers did more streniously fight because that the renowned Alexander did lead them Beloued your Arist is Alexander your Alexander is Christ hee doth teach you to fight and doth fight to teach you In him yee are Conquerours by him yee are more then Conquerours Neuer did any Conquerour so victoriously if you fight as ye haue him for an example The Philistin with his speare the Israelite with his slinge the Indian with his darre the Persian with his bow the Schithian with his launce the Mirmadon with his strength was neuer able to be so powerfull in conflict as thou mayst bee And as the conflict is victorious so the victorie is as glorious neuer had Moses such a victorie ouer the Caananits Ioshua ouer 31. kingly Captaines Israel ouer the Philistins Dauid ouer the Amalekits Alex. ouer the Barbariās Themistocles ouer the Persians Aemilius ouer the Macedonians Marcellus ouer the Sithiās or Scipio ouer the Carthaginians as thou maist thy selfe obtaine by thy Christ O thē who would not in a spiritual ambitiō desier so to triūph so to Celebrat his Trophies But yet if any wil desire this let him remember the tenour of his knights seruice is the Crosse and as the Romans coulde not come to the temple of honour but by the Temple of vertue so hee by noe meanes can come to the Crowne but by the Crosse Hee must come to fight before hee fight to ouercome He must ouercome the world the deuil the flesh in the world he must ouercome himselfe a little world in himselfe he must ouercome his tongue a world of wickednes himselfe a little world in the great worlde his tongue a great worlde in that little world a world of wickednesse Iames 3.6 If he can ouercome the world and himselfe he shal be able to ouercome tribulation anguish persecution famine nakednesse perill sword life death angels principalities powers things present or things to come height or depth or any other creature especially if he be able to ouercome to hold fast til C. come For the promise is made to him that ouercometh and keepeth my workes to the end and so J end this point come to shew that wee must ouercome to the end Not the hearers but the the doers of the lawe are iustified Rom. 2.13 2. Obs 1. part Not the doers for a time but the continuers beyond time the faithful vnto the death Reu. 2.10 Many herd C who vnderstood him not so the vulgar Iewes many vnderstood him who beleued him not so the Scribes Pharises many beleeued him who profest him not so the Hypocrite many professed him for a time but after fel away so the Apostats This answereth al Iewes-Scribes Pharisais Hypocrits Apostates hee that keepeth my workes to the end Not heareth but keepeth not words but workes not for a time but to the ende hee that keepeth my woorkes to the end to him and to none but to him It was a brutish speach of Brutus Liuy Te colui virtus vt rem ast tu nomen inane es that Pietie Honestie Religion bee but names for Christ here makes a sufficient explication of his will in these words Hee that keepeth my workes vnto the ende giueth the name and nature the words and workes affections and actions al that is to be performed The in vndation of hipocrisie hath almost drowned the world how many good woordes in the world how sewe good workes how many bee like Christians yet noe Christians like Professours yet no Professors of whom the obseruatiō of Guicciardine maie be true Caesar Borgia and his father Pope Alexander the 6 had a prouerb fastened on them by the Italians of that time Guicc lib. 5. that the one of thē neuer thought as he spake and the other neuer spake as hee thought Many are like to Panarches aenigma to the Poets Hermaphrodites Athaen Dipnosoph to the Grammarians Participles to Banacles which are fish and noe fish foule and noe foule many are outward not inward Christians extra mittendo non intramittendo by profession not by practise by sight not by faith God requireth the externe and interne soule bodie hart and face words and works hee requireth that his seruaunt shoulde not onlie keepe the waies of the Lord Gen. 18.19 and the couenants of the Lorde 1. Kings 11.11 and the commandements of the Lorde Neh. 1.5 and the Sabaoths of the Lord Levit. 26.2 and the ceremonies of the Lord 1. Kings 2.3 and the iudgements of the Lord Esec 18.19 the statuts of the Lord Ps 119.5 and the words of the Lord Rev. 22.7 but here the works of the Lord which Hugo expresseth to be mandata the precepts or as he expresseth himselfe the practise of the precepts of the Lord. In which words to keepe my works hee ioineth faith works togither to keepe credendo my works faciendo to keep by beleeuing to expresse by practising For the Gospel is not a doctrine of libertie Epicurisme or sensualitie but a Gospel of exact action perfection not a gospel of beleeuing only but of liuing not of Theorie onlie but of practique consisting not in hearing but doing not in affecting but an effecting faith So that hence J obserue this doctrine that true Christianitie must be manifested in a liuely effectual Doct. powerful practise otherwise our faith is no faith our faith must differ from the only knowing faith of the Deuils for that is Historical from the bragging faith of the Iewes for that is Pharisaicall from the bare faith of Hypocrits for that is vneffectuall from the fained faith of the Apostates for that is but Temporall from the false faith of the Papists for that is phantasticall A doctrine verie needful in these our times where in works are changed into words walking into talking hands into tongues harts into eares which
Praelium praemium THE CHRISTIANS WARRE and rewarde A SERMON PREACHED before the Kings Maiestie at VVhitehall the 3. of May. 1608. BY DANIELL PRICE Master of Arts of Exeter Colledge and Chapleyn in ordinarie to the PRINCE Vincenti dabitur OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnes 1608. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD THE LORD Arch-bishop of Canterburie his Grace Primat and Metrapolitan of all England one of his Maiesties most Honorable priuie Counsel the right worthy Chauncelour of the famous Vniuersitie of Oxford MOst reverend religious rightly honourable so small a present for so great a Patrone is not tollerable by the rule of proportion especiallie when so great weaknesse lyeth open to the eie of so great worthinesse My apprehension at the first conceited mee so strongly that I designed this to aternal oblivion resolved that it shoulde haue dyed and beene buried in the place it first breathed but fearing lest an action of presumption would bee commenced against mee for burying so poore an Orphan in so princely a place as the Kings Chappel I adventured to lay it in the graue of the presse wrapping it in these sheetes as in a Syndon mantling it on a sable letter as in a hearse and yet after foure aates pressing to death it revived and is crept to present it selfe vnto your Grace presuming that as you affoorded it gratious attention at the preaching so you will affoord it gratious acception in the printing If there bee anie thing worthy Patronadge in it or in mee I humbly prostrate it reioycing much I may tender any observāce vnto him whom his roiall Maiestie the gracious Queene my Princely Master the noblest Personadges the greatest schollers both the Vniversities the Church Commō wealth arts and schooles doe for his studies conferences labours imploymēts acknowledge reverence and preferre to the Confluence of all honour I must confesse it had manie verie honorable friends who desired after the preaching to bee acquainted with it but I was then doubtful whether I should publish it or no somtimes dissolving it sometimes resolving for it til now at length I haue adventured to let it see the sunne It is the first tender of my dutie and the first dedication frō our Vniversity Presse since the time your Grace was pleased to entertaine the protection of vs. The Lord preserue your Grace to continue for manie and manie yeeres that the Church may long enioie so worthie a Piller the Common wealth so wise a Counseller and this famous Vniversity so honourable a Chauncellour Exeter Coll. this 19. of June 1608. Your Graces in all humble dutie DANIELL PRICE The Text. Revel 2.26 He that overcommeth keepeth my works to the ende to him will I giue power over nations THE whole booke of God writtē by his finger deliuered by his power inspired by his spirit and revealed by his will is as Cassiodore obserueth Schola coelest is eruditio vitalis auditorium veritatis disciplina singularis profitable to teach to instruct to reproue to correct that the man of God may be perfect in al good works whatsoeuer is contained in this booke God hath reuealed to man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secretum relatum nay not only relatum but revelatum The whole booke from Genesis to the Reuelation is the Genesis of a Revelation here beginneth the Exodus the end termination complement accomplishment of the Reuelation Iob may conceaue Secreta Dei Iob. 11.6 Daniel may obserue abscondita Dei Dan. 2.22 The Apostle may discerne profunda Dei 1. Cor. 2.10 And Paule wrapped vp to the thirde heauens may heare arcana Dei 2. Cor. 12.4 But now secreta profunda arcana abscondita be revelata The Aenigma is disclosed the knot vnloosed the mysteries interpreted the vaile remoued all things reuealed he that was vailed in the flesh is reuealed in the spirit and in this booke is the manifestation of our God of his will of the Lambe and of his life of the spirit and of his truth of his seales trumpets angels viols thunders lightnings threatnings iudgements of heauē hel the earth the sea consumption destruction dissolution desolation and final consumation of the world Jf the whole Scripture may bee called the Librarie of the holy Ghost then this is the Closet of that librarie if the Lanthorne of Jsrael then this is the light of that Lanthorne if the Alphabet of God then this is then of that Alphabet this is the ende of his booke who is the beginning and the end the last of his book who is the first and the last the Ω of his booke who is α and Ω the Amen of his booke who is yea and Amen The holyest place not more worthily called sanctum sanctorum or the Iubile Sabbatum sabbatorum or the Canticles Cantica Canticorum or Empireum Coelū Coelorum I say not more truely called so then this Revelatio Revelationum the Compendium and Epitome of all the works wonders secrets depths and misteries of God so that as a father well speaketh of the whole scripture Hugo I may also in particular speake of this Apocalips pascit miraculis oraculis figuris verbis mysterijs Greg. Morall And as Manna as Gregory obserueth habet omne delectamentum omnis saporis suauitatem so I may speake of this booke of the Reuelation which is the hid Manna kept long in the Arke inter arcana and now manifested among Reuelata O then come and see and see heare and taste how good and sweete this Manna is it wil giue to euerie man his gust rellish if yee be ignorant here yee may be instructed if weak heare yee may be strengthned if feareful here ye may be hartened if fighting here yee may be comforted if triumphing here yee maie be crowned and more thē this here is the greatest blessing pronounced that ever was to anie booke Blessed is he that readeth Revel 1. he that heareth and he that vnderstandeth and hee that keepeth the words of this booke Out of this book out of that Manna of this booke haue J chosen this portion of scripture as a portion of meate in due season which if you wil staye till J haue prepared it for you J will present it to bee panem nostrum hodiernum or rather panem nostrum quotidianum He that overcometh and keepeth my workes to the end to him wil I giue power ouer nations what subiect more sit for Heroicall spirits then an encitement to chiualtrie nay what subiect maie speake of a fitter subiect before a most royal King then of a kingdome Beholde both these in this Hee that ouercometh c. Hee that ouercometh here a christian is made a conquerour and keepeth my woorks to the end hereof a Conquerour he is made a Continuer J wil giue him power ouer nations hereof a Continuer he is made a king He that ouercometh here hee is approued a Christian and keepeth my woorkes
here hee is a Catholike I will giuâ— him power over nations here he is DefeÌ„der of the faith A Conquerour a Continuer a King a Christian Catholike Defender of the faith In a woorde in these woords ye shal finde a Conflict a Conquest Martyres miserie Saints dignitie the state of seruants in this life laborious the state of Saints in the life to coÌ„e glorious a precept to take vp the Crosse a promise of the Crowne an exhortation from God to man a CoÌ„pensation for man from God All this in these wordes hee that ouercometh and keepeth my woorkes to the ende I will giue him power ouer nations Obserue breefly these 2 parts praelium pramium Diuis praelium admortem praemium advitam a warre and a rewaâ—d warre to the end the end of that end to be rewarded In praelio in the warrfare obserue 1 that the true Christian must ouercome Subdiuis He that ouercometh 2. that he must continue and keepe my workes to the end in praemio the reward obserue 1. the giuer promising I will giue him 2. the gift promised power ouer nations â—hus you see the body and soule the heauen earth of my Text the parts and particular circumstance thereof of al which in their order and first of the first He that ouercometh Man the Modell of the worlde in respect of his miserie 1. Obs hath his life coÌ„pared to things most momeÌ„tary by Eschilus to smoak by Varro to a bubble by Crates to hey by Socrates to a Iourney by Epictetus to a Torrent by Pindarus to a shadowe by Plutarch to a Flower by Petrarch to a feather by Iacob to a Pilgrimage Gen. 47.9 wherin is casualtie by Dauid to a span Psa 39.5 wherein is breuitie by Hosea to a cloud Hosea 13.3 wherein is mutabilitie by Paul to a Race 2. Tim. 4.7 wherin is Celeritie by Iames to a vapour Iames 4.13 wherin is inconstancie by Iob to a warfare Iob. 7.7 wherin is much conflicting miserie God that is himselfe a man of warre Exod. 15.3 made man also to bee a man of warre Gen. 3.15 put emnitie betweene the woman and the serpent betweene the feed of the woman and the feed of the serpent In the 3. of Genesis you maie see the begining of this warre there was the first quarrell about the first broken head Genes 3.15 hee shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele here vpon the challenge was proclaymed the Campe pitched the battell fought and the hatred continued euen to this houre Herevpon God prouided for man an armour knighted him a Christian prepared the Cross for his ensigne blood for his Colours Christ for his Captaine and taught his hands to fight his fingers to battel so that now Iob maie trulie speake Militia est vita hominis super terram non super coelum qui super coelum triumphant non sub terra qui sub terra quie scuÌ„t sed super terram quia qui super terram pugnaÌ„t Tsaba as the Hebrews read a continuall dimication or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greekes a Piracie by sea a Conspiracie by land or a temptation as the septuagint traÌ„slate it a Conflict Combat battel a warring agonizing kinde of life in which al quoad maius minus haue their partes as Petrarch obserueth Hic in castris ille in Rostris in scholis in memore an agro in pelago in palat so hic ferro corpus ille animum dolis hic argutijs linguam armat hic pedibus ille equo hic currit ille nauigat omnes militant Many striue saith the Apostle but one receaueth the Crowne so many sight but there is but one sort of souldiers that receaue the reward Benaiah was honorable among thirtie but he attained not to the first 3 And so many a Benatah may fight and yet in fighting not attaine to the holie warfare of the Trinitie which is the first three Therefore as there is a Soe runne that ye maie obtaine so also is there soe fight that yee maie ouercome Non pugnanti sed vincenti Not to him that fighteth but to him that ouercommeth the aime the marke the scope the end the Cynosura the Causa Causae of our fighting to ouercome To him that ouercommeth But is man able to overcome hath he power to wil wil to desire desire to effect effect to continue Hath he strength to stand that is so weake force to fight that is so wearie meanes to ouercome that is so vnworthie The Pelagian and his heire apparant of that heresie Bellarmine in his 5. book de gratia libero arbitrio Bel lib. 5. de gra lib. arb answere that man though he be seeble weake wearie vnworthie yet hath he liberty and strength and free wil to run to continue and perseuere else were al precepts and exhortations and expositions and reproofes altogither in vaine For as the Pedestri senatores among the Papists aske what follie were it to exhort or commande vs to doe that which is not within our power or liberty to performe it were as if a man should exhort one to runne which were fast inclosed in a prison For answere whereunto I saie Austine by anticipation in his booke de gratia libero arbitrio answereth Bell. argument in his booke de gratia libero arbitrio Ideo Deus c. Therefore God commaundeth somewhat that man cannot doe that man maie learne to seeke abilitie of God to doe it Fides enim impetrat quod lex imperat for faith obtaines from God by praier what God prescribeth to man by law So that the Imperatiue in God begets an Optatiue in man not an Operatiue and therfore wheÌ„ in David in one verse Psal 119. we read Tu praecepisti thou hast charged that we should keepe thy commandements hee addeth vtinam sic vie meae parentur O that my waies were made so direct that I might keepe thy statures his commande excitants gratia his assistance operans gratiam Commandement maie extende further then strength but Gods assistance stretcheth as far as his commandement He hath not only in an Actiue commaÌ„ded Reuertere Returne but also in a Passiue Convertere be thou conuerted and therefore mans power is neuer operant vnlesse God be Cooperant We are al as spring lockes shut wee can of our selues not open for our naturales Potentiae Aquin. as the schooles speake be become naturales impotentiae and as S. Austine speaketh Libero arbitrio male vtens homo se perdidit ip sum So that whosoeuer will ascende Iacobs ladder must acknowledge still Dominus super scalaÌ„ and howsoeuer the sword of the Lord and the sword of Gedeon maie goe togither yet the hand of Gedeon or the sword in his hand or the edge on his sworde is not able to pierce vnlesse God giue power Non enim tam agimus quam à Deo agimur Zanch. saieth Zanchius for man