THese words of the Text, though few in number, yet comprehend in a manner halfe the bodie of Diuinitie, for the whole consi­sting vpon the knowledge of God and man, here is in three words so much deliuered concerning man, as threeskore and tenne yeeres, the age of man can expresse, Man borne of a VVoman, Man short in continuance, and Man full of trouble. So Man [...] Totum in toto, the life of the text, the generall subiect of the whole text, and diffused into euery [Page 2]part of it: and indeede what should Man studie so much to know as man? He which found fault with Mans creation, for that God had made him two eyes looking out­ward, but had not made him one eye to looke into himselfe, hee did lay an vniust blame on God, but did iustly tax the curio­sitie of man: Saint Austin saith, it is a fault in men, Eunt homines mirari alt a montium, &c. Men run out a gadding, or (as we call it) a trauelling, to behold the height and vast­nesse of the hils, the immeasurable bounds and limits of the Seas, the customes and strange fashions of all people and Coun­tries, and yet no man truly lookes into him­selfe, like Salomon which wrote of Birdes, Beasts, and Fishes, yea of trees and plants, from the Cedar to the Hyssop, and yet in the meane time fowly forgot himselfe: It is strange to see, what man by his wit hath de­uised for the world, and yet witlesse to dis­cerne what he is himselfe; in the first begin­ning when the world as yet was naked of inuention, Jabal found out a way to herd and bring vp cattell; but no mans policie [Page 3]yet hath found how to gouerne and order man: and Jabal deuised by art the musicall consent of harpes and organs, and to pro­duce true vnity from variety; but no man knowes or cares how to accord the iarres and discords of reason and affection in him­selfe: The Artificer by true art hath inuen­ted all things, both for necessity and for conuenience, which to find, hee hath not left so much as the bowels of the earth, or the bottomes of the sea vnsearcht; but no man yet hath searcht or seeth sufficiently into himselfe; yea looke into the schooles, where men should be wiseft. The Logician rifleth into matter, forme, efficient, all the causes, yet lackes true Logique to define himselfe: the Oratour like Orpheus makes stockes and stones to moue, but no man is eloquent enough to perswade himselfe to the true obedience and feare of God: The Astronomer by art hath gone about, yea and aboue the Sunne, and the Moone; his speculations are transcendent to the first and highest moueable, that if yee will be­leeue him, there is scarce a paper wall be­twixt [Page 4]him and the Angels, he knoweth each starre in his bignesse, influence, motion and ecclipses, yet senselesse to vnderstand the the ecclipses of his own vnderstanding, the out-runnings & extrauagancies of his vn­ruly affections, the short and flying periods of this fugitiue and transitory life. Nay look into the schooles of the Diuines, and as S. Paul saith,1. Co. [...]. we haue all knowledge; One prieth into, & describeth (as he thinkes) the vnsearchable mysterie of the Trinity, and that with as good warrār, as the mē of Beth­shemesh, when they lookt into the Arke: a­nother as if hee had peeped in at heauen dores, takes vpō him to set down the Hie­rarchy of heauen, with al the seueral orders & offices of the Angels, which he telleth as distinctly & soberly, as if he knew what he said: another is much troubled about hell fire, as whether it be a materiall torment, or a spirituall torment, in which doing (as the diuels said to Christ) they torment themselues before the time; and thus we know what God is, and what the Angels are, and we know al things from heauen to hell, and yet wee [Page 5]know not our selues, that wee had need of S. Paul still to ring in our eares, Let a man examine himselfe, or the text to bee written in great letters before vs, Man that is borne of a woman, &c.

In which text it is generally first to bee considered, that Job speakes not of man, as hee was in Paradise, the bright image of God, the commander of sea and land, the wonder of the world: Not as he was when God first made him, the creatures in their kind obeyed him, yea when sorrow, death and sicknesse were afraid to touch him; but Job speaks here of man as lapped vp in fig­tree leaues, hidden among the bushes, throwne out of Paradise, made a slaue to misery and mortality, a scandall to the An­gels, and a pray to the diuell: Thus in this place doth Iob speake of man.

Againe, it is spoken generally, by man vnderstanding all mankinde, euen so many as were begot and borne of Adam and Eue; It mattereth not for your life, how good or euill you be; it mattereth not for your con­dition, how high or low you be, nor yet for [Page 6]your estate how rich or poore you be; here is nothing respected in man, but onely that he bee man; and then let him bee what hee will, euen from the King to the begger, from the Prince to the prisoner, from him that sits vpon a throne, to him that hanges vpon a tree, yea from the first man Adam, to the babe last borne, all is true of him which heere is said, Man borne of a woman, &c. Therefore is any man yet proud of himselfe? that is, doth any man yet not know himselfe? then let him come hither, and here he shall learne. And here he shall learne three points of true humili­ation, the first his lamentable, entrance or comming into the world, Borne of a woman; the next his swift and speedy passage out of the world, short in continuance: the last his wofull pilgrimage and miserable endu­rance in the world, full of trouble.

For the first; it may be said to mankind, as the King said to his euill guest, Quomo­do huc intrasti? How came you in hither, By what meanes or passage gat you into the world? you will answere out of the text, [Page 7] Natus de muliere, I was borne of a woman: Well, be it so, yet haue you therein confes­sed two things against your selfe; first that you were borne, and then that you were borne of a woman: Were you borne? Exore tuo conuincam: You haue told a tale a­gainst your self; for whatsoeuer was borne, had once a beginning, and whatsoeuer had beginning, there was once a time wherein it had no being in the world; and what were you, or where were you, when you had as yet no being in the world? Here is much adoe amongst vs about eldership and anti­quitie, for euery man will be like God:Dan. 7. Esa 19. Mat. 3. An­tiquus dierum: The ancient of daies; and Pha­raoh was the sonne of ancient Kings: and the Iewes had Abraham to their father, and he is no man now that is not a kin to so many Kings, & came not in before the Conquest; and hee is much better borne then he; and she is of an elder house then she; O vanity of vanities; is not this a meere [...], a field picht of frogs and mise, when vanity hath such place in haroldrie, and we which were borne but yesterday, yet go to law for [Page 8]eldership? The Iewes had Abraham, to their father: Abraham was but late and low, they might haue gone farre higher, they might haue fetcht themselues from Adam, if they would; but yet stil remembring, that the beasts of the field, euen horse and hogs were made before their father Adam. And if it should now be asked of one of vs, as som­times it was of Job, Iob 38. VVhere wast thou when God laid the foundations of the earth? Hee would thinke himselfe mockt, because hee was not borne as yet: Or if hee should bee asked yet lower; Where wast mould thou when Noah and his company were floating in the Arke? Or if yet lower, where wast thou when God gaue the Law to Moses on the Mount? he would answere straight, Nondum natus, he was not yet borne: yea examine him yet lower; Where wast thou, when Christ and his twelue Apostles walked vp­on the earth? yea aske him but of foure score yeeres ago, or but of threescore and ten, and he (alas) was not yet borne; now sure this is late and young indeed.

Well, yet at last this Mirrour of antiqui­ty [Page 9]is borne; but what hath he to boast of by his birth? You will say, you were borne; I could answere againe, Poteras & non nasci: you might haue died vnborne, you might haue died in the birth, or you might haue died so soone as you were borne: for so saith Job in the pangs of his impatience,Iob 3. VVhy hast thou brought me out of the wombe, or wherefore died J not in the birth? Many are the perils which yet vnborne, and in our birth we passe, in which notwithstanding we are not onely helplesse, but also sense­lesse of the per ill; this is all we can doe; as hee that hath passed ouer a dangerous bridge, turnes backe and quakes to looke vpon the danger; so wee when wee looke backe to our birth, and thinke on the dan­gers in it, onely we can say with Dauid, Thou O God (and not our selues) thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers wombe. Psal. 22. When we are borne, what then? we fall, (if not hand hold vs) to the feete of her that bare vs, that is, wee fall from the wombe to the ground, from one earth to another; So na­turally at the first, doe wee finde the way to [Page 10]o r last home, euen as God said to Adam at the first, Out of earth wast thou taken, and to earth thou shalt returne. Gen. 3. And oh that wee might see, or could we but remember with what pompe and glory wee are borne into the world, Naked as wormes, crawling like snakes, that there is not amongst the creatures so weake and helplesse a creature as man: the mother (a misery to thinke) the mother that hath newly borne vs, lieth by vs indeed, but halfe slaine by our birth, and least able to helpe vs; so we are borne like Beniamin, with hazard of her life that gaue vs life, and we seeme halfe murtherers so soone as we are borne; when wee are ta­ken vp, what then? we fall a crying, as either repenting of our change, or wishing our selues vnborne againe; or as if we did fore­see the sequell of the text, the troubles which ensue. In the middest of this our moaning, wee are, as Ezechiel speakes, chap. 16. of his prophecy, we are washt, and bathed, and swadled in clouts; No doubt goodly gallants, and great cause to bee proud, if wee thought of our selues in our [Page 11]first pollution; when wee are thus swadle and prankt vp like puppets, a dainty lump of liuing earth: What pleasure feele wee? nay what feele we? what sense or feeling haue we, saue now and then of weakenesse and sicknesse, the pangs and smart of the parents sinne: We are then brought to the mother, to looke vpon, and she, as a theefe when he is pardoned lookes backe to the gallowes, or to the halter that had like to hangd him, so lookes shee on her son; on her sonne, as on her death, if God in great mercy had not preuented it: when the mo­ther hath lookt and kist, we are brought to the father too, and to looke vpon too; and while the father looks, euery one cries out, Behold the father, looke vpon the child, see see, and behold, how like they looke, while indeede they looke more like then they should, and it were well for the child, if it were not so father-like, or mother-like as it is: and what get both father and mother by looking, but to looke; as Salomon saith of the rich man and his money,Eccles. 5. VVhat good comes to the owners thereof, but the beholding [Page 12]of it with their eyes? So looke the carefull parents on a wofull child, sometime laugh­ing with hope of that it may be, sometime distressed with feare of that it may bee, watching in the day, wakeing in the night, somtime merrie, somtime sorrie, sometime angrie, that it were not possible for them to passe through so much patience, if God had not infused animpregnable affectiō of loue to ouercome it; thus are we borne in teares and sorrow to our selues, in perill and sor­row to her that beares vs, in nakednes and shame to all that looke vpon vs: here is nothing yet to boast on.

But is our case amended, or is our birth magnified by her that bare vs? Man that is borne, of what? of a woman, as much as to say, like nest, like bird; like mother, like child; but why not as well, Man begot of a man, as Man borne of a woman? perhaps, be­cause the woman is the weaker vessell, and the meaning chiefly was, to abase man in his owne might; or perhaps because sinne was first inuested in the woman, and since wee stand so much vpon our antiquity, wee [Page 13]are only sinners by antiquity, rebels by pre­scription, and rebellion rooted in our first blood; sinners by the father, but first by the mother, as by the surer side; or perhaps it is because sinne hath more vniuersally pre­uailed ouer women,Eccles. 7. for Salomon counting a thousand women one by one, by that account to finde one good one, found one good man indeed, but that man was Christ, but not one good woman among them all. And whether by the woman wee vnderstand the first wo­man, the mother of mankinde, or else the mother of euery seuerall man, it comes all to one end,Iob 25. for how can hee bee cleane (saith Bildad) which is borne of a woman? If wee looke to Eue, our great grandmother, what haue we to pleade for her? Adam was called Pater viuentium, the father of al men liuing, and Abraham was called Pater credentium, the father of the faithfull, or of all the be­leeuing, but Eue might as well bee called Mater peccantium, the mother of all sinners, and what receiue we by right of such a mo­ther, but blushing at her pride, and feare of her confusion? If wee looke backe to her [Page 14]that last bare vs, the rocke whereout wee are hewen, oh how little are wee amended by her? for Jn iniquity was J borne (saith Dauid) and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me. Psal. 51. Sinne came from Eue, A longe, the date is so old, as wee haue forgot how we came by it; but the mother that last bare vs, shee hath stampt it anew with her owne hands, shee hath powred it out into vs more natu­rally then milke out of her paps, yea euen as a poyson new tapt and fresh out of the vessel; so by our grandmother wee haue sinne translated, and giuen as at the second hand, but by our mother wee haue sin re­uiued and newly incarnate in vs; and haue we not great cause then to be proud of her that bare vs: euery man thinkes deepely what good hee hath receiued by his pa­rents, what inheritance, what counte­nance, what blood hee hath by them, yea the very name of our ancestors seemeth precious to vs, but yet no man considereth that all this is poysoned with sinne, and that the whole summe of the good doth not counteruaile the least part of the euill [Page 15]which commeth by them. You will say, you were borne of a woman, but what had you by her? you receiued life by her; true, a temporall life, but you receiued withall the reward of sinne, eternall death; and it were better neuer to be borne, then to bee borne to such a death; you sucked and re­ceiued your foode from her, so did you your poison too: you receiued your wrap­ping, your clothes, and raiment by her; so did you your nakednesse, your shame, and sinne too: summe vp your gettings with your losse, and see vpon the account what cleerely you haue gained: therefore vain­ly said the Iewes, wee haue Abraham to our father: and idly say you, you haue a prin­cesse, a Countesse, or a Lady to your mo­ther: Sonnes of men in Scripture are neuer spoken of but with reproch, The sonnes of men are vanity, the chiefe of men are liers, Psal. 62. and the harts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do euil, Eccles. 8. Thus we glory in our shame; yea if we consider wel, what sin­ners our parents were, we shall be as much ashamed of them, as Adam and Eue were a [Page 16]shamed of themselues: wee haue nothing to boast of, but the grace of God, By the grace of God (saith Saint Paul) J am that J am, 1. Cor. 15. though otherwise of the tribe of Beniamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrewes, &c Though he had fought with beasts at Ephe­sus, and was rapt vp into the third heauens, yet he was nothing of himselfe, but all by the grace of God: yea as hee that findes a young Serpent, killes it for his very kind, though it haue done yet no harme, so may we feare damnation euen by our parents, though wee had done yet no actuall sinne of our owne, euen as the sonnes of the wic­ked Saul were hanged for the cruelty of their father vpon the Gibeonites, 2. Sam. 21. albeit they were not guilty of it,

Well, here is our sicknesse, that wee are borne of a woman: what is the remedy? that we be borne anew by Christ; for as the wo­man with the bloodie issue, being ill han­dled by her Physitians, came vnto Christ to be physiqued anew, so we who be ill borne, and base borne at the first, must come vn­to Christ to be borne anew. Naturally saith [Page 17]Saint John, we are borne of blood, supernatu­rally therefore wee must be borne of water; ordinarily wee are borne of flesh, extraordi­narily therefore we must be borne of the spi­rit; Iohn 3. for except a man bee borne of water and of the spirit, hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God. Where by new birth, wee must not grosly fancy a retiring into our mothers wombe againe, as Nicodemus did: our mo­thers wombe gaue the matter of our first impurity, but wee must become new men, Ephes. 4. that is, we must haue new affecti­ons, another spirit, a better will, a loathing of the world, and a loue to God; but this wee haue onely by the worke of God, and nothing at all from our mothers wombe.

After our lamentable entrance & com­ming into the world, the next thing noted, is our speedy passage and going out, Short in continuance, or as it is originally, Short in daies: In which three words foure things are to be considered; first that the daies of our life are short: secondly how they come to bee so short: thirdly, how being short, yet they seeme by errour to bee so long; and [Page 18]fourthly what vse is to bee made of the shortnesse of our daies. The life of man is short, whether by the life of man we mean he life of nature, the age of euery particu­lar man, or whether wee meane the life of fame, that life whereby wee liue, euen when wee are dead; or whether else wee meane the life of all mankind, which is the age of the world: If wee speake of the life of nature, it is not here measured out vn­to vs by yeeres, nor by monethes, nor yet by weekes or Sabbaths, but onely by daies, Short in daies: lest with the rich man Luk. 12. wee take our measure too long, and make account to liue out many yeeres, when the reckoning is, Hac nocte, no longer to liue, but to make an end at night. Euery mā can tell, how many moneths go to a yeere, how many weekes to a moneth, and how many daies to a weeke, but no mā knoweth iust­ly, how few or how many be the dates of his life; My daies are but a span (saith Dauid) yea my daies are nothing in respect of thee:Psal. 39. yet let vs go to it by yeeres, and imagine from God a lease of the longest date, and see [Page 19]how we are deceiued in that;Psal. 90. The time of our life is threescore yeeres and ten (saith Moses) or set it vpon the tenters, and racke it to fourescore, though not one in euery foure­score ariue to that account, yet can we not bee said to liue so long: for take out first ten yeeres for infancie & childhood, which Salomon calles the time of wantonesse and vanity, Eccles. 11. wherin we scarce remem­ber what wee did, or whether wee liued or no, and how short is it then? Take out of the remainder a third part for sleepe, short in daies, saith Job, hee speakes not of the night, the time of sleepe, wherein not like beasts, but like blocks, wee lie senselesse, if not liuelesse, and how short is it then? Take out yet besides the time of our carking and worldly care, wherein we seeme both dead and buried in the affaires of the world, and how short is it then? And take out yet be­sides, which must not haue the least allow­ance, our times of wilfull sinning and re­bellion, for while we sinne, we liue not, but we are dead in sinne, Ephes. 2. and what remaineth of that? yea how short is it then? so short is [Page 20]that life which nature allowes, and yet wee sleepe away part, and play away part, and the cares of the world haue a great part, and sinne the greatest part, that the true spirituall, and Christian life hath a thing of nothing in the end.

If we speake of the life of fame, the Me­moriall life, whereby euen dead men are said to liue, fame hath her wings, not onely to flie about the world, but suddenly to va­nish and fly cleane away: for how many haue there been of wonderfull note in their times, yet now not remembred so much as by name? that no man now can say, heere was their trace, here haue they trod, or set a foot. Where are they now that led the world in a string, they at whose becke both men and beasts, both sea & land did bow? they that subdued kingdome after king­dome, and set one crowne vpon another: they that pitcht vp their Pyramyds and I­mages of fame vpon the earth, and set vp for perpetuall memory their brazen pil­lers in the sea: they who while they liued were adored as God, and thought when [Page 21]they were dead, to bee Calendred among the Gods, yet time and enuie hath eaten out their very names, and where are they now? This is it we call eternall, and euer­liuing honour, yet how soone doth it die, and we are gone: nay let worldly fame go, and let vs bee sought but in the mouthes and thoughts of our best, and dearest seeming friendes, and (good God) how soone are we forgotten, when we are once gone, that euen they who seemed while we liued to loue and honour vs, yet now haue buried their loue with our bodies: while you liue, oh how wise, how worthy, how wonderfull are you! yea it is your match­lesse wisedome, your incomparable valour, your equitie, piety, and Princely Maiestie, your excellence and immortall honour; but when the Lion once is dead, then euery Hare dare dance vpon his carkase, and dogs dare barke, and Poets then dare raile and rime with pen and tongue, and then this immortall honour dies, and is as mor­tall as your selues.

But come we to the life of mankind, the [Page 22]age of the world: Indeed of all the rest, that may seeme the longest; but as to the lon­gest day at last comes night, so is the world bounded within the termes of Creation and dissolution; it had a beginning, though wee began not with it, and it shall haue an end, though wee liue not to see it; and all time is short, when it commeth to his end. Wee are borne into the world, as some come to a play, yea rather as many come to a Ser­mon, which came not to the beginning, and happily stayed not the end, yet had it both beginning and end, and so hath the world to vs: yea the world it selfe is but A sea of glasse: Reuel. 4. and glasse is no mettall of long endurance; but a time shall come, when the Almighty shal but blow vpon it, and it shal breake in pieces and as Saint Peter saith, it selfe and all therin shall be consumed with fire 2. Pet.

Now if any man aske the causes of this short life, sure it is that life and death are in the hands of God, and haue their date and destinie set by him, yet instrumen­tally this vanity and shortnesse of our daies [Page 23]proceedeth from our selues, our life being not onely short in nature, but also shorten­ed by our selues. Indeed wee are not made of the lasting mettals, there is found in our mixture no ingredience of iron, brasse, or steele, but wee are made of flesh, which is as grasse, and all the glory of it as the flower of grasse; so soone it fades, and wee are gone: but as if nature of it selfe were not fraile enough, wee post on to death by dis­order of our life; for sometime wrath and enuie fret & gnawes vs, that while we seek to kill other men, we kill our selues: some­time drunkennesse and gluttony consume and deuoure vs body and goods, yea our very meats eate vp our strength, as we our selues eate vp our meates; and sometime incontinence and fleshly lusts doe wast and rot the bodies of men, that as Martha said of Lazarus, Lord hee stinkes, Ioh. 1 [...]. for hee hath been foure daies dead: so it may bee said of some, that they stinke and putrifie halfe their daies, & yet they liue not halfe their daies: And thus as Babylon made her selfe a lease of eternity, A Lady sure for euer, Esa. 47.7. [Page 24]and did eate and drinke in the cups of the Temple, and with her concubines, euen to the night of their destruction, Dan. 5. [...].30. So doe we glory in vanity, and triumph in intemperance, and do not only suffer mor­tality, but also hasten it vpon vs by our sinne.

Now, for the causes of this error: How comes it to passe, that our daies being so short and so few, yet they seeme to vs to be so many? much like to him who standing in his gallery, takes a perspectiue glasse, and looketh down into his garden, & there sees alleyes and walkes, which seeme so many miles in length, as they are scarce discerned at their length, and yet when hee comes downe to walke, those many seem­ing miles make but short turnes, and are measured by a few paces. Sure the causes of this errour in the computation of our life are chiefly two: first for that wee neuer thinke how the time goes, till wee see it bee gone; but as the Sunne, though it mooue most swiftly, yet because we see not how it moues, it seemeth to stand still; so our daies [Page 25]though they passe away speedilie, yet be­cause wee marke them not in the passage, they seeme to continue still: therfore hap­pie is that man which euery night can say to himselfe, A day is gone, a part is cut off, so much lesse haue I left of a short and mi­serable life; wee are in the world as Mer­chants in a ship, who whether they stand, or sit, or lie, or sleepe, yet are carried on by the motion of the ship; so we, whether we eate or drinke, or wake or sleepe, yet grow on in age and wax old before wee bee aware, and when our time is once gone, then eue­rie man can say to himselfe, oh how short is this life, how soone is it gone? and then it is all one to him who hath liued out his ful fourescore, as to him who hath liued but foureteene; onely this is the oddes, as Saint Hierome saith, Quod senior peccatis onustior decedat, That the elder man, and the lon­ger liuer hath still more sinnes to answere to God. The other cause of this errour is, for that men consider the time onely in it selfe, and not compared with eternity, which the diuell himselfe is not so foolish [Page 26]to doe, for the diuell knoweth saith Saint John, that hee hath but a short time, Reuel. 12.12. A strange point of wisedome in the di­uell, and of follie in vs: sixteene hundred yeeres agoe, the diuell thought that hee had but a short time, and we thinke a lease of three liues to bee a matter of eternitie. Now what is the reason of this? because we thinke of no other life, then that which is present, whereas the diuell hath an eye to the world to come, the life that shall be, in respect whereof a thousand yeers is as no­thing, yea what is ten thousand to eternity? The world passeth away saith Saint John, and the lusts thereof, 1. Iohn 2.17. The world it selfe passeth, the very frame of heauen and earth shall turne to vanity, and therefore the lust of it, that is, whatsoeuer is desired, admired, or loued in it, shall passe away with it, and happie is hee that hath not pe­risht in these vaine desires.

Now as the perfection of wisedome is to draw good out of euill, so shall we come at last to be immortall, if we can make true vse of our mortality. We see heere a short [Page 27]time limited, and yet wee haue a long way to go, euen as far as it is from earth to hea­uen, and had wee not then need to pray, to haue our life in some measure prolonged? It is an old and a true saying, Vita breuis, ars longa: wee haue a short time to liue, and a long Art to learne, euen the Art of repen­tance, and a few daies wherein to learne it. The basest Art hath full seuen yeeres, the tithe or tenth part of our life allowed to learne it, wherein the Master takes great paines to teach, the Apprentice takes great pains to learne, and yet happily after much instructing, often beating, early rising, and late downe lying, he proues a Non profici­ent too; and are not we ashamed to thinke that where seuen yeeres are deuoted to a mechanicall craft or trade, we of all our life time put together, can scarce account of so many daies to learne Repentance, which is of such necessity, of so much difficulty and so much better? or doe wee thinke repen­tance to bee but the worke of an houre, faith but a fancy, and all religion to bee of no art or labour? euen Paul himselfe who [Page 28]so many yeeres had laboured himselfe to God, yet complaines and cries out, as if hee had done nothing, VVretched man that I am, who shall deliuer mee from this body of death? Rom. 7. and yet we who haue done nothing, make our selues secure against sinne and Satan, as if one houre were enough to conquer all: vnto this had the righteous respect, when they complained of the shortnesse of their liues, and prayed to haue their daies pro­longed, not for that they feared to die, or loued this fraile life for it selfe, wherin they saw nothing but misery and vanity, but be­cause they feared lest death should preuent them before they were prepared, as think­ing all their daies too few, to learne repen­tance in perfection. Vnto this had S. Paul respect, when he exhorted the Corinthians not to drowne themselues too deepe in the affaires of this life; this I say, because the time is short 1. Cor. 7. that they which haue wiues be as if they had none, and they which buy as if they pos­sessed not, and they which vse the world, as if they vsed it not, and all this he exhorted, be­cause the time is short. It is a wonder to see, [Page 29]how men plant and build, and buy and sell, as if there were no other life but heere. It is fearfull to consider how prodigall men are of the time, and lose these golden daies, which they ought to redeeme, while in the meane time heauen flies away, and hell ha­stens on them. Sed sicut capillus de capite, sic nec momentum peribit de tempore, saith Ber­nard, God is so mercifull to vs, as to keep vs to a haire of our heads, hee shall also bee so iust with vs, as to presse our account to a moment of time, misimployed by vs.

The last point generall of the text is our miserable pilgrimage and endurance in the world, we come in poorely, we goe out quickly, and while we continue, wee conti­nue carefully: it is not short and sweet, nei­ther only short and swift, but it is short and sharpe: Full of trouble. Some translate and carie it thus, Satur ira, Man short in daies, full of wrath or anger, which may be ment ei­ther passiuely, by reason of the wrath of God vpon vs for our sinnes: for as it is Psal. 90. VVee are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath we are troubled: and what are all [Page 30]the plagues of this life, but the execution of Gods wrath vpon vs for our sinnes? or or else it may bee vnderstood more actiue­ly by reason of the troubles which man him­selfe, being a turbulent creature, moueth in the world, for wee rage at God himselfe, when he doth but a little punish vs, wee are still at warres and at law one with another, and as Balaams Asse could tell, the verie beasts are not free from our madnesse and crueltie; and therefore Tremellius transla­teth it, Satur commotione, Man borne of a woman, short in daies, and full of commotion, as if all mankind were in a tumult and vp in armes: and so wee are indeed, at warres with God,Esa. 9. and at warres with one another, Ephraim against Manasses, and Manasses a­gainst Ephraim, and both against Judah. Wee are not quiet in the wombe, but as Jacob and Esau, wee spurne and kicke at one ano­ther: we are not borne into the world, but with a cry and exclamation, and when wee come into it, we stamp and stare like Furies on the stage, and with the King of Baby­lon, wee make the earth to tremble, Esa. 14.16. [Page 31]and if there were no outward thing to trouble vs, yet we haue a pitcht field in our selues, still vexed and pained with our owne vnruly passions.

Looke into the seuerall sexes of men and women, and see if either of them bee free from trouble. Jn sorrow shalt thou bring firth, in subiection shalt thou liue, and thy hus­band shall rude oner thee, saith God to the wo­man; and then he turneth to the man, Be­cause thou hast eaten where J forbad thee, Jn sorrow shalt thoa eate thy bread, the earth is ac­cursed, thornes and thistles are multiplied, &c. He must labour in wearinesse, both hee and shee must die at last, and haue their fill of sorrowes in the meane time; she to sorrow at home, and in the house, hee to sorrow a­broad, and in the furrowes of the field; she to sorrow in bringing forth of children, he to sorrow in bringing vp of children; shee to sorrow in her subiection to him, and hee to sorrow, yea a great deale of sorrow, in passing his time with her, that lest they should lacke trouble, they should bee a cause of mutual trouble to themselues, and [Page 32]sorrow in their very comforts, as Lot was plagued in Sodome, which hee chose out for his pleasure.

Againe, is there any time or age free from trouble? surely none, for in sorrow shalt thou eate thy bread (saith God) All the dates of thy life, Gen. 3.17. Begin with child­hood, and can any misery or trouble bee there? yes sure, the things which are most necessary, are miserable to a child; the ma­stering and breaking of his will seemes op­pression to him, but the shaking of the rod is flat persecution: light sorrowes (you wil say) in respect of the greater troubles which ensue: It is true, they are so; yet a little trouble is great, where there is neither reason to conceiue the necessity, nor pati­ence at all to beare it. But then comes on youth, headdy, aduenturous, voluptuous, passionate, and prodigall youth, wherein al our actions and courses, whether good or euill, yet minister matter of vexation to vs; For, labour wee? indeed our youth is the time of our labour; yet our very labours spend vp our strength, that had wee not a [Page 33]seuenth day to rest from the sorrowes of the sixt, wee should faint and die. Againe, studie wee? an easie trade, an idle kind of life: The world saith to vs,Exod. 5. as Pha­raoh to the Jsraelites, Ye are too much idle; yet Salomon said, that Much reading was a wea­rinesse to the flesh, Eccles. 12. Againe, resist we (as young men ought to doe) our euill lusts and desires? 1. Ioh. 2.14. Oh how sweet are the lusts of youth? how strong are the temptations, and what a paine it is to resist the things which are pleasing to vs? But play wee, or follow wee our pleasures? in­deed that is the naturall trade of youth, as Eccles. 11.9. Reioyce O young man in thy youth, &c. yet are wee no way more vexed and plagued then by our pleasures: for as a theefe robbes in feare, and an adulterer (though the dores bee fast lockt) yet is a­fraid still; so is there a checke of conscience which bites the most riotous in the midst of their riot. Againe, if our pleasure bee in prodigality, our end must be beggery, that sin being peculiarely a scourge to it selfe; and many times before the Prodigall can [Page 34]spend vp all, the prison, the presse, or the halter do spend vp him, & miserable is the end of a voluptuous life at last; which made Salomon to say, J haue said of laughter, thou art mad, and of ioy, that is, of wanton ioy, Oh what is it that thou doest, Eccles. 2.

But liue we to be aged? then liue we to be diseased, thē liue we to be despised, thē liue we to blindnes, lamenes, deafnes, to pal­sies, aches, agues, all that euer Christ came to cure; wee are neuer throughly troubled till then. The fore part of our life had yet some shew of pleasure, but these are (saith Salomon) the euill daies, the dates wherein thou shalt say, J haue no pleasure in them. Eccles. 12. These are the daies wherein Barzillai eats, and knowes not what he eates; his taste is gone: these are the daies wherein old Jsa­ac gropes and feeles who art thou? come neare me, let me feele thee: his sight is gone: these are the daies wherein Jacob halts & limps, and must haue a staffe to leane on; his strength is gone; and Dauid must haue A­bishag to warme his blood, and to cherish him, because his naturall heate is gone; so [Page 35]as now wee are not onely miserable men, but wee are scarce men, for wee haue (like images) eyes and see not, eares and heare not, wee haue hands and feele not, feet and goe not, and scarce make we any sound in our throates; that it may truly bee said of vs, that in our youth wee sin, but in age we receiue the punishment of our sin, and the neerer our end, the more is still our trou­ble and misery.

But looke againe; Is there any state or condition free from trouble? surely none; for is a man poore, God send him patience, hee shall neuer need to pray for trouble to exercise it; hee shall haue trouble enough; hunger, cold, and nakednesse in his body, and in his mind such discontent, as few of that condition haue wisedome to mode­rate: hee seeth himselfe forsaken of his friends, scorned of his enemies, and negle­cted of all: he railes on him that giues him not, he grudgeth and enuieth at him which hath to giue him, yea and he is angry euen at God himselfe, because he did not equal­ly diuide the things of the world. But is [Page 36]any man rich? rich men haue sure no trou­ble at all; yes they haue labour and trou­ble to get, and care and trouble to keepe, and feare and trouble to lose; which S. Gregory well describes, Sipotentiorem videt timet raptorem; si inferiorem, suspicatur fu­rem, &c. If he see a mightier man then him­selfe, he thinkes he comes to oppresse him; if hee spy a poorer man, hee is presently in doubt that hee comes to steale from him; and euery little noise is the breaking of his doores, euery mouse is a man, euery man is a theefe, & euery theefe points at him, Et tanta patitur infoelix quanta patit timet; It comes with a feare, hee dreames it, and hee feeles it; besides, he oft times gets it sinful­ly, and spendes it sinfully, and sometimes keepes it sinfully, that Christ saith such men can hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen: besides, wheras there is almost no sinne, but a man hath some pleasure in the execution of it; for stolen bread is sweet to the theefe, and stolen waters are pleasant to the adulterer:Prou. 9.17 many rich men are misera­ble not only in the getting, but euen in the [Page 37]abundance of their riches; for though they haue much, yet they cannot finde in their hearts to vse it, but as Salomon saith, they defraud their soules of pleasure, Eccles. 4.8. for they neither fare daintily, nor are clothed softly, but liue and die and doe all things miserably, and yet goe to the diuell when they haue done.

Againe, if a man liue in the state of a ser­uant, that state is his trouble; for if thou maist be free (saith S. Paul) vse it rather, Exod. 20. 1. Cor. 7.21. God in the law did yoake and put close together, His man seruant, and his maid ser­uant, his oxe, and his asse: as if a seruant for his stripes and labour were next in degree to an oxe and an asse; yea and the more faithfull and the better a seruant is, the worse many times hee fares, for euen his vertue, which should bee a crowne of re­ward vnto him, it proues but a chaine of bondage, more inseparably to fetter him to his master; so as that which was first but ob­serued in the Court, is now an obseruation euen in the countrie too, Fidelis seruus per­petuus asinus, that a faithfull seruant is an e­uerlasting [Page 38]asse. Yea and though a man liue in state of a master, yet he hath Miseriam in imperio, he hath command, and authority, and soueraignty, and trouble enough too; for if hee be meeke and gentle, familiaritie breeds him contempt, and hee is despised; but if he be strict and seuere, he is hated: and as the master enricheth himselfe by the bondage of his seruant; so the seruant som­time payeth himselfe with the goods of his master.

But wee haue cleane forgot one thing, and what is that?2. Sam. 15. Oh (saith Absolon) that J were King in the land: and what of that? why, wheresoeuer a King is, there is peace, and ease, and honour, there is no trouble there. A King weares a Crowne; a Crowne is set with pearles, and pearles are excee­ding precious: A King hath a Scepter which commands all; and is commanded by none: A King hath a royall Throne, he may sit when other men stand, and if sit­ting be not ease enough, hee may leane, or lie downe to sleepe, where other wake; he may eate and drinke, and dice and carde, [Page 39]and worse then all that, and yet when hee hath done his worst, it is well done, and who dare say, why hast thou done it? Such is the errour of men, to impute least trou­ble there, where God hath placed most. But is not for Kings O Lemuel, Prou. 31. it is not for Kings to drinke wine, nor for Princes strong drinke, Yea rather the vine must leaue his wine, the Oliue his fatnesse, and the figtree his sweetnesse, if they went to aduance themselues aboue the trees, Iudg. 9. and why is it, that none of these said vnto the trees, Come, make mee king, but the trees went a begging to them and said, Come and be thou King ouer vs? but to shew that if men respected only quietnes and worldly ease, a kingdome were not worth the asking. Valerius reports of a hea­then King, who when the Crowne was of­fered him, stood first and lookt vpon it, and talked to it, before hee would accept and take it, Oh if men knew the misery that comes with thee, there is no man would stoope to the ground to take thee vp. For Ex quo regna­re cepi, nunquam pauere destiti, saith the Tra­gicall King, he was euer in feare, & neuer at [Page 40]rest, since first he tooke the regiment vpon him. For when a King lookes vp to God, hee thinkes first of the account which hee must make to him, because all the sinnes of the people lie vpon the King, Rex non modò peccat, sed & peccare facit, a King doth not onely sinne himselfe, but also makes the people to sin, either by sufferance, as Aaron did, or by example, as Salomon did, or by tyrannous compulsion, as Jeroboam did, of whom it is said seuenteene times in the bookes of the Kings, that he sinned and made Jsrael to sin: & how then? why then, as when the people first began the making of the golden Calfe, yet Aaron was first called in question about it, Exod. 32.21. VVhy hast thou brought so great a sinne vpon the people? so Kings & Princes must account to God, not onely for their owne sinnes, but also for the sins of the people: and were there no other trouble then this, yet this very point of accounting to God is a trouble­some and fearefull thing to thinke of.

Besides, what art and great labour haue Kings in the very act of gouernment: It is [Page 41]an art of all arts (saith Gregory Nazianzen) to gouerne man, who is so wild a beast, and vntamed of himselfe.Exod. 18. Moses sat from mor­ning to euening, to heare and determine causes, that Jethro pitied much to see him so wearie and so tired: and it was truly said of Maximinus, one of the Romane Emperours, Quo maior fuero, eo magis labora­bo: The greater I am the greater labours, I see, will stil befall and lie vpon me; and the Lion, which is king of the beasts, is said to sleepe with his eyes open, to shew that it is no sleepie life to be a king. Besides, what perturbations of feare are in the mindes of Kings, more then of other men, who may feare euery cup, and euery bit, and euery gift; who feare their enemies, and feare their friends, because they know not their enemies from their friends; for neither the habit, be it neuer so religious, nor be­hauiour of men, be it neuer so humble, can promise security to Princes, witnesse the last but one of France,Henry 3. slaine by a Frier Iacobine, euen crouching and kneeling on his knee: yea, are not Kings more subiect [Page 42]to violent death then the common sort of men? Of the Kings of Judah, from Reho­boam down to Zedekiah, there were in num­ber twentie, and six of them, that is, almost a third part slaine. Againe, of the Kings of Israel, from Jeroboam downe to Oshea, there were also in number twentie, and tenne of them, that is, a iust halfe slaine: Yea looke into our owne stories, and our English Chronicles are all bloody; from the Con­quest downeward (which is better known) of three and twentie deceased Princes, eight, that is, more then a third part slaine, besides the Tragicall reports of France & other countries. Now sure it were a most fearefull thing amongst the common sort of men, if one in euery three were subiect to violent death. And whether shall a man turne, but the higher, still the more trouble­some. and more infortunate. Oh therefore value nothing too high which death doth abolish: dote not too much on death, and troubles, and golden misery. Let not men set their hearts on that which cannot pro­fit them; or if it please a little, yet it will not [Page 43]long stand by them. If here wee seeke for peace, it wil be answered, as the Angels said of Christ, Resurrexit, non est hic. Indeed it is often promised heere, the world & the flesh make promise of it, and wee like false Pro­phets cry Peace, peace, and promise it to our selues, but the true peace is gone vp with Christ, and is not here:Mat. 28. and Saint John was commanded to write it for assurance, Write [...] from hence forth blessed are the dead, for they rest from their labours, Reuel. 14.13. they rest hence forth, but they rest not here; and therefore since wee haue no rest, but sor­rowes, and warres, and troubles here, let vs not seeke our rest here, lest if we spend our time in seeking where it is not, wee faile to finde it where it is. God of his mercy draw our mindes from the deceit of this vaine, miserable, and sinfull world, and lift vp both our hearts vnto the hope, and our en­deauours vnto the pursuit of eternity, euen for Iesus Christ his sake: To whom with the father, &c.

MOst renowned and excellent; But that sorrowes make short times seeme long, it is not long, since at vnawares, and not knowing what I did, I made vnto your deceased and now immortall brother a Sermon of Mor­tality [Page 46]or of death: It is now fallen out by Gods prouidence, and which (God himselfe being witnesse) I did not thinke of, when I chose the text, that I must make vnto your Highnesse a Sermon of life: but as I had then no special illumination or prophecy, that death was so neare to him, so haue I now no absolute promise of life to you, but vpon the conditions heere annexed, Let thy heart hold fast my words, Keepe my Comman­dements, and thou shalt lieu, which are the words of Dauid, the speech of a King, and therefore of weight and moment; and it is a speech made to Salomon, the sonne of a King, and therefore pertinent; and it is a speech taken from the mouth of the King the father, by the pen of the King his sonne, and therefore not lost, or let fall to the ground, (as good counsell oft times is) but recorded as a thing for euer permanent. And wee may distinguish in it two things, which diuide it into two parts; for first Sa­lomon sheweth, what tender loue his pa­rents bare vnto him, He was his fathers son, Tender and deare in the sight of his mother, and [Page 47]then hee sheweth next by what testimonie they expressed their loue vnto him, They taught him and said vnto him, Let thy heart hold fast, &c.

For the first, that Salomon was to his fa­ther thus, and to his mother thus and thus, it is a tale vndoubtedly true; but how a­greeth it with Salomons wisedome to tell it? They say, a chiefe point of wisedome is to keepe counsell, especialiy to conceale the secrets of a King, but most especially to keepe secret what Kings and Queenes doe in their chambers, and among their chil­dren. It may bee that Dauid loued Salomon exceeding much, how then? It may be like­wise that his mother loued him exceeding­ly more; and what of that? perhaps when he was swadled in clouts, and lapt vp in a mantle, shee might take him in her armes, and talke like a mother to him; perhaps when he was able to goe vpon his feet, yet shee might set him on her knee and dance him, yea and it may bee too, that when hee was able to dance and leape about him self, yet shee, as her owne pretty, apt, and actiue [Page 48]child, might take him to her, and kisse him; and what of all this? was there no other way, but to take a pen and write a booke of these things? To which I answere with the Apostle generally, that whatsoeuer things are written, they are written for our instructi­on, Rom. 15.4. And that as the things which the holy Ghost hath concealed, are there­fore not fit to bee knowne; so the most se­cret things (as the drunkennesse, yea the nakednesse of Noah) when they any way make for publike edification, they are iust­ly publisht, and needfully made knowne.

The occasion of this report, I take to be thus: Salomon would perswade children, or young men to learne, what is the true wise­dome or vnderstanding; for so it ap­peares, vers. 1. of the chapter: Heare O yee children the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding. And to per­swade that, hee brings in himselfe for an in­stance, For J was my fathers sonne, &c. As much as to say, Thus was I taught, thus did I learne when I was a child; the tendernes of my yeers did not excuse me, neither the [Page 49]loue of my parents, nor yet my royal birth did priuiledge me to neglect these things; therefore Heare ye children also, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding: That other mens children should learne by example of the Kings: the consequence is very reasona­ble: If the Kings sonne did learne and study these things, then much more the sonnes of meaner men; but the Antecedent, that the Kings sonne did learne these things, it is the very point of the text, and it is a point of Princely consideration. The strength of the reason lieth in Salomons own person, For J was; Heare ye, and learne ye, For J was thus, and yet learned thus. Salomon heere speaketh like a King, and teacheth Kings likewise how to speake: that is, if they will perswade the people any thing, to shew the experience of it first in themselues; or if they will command the people any thing, to shew the same thing first done by them­selues, For J was thus, and yet learned thus, that is to say, hee layeth no other burthen on the people, then he had first borne him­selfe. Kings and Priests in a common [Page 50]sense are both said to bee shepheards, but the good shepheard goeth before (saith Christ) and then the sheepe follow after, Iohn 10. It is said in the praise of Moses, that hee was a man mighty both in word and deed, Acts 7. Mighty in word, as many gouernours are, to command strongly, but mighty also in deed to doe it accordingly. Tully reports of Julius Caesar, that hee was neuer heard saying to his souldiers, Jteilluc, Goe ye thi­ther, as if they should go forth vpon seruice and he to tarrie behinde in his tent, but Ve­nite huc, Come ye hither, as if hee had said, Come on my hearts, let vs giue the ad­uenture, and aduenture our selues toge­ther, for Participatus cum duce labor persua­detur militibus minor, it shall bee an easie thing for the common souldiers to follow, when they see the Captaine goe before; but if a Magistrate shall exact of the people one thing, and doe himselfe another, they will say he is like a water-man which rowes one way, and lookes another. Philip King of Macedon was very curious and inquisi­tiue about the agreement of the Grecians a­mong [Page 51]themselues, and yet liuing in an ho­rible diuision with his owne wife: such a man, though neuer so high, yet is lookt at, like one vpon a stage; yea how can a King or Magistrate punish sin in another man, when he is noted to be guiltie, yea and no­torious in the same sinne himselfe? Alexan­der the great conqueror tooke one Dyoni­des a Pyrate vpon the sea, and asked of him, Quid sibi videretur, vt mare infestum fa­ceret, what hee meant in that manner to trouble the sea? the Pyrate answeres him boldly and truly againe, yea rather, what meane you thus to trouble the whole world? but because I robbe and steale in a poore pinnace, which you doe in a great and royall Nauie, I goe for a Pyrate, and you goe for an Emperour: and when it is thus with the Magistrates in a kingdome, though no man dare speake, yet euery man will mutter, and Socrates will laugh, Quia video magnes latrones ducentes paruum latro­nem ad suspendium, because he saw the great theeues leading the little theeues to hang­ing. And so much for the personall point, [Page 52] For J was.

Well, what was he? J was my fathers son, Tender and deare in the sight of my mother: that is to say, he was his fathers, and he was his mothers, begotten of the one, and born of the other; and as the male and female of the doues doe hatch and feede their young by course, euen so was hee diuided to them both. But first, Altera pars patri, one peece goes to the father; He was his fa­thers sonne: his fathers sonne? that must needs bee true in reason, and yet it seemes triuial to write, for euery child in Logique knowes the Relatiue predication, Filius est patris filius, and how can a man but bee his fathers sonne? yet the Scripture vseth this phrase of speech, either when the child doth much resemble the father, as Ezech. 16. Thou art thy mothers daughter, that is, like mother, like daughter, an ill whelpe of an ill store; and in that sense Christ denieth the lewes to be the sonnes, because they did not the workes of Abraham, Ioh . 8.39. Or else the sonne is said to be the fathers, when he is so respected, and so accounted of the father, [Page 53]and that is the meaning or Salomon heere, J was my fathers sonne, that is, my father be­gat me, and owned me, and loued mee, and saw himself in me. It is said of the Ostrich, that shee is cruell to her young, as if the were not hers, Iob 39. Such an Ostrich was Atha­liah, 2. King. 11. that catcht vp her grand­children, and killed them as shee catcht them, as if they had not been the sonnes of her sonne. And Augustus Caesar said of He­rod, that hee had rather bee Herods swine, then his son, for that being in part a lew, hee forbare to kill swine, and yet vpon a bare conceit hee killed two of his owne sonnes: But Salomon was his fathers sonne, and Dauid was to Salomon a kinde and lo­uing father, & yet not taxed heere with in­dulgence neither; nor doe we any where teach, that naturall loue is a sinne, or that religion doth forbid it, but only bridle and gouerne it: yea it came first from the Tri­nity, and with a voice from heauen, for the father to loue his sonne, This is my belo­ued sonne, saith God the father of Christ his sonne, Mat. 3. And the best men were thus [Page 54]affected to their sons. Take now thy son, thy sonne whom thou louest, saith God to A­braham, Gen. 22. And so were the worst men affected to their sons, for euen they which were euill, yet gaue good gifts vnto their chil­dren, Mat. 7. Yea the cruell beasts doe loue their own, The Dragons draw out their breasts and giue sucke to their young, Lament. 4. and 2. Tim. 3. It is reckoned for one of the signs of the latter day, that men shall bee without naturall affection. Now the reason why men do naturally loue their children, is not, be­cause they bee wittie, or faire, or forward, (though these things may encrease their loue) but because they be theirs. The rea­son why good men loue their children is, not onely because they bee theirs, but be­cause (as they thinke) they bee heires be­gotten vnto God. But the reasons why Kings doe loue their children are many more, and more peculiar. First because they see all the people loue them, which Saul saw in Jonathan, when they reskewed him out of his fathers hands, and deliue­red him from death, 1. Sam. 14. Secondly, [Page 55]because the royall seed and name is preser­ued in them, which was promised to Dauid in this Salomon, 2. Sam. 7. Thirdly, because Kings of all men being subiect to plots and practises while they liue, and also to ill fame and censure when they are gone: their sons stand vp, not only as heires to inherit their crownes and kingdomes, but as Champi­ons to maintaine their honours, and to a­uenge their quarrels, whereof the former was performed by Jotham the sonne of Gi­deon: Iudg. 9.17. The latter by Amaziah the sonne of Joash, 2. King. 14.5. Fourthly, the King loueth his sonne the more for a di­uine mysterie hi him; for as Kings them­selues are Gods, so is the sonne of the King as the sonne of God: God ruleth he world by Christ his sonne. Iohn 3.35. So did Da­uid yet liuing set Salomon vpon his owne Mule, yea vpon his owne Throne, 1. Kin. 1. God pronounceth his sonne the onely medi­ator to himselfe, 1. Tim. 2.5. He in whom he is well pleased, Matth. 3.17. So did Dauid worke himselfe peace with Saul a while, by the mediation of Jonathan his son. 1. Sam. [Page 56]19. 6. and as the sonne of God is the wise­dome of the father, 1. Cor. 1.24. So saith Sa­lomon heere, that his father taught him, that is, put wisedome to him, and he did not on­ly teach him, but also prayed for him in that behalfe, Giue thy iudgements to the king, O God, and thy righteousnesse to the kings son, Psalm. 72. and thus was Salomon his fathers sonne.

But to his mother, what? Tender and deare, or as some translate it, Tender and on­ly in the sight of his mother. To his father a sonne, barely and without addition, His fa­thers sonne, but to his mother her tender son, her deare, her onely sonne: So the father set­teth downe the Substantiue, but Tender and onely, the Adiectiues or Epithetes come from the mother: and why so? because Sa­lomon should shew that his father loued him, but his mother loued him more; euen as commonly wee say, that men abound in reason, but women in affection: Thy loue to me was wonderfull, passing the loue of women: said Dauid to Jonathan, 2. Sam. 1. A won­derfull loue, (no doubt) which passeth the [Page 57]loue of women. Or else Salomon would shew, that his fathers loue was in discretion hid, as in the text it is but vnderstood; but his mothers loue was Tender, and deare, and onely, flaming out like fire, which hath no power to hide it selfe: for Can a mother for­get her child (saith Esay) yea can a mother hide her affection from her child? yes, iust as Salomons mother hideth hers; VVhat my sonne, and what the son of my wombe, and what O sonne of my desires, Prou. 31. See, how shee hides her loue, Her sonne, and the sonne of her wombe, and the sonne of her desires, as if shee had said, O thou my sonne, whom once I bare in my wombe, and whom I euer beare in my heart, borne of my body by course of nature, but still vnborne by strength of loue, the father saith, Sonne, thou art euer with me, Luk. 15. The mother saith Sonne, thou art euer within me; and so is it heere, Tender and onely in the sight of his mother. Ten­der in respect of his age, as Chron. 1.29. Sa­lomen my sonne, young and tender, but more in respect of her affection, as mothers are euer tender, that is, fearefull and carefull of [Page 58]their children. Samuel was not in his mo­thers keeping, but in the custodie of the high Priest, much better sure then in his mothers keeping: yet see how mothers nature workes; for though hee wan­ted neither meate nor clothes, yet shee makes him, and brings him euery yeere a little coat, 1. Sam. 2.19. lest too much wind should blow vpon him: and when the Shunamites sonne was sicke, she set him on her knees till he died, 2. King. 4.20. but when Jeroboams son was sicke, the Queene her selfe runs out to the Prophet for him, 1. King. 14.4. Againe, Salomon was his mothers Onely sonne: not onely begotten, for shee had three sonnes, beside, 1. Chron. 3.5. but onely beloued: or if not the onely beloued, yet the onely be­loued in that degree; for though she loued them all well, yet shee wisht and procured the kingdome to him; and when she heard that Adonijah was vsurping it, she steps in to Dauid, 1. King. 1. and makes sure worke for him. And all this Jn her sight, or before her. Tender and onely in her sight: for Vbi amor, ibi oculus, Loue is euer looking, Samuels mother went [Page 59]vp euery yeere to Shiloh, 1. Sam. 2. Yea true, shee did so, but that was to offer sacri­fice, yea and withall to sacrifice a little to her eyes, that is, to see Samuel too: for if the sonne be but a little missing, or out of sight, Siseraes mother lookes, and lookes out at a window, and why tarrie the wheeles of his Chariots, and why is his Chariot so long a com­ming? Iud. 5. But if the son be dead or gone, A voice is heard in Ramah, Rachel weeping for her children, and will not bee comforted, Ier. 31. Now Lord that wee were but halfe so tender of our soules, as our mothers are of our bodies. But Salomons mother was ten­der of his soule too; for she was a Prophet to teach him, for so is the chapter 31. stiled, The prophesie which his mother taught him. She tels him what a King should doe, To iudge righteously, to iudge the afflicted and the poore: and shee tels him what a King should not doe, Not giue his strength to women, not giue himselfe to wine: euen as Monica the mo­ther of Austin, Toties parturiens filios, &c. So oft as she saw her son to do amisse, so oft she was in pains of trauell with them. And thus [Page 60]to loue, is the tender, deare, and onely loue.

But this appeareth better in the next part of the text. He taught me and said vnto mee, &c. Which followes out of the former, not (as oft in this booke of Prouerbs) after a loose and independent manner, but it fol­lowes with a speciall force, as if hee had said, Though I was my fathers sonne, ten­der and deare vnto my mother, yet they did not coker mee, but taught me, and said vnto me. There is a loue in parents, a do­ting loue which teacheth nothing; and there is a gouernment in parents which looseneth all the raines, and suffereth to riot, and for biddeth nothing; and there is a pitie in parents, a foolish pitie, which par­doneth all, and punisheth nothing, till God come with the sword, as hee did to the sons of Eli, and kill where the father leaues vn­corrected: a strange loue in parents, to kill their children with too much kindnesse: but Salomons father loued him, & to proue his loue, hee taught him, as thinking him much better vnborne then vntaught. If it be demanded heere, how Dauid taught his [Page 61]sonne, the text it selfe sheweth, that some­time he spake vnto him himselfe, He taught mee and said vnto mee: hee taught him by word of mouth, as the Eagle teacheth her young to flie, Deut. 32.10.11. And as Plutarch saith, the Nightingale teacheth her young to sing: and God knew that Abraham would teach his sonnes, Genes.18. And carefull pa­rents are euer whetting the law vpon their children. Beside, it is also like that Dauid taught him by an instructor, by Abiathar, by Zadok, by Nathan, or some other; and it is a chiefe prerogatiue of Kings, that they may chuse their Tutors and instructours throughout their kingdomes. The father of the great Alexander professed, that hee was not more glad, that hee had a son, then that he had such a schoolemaster, as Aristo­tle, to teach him. And Alexander himselfe confessed, that he had his naturall life from his father; but to liue well and vertuously, hee had it from his master And it is strange to tell, what honour Theodosius the Empe­rour gaue to Arsenius his sonnes schoole­master: And thus did Dauid teach.

And consider on the passiue part, that as none is so carefull to teach the sonne, as the father, so hath none of the sonnes so much neede of teaching, as he who succec­deth in the kingdome of the father: Bee wise ye Kings (saith Dauid) and bee learnedye that be Judges of the earth, Psalm. 2. It is true that Kings are Gods annointed, yet not annointed onely with oyle, but with speci­all graces; but what grace before wisdome and learning, which leades the way to all other grace, as Kings are leaders to all o­ther men. Let the Lord appoint a man ouer the congregation, who may leade them out and in (saith Moses) Numb. 27. But it was neuer intended by God, that they should be blind and ignorant themselues, who were appoin­ted as leaders and lights to other men. And what was Salomon admired for, but chiefly for his learning, and for his wisdome? The Queene of Sheba came of purpose to heare and proue his wisedome. And 1. King. 4.34. There came of all people to heare his wise­dome: as commonly when the people en­quire after the King, they doe not listen so [Page 63]much whether hee bee rich, for they thinke he may be too rich, as Julian the Emperor said, that a couetous king was like the Splen in a mans body, which when it swelleth and groweth great, all the rest of the members are in a consumption by it. Nor doe they listen so much if he be a man of warre; they like it well, that hee bee martially minded, and readie to encounter when the enemie giues cause; but they like it not, that hee haue Animum auersum a pace▪ A minde ha­ting peace, or delighting in warre;Psal [...]8 30 yea cur­sed are the people which delight in warre, saith Dauid himselfe, euen one of the grea­test souldiers that euer was in the world: but the chief thing enquired of the subiects is, if the King bee learned or wise, for then they know that he wil carrie himselfe & the state well: in warre, in peace, in want, in a­bundance, in all conditions safely and well.

And that Salomon was thus wise, it was not only his fathers teaching, for men can but plant and water, but first he had helpes from nature, which had exceedingly fitted him: besides, he was studious and industri­ous [Page 64]of himselfe: for as it is Eccles. 1. Hee gaue his heart to search out wisedome: and which is more then all humane helps, when God appeared vnto him, & gaue him leaue to aske what he would,1. King. 3. he asked not riches, long life, nor honour, but hee asked wise­dome, and God gaue it him in great abun­dance; for hee was seene in all wisedome, yea he had considered all the workes that were done vnder the sunne, Eccles. 1. euen as Mo­ses the gouernour of Israel was seene in all he wisedome of the Egyptians:Act. 7. He spake three thousand Sentences or Prouerbs; his Ethikes or morall Philosophy: hee wrote Songs, Psalmes, or Poems; a Poet among other learning: He spake of trees & plants euen from the Cedar to the Hysop; his Physiques or naturall Phylosophie; yea he spake euen of the beasts and creeping things; A wonder to see a King come from his Throne, an Iuorie Throne, ouerlaid with gold, mounted vpon steps for Maie­sty, and euery step with Lions on each side, a wonder (I say) to see a King to come from thence, to looke into the bowels & vaines [Page 65]of a beast, yea of a vermine, the lowest steps of naturall learning: what thought hee of learning which sought it thus? And there­fore they are deceiued which thinke, lear­ning to bee but a meere ornament to a King: It is true, there is facultie of orna­ment, as playing, singing, dancing; for as this learned Salomon saith, There is a time to dance, Eccles 3. and there is faculty of good vse, as tilting, running, riding, promised to the Kings of Judah, Ierem. 22. If ye doe these things, ye shall ride vpon Chariots and horses: but learning and wisedome are essentiall to gouernment: he was no mere scholer, nor vulgar man, but hee was a King which said it, that Rex illiteratus est asinus corona­tus; Henry 1. King of England. that a King without learning was an asse with a Crowne; for to what end sits he vpon the iudgement seate, which when hee comes there, may sit, and see, and heare, but hath no wit to iudge? This Salomon him­selfe sat in iudgement vpon the two har­lots. 1. King. 3. and gaue such a sentence, as all the kingdome applauded to heare it: besides, for knowledge of religion, he was [Page 66] Ecclesiastes, a professed Preacher, as Eccl. 1. J the Preacher haue bin King ouer Jsrael, &c. and that knowledge is also needfull for a King: for if a schisme or schismaticall fel­low arise in the Church, hee is a kinde of persecutor, that onely punisheth him, it is more kinde and kingly, first, by learning to controll him. Constantine sat oft himselfe in iudgement, and gaue sentence in causes Ecclesiastical, especially in the faction and quarrels of the Donatists. And I could speak of a King now vpon the stage, which speaks, and disputes, and writes, that Rome it selfe is enraged to reade it: for the Ro­mane Clergie doe with their kings, as the late Queene mother of France did with Henry 3. her vnlucky sonne; shee bids him play, and follow his pleasure, and not trou­ble himselfe with the stirres in the Church, that shee and her Holy league in the meane time might set both Church & kingdome on fire. In like manner doe they mufle their kings in blindnesse, and suffer them not to looke into the causes of religion, that themselues in the meane time might frame [Page 67]a religion to their owne lust: But when God laid it vpon the King, that hee should write himselfe the copie of the Law in a booke, that it should be with him, and that hee should reade in it all the daies of his life, Deut 17.18.19. his meaning was sure, that Kings should bee vnderstanding men, able to iudge and discerne of the law themselues, and not al­together to goe on trust for their reli­gion.

It followeth in the text. Let thy heart holdfast my words, keepe my Commandements and thou shalt liue: whereby it appeares that Dauid did not onely teach his sonne, but also catechise him, and teach him reli­gion; for hee taught him to hold fast his words, and his words were the words of life. Iust as Deut. 8. the Commandements which if a man doe, he shall liue in them: and there is no learning but religion which brings eter­nall life. And Dauid doth heere two things; first hee giueth his sonne a charge, that hee doe thus and thus; and then if he doe these things, hee makes him a promise, that hee shall liue. Hee chargeth him most strongly, [Page 68]for first hee speakes to his hear tor inward man, Let thy heart hold fast, &c. and then he frameth his conuersation or outward man, that he keepe his Commandements. The mat­ter which he committeth to him is VVords, and words howsoeuer they are but winde in the eares of the scorners, yet the words of the wise are like goades and like nailes, Eccles. 12. like goades to pricke forward, and like nailes to hold fast. And Christ saith, Ioh. 6. The words which J speake are spirit and life. And Ioh. 12. The word which J haue spoken shall iudge you at the last. Againe hee is com­manded, not to attaine them, for that he did by his fathers teaching, but when hee was taught to retaine, or hold them fast; and all this said to his heart, Let thy heart hold fast, &c. For though it bee said vniuersally to all, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all all thy heart, Deut. 6. yet it belongeth espe­cially to Kings; and God vpon this very occasion of annointing Dauid to the king­ome, said, The Lord respecteth the heart, 1. Sam. 16. So Dauids owne heart made him fit for a kingdome; and therefore now he [Page 69]calles for the heart of his sonne, whom hee knew God had destinate to bee King. Let thy heart hold fast, &c.

Now of an instructed heart there bee three testimonies: First, sincerity, that what a man see me to doe, hee doe it indeede and truly, against the fashion of hypocrites: Secondly zeale, that what he doth, he do it feruently, against the fashion of cold pro­fessors: and thirdly perseuerance, that what hee begin to doe, hee doe it to the end and constantly, against the custome of backsli­ders. The first thing is sincerity, which still drawes in the heart; as Saint Paul said of seruants, Not with eye scruice, but as the ser­uants of Christ from the heart, Ephes. 6. Dauid doth not teach his sonne, as Machiauell taught Kings: Regi ante omnia optandum, vt pius videatur, etiamsinōsit: that a king aboue all things must seeme religious, though indeed he be not: euen as Saul which set vp an altar, consulted with the Priests, offe­red sacrifice, killed the enemies of God, and at euery word had God in his mouth, when all was but a flash: But Ablolon was [Page 70]more deuout then hee, for hee must goe to Hebron, and there pay his vowes, and offer peace offerings to God, for bringing him backe to Ierusalem, and reconciling him to his father againe; a meere Machiauellian practise; for at the very same time he plot­ted how to winne the peoples hearts, and to depose his father▪ 2. Sam. 15. But Herod more deuout then hee: Goe, search for the the babe, and when ye haue found him, bring mee word againe, that J also may come and worship him, Matth. 2.8. May come and worshippe him, when hee went to destroy him: Mon­ster of mankinde: did Adoro signifie to kill; or Occido to worship? Is it not enough to murther, and doe mischiefe, but to make religion the cloake? And thus did Julian the Apostata, though he hated the Christi­ans, and their religion deadly, yet he comes at times into their Churches, and falles downe on his knees, and praies deuoutly with them, but all for a further purpose. But as it neuer goes well with the gouern­ment, where the gouernours are meere Po­liticians: so is it worst with themselues; for [Page 71]where God hath lift vp to the highest, hee looketh for the best, and if men serue him onely with a hood, where hee requires the heart, is not this to mocke God; but God is not mockt, witnesse that Saul, and Abso­lon, Herod, and Julian, whom we named be­fore. Againe, the heart importeth a zeale to that we are taught, as Ierem. 20.9. His word was in my heart like a burning fire. And as a man cannot sit still which carries fire in his bosome, so hee which is inwardly taught, is inwardly toucht, and cannot keepe silence, nor cannot forbeare, but is driuen with a spirit, & marcheth like Jehu the sonne of Nimshi, suriously: And it was spoken of that Jehu kingly,2 King. 9. if it had beene spoken perfectly, Come, see the zeale that J haue for the Lord of hosts, 2. King. 10. For he put downe the idolatrous king; hee killed his mother, hee killed his children, his kin dred, confederates, & familiars; and when he had trained the Priests of Baal into the temple of Baal, he burnt vp temple, Priests, and Idoll, and made one bonefire of them all. Not like Rehoboam which suffered sinne [Page 72]to grow, euen to the male stewes in Judah, 1. King. 14.24. and made the holy land like Sodom: Nor like King Ahab, which suf­fered the enemie of God to escape out of his hands, & shewed him mercy, euen to his owne confusion, 1. King. 20. Iudah the king­ly tribe had his blessing from Jacob, to bee like a Lion, Gen. 49.9. Not like a sheepe, to walke vp and downe in a warme fleece, and eate, and drinke, and sleepe, and sit, and see, and doe nothing; but like a Lion, and like a Lions whelpe, which carrieth fire in his hart, and a flame in his eyes, and a scepter in one hand, and a sword in another, to forbid sin, and to punish sinne, and to punish it in the proudest: and he that doth not thus, hee is like the Church at Laodicea, Reuel. 3. Nei­ther hote, nor cold, and the Lord shall spew him out of his mouth. The third testimonie of the hart is Perseuerance, to begin well, and to continue in it; for what a man doth from the heart, hee is neuer wearie of doing it, but goes on with Saint Paul, Through honor and dishonour, through good report and ill re­port, &c. Yea with Christ, through anguish [Page 73]of minde, and tortures of body, through spitting, whipping, scoffing, and saith not Consummatumest, till hee bow his head, and giue vp the Ghost. Saint Paul said to al men, Jt is good to loue earnestly in a good thing,Gal. 4.but especially should such a man as Nehemtah fly? Neh. 6.11. No saith King Dauid, J haue not swarued from thy law, Psalm. 119. He had not yet; no nor euer meant to swarue hereafter, but J will praise the Lord, while J haue any be­ing, Psal. 146. It is no wonder to see the con­tinuall waxing & waining of the Moone, nor yet the ebbes & flowings of the sea; but it is wonderful to see how men, made in the image of the vnchangeable God, yet change with the times, that where wee see the best beginnings and hope of goodnes, yet no man can tell what the end will bee. King Joash at seuen yeeres old did what was good in the sight of the Lord: 1. King. 12. but at fourtie yeeres old, he did what was hateful to God and man. And it is said of Nero, in the be­ginning of his raigne, that hee was so soft and tender hearted, as when hee should set his hand to signe billes and sentences of [Page 74]death, he wisht to God hee had not so much learning, as to write his name: but hee fell from that apace; for afterward hee killed men, as men kill dogs in a plague; hee kil­led men for sport, as children kill frogs and flies; yea he killed without cause or colour his familiar friends, his master, and his owne mother. But let this Salomon (whose heart is heere stirred vp to hold fast) let him be to all men a fearefull patterne of Apostacy or back sliding: but as himselfe let slip what hee was commanded to hold, so God sent him a foole to his sonne, by whom he lost, what he desired to hold; the kingdome be­ing brought from twelue tribes to two.

Now the reasons why men are thus weak in their retentiue faculties, that they can­not hold fast, they are in the parable of the sower reuealed to be three: for some­time the seede falles into stonie ground, where is no depth of earth, and how can the heart hold that fast which takes no roote at the heart? Such a scholler was King Herod to John Baptist, who knew him to bee a holy man, referenced him, heard [Page 75]him, and did many things at his admoniti­on, and yet killed him at the last; for his conscience was but an vpper skin, his heart still hardened vnderneath, whereby for lacke of moystening with the heauenly grace, all withered when the temptation came. Sometime the seede falles by the high way side, and that the foules pick vp, and those foules are either idle and wan­dring thoughts, stirred vp in the hart when the seed is a sowing, or ill companions in mens cares, which doe more hurt in Prin­ces Courts, then the Caterpillers did in the land of Egypt: And such were in the daies of Jeroboam, which did all they could to make the King merry, Osea. 7.3. and as if they feared his heart should hold too fast, pre­uented him happily with vanity, and baw­drie, and vnsauorie mirth, and made him to laugh when it was more fit to weepe: and such were the young Councellors and companions of Rehoboam, gallants, & whot spurs indeed, but men that had more spirit then wit, more fit to ride a horse, then to to rule a kingdome, and the King by listen­ing [Page 76]to them, brought (cleane a crosse to his owne account) his fathers loynes to a little finger. Somtimes againe the seed is choakt with thornes, which are expounded the tentations of riches and a voluptuous life; for as fire cannot burne in water, no more can the heart take hold of repentance, which wallowes in wealth and ease: and this was thought the cause why Salomons heart tooke no better hold, for hee had gold and siluer like stones, and all the de­lights of the sons of men, Eccles. 2. Et ideò forsitan corruit (saith Bernard) whereupon many men haue doubted of his saluation; and therefore because the harts of all men, especially Corregis in manu dei, The heart of the King is in the hand of God, both Prince and people must pray deuoutly, that God would prepare and direct their hearts.

But euery man hath a heart to goodnes; or if any man haue not, yet euery man thinkes hee hath this priuiledge, that none can challenge his heart, but God who is the searcher of hearts; and therefore to proue [Page 77]the affection of the heart, there is required the obedience of the outward man, Let thy heart hold fast my words, and then it follow­eth, Keepe my Commandements, &c. the same in effect with Saint James, Shew mee your heart by your workes, and with Christ, Iohn 14. Jf yee loue mee keepe my Commandements. Wherein Salomon is giuen thus much to vn­derstand, that though he was borne the son of a King, and by God himselfe pointed out to a kingdome, yet hee is at command. And as Dauid who cōmanded him, was to him a father, a king, and a figure of Christ, so is hee heere commanded three waies: first as by a father, Keepe my Commande­ments; and if so, the command of the fa­ther bindes the sonne strongly: Honour thy father and mother saith the Law; but what honour without obedience? yea how shall hee keepe subiects in due obedience, who hath not first learned the obedience of a sonne? It was a worthy saying of Decius the sonne of Decius the Emperour, when his fa­ther yet liuing would haue set the imperiall Crowne vpon his head; No (saich hee refu­sing [Page 78]it) vereor ne si fiam Jmperator, dediscam esse filius: He feared that it hee tooke vpon himselfe the dignitie of an Emperour, hee should soone forget the dutie of a sonne: cleane contrary to the course of the world, for men commonly couet to take honour, but he thought it more honorable to giue honour, where it was by nature due. And what meaneth that Jch dien, the word or Imprease of the English Prince, but I serue, A Prince, and yet serues; yea & he shakes vp his feathers, & flourisheth when he speakes it, as if it were his glory as yet to serue. Againe, if Dauid spake this, Keepe my Com­mandements, in the person of a King, that command is so much heauier, as the power of a King exceedeth the authority of a fa­ther. Feare God and the king (saith Salomon) Prou. 24. God and the King are yoaked in our feare together: yea and Saint Paul re­quired obedience to Kings, euen when Kings were enemies to religion, and sepa­rate from God. But if Dauid spake this in the person of Christ, or in the name of God, it is that which bindes heauen, and [Page 79]bindes earth, and bindes euen Kings as with cords, and Nobles as with linkes of iron; for as it is true, that Kings are Gods, so is it as true, that God is a King: The Lord raign­eth, Psalm. 97. and Omne sub regno grauiore regnum est: All kingdomes are but prouin­ces, and Kings but deputies to doe iustice for God; and without iustice, Quid sunt reg­na nisi magna latrocinia, saith Austin, when Kings shall doe what they list, and shake of their subiection to God; what are Kings but great theeues, as great theeues in their kind are said to be little kings; yea and this is sure, that the errours and irregularities of great men are extended and grow great by their greatnesse: for, it is an abomination to Kings to commit wickednesse, Prou. 16. That which is but sinne in another man is abo­mination in a King: and why so? first be­cause Kings in sinning abuse the sword of God, which was put into their hands to cut downe sinne: secondly, because they defile the very place, the seate of God, which is maintained by iustice, and ouerthrowne by sin: and thirdly, because their actions be­ing [Page 80]for the most part exemplare, they se­duce the people of God, and doe more hurt by their ill example, then by their owne sin. And be it true, that Kings heere may sinne without impunity, as being subiect to no correction of man, but onely to the hand of God, yet they are subiect to God, and must account to him for the keeping of his Commandments, and must fall into his hands at last, where to fall (as the Apostle saith) it is a fearefull thing, Hebr. 10.31. And in the meane time they shall be sure of this, that though they scape open outcry, yet here shall resound from euery hill, and e­uery wall a murmure of ill fame, which shal answere instantly, as Ecchoes to their euill, yet they know not whence. For though no man dare say, To a King, thou art wicked, or to Princes ye are vngodly, Iob 34. yet reeds will whisper, and owles will crie in the night, and the sonnes of darkenesse will raile, and write in corners, & then what they thinke they haue done in secret (as Dauid is adul­terie) it shall bee painted like Belshazzars destiny vpon the walles. And which is yet a [Page 81]more singular punishment vpon the faults of Kings and Princes, that whereas while they liue, they finde flatterers which sooth them in their sinne, and tell them they doe well, when they doe exceeding ill, yet when they are once dead and gone, then euery Chronicler, (which passeth ouer the faults of meaner men) yet when hee comes to write of Kings, he reporteth freely how one was prodigall, another was couetous, one was an adulterer, another a coward and basely timorous; and writes it vp as bold­ly, as euery yeere Prognosticators write the ecclipses of the Sunne, and the Moone; so as where meaner men do oft amisse, and carrie it away in silence with them, yet their offences shall stand vpon record; that if a man would not forbeare to breake the Commandements of a conscience to God, yet feare of perpetuall infamie should bee a bridle to him.

But what is the conclusion of all? Dauid concludeth with reward: Keepe my Com­mandements, and thou shalt. liue. The grea­test blessing which the father can giue, the [Page 82]greatest reward which the sonne can re­ceiue? And indeed to what doe parents be­get their children, but to liue? to liue by v­nion of soule and body, which is by natu­rall generation, but chiefly to liue by vni­on of the soule with God, which is by spiri­tuall regeneration: in which sense S. Paul said to the Corinthians, J haue begotten you in Christ: 1. Cor. 4. and what doe parents for their children, if they doe not this? The life which is by nature, it is conceiued in sinne, borne in sinne, and proceedes in sinne; and the reward of sinne is death: so nature promi­seth life to her children, and performeth death: Is not this a mockery to mankinde? and are not naturall fathers meere mock­ers to their children, if they bee no more then meerely naturall? But keepe my Com­mandements, and thou shalt liue, saith the law; And this is life eternall, that they know thee, and him whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ, Ioh. 17.3. the life of the Gospell; and thus is life proposed to all: But to Dauid and to Salo­mon, that is, to the King, and to the Kings sonne, it was a popular and peculiar accla­mation [Page 83]as they passed by the streets, Viuat Rex, God saue the King, or life bee to the King: Now vnder life which is the ground of all our good, the Iewes doe commonly wish and pray for all other happinesse, health, and prosperity.

And wee may heere first vnderstand the life that is by nature; Keepe my Comman­dements, and liue: that is, liue heere: for though the naturall life bee not the height of our hope, yet the honour of a King de­pendeth much vpon the present life, for while hee liues sinne is punisht, religion is promoted, Gods Church is built, and God himselfe is glorified by him; but when hee hath serued his time, these seruices also are ended with him. Againe, while hee liues, e­uery man praises him, and admires, and a­dores him; and hee is the light of Israel, and my Lord the King is as an Angell of God: but when he is once dead, his honour oft dies with him, and his light put out in darkenes, so Kings are Kings but for terme of life; that as this Salomon said Jt is better to bee a liue dog, then a dead Lion, Eccles. 9.4.

Or it may be that life is promised heere respectiuely, against hazard of death; not that Salomon should not die, but that hee should not die a violent death. Amongst the Kings of Israel and ludah how many perisht, some by conspiracie at home, and some by the sword of the enemie? And S. Austin obserueth, that of all the Romane Kings, two onely, that is, Numa Pompilius, and Ancus Martius, came to their graues in peace; yea Kings are maliced whether they doe well, or doe ill; if not for their vices, yet for their places, for enuie shoots alwaies at the fairest marke; especially where a quarrell growes for right of a kingdome, who knoweth not that such tri­als are made with hazard of life? But Thou thou shalt liue saith Dauid to Salomon, and Salomon found it true; for when Adonijah his elder brother rose vp to vsurpe the kingdome, the vsurper soone miscaried, but Salomon escaped, and raigned, and liued: and so shall it bee with all them which ex­tend their authority, to maintaine the ho­nour of God: They shall flourish but their [Page]enemies shall perish: Moses shall march through the sea, as on the land, when Pha­raoh and his host shal sinke to the bottome, as a stone: and as our eyes haue seene the great Armadoes, and inuincible fleets, part flying home with shame, and part or them drowned in the depth of the sea, so let your heart hold fast the words, &c. and your Highnesse shall liue, and feele the power of God in your preseruation, when all Ma­chiuellian, Italian, Spanish, and Popish con­spirators shall fall before you in the field, or die by the sword of iustice, and when they are dead, shall leaue nothing to hurt, but their heads vpon poles, and their rot­ten bones for reliques.

Or it may be that Dauid in promising life to Salomon, did intend him life in his po­sterity, for men which are dead, yet are said to liue in their posterity; and when God was well pleased with the Kings of Israel, his promise was stil, that he would build them a sure house, and that they should not want a man to sit vpon the throne; but when hee was offended with them, hee would bring e­uill [Page 86]vpon that house, and cut off euery one that made water against a wall; and he would sweepe away the remnant as filth, and one should die in the city, and another in the fields, and one the dogs should eate, and another the fowles: And as it is said of all the wicked in generall, that their names shall rot:Iob 20. so is it especially the curse of a tyrant, that he shal write him­selfe the last of his name: as for example, In the degenerate kingdome of Israel, in a succession of twentie Kings, the line ten times broken and interrupted; to shew that all tyrannie is of short endurance. But thou shalt liue, saith Dauid to Salomon: and from Salomon to Jehoahaz, (which is sel­dome found in course of history) the sonne for seuenteene generations still succeeding the father: so immortall is not onely the righteous, but also his seede and propaga­tion.

Or it may bee that the life heere promi­sed to Salomon was meant of a spirituall life, opposed to that, 1. Tim. 5.6. She that li­ueth in pleasure is dead: for a man may bee said so long to liue, as he hath liued to glo­rifie [Page 87]God: vixit dum vixit bene; but all the rest of his life is a meere trance or image of death, as Ephes. 5.14. Awake thou that slee­pest, and stand vp from the dead: and when the prodigall child ranne riot and spent his fathers goods with harlots, Filius meus mor­tuus est, Luk. 15. the father pronounced, that his sonne was dead, but especially hee that shall riot in the gouernment, that shall suppresse religion, oppresse the innocent, and rage & reuell in the kingdom, Mortuus est, he is dead to God, though otherwise a­liue in the world. And it is worthie obserua­tion, that wheras all the Kings of Israel had both their ages & yeeres of their raigne re­corded. Saul the first King, because he sea­soned the kingdome with tyrannie and im­piety, had no such computation made for for him; for God knoweth not the way of the wicked, but the short raigne of the righteous is vpon record with God, and the one and thirtie of Josiah is of longer account with him, then the fiue and fifty of Manasses, for of a good King it is said, that his yeeres shall be as many ages. Psal. 61.6.

And lastly in this promise of life here is meant to Salomon the mysterie of eter­nall life:1. King. 1. as when Dauid was readie to die, Bathsheba bowed her selfe and said, Let my Lord King Dauid liue for euer: Now the life which is for euer, must needs bee meant of eternall life; and this is indeed the very edge and point of Dauids promise: for what is this mortall life with all her pompe and pride, were it not a passage to immor­tall? yea and what is a kingdome heere, where all kingdomes were showne in the twinckling of an eye, were there not in hope a better kingdome? a better king­dome where all shall be Kings, and raigne with Christ eternally. And they which here haue raigned as Kings vpon the earth, shall loose nothing, but gaine immeasurably by the change: yea kings and Queenes when they come thither, shall cast away their crownes, as Elias when hee went to heauen, let his cloake fall from him, and they shall repent nothing there, saue that they came no sooner thither: and when they shall compare their earthly and their heauenly [Page 89]kingdomes together, they shall say, as S. Peter said of the mount, Bonum est esse hic, It is good to bee in heauen, but for the earth, they shall be as loath to looke backe to it, as Moses to goe backe into the land of Egypt; for their Palaces shall then seeme prisons, their golden chaines but golden fetters, their Crownes shall be but crosses, and all their honours, but burdens and vex­ations: but when they shall looke into the face of God, they shall say to him with triumph, VVith thee is the well of life, in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy, and at thy right hand are plea­sures for euermore.