IT is an old Maxim, Quicquid recipitur, od modum recipientis. [...]. Arist. de anim. lib. 2, cap. 2. Whatsoever is received, is received according to the model, capacity or disposition of the receiver. This the present Text, and this common experience doth sufficiently confirm. Neither did the A­postles, nor have their successors found entertainment according to the worth of [Page 2] their Doctrine, but according to the tem­per and disposition of their Auditors. The one of old, the other at present finde some Luk. 9. 62. fitted for the Kingdom of God, Joh. 6. 4. taught of God, and Act. 13. 48. disposed for eternal life, who Luk. 8. 15, &c. with an honest and good heart hear the Word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience; others they finde as profane as the high-way, as hard-hearted as rocks, as intractable as thornes, 2 Thess. 3. 2. unreasonable absurd persons, which sometimes scoff as they, Act. 17. 18. What will this babler say? sometimes mock and make themselves merry as they, Act. 2. 13. These are full of new wine; sometimes grow mad, as mad [...]. Plutarch. as Tabred Tigres, Act. 22. 23. as they who cryed out against St. Paul, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust in the air, and are ready to do outrage, or offer some abuse to them while they speak. Quum Sarmatis, Dacis & Quadis soe­dera scriret & in suggestu orationem haberet, barbaris ma­lè audienti [...]us quod ad hoc opus assueti non erant, unus e Qua­dis sicessit & ster­core alterum e calceis replevit, sub veste tulit, & propius ac­cedens in vultum con­cionantis projecit. An Historian relates, How Constantius the Emperour making a speech to a mixt multitude of Barbarous people, one of the many, because he could not hear him, went aside, and filled his shoes with dung, and drawing near to him flung it in his face. And what other usage can Ministers ex­pect, when they deal with rude people, but to have all manner of filth, and dung cast in their faces? And such requital (Id dedecus me­reri puto qui inter rusticos aut Philoso­phaeri aut Rhetoricè lo­qui volu [...]t. [...]om [...]on [...]. saith the Historian) they deserve who will play the Philosopher or Orator be­fore Clowns. True it is, that as some slight [Page 3] learning, and learned men too much, so Constantius doted so much upon it, and them; that more nicely then wisely Nec in Senatum quenquam admi­sit nisi eruditum & in dicendi facultate ita exercitatum, ut selutam ligatam (que) scriberet orationem. Zonar. tom. 3. he would chuse none into his counsel, but such as could write both Prose and Verse; for which Lyps. not. ad 3. lib. Polit. Idem saepe de seipso loquitur ac si esset voce & stylo humani generis quidam paedagogus. he that as vainly lookt upon himself as a grand Signior, a Master and Tu­tor to all mankind, doth not unjustly censure him. Yet we do not count it such a fault to use both Philoso­phy and Oratory to the rudest in a plain, popular, and intelligible way; and that Historian also who was so much in love with Antiquity, that Tantus suit ad­mirator Romanae ve­tustatis, ut Christiano Petri nomine rejecto se dixerit Pomponi­um. Lud. Viv. in Bucholcer. he changed his Chri­stian name Petrus into Pomponius upon that account, needed not to have looked far for Precedents in that kinde, unless he would have us think that neither Xenophon amongst the Greeks, nor Caesar amongst the Romans did ever make use of Philosophy and Rhetorick in their Speeches to their Soldiers, or else that there were no Rusticks but all were Philo­sophers and Ora­tors in their Ar­mies. Whence a­rose those stories Movit Amphion lapides canendo. Horat. car. lib. 3. of Amphion, and Sylvestres homines saces interpres (que) deorum Caedibus & victu foedo deterruit Orphens: Dictus ob hoc lenire Tigres rabidos (que) Leones. Dictus [...]b Amphion Thebanae conditor arcis Saxa mo [...]ere sono testudinis. Id. de art. Poet; Orpheus [Page 4] drawing woods, stones, Tigres, Lions and all sorts of beasts after them, and their building Towns by their musick, but that they used it to all sorts of people, and none so savage but some of them were civilized by the power of their Rheto­rique? [...] — [...] — [...]. Luc. Herc. Gal. Hercules also is fa­bled going about, and conque­ring all with his club, where­with he beat down all before him; we will not say, That he carryed his Club in his mouth; but this we will say, That Rhetorical Speech, sweet, pleasant, curteous language will, if not knock a man down, yet make a man stoop, yield and conquer him as soon as the roughest Club. And he that went about conque­ring with his Club, had his Bow also and quiver full of Arrows, and was pictured, or faigned at least to be pictured, amongst the Galls, drawing all men unto him by the Ears, with chains that were fastened to his Tongue. And wherefore this? but to shew that he got the Conquest of men, not so much by Force, as by Eloquence; and that the arrows which he shot, and which pierced so deep into the sides of his enemies, were his sharp and subtle Speeches. But though Rhetorique and Eloquence, may and hath been used suc­cesfully to all sorts of men, yet it never [Page 5] was, nor will be succesful in all. There are some metals that are not malleable, some rocks that cannot be broken, some beasts that cannot be tamed, Psal. 58. 4, 5. some deaf Adders that cannot be charmed, let the Charmer charme never so wisely. So that the effect still is in general according to the affection of the Hearer, except God by his Almighty power do break in and subdue all before him. This we know, There was an extraordinary grace in the very Speech of our Saviour, Psal. 4. 5. Grace (saith the Psalmist) is poured out into thy lips, and Mat. 7. v. last. He taught as one that had autho­rity, and not as the Scribes and Pharisees. And they that were sent to take him, were so taken with his speech that they forgat their Arrant, and thought they had excuse enough, because Joh. 7. 46. Never man spake (they said) as he spake. Yet this grace of his could not work an impression upon all, but had various effects according to the variety of persons that he spake unto. Joh. 7. 12. Some said, he was a good man. Joh. 10. 20, 21. Others said, nay, but he deceives the people. Many said, he hath a Devil and is mad, why hear ye him? Others said, these are not the words of him that hath a Devil. Yea, which is a thing to be wondred at, Luk. 4. 22, 29. Some won­dred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and yet would in a rage have rid the world of him at once, by casting him down headlong from the brow [Page 6] of the hill whereon their City stood. So St. Paul, though his bodily presence were weak, and his speech in some respects (Hieronym. Ci­licismos in Paulo notat. Prolog. Job. & post eum Salmas. as it is noted, and himself confesses) rude, yet was he not rude in knowledge, nor wanting in Rhetorique. When Act. 14. 12. Bar­nabas as the more proper person perhaps carryed away the name of Iupiter, yet he as the best spokesman was termed Mer­curius. And his writings shew him to be a great Mercurialist indeed, a prime artist (Summus in tractandis affectibus ar­tifex. Quintil. as he speaks of Cicero) in dea­ling with mens affections, and a singular Paulum Apostolum proferam, quem quotiescun (que) lego videor mihi non verba audire sed tonitrua. Legite epislolas— & videbitis cum — quàm artifex, quàm prudens, quàm dissimulator est eius quod agit. Videntur quidem verba simplicia & quasi innocentis hominis & rustici, & qui nec facere nec declinare noverit insidias, sed quocun (que) respexeris, fulmina sunt. Haeret in causâ, capit omne quod teligerit, tergum vertit ut superet, fugam simulat ut occidat. Hier. in Apol. pro Libr. contra Jovin. crafts-master in managing his disputations. And yet this great Artist, this singular Craftsmaster, this Mer­curius [...], could not alwayes prevail, ex­cept it were with Amphion to draw stones after him, 2 Cor. 11. 25. Once I was stoned; or with Orpheus, the Trees, 2 Cor. 11. 25. Thrice was I beaten with rods; or brute beasts as at Ephesus, 1 Cor. 15. 32. After the manner of men I fought with beasts at Ephe­sus. True it is, that the miraculous power of God went along with him, and brake open the doors of mens hearts, and made some way for the Word to enter where­soever he came, but otherwise his enter­tainment [Page 7] was according to the disposition of the people amongst which he came. Act. 14. 13, 18, 19. At Lystra he was welnigh stoned to death by the Heathen. Indeed at first see­ing him cure a lame man, they would have sacrificed to him and Barnabas as Gods, and could scarse be restrained, but after­ward upon the instigation of the Iews, they had almost sacrificed them to their own malice. Act. 13. 50. At Antioch the vulgus of the Iews stir up the devont women and chief men (who usually stir not in such cases unless stirred by some calumni­ations) against him and Barnabas. Act. 16. 18—24. At Philippi the Magistrate being in like sort incensed by the people, he is whipt, im­prisoned, stockt together with Silas. Act. 17. 5. At Thessalonica he is greatly endan­gered by certain leud fellows of the baser sort who sought his life. Act. 19. 24. At Ephesus Demetrius with his fellow craftsmen, bre­thren in iniquity, raise the City against him, where he met with those beasts he spake off. Act. 21. 31. & 23. 12, 23, 24. At Hierusalem he had cer­tainly dyed had not Lysias the chief Captain rescued him, and set him after­ward out of the reach of those who had bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink till they had slain him. If he found at any time any better welcome, it was among the better sort. Act. 13. 7. Sergius a prudent man desires to hear the Word from his mouth. Act. 18. 8, 16. At Corinth Crispus the chief Ruler of [Page 8] the Synagogue is converted by him, and when the Iews, his constant enemies, laid it before Gallio the Proconsul against him, he drove them from the Judgement seat, and would not admit their So. Dr. Hammond interprets. bill of com­plaint. When the beasts of the people came upon him at Ephesus, yet the Act. 19. 31. chief of Asia were his friends, and stood for him; and the Town-clerk, or Recorder rather, a man of So the same Dr. no mean office, speaks in the justification of him and his companions. Lysias the chief Captain of the Roman bands secures him (as we have said) from open outrage and secret conspiracy. Act. 28. 7, 10. Publius the chief man of Melita, entertains him three dayes with all curtesie, and curing the Fa­ther of Publius and others, he is honoured there with many honours, and laded with all things necessary for his voyage to Rome; and though he met with [...] wick­ed men of the offi­cers of the Court. Dr. Hamm. a base and wicked sort of people at Thessalonica, such as your catchpoles that wait upon Courts, who could they have caught him would have made him away, yet at Beroea he met with men of a right noble dispo­sition, who entertained him and Silas with that respect which was due unto their place, receiving the Word with all readiness of mind, and searching the Scriptures whether the things they Preached were so or not; and accordingly the Spirit of God takes notice of their carriage, and writes down their commendation to all posterity, not [Page 9] without a sharpe reflexion upon those of Thessalonica. These men (to wit, the Beroe­ans) were more noble then those of Thessa­lonica.

We have been too long in our Preface, yet the Quintil. lib. 2. cap. 13. Est optimum in omni oratione me­diam hanc tenere di­cendi viam quantum opus est, quantum sa­tis est. Nec inor [...]a­ta debet esse brevi­tas, alioqui sit in­docta, nam & fallit voluptas & minus longa quae delectant videntur, ut amoenum, & molle iter etiamsi sit spatii amplioris minus fatigat, quam durum aridum (que) compendium. Id. [...]. Arist. Rhet. lib. 3. cap. 16. Masters of Rhetorique do not prescribe any certain limits, but leave the same liberty therein as they do Quintil. lib. 2. cap. 13. Est optimum in omni oratione me­diam hanc tenere di­cendi viam quantum opus est, quantum sa­tis est. Nec inor [...]a­ta debet esse brevi­tas, alioqui sit in­docta, nam & fallit voluptas & minus longa quae delectant videntur, ut amoenum, & molle iter etiamsi sit spatii amplioris minus fatigat, quam durum aridum (que) compendium. Id. [...]. Arist. Rhet. lib. 3. cap. 16. to a Commander to make the Front of his battail as narrow, broad and deep as he please. And to have large Portals or Gate-houses with many lodgings in them, is not unusual for Noble and Gentlemens houses.

In the words, there is a commenda­tion given to the Beroeans, and a special thing commended in them, which is their Nobility. The men of Beroea were more no­ble—

Now in that the Spirit of God is pleased to bestow a commendation upon the men of Beroea, we may observe; That whatsoever is commendable in any, may have its commenda­tion.

[Page 10] So many Prophets (said De praescientia verò quid dicam? quae tantos habet testes quantos habet Prophetas. Tert. lib. 2. advers. Marc. one of the Ancients) so many testimonies of Gods divine praescience: So may we say here, So many good men as are mentioned in sacred Scripture, so many evidences of this truth. Their goodness some way or other is com­mended still unto us. And as any of them have been eminent in any grace, so there is an eminent mark set upon them in re­ference to that. Noah is reported singu­lar for his Godliness amongst the world of ungodly. Abraham, as Father of the faithful, for his Faith. Ioseph as a special pattern of Chastity, Moses of Meekness, Daniel of Temperance, Iob of Patience, Nathaniel of singleness of Heart. There were grosse errours, foul misdemeanours amongst the Corinthians, and in those things St. Paul praised them not, but those did not so far blast their good deeds, but that he did commend them for what they did well. 1 Cor. 11. 17. I praise you (brethren) that you remember me in all things. Whom Christ loves he rebukes, and so we finde him re­proving almost every one of the seven Churches of Asia, but yet he forgets not to commend that which was commenda­ble in them. Rev. 3. 8. Nay the Church of Philadelphia had but a little strength, and there was but 1 King. 14. 13. something of good found in Abijah the son of Ieroboam, and yet the Lord passes it not over in silence, but [Page 11] takes notice of it. Nay more, though Saul were a wicked Prince, and Davids mortal enemy, yet 2 Sam. 1.22, 24. David, a man af­ter Gods own heart, could finde somewhat to lament, and somewhat to comment upon at his death. Indeed, a pearl is not to be rejected though lying in a dunghil, or found in a Toads head, nor Vertue to be misliked, though lodged amongst many Vices; but as it was the custom of the [...]. Schol. in Arist. Ves. And hence Plutarch (as we sup­pose) to prevent cu­riosity, would not have men read so much as [...], or [...], because commonly there was nothing written worth reading, but [...]. Plutarch. de curios. Athenians of old, to write the names of such as were fair, handsome persons up­on their wals, or doors, or other places as it hapned, thus, Such a one is fair, such a one is handsome or comely: So if any do any thing handsomely, or in comely manner, we need not fear to say, This was well or handsomely done.

And this, in the first place, is but a piece of Justice. As the conception of all things was from the Goodness, so the disposition of all was from Iustitiae opus est quod inter lucem & tenebras separatio pronunciata est, inter diem & noctem, coe­lum & terram — omnia ut bonitas con­cepit, ita justitia di­stinxit. Tert. lib. 2. advers. Marc. c. 12. the Justice of God. It was a work of Justice to make separa­tion betwixt light and darkness, day and night, heaven and earth: so it is a work of Justice to distinguish betwixt good and evil, to separate the pretious form the vile, [Page 12] and set it forth in its proper lustre. It's an act of Justice to give to every one his due, Rom. 13. 7. Tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour belongs. And Praise is a tribute proper for good deeds, and Honour for such as excel in vertue. We should offer Fran­kincense ( [...]. Socrat. said the wise Heathen) to the gods, but praise unto men. Indeed, though we are called up­on and said also to praise God, yet not [...]. Arist. Ethic. lib. 1. cap. 12. properly. Something greater and better, as Confession, Ho­nour, Blessing and Ado­ration belong unto him. Praise is a tribute proper to vertue and vertuous men. And as Gloriosis dominis gratiosiora sunt praeconia quàm tributa, quia stipendium & tyranno penditur, praedicatio autem nisi bono principi non debetur. Cas­siod. great ones are more delighted with Praises then with Tributes, the one being paid even to Tyrants, the other to good Princes onely: so if they deserve it, it is but just that they should have it. And that not only as a just reward of their deserts, but of Gods graces within them. When God, the righteous Judge, shall crown at the last day the good deeds of his Saints, he shall crown but his own gifts. And when we praise the graces of men, we praise but the [Page 13] goodness of God. Quicquid in his miramur ab illo est. Whatsoever we see in them, is infused by him. All their vertue and goodness is but a drop from his Ocean, a spark of his flame, a beam of that sun. Now as he should rob the sun as it were of his glory, who would not delight in and praise its beams: as he should rob the fountain of its excellency, that should not commend its streams: so he should rob the great sanctifier of souls, who should not commend the graces of the Saints which he sees shine forth from the souls of the Saints. Unless a man there­fore will be unjust and rob God as well as Man, he ought to give men the praise that is due unto their deserts. Neither should that great wickedness which many times is mingled with a little vertue in wicked men, rob them of the praise which is due to their vertue. That little vertue, be it what it will, is the work of God; and as he doth not let go any good works Ezek. 29. 18. unrewarded in this life, so nei­ther should we.

2. As this is a piece of Justice, so it is a piece of Christian wisdom and pious policy. We are not more kindly drawn on by any thing to vertue, then by Praise. It is a bait that is sutable to our disposi­tion, and such as we are taken with as soon as with any temptation. Est ut Xenophon ait [...], uti (que) si te mereri putes. Plin. Epist. lib. 7. There is no better hearing nor sweeter Musick can sound in mens ears, then that of their [Page 14] own praise. When people gazed on Themisto­cles at the Olympick Games, [...]. Plut. in vit. Themist. Themistocles confessed, that when the people in the Olympick Games, left their sports and fell a gazing and pointing at him, that then he received the fruit of his labour for Greece. The same was wont to say, [...]. Ibid. Mil­tiades his Trophees would not let him sleep before, he so much thirsted after that honor he saw confer­red on him; and when he had attained the like him­self, then he thought himself well apaid. The one stirred up, the other quieted his spirit. As the suggestions which Sa­tan casts into our Hearts are as fiery darts to inflame them to evil: so the com­mendations which are gi­ven our selves or others, are as Great examples to generous minds are [...]. Climach. fiery darts, as Singulorum recordationes quasi scin­tillae singulae, immo quasi ardentissi­mae faces devotos accendunt animos. Bernard. light firebrands to set our hearts on fire with that which is good. [...]. Basil. in Gord. Marty. The comfortable heat of the fire doth not more affect us when we are a cold, nor doth the fragrant odour of sweet perfumes draw us more after them, then doth the commemo­ration of the Saints graces joyned with their just commendation draw us on to a [Page 15] vertuous imitation. And when men are once onward in the way of vertue, [...]. P [...]nd. Nem. od. 8. the tender grass or young slips and plants, are not more apt to shoot forth by means of sweet dews and pleasant showers that fall upon them, then they are by continued praises and commendations to grow up to perfection. Hence to draw men on they were wont to bestow several honours up-them, crown them according to their se­veral deserts with seve­ral Militares coronae multifariae. Tri­umphalis, obsidionalis, civica, muralis, castrensis, navalis, ovalis, oleagina. Agel. lib. 5. cap. 6. garlands, write their names as they did the Conquerours at the Olympick Games Moris erat in certaminibus Olymp. victorum nomina columnis in­sculpere. Arist. in Pind. on pillars; to which possibly Christ may allude when he saith, He that overco­meth will Revel. 3. 12. I make a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God. Hence they erected statues and Images, set up pictures and such like representations of mens per­sons, in honour of their noble deeds; which what were they? but a [...]. Plut. Mer. kinde of silent praises and Encomiums, as Encomiums and praises are a kinde of eloquent pictures, and representations of mens persons and deeds, and both encouragements to whet [Page 16] on others to the like actions. And to this end the names of the Martyrs in the primitive times were set down in Erant Tabulae duae (vocata [...]) quarum uni vivorum, alteri desunctorum nomina inscribeban­tur — cum se mutuò omnes salutave­rint, mystica sacrarum Tabularum reci­tatio fit. Pamel. ex Dionys. Ao [...]ep. in Epist. 10. Cyprian. Acacius labours to pacifie Chrysostomes followers cal­led Iohannitae by putting Chrysostomes name into those books or Tables, though that would not do it. The same man razes the Popes name out. Mag. cent. 5. sacred books or tables for that purpose, and read at the Altar, which were ( [...]. Nicet. chron. praesat. ad Annal. as one saith of History) as the book of life to preserve their names and vertues, and as the sound of the last trump to raise them from the dead, and bring them upon the stage again, to converse with and ani­mate the living. True it is, as the Apostle saith Rom. 7. 10, 11. of the Law, The commande­ment which was for life, I found to be unto death; For sin taking occasion by the com­mandement deceived me, and by it slew me: so those books which were ordained for life were found to be unto death. Etsi initio tantum suit recordatio quaedam martyrum seu testium insignium veritatis, & adhortatio ad similes vir­tutes, tamen paidatim acc ssit abusus & salsa invocatio. Magd. cent. 5. For blind ze [...]l took occasion by the com­memoration of the Mar­tyrs to bring in quickly a religions Invocation, and by it slew men. What then? was that (Rom. 7. 13. as the Apostle saith again) which was good made death? No! but that the cor­ruption of men might appear, blind zeal [Page 17] wrought death in men by that which was good, exceeding just and good. As the Law is holy, & the commandement in it self holy, just and good: so the commendation of the Saints in it self, and the commemoration of the Martyrs is holy, just, and good. [...]. Pind. Nem. Od. 3. It being the flower of justice to commend the good, and the [...]. Nazian. in laud. Heron. choysest of good deeds, to take order for the praising of those things which are well done: praise breeding emula­tion, emulation vertue, and vertue felicity.

This then condemns those who will not themselves, and are unwilling that others should, give men the praise of their due deserts. The evil Steward in the Gospel is commended because though he dimi­nished his Lords revenues by injustice; yet (as Licet Domini suistantiam vacua­bat, subditos auge­bat. Bern. St. Bernard reckons) he increased his Lords subjects by his wisdom: but ma­ny as they are unjust in not rendring what is due to their Lords servants, so neither have they the wisdom to encrease their Lords subjects. The commendation of Men to some, is as unpleasant [...]; AElian. lib. 1. de a­nimal. as sweet oynt­ment to Beetles. When the pretious Spike­nard was poured upon our Saviour, some had indignation and said, Matth. 26. 8. What needs this waste? When the children cryed Ho­sanna, the Priests and Scribes were displea­sed, and looking that our Saviour should check them, cryed, Hearest thou what these say? So the pretious oyntment that is powred on Christs members, move some [Page 18] to indignation, and though it be for their burial, as we shall shew anon, yet cannot forbear to cry, To what purpose is this waste? or, Hear you what these flatterers say?

Others you shall hear, now and then, commending men, but much to their loss. They will be anoynting men with their Oyl, but their pretious Balm commonly breaks their pates. Their commendations, like Scorpions, carry stings in their tails, or are like some Deeds of gift that have in the close a reservation which nuls the Con­veyance, and frustrates the whole Dona­tion. What they give by a free Confessi­on, they reverse by a malicious Exception. Some vice is still related to stain the lustre of the vertue before speci­fied. Hoc est Alexandri crimen aeternum, quod nulla virtus, nulla bellorum felici­tas redimet. Nam quoties quis dixe­rit; occidit Persarum multa millia, opponetur; Et Callisthenem. Quoties di­ctum erit, occidit Darium penes quem tam magnum regnum erat, opponetur; Et Callisthenem. Quoties dictum erit, omnia Oceano tenus vicit, ipsum quo (que) tentavit novis classtinus, & imperium ex angulo Thraciae us (que) ad Orientes ter­minos protulit, dicetur, Sed Callisthenem occidit. Senec. natural. quaest. lib. 6. Look what kind­ness Seneca reserves for Alexander, If any speaking of his valour, should say, He slew thousands of the Persians; he would have it replyed, But he slew Callisthenes also. If it were said, He conquered Darius a great Emperour; the reply should be again, But he killed Callisthenes. If it were added, That he subdued all as far as the great Ocean, made an adventure on that also with his Navy, and enlarged his Empire from a blind corner of Thrace, to the sun­rise; [Page 19] he would have it still answered, But he killed Callisthenes. Such kinde com­mendations have many for their friends. Such a one is, so and so, A good Scholar, a compleat Gentleman, a very religious man, but Proud, but a Good fellow, but Covetous. Their praises are like the foul or smutty fingers of those which defile the face they stroke; to which yet they would seem in Hypocrisie, to add some singular grace.

A third sort commend, and commend highly, and are wholly in mens praises, and speak not a word to their disparage­ment, yet all for their disadvantage. —Eutrapelus cuicun (que) nocere volebat: Vestimenta dabat pret osa— Senec. Epist. lib. 1. As Eutrapelus in the Poet, if he meant to hurt any, was wont to be­stow pretious rayment upon them: So many clothe those well, and set them forth highly with their commendations, to whom they intend no little mischief. 2 Sam. 20. 10, 11. As Ioab complemented, kissed and killed Amasa at one and the same in­stant: So many not by accusations or false aspersions, but (as the worst kinde of friends) do, if not kill men, yet work them a great deal of hurt by their sub­tle commendations. Psal. 55. 21. The words of their mouth are smoother then butter, but Warre is in their hearts. Their words are softer then Oyl, yet art they drawn [Page 20] Swords. Crebra per cos dies apud Domitia­num absens accusalus, absens absolutus est, Causa periculi non cri­men ullum aut querela laesi cujusdam, sed in­fensus virtutibus prin­ceps, & gloria viri, ac pessimum inimico­corum genus laudantes. Tacit. de Agric. in vit. [...]. Polyb. lib. 4. This (as is observed by Historians) is the art of Courtiers who by commending men as fit for such and such employments, do place and displace, call home or send abroad, take near or re­move from the Princes ear whom they please.

A fourth sort will speak somewhat, as it shall happen, to the praise of the living, but cannot away that any thing should be said in the commendation of the dead. Cicer. Tuscul. quaest. Nemo me lachrymis decoret. Let no man shed a tear for me, said old Ennius; and, Away with suneral commendations, say some; New (I think) in their opinions, they fit not the gravity, beseem not the majesty of a Pulpit. Cicer. Tuscul. quaest. but Mors mea non careat lacrymis, said wise Solon: [...]. Pind. Nem. Od. 11. and it is pity that they who are singular for Learning, or Piety, or any such matter of eminence, should be bury­ed in silence, and perish without memo­ry, Horat. Vate quod caruere sacro, because they have wanted a tongue or pen to speak them to posterity: so others. And the judgement of these last must carry our [Page 21] approbation, though the other perhaps may have as pious an intention. To dawb indeed with untempered morter, to guild over a rotten post, to paint over a deformed face, beseems no person, no place; and some are justly to be blamed in this respect. [...]. Stra­tonice though she were bald, yet set the Poets on work to commend her Hair; and so some are ready to hire, and others, which is more shameful, to be hired, to commend those who had not so much (as Iccirco capite & superciliis semper est rasis ne ullum pilum viri boni habere dicatur. Cicer. de Fan. Chaerea Orat. pro Q Rosc. comoed. the Oratour speaks) as the hair of an honest man about them. [...], Lucian. de Cynetho adulat. De­metrius his slatterers ha­ving nothing else to praise him for, did highly commend him for that having a cold, he coughed and cleered himself hand­somely by spitting; and so again ma­ny having nothing to say of abominable, worldly, covetous persons, yet set them out for just men, and such as deal truly and honestly with their neighbours; which is as much as if we should say, When the Charity of men is altogether cold, wholly frozen, that they cough or spit and cleer themselves well nothwithstan­ding. 'Tis pity that such abomination [Page 22] should be found in the holy place. But where there is true worth, dignity, and desert, no place fitter for the commen­dation of it then the Pulpit. The pra­ctice of the holy Ghost, is a sufficient precedent. The Scripture seldome speaks of the death of the Saints, but it speaks also the praise of the Saints. Moses hath his praise, and Iosiah his praise, and both so high that nothing can be said higher. Deut. 33. 12. No Prophet like Moses. 2 King. 23. 25. No King like Iosiah. Sometimes wicked men are commended for some special work, but seldom are the godly laid in the grave, without some notable Epitaph, some singular Commemorati­on. So that we cannot but wonder, that good and bad should by some be equally honoured in this kinde, both buryed alike without any distinction, but while we speak of commending, we would not willingly discommend any. The residue therefore which we have to say in this matter we shall deliver by way of Instruction.

And in the first place, we are so un­willing that any should be defrauded of their just praise, that sometimes we think it lawful even to flatter men, and sooth them up Ironically in their owne fond conceits and opinions, so it be done without any hurt to others, or such like [Page 23] dishonesty. Domitius Afer periculo proximus mi­rabiliter evasit. Nam cum Cajus in Curia lo igum contra eum orationem habuit (om­nes enim oratores se vincere putabat, & Domitium virum eloquentissimum supera­re conabatur) ne (que) quicquam contradixit, ne (que) se defendit, sed eloquentiam hominis se mirari eâ (que) obstupescere simulans orabat & supplicabat, se (que) oratorem magis timere quam Caesarem profiteba­tur. Quibus rebus ille delectatus & Domitium a se dicendo superatum credens irasci desiit. Zon. tom. 2. annal. That Imperial beast Cali­gula, to recruit his treasure which he had foolishly wasted, charges many with high Treason, and amongst the rest fals foul upon Domitius Afer an eloquent Orator, whom he no less envyed for his worth in that kinde, then he did for his wealth. And how doth the wise Orator redeem himself out of his hands? why, he replies not a word to his charge, dares not so much as at­tempt to defend himself, but pretending that he did admire and stand amazed at the Eloquence of the Emperour, betook himself wholly to prayers and supplicati­ons, and professes that he feared him more as an Orator, then he did as he was Empe­rour. With which flatteries Caligula be­ing much taken, was paci­fied and persecuted him no farther. Cum omnes ei adularentur aliquando ad L. Vitellium virum nobilem & cor­datum dixit se cum Lund rem habere, eum (que) rogavit an deae congressum vi­disser? Is vero humum intuitus instar admirantis exiguâ & tremula voce, Vobis inquit Divis duntaxat, Domine, in­tucri licet. Id. The same crackt-brain Emperour pre­tends that he had famili­arity with the Gods, and brags one day like a Luna­tique that he lay with the Moon, and askt Vitellius a witty man, If he did not see him embracing the Moon. At which he, as admiring his [Page 24] happiness, casts his eyes downwards as not daring to look up, and with a soft and trembling voice, Alas, Sir (quoth he) tis for you gods to see one another, we mortals dare not behold you. Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria inveighing against those that held God was corporeal, and had bodily shape and members as men have; the AEgyptian Monks that were of that opini­on, come out of their Cloysters with one consent against him, purposing in their fury to dispatch him without more ado: and how does he break their rage? why as Iacob before had done his brother Esaus. He comes out voluntarily un­to them, and speaks them fairly, Gen. 33. 10. Legatur Histor. in Socrat. lib. 6. This Theophilus was a juggling Hypocrite. When I see you (saith he) me thinks I see the face of God. And surely had he carryed him as conscionably in other things, as he did cunningly in this, future ages would have counted him as pious, as he was politick. Tell me why should any man lose his life or his estate for the freedom of his tongue; which as it is otherwise unseasonable, like to his that preached to them that were rob­bing him, or like that of Ex [...]abat permixtus manipulis bona pacis ac belli discrimina disserens mo­nere. Id pleris (que) ludibrio, pluribus taedia, nec decrant qui propellerent, proculca­rem (que) ni admoni [...]u modessissimi cu us (que) & [...]liis minita [...]ibus emisisset intempesti­ [...]m elo (que) entiam. Tacit. Hist. lib. 3. Musonius, who dis­coursed in the Camp of the benefits of Peace to the Souldiers that were [Page 25] ready armed, and fully resolved for War: So it may sometimes kindle rage, in­crease suspicions, justifie pretences of Ty­rants and wicked men, and bring an in­evitable danger; whereas a word wisely spoken, would preserve a mans life, and reserve him for better times. In such cases therefore, a man need not fear to sooth up men ironically in their wayes, and to sprinkle them as he did the people with holy water, and cry, Quandoquidem hic populus vult decipi, decipiatur; Since this people will be deceived, let them be deceived. Surely had not the King farther conjured him to speak the truth, the Pro­phet Micaiah would have gone no far­ther then that ironical concession, 1 King. 22. 15. Go and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver Ra­moth Gilead into thy hands. And Act. 23. 6. what did St. Paul aime at when he cryed, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, and the son of a Pharisee, but to save his head, by insinuating in a fair way into the hearts of that Sect? and how could he, as he professes, become 1 Cor. 9.20,21, 22. all things to all all men, A Iew to the Iews: To them that were under the Law as under the Law: To them that were without Law as without Law, weak to them that were weak; but that he must needs make himself much as they were, and condescended a great way to their customes and carriages, opinions and affections. Somewhat therefore even of [Page 26] flattery at some times and in some cases may be admitted.

2. When we see men well given, or well disposed, or while yet we are uncertain what course they will certainly take, it is not amiss to preoccupy their affection by (as yet an undeserved) commendati­on. To commend them as those of whom we are perswaded well in all things, as those that abhor wicked courses, as those that will do so and so, approve themselves every way to God and Men. This is as St. Paul speaks, to take men 2 Cor. 12. 16. by guile; to perswade men to be such, while we praise them as such already. And so we suppose St. Paul would have taken Act. 26. 27. Agrippa, Believest thou the Prophets? I know (saith he) that thou believest. And yet, if he knew him throughly, he could not but know him to be a wicked man, —Dcinde adamas notissimus & Berenices In digito factus pretiosior, hunc dedit olim Barbarus inc [...]stae, dedit hunc Agrippa sorori. Juvenal. Satyr. 6. Legatur Joseph. lib. antiq. 20. cap. 5. one that lived in Incest (which the Hea­then took notice of) with that Bernice which sate with him at that time on the Bench, one that by his life did give little testimo­ny of his faith, but this was the first time that St. Paul preached to him, and not knowing but his words might work some­what, he would willingly have perswaded him to be such, as he would have had him. [Page 27] And thus when Macrinus was first chosen Emperour, a cruel man, one whom his ser­vants called In vernaculis vel aulicis tam impius, tam pertinax, tam asper, ut servi illum sui non Macrinum dicerent sed Macellinum, quod ma­celli specie domus ejus cruentaretur sanguine vernularum. Jul. Capitol. Ma­cellinus, Butcher for his cruelty, the Sena­tours with great wis­dom determined to give him the name of Pius, which though it were not taken by him (but that of Felix assumed to his no little Quum illum Senatus pium & felicem nuncupasset, felicis nomen accepit, pii habere noluit. [...]nde in eum Epigramma illatum Graeci cujusdam Poetae videtur extare quod Latinè hac sententia continetur. Histrio jam senior turpis, gravis, asper, iniquus, Impius & felix sic simul esse cupit. Ut nolit pius esse, velit tamen esse beatus: Quod natura negat, nec recipit ratio. Nam pius & felix poterat dici at (que) videri. Cisi imperium infelix est, erit ille sihi. Idem. contempt, as if he could be happy and not pious) yet it took off from him the keenness of his cruelty. But as the course is good when we see men well disposed, or are uncertain which way the byas of their affe­ction will carry them: so nothing worse then when we finde them vitiously inclined either to cruelty or de­bauchedness. As the former will be asha­med not to be such as they are in others estimation, so the latter will satisfie them­selves with an empty commendation. The one will seek to deserve, the other will con­tent themselves to have the reputation of good men. The one will grow better, the other worse by being commended. Postquam cunctae scelera pro egregiis accipi vidit, exturbat Octaviam sterilem di­ctaas. Tacit. annal. lib. 14. When Nero found himself applauded [Page 28] in his cruel courses, he added cruelty to cruelty, drunkenness to thirst, till bloud toucht bloud; till he had murthered not only the chiefest of other families in Rome, but those also of his own, even all his nearest and dearest relations. As there­fore praises are like Cordials to good hearts: so they are Cankers to corrupt affections. As they are Antidotes to those that have not tasted of vice, so they are rank poyson to surfeited stomachs. And no lesse Traytors are they that puff up cruel Tyrants with false praises in publick, then they that poyson vertuous Princes in pri­vate. True it is, they that wait in Gods and Princes Courts, both the one and the other, may have sometimes a kind of necessity (if Nulla necessi­tas delinquendi. Ter­tul. there were any necessity of sinning) to speak well of that, to which they stand very ill affected. Thus Burrhus while Nero was playing the Minstrel on the Stage, stands by for fear, Tacit. annal. lib. 14. & moerens & laudans, mourning and yet commending. Prexaspes reproves Cambyses for his sottishness. He to shew himself sober, cals for bow and arrows, and setting Prexaspes son for a mark, fastens an arrow in his heart, asking Prexaspes, An satis certam haberet manum. Ille negat Apollinem potuisse certius mittere. Thus Prexaspes commended that dart, which at once pierced both his childs, and his own heart. But we can­not commend such com­mendations. Upon this Sencca, Sceleratius telum illud laudatum est quàm missum. Senec. de Ir. lib. 3. cap. 14. That which is wickedly acted, is more wickedly commen­ded. Yet as they mourned [Page 29] inwardly, while they commended the Tyrants outwardly. So though we cen­sure the commendations of such, yet we cannot but mourn for their condition.

3. If we praise men that they may do well, then much more those that have done well already, especially the dead, who have run their race and finished their course in all godli­ness and honesty. Illorum lauda virtutem quorum jam certa victoria est. Illos devotis ex­tolle praeconiis quorum securè potes adgaudere coronis. Bern. fest. omn. sanct. — Quamdiu quis subjacet mutationi, non potest cum securitate lau­dari — Tunc stabilis & firma laus est, quando meritum non poterit jam perire laudati. Salv. ad Eccles. Cathol. l. 4. Then praise is free from flattery, and may be given with most safety. While men live here, and are subject to mutability, they cannot be praised with security. But when God hath set a crown of righteousness up­on them in heaven, then may we set a garland of praise upon them on earth. Nay tis not good to bury eminent persons in silence; lest we seem to envy both their vertues and persons. He was a wicked and slothful person that hid his Lords money in the ground without labouring at all to bring in some advantage unto his Lord; and we do not think him so good and diligent as he should be, that shall without more ado bury eminent graces, and never labour to bring in any gain or glory to God. To give men their due commendation will be a testimony of our own good [Page 30] meaning, and free us from suspicion of all evill and malevolent affection. But here it will not be amisse to put in a double caution.

• 1. That we seek not to nourish, but correct rather, that itch after praise and vain-glory that discovers it self in ma­ny.
  Totus hic locus est contemnendus in nobis, non negligendus in nostris. Cicer.
  All this matter should be despised by our selves, but not neglected by others.
  [...]. Nazian. de Basil. Fun. orat.
  We should not pursue, but be pursued by Honour.
  As soon as he had wrought any miracle he left the place. Nam ei haud volupe erat apud eos qui ipsum lauda­rent commorari. Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 9.
  Good Hi­larion would not stay in the place where he was praised. And indeed it is a
  [...]. Plut. [...].
  swinish passion to stand and suffer ones self to be clawed or scratched: A senseless blockish busi­ness to be carryed on to well doing only as
  [...]. Ibid.
  pit­chers by the ears.
  Rom. 2. 7.
  True it is, we may seek by well doing for honour and glo­ry, but not from men, but God, nor think any praise any thing, but what comes from God.
  2 Cor. 10. 18.
  For he is approved, not whom men but God commends. When he that is Lord of all men, doth set out or speak well of any; such a man is higher then all, though he [Page 31] be dispraised by all; whereas on the con­trary, it will nothing prosit a man, if the Lord praise not, though all with one consent do speak his praises. Let us teach men therefore to seek chiefly approba­tion from God in respect of themselves, though we teach them to commend others that God may be glorified, and others, by that means may be gained unto God.
• 2. Whether we praise the living or the dead, let us keep our selves within
  [...]. Lucian, pro imag. — [...]. Ulys. in Homer. Il. 10.
  the bounds and limits of Truth.
  Est illud quibusdam studium in speciem quidem sanctum sed tamen in­eptum, Sanctorum laudes in immensum a [...]ollere, dum illis tribuunt non quantum adfuit, sed quantum illis optant ad­s [...]isse. Hi Christum si queant majorem quam est cupiunt reddere. Eras. in vit. Hieron.
  Many are ex­cessive in this kinde, ascri­bing unto men not what is or was in them when living, but what they them­selves desire should seem to be in them. A sort of men that would (as one saith) if they could, make Christ greater then he is. And such while they would seem learned and pious, do blazon their own folly, and make them­selves ridiculous; and while they ende­vour to make the praises of those whom they set out highly glori­ous, render all suspicious if not as wholly fabulous.
  [...]. Thucid.
  For this is the nature of men, while the vertues [Page 32] of others go not beyond a possibility of imitation, they are heard with good af­fection, but when they seem to passe those limits, they are slighted through envy, or cast off with scorn through their incre­dibility. A wise man therefore will so manage his commendation, that it do not exceed its due proportion.
  [...]. Lucian. pro. imag.
  The statues which were erected for the Con­querours in the Olympick Games, might by no means exceed the stature of their persons; nor should mens commendations be raised a jot higher then their just per­fections.

4. If there be any thing singularly good in wicked men, we know nothing but it may be commended, and their vices at death passed over in silence, as David did Sauls. Yet lest by commending what was good, we should seem to justifie what was evil in them, we think it not amiss to use some such like expressions, as, That we could wish, that they had discharged their duty in other things as well as in this: That as they abounded in this grace, so they had in others also: That they had acquitted them­selves in every kinde as well as in this, or the like. An Orator we know should conceal as much as may be the faults of him whom he commends. But Aliter censor lo­qui debet, aliter Rhe­tor. Agel. lib. 1. c. 6. it is one thing to speak as an Orator, another thing as a Cen­sor or Minister. Or if any one will con­tend [Page 33] that of the dead nothing is to be said, or nothing but good, we will not contest. Only as this was given in charge still by the Romans Forma senatusconsulti, ultimae sem­per necessitatis habita est; ut diceretur consulibus, nequid resp. detrimenti cape­ret. Liv. lib. 3. to their commanders, in dangerous cases; Nequid resp. detri­menti capiat; That how­soever they acted, they should have a care that the Common­wealth suffered no dammage; So howso­ever men act in this kinde, let them have a care, that Piety do not suffer. Ad impietatem obolum unum con­ferre perinde valet ac siquis conferat omnia. Theod. lib. 3. cap. 7. de Marco Arethus. He suffered great crueltics, [...]. Nazian. Orat. 1. contra Julian. As he cryed when he was urged to con­tribute money to the re­building of an Heathenish Temple which he had pul­ed down, I will not give a half-penny 'to wickedness: so let not half a word be spoken in commendation of wickedness, or that may strengthen the hands of the wicked. 2 Cor. 13. 8. We may do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. If there be any thing Noble in any, it may, but whatsoever is otherwise, may not be commended. And so I passe from the com­mendation to the thing commended, the Nobleness of the Beroeans. These were more noble—

The Beroeans were more noble then those of Thessalonica. Some take the words spoken in reference to their stock, birth, parentage, [Page 34] as Erasmus who interprets the words not of the Beroeans but Thessalonians, thus, Illi autem erant summo genere nati inter eos qui erant Thessalonicae; These were best born, men of the greatest Nobility amongst those of Thessalonica. And the words in the Original will bear that Translation, but the story, as any may soon see, will not bear that construction of the words. Others take the words as spoken of the Beroeans, and in reference to their manners, condi­tions, dispositions: Thus, These were more Noble; that is, more ingenuous, more receptive of the Christian doctrine, as our learned Ora­cle Dr. Hammond: More vertuous, more re­ligious, as Beza. Others think they may be referred to both, as Gorran, They were more Noble; that is (saith he) Genere vel animo; either in respect of their descent, or in re­spect of their disposition. We conceive they are so called not in reference barely to their birth, but their disposition also. And if they are said to be more Noble in refe­rence to their Ingenuity; then we may observe, That they which are well borne, are more ingenuous, better conditioned then others.

If they are said to be more Noble in re­ference (as most think) to their Piety, then we may observe, [Page 35] That Piety is the best Nobility, or Godly ones are the greatest No­bles.

And if we take the words in this last sense only, yet the former Doctrine will nevertheless stand good. For godly men would never be said to be more Noble then others, but that it is found even by common experience, and taken for gran­ted, that such are usually better qualified, better conditioned then others. Tertul. de res [...]r­rect. car. cap. 30. De vacuo similitudo non competit, de nullo para­bola non convenit. No man takes a similitude or parable from that which is empty of all likelyhood, and hath no ground of resem­blance with that which is spoken of. No­thing can be an image of Truth, unless it first truly subsist it self.

These two Doctrines therefore shall be the subject of our future discourse; the first whereof is as we have said, That the better their birth is, the better men commonly are. They that are well descended, are common­monly better gifted and better conditioned then others. They that are Nobly born, are usually endowed with better abilities, and better qualities. Yea the natural birth, if truly noble, is no bad preparation for the spiritual birth.

[Page 36]True it is Themistocles, Marius, Eume­nes. many of mean birth have proved great and good men in their gene­neration. Many have been great actors in War abroad, great Orators at home in Peace. The Decii, Plebeiae Deciorum animae, plebeia fuerunt Nomina, pro totis legionibus hi tamen & pro Omnibus auxiliis at (que) omni plebe Latinâ Sufficient diis Infernis terrae (que) parenti. Juven. 6. 8. vide Mar. Senec. Controvers. 6. Many Ple­bean souls have had Patritian spirits. Ma­ny whose Parents names have scarse been known, have been of better note then the noblest of their times. Romulus. Servius Tullus patre nullo, matre serva. Liv. lib. 4. 'Tis noted in two of the Roman Kings, that the one had no Father, the other no Mother: yet both famous in their age, and no small founders of the Roman great­ness and glory. For all arts In hoc viro tanta vis animi ingenii (que) fuit ut quocun (que) loco natus esset, fortunam sibi ipsi facturus suisse videretur— Huic versatile ingenium sic pariter ad omnia fuit, ut natum ad id unum diceres, quodcun (que) age­ret. Liv. lib. 39. Livy writes of Cato the elder, That he exceeded all. That he had so much spirit and wit, that he could have cut out his own fortune wheresoever he had been born. And whereas others were excellent only in one kinde, he was so good at every thing, that you would have thought him born on purpose for that one thing, whatsoever it was, he undertook. For Oratory, not to take [Page 37] notice of Demosthenes and Cicero, whose mean birth [...]. Plutarch of both. in vit. Demost. Cicero of himself, Me ho­minem novum consu­lem fecistis; Orat. in Rull. ad pop. Item, quemadmodum cum petebam nulli me vo­bis autores generis mei commendarunt, sic quicquid deliquero, nullae sunt imagines, quae me a vobis de­precentur— Et pro Plancio, Ego huc a me ortus & per me nixus ascendi, istius egregia virtus adju­vabitur a commenda­tione majorum. all know, and was of­ten cast in their teeth: Interrogatus quid esset [...]; nescire se quidem, sed si ad rem pertineret esse in suae declamatione respondit. Quintil. lib. 2. cap. 11. The great master in his Art tels us of one whom yet he names not, who being askt, what such and such a figure was? Answered, He knew not, but if there were any figure belonging to an Orator, he was sure he had it. For Go­vernment of State affairs, a Franciscus Arauda vestitu & barbâ horridiore, quòd viaelicet renunciasset rebus humanis, alio­qui ita accommodatus ad domos principum, quibus diu praefuerat, moderan­das, ut nusquam non & in consultandis & in administrandis rebus & ma­turandis primas obtinuerit partes, id (que) solâ naturae bonitate at (que) ingenii dotibus, citra ullam scientiam ac citra ullas propemodum literas, ut appareat ex homine nativis bonis excellenti, formari potius praecepta sapientiae, quam ex praeceptis sapientiae formari hominem excellentem. Laur. Vall. Histor. Ferd. lib. 2. Modern Historian informes us of one, that by the goodness of his own nature alone, and out of the stock of meer natural wit, without any knowledge, or almost any letters, car­ryed the credit away from all his fellow Counsellours, and passes this judgement withal, That the precepts of wisdom should be framed rather from the excellent parts of nature found in a man, then that an excel­lent man should be framed from the precepts of wisdom.

Such copies sometimes nature sets us in common births of excellent abilities. And [Page 38] so for singular qualities, we may see some of mean descent excel Dilig [...]bat dominus Iohannem sicut dicit Chrysostomus magis familiariter propter in­genitam mansuetudinem, & propter virgina­lem puritatem, quae etiam caeteris paribus facit hominem diligi magis tenerè. Bon. lib. 3. distinct. 32 quaest. 2. resol. in meekness and gentleness (for which as for his virgi­nal purity some say Christ loved Iohn above others) and in Gentiles umbram ipsius reveriti sunt o [...] insignem naturae bonitatem. Mag. ex Pal­lad. cent. 5.good­ness of nature, for which the Heathen did reverence even the ve­ry shadow of Isidore. Alexander Halensis praeceptor ejus saepe de ipso dicere consuevit, videri sibi Adamum in Bonaventura non peccasse. Sext. Senens. bi blioth. lib. 4. As Hales said of Bonaventure, some are so excellent, that Adam may have seemed al­most not to have sin­ned in them, that very little taint of original perverseness may seem to rest upon them. As there be [...], so there be also [...], wonders as well as monsiers in nature. But if we look to the common course or [...]. Jam 3. 6. wheel (as St. Iames saith) of generati­on, mens abilities and qualities, caeteris paribus, are ordinarily according to their births. Nature brings not any thing so excellent from a common, as she doth from a noble stock. The old proverb is true, [...], [...]. Nazian. carm. Iamb. The bounds of the Mysians and Phrygians are di­stinct: And the flights of Eagles and Iayes are [Page 39] different. [...]. Eurip. in Orest. The natural parts of men of mean condition are commonly weaker and their minds generally more sordid and base. And if any thing singular do put forth it self at any time in them, yet it hath a [...]. Id. in Rhes. [...]. Pind. Olymp. Od. 13. [...]. Id. Nem. Od. 3. tang of the stock from whence they came, and carries a taint with it, as good wine that is drawn from a musty cask. If they strive to do better then ordinary, yet many un­handsome carriages are mingled still with their best actions; and though we shall finde in many of them many good things, yet seldom shall we see them come off in any with that grace as they that are better born and bred shall do. [...]. Niceph. Greg. Hist. lib. 8. Apes, as they say, act as Apes, and Ants as Ants. If they cannot do as Eagles or Lions, it is by reason of a deficiency in their na­ture, and for want of suffi­ciency of discretion which should govern their acti­ons. So that it was not for nought, that Thales or Plato, or whosoever he were, did blesse himself, that he was born a Graecian and not a Barbarian. Good paren­tage [Page 40] is a great blessing, and they that are well born (as Plato said) have [...]. Aristot. de Platon. pol. 2. cap. 3. gold and silver, special excellen­cies mingled with their natures. Whereas Artifi­cers and Husbandmen are made up as it were of Brass and Iron. For instance, we see by manifold experience, that men of noble and gentile birth excel the vulgar sort.

1. In docility. They have more Quaedam sunt rapacia virtutis ingenia & ex se fertilia. Senec. Epist. 95. catch­ing wits, more sudden snatching appre­hensions then others. The doctrine that is instilled into them, fals on them as the dew on the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grasse, and not as in others as rain on the high-way which without con­tinual dropping can make no impression. Wisd. 1. 4. Into a malicious soul wisdom (saith the wiseman) will not enter, nor dwell in the body subject unto sin: And the thick skin knowledge cannot pierce, nor lodge in the rude and rougher constitutions of the vulgar. The very countenance of noble youths doth seem to smile and al­lure the Muses unto them, and the Muses again seem to smile on them, and to be ready to embrace them as their favorites, and afford them all the kindnesses they [Page 41] can as their choysest darlings: where­as they shun the Countrey complexions, hate your mechanick companions, and turn away from them, as holding them­selves much disparaged by such, when they make love unto them. If true Gentle­men court them in earnest, they grow more familiar with them in short time, and dive deeper into their secrets, then others that serve a full Apprentiship with them.

2. In ingeny. As their wit; are more catching, so they are more fruitful in themselves. As they excel for capacity, so also for fertility. Like well manured ground, they bring forth a better crop then your barren soyl or Forrest lands. Mat. 13. 54. Whence (say they in the Gospel) hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the Carpenters son? Is not his Mother called Mary? and his brethren James and Joses, Simon and Judas? and his sisters are they not all with us? whence then hath this man all these things? They might well wonder indeed, that a Carpenters son should discover so much wisdom: Such mean births can seldom say unto Wisdom, Prov. 7. 4. Thou art my Sister, and call Vnderstanding their Kinswoman. But we know well, he had a Divine birth, a more noble generation, and thence did that wisdom, and those works shine forth [Page 42] in him. And what are all the wise Sen­tences and pithy Apophthogmes that are extant, but the productions commonly of more noble births, or at least more no­ble educations. Eccl. 38. 33. The vulgar sort are not sought for in publique Counsel, nor set high in the Congregation — nor are they found where Parables are spoken. Whatsoever savours of Ingenuity is su­spected as not coming from them. The Tyrians were sometimes driven out by their servants, who were resolved at last to set up one to King it over the rest. And who should that be, but he that first spyed the Sun-rising. Whereupon Stratos servant looking Westward, by his Masters advice, first discovered the beams of the Sun guilding the tops of the hils, before the body of the Sun could be seen. The fact savoured not of a servile wit, and in­quiry being made, the device was found to be the Masters and not the Mans. Tunc intellectum est quantum in­genua servilibus ingenia praestant, ma­litia (que) servos non sapientia vincere. Justin. lib. 18. And by that they all understood, how much ingenuous dispositions do differ from those of ser­vants. Though they may exceed them in malice, yet they must come short of their Masters in Wis­dome.

3. In magnanimity. Though they have better wits then others, and could help [Page 43] themselves many times out of danger, yet they scorn to make use of their brains to save basely their skins. [...] sub. [...]. Indecora, aut aliquid simile. Eurip. sphig. Men of mean condition have this advantage, they can in extremities take such courses, and accept of such terms as noble personages cannot without losse, or will not, lest they should in the baseness stain their honour. Does the enemy overbear them in number? though they might do it without diminution of their dignity, yet their spirits are so high, that they will not take an advantage or help themselves by warlike stratagems or policy, lest they should seem When Parmenio and the rest would have had Alexander fall upon Darius by night: he replyed, [...]. Plut. in vit. Latrun­culorum & furum ista solertia est quam prae­cipitus mihi, quippe il­lorum votum est uni­cum sallere — malo me fortunae poeniteat quam victoriae pude­at. Curt. lib. 4. to steal a Victory. Nay, Job 39. 22. as the Horse in Iob, they will mock at fear, and looking on a numerous Army make themselves merry with the greatness of the company, Henry the V. of England demanding of Captain Gam at Agincourt, what number of Frenchmen they had to deal withal. He made him this no­table answer, after view of their Army, That there were enough to be killed, enough to be taken prisoners, and enough to run away. Sir Wat. Ral. lib. 5. 1 part. Hist. World as having before them the more to kill, the more to take prisoners, the more to run away. Cesar when the Mariner was afraid and would have turned back, B [...]no animo & securo osto, Caesarem enim & Caesaris fortu­nam vehis. Zonar. annal. tom. 2. Fisus cuncta sibi cessura pericula Caesar, Sperne minas, inquit, pelagi, vento (que) surenti Trade sinum. Italiam si coelo autore recusas Me pete, sola tibi causa haec est justa timoris Vectorem non nosse tuum. Lucan. lib. 5. Do winds and waves oppose [Page 44] them? yet their spirits are as big as both, and they will Act. 27. 15. [...]. [...] bear up a­gainst both, outface and outbrave both. Neminem equi­dem timeo praeter De­os immortales. Phi­lippus Flamin. Lib. lib. 32. Do great ones, such as think them­selves Lords of the world, treat? They have learnt to fear none, but him that is indeed Supreme Lord of all. May they save their life by flight? Neh. 6. 11. Should such a man as I fly? said Nehemiah. [...]. Joseph. lib. antiq. 12. cap. 18. God forbid (said Iudas) that the Sun should see me turn my back upon mine I will no longer live If Rebels life must give, said: that peerless Peer, stout North-Hampton whose me­mory yet lives in his right Noble poste­rity. Enemies. Varro loco non humili solum sed etiam sordido ortus est. Patrem la­nium fuisse ferunt. Liv. lib. 22. At Cannae Varro, one of the Romane Consuls, a Butchers son flies, AEmylius Paulus, a man of more noble descent, ha­ving lost the victory chooses rather to die. Illa nobilior animi significatio quam­libet magna canum & venantium urgente vi contemptim restitans (que) cedit, in campis & ubi spectari potest, idem ubi virgulta sylvas (que) penetravit acer­rimo cursu fertur velut abscondente turpitudinem loco. Plin. lib. 8. Nat. Hist. cap. 16. The Lyon is never seen in dan­ger to run; and howsoever noble spirits may sometimes run away from dangers with their When one told Brutus he must fly, Omnino fugien­dum respondit, verum manibus, & non pedibus; & hoc dicto stricto gladio incubuit. Zonar. annal. tom. 2. hands, yet they scorne to betake themselves basely to their heels. When one would have had Consal­vus retired, Consalvus aeterna memoria dignis verbis magno animo rejecit, cum diceret optare se potius sepulchrum suum eadem hora pedem unum ulterius habere, quam paucos cubitos retrocedendo vitae suo spatio centum an­nos addere. Guiccard. lib. 6. Yea they have vowed rather to march forward presently to certain [Page 45] death, then by going back but a few cubits with dishonour from the enemy to add a hundred years to their life.

4. In humility. That (as Nobilitatis soror humilitas. AEn. Syl. 1. cons. Basil. one saith) is the Sister of Nobility. Though Gentle­men and Noble personages have great spi­rits, and do not love to be humbled, yet they know how to humble themselves. They know how to carry themselves sub­misly towards God. The coutrey Shep­herds take only the pains to visit, but the Wisemen fall down and worship our Saviour. In illis gratiae prior, in istis Humili­tas amplior. August. Mat. 2. 11. Luke 2. 16, 17. The one had priority in matter of devotion, but the other were more lowly in their adoration. They know how to condescend to men of low estate. Theod. lib. 5. cap. 18. Placilla the Emperour Theodo­sius his wife disdained not to visit the Hospitals, to physick the sick, to wash their pots, to tast their broths, and to do all the offices of a common servant. When Pompey the great, flying out of the battel at Pharsalia wanted servants at supper to tend on him, Favonius a Gentleman that was with him made no dain to wash him, and anoint him, and to do every thing which servants were wont to do for their Masters. Which one observing that stood by, cryed out, [...]. Plut. in vit. Pomp. Good God, how every thing beseemes a Gentleman. Such things beseem them indeed, and true Gentle­men do not think they misbeseem them. [Page 46] Whereas they that rise high from low estates do think it a foul disparagement to condescend to such base services. The one being great by their own native worth know, they shall not lose but gain by their Humility: the other being raised by their wealth, or being the Minions of fortune, shun the thought of such services as remembrances of their former servile condition. The one being high of them­selves, think nothing better then to con­descend to those below them: The other being low of themselves think of nothing but equalling or transcending those which are above them. The one are carefull to give respect, lest they should seem to neg­lect others: The other are careful to ob­serve what respect is given them, fe [...]ring to be contemned themselves. The one throw off, that they may not be gazed on: The other put on more ornaments then beseems them, that they may be the more adored. Primus ex auro v [...]ste quaesita serici ac purpurae gemmarum (que) vim plantis concupinit. Aurel. Vict. De Dioclet. — Compertum habeo humillimos quos (que) maximè, ubi alta accesserunt, superbia at (que) ambitione immodicos esse. Hinc Ma­rius patrum memoria, hinc iste nostrâ communem habitum supergressi. Id. Diocletianus edicto sanxit uti omnes sine generis discrimine prostrati pedes oscu­larentur, quibus etiam venerationem quandam exhibuit exornans calciamen­ta, auro gemmis & margaritis quod fecesse ante C. Caligulam memorant. Pomp. Laet. So did Marius, so Diocletian, both of base be­ginning. The latter of which, besides what he bestowed on other parts of his body, did deck and adorn his feet with gold and all manner of pretious stones, that men (as they [Page 47] were commanded) might with less dispa­ragement fall down and kiss them. A custome which his holiness of Rome who professeth himself a servant of the servants of God, and is but perhaps some beggerly Monk or Fryer till he sit down in St. Peters chair, hath taken up and will not be in­duced to lay it down, though one some­times (Let Cranmerus un [...] cum comite Wiltoniensi in Italiam contendit, quibus ad Papam ac­cedentibus servus ser­vorum dei pedem os­culandum extendit; cunctantibus autem illis pusillus catulus qui comitis Wilto­niensis fuit ingressus locum cum pedem vi­disset gemmis auro (que) lucentem, rem tam rarum lascivus den­tibus apprehendit at (que) momordit — Fluddus hunc locum citans canem hunc non appellat, canem Protestantis, sed canem protestantem quasi, protestantium religio vel in cane esse posset. Francis. Mas. de minist. Anglican. lib. 2. cap. 9. him be a Protestant, seeing they will have it so) did (as such unsuffe­rable pride deserved) bitingly protest a­gainst it. Though one of them was wont to laugh it out and say, That Sixtus V. dicere solebat se domo natum illustri. Domus enim in qua genitus erat cum lacero tecto ex magna parte esset discooperta a sole maximè illustrabatur. Cicarel. in vit. he was born domo illustri, in an illustrious house (the house being poor and uncovered where he was born) yet in all his acti­ons, he shewed himself as proud and arrogant as any of the rest in good ear­nest.

5. In curtesie. A grace proper to Gentle­men and Noble personages (as appears by the name) which follow the Court, and such as if it were freed from that Hypocrisie and guile, wherewith too often it is ming­led, as Titus the Emperour was called, The delights of mankinde for it, so it might justly [Page 48] be called, The delicacy of humane speech and society. Men love to be used like men, and [...]. Eurip. Hippol. courteous carriage wins more upon them, then a clownish good turn. It was a noble speech of Augustus, Augustus quendam joco corripuit; quòd sic sibi libellum Porrigere dubitaret quasi elephanto stipem. Suet. in vit. That a Pe­tition should not be delivered to a Prince, as Provender to an Elephant, of which we are afraid. And it is the noble practice of Gentlemen and great ones to put off rough­ness and austerity, and to treat all accor­ding as their name prompts them with gentleness and affability. To do this, the Countrey man hath not faculty, and the new risen Gallant, cannot think it suits with his Authority. [...]. Plut. As unskilful Statuaries or Carvers of Images do imagine the great Colosses they make, will be more stately and magnificent, if they make them bear a great breadth, and set them out also stradling and gaping: So some by their commanding voice and great looks, by roughness of carriage and retiredness of life, do labour to draw respect and reverence to themselves, though indeed they make themselves as monstrous [Page 49] and ridiculous as those Colosses or Statues to wise men. Others will not vouchsafe you a single, or at least but a short sight of themselves, Rarus in publicum egressus id (que) velata parte oris ne [...]atiaret aspectum, vel quia sic decebat. Tacit. annal. lib. 13. like Poppaea in the Histo­rian, who seldome came out in publick, and then kept part of her face covered, lest men should have too full a sight, or because she thought that posture best be­came her. Others fling away in a rage or storme like [...]. Plut. [...]. another of that sex in the Poet who was wont,

And all this to keep up the greater port and Majesty, though indeed they get no­thing but a jibe or mock thereby. Some have highly commended their Masters, as not giving them an ill word in long journeys, nay in long service; and why? because as proud Pallas (ajebat) Nihil unquam se domi­nisi [...]u au [...]u ma [...]s significasse vel, si plu­ra demonstranda [...]ssent scripto usum ne vocem conseciaret. Taci [...]n­nal. lib. 13. Pallas (sometimes bondman to Claudius) they scorned to speak to them lest they should profane or make their voice common.

6. In liberality. As they are Magnani­mous, so Liberal also, and that even to Magnificence. [...]. Nicet. chon. de Axucho. lib. 1. As their hands are taught to war, so their fingers also to do good to those that want. Plut. in vit. Cym. Such was Cymon amongst the Athenians, who laid open his grounds, and kept open house, [Page 50] and carryed young men still with him well clad and well monied, that he might re­lieve those whom he met, if they wanted in either kinde. Such was Gillius among the Agrigentines, who was called, Liberalitis prae­cordia. Val. Max. l. 4. The bowels of Liberality. Nay, many have been even [...]. Nicet. chon. lib. 7. Seas of bounty, Abysses of pity, as one speaks of Manuel the Emperour, who afterwards took up, though uncertain whether voluntarily or of necessity. Hence your great and noble personages were cal­led amongst the Grecians, Luk. 22. 25. [...], Benefactors. The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them are called Benefactors. Lord was written Laford, and Lafh is that which we call Loaf, but signifi­eth Bread in general. So that he was a Laford or Lord that afforded bread. So Lady was written Laphdean, that is, a woman dividing or distributing bread. V [...]rst. And the names of Lord and Lady amongst us were taken up at first from mens bounty in distributing their bread to those that were in necessity. The houses of such in former times, being, as free Schools for Learning, so free Inns for Hospitality, or as Domus ejus quasi quaedam muni­ficientiae essicina. Valer. de Gil. Agrig. lib. 4. one cals them shops of munifi­cence, wherein the religious trade of good works and cha­rity was set up and driven commonly. Men of mean condition have not the means, and they that raise their estates by their own industry, or good husbandry, have not the heart to do good in this kinde, but [Page 51] as they get their riches most an end basely, so commonly they keep them as sordidly; whose wealth is as fast glewed to their hearts, as a Habuerat ille à patre relicta scriniae aureis argenteis (que) pro regionum diversi­tate numismatis reserta; & quod sando vix cognitum, mall [...]o cuneata; id (que) non avaritiae modo sed lusûs etiam ac con­tumeliae gratia. Hospites enim qui, per­multi ad eum familiariter divertebant, sciscitabatur Cujusnam generis pecunia indigerent, respondentes ejus generis, ut in quam quis (que) provinciam iter ha­beret, adducebat ad scrinia & quantum v [...]llent capere jubebant frustra (que) cona­ros deridebat & hos sibi de amicis jocos captabat novo genere dissimulandae ava­ritiae jactandarum (que) epum. Laur. Vall. de duce Gand. lib. 3. Hist. Ferd. Spanish Dukes wedges of Gold were riveted in his coffers, which he kept not only for Covertousness, but for sport also, giving any leave to take as much as they would: it being as impossi­ble to writhe or wrest any thing from them, as it was from his crowded Chests. Such cannot boast Job 31. 17. with Iob, that they eat not their morsels alone, who living most an end retiredly feed homely, cry out upon Luxury and Prodigality, being much of that Interrogatus aliquando, Sonorum omnium, quem molestius audiret, Maxil­larum inquit ossa frangentium. AEn. Syl. de Albico hist. Bohem. cap. 35. — Albicus jampridem dignitati cesserat cum familiam edentem bibentem (que) ferre non posset. cap. 42. co­vetous Wretches minde, who being asked, What noise he liked worse? Re­plyed, That of cracking of bones between the teeth; and left means and mainte­nance rather then he would be at charge to maintain a family. [...]. Arist. Ethic. lib. 4. cap. 1. They are al­wayes freest who do not get their Estates by their own diligence, but receive it by Inheritance. For they [Page 52] never feeling do never fear want, and the other getting their wealth hardly, love it and tender it the more dearly, as parents the children begotten of their own body, and Poets the works begotten of their own brains.

7. In mercy. The more noble, the more merciful. Cruelty and Gentility cannot stand together. The disposition of Noble­men and Gentlemen is like that of Non caede cuiusquam unquam laeta­tus, justis suppliciis illachrymavit etiam & ingemuit. Suet. in vit. Vespas. Vespasian: who so little joyed in the suffe­rings and death of any, that he wept and sighed deeply at necessary exe­cutions; like that of the Beneficium se putabat accepisse cum rogaretur ignoscere; & tunc proprius erat veniae, cum fuisset major commotio irae: praerogativa ignoscendt erat indig­natum fuisse. Ambr. de Theod. Senior. Cuidam ex necessariis aliquando scisci­tanti, Cur neminem qui illi intulisset in­juriam morte aliquando multasset sic re­spondit, utinam potius mihi potestas esset eos qui mortui sunt ad vitam de­nuo revocandi. Socrat. de Theod. Jun. lib. 7. Theodosii, the elder of which took it as a courtesie to be petitioned to shew mercy; and the more an­gry, was the more ready and willing to pardon: The latter would willingly have raised those that were dead to life, but was alto­gether unwilling to put any man living to death. Indeed, great cruelties have been acted by both sorts, noble and ignoble persons, but the latter generally are more eager in the prosecu­tion, and more savage in the execution of their bloudy designes. The descent of [Page 53] Ioseph is well known, and the Scripture notes this of him, that he was Dr. Hammond Annot. cap. Mat. V. 19. a just man; that is, according to the Hebrew phrase, a pi­tiful, a merciful man, of which it sets down this as an evident argument, That he was unwilling to make Mary his espoused wife which he took to be guilty of Adultery, a publick exam­ple, but resolved to put her away se­cretly, that she might not, though he thought she deserved it, fall into open punishment. Generous natures do not love, except it be upon incorrigible per­sons, or for the prevention of other­wise inevitable dangers, to take the rigour of the Law, and have lookt upon it as an office as hateful (as sometimes that of Publican) to be an Informer, Accuser or Promoter. Delator siquis extiterit fidelis, & per delationem eius aliquis fuerit proscriptus vel interfectus, placuit eum nec in fine accipere communionem. Si l [...]vior causa fuerit, intra quinquennium accipere communionem. Si catechumenus fuerit, post quinquennii tempora ad­mittatur ad baptismum. Concil. Eli­bert. Can. 73. Such in the primitive times, if any were banisht or put to death upon their In­formation, were not ad­mitted, no not at death, to the Communion, nor under five years Repen­tance, if the punishment were lighter. And the same crime was held suf­ficient to keep off for five years the Bap­tisme of those that were not yet Bap­tized, [Page 54] but sued for admittance to that Sacrament. And howsoever Actum de praemiis accusatorum delendis. Thereupon Tiberius cries, Irritas sore leges — subverterent potius jura, quam custodes eorum amoverent. Tacit. annal. lib. 4. Magi­strates do, and may, and must of necessi­ty in some wise make much of Informers, yet tis but as we do of Dogs, or Hawks, that destroy evill Beasts and Vermin, and bring in the prey. And when they reward them, it is but like our spitting in their mouths, or fle­shing of Dogs with Venaticos canes sanguine intesti­nis (que) captae ferae illecebrari à vena­toribus utile est. Blond. lib. 7. tri­umph. Rom. the Paunch. They and all o­ther generous natures do secretly spit at them, and Tacit. ait genus esse hominum publico exitio repertum. Ibid. hate them worse then Dogs or Serpents, that bite of a sudden, unseen, unhurt. But now your vulgar natures (as my self and many others found of late dayes by expe­rience) are prone to cruelty, loving, pro­voked or not provoked, all words that may do mischief, and are ready to fall upon any mischievous practises, glad if by the advantage of the times they can make use of Law, and Magistrate to flesh their covetous or satisfie their malicious spirits. If the dog-dayes of persecution be in at any time they are senting and coasting straight, hunting after their prey, filling the air with their barkings and clamours, incensing the Magistrate to sentence, and [Page 55] provoking many times (being more savage themselves) the Non aude­bant hominivorae be­stiae admodum prolixo tempore ad corpora piorum accedere, sed in alios qui extrin­secus ipsas incita­bant ferebantur. Eu­seb. lib. 8. cap. 7. Eodem tempore Gen­tiles in Christianos vialenter insultare qui se Philosophos praedicabant, frequen­tes concursa [...]e, ne­fanda quaedam myste­ria obire, pueros qui nondum ex ephebis ex­cesserant tum mascu­los tum foeminas quo exta eorum inspice­rent mactare, illorum carnes degustare cae­perunt. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 11. Phamices ventre Cyrilli dissecto jecur gustant qui primum dentes deinde linguas amittunt. Theod. lib. 4. cap. 7. Labitur hic quidam nimiâ formidine cursum Praecipitans, capitur (que): est illum in plurima sectum Frusta ac particulas, ut multis mortuus unus Sufficeret, lotum corrosis ossibus edit Victrix turba— Juvenal. Satyr. 15. unwilling beasts to execure, and Non aude­bant hominivorae be­stiae admodum prolixo tempore ad corpora piorum accedere, sed in alios qui extrin­secus ipsas incita­bant ferebantur. Eu­seb. lib. 8. cap. 7. Eodem tempore Gen­tiles in Christianos vialenter insultare qui se Philosophos praedicabant, frequen­tes concursa [...]e, ne­fanda quaedam myste­ria obire, pueros qui nondum ex ephebis ex­cesserant tum mascu­los tum foeminas quo exta eorum inspice­rent mactare, illorum carnes degustare cae­perunt. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 11. Phamices ventre Cyrilli dissecto jecur gustant qui primum dentes deinde linguas amittunt. Theod. lib. 4. cap. 7. Labitur hic quidam nimiâ formidine cursum Praecipitans, capitur (que): est illum in plurima sectum Frusta ac particulas, ut multis mortuus unus Sufficeret, lotum corrosis ossibus edit Victrix turba— Juvenal. Satyr. 15. like dogs eating some­times the flesh and licking up the very bloud of those which they have massa­cred. The cruelties of men of better Rank have been great enough, but those of the Vulgar sort commonly are more Populi tyrannis eo forte perniciosior est quo periculosier ignorantia, quae nec pondus nec mensuram nec legem habet, quàm malicia quae tamen ipsa aliqua regula, aliquo fraeno, aliquo termino gubernatur. Guicc. lib. 2. fierce and fell because they have nothing at all of knowledge, policy or civil education to take them off from their rage; but will, and malice, and stubbornness enough to set them on. What Prov. 12. 10. Solomon said in general of the wicked, we may say, as taught by experience of them, The mercies of the vulgar are cruel. And surely every one may make it a part of his Letany, From the mercy of a Coward and a Clown, Good Lord deliver me.

[Page 56]8. Lastly, In affection to, and advance­ment of Religion. True it is, at the first going forth of the Gospel, such as they embraced it but slowly. 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise men after the slesh, not many migh­ty, not many noble. But, as Et herclè justè aestimantibus regem liquet bona naturae ejus fuisse, vitia vel fortunae vel aetatis. Curt. lib. 10. he said of Alex­ander, That the good things which were in him, were to be ascribed unto his Nature; but his vices to Fortune or Age: So, that they embraced not straightwayes the Go­spel is rather to be attributed to external causes, matter of fortune, politique re­spects, worldly concernments, iniquity of the times and age wherein they lived, then to their inherent qualities of nature, which are better in them then in others, and in themselves no bad preparations for the Gospel. Besides God at first did pass them by, leaving them to walk on still in their own wayes, and choosing those of the Ut mira potentia per praedicatorum linguas claresceret prius mirabilius actum est ut eorum praedicamium meritum nul­lum esset. Greg. mor. lib. 33. cap. 21. meaner sort both for the promul­gation and profession of the Gospel, that none might think they were chosen for worldly respects, or dignity, or that the Gospel was carryed on by humane force and authority. But when once th [...]ough the mercy of God from on high, the day-spring from above did visit [Page 57] them, they above all became Esa. 49. 23. nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to the Church, Rev. 21. 24. and brought in willingly their riches and glory with themselves into it. And as 1 Tim. 3. 15. the Church is the pillar and stay of truth, so they in special manner became the stayes and pillars of the Church. To whom do our material Churches, and such like places of Gods worship, and our Universities the Seminaries and Nurseries of Learning and Piety, owe their begin­ning to, throughout Christendom; but to them, and such as have been raised up by them to share with them in the like ho­nour and dignity? And who entailed that portion upon the Ministers of the Gospel (which God did at first settle upon the Tribe of Levi) and that by We have given unto God both for us and our heirs for ever. Mag. Chart. Offero Deo at (que) dedico omnes res quae in hac Chartula tenentur insertae — Si quis eas inde (quod fieri nullatenus credo) abstulerit, sub paenâ sacrilegii, ex hoc Domino Deo, cui eas offero at (que) dedico, districtissimas reddat rationes. Cont. 9. cap. 6. This was the manner of Dedication. Solemn Vow, that it should never be cut off, but they? And who are they that of late would have pulled down our Churches as places of su­perstition, destroyed our Universities as the Pests (which they stuck not to call them) of the Land, and stood ready (as Rev. 12. 4. the Dragon in the Revelation over the woman) to devour the holy thing which was left, but the Vulgar sort, and such who swallowing down much goods, as [...]. Nicet. Chon. the Dragon much poyson, do [Page 58] swell thereupon, and reckon themselves great Gentlemen who have many times no greater ambition, then to be able to do those a spite that are of our Pro­fession.

Such is the difference between noble and common births. The one would keep up the Church and true Religion in lustre and splendor with themselves; the other would bring them down to as sordid a condition as their own Originals. And look as Diocletian sought occidere Praesbyteros, Iulian Praesbyterium. Sir Edward Cook notes it, lib. 2. Re­port, fol. 44. Iulian an Usurper first of the Empire, and afterward an Apostate from the Church, did not meddle with Ministers, as Di­ocletian who thought by killing of them to root out Christianity, which lived still and flourished notwithstanding their death; but by robbing the Church, and taking a­way the maintenance of Churchmen, he destroyed the Ministry it self, upon which also ignorance and decay of Religion pre­sently ensued: So many, usurping the name of Gentlemen, and apostatizing from the way of the Church, medled not with [Page 59] Ministers themselves (that was against Iu­lians and stood not with their principles) but by taking away their Maintenance, would have rooted out the Ministery it self, upon which Barbarism and Atheism must needs have followed. A work suta­ble to their upstart Nobility, and new-found Piety, but such as could never yet finde entertainment by the truly ancient Nobility or Gentry. Gen. 47. 22. Pharaoh will make no purchase of his Priests Lands, but reserves them till better times, and allows them a portion, when their Land would not, himself. 1 King. 18. 19. Iesabel entertains four hundred of Baals Prophets at her own Table. Sacerdotiorum apud Romanos quin­laplex proventus, Beneficia, stipes, solu­tiones, donationes, damnatorum bona seu consiscationes. Vid. Blond. lib. 2. tri­umph. Rom. The Ro­mans richly endowed their Priests. Qui bonâ fide Deos colit, amat & Sacerdotes. Stat. Epist. praefix. libr. Syl. 5. And whoso­ever (saith the Heathen Poet) doth in good earnest worship the Gods, the same doth make much also of their Priests. And as yet our No­bility have thought rather of preserving then robbing their Ministry. And thus we see by experience, that men of good descent are better conditioned, and do in many things excel those of the Vulgar sort, and that a good natural birth in it self, is no bad preparation for the spiritual. But how comes it to passe that such as are well descended, do so far transcend others?

[Page 60]1. This happens by virtue of their ge­neration. [...]. Epicur. in Plut. Zeno said that the seed was [...]. Diog. Laert. The seed is as it were the abstract of soul and body, and carries the qualities of both along with it. Nunquid non in semine tota arbor? Vitium ergo seminis, vitium est totius ar­horis. Chrysol. The whole tree is in the seed and if the seed be good, the tree is good, if the seed be naught the tree is naught. Andronicus, reproved for his lust, puts it off with a jest, [...]. Nicet. annal. lib. 3. If the first fruits be holy, the lump also is holy, and if the root be holy so are the branches. Pabuli sapor apparet in lacte, & vini vis existit etiam in accto. Senec. Natur. quaest. lib. 3. The water in the pitcher rellishes of the fountain from whence it springs. The milk sa­vours of the Land where­on the Cattle feed; the Vinegar of the Wine of which it came. Every thing hath a smatch of that from whence it takes its original. Fortes creantur fortibus & bonis. Est in juvencis, est in equis patrum Vir­tus nec imbellem feruces progenerant a­quilae columbam. Horat. car. lib. 4. od. 4. We see in the ofspring of birds and beasts, the virtue and spirit of the Pa [...]ent; and we may observe Generosa in ortus semina exsur­gunt suos. Senec. Troad. the corn that is sown rising up to its growth accor­ding to the quality of the grain. Nullo firmiore indicio sui seminis esse credebat quàm scritatis. Sueton. vet. Cal. Caligula took Drusilla to be his own [Page 61] daughter by her curst conditions. And Parents have no more certain way to judge of their own title to their children then this, that they are like themselves in their dispositions. Alexandrum pos­ses etiam in moriente matre cognoscere. Ju­stin. lib. 14. Men might see (was it said) the spirit of living Alexan­der in his dying Mother: and we may say as truly, the spirit of the dead Ancestors may be discerned in their surviving children. For as Stat. lib. 9. The­baid. the Poet speaks of one that was killed in the water,

So though the remains of mens Ancestors lie buried in the dust, yet their blood runs fresh and quick in their childrens veins. As we see ordi­narily (to [...]. Arist. lib. 2. polit. omit the strange resemblances in the productions of brute beasts) Plurima vultu Mater in [...]st. Stat. lib. r Achil. Amilcarem viventem red­ditum sibi veteres milites credebant; c [...]ndem vigorem in vultu, vim (que) in oc [...]lis, habitum oris lineamenta (que) intueri. L [...]v. de Hannibal. lib. 21. much of Father and Mother in the Childrens countenance, garb, car­riage, and sometimes strange impresses on the body derived from Father [Page 62] to childe: (Saleucus Figura anchorae in faemore Salencui nata cum ipso parvulo fuit — sic filii nepotes (que) anchoram in faemore veluti notam generis naturalem habuêre. Justin. lib. 15. had an anchor on his thigh, and so had his sons, and so had all his Ne­phews) so we may observe the good qualities of the minde, the spirit of Magnanimity, Hospitality, Po­licy, Learning, to be as hereditary in some Families [...] [...] [...] [...] [...]. — Nazian. car. as the Lance to the Spartans, the Ivory shoulder to the Pelopidae, the Grasshopper to the Athenians, or the scepter of Princes delivered over still by succession to their children.

2. This happens by Education. The Virtutes cardinales radicaliter sunt à na­tura, sed completivè vel ab operum frequentia & perseverantia, vel à gratiae influentiâ & praesidentia vel ex utra (que) causa — equues ex sua naturali compositione ap [...]iudinem ha [...]et ad benè portandum & ambulandum; sed illa aptitudo ad complementum potest reduci per ipsius equi assucsactionem, vel per ipsius sessoris industriam, qui scit fraeno equum suum ducere, vel per utra (que). Bon. dist. 33. quaest. 5. resolut. virtues which they have radical­ly by Generation are completed by Education. The Virtutes cardinales radicaliter sunt à na­tura, sed completivè vel ab operum frequentia & perseverantia, vel à gratiae influentiâ & praesidentia vel ex utra (que) causa — equues ex sua naturali compositione ap [...]iudinem ha [...]et ad benè portandum & ambulandum; sed illa aptitudo ad complementum potest reduci per ipsius equi assucsactionem, vel per ipsius sessoris industriam, qui scit fraeno equum suum ducere, vel per utra (que). Bon. dist. 33. quaest. 5. resolut. metalled horse is made much more serviceable by good training and mannaging. The richness which is in some grounds discovers it self in far greater fruitful­ness by good husbandry and tilling of [Page 63] them. [...] [...] [...] [...]. Nazian. The sparks that lie hid in flints, are drawn forth in great abundance by of­ten smiting and striking them. So the metalled di­sposition, the rich­ness of nature, the many sparks of virtue which are in some noble births, are drawn out to greater perfection, through the care that is taken in their good Education. Much is ascri­bed to the seed of which, much to the Carthaginienses fraudulenti & mendaces non genere sed naturae loci, quod propter portus suos multis & variis mercatorum & advenarum sermonibus ad studium fallendi quaestus studio vo­cabantur. Ligures montani, duri & agre­stes. Docuit ipse, Ager nihil ferendo nisi multa cultura & magno labore quaesi­ [...]um. Campani semper superbi bonitate agrorum & fructuum. Cicer. agrar. 2. Sunt tam civitatum quam sin gulorum hominum mores Gentes (que) aliae iracundae, aliae audaces, quaedam timidae: In vinum, in venerem proniores aliae. Liv. lib. 45. Legat. Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 23. Flagrat vitio Gentis (que) suo (que) Ovid. de Tereo. Cui Gentile nefas hominem revocare ca­nendo. Stat. lib. 3. Thebaid. de Thessal. place where, much to the Boeotum in crasso jurares aere natum. Horat. lib. 2. Epist. Athenis tenue coe­lum ex quo acutiores putantur Attici: crassum Thebis, ita (que) pingues Thebani & valentes. Cicer. de fat. air wherein, men are born. What vertue there is in the seed, we have said. The place where men are born by reason of the richness or barrenness of the soyl or scituation in reference to the Sea, may confer somewhat towards mens manners. The air accor­ding to the subtlety or grosseness thereof makes no little difference in wits, colours, complexions, di­spositions: but education is all in all, and is sufficient almost of it self alone to alter all. It hath been [Page 64] questioned, though I think no great question need be made of it, Which con­duces most to good living, A happy brith or good breeding? As it was said of De­mosthenes the Oratour, Alterum Demosthenem mater, al­terum industria enixa est. Val. Max. lib. 8. That his Mother brought forth one Demosthenes, and his own labour and travail brought forth another: So may we say here, Generation brings a man forth in one sort, and Edu­cation in another. A happpy birth layes a good foundation, Breeding carries on the building to perfection. And great Personages having the advantage usually of others in their education do attain thereby to a far more noble and generous disposition.

3. This happens by reason of good examples which they have about or nearer their eyes then others. The Tro­phies of Miltiades would not suffer The­mistocles to sleep. Alexander the great was greatly animated by the gests of Achilles. Caesars spirit was stirred up by Alexanders acts, and he grieved that he had done nothing at that age wherein the world was conquered by him. And if forraign examples have wrought so much, how much more may we ima­gine, [Page 65] Disce puer virtutem ex me verum (que) labo­remFortunam ex aliis.—Virgil. AEneid. 11. Sis memor & te animo repetentem exempla tu­orumEt Pater AEneas, & avunculus excitet Hector.Ibid. —Nec externo monitore petendusVirtutis tibi pulcher amor, cognata ministratLaus animo.—Stat. Syl. lib. 5. [...]. Arist. Ethic. lib. 10. The domestick examples of Parents, kindred, alliance will excite us, whom naturally we love and desire to be like, and to whom we are as loath to be a shame our selves, as we are unwilling o­thers should cast shame upon them. Erat haec stimulatio ingens, exprobran­tibus rectis cotidiè, Imbecillem dominum in­trare alienum triumphum. Plin. natur. hist. lib. 35. cap. 2. The Romans did wisely who would by no means suffer those that bought the houses of Noble personages to remove or take down their I­mages. They knew the standing of them would be a great spur, a huge incitement to vertuous atchievemēts. The very houses other­wise would upbraid the weak owners for en­tring upon other mens honours, and do­ing nothing worthy of honour themselves. And does not the same consideration, think we, work as well, if not much more upon noble issues to keep up the honour of their own houses, as it did upon strangers, that they might not seem un­worthy to lodge in those that they pur­chased from others? Yes surely. And [Page 66] were it not for this, Nihil aliud video in Nobilitate ap­petendum, nisi quòd nobiles quadam necessitate constringuntur ne ab Antiquo­rum probitate degenerent. Hieron. wise Gover­nours would not suffer the dignities and titles conferred on the Ancestors, to passe and descend at a venture by succession upon their chil­dren, but that by this means they would bind them by a kind of necessity not to degenerate from the ver­tue of their Ancestours.

4. Lastly, This happens surely not with­out some Divine influence from above. [...]. AElian. de margarit. lib. 10. de animal. cap. 13. Legatur. Am. Marcel. lib. 23. Pearls are not engen­dred in the Sea without a flash of Lightning. And these more pretious Pearls of the earth are not begot­ten certainly without some Divine flash or influence from heaven. The Heathen had their Heroes whom they reckoned betwixt gods and men. And we know Deus excitat peculiares Heroicos motus & impetus, in quibusdam etiam non renatis. Chemnit. exam. de oper. Infid. no Divines but are willing to allow He­roick motions, by which those whom we may right­ly term Worthies, were guided in their actions. And what we allow them in their lives, may not without reason be granted in their births also. True it is, the workings of God are free, and not tyed to persons or families; but yet, as the Spirit [Page 67] of God which is tyed to no sort of men, was most commonly poured out upon such as in Scripture are called the Sons, i.e. the Disciples of the Prophets, who were trai­ned up in the Schools of the Prophets, and by the study of the Law, were fitted and disposed for the receiving of the Spi­rit (what 1 Sam. 10. 11. else is the meaning of that proverb? Is Saul also among the Prophets? but that (though it sometimes fell out otherwise Amos 7. 14. as in the case of Amos, who was no Prophet, nor Son of a Prophet, but an Herdsman, and gatherer of Sycamore fruits) it was unusual, that persons never applying themselves to such courses, should be so suddenly and strangely in­vested with the Spirit of Prophesie?) So I make no doubt nor question at all, but that the Divine grace and blessing, though not tyed to any, doth most usually fall in some special manner upon those Families whose Ancestors have done worthily, and who set themselves after the example of their Ancestors to do worthily in the places where they live. And when all these, Birth and Breeding, special examples be­low, and special blessings from above, do concur, when Heaven and Earth do con­sent and conspire together as it were in one for their good, they must needs ex­cell in matter of abilities, and have a pre­heminence above others in respect of no­ble qualities.

[Page 68]Now this may let us see, first, How justly Noblemen and Gentlemen are in all places prized, preferred, honoured a­bove others. Such are better born and better bred then others; and so when Ho­nour is cast upon them, a lustre is cast upon Honour. Honour it self being in a sort ennobled, when Noble persons are ho­noured. Whereas on the contrary, the ad­vancement of men of mean birth and con­dition, is a debasement of the Dignity to which they are advanced. And [...]. Plutarch. de Alex­and. fort. lib. 2. look as unskilful mechanicks who set little statues upon great bases or Pedistals do shew the smalness and contempti­bleness of their statues so much the more: so those that raise men of sordid condition to high places of Honour and Dignity do lay open their inabilities, and discredit them the more, tottering and shaking this way and that way through their Instability. Judg. 9. 6. The Shechemites rai­sed up Abimelech, the son of a maid-ser­vant to be King over themselves: but, as Iothan told them, They carryed themselves therein ingratefully; so the event shewed them, that they dealt therein but impoli­tickly. Prov. 30.21, 22. When a Servant raigneth, the earth is disquieted: neither will it be at [Page 69] rest till it hath vomited him up, as the stomach the meat that offends it. Then Kingdoms and Common-weals are peace­able and prosperous, when Places and Per­sons of Honour are sorted and suited to each other. True it is, the Nobility and Gentry have alwayes had many mouths opened against them: but they alwayes Nobilitas blanda conciliatricula—. Omnes boni semper Nobilitati favemus, & quia utile est reip. nobiles homines esse dignos majoribus suis, & quia valet apud nos clarorum hominum & benè de repub. meritorum memoria etiam mortu­orum. Cicer. pro S [...]xt. won upon the affections, and found favour with good men, both in love to their Ancestry, and in hopes to have from them a like generous Progeny. Herodes cui Israelitarum genus ni­hil conserebat, conscientia ignobilitatis impulsus, generum eorum descriptiones exussi [...]: hoc se pacto nobilem futurum va­tus, si nec alius quispium publicis com­mentariis ad wus, genus suum ad pa­triarchas, & proselytos, & advenas Israeli olim immix [...]os, referre possit. Euseb. lib. 1. cap. 8. He­rod being an Idumaean burnt all the Iews Genealogies, envying them that an­tiquity whereof himself could not glory: so ma­ny being basely born them­selves, would root out the Nobility and Gentry; and, like the Fox that had lost his tail himself, would have the entail­ment of Honour cut off from their Po­sterity. The Peasant ordinarily boasts, how serviceable and useful he is to the Common-wealth, and complains as they in the parable, that Gentlemen are not only made equal, but set up far above them who bear the burden and heat of [Page 70] the day. But AEstimandum est unde obveniat tanta dignitas auro & argento; cum & consanguineis quantum ad genus, & po­tioribus quantum ad utensilitatem, ma­teriis praeferantur. Tert. de habit. mul. Who knows not that gold and silver are deservedly preferred be­fore Iron and Brasse which yet are more for use and service then they? Qui solas exstruere divitias curant, nihil volunt inter homines melius credi quàm quod ipsi tenent. Iactantur igi­tur quacun (que) ratione possunt literarum amatores, ut videantur illi quo (que) in­fra pocuniam positi. Petron. Quidam omnia prae divitiis humana spernunt, ne (que) honori magno locum, [...]ne (que) virtuti putant esse, nisi ubi effusè affluant opes. Liv. lib. 3. The rich man cries up riches above all. And truly where a free, noble, generous and rich minde goes along with rich means, no man can reasonably envy any honour; and such might be infinitely serviceable to Church and Kingdom: but when rich men would have themselves, as Nebuchad­nezzars golden Image ado­red only for their riches, and would have Nobility, Gentry, Mini­stry, fall down and worship and bow be­fore them, and yet have no more heart or spirit to do themselves or countrey good, then dead Images; those we think deserve as justly to be cast down as Images, and they that deal so with them, to be cal­led as deservedly Great, as [...]. Plutarch. in Vit. Pomp. he amongst the Romans for casting out the rich slaves that had crept in sometimes into the Senat. Others would have virtue only honoured in the Pa­rent, [Page 71] and no honour at all derived to the Children, till it appear they tread in their Parents steps, and discover that they are not only, [...] but [...], well born but well natured, fit for service, fit for acti­on. And, that they would have Dum nullum fastiditur genus in quo euiteret virtus, crevit imperium Roma­num. Liv. lib. 4. a passage open for all by virtue to honour, we dislike not. [...]. Herod. lib. 6. We commend not the custom of the Egyptians and Spar­tans, with whom Cooks sons must of necessity be Cooks, Cryers sons Cry­ers, and Trumpeters sons Trumpeters. Nor do we approve the practise of Id. lib. 6. Clisthenes, who called the men of his own Tribe [...], that is, Rulers of the people; but nicknamed other Tribes by the name of [...], Swineheards, [...], Asse­keepers, [...], Hoggards, and the like. Montaig. Ess. lib. 3. cap. 5. Nor do we like the conceit of those of Calecut, with whom no tract of time, no favour of Prince, no wealth, no of­fice, no virtue, can give one that is not so born, the name of a Gentleman. But that honour should not descend from Father to Son, hath we conceive many inconveni­ences. This crosseth the common custom of most Countries, which usually preserve their Genealogies, and keep up the splen­dour of ancient Families: and makes way [Page 72] for sordid equality, which suits not but with a Turkish Tyranny, or Helvetian Demo­cracy. This cutteth off the hope and ex­spectation of a worthy progeny, together with the reverence that is owing to a Family. This ministers occasion to lay aside, that which is all in all, the more careful and special manner of childrens e­ducation. This wrongs the living and the dead: The dead whose memory by this means doth die with him presently; the living by depriving them of that ho­nour which their Ance­stors purchased for them, perhaps with their bloud. [...]. Eurip. Elect. What though children do not alwayes patrizare, but sometimes degenerate from the virtue of their Progenitours? The [...]. Pindar. Nem. Od. 11. tree which is barren this year may bring forth fruit the next. The ground that lies fallow or brings forth nothing but thorns and thistles may in after-times recompence its former barrennesse with excee­ding fertility. And the stock of that family which now seems withered and dead, may sprout forth again and raise up it self, and the land where it is planted, to singular glory. Though the [Page 73] heart of Davids children were not per­fect with God as Davids was; yet for Davids sake did the Lord his God give him a 1 King. 15. 4. Lamp in Ierusalem, to set up his Son after him, and to establish Ierusalem. The single service of one man may deserve to be kept in perpetual memory, and to be honoured for ever to all posterity. As that of our Great Albemarle, to whom (though he did but his duty) yet, we con­ceive, the Kingdom will be ever en­debted.

2. This should be an admonition to men of good birth, of Noble discent that they dishonour not their honorable Original: we remember the saying of [...], AEsop to Solon: he replies, [...]. Plut. in Solon. AEsop to Solon, That mens discourse with great per­sonages should be very short or very sweet. And we would very unwillingly offend that ranck of men who alwayes befriended, ne­ver offended us; but we judge the [...], AEsop to Solon: he replies, [...]. Plut. in Solon. wise mans reply to savour, though not so much of policy, yet more of honesty, That our discourse with great men should be short or very soveraign; very brief, or such as should dictate the best things unto them. It is one thing to be a Minister, and another thing to be a Courtier; one thing to be a lover and honourer, another thing to be a flatterer and corrupter of Nobility and Gentry. We cannot but testifie what hath been observed, and what every man cannot [Page 74] not but testifie to have too much Truth in it.

First, that men of great birth do seldom make any addition to those Honours which they have from their Parents by succession, but contenting themselves with the purchase of their Ancestours, do live and spend as Prodigals upon their reputation.

Secondly, that coming with ease to Place and Authority, and being corrupted and drawn aside by flattery, they break out many times into all kinde of Luxury; their very goodness of their nature being a great promoter and advancer of their wicked­ness. For Non alibi fanctiorum virtutum exempla piorúmve facinorism, quàm in Italis animis cernas: & quod quidam de Attica dicebat, Nullibi vel atrocior cicuta est, vel suavius apes exactis di­gestis (que) floribus cellas implent. Barcl. icon. animor. part. 4. cap. 6. [...]. Plut. in Dion. as it is noted by Modern writers of Italy, and long since by ancient Historians of Athens, That no where better hony, nor more killing hemlock; no where men of better nor worse dispositions. So it is true, and delivered also by Plato the Divine Philosopher, [...]. Plat. in Plutarch. in vit. Demetr. That great natures bring forth great vices, as well as great virtues: even as the richest soil brings forth, not being well dressed, the rankest weeds. And therefore it concerns them that are well-born to look carefully that they disgrace not a Noble [Page 75] birth by an ignoble life. And Vide ne dum pu­det te parum optima­tem esse, parum dili­genter quid optimum sit eligas. Caecil. Ci­ceroni Epist. familiar. thus whilest they disdain not to be ranked in the number of best men, they little re­gard to deck and adorn themselves with the best manners. And to this end, as Vlysses sometimes said to Achilles, when by his Mo­thers counsel, contrary to his birth and breeding, and indeed to his own natural inclination, he found him disguised, and spinning amongst other Virgins, that so he might avoid the expedition which was then on foot to Troy, and his own fatal destiny which was foretold should be at Troy,

So give me leave to put some few questi­ons of like nature to some that already do, and to young men that they may not, degenerate from their Noble na­ture.

1. Thou that art descended from Noble and learned Parents, wilt thou according to Epicurus fugere omnem disciplinam nae­vigatione quàm velo­cissimâ jubet. Quintil. lib. 12. [...]. Idem. in Laert. Epicurus his counsel take shipping and flee with swiftest sails, and as far as [Page 76] possible may be from all learning; and, rather then use a little pains and industry, quench the light, and bring in darkness and blackness of ignorance, and Barbarism into thy Family? Filium M. Cice­ronis Pop. Romanus non agnosce [...] at loquen­tem. Sidon. Epist. 4. lib. 7. What a blot was it to the Son of Cicero, that it should passe into a kinde of proverb, That the people of Rome could not know Cicero's Son by his speech, and that his sottishness should be as great as his Fathers eloquence. Indeed it is a shame for any that bear any place or authority in a State to be altogether ignorant of Let­ters. Praedicere porco­rum recens natorum qui praeclarè adultu­ri essent, aut contra: posse equis calcitran­tibus prope assistere, usinos calcitrantes arte quàm longissime vi­tare, de mulis optimè judicare qui oneribus qui sessori commodissi­mè ferendo apti es­sent— Haec eius fue­runt prima aetate stu­dia, quibus & postre­mis suis se [...]e jactavit temporibus — Adeo in literis componendis tardus erat & syllabis consiciendis ut librum alius facili­us perlezeret quam ipse sui nominis elementa recenseret. Cedien. in Zonar. annal tom. 3. What a disgrace was it to Mi­chael, sirnamed Balbus, Emperour of Con­stantinople, and to the Empire it self, that his best skill should be, to tell which were likely to prove the best Pigs: what Asses would kick, and how to avoid them: what Asses were fit for burden, and what for sad­dle — And that for matter of Learning, he should be so ignorant, that another should sooner read a book, then he write his name. Forte die quodam cum apud Ferdinandum inter Familiam controversia foret atà, altercatio, Uter praestantior in bello extitisset Hector an Achilles, intervenit Iohannes Ferandis quaesivit (que) Quaenam tanta omnium al­tercatio esset? Nemo enim non alterutri parti aderat Ubi controversiam au­divit, Absit, inquit, optime Rex, u [...] hoc apud te quaeri patiaris; & fortissimum omn [...]um & longe praeclarissimum Hectorem cum faedo & stagitioso Achille com­parari Quâ admonitione adductus Rex edixit, Siquis domi suae Achillem nomi­naret, continuò cum nunquam reversurum exploderent Castè quidem Rex & re­ligiose [...] sed Iohannes imperitè sanè & indoctè. Val. lib. 3. hist. Ferdinand. What a ridiculous business was it, [Page 77] though the Historian excuse it? that a question being propounded, who was the better Souldier Hector or Achilles, a Prince upon the suggestion of an ignorant fellow, that Achilles was a flagitious Letcher and no wayes to be compared with Hector, should make Proclamation, that if any did but name Achilles in his house, as the King had forfeited his wits, so he should forfeit his house and all he had to make amends to the King. And is it not a shame also, that Gentlemen of great birth and dignity should be so illiterate and ignorant even of the Latine tongue, that they understand nothing at all of it, except there be an In­terpreter, Epiphanius ait exorcistas fuisse inter­pretes linguae in linguam, sive in l [...]ctionibus, sive in colloquiis. Magde­burg. Cent. 4. cap. 7. or Exorcist, as sometimes he was called, to conjure out the meaning, not altogether unnecessary sometimes for the understanding the Devils Oracles? Nay, how can many be blamed and shamed e­nough, who so for cast all knowledge behind their back, that though Interpreters do bring out unto them the Muses naked as it were, and prostitute them to their plea­sures: Gen. 19. 8. as Lot did his Daughters to the men of Sodome (whether with like intenti­on, lest the one should do worse, and as lit­tle discretion in betraying the honour of the other, I will not determine) yet they will not be tempted to meddle with them. They are so chast, that they leave them untouched, unsaluted, unseen. And hence it comes to passe that either they betake [Page 78] themselves wholly to worldly business, ra­king and scraping together all that may be got without regard of honour many times, or honesty, and gaining to themselves no other name then what Caligula gave Caligula called Silanus auream pecu­dem. Tacit annal. l. 13. Diogenes a rich man and unlearned [...]. Diog. Laert. I. Silanus, and Diogenes to all illiterate persons, namely, that of golden Cattle: or else they gave themselves entirely to sports and pastimes, Hawking and Hunting, things not unlawful nor unuseful, but pursued most an end with too much expence of treasure, and time the greatest of treasures. For, Aiebat sibi suffi­cere centum viros qui canes & quingentos qui accipitres curent; nec se cò stultitiae pro­cossurum, ut velit a­lere hominum tantam multitudinem propter rem quandam vanam & novam. There were 7000 before imploy­ed for that service. Chalocond. lib. 7.as Mahomet the Turkish Emperour said when he had greatly lessened the number of those that kept his Dogs and Hawks, that there were yet enough left for a vain and foolish sport: So some few hours at certain seasons might suffice for such game, and the rest be employed and spent in the pursuit of knowledge, a thing of infinite more use, and far more excellent name; and yet others, which is worse, having great means, do give themselves up to all manner of riot without measure (of which more by and by) and ha­ting all discours that savours never so little of any learning or ingeny, admit none usually but flattering parasites into their company, being like unto nothing so much as Diogenes said, [...]. Diog. Laert.those trees which grow on the top of great Prae­cipices, the fruit whereof is eaten by Ravens and such like Fowl, there being no accesse unto them for men to seise on them for food. Ille in ea opini­one erat ut putaret se [...]cire quod quisquam in domo suâ scierit. Senec. de Clavisio Sabin. Epist. 27. Now if that Roman were lookt [Page 79] upon as sottish, who keeping Schollars still about him, was of that opinion, that what­soever any of his house knew, he knew also; then much more sottish are they, who know nothing themselves, nor will admit of any willingly that do. For whereas the great [...]. Diog. Laert. de Aristot. [...]. Id. [...]. Diog. Laert. [...]. Alexander Pindari familiae par­fit & haec verba pro aedibus inscribi jussit. Ex prolegom. Schol. in Pindar. Literae non dico apud bonos sed mediocriter malos infularum loco sunt. Senec. Epist. 14. Alphonsus ac Ferdinandus. Hispaniae & Siciliae reges, alter à Tito Livio, alter à Q. Curtio valet [...]dinem amissam, quam à medicis non poterant, recuperarunt. Bodin. in proaem. ad method. hist. Scripsit Gregori­us in Job, cùm crebris viscerum doloribus torqueretur, ad leniendos cruciatus quos fracta stomachi virtute & continuis lentis (que) febribus supervenientibus patiebatur. Sixt. Senensi. lib. 4. prerogative of Letters are, that they are an ornament in prosperity, a refuge and protection in adversity, a comfort in age, a solace in solitariness, a remedy for the wearisome burden of idleness, and a cure for crosses, and sometimes also for sickness: the one did or might at least, if he had been capable, enjoyed some shadow of these; but the other can glory only in sensuality, which Sardanapalus counted his chief feli­city, whose manners, as his Sardanapalus incidi jussit in busto, Haec habeo quae edi quae (que) exsaturata libidoHausit, at illa jacent multa & praeclara relicta.Cicer. Tusc. quaest. lib. 5. Epitaph, sui­ted better with a beast then a man.

[Page 80]2. Thou that art the Son of a Magnani­mous Father, wilt thou bring cowardise into thine Ancestry, and discredit thine Heroick line with a base spirit as with a kind of ba­stardy? [...]. Herod. lib. 5. Was it not ominous that a man should bring forth an Hare in Xerxes army? And was it not infamous that such Dii boni! quas te­nebras ex quo sulmine nasci passi estis? Val. de African. filio. l. 3. slugs should follow after such thunderbolts, such darkness after so great lightning in Ninus, Cyrus his, and Scipios family? But here many do not fall short, but far ex­ceed both in word and deed, our antient Nobility and Gentry. The godly in Scri­pture are said Eccl. 9. 2. to fear an oath, but some Gentlemen have too great spirits to be re­strained and stand in aw of any such leight matter. Hos. 13. 1. When Ephraim spake, trem­bling. And if fearful Oaths give men just cause, as indeed they do, they cannot but tremble to hear some of them speak. They thunder and lighten (as [...]. Ari­stoph. Acarn. 'twas said of Pericles) and when they fall into a passion: as he by his powerful Oratory, so they by their dreadful Oaths put all into a com­bustion. Or Hic cum in medio patrum agmine constitisset eminens inter alios, velut omnes dictaturas consulatus (que) gereas in voce ac viribus suis, unus impetus tribunitios populares (que) procellas sustinebat. Liv. l. 3. as Livy writes of young Ceso, that he spake so confidently, as if he carryed the power and vertue of all Dictatures and Consulships in his own voice and strength: so they swear so stoutly, as if all power in heaven and earth were [Page 81] given unto them, as if their tongues were absolutely their own, and they had no Lord over them. It Mat. 5. 34. is the command of our Saviour, That we should not swear at all; neither by heaven, because it is the Throne of God; nor yet by the earth, because it is his footstool; nor by our head, because we can­not make one hair black or white. And so it is, they observe in some sort his command. They swear not by heaven or earth now, but by God himself. They swear not by their own head; but, oh impiety! oh hor­ror! by the head, wounds, heart and bloud of God. They spare themselves, but rend and tear God in pieces with their Oaths. It were well, and much to be wished, that as Gentlemen of all other are most cur­teous and civil towards men, so they would learn to be a little more civil towards their God. But the magnanim [...]ty of some is such, that it makes them forget all ci­vility. And what they are in words, the same we may finde some also to be in their deeds. [...]. Pluta. Sympos. lib, 1. As Cyrus the younger wrote to the Lacedemonians, That he was more Princelike then his brother, as for other things so for this, That he could bear away his wine much more stoutly: So many now a­dayes do outstrip their Ancestors, in that they can carry away their Liquor much more gallantly. The time was when out English Gentlemen exercised themselves with Military fears, and made themselves [Page 82] and the nation famous by warlick exploits; but now the daily exercise of many is, Whose belly shall hold most, and whose sconce shall bear most; and he that can get the victory, glories in it as a great mastery. The time was when full feeding, if any, was our fault; and Bacchus was a god that was much served by the Dutch and Flem­mish, and little known in our Island; but we have received the Idol long since into our heart and inmost dowels, and every day sacrifice unto it, drinking unreasonably, drinking unmeasurably, drinking [...]. Plut. Mor. de pueror. Educ. as if our Pa­rents had begot us when they were drunk, drinking not only the Anacharsis made but three cups [...]. Laert. cup of necessity, strength, mirth, sleep, with might some­times be excused; but of folly, madness, lust, fury. And indeed many, unless as Nos, nisi damnosi bibimus, morie­mur multi. — Et calices poscunt majores. Horat. the Poet hath it, They drink damnably, think they shall die unrevenged, die ignominiously. And so they call for greater weapons, and Isa. 9. 5. the battel is with confused noise, with tables and garments baptized in the bloud of the grape, and with vapour, and smoak, and burning, and fuel of fire. We have read or heard of the Danes, that they think (and it may be some are of their opinion) That [Page 83] what entreth into a man defileth not, but what is vomited out: but the Musick would sound but harshly in their ears, if we should say, They deserve to be restrained, as some were by Excogitaveret in­ter genera cruciatus, etiam ut largá meri potione per fallaciam oneratos repente ve­retris deligatis fidi­cularum simul urinae­que tormento disten­de [...]et. Sueton de Ti­ber. in vit. Tiberius with fidle-strings, lest not sin­ning in filling they should sin in emptying themselves. We delight not in cruelty, but a restraint surely is necessary, and divers have in several Not above three cups allowed in sym­posiis. Ter bibe — Auson. Excusare cae­pit morem quod amica se non dimisisset tri­bus nisi potionibus ex m [...]re siccatis—Synod. Nannetens. defined the same number. Democritus wrote a book, that four cups were not to be drun­ken. Some would have Magistrates look that none drink too much. Plato cals them [...]. The same also called [...] quod toti Argei & oculei essent in conviva­rum compotationes. They were called likewise moduperatores. Legat. Com­mentator in Sedon. Apollin. qui nunc non est in manibus. Legi etiam alicubi­de Edgard quod clavos argenteos vel aureos v [...]sis affigi jussit ut dum metam suam quis (que) cognosceret non plus subserviente verecundia vel ipse appeteret vel alium appetere cogeret. ages thought of, and applyed several remedies. And it is time in this age to think of something; not only Learning, but Manhood also, being drowned under this Deluge, and nothing of it appea­ring in many Gentlemen, except it be that rising from their benches like Psal. 78. 65. Gyants (at least in their own conceits) refresht with wine, they send out a chartel of defiance for the maintenance of the truth, which they never belyed; or that they enter the field and fight, as [...] [...] [...] [...] Nazian. Car. the champions of [Page 84] old [...] for some Lady, which was never by themselves nor must by others be abused. An argument not of manhood but of madness, not of courage but of out­rage, not of magnanimity but (to speak the lightest of it) of youthful bravery and vanity. Wisemen abhor such actions and reject such motions, and the supposed Homerum siquis caecum genitum putet, omnibus sensibus orbus est. Paterc. blind Poet saw clearly this, that it did not stand with the valour and dignity of his Achilles to fight for (though then in stead of wife) a captive Lady. And therefore as he brings in Agamemnon in great choler threatning to bereave him of his Briseis; so he brings him in, with much discretion replying:

[Page 85]We know no other Lady any Gentle­man hath to fight for, but she that begat him and nourisht him, and which ought to be deerly tendred by him, his own native Countrey; but many have been found in all ages and Nations that have ravisht and much abused, and made such deep wounds and gashes in her face, that not only strangers but her own children could scarsely know her. Few that have with true courage and magnanimity maintained her honour and dignity.

3. Thou that givest thy self out as de­scended of free and noble Parentage, wilt thou dishonour it by wretched Covetous­ness? Was Hospitality all thy fore-fathers glory, and dost thou only pleas thy self with sordid Parsimony? Did they keep open house for all commers, and doest thou still shut up thy doors, lest others should come and eat up thy commons? Did their liberal hearts devise Isa. 32. 8. liberal things, and doest thou practise thy self, and teach also thy children all —cogit minimas ediscere sordes. Juve­nal. de avar. Satyr. 14. sordid arts? So it is that Hospitality is well nigh lost, and almost wholly buryed in the dust. The Roman Censors being wont to take the manners and affairs of their Citizens into cognizance, sent sometimes (as we have somewhere read) their messenger to the good men of the City to make their ap­pearance. The messenger goes to the [Page 86] Tombes and Sepulchres of the dead, cal­ling all of Repute by their names, and char­ging them to appear before the Censors in their proper persons; and being deman­ded the reason, he replyed, That time had worn out the good men of the City, and therefore none being to be found amongst the living, he was forced to seek them a­mong the dead. And surely, if we will find out the good House-keepers indeed, we must go seek them in the Grave. The earth, the earth, covetousness and worldli­mindedness have long since devoured them. The soul of Hospitality is every where al­most turned into the body of bravery. In stead of feeding the bellies of the poor, men cloathe their own proud backs; and whereas theJob 31. 20. loyns of the poor were wont to speak thanks and blessing to the rich, now the loyns of the rich speak hunger and thirst to the poor. God hath set up the rich ones of the earth to be gods as it were unto the poor to do good unto them, and to distribute to their necessities; but the graces and favours which are re­ceived, do not countervail sometimes the Sacrifices and Peace-offerings that must be given to these Deities. When any petiti­ons are put up to them, they stand as [...]. Aristoph. de. imagin. deorum. in concion.the Images of the Heathen-gods with the palms of their hands upwards and open, not as [Page 87] willing to give but as ready to receive; and if any bounty fall from them on solemn times and seasons, it is but as moisture that fals from the Heavens, which the Sun first drew up from the earth.

Neither is Hospitality only lost, but those other Vertues also which we spake of, as proper to Nobles and Gentlemen. In stead of Humility, behold Pride; some scarse daining a word or look to others, and yet as much offended as Esther 3. 5. Haman with Mordecai for the omission of a knee to them, and ready to fall foul upon a man for lack of some few cringes and con­gies, as (they say) evill spirits are on them that conjure them up, if the least line or figure be omitted in their magick cere­monies. In stead of Mercy, behold Cruel­ty; the condition of divers being like those Surrentine Wines which some com­mended, but Tiberius cal­led, Tiberius Caesar dicebat consensisse medicos ut Nobilitatem Surrentino da­rent; alioquin esse generosum acetum. Ca. Caesar qui successit illi,' nobilem vappam vocabat. Plin. lib. 14. cap. 6. Nat. Hist. Generosum acetum, Generous Vinegar, savour­ing rather of the Crab, then of the Grape or any such like generous stock. But who are these? Judg. 9. 13. The true Vine cannot lose her plea­santness wherewith she cheereth God and Man. These grosse failings are seldom in the true, but in those that pretend to, and are climbing up to the Gentry. And [Page 88] such may know, that they take not the right course to hit the mark which they aim at. For, what was said of Dare, curialissi­mum est; auferre au­tem quod [...]i, quod con­trarium est, rusticissi­mum. Alan. in Pe­rald. one, is true of all these vertues, Hospitality, Humi­lity, Curtesie, Mercy, are each of them a most Courtlike quality; and the contrary savours strongly, and suits best with the Countrey. Let us make but one demand more and we have done.

4. Thou that art descended of Noble Parents, such as were great Patrons of Lear­ning, great advancers of Piety; Wilt thou by putting down Learning and debasing the Ministery pull down Religion, and bring an everlasting blot upon thy Family? What; Is not Learning worth the countenancing? One that knew the worth of it will tell thee, Pl [...]beis argemi, Nobili [...]us auri, Prin­cipibus gemma [...]am loco, literas esse debere dixit. Pius 2. in Plut. That common people should esteem of it as silver, and Nobles as of gold, and Princes as of pretious Pearls: And they have been thought happy, Equidem beatos puto quibus deorum muncre datum est, Aut facere scribenda aut scribere legenda. Plin. ad Tacit. to whose share by the gift of God it hath fallen, To do things worthy to be written, or to write things worthy to be read. But these were Schollars, and pleaded their own cause. True! but we have as much also from Noble Personages. Ego doctrina an­teire mallem quàm co­piis & opulemiis. Agel. lib. 20. cap. 4. Alexander the great, if it were put to his choice, said, He would rather be [Page 89] great for Learning, then for wealth or War. Hujus oratio fertur, ad Se [...]atum missa, tantum habuisse eloquentiae ut illi statua non quasi Caesari sed quasi Rhetori decerueretur. Vopisc. Numerianus professed, That he had ra­ther have a Statue erected for him as an Oraet [...]r then an Emperor. And Sigismundus interrogatus à principi­pibu [...] qui literas oderant, Cur homines obscuro generenatos ob literarum com­mendationem tanti faceret, respondit; Se jure illos colere qui caeteris singularē dono divino autecellerent: Illos à Deo solo posse creari; verum in sua potestate esse ut titulis & praediis nobiles faci­at quoscun (que) & quandocu [...] (que) velit. Bucholcer. Sigis­mund of late years prefer­red Schollars before others, as being in his judge­ment better then others, saying, that, He could create Noble men, but God only Learned men. Or do you think that Religion and Learning will stand alone without any helps and en­couragements? So thought Iustinian an Emperour Fere 2000 libros in 50 titulatim digessit operā Treboniani, Theophili, & Dorothei: & uberrimam legum materiam brevissimâ epitome, quae Institutionum ti­tulo inseri [...]itur, contraxit: & ipse tamen, [...], omnium literarum ex­pers. Magdeburg. Cent. 6. cap. 3. who digested much Law into books, but little Learning into his brain. And therefore taking a­way Ad templorum aedificationem cum infinitis egeret pecuniis, stipendia libera­lium artium Magistris olim constituta in omnibus Urbibus sustulit, quas vacan­ [...]i [...]us literarum ludis rusticitas invafit. Zonor. in vit. annal. tom. 3. salaries from professors, he fell to buil­ding of Temples; but while Temples went eve­ry where up, which made, he thought much for his glory, Learning went down, and Barbarism and Rusti­city overrun the Empire, to his no small infamy. Or, do you think that true love to Learning and Religion can stand with the contempt of the pro­fessors [Page 90] of the one, and Ministers of the other. It was [...]. AEli­an. hist. lib. 13. feelingly and fully spo­ken by Themistocles as suffering in that nature, I cannot commend those that have the same cup to drink and to pisse in. Can we drink and pisse, pisse and drink in the same cups? Can we prise and despise, use and abuse the same per­sons? So some have done, but not Graeci Scenicos actores non parvo civitatis suae honore dignos existimave­runt. Aug. De Civit Dei. lib. 2. cap. 10. Romani cum artem ludicram scenam (que) totam probro ducerent, genus id homi­num non modo honore civium reliquo­rum carere, sed etiam tribu moveri notatione censoriá voluerunt, cap. 13. Quomodo autem abjicitur scenicus per quem colitur Deus? Et [...]heatricae illi­us turpitudinis qua fronte notatur actor, si adoratur exactor? — In hac disputatione hujusmodi ratiocinatio sum­mam quaestionis absolvit. Proponunt Grae­ci, Si dii tales colendi sunt, profectò etiam tales honorandi sunt: Assumunt Romani, Sed nullo modo tales homines honorandi sunt: concludunt Christiani, Nullo igitur modo dii tales colendi sunt. Ibid. sutably to their Religion, nor agreeably to their profession. The Greeks honoured their gods with obscene and filthy Stage-playes, and reckoning them as a great piece of their Religion, they had their Stage-plaies also in great veneration; but the Romans (which was strange) honoured their Gods with the same Playes, but gave no honour at all to the Players; making use of their Art, but rejecting the Artificers as Infamous. And if St. Austin did thereupon wittily reason thus:

The Greeks lay down this proposition,

If such Gods be to be honoured, then such persons ought to be honoured.

[Page 91]The Romans come in with the as­sumption,

But such persons are no wayes to be ho­noured.

The Christians make the conclusion,

Such Gods therefore are by no means to be honoured.

Then we may argue as truly:

The Christian proposes,

If Religion ought to be regarded and main­tained, then due regard and maintenance ought to be given to the Ministers thereof.

The Sectary assumes,

Neither maintenance nor regard ought to be given to Ministers.

The Atheist concludes,

Therefore Religion is neither to be main­tained nor regarded.

But the Nobility and Gentry of the Land have hitherto in the worst times forbid the conclusion, by making ano­ther kinde of assumption; and we are confident, while any true bloud runs in their veins, neither due regard nor due maintenance shall be withdrawn from the Ministery. And indeed whatsoever phansies may run in some mens heads, yet assured­ly nothing can be carried on in Church or State, with good command, till Magistrate and Minister go together hand in hand. The Hydras head of sin will never be destroyed, [Page 92] except the one cut it off as [...]. Nazian. Epist. 127. Hercules, and the other as Iolaus commit it to the fire; neither will they ever get the maste­ry over their enemies, except as the Hom. Iliad. 23. two Sons of Actor in Homer guide the cha­riot, the one holding the reins, the other the whip:

So they both of them guide the Chariot of the Church with joynt-authority, and con­tribute both their power to each other for the gaining of the victory. And truly as the Piety of our ancient Nobles took up the Clergy into the same Chariot with them, not only as 2 Kin. 10.15, 16. Iehu did Ionadab to see, but also to guide and regulate their zeal, and to act with them in the Supreme Autho­rity: so it will not be an act unworthy their successors to raise them again (being unexpectedly raised themselves) to that dignity from whence they were cast down of late, and that in respect of outward di­stempers, not without some Iniquity. A difficult work we confess to bring about, but seeing God hath brought home again [Page 93] our Royall Soveraign [...]. Pindar. Olymp. od. 13. [...] con­trary to the oath of his enemies, and [...] beyond the hope of his friends, we know not but he may raise up also the Sacred Order [...] con­trary to the Sanction which hath passed a­gainst them. This would not be disho­nourable for the Nation, and (quicquid aves contrà minores [...]) not un­lawful in religion. The case may in such sort be stated and determined, as it hath been long since by no unlearned Gerson— Le­gatur hujus disputati­onis epitome in Nau­clero. Vol. 2. Gener. 37. or Religious Person. Envy cryes, Tolle, tolle, Take, take, all from the Clergy that is called Temporal. 2 Tim. 2. 4. No man that war­reth entangleth himself with the affaires of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier. Flattery cries, Oh quanta sublimitas Ecclesiasticae dignita­tis; Oh how great is the sublimity of Ecclesiastical dignity! Mat. 28. 18. To Christ, all power is given in heaven and earth, and none can have any power, but what they receive from his Vicars here beneath. But discretion looks to the original of things, distinguishes betwixt dues and fa­vours, considers the differences of times, and circumstances of things, and findes that that may be given, taken, and managed by them now, to the great advantage which could neither be given, nor taken, nor ma­naged by the Apostles without the pre­judice [Page 94] of Christianity. Howsoever there­fore some may be as good friends to the Clergy, as Varii variè hanc rem tradunt. Cum multi delendum Atheniensium nomen, urbem (que) incendio con­sumendam, censerent, negarunt se Spartani ex duobus Graeciae oculis, alterum eru­turos. Justin. hist. lib. 5. [...] Plutarch. in Vit. Lysandr. [...] Dunaeus in Orat. ad Reg. Jacob. the Thebans to the Athenians, who would have had them wholly rooted out by the Lacedemonians, yet nobler spirits, like Varii variè hanc rem tradunt. Cum multi delendum Atheniensium nomen, urbem (que) incendio con­sumendam, censerent, negarunt se Spartani ex duobus Graeciae oculis, alterum eru­turos. Justin. hist. lib. 5. [...] Plutarch. in Vit. Lysandr. [...] Dunaeus in Orat. ad Reg. Jacob. the Phocians will intercede for them, as they for the Athenians, who lookt on Graece as wanting an eye, if Athens should be wanting. This is certain, who­soever considers the benefits that are deri­ved unto them by the Clergy, cannot but say as Will. Cecill Lord Burleigh. He that was in his age as great a Politician as any. God blesse them by whom God blesseth us, and will not be unwilling to raise them on earth by whom God raises them to heaven. Nor can any envy them a seat with them here, who shall be willing to see the Apostles of Christ sitting with him on twelve Matth. 19. 28. thrones, and judging the twelve tribes of Israel hereafter.

[Page 65]To wind up this Admonition, Let such as are descended of antient families, take heed they do not bring dishonour upon them by the forenamed, or any such like, enormities. As it is common with them to stand upon their Gentility, so let them have a special care that they be not justly charged with grosse crimes in mat­ter of morality. Is it not a shame and a grief, to see rare parts of nature either drowned with sottishness, or overrun with vice for lack of tillage? Is it not strange to think that men should run such races, and follow such debau­ched courses, that if their Quid facies talem sortilus Pon­tice servum Nempe in Lucanos aut Thusca ergastu­la mittas At vos Trojugenae vobis ignoscitis & quae Turpia Cerdoni Volesos Brutos (que) dece­bunt. Juvenal. Sat. 8. servants should do the like, they would bestow on them a hundred hono­rable titles, and think no stocks or houses of cor­rection sufficient to punish their debauchedness, and yet pardon all in them­selves, and passe it over as matter of mirth and pleasantness. Is it not ridiculous to see men of great birth and wealth, to have little wit or worth? And that a man should have never a good condition, not one good quality, and yet please himself with that of the Poet, Juvenal. Sat. 8. Ast ego Ce­cropides, but I am a Gentleman of great antiquity. A man of mean birth Homer. Iliad. lib. 10. de Hectore. [...] [Page 96] [...] neither Son of Lord nor Lady, hath all liberal arts under his Omnis liberalitas studiorum quatuor nu­is angulis tegitur. Tert. de pallio. Coat, Law, Divinity, feats of Cheval­ry, and can a hundred wayes do service to his Countrey; and the other is nil nisi Cecropides, nothing but a Gentleman of great Antiquity. Every creature is valued according to its own inherent worth, and must man alone take up his credit from without himself, from his Noble birth? Sed Venale pe­cus Corithae: Sic po­steritas et Hirpini si rara jugo victoria sedit. Nil i [...]i majorum re­spectus, gratia nulla Umbrarum — Juven. Sat. 8. [...]. Basil. de Vit. & Virt. Conc. 1. Non datur Nobilitati palma sed cursui: deformior est victus, in quo & Nibilitas generis periclitatur. Ambros. lib. de Nabath. cap. 13. The dull jade is not the better ac­cepted, because his Sire hath run many a race; nor the dog because his dam hath oft won the chace. [...] [...]. Nazian. If thy breath slink, or thou be deformed, wilt thou say, Thy father was sweet or fair? Or if thou be weak and sickly, wilt thou plead, Thy fa­ther was stout and debonaire? The vertues of our Ancestors will not heal our vices; but the lustre rather of their glory, like a bright shining Majorum glo [...]ia posteris quasi lumen est; ne (que) bona ne (que) mala eorum in becullo patitur. Salust. in bel. Jugur. Incipit ipsorum contra te stare parentum Nobilitas, claram (que) facem praeferre pudendis. Juvenal. Sat. 8. light, will the more blazon our Infamy. What do eminent [Page 97] birth, and eminent vices purchase for men, but more notorious ignominy? When the meanness and bad manners of others lie both hid in obscurity. Suppose the Noble acts of mean progenitours do Majorum virtus nunc vitia nostra su­stentat. Senec. consol. ad Helvid. cap. 10. prop up for a while, the defects of their Successors, as Shores do rotten Edifices; yet as the one, except they be repaired, so the other at last will sink and — Miserum est aliorum incumbere famae Ne collapsa ruan [...] subductis tecta co­lumnis. fall to ground through their own vices. In short, if men of good birth be vicious, they are but as pools which receiving good water from the spring-head do stand and putrifie; or if, not being given to much vice, yet they be not vertuous, they are at best but like [...]— [...]. Basil. in cap. 2. Es. the Cedars of Lebanon which mount up to a great hight but never fructifie. We laugh at the Romanists who glory that they sit in St. Peters chair, when God knows they dwell where Rev. 2. 13. Satan himself hath his Throne: and style themselves the successors of the Apostles, when they have neither any affinity with the manners, Ecclesiae quae nullum ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis authorem suum proferunt, ut multo posteriores; quae deni (que) cotidie instituuntur; tamen in eadem fide con­spirantes, non minus Apostolicae depu­tantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae. Tert. de praescript. [...]. Naz. in laud. Athan. not consanguinity with the doctrine of such predeces­sors. And is it not also ri­diculous for men to take to themselves the Honours of Noble Personages, and [Page 98] allow to themselves such vices as are not sufferable in ignoble persons? Either glory not of the Nobility of thy birth, or grace it with the goodness of thy life. [...]. Eurip. Hel. This is the credit of Nobility and Gentry indeed to let the world see cleerly that they inhe­rit not only the Honours, but the Vertues of their Ancestors.

3. Forasmuch as they that are well de­scended, are better mannered, better con­ditioned; men should learn to match them­selves into a good house, a good kindred. Absurda est Sophistarum contra No­bilitatem calumnia, qui vulgaria etiam & omnibus notissima non considerant, nempe quod generandae sobolis gratia generosi equi & canes emu [...]tur; item vitium & olearum & reliquarum arbo­rum optima quae (que) semina. Homini autem nihil ad futuram successionem generis No­bilitatem conferre putant, sed tantundem valere sive barbaram sive Graecam ori­ginem. Stob. Serm. 86. vide sis plura. In o­ther things of nothing so great concernment, we are wisely enough and carefully provident. That we may have a good stock of cattel, we will look to the breed. For the sowing of our ground, we pick the choysest seed. And shall we think in the procreation of our chil­dren, that it matters not what the ori­ginal be, Scythian or Barbarian, bond or free. De Ulysse Homerus, Instillatae patris virtus tibi, tanquam assereret ad pau­cas seminum guttas paternae virtutis bona conslucre. Ibid. The vertue and good­ness of the seed discovers it self both in man and beast. A generous seed, a generous brood. And look as it was said of Cato, Ex eodem naturae utero & Continen­ [...]a nata est, & Cato. Valer. lib. 4. That Cato and Conti­nency [Page 99] came both out of the same womb: so may we say, that of the same seed, No­bility and Ingenuity, Nobility and Magna­nimity, Liberality, Curtesie, and every good quality doth most an end proceed. And yet howsoever men may praise and com­mend highly Nobility, wealth for all that doth commonly make the Marriage and contract the affinity. So men can raise their Estates, they care not many times what blots and steins they bring into their houses, to the great [...]. Eurip. Heracl. [...]. Id. Herc. sut. dejecting of their childrens spirits when they shall hear them charged upon them in after-times, and themselves be consci­ons of their Parents vices. But a wise man will rather seek a vertuous then a wealthy Issue, and chuse rather to leave his chil­dren the treasure of [...]. Id. an ingenuous con­fidence arising from the knowledge of his good Parentage, then a stained or tainted inheri­tance. True it is, that some evils (as, proud and scornful spirits) do cleave to great births; And wo­men especially that are derived from great Fami­lies, do reckon Mälo Venusinam quàm te, Cornelià mater Gracchorum, si cum magnis virtutibus affers Grande supercilium, & numeras in dotè triumphos. Tolle ti [...]um, preco [...], Hannibalem, victum (que) Syphacem In castris, & cum to [...]â Carthagine migra. Juvenal. Satyr. 6. the conquests, triumphs, ho­nours of their Ancestours, [Page 100] as a part of their Husbands dowries, and a man shall have need of a [...]. Niceph. Greg. lib. 7. good God (as one saith) and a Sea of water to wash away their insolencies. But these are not the vices of Nobility it self, but of some few Noble Personages, and are recompen­ced generally with eminent Vertues.

4. Lastly, this should be for Caution to Parents, that they set not their chil­dren as much backward for lack of educa­tion, as they help them forward by con­veighing a Noble nature to them in their generation. True it is, that as some con­stitutions of body are stronger, so some dispositions of minde are better then o­thers. So that two being trained up un­der the same discipline, the same Laws, one notwithstanding may surpass the other by many degrees; and yet for all this, every disposition is Doctrina vini promovet insitum, Recti (que) cultus pectora roborant. Hor. lib. 4. car. helped forth, or hin­dred much by good or bad education. Diogenes dicebat Medaeam sapien­tem non veneficam fuisse: Acceptis enim mollibus & effoeminatis homi­num corporibus confirmasse ipsa, & exercitiis robusta ingentia (que) reddidisse. Hinc samam emanâsse quod coquendo carnes in juventutem restitueret. Stob. de assiduit. Medea had more Wisdome then Witchcraft in her, who taught men to bring their soft and effeminate bodies to a better temper [Page 101] by military and manly exercises. Hence the report arose, that by boyling anew their flesh, she brought them back from age to youth, and made them look lively again and fresh. Whereas this new devised con­coction, was nothing else but a better advised institution. It were well, many No­ble youths were not quite spoiled by their Parents Witchcrafts and sorceries, or by the Inchantments and flatteries of base Parasites, which by the Parents counte­nance creep into Noble Families. [...]. Plut. de puer. edu­cat. But as Ly­curgus shewed the men of Sparta, That of two whelps of the same Litter, com­ming both from one Dam and one Sire, the one for lack of nurture proved a ravenous Cur, good for naught; whereas the other be­ing better tanght, minded nothing more then what he was bred to, the sport and game. So it fals out too often, that in the same Noble Families some for lack of good discipline are good for nothing but the pot; whereas others being better edu­cated, grow either by Learning or Mili­tary arts renowned, and gain for them­selves and their Countrey a great name. A mean birth may be supplyed by a noble education, and made fit for any great de­sign or notable action; whereas for lack of discipline and culture, there seldom [Page 102] comes any thing very excellent from mee Nobleness of nature. Gold it self, the best of metals, is not so good when it comes from the Oare, as when it hath passed the fire; nor yet is it of that worth or price, till it be wrought by the Goldsmiths ar­tifice. Nature is brought by art to its full perfection: and so should generous births by sutable education. Toga praetexta bis addita, ut ex pur­purae rubore ingenui­tatis pudore regeren­tur. Macrob. Saturn. lib. 1. The Romans were wont to cloath their children with purple that from the very colour of the cloth which they ware, they might learn bashfulness and modesty, which is the colour of virtue. And it is but fit that by all good wayes (whether silent symbols which are emblematical, or soveraign discourses which are more emphatical) the hatred of Vice should be wrought in the hearts of Noble youth; that so shame might stein their cheeks, when by vicious courses they stein their Noble Births. And look, [...]. Plut. ibid. as Gardiners are wont with props and stakes to stay up their young plants, that they may shoot forth, grow and fructifie the bet­ter: So ought good Parents to stay up their children by good Precepts, Counsels, and Instructions; which growing up with them may engender such Vertues, Properties, Qualities which shall be agreeable to their Birth, Place, and Dignities: and may season [Page 103] their hearts with the fear of God, and true Piety; which is, if not the only, yet, the best kinde of Nobility. And so we come to the other point which we observed, That Piety is the best Nobility; or, Godly ones are the greatest Nobles.

[...]. Plato in Laert. [...]— [...]. Nazian. Orat. 28. We finde four several sorts of No­bility mentioned by the Ancient, who go­ing their several wayes, and following their several conceits, might give occasion to others to multiply divisions; but we con­ceive all the kinds thereof may fall un­der a triple Enumeration; Created, Natu­ral, Acquired.

The Created again is double. One con­ferred by God, who stamps some part of his Image upon the soul of every man that comes into the world: and so we think ei­ther may be said, that all are alike noble, being all are made after the image of God; or that none are noble at all. As if all men were Kings, [...]. Plut. in Vit. Pyr. Urbem templum sibi visum, Senatum regum esse consessum dixit. Flor. as Cyneas said of the Se­nate of Rome, we might truly say, there were never a King in a Kingdom. The other [Page 104] conferred by Princes (A kind of gods on earth) either for love or money, called by Nazianzene, [...], & not amiss termed by another, Charron. Parchment Nobility, which is as far from true Nobili­lity, as painted from native beauty; and deserves as much to be reverenced, as the Ape when he is dressed up to personate the Lion.

The Natural is that which is by descent from Parents, by succession from Ancestors; to which one of the three former of those kinds mentioned by Plato may be reduced. For whether men descend from those which are good men for their piety, or great men for their rule and authority, or famous men for some special service or ex­cellency, unless they be such as their Pa­rents were themselves; they have onely the matter and not the form, and are heirs onely of a naturall, and no better then a nominal Nobility.

The Acquired is that which is gotten by a mans own vertue and industry, which is therefore called Personal also, because it is the purchase of his own deserts, and not his ancestors glory. And this though it cannot be matched with that, which is both natu­ral by succession, & personal by acquisition; yet if the natural be not accompanied with vertue, which is the form of Nobility, the personal and acquired must have the prehe­minency. Now this personal Nobility, [Page 103] whether taken by it self, or in conjuncti­ion with the natural, may be considered, either as consisting in moral vertues onely, and such like qualities as are beneficial to the Common-wealth, according to which the Nobility of the Heathen, and such like is to be reckoned: or else in supernatural graces, the fear of God, and true piety, which make for the glory of God, and the good of the Church, according to which Christians are to be accounted noble; and this we say, is the best Nobility. Though the name (there is no doubt) were first imposed upon that which is carnal or civil, and afterward translated to that which is spiritual; yet as in other things of like na­ture, not that which is carnal or civil, but that which is spirituall is best. The spiri­tual kindred is best. Mat. 12.50. and 6.156. He that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister and my mother. The spiritual food best, John 4.34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work, and, my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. The Spiritual Fast best. Isa. 58.5, 6. Is it such a Fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul, to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him: wilt thou call this a Fast, and an acceptable day unto the Lord? Is not this the Fast that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, &c. The spiritual ornaments best. Eph. 4.22. Col. 3.12. Put off concerning the conversation in [Page 106] time past the old man, and put on the new man. And as the elect of God holy and beloved, put on the bowels of mercy, gentleness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering. The spi­ritual freedome best: Joh. 8. 36. If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. The spiritual sacrifices best: Psal. 51. 17. Heb. 13. 16. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, and to do good and to distribute forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. So the spiritual Nobili­ty is best. The fear of God and true piety. Though the carnal have the priority in na­ture in all these, yet the spiritual kindred, food, fasts, cloathing, freedom, sacrifices Nobility is best. And for the last howe­ver the great ones of the world brag much of their Nobility, yet godly men surpass them therein in every respect.

1. In respect of their Parentage; they are descended from the most High.2 Cor. 6. 18. Joh. 1. 13. They are the Sons and Daughters of the Al­mighty. They are born not of bloud, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. That which was the vain ambition of some of the Heathen, as [...]. Plut. Vit. Alex. of Alexander and others, is their happy con­dition, They are the Sons of God. And whereas the great Ones of this world, notwithstanding their goodly Parentage, are the [Page 107] children of Ephes. 5. 8. night and darkness, Ephes. 2. 3. chil­dren of wrath, children of death, children of hell (the Luk. 16. 16,24, 25. rich Glutton, that spake himself the son of Abraham, was tormen­ted in the flames of the infernal pit) all the godly are 1 Thess. 5. 5. the children of light and of the day, the children of Rom. 9. 8. promise, the children of the Mark 2. 19. wedding-chamber, and not only children Matth. 8. 12. as wicked men may be, but certain Rom. 8. 17. heirs of the Kingdom of God. For their mother, the womb where­in all godly men lie, is that of Christs Spouse; The Rev. 21. 9. Lambs wife, who is a great Queen, and hath Psal. 45. 9. Kings daughters and honourable women for her atten­dants, is their Mother. They are all Sions children. And as the [...]. Herod. l. 1. Lycians take their name from their Mo­ther, and if their Mother be Honourable, reckon their children so, whatso­ever the Father be; and the children base born, if the Mother be so, though the Father be never so Honourable: So they call no man Matth. 23. 9. Father on earth, but count it their honour that they are the children of the Church; which though she be on earth, yet is not of the earth, but hath her original from above. Gal. 4. 26. Ieru­salem from above is the mother of them all. So that as they excel all by the Fathers [Page 106] side, they surpass also by the mothers side, Ie­rusalems, w^ch is their mother, descending al­so from God. Indeed upon a true, account, & at first rise Jam. 1.18. God may be said to be both Father and Mother to them. Jam. 1.18. By his free goodness a Father. Isa. 66.9. By the power and fruitfulness of his grace, a Mother. Even as also the Ministers of God, the inferior and subordinate agents in their generation, are sometimes called fathers, as begetting them; 1 Cor. 4.15. In Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. And sometimes mo­thers, as bearing them, and bringing them forth; Gal. 4.19. Of whom I travel in birth again, till Christ be formed in you. Those vertues and excellencies, which in carnal and cor­poral agents are divided, being more emi­nently and perfectly in spiritual agents u­nited.

2. In respect of their divine nature and qua­lities. They are children of God, and so are born not of 1 Pet. 1. 23. corruptible seed, but incorrup­tible. The word of God is the seed of which they are begotten. And as there is vis [...], a formative vertue in the cor­ruptible seed of man, by which it comes to pass, that one man differs from another in conditions: so there goes a formative vertue with the word of God, even the 2 Cor. 8. spirit of grace, which begets in them a dispo­sition above that which is humane, and forms them after the Col. 3.10. image of God, makes them partakers of the divine 2 Pet. 1.4. nature and Heb. 12.10. ho­liness [Page 107] of God, and works in them such affecti­ons, and conditions whereby they excel all others, which are not born of the same seed, nor have the same seed of God abiding in them, which they have. The spirit works in them the same mind, will, affections, desires, dispositions which are in God, and makes them in all, holy, 1 Pet. 1.15. as he is holy, and 1 John 3. 3. pure as he is pure. There are as we have shewed special excellencies to be found in those that are noble according to the flesh, whe­ther Christians or others; truly Religious, or not: and they that are spiritually noble come not behind them in any thing, and excell them in all those things, that have any excellency by nature above the rest. They lose not any priviledge which they have by the flesh, but gain over and above that which comes by the Spirit.

1. They are as docil, and ingenious, and as capable of any humane Wisdom and Learning, as the best. Acts. 7. 22. Moses was learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians: And we see dayly the chil­dren of God come as Nonne aspicimus quanto auro & argento & veste sufsarcinatus exierit de AEgypto Cyprianus, Doctor suavissimus & Martyr beatissimus; quanto Lactan­tius, quanto Victorinus, Optatus, Hila­rius. August. de doctrin. Christian. cap. 40. richly laden out of the Schools of men, as ever the Israelites did with spoyles out of the Land of Egypt. Iulian a learned Emperour, but wicked Apostat, saw it, and was grieved at [Page 110] it. Propriis pennis vulneramur: ex nostris enim armati conscri­ptionibus contra nos bella movent. Mag­deburg. Cent. 4. c. 3. We are wounded (saith he) with our own quils: out of our own books they take weapons, which in fight they use against us. We may see the learning of those Fathers, some of which as living before him, or being contemporary with him, he complained of, and may reap the fruit of that with joy, which was a grief of heart to him. Si ad Sanctos pa­tres pro comparatione veniatur, instruit ut Hieronymus, destruit ut Lactantius, astruit ut Augustinus, attol­litur ut Hilarius, submi [...]titur ut Joannes, ut Basilius cor­ripit, ut Gregorius consolatur, ut Orosi­us affluit, ut Ruffinus stringitur, ut Euse­bius narrat, ut Eu­cherius sollicitat, ut Paulinus provocat, ut Ambrosius perseve­rat. Sidon. Apoll. de Claudiano. Epi. l. 4. We may see how destructive a pen to error Lactantius had. How instructive in good manners Hierome. How assertive in doctrine Austin is. What a high strain, Hialry; What an humble vein Chrysostome hath. How Basil reproves. How Nazianzen comforts. How fluent Orosius is. How short and trusle Ruffinus. How Eusebius tels his story. How sollici­tous Eucherius is. How Paulinus begins. How Ambrose proceeds. His arguments are called fulmina by Vincent. Lirinens. How Ter­tullian thunders and lightens. How more Loquitur diserta, sed magis fortia quam diserta; ne (que) tàm loquitur fortia, quàm vivit. Eras. stoutly Cyprian speaks then eloquen­ly; and yet how much more strength there is in his life then in his speech.

2. Pass we from Learning and Wisdome to matter of courage and magnanimity, and we shall find that the godly fall not short of any. Exod. 15. 3. The Lord is a man of war, and Psal. 144. 1. he teaches their hands to war, and their fin­gers to fight. Psal. 18.32. He girds them with strength [Page 111] to subdue their enemies. Besides what they have by nature, 2 Tim. 1. 7. He gives them also a spirit of might and power, as being to wrestle not onely with Ephes. 6.12. flesh and blood, but with prin­cipalities and the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickednesses in high pla­ces, which do every day vanquish the men of this world, and are every day vanquish­ed by the children of God: who being ar­med with a double kind of armour, are car­ried on with as undaunted a courage as any, against their two kind of enemies spiritual and temporal. And indeed to yield them so far as justly we may the preheminence in all things; Some of them have had no peers either for learning or valour, wis­dom or courage. All the Lawgivers of Greece cannot match one Moses. Nor all the wise men one Solomon. Nor all their Worthies one Iosuah or David. Nor all their feigned Herculesses one true Sampson.

3. If the Nobles of the world again think they have wherein they may trust in matter of manners, the children of God more. Are the one humble, the other as being born of God, more. Psal. 113.4.6. The Lord is high above all Nations, and his glory above the hea­vens, and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth. So they are high in Gods, and in all good mens eyes, and yet low in their own; and Raro genere ex­empli, altitudinem tu­am humilitate subli­mas Sid. Apel. de Fe­lice lib. 2. Epist. raise themselves higher by their lowly carriage. Gen. 18.27. I am dust and ashes, faith A­braham. [Page 110] Gen. 32. 10. Less then the least of all thy mercies, saith Iacob. Prov. 30.2. I am more brutish then any man, and have not the understanding of aman, saith Agur. Mark 1.7. I am not worthy to un­ty Christs shoes, saith Iohn the Baptist. Matt. 8.8. That he should come under my rook, saith the Cen­turion. Ephes. 3.8. I am less then the least of all Saints. The 1 Tim. 1.25. chief of sinners, saith Saint Paul.

4. Are the one courteous, the other as the true children of God, more. Luke 6.35. The Lord is kind to all: 1 King. 19.11, 12. He appears not in a rough wind or terrible earthquake, or burning fire, but in a still and soft voice. He Zach. 1.13. speaks good words, comfortable words, he speaks friendly words, he speaks to the Hos. 2.14. heart of the Church. So his chil­dren are full of kindness; full of courtesie, Their Religion doth not make them rude and rustick, but as it teacheth them to maintain good works, so also to keep up good manners. They hate indeed hypo­crisie, but they love courtesie; and account, as we may learn by their Rev. 16. per to­tum. practice, the omission of a salutation to be no small sin in civil conversation.

5. Are the one liberal, given to Hospita­lity; the other as the true children of God, more. As the Lord hath manum ex­tensam to help, so he hath manum expan­sum to give. Psal. 145. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desires of every living thing. 1 Tim. 6.17.He giveth richly all things to enjoy. So his children are free-hearted, and open-handed. [Page 113] True it is, there be some Gentlemen (as we said) and some professors, that have a thrifty, frugal, saving Religion: but as the one are mock-Gentlemen, so the other are mock-Professors. There is not a child of God mentioned in Scripture, as touched with covetousness. Psal. 10.3. God abhors it, and they all abhor it; and whereas other shut that they may keep out, they have still opened, and Gen. 18.1. stood at their doores to take in whom they might relieve who there­by Gen. 19.1. Heb. 13.2. entertained Angels, who came not so much to feed on their chear, as to feast upon and reward their charity.

6. Are the one mercifull? The other, as children like their Father, more. Num. 7.18. The Lord delights in mercy above all. He de­lights in mercy, and rejoyces over the sons of men to do them good: but to the work of Justice he proceeds as to a Es. 28.21. strange work; and to the act of judge­ment, as a strange act. Hos. 11.8. His heart is turned within him, and his repentings are kindled to­gether. And while there is any hope he spares, and when there is no remedy yet he doth not stir up Psal. 78.38. all his wrath, nor execute the fierceness of his anger upon his people. And as He is to them, so are his children to others, as willing to im­part mercy to others, as they are to receive it themselves; as ready to pity, as to be pitied; to pardon, as to be pardoned; to forbear in expectation of amendment, as [Page 141] they would be forborn; and while there is hope of cure, dressing and cherishing as their own members, and when all hope is past, as loth to have them cut off, and as sensible of their smart, as if they were a part of themselves.

7. Doth the one stand well affected and seek to advance Learning and the nurseries thereof, and the Religion which they pro­fess, and if they be Christians, the Church of God and Ministers thereof? The other as the true children of God more. Psal. 87.2. The Lord loves the gates of Sion more then all the ha­bitations of Jacob: and how he provided under the Law both for the safety and liveli­hood of those that ministred in his Courts, is well enough known Psal. 105.15. Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm: and Who amongst you shuts a doore for nought, Mal. 11 1. or kindles a fire on mine Altar for nought? And though he hath expressed no quotum for them under the Gospel, as having given a sufficient precedent under the Law by his own example; yet he hath spoken Luke 10.7. 1 Cor. 9.13, 14. Gal. 6.6.1. Tim. 5.17. e­nough to that purpose, and in all times made sufficient provision for them. When they had least of all, yet then we find they did not Luke 22.35. want at all: When I sent you (saith Christ to his disciples) without purse and scrip, and shoes lacked you any thing? they replyed, Noth [...]ng. And he that com­manded the 1 Kings 17.4. ravens to feed Elias, hath still kept such a commanding power over [Page 115] the hearts of men, that though they be ne­ver so covetous, never so ravenous over this worlds goods, they have not quite ea­ten up all, but afforded his Ministers a competent allowance. It was long before prophesied, and we have long since seen it fulfilled, that Kings as nursing fathers, and Queens as nursing mothers, should make a­bundant provision for the Church of God. Constantine begun, aud all Christian Prin­ces have followed him, and the more Re­ligious men have been, whether publick or private persons, the more liberal they have been in this kind: and never any took a­way the means of the Church, but perse­cutors and apostates, and such as meant to destroy the Church it self. As for those who bo [...]e the Sword among us of late, and had it in their mindes to rob and spoil the Church, which their predecessors la­boured to enrich: We may say of them, to their reproach, what the Poet speaks to the honour of Clytemnestra, who pre­served her husband, when all the rest of her Sisters destroyed theirs, That they had [...]. Pindar. Nem. Od. 10. [...], a single-conceited, and a single-opinioned Sword by themselves. The Sword of the Lord, and the Sword of his Religious Vicegerents, have hi­therto been for the defence and main­tenance of the Church and Ministers thereof.

[Page 116]8. In all these things they excel. But that which sets them cleerly above all, is the dominion which they have over their passions, through the work of Mortifi­cation, and that divine temper which they have in respect of worldly things by their heavenly conversation. The Nobles of the World, though they do worthily and seem to fly high up­on the wings of Vertue; yet (as it is said of Birds) Climach. [...], They fly still with their passions about them. Whithersoever they go, some passi­on of Envy, Lust, Malice, Anger, or the like, goes along with them, which defiles every action: And as Birds though they mount high, yet turn their backs to hea­ven, and Mos est aquilae ut irreverberata acie radios solis aspiciat; sed cum refectionis indigentia urgetur, e­andem osulorum aci­em quam radiis solis infexerat ad respe­ctum cadaveris inclinat; & quamvis ad alta evolet, pro sumendis tamen carnibus terram petit. Greg. mor. lib. 9. cap. 23. look down-ward, and have their eye still upon the earth: so their minds are still upon the earth and earthly things, in their very noblest and highest designes. So that what is said in general of all men, [...]. [...], [...] [...]. Eurip. Hecub. Hac servo nocebit si ostenderis quis non sit. Alius libidini servit, alius ava­ritiae, alius ambitioni; omnes spei, omnes timori. Macrob. Satur. lib. 1. That they are never wholly [Page 117] free, but must serve either the law, or their lust, money or the base multitude; may be said in special of them, They are servants still to some base lust or corruption, and while they rule over men without them, are slaves to the beasts within them. And look as men of mean birth, though they do many things well, yet still disco­ver their lack of breeding, by some rude and unhandsome action: So the Nobles of the World do stein their best actions, and discover still their car­nal generation by some base vice or cor­ruption; to which, if not openly, yet in secret they pay their constant devotion. Multis saepe superbia luxuriae seminarium suit, quòd dum cos Spiri­tus quasi in altum e­rexit, Caro in infirmis mersit. Hi enim prius in secreto elevantur sed postmodum publi­cè corruunt; quod dum occultis intumescunt molibus cordis, aper­tis cadunt lapsibus corporis. Greg. moral. lib. 26. cap. 12. Yea while men glory too much of their birth, we may observe, How they are by Gods just judgement given up to loose­ness of life. While they lift themselves up, and look over others in pride of spirit, they stumble and fall through the Simeon accusatus falsô stupri, ita esse assensus est, se (que) car­nem gestare rem sanè quàm lubricam. Euagr. lib. 4. cap. 33. slip­periness of the flesh; while they please themselves with the conceit of their native excellency, they are supplanted by the deceit of their natural concupiscence. We may remember how Postquam semel hominis spiritum superbia cepit, mox se ad corruptionem carnis extendit: quod in ipsi quo (que) ho­minibus primis agnoscimus, qui dum post perpetratam superbiam pudendae membra co [...]egunt, patenter indicarunt, quia postquam apud semetipsos intus arripere alta conati sunt, mox in carne foras erubescenda pertulerunt. Greg mor. lib. 32. cap. 12. Gen. 3. 7. suddenly the pride of spirit in our first Parents, was punisht [Page 118] by the Rebellion of the flesh. While they conceited to themselves high things in their minds, they suffered instantly shame­full things in their members. Rom. 1.21, 26, 27. And so the Gentiles when they grew vain in their imaginations were given up straight to vi [...]e affections; and while they waxed wanton, and played as it were with their natural wits, were delivered up by God for a re­ward to unnatural wicked­ness. Thus Ecce earo mersit quos superba scien­tia sublevavit, & à volatu volucrum ultra appetitum lapsi sunt jumentorum: at (que) inde sub se prostrati sunt, unde super se ire videbantur. Greg. mor. lib. 26. cap. 12. Diabolus in eis quos ad stultitiae luxuriam excital, jumentum est. In eis quos ad nocendi maliciam inflam­mat, draco est. In eis quos in fastu su­perbiae quasi alta sapientes elevat, avis est. Id. mor. lib. 33. cap. 20. the lust of the flesh humbles them, whom the pride of heart lifts up. Thus they fall from the h [...]gh Ecce earo mersit quos superba scien­tia sublevavit, & à volatu volucrum ultra appetitum lapsi sunt jumentorum: at (que) inde sub se prostrati sunt, unde super se ire videbantur. Greg. mor. lib. 26. cap. 12. Diabolus in eis quos ad stultitiae luxuriam excital, jumentum est. In eis quos ad nocendi maliciam inflam­mat, draco est. In eis quos in fastu su­perbiae quasi alta sapientes elevat, avis est. Id. mor. lib. 33. cap. 20. flight of Birds, beneath the sensual appetite of Beasts. Thus they are cast down below themselves by their inordi­nate affections, who set themselves up above themselves in their fond imaginations. But now the godly, though they be Jam. 5. 17. subject to the same passions with others, yet they are not sub­jected to the same enormous corruptions. As their Carnal birth, wherewith great ones please themselves, leads them on to carnal lusts: So the godly being born again of the Spirit, do mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the same spirit. Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Mat. 8. 32. The whole Heard of them is drowned by them like the Swine in the [Page 119] Gospel [...]. Climach. not by a Monkish profession, but in a dead sea (if I may so call it) of Mortification. Or if any of them live. yet they shut them up as close, as Josh. 10. 18. Ioshuah the five Kings in the cave, and keep them as fast Prisoners as Tamberlain did Bajazet in an Iron cage. And for the world, though they be in it, yet they are not of it. Though they live on the earth, yet Phil. 3. 3, 20. their con­versation is in heaven. Psal. 39. 6. While other men walk in a vain shadow, and disquiet themselves in vain heaping up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them: They walk with God, and seeking rest and hap­piness, seek it only in him whom is centrum quietativum, the only Center of all true rest and happiness. Exod. 32. 16, 19. While the mul­titude, as the Israelites, stay at the foot of the hill, and fall to Idolizing the creatures, doting upon, and dancing about, as they about the Golden Calf; The godly are in the Mount with Moses, talking, and conver­verfing, and solacing themselves in God. And as they say of Some say of At­las, Quod elatus sit super nubila at (que) in viciniam Lunaris circuli. Plin. lib. 5. cap. 1. Others deny. Id. Mons hic verticibus petit arduus astra duobus, Nomine Parnassus, superat (que) cacumine nubes. Ovid. Tis written of Olympus, Atho, and A [...]las, That they surmount all winds and clo [...]ds, and that the Pagan Priests sacrificing on those Mountains, do not finde the Ashes remaining of their Sacrifices blowen thence, nor washt off by rains, when they return; yet experience resolves us, that these reports are fabulous. Sir Walt. Ral. lib. 1. os 1. part. some Hils, That they are so high, that they are little or nought in­fested [Page 120] with clouds or winds: So the spirits of the godly are so Mentes sanctorum transitoria cuncta despiciunt & sub se labi quicquid super­bit, quicquid praeterit contemplantur, & quasi in quodam rerum vertice consti­tutae tanto sibi omnia subesse conspiciunt quanto semetipsos verius autori omnium subdunt, at (que) inde cuncta transcendunt, unde Creatori cunctorum vera se humi­litate substernunt. Greg. mor. lib. 26. cap. 14. Legatur cap. 15. lib. 22. sublime, that violent passions and turbulent af­fections do seldom or ne­ver discompose or distem­per their minds. True it is, That as the mists which rise out of the earth, do many times hang on the brow of high Hils: So the mist of some passion may sometimes hang on the brow of their understanding, and obscure and darken for a while their reason: but as of the one, by the beams of the Sun; so of the other, by the beams of Gods Grace, we soon see a sudden dispersion. True it is again, [...]. Pindar. Pyth. Od. 1. That as the Eagle which sits (in the Poet) on Iupiters Scepter, lulled asleep with sweet and delicious musick, doth hang the wing, and seem ready to drop off from her high perch and sublime station: So the children of God being lulled afleep sometimes with the pleasures and de­lights of this world, do flag and fail much in their wonted devotion, and seem ready to fall quite off from their high calling and heavenly profession; but 1 John 3. 9.the seed of God abiding in them, they recover themselves, and answer again their Noble birth, and [Page 121] Divine generation. It is with them in such cases, as with men that are intent on their business, though they be surprised some­times with sleep, yet while they sleep, their Cant. 5. [...]. heart wakes, and the least war­ning, check, or call makes them start up, as Judg. 16. 9. Samson out of Daelilahs lap, and break loose from the withs and cords of sin and vanity wherewith Satan for a time did blind and bind their Imagination. Tis im­possible that the fogs and mists of Passion should hang long about their brows, who are clothed with the Revel. 12. 1. Sancta Ecclesia, quia superni luminis splen­dore protegitur, quasi sole vestitur; qui cun­cta temporalia despi­cit, lunam sub pedibus premit. Greg. mor. 1. 34. c. 16. Sun; or, that in­ordinate thoughts and cares for this world should trouble their heads, who have the Revel. 12. 1. Sancta Ecclesia, quia superni luminis splen­dore protegitur, quasi sole vestitur; qui cun­cta temporalia despi­cit, lunam sub pedibus premit. Greg. mor. 1. 34. c. 16. Moon and all sublunary things un­der their feet.

And thus both for Parentage and Divine Nature, the godly surpasse all. Their Na­ture, by the work of Gods Spirit upon them, being in a sort Divine; their life pure and holy, as the life of God; their Vertues, as being freed from all violent passions, and inordinate affections, eminent above all other; and indeed not so much to be ter­med Vertues as Graces. Whereas the vertues of the Heathen and irreligious Christians, being tainted still with some lust or secret corruption, are not so much Vertues as glittering Vices. Or if their vertues could be free from that pollution [Page 122] which we now speak of, yet would they not so be free from all aspersion, there be­ing nothing at all of Gods glory, either first or last in their Intention. Omnis doctrina Philosophorum sine capite & — As Lactantius said of the Heathen, That their Learning was without a head; That their Religion was a headlesse Religion, be­cause they knew not God: So may we say of all vertues which the Nobles of the World make shew of, They have no good grace, they are graceless vertues. The original of them being only the dictates of reason, and their end, their own glory; or at best, the good only of the Common-wealth, without any re­spect to God, and so no better in the judgement of the most High, then Trea­son. But all the vertues of the godly are most properly Graces, Ephes. 1. 6. Their be­ginning being from Grace, and their 1 Cor. 10.31. end, as the godly themselves, the praise and glory of God.

3. They surpasse all others in their Relations and Priviledges- The Nobles of the earth stand much upon these, and will reckon up, if need be, their Ance­stors [...]. Morel. in Stat. ex Libanio. to the twentieth and thirtieth Generation; and are so vain sometimes, [Page 123] as to claim kindred with the Rex regum Sapor, particeps syderum, frater solis & lunae; Constantio Caesari, fratri meo, salutem plurimam dico. Am. Marcel. lib. 16. Qui cognata licet sibi astra fingens Phoebeâ tumeat propinquitate; Mortalem hic tamen implet obsecrando. Sidon. de Persa. lib. 8. Epist. Stars, and write themselves children to the Sun and Moon; but when they have gone the highest, they fall yet far short of the godly, who have Christ for their elder Hebr. 2. 11. brother and all the Saints, the glo­rious company of the A­postles, the goodly fel­lowship of the Prophets, the noble army of Martyrs, all the children of God throughout the world, for their brethren. And for their priviledges, they are the Ephes. 2. 19. Citizens of heaven, and Peers (if I may say) of the Kingdom of God. They 1 Joh. 1. 3. have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Iesus Christ; yea, and with the blessed Spirit also. 2 Cor. 13. 14. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with you all. So that there is not a dram of Power in the Father, of Merit in the Son, of Com­fort in the holy Ghost, but they have an interest in it. So that they may alwayes delight themselves in the love of the Fa­ther, relieve themselves by the Grace of the Son, and solace themselves in the Comforts of the Spirit. And having this fellowship with God, and being as it were Peers of his Kingdom, it is no wonder that they have also Tutelam Imperii, the guard [Page 124] of the Almighty, the ministry and pro­tection of the Angels about them. Heb. 1. 14. They are all ministring spirits sent forth for to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation. So that there is no­thing spoken so highly and vainglori­ously of their Kindred and Priviledges by others, but it is made good in a higher way to the godly in the greatest truth and reality.

1. And this in the first place letteth us see the reprobate minds and dispositions of those who have the godly in lowest estimation who ought to be in highest repute with them for their Piety and De­votion. Let men be singular for Learning, or any art or mechanique profession, they are admired and adored by all; but good men are lookt upon, and talkt of, but [...]. Plut. mor. as mon­sters of Nature, or some new mixture or strange composition. They that keep themselves carefully from the filth and off-scouring of the world, are general­ly reputed 1 Cor. 4. 13. as such by those that are the filth and off-scouring of the world in­deed. Yea, let the great Ones of the world busie themselves much in matters of Piety, and they shall run presently the hazard of forfeiting, with some of their own rank, the honour of their Nobility. That which [Page 152] Salvian long since complained of, is as true in our times. Iam vero illud quale, quam sanctum, quod siquis ex Nobilibus converti ad Deum coeperit, statim honorem Nobilita­tis amittit? aut quantus in Christiano po­pulo honor Christi est, ubi religio igno­bilem facit? — si honoratior quispiam religioni se applicuerit illicò honoratus esse desistit. Salv. de gubern. lib. 4. If any Noble man shall begin to turn towards God, presently he begins to loose the credit of a Noble man with men. Oh how little is the name of Christ esteemed amongst Christian people! when Religion makes a man ignoble, and Noble men are compelled to be wicked, lest being good, they should be lookt upon as worth­less. Montaign. Ess. lib. 1. 24. The Turks are of opinion, that Learning doth soften and emasculate mens minds: and the like Heathenish opinion, have some of Piety, that it doth weaken and effeminate mens spirits, and take them off from every thing that is manly. True it is, godly men cannot swear, nor drink, nor drab it so stoutly, nor give a sudden stab, nor enter the lists upon every trifling occasion so desperately, as they that think and speak of them so contemptuously. But, let the glory of God, and service of their Countrey require it, and none shall quit themselves more nobly. Let Iulian the Emperour command his Christian Souldiers saying, Ambros. Producite aciem pro defensione reip. Bring forth the Battail for the defence of the Common-wealth, and every one obeyes: Let him change the word and cry, Producite arms in Christianos, [Page 126] Bring forth your weapons against your fel­low Christians, and they acknowledge ano­ther Superior, and regard not what he sayes. They are cowards arant cowards to do evil. They can do nothing against, but have spirit and courage enough, for the truth. Let sword, fire, beasts, whips, wheels, wracks, be prepa­red for the Martyr Gordius, Gordius is pre­pared not to die once, but [...]. Gord. in Basil. ten thousand deaths (if possible) for Christ. Let Ro­manus be threatned first with the wrack, and then be spared by reason of his noble birth, he will renounce the Honour of his birth, rather then loose the Honour of being a Martyr.

[...]. Lucian. in Chrys. Sanctus nec proprium nomen nec gentem, nec civitatem unde erat, ne (que) servúsne vel liber esset; sed ad cuncta interrogata Romanâ voce respondit, Christianus fum. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 1. Let Sanctus, let Lucian be tortured and questioned of what Countrey they are, [Page 127] They each reply, I am a Christian. Of what Profession? I am a Christian. Of what Paren­tage? I am a christian. To every demand, I am a Christian: shewing at once their courage and constancy, and that Christianity is the best Nobility. Did these want valour? or may they not seem to have drunk of the cup of spirits, which some talk of? Or doth not the Spirit and life, which were both in their words and actions, shew clearly, that they had drunk indeed at John 4. 14. that fountain, which springs up in Gods children to eternal life, and that the 1 Pet. 4.14. Spirit of glory, and of God, did rest upon them. And have not Women also in like sort played the Men, and marched along with them in the same Equipage, shewing, that they are indeed not onely flesh of our flesh, but [...], Julitta in Basil. bone of our bone, by their incomparable courage.

We have read of a Prince, that was cal­led 12th king of; Na­varre, Montaigne in Ess. lib. 1. cap. 54. Tremblant, by reason of the trem­bling of his flesh when his armour was wont to be put on, who being demanded the reason by some who had his valour in suspition, told them, You have little know­ledge of me; for if my flesh knew, how far my courage would ere long carry it, it would fall into a flat swound. But surely we have so much knowledge of those that usually vili­fie the valour of true Christians, that should the same conflicts be presented to them, which were sometimes to the Martyrs, not [Page 128] onely their flesh, but their hearts would be tremblant, and they ready for lack of spi­rit to encounter them, to fall (as 1 Sam. 28.20. Saul in his distress) flat on the ground. None but the Christian spirit could endure the brunts, which the Christian hath under­gone. Well and good may those, which are Noble according to the flesh, want, as we see too often by experience, the spirit of Piety, but the true Christian can never want the spirit of Magnanimity; or if a Christian should possibly prove a coward, he hath that, as other infirmities, from the flesh, not the spirit: even as the other, if they prove Religious, have it from the spi­rit, and not from the flesh.

2. This lets us see, how little cause some have to please themselves with their Nobi­lity, who have no regard to godliness, no respect to piety. Such are not so hap­py upon their own account, in respect of their Noble birth; as they are miserable up­on a true account in respect of their wicked life. Such (as Seneca saith) are Seneca de bene­ficiis lib. 3. c. 28. Pro­ponit mihi inania No­bilitatis, id est, homi­num arrogantium no­mina; qui non tam me impediunt quod nobi­les sunt, quàm adju­vant quòd noti sunt. Cicer. orat. vol. 1. noti magis quàm nobiles, of greater note then Nobili­ty. As Ishmael is more noted for his Gen. 21.9. scof­fing humour, and Esau for his Heb. 12.16. profane­ness, then that the one was descended from Abraham, or the other from Isaack. And indeed howsoever some pride themselves in that they are descended from such and such [Page 129] ancient families, yet both [...], in Psal. 7. sacred, and [...] Eurip; Troad. profane writers fetch usually their pe­degrees from other roots, and derive them from other Originals, calling as the ver­tuous from the qualities which are nota­ble in them, Children (as we have said already) of light, day, wisdome: So the wicked, not from their Ancestors but from their manners, Children of darkness, envy, murther, death, and the like. And what honour can proceed from a noble birth imbased by a sinfull life? What cre­dit was it to the Jews to be the children of Abraham by generation, when they were reckoned by our Saviour the just Iudge of all men to be John 8.44. the children of the Devil by imi­tation. What advantage was it to Ishmael to be born, and by his wickedness to be Gen. 21.10. banished out of the same family? What benefit to Esau to be the first-born in the house of Isaack, and by his profaness to lose his Gen. 25.33. birthright first, and afterward, by the just Judgment of God upon him, Gen. 27.36. the blessing? Or what comfort was it to the poor woman in the Gospel to be the daughter of Abraham, when she was bound by Satan, and so far bound to the earth, that she could not Luke 13.11.1.16. lift up her self towards heaven. If men will be truly noble, let them not satisfie them­selves with this, that they are well-born by nature after the flesh, but let them labour to be born again by grace after the Spirit. [Page 130] Let them not content themselves that they are descended from antient families, but en­deavour (which few like in any sense) to be novi homines, new men, new creatures. Let them not build upon the good deeds of their Ancestors, but see that they lay up a good foundation for eternal life by their own good works. Our Saviour comman­ded them silence, that proclaimed him with a loud voice to be the Son of God, and why? If we will believe Saint Confitentibus. Dei filium imperabat lace­re, ut operibus magìs quàm sermonibus De­us agnosceretur; & tu Nobilem te dicis qui es factus? Ambros. in Psal. 119. Ambrose, Because he desired rather to be acknow­ledged God by his own good deeds, than by other vain words: And this we find certain, that Iohn the Baptist knowing the humour of the Jews to be such as is common with Nobles and Gentlemen, charges them to give the world some evidence of their own worth, and not to think highly of them­selves, only because they were descended from Abraham Mat. 3. v. 9. Bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance, and think not to say within your selves, We have Abraham to our father. Abraham qui­dem salvatur; sed te Nobilitas generis non salvabit, nisi fidem servaveris. vid. plur. in Ambros. ibid. Not the descent from Abraham, much less from any other ancestors whatsoever, but the like faith, and piety alone, which was in Abraham, will save us It was feeling­ly replied by Polynices to his mother in the Tragedy, when she askt him, If his noble birth did not stand him in much stead, did not greatly advance him in his banishment. Alas ( [...] Eurip. Phoenis. said he), 'tis a a wretched thing to be poor. My noble birth fat­ted [Page 131] me not, fed me not: it is wealth alone gains honour amongst men, and he that is noble if poor, is as good as no body. So may we say to those that think highly of themselves in re­gard of nobleness of birth, and have no re­spect to godliness of life. Alas, 'tis a wretched thing to be poor in grace. Nobili­ty sanctifies not, saves not, keeps no sin from any soul, not any soul from Hell. Though it may find admission for a man in­to Princes Courts on earth, yet it will make no way of it self alone into the Court of heaven; For Heb. 12.14. without holiness, no man can see God. It is piety, and holiness, which God hath respect unto alone, and if a man have all other natural and civil ornaments, and want piety and holiness, he is, though he think himself with Simon Magus to be some Acts 8.10. great one, but (as Saint Paul professed of himself to be 1 Cor. 13.2 [...] without cha­rity) just nothing.

3. This is direction both for noble, and ignoble, how the one may gain that which as yet he hath not, and the other may en­hance that, which he hath already. [...]. Plutar. praecept. nuptial. As Socrates advised young men, If they were ill favoured to correct their deformity by vertue, and if they were fair, not to stain their beauty with vice. So let men of mean and low birth ennoble themselves by a godly life, and Phil. 3.14. press to the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ: and let those that are of an high and honourable [Page 132] birth, take heed how they debase them­selves by low and sordid manners; but adde rather a godly conversation, as a great grace and ornament to that which they have by their birth, a noble disposition. There is a way left open by God for the ignoblest, if they will seek it Rom. 2.7. by well doing, to attain to honour and glory, and they that are of the meanest repute with the world, may yet by a pious life obtain with the Saints Heb. 11.2. a good report in the world, and leave a blessing to their posterity, and trea­sure up a recompence for themselves to all eternity. They that are the least in the world, may become great and glorious by becoming godly and gracious; and there is no defect in any sort or condition of men, but it may be made up by a Religious con­versation: the simple by this means may become Deut. 4.6. wise and understanding, the poore by this means may be Jam. 2.15. rich. The weaklings of the world may thus be­come the 2 King. 2.12. the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel. They that have not a rag to their backs may by this means be arrayed in Rev. 19.8. fine linnen, clean and white. They that have not a morsel of bread to eat, may feed every day of John 6.33. Manna, angels food They that are servants and slaves may by this means become 1 Cor. 7.23. free. They that are deeply indebted, may thus have their bonds Col. 2.14. cancelled. They that are reckoned 1 Cor. 4.13. the filth and offscouring of the world [Page 133] may by this means become the Mat. 3. 17. Lords jewels. They that have not Act. 7. 5. a foot of Land may thus have a Col. 1. 12. part in the inhe­ritance of the Saints in light. They that are but dust and ashes, may be made par­takers of the 2 Pet. 1. 4. nature, Ephes. 4. 18. life, and Heb. 12. 10. ho­liness of God: Thus Piety doth supply every want, defect, ignominy. Thus Scribit haec Philo de religiosis in AE­gypto. Videtur viris istis universa legis Scriptura animanti si­milis esse, ita ut su­perficies verborum corporis, sensus vero in verbis reconditus animae sit loco, quem ipsorum religio prae­cipuè quasi per specu­lum nominum eximi­am sententiarum pul­chritudinem relucen­tem observans con­templari cepie. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 18. [...], by those forenamed formes, phrases, and expressions as by a glasse darkly may be seen, Explica totos fastus, constitue omnes currus triumphales, nihil tamen morum principatu speciosius reperies. Valer. Max. lib. 8. Haud parvae rei judicium senatunt tenebat, qui vir optimus in civitate ess [...]t. Veram certè victoriam ejus rei sibi quis (que) mallet quàm ulla imperia honoresve suffragio ceu Patrum, ceu Plebis delatos. Liv. lib. 29. Hic honor habitus Scipioni Nasicae. Vid. lib. 30. [...], the transcendent prerogatives, pri­viledges, beauties, excellencies, glories, partly bestowed, and partly prepared, and to be conferred hereafter upon the godly. Thus as the very Heathen could acknow­ledge, Nulla ingenia tam prona ad in­vidiam sunt, quam eorum qui genus ac fortunam suam animis non aequant, quia virtutem & bonum alienum oderum. Liv. lib. 35. Let a man be Godly and Reli­gious, and all the Victories, Trophies and Triumphs in the World, shall not make him more conspicuous, more illustrious. True it is, Inter Agathaltos & Achanthides tan­tum est odium, ut, si sanguis corum vi mis­ceatur, continuò secer­nat se ac dissiliat: Sic inter Patricios & Plebem, siquando pro rerum usu conjungan tur & conspirent, du­rat tamen us (que) odium naturale. Cornel. à Lapide citat. tan­quam ex Plutarch. in cap. 30. Proverb. the profane great Ones of the world, will still despise those of mean birth, notwithstanding their godly life, and do scorn generally to have any com­merce with them, or society in any office, not only if they be low and Mechanick persons, which might give just offence; but [Page 134] though they be as able as themselves in any politick or civil capacity. It hath been observed by Naturalists, That there is such such an Inter Agathaltos & Achanthides tan­tum est odium, ut, si sanguis corum vi mis­ceatur, continuò secer­nat se ac dissiliat: Sic inter Patricios & Plebem, siquando pro rerum usu conjungan tur & conspirent, du­rat tamen us (que) odium naturale. Cornel. à Lapide citat. tan­quam ex Plutarch. in cap. 30. Proverb. Antipathy betwixt two Birds, that though their bloud be mingled together by force, yet they soon sever and divorce them­selves again from each other: And it hath been observed also by Moralists of the Nobility and Communalty, Inter Agathaltos & Achanthides tan­tum est odium, ut, si sanguis corum vi mis­ceatur, continuò secer­nat se ac dissiliat: Sic inter Patricios & Plebem, siquando pro rerum usu conjungan tur & conspirent, du­rat tamen us (que) odium naturale. Cornel. à Lapide citat. tan­quam ex Plutarch. in cap. 30. Proverb. That how­soever they sometimes joyn together upon some common services, yet they soon break again, and upon the lest occasion fall quite in pieces. Great Ones bear themselves commonly so high upon their birth, that they care not that any should come nigh them, though never do well qualified for parts and life. Nor can they willingly give others that Quod ex aliená vir [...]u [...]e sihi arrogant; id mihi ex meâ non concedunt. Sic queri­tur Marius in Salust. honour for their own, which for the most part, they arrogate to themselves meerly for the Vertues of others. But look now as the profane great Ones de­spise the godly for their mean birth; so God despises them for their wicked life. As they look upon the godly as a base, so God looks upon them as a black brood. His own people, descended from fair pro­genitours, he ranks, by reason of their vici­ous manners, which the foul-faced Ethi­opians, Amos 9. 7. Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopians unto me, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord? As they reproach the godly for their mean beginning: So God re­proaches them for their wicked living. [Page 135] Es. 1. 23. The Princes are Rebellious. Hos. 9. 15. The Princes are revolters. Ezra 9. 2. The hands of the Princes were chief in the Trespass. Neh. 3. 5. The Nobles of Tekoah refused to put to their neck to the yoke of the Lord. Thus they are bran­ded to eternity, partly for their wicked­ness, partly for their averseness to the works of Piety. And as God, so all good men, though they be honourable by reason of their outward condition, yet hold them as vile persons by reason of their filthy conversation. And Satan surely cannot but laugh to see them stand extreamly upon their birth, and yet make themselves the children, yea, the very first-born of Hell, by their wicked life; as if they desired to be chief in the lower, as they are here in the upper world.

We hate the exposing of any to derision, but we would, not unwillingly, have our words make some impression. We would have great Ones and Gentlemen see what little cause they have to brag of their Nobleness and Gentility, while they make [Page 136] themselves the children of the Devil, and liable to the same condemnation with the Infernal spirits, by their profaneness and impiety. For why? Are not the Devils (if I may so say) as well-born and descended as the best? Are they not the Sons of God, and the children all of them of the Highest? But not keeping their Jude vers. 6. first estate wherein they were created, that is, their holiness, they soon forfeited their happiness, and forsaking their proper sta­tion by disobedience at the same instant they lost that excellency which they had over others of Gods creatures, and their native preheminence. A wonderful mea­sure of knowledge indeed, and no less Quamvis internae felicitatis beatitudi­nem perdidit, naturae sa [...]en suae magnitudi­ [...]em non amisit; cujus adhuc viribus huma­na omaia superat. Greg. mor. de diab. lib. 34. cap. 13. power remains in them still; but, their holiness being gone, the good Angel is wholly dead in them, and the evill spirit alone doth survive: And should they now please themselves and be proud of their endowments, having forfeited the honour of their Creation, and exposed themselves assuredly to eternal perdition? Our condition is naturally the same with theirs, but that they are fallen without recovery, and there is a way opened for us to redeem our selves from our misery. The only thing that preserves the elect Angels, and which must raise lapsed man, is Holiness. Shall we then content our selves with our present greatness, and not seek to recover by a holy life our former happiness. Prov. 12. 16. The [Page 137] righteous, not the Greatman, Nobleman, Gentleman, is more excellent then his neigh­bour. And shall the godly, though mean of birth, rise up and lay hold of eternal life by Righteousness; and shall the great Ones and Nobles of the earth perish as the dung of the earth in their dung, their own Wickedness? Men aim generally at Great­ness, and labour to be as high as the best; and did they seek it by Holiness, they would certainly attain it first or last. But now this [...]. Nazian. Orat. 28. right hand and left, upper place and lower, precedency and con­comitancy turns all things topsie turvey, and brings them in the end, which otherwise might stand like innocent sheep at the right hand, into the place of Pendentem summae capream de rupe videbis: Casuram speres, decipit illa canes. Matt. lib. 13. clambering Goats on the left. Nothing at the last day will avail us but faith and sanctity when Christ shall come to be 2 Thess. 1. 10. glorifyed in his Saints, and to be admired in all that believe. If men were wise, they would not only as the children of this world provide for the present; but, as the chil­dren of light, look through the present to future advancement. They that minde only the present are like those that see [Page 138] with one [...]. Naz. orat. 20. eye alone, which seldom see well, and are not very sightly themselves to be seen: but they that look to the present and the future, are like ambidexters and lay hold at once both of this life, and that which is to come. Let great Ones then and Gentlemen look with both eyes to the present and future felicity; and attaining by their birth, to present Dig­nity, like ambidexters, let them lay hold of the future by Godliness and Piety. And that they may be assured, let them content themselves with nothing that is less then Piety. Mat. 5. 40, 47. As Christ saith, If you love them that love you, what reward have you? Do not even the Publicans do the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more then others? Do not even the Publi­cans so? So may we say here, If men have Wisdom and Learning, and Magnanimity, have they more then the Heathen? If they affect the Religion which they profess, and seek the advancement both of it, and those that administer thereunto; Do not the Hea­then do so? We have shewed, that these things may be in singular manner in natural men, in such as are Noble only by Nature. Let not Christians therefore, be they No­ble, Gentlemen, or others, content them­selves in going thus far; but as St. Peter [Page 139] after he had reckoned up many vertues, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, bids, Add to all these 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6. Godlines. As if he had said, Let men see that they be all managed by the word of God, and all tend to the glory of God. This is the nature of God­liness, to make another Alpha and Ome­ga, another beginning and end of all that is within us, and all that comes from us. And as all the stars in the firmament cannot make day without the Sun, nor an infinite sight of Cyphers arise to the smallest num­ber without the addition of some figure: So neither can all the excellencies in the world, without Piety, make any thing in Christian Divinity, nor add any thing of moment to the spiritual Nobility. Let none therefore, great or small, content themselves, as we have said, with my thing but Godliness; but rather labour [...]o winde themselves up to the highest pitch of Christian Nobleness. To subdue our passi­ons, to mortifie our inordin [...]te affections, to conquer our lusts, to minde the things which are above, to have the desires of our heart still upon God, and the remembrance of his Name, to stand for God in opposi­tion to the world, and depend wholly up­on his Providence; to contemn both the profits and pleasures of this world, neither suffering our hearts to be overcharged or besotted with the one or the other, is true Godliness, and that which few attain unto, [Page 140] true Christian Nobleness. We may observe many that stand much upon their Gentili­ty, that are infinitely sottish; and many that pretend much to Piety, that are infi­nitely Covetous; and both of them despi­sing and scorning each other. [...]. Plut [...]. As Ber­nice the wife of Deiotarus, and a certain Spartain Dame meeting one day, turned their backs to one another suddenly, the one as it should seem abhorring the per­fume of sweet powder, the other the smell of rank butter: So these usually keep aloof off; the first scoffing at the others sordid Piety; the second at the others sottish Gentility. And do we not think that there is a third man that may justly scorn both as having nothing in them of true Christianity? Do we not think to finde

He that is master of his passions, that hath command of his affections, that hath his conversation in heaven, and keeps com­munion still with God; that infinitely scorns the world, and is wisely temperate in the use of the creatures; he only is the true Christian. And he that is such a one is truly Noble. And though his birth be [Page 141] never so mean and low, yet if his parts advance him in the Common-wealth to any office or dignity Juven. Satyr. 8. Agnosco proce­rem, and look on him as meet to encrease the number of the Gentry or Nobili­ty. Godliness (as it is said of the Crown) takes off all taindours of bloud; and, caeteris paribus, makes any birth passant and good. Yea Godliness alone hath a Crown laid up for it. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Hence forth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness. God hath promised it to Piety, and he that hath promised, will one day set it upon the head of the Godly, and be­ing set on, there it shall rest to all eter­nity.

4. This should make the children of God careful to answer their birth, and to walk worthy of the Lord, who is not ashamed to be called their Father, and hath bestowed upon them the honour of being called his Sons. We see that Nobles and Gentlemen stand much up­on their Honour, and are careful not to stein it themselves, and give this, as he in the Poet, in charge to their chil­dren.

How much more then should the Sons of God, the children of the most High, stand upon their Honour, and be careful to approve and practise the best things, taking heed, lest they do any thing where­by that worthy name, by which they are called, may be blasphe­med. Herba generi respondet suo. Tu non respondes tuo? Tritici granum sparsum terrae, generis sui gratiam reddit: & tu degeneras? Fruges non adulterant sui sinceritatem seminis, tu adulteras pu­ritatem animae, vigorem mentis, corporis castitatem. Ambros. Hexam. lib. 3. cap. 7. Yea seeing the earth brings forth grasse and herb, yielding seed after its kinde, and the tree brings forth fruit after his kinde; They which are the off-spring of God, and of kin (if I may so speak) to heaven, should be ashamed not to answer their kindred. It was a foul shame which the Son of the great Scipio brought upon his family, Propinqui à manu ejus annulum, in quo caput Africani sculptum erat, detraxerunt. Val. Maxim. lib. 3. cap. 5. To have the Ring whereon his Fathers head was gra­ven, pluckt from his hand, as having nothing of that wisdom in his head, or stoutness in his hands, which gave his Fa­ther a seat in every noble Romans heart. [Page 143] It [...]. Xiphil. in Neron. was a far greater shame, that the trifling spirit of Nero, and the cowardly spirit of those that durst not withstand his humour, brought upon the Romans, that not only the Knights, but the chief Senatours of Rome, should come into the Theatres, and condes­cend to take upon them the parts of Common-Players on the Stage. That the Noble families which had sent forth Con­suls, Commanders, Con­querours; should now send forth Fidlers, Dancers, and Fencers. That they should be now Actors of those things whereof their An­cestors scorned to be Spe­ctators: That they whose Trophies and Temples were to be seen, as monu­ments of their Noble Fa­milies, should now be made the mirth and maygame of the com­mon people: That the conquered coming into the City, should point at the Con­querers saying. See the sons of those that some­times conquered Kings and Kingdoms, and led them in triumph through their streets, be­come now themselves the grand Pageants and [Page 144] pastime of Rome. And is it not as foul, though it be not accounted so, because custome hath made it common, That the children of God should prostitute them­selves so far, as to play the same parts, which none but the vilest were wont to play upon the stage of the world: That the Church which was wont to send forth Armies of Saints, Confessors, Mar­tyrs, should now send forth in greater number, Swearers, Drunkards and Covetous worldlings: That they should be Actors of those things which sometimes it was a Ephes. 5. 12. shame to speak of; and commit those things commonly which heretofore might not be so much Ephes. 5. 3. as named amongst the Saints: That they which were more then conquerours over the Devil, the world, and the flesh; and whose vertues erected so many Temples, to the eternizing of their memories, should now be them­selves the grand conquests of Satan, Revel. 18. 2. The habitation of Devils, the holds of foul spirits, and cages of unclean and filthy lusts: That men may justly point at them with the finger saying, See the children and successors of the Saints, who sometimes conquered and converted the world, become now themselves the shame and scorn of Religion. Such inti­mations as these (we know) sound harsh in the ears, especially of great Ones (who Nero ut faciendis scelerihus promptus, ita audiendi quae fe­cerat insolens erat. Tac. annal. lib. 15. though they many times act, yet sel­dome hear of, their dishonourable actions) [Page 145] and are as unpleasant to us, as we make no doubt it was to the Princely Prophet to call the great Ones of Israel, Esa. 1. 10. Princes of Sodome, and Rulers of Gomorrah. Such re­proaches cannot so much grate mens ears, as such carriages Ephes. 4. 30. Es. 63. 10. Ezek. 16. 43. grieve, and vex, and free (as the Scripture phrases are) the good Spirit of God: The things spoken of, being not only a shame to those that profess themselves the children of God, but an infinite dishonour also to God himself. For what is Godliness, but the imitation of God? And wherefore are we styled, and profess our selves the children of God, but that we ought, and take upon us, 1 Pet. 1. 15. to be holy as God is holy; and to [...]1 Pet. 2. 9. shew forth the vertues of him that called us out of dark­ness into his marvellous light? Now when a man shall profess himself a Painter, and take upon him to make the picture of a King; if he mishape him, and give him an ill Phismony or ill feature, stangers will be ready to judge of the Kings person as of an ill-favoured creature: So if the life of Gods children (which be as little pictures or Images, visible representations of the vertues of the invisible God) be wicked and profane, Heathen and Infidels will be ready to blaspheme the name of God while they judge and speak of him according to his Counterpain. Thus the cruelties of the Spaniards in the Indies, who styled themselves, The children of him [Page 144] [...] [Page 145] [...] [Page 146] who is the Father of mercies, and yet com­mitted fearful butcheries, gave occasion to that and the like Blasphemies; Qualis (malùm) Deus isle est, qui tàm impuros ex se filios & sceleratos genuit? Si pater siliorum similis, minimè profecto bo­num esse oportet. Benz. What a God (with a mischief) is this, who hath be­gotten such impure and wicked sons? If the Father be like the Sons, there is little goodness of a certain in him And if Pagans should live amongst us, and see how multitudes do abuse the name of God, sometimes for their politique ends, and worldly gain; sometimes altogether needlesly and in vain: How the most commit the greatest sins constantly, and salute God every day as confidently in his Ordinances; What would they think but that the God which we serve, were a dead Idol, a leaden God, such as Sir W [...]lt Raleigh in his Preface to the Hist. of the World. one of the Kings of France was wont to wear in his cap, kissing it and beg­ging pardon of it when he had commit­ted any foul murther, and promising it should be the last, and yet by and by fall to killing and kissing again? And why should they who keep as constant a course in Gods service as they do in sin, be thought to sin lesse grossely though not so ridicu­lously as he? What is it to use the ordi­nances and offices of Religion so, but to use them as the ordinances and offices that belong to a dead Idol, and not to the living God? Doth not God himself com­plain of this as of a grosse and ridiculous deportment? Jer. 7 9, 10, 11. Will you steal, and murther, and commit adultery, and swear falsly, and [Page 147] burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other Gods whom ye know not, and come and stand before men this house which is called by my Name, and say. We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house which is called by my Name, become a den of Robbers in mine eyes? Behold even I have seen it, saith the Lord. Hypocritae re [...]. virtuti intimae ad de corem sumunt visioni externae; & qui ant supernum jud cem nu di conscientiae in in fidelitate consiscunt ante humanos oculos professione sancta ver bo tenus palliantur Gregor. moral. lib 25. cap. 15. Thus they put on Religion, a matter of it self of inward excellency, to set a better face upon their outward pomp and glory; and they which before the Su­pream Judge of all, were full of abominable corruptions, stood fair in the eyes of men by a formal Profession. And this is a com­mon carriage with men, and passed over as a matter of nothing; but we may take notice of that (which the Psal. 50. 21. Psalmist saith) That the Lord sees, though for a time he be silent, and that he utterly dislikes those actions, wherein Hypocrites think him like themselves, and that he will set those things at last in order before their eyes, which they would not set, as they should have done, in right order before his. We should therefore be more careful of our demeanor for the time to come; and as we call God 1 Pet. 1. 17. Father, who without respect of persons, judg­eth according to every mans work, we should passe the time of our sojourning here in fear. We should take all heed, lest we any wayes dishonour our Noble Parentage, and labour in all things to be imitators of our Father Ephes. 5. 1. as dear children. Our Life should answer [Page 148] our Name, and our Conversation, our Pro­fession, lest otherwise the issue be thus: Nomen congruat actioni, actio re­sponde at nomini: ne sit nomen inane & crimen immane, ne sit honor sublimis & vita desormis, ne sit deifica professio & illicita actio. — Ne sit gradus exceisus & deformis excessus. Ambr. de dig. Sacerd. A good Name and an ill Fame: a fair Professi­on and abominable Trans­gression. We did set before you but now, the wicked practise of an evil Prince; we shall put you now in minde of a better prece­dent, who used a Picture, Gestabat de collo suspensam in pectus auream laminam, in quâ nomen & imago patris insculpta erat, quâ subinde memoriam ejus refricaret, & quicquid vel faceret, vel loqueretur, sic ageret quasi inspiciente omnia & exau­diente patre. Chromer. de Bolesho lib. 6. de reb. Polon. the Picture of his Fa­ther, to better purpose, taking it out and viewing it when he was to act any thing of great concern­ment; that beholding his Fathers image in the frame, he might do nothing un­worthy his Fathers Name. Let us abomi­nate the former practise, and learn from the latter, to give much more that honour to the Father Heb. 12. 9. of our spirits, which he did to the Father of his Flesh. Let us do nothing to dishonour Him, from whom we derive the greatest honour to be called his children. Let the Image of his Divine vertues be alwayes in our minds, engraven upon our hearts; and let us carry our selves so holily, so mercifully, so perfectly in all things, that all that see us, may Deut. 28. 10. see that we are called by the Name of the Lord, and that we are a Es. 61. 9. seed which [Page 149] the Lord hath blessed. Si hominibus laetum est & gloriosism filios habere consimiles; & tunc magis generasse delectat, si ad patrem linea­mentis paribus soboles subsiciva respon­deat: quanto major in Deo Patre laeti­tia est, cum quis sic spiritaliter nascitur, ut in actibus ejus & laudibus divina generosilas praedicetur? Quae justitiaē palma est? quae corona? esse te talem de qu [...] Deut non dicat, Filios genui & exaltavi, ipsi autem spreverunt me. Cyp. de zel. & livor. Isa 1. 2. It is a pleasure to Parents to see their own resemblance in their children, and it is an honour to children to keep alive the vertues of their dying or deceased Parents. And it is no lesse pleasing to God, that the life of his children should answer their birth; no lesse joy to the Almighty to see his Sons 2 Epist. John, verse 4. walking in the truth, after the Commandement which they have received from their Father; to see them carrying, like Gedeons Judg. 7. 16. Souldiers, a Divine light bur­ning in their earthly Pitchers. To see them exercising the graces of his immortal spi­rit in their mortal bodies. And how signal and triumphant a badge of righteousness, and how great a crown of glory is it for them to behave themselves so holily and obediently, that God shall not have cause to complain of them, as he did of some, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me? But shall wil­lingly speak to their eternal both com­mendation and consolation, Es. 63. 8. Surely they are my people, children that will not lie, children whose words and works are suta­ble; children who will not carry truth in their lips, and a lie in their Es. 44. 20. right hand; [Page 150] children that will not carry God in their profession, and the Devil in their conversa­tion.

5. Hence they that be poor and pious may take solace, though they suffer many times in this life much disgrace; their Nobility is as good as that of the best, though they live here under a cloud of ob­scurity. What repute great ones have with the world, They have with God and good men; the one are the onely excellent Ones with the sons of men, the other with the Psal. 116.3. children of God: The one are the the Worthies of the world, the other are the Lords Worthies, of whom the Heb. 12.39. world is not worthy. The one are the Jewels of Kings, the other the Mal. 3.17. Jew­els of the King of Kings. The one are the glory of Princes Courts, the other the 2 Cor. 8.23. glory of Christ and his Kingdom. And howsoever there be (to use the words of the Prophet in another sense then he spake them) upon this glory a Esai. 4. 5. covering, so that the world knows not their worth, yet the Lord knows it, and shall in due time ma­nifest it to the world, as it was said of Viginti clarissi­marum familiarum imagines antelatae sunt, Martii, Quintii, aliaque ejusdem No­bilitatis nomina; sed praefulgebant Cassius atque Brutus, eo ipjo quod essiigies eorum non visebantur, Tacit. Annal. lib. 3. Cas­sius and Brutus his image, which were con­cealed in Iunia's Funeral, when twenty o­thers of less note were brought forth, that they shone the more because they were not seen at all: so may it be said of the godly, The less conspicuous they are with men, the more illustrious they are with God. Summa apud Deum est Nobilitas, esse clarum virtu [...]i­ [...]us, Quid apud Deum [...] viris Nobilius Pe­ [...]ro? qui piscator et [...]per fuit. Quid in [...]oeminis beatâ Mariá [...]llustrius, quae spo [...]sa [...]a [...]ri [...]escri [...]itur? Sed [...]li pisi atori et pau­ [...]eri caelesiis r [...]g [...]i à [...]hristo creduntur cl [...] ­es: bac sp [...]risa sa­ [...]i mer [...]i esse mater [...]ius à quo ipsae cla­ [...]s dilae sunt, H [...]r. p. 18. ad Celant. Who [Page 131] more despicable with men, then Peter a fish­er man and poor? who more honourable in the sight of God? What meaner crea­ture then the blessed Virgin espoused to a poor Carpenter? who higher in the fa­vour of God her Maker? To the one were given the keyes of heaven! To the other it was given to be mother to the God of hea­ven! And though all attain not here to the like honour and dignity, yet all are great­ly beloved of God, and shall partake here­after of the same glory. 1 John 3. 2. Now they are the sons of God, and it doth not yet ap­pear what they shall be, but when Christ shall appear they shall be like him, then they shall be as he is himself, Exod. 115. 1. glorious in holiness: having sanctified and cleansed them, he shall Ephes. 5. 26,27. present them to him­self a glorious people. Though they Psal. 68.13. lie among the pots here, yet shall they be hereafter as the wings of a Dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. Though in this life they be Cant. 1.5. black, like the tents of Kedar, yet in the life to come they shall shine as the brightness of the Dan. 12.3. Firmament, yea as the Dan. 12.3. Stars, yea as the Matt. 13. 43. Sun in the Kingdom of their fa­ther. And what then is the glory of the of the Nobles and Potentates of this world, compared to the glory which shall be revealed in the Saints? What are all the Titles, Ensigns, and Badges of Honour, which the various Fancies of men have in­vented [Page 152] to set out the great Ones of the earth, to the splendour and lustre, beauty and Majesty wherewith the wisdome and power of God shall invest the heirs of hea­ven. That which the Apostle speaketh in honour of the Gospel above the Law, may we fitly speak in honour of the spiritual Nobility above the carnal. 2 Cor. 3.10.11. That which is glorious hath no glory in this respect by rea­son of the glory that excelleth; For if that which shall be done away is glorious, much more that which shall remain is glorious: And we may close up this with the words of Saint Iames a little altered, Jam. 1.9,10. Let the bro­ther of low birth rejoice in that he is exalted, and let him of Noble birth rejoice in that he is made low, and taught to seek a new Nobi­lity, in a way common to all, by vertue and piety; for as the flower of the grass he shall pass away, and nothing but his vertue and piety shall remain and make him truly Noble and happy to all Eternity.

6. And, in the last place, if men of Noble birth be vertuous also and pious, What should be their joy, and what their Crown of rejoicing, but this, that they have crowned their Nobility with Vertue and Piety? It was the speech of dying Otho to his Ne­phew Non patruum sihi Othonem fuisse, aut oblivisceretur unquam aut nimium meminis­set, Tacit. Histor. lib 2., That he should never forget that his Uncle was Emperour, nor yet let his mind run too much upon it. And so, we think great Personages should never wholly forget, nor too much mind their [Page 153] Noble birth, but mind this rather (which will be their onely comfort) that they lead a religious and godly life. Jer. 9.23.24. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might: Let not the rich man glory in his riches: Neither (may we add) let not the Noble man glory in his Nobility: But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows the Lord. Though a Noble Ancestry be a great honour with men, yet it is onely Piety, that procures them honour with God, Es. 43.3. Since thou was pretious in my sight thou hast been hoouurable. Though Gold be better then other metals, yet it passes not for currant coin in the kingdom, till the Kings image and superscription be instampt upon it: and though Noble persons be bet­ter by descent then others, yet they can­not pass for honourable in the Church, the Kingdom of God, till righteousness and holiness, the image and superscri­ption of God be graven on them. Theo­dosius therefore rejoiced more that he was a Theodosius ma­gis se gaudere dixit, quòd membrum Ec­clesiae Dei esset, quàm quod in terris regna­ret, Ambros. member of the Church of God, then that he reigned on earth as Emperour a­mongst men. And howsoever it be all one in some kind for a Prince to assume a small Title to that of Kingl, as it is for him to wear a Sacrosancta majestas quae ritu sa­cerdotum ungitur, un­de Christi vocantur, non necesse habet post haec titulo Equerii decorari, exili, frivolo, & ex ignorantiâ nato. Ausim dicere, quod pa­ce tum aliorum, tum praecipuè, Regum, di­ctum sit: Con [...]umeli­am Regiae Majesta­ti faciunt, qui ha [...]c dignitatem, si hoc no­men meretur, suscipiunt; non secus at (que) si supra diadema sertum ex rosis, flo­ribus (que) suspenderent, Laur. Val. de Ferdinand. equerio facto lib. 3. garland of roses and flow­ers on his Crown of gold; yet Lewis the [Page 154] ninth of France, counted it his greatest honour to be called Lewis Lewis IX. being askt by his Lords, What title of honour he would assume, as the Roman Emperours and Kings of France in remembrance of their Acts and Victories; answered, My greatest victory was obtained against the Devil when I was baptized in the Church of Poissi. And in his familiar Letters he did not entitle himself King of France, but, King of Poissi. of Poissi, be­cause there he was bapti­zed, and received as a mem­ber into Christs visible Church. To be born of Noble Parents is, as it were, matter Generari & nasci à Principibus fortuitum, nec ultra aestimatur. Galb. ad Pisonem in Tacit. lib. 1. histor. of fortune and chance; but to be Ver­tuous and Pious, matter of divine Grace and special Providence. The number of Noble men every where in comparison is not [...]. Arist. lib. 5. polit. great: The number of those that are morally vertuous (though more then can be engraven (as one scoffingly said, all good Princes might) on Vides quàm pauci sunt principes boni, ut benè dictum sit à quodam mi­mico scurrâ, In uno annido bonos prin­cipes posse perscribi at (que) depingi. Flav. Vopisc. in vit. Arelel. a Ring) is lesse; but the number of those who by true Piety seek for Glory and Immortality, is lesse yet by far. And the greater their paucity, the more eminent and singular is their glory, and as surpassing their feli­city. As their birth is noble, so their life be­ing holy, their end must needs be happy. Their Luke 10. 20. names by reason of Holiness are written in heaven, as an assurance of their happiness. Whereas otherwise notwithstan­ding their Noble birth, they should be [Page 155] written, as the Prophet speaks, in the Jer. 17. 13. earth, and all their glory at their death should be buryed with themselves in the dust. What one Noble man that lived an Atheist said he would have engraven on his Tomb when he was dead, the same may all of them say at their death, which rest only in their Noble birth; Haec verba Nobi­lis quidam qui Athe­isticè vixerat, voluit monumento suo inscri­bi, Haec mihi porta ad Inferos. AEn. Syl. This is the door that opens to the regions below; this is the inlet to the Infernal pit. Whereas they which add to their Nobility Vertue, and to Vertue Piety, may say of Death, as Iacob did of Bethel, Gen. 28. 17. This is the gate of Heaven; and with the Apostle, 2 Pet. 1. 11. By this an entrance shall be administred unto us into the Kingdom of Christ. And whereas the former, as Princes and Rulers of the earth, draw multitudes after them to sin and prophaness: The latter as Princes have Gen. 32. 28. Power with God and men, and prevail with many to walk with themselves in the way of Vertue and Godliness. And as, to the one, Power and Rule, and Authority is given wholly, the world doth Revel. 13. 2, 3. wonder and wander also after them to their utter ruine and de­struction: So the other, as it was said of Constantine, are raised up by God Hic Imperator virtute tàm eximius ex Dei sapientiá mor­tali hominum generi donatus fuit, tanquam res quaedam peregrina quae homines in admi­rationem traduceret. Euseb. in Vit. Const. lib. 3. cap. 2. tan­quam res quaedam peregrinae, as strange specta­cles, to draw others after them for their eternal welfare and salvation. And as great punishments follow the one, sutable to their great profaneness: So great re­wards abide the other, answerable to the [Page 156] greatness of their deserts. True it is, both aime at Honour, and would not (as the A­postle speaks) be 2 Cor. 5. 4. unclothed, but clothed upon, even with honour upon honour. But to the one, at death, an addition of Honour is given to that which they have; and from the other Mat. 13. 12. even that which they have is taken away. Wherefore? Because (as it was with Iew and Gentile in matter of Iustification Rom. 9. 30,31, 32. by faith and works) the one rest in that honour which comes by Nature, and seek not after that which comes by Piety: The other minde chiefly that which flowes from Piety, and rest not in that which they have by Nature. And thus they gain while the other lose, and raise themselves to new, when others fall from their antient Dignity. As Nature puts a lustre upon them, clothing them with the honour of Nobility; and as they Job 29. 14. put on righ­teousness, and cloth themselves with Piety, wearing it in their lives as a Robe and Di­adem: So the Lord, after death, clothes them with glory and immortality. And as it was wisht in the behalf of one, who was both a good Man, and a good Bishop, That one Crown might be given him for his own piety, another for his pains which he bestowed on his People.

So when men are both Noble by birth, and notable also for a pious life, God rewards them accordingly: bestowing as it were a double Crown upon them, one for their own, another for the illustrious precedents, and singular patterns of Piety which they give unto others.