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_ ~OMIN O~ ' EDVA , o ~ D 0 M I N 0 M .A~ 1J 8 Y_ l .LL B, 1 .· V I C E - C 0 M, I T J· - _ HER 0 _. 1 SVMMI , CANDO RI~, . r , PI ETAT IS A C L I T .B- -. RARUM FAUTORI.. • • r I LIBELLV~t1 HVNC - INPERPETU£ OBSERV~Nr~& .T .BSTIMON I UM, D. D. D4l ,/ t ' / .
T 0 THE GHRISTIAN r{E ed'D E ?\_~ · • I ~--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gen.r-1:·7 · ' ·,
Augu{lid . Ardingrlti parado'1:tt Ie- (uitic4. · To the ReAtfer. comc~deceiver. This made Nab,~ll churliih~ ly deny relide to Daved and his, in thtir di~ ftrdfc. · This nttde Gebo:.i run after N a~t· man' 1 a e a en s of tlve and chan e o arn9cnts. E_li aes excellencte a ·eared in his fe~L~den.1~ . , .~ld_£_ehe~i_:~ a__e~ c in e - ee HI~ .. !fits 1iumour :~-~n .. ~~, ar:d pre- \ l ommant mmott pantcs. . Some great prttenders ofholineffe are pel~ luteq ·and poyfoned W1th this venome. You may fee it in the [cfuiter Ma \ imes and pratl:i{~ : They fay there is nor a mixtu.re in eve-. I ry Congregation ,' Th~ir Society is witho~tt (jHJt or '¥11rinkle , they have a/t livmg , and no deadm~mkers. And agairie, ·their Society C~ cceds all others in thh·, that they have Amiiots I and Spices, whit:b will preferve them from corrup. ion .t fo that there Are no danger of their I dcgentrattnf, after fome (enturies of years, M o~he~ o.r.dert ha,ve do.J'J!: Happy men, if their .fayings and Societies were the fame. When Sr:crct. z,ilt~ they deal0 With Trinqes and P'otentates ·, they firuc+io (oci- tell thetn n') t of thdr faults, but thofe opinions ctatu Ic(u. · fl..!!ee liberiorem faciunt cot~ftienri.!l/n. ' '' ' Thus they doe advance thetnfd V(:S and their I caufe'. that they may IJe thought theN on-{Nchs 1 , of .the .World; th y boa!l:of chc:ir grace,and fay . the MtJnkJ come ih·::>rt of them , t-hey can dal- , , ly with the fairdt women withoqt danger. I 1:. ' I! aul himfelfe W=!S not fo perfect in that kinde J as . they are. Here is felf~feekjng wich a wit-/ nelfe , they throw down an A poflle to hft up · f themftlve;; they care not who fall, [o they j . -may - ~----------~------------------~------
'I 9 I he Reader. _,_____ - ·-- - ---- i . may rife; they bl~ft;.ll o~1ers w bea~tifie them.. !--- . fclves : .But God in JU bee hatn mad.: tnem ' · odious evc:n among Papijls as wdl as Prote- ' fta»ts. \.. · Great felf-feekers in a Church or ~tate ever gain great hatred. If men will po.llut~ Gods worirup with {heir devices , he Wtll _ make chdrnames to il:i~k. Noth!n~ makes us more Honourable in rheews ofGod and man, then the advancms of his ~orihip., and prderving it uom<xr. It umporals come in the plac~ . of etern~l!, and chat WtM:h is m.ms ~ infh:ad of I · . that which is Gods, (;oj. will m,ake tht Au- I \ thours ot {uch evtll contemptible befor;_e all the people, ·Mal. 2. 8. '9· It is not unknown how divine providence proceeded againfr the Da:.. nifo Prelates; Had rhey denyed themfelvcs, main rained the pure Worfuip o( God·, fought the pub like good of Prince and people, they might have frood to this day; but becaufe they, Were !hamefuUy wicked , and fought chemfelves too much, they were wholly cart aut by ~rinc~~ and people, in the year I n7• Self- ! fhrytctt4 .. ftckJ:n .!f,'· JS /elf-und~ng; Abfolom and A4o- 1 cbrou.sa. ,, niah, whilefr they fought themfdves >they lofl: ~ their lives. · T~e ~rgument of this Book ' is ftlf-dcnyal(,' ahard, yec a fafe leffon; it is no other then I Chrift taught and prad:ifed.; If a11y man will 1 be my Difciple.., let .him d. eny h,imfe!fand. jollowmc,M.uth 16; 24. thttres thedoftrive,fee his ' pr11Clifo Lf_Qp. 6. 1 • when . they woUld I make him ~e YlA£ raW!; ' th:!. <J~eatges . . . wa
T.g 1 he Rtlldtr. , ; i ~ - l Mofo1, ~d_g~~h bave becne ~onour- ~-- ~V 1fy, hitP;fi.iCila one will venmre even '!here aanger and difficultie i~~ felfe fuall 09~ htnder pubhke good. A felfe denytng man will fiami by Gods CIIH.{' and petiple, when others thrink~ fo~feare and fhame. One Dowgla.r a Scottiih Hiftoryof Krugbt haviogileard Maftcr whifoart preach, Church of !aid, I know the qovcr»Df!r and Cardinaa . s,ots. iliall heare of it,but fay unto them,l will ~vtJ~ it ,andnot one/7 mteintain the Dotlrme,bui al- 'fothe pcr[o11 of th~ teachcr,to the ltttermoj} of my po~er.flad 4e minded his credit with great ,ones, his ejllete or libertie, he would not have ~~peared for a perfecuted tr11th and man; felfdenyall had ftript himofprivate refpcds.Antonimu 'Pim, ·when he underrooke the Tide of 8mperour, faid he did then forgoe the propertie and interefi: of a private perfon ; and when we take the name ofChrifr upon us,we fhould then forgoe all felvifh and domefiick refpefls. . It j~ tile honour of a Chrifiian to be like unto hisMaflerChrifl:;he denied himfelf rhroughly ,'and was acted altogethe_r by the Father; , let ~~ doe the like, ·and be acted wholly .by Chrtfr._/ (ive not, fayes P.tul,out Chrift lives in me: his judgement, ')J!in, ~tjfe£lion,life,Were transformed irrto Ghrifi~: here was no halving, himfelfc was fully layd downe,and Chrifl: was all in all, and he gained enough by it ; · her i o . ~~Jhw 'Q gsm:,_~rJ,d~es,AP .J.Q. · . ,. It is ~.fay ling, andtha(a,g_re~t o~e m ID;~ny, .t~fka.¥.;. em e vet,J.~ f.!!i!.e ~ . mo~,ip~thin s but o _J~ ~ · mortjfie I --
11 the lltddtr. -------------- ---------- ~i;ze ilieuld purge our: thy feU-love, a1;1d cake away LiotuUy humours1 to {ave thy foule, It is his ayme toJG:.· n:hc~ good ~ follow ius coun~ fd~ ~nd thoo fiulrt1ev~r be troubltd wich foul ftcknet1e• . It is oar finfull f~Jf-fcekiog~ that breeds all th~ diftempers ofour fpirits. Let ~s . deny our felves , and thc:n wee are aS God would have us eo be; we iliall make high account ofGod,- andfinde greac fweemtffe,in: the things of God.. They toat taG moll, finde the ~rdl fw«tnttfe in their m~at : Agd . thofe that are the greatt'fi: fdf-dcnyers, finde the greatdl com:ent. in God, and moft bieffings · /fDm GoJ. lhey :ueever in the vAlley of Be- , rACbah, ir.i the place of ble.ffings '!!nd reft : And what che Prophet crowns rrue fafting withall, . the fime wJ.ll God t-rown fdf. denyall withaU, 1e&ro& 1(t1,gltUlnefe,andctlearfull ft4ij}U;g. SQllU:- 20.1.6. Zlch.B.I_9'. •• r • f
The eAuthouri 1d~ertife.__;.: ment to the fl\!ader. , . Chriftian Reader; · · . . ·' · Vch 'of this 'rreatife was preached before an auditory furable to the fubjeCl., efpe... cially the ' (or~erpatt ofit;, :But many things are added, efpeciaUy exemplifications of Hiftoty and quotations. It is not my- manner ro fill Sermons , either with hi- . ' ftoric's or quotations. J3ut I may have leave to put rhem with my notes, and fo you have them here. It
It may be they may draw fome to the rea~tng offome things that ~ay fiick by them , which other• wife the very title of the Treatile vvould have caufed them to re• I jeer. Wha.t you fin~e, futeableto yqu , take for your profit ,, and thank God: w'hat there is e1fe, be nor offended at it, but leave it to others who may perhaps gaine fomething by it! . / I f ' t I I• I. 13.~ . ---=-, ' f
Mofes hiJ Se.je-denyaU. ,~ •... ~ ~ •.. , •• ~~~·· ~7viO SE S HIS SELFt.-l)BNIALL. . H E B. I I. 24· ' · By Fa#h Mofcs, whtn he Will eome to yeares, refofttl to beecaUui tht forme fJ[ . .Pharaohs Daughter• . r N t]1is Chapter WC ha v_e a divine record, a ~mous cata- ! .l~gue of t~eworthies.-oftbe Lor~ Jll;lQJfefl:ing the pqw.. ~ - er aq_d life of tha~ bldfed.grace of fotth m'<the> torioui·t_tf~ds .9f it 5 among,.fl wh<?m Mufls is one of the m oft choice and tm:nenc 'h2Jding fort~ .. unto us the glory and effi£C!cie of his faith, in GiVers wonaerfull bldfed fruits of it, both . a-cHv-c;.ly , and ·paqivdy, in what.he did, _,an~ iq what 11e fuff~te9; ID~.»!on9~diil.l /f{/:de~_iall2 .. ·his ~ragge: · ch7f,_b1s fixed eye_~ f!PD» HtttVJ!!~ bis . un aunred cot~rage~, his g!oriou~ c~I!- B tJanc1 I T.hefenle and meaning of the words cleared, and Dotl:rincs raifed.
_Mofes hil Self-deni~U.
Mofes hu Setfe..deny aU., danghter.,0rany othertothiseffect, that he would not be her heir(', or be.called her fonne, but ad;ions have as lowd a voyce as words. W~en Mofls came down from the .lv!Otmt, his face ihined lo gloriollfly, as rhe people were not able tn behold it !. here his faith raifeth h.im higher then -d-ie Mount,and puts an unexprdlible Jufire and glory upon him~ Here is a \Vorthy ot the Lord indeed, bright and glorious in the iliir)ng btauty of his faith, fet out ~into us in the full e:xprdiions ot it by the holy Ghofi himfelfe. , - By faith [ Mofes] Mofe.r a .man cornpleare every way, fbr his parts admirable, the Holy Ghoft witoeffes of him·, rhar he wlu le/lrned in all the le4rningof the Egyptians: fo AE1s7 zz.Philo lud£ra in vitJ Mofis faies, that there were fent for learned men at exceeding great charge out of forraine parts, to in!!rud him in the liberal! arrs,_ and out of chald£a, fuch as might infirucr him in AHrology, ~elides the moft learned of Egypt ; and Eufebitls cites another, affirming that Mofts was not ondy learned in the learning of the ·EgyptiB l ans tib. ~de prttpar. Evang. c. ult.
4 Mofcs his SelfdeniaO. ans, but that he t<lughr the Egyptians the ufe of letters; and therc:tore w~·;.s honoured of th t m by the n~un~ of Mers~romtt.l.l. cHrins. And C lemms a texandrint~s cites one,faying, that Moj(s raught the I{rae- ' lites ltrters,and from tLe ::fewes he faies the Phr£nicians had them, and from the Ph~niciannhc Grecia;ss. 2 • For the beauty or his hod y it was incomparable, when he was borne hu I wi&J exceeding faiN, fo drJs 7· 20. The ddifir· words in the Greeke have a greater emphafis with them then our Englifh exp~d.Iion ha rh; fine, el~ga~t, {o as citizens are whenrhcy are tnmmed up in _j theirbravery,upondayes of fdHvity, · that is the propnety of the word, and this is faid to bee exceeding in the t~xt, it is ,~;; 0fip faire to God, diyinel y beautifull, a kinde of divine beauty was up1 on him, ::t · beau.ty beyond humane \ btanty, fuch beauty as in his very face 1 1 a divine lufire appt>ared. The Scripture ufeth this phrafe to fignifie the highc:fi degree of a thing, as 'frmah 3· a very great citie , it is in the Hebrew . h l .b magna DlO· : C.) here exceeding faire, I IP[ep,. l .2. ,n. :!:!: ~r:. h t I . . ,ap.. r. ) \ vmu;'" Deo. 7 o 1ep us reports o 11m, . . . that·
Mofes hu Stlft-deniAU. that by that time hee was three yeares old; God added an admirable grace eo his countenance, fo that there was , none, but was ·amazed at the beauty of Mll{es, and would leave their ferious bufil1effe, tofeed rhdr eyes with Mo{e1 his incomparable beauty, and thtir ties were held with it, thlt they could not tell how to looke enough upon him 1 and he faies ·rhat they never went from himbutt~nwillingly . . And for ·che f wtet tempcranddilpofi . tion of his fpirit, that wa) exceeding 5 , amiable : the Scripture (ayes that hee was the mcekefl man upon earth. Nam~. tz. 3.Arid !ofephus in his fourth booke and 1-dl ehap. faies, he was f o free from Io(eph.lib.f. paffions,that he knew no fuch thing in cap.ult. his O}VO f oule ; h~ only knew the names of fuch things, and faw.rhem in others rather then in himfelfe. And fourth I y ,for hongur in the world, be was very eminent, the adopted fon of Pharaohs dttughter; the n~me of this 1 io(.:pb.lib. 1 . p h.craohs daughter, loftphus tells us, was cap.') . Thermn(is: he fa yes likewife !bee was theondy childe Pharaoh had, Phara!Jh had no fonne to inherit the kingdome~ 1 ,r . . B 3 and }· t' ~" __ ---· .... - - . - -· - . . .. _~ '
I I I ,. I \ ,· \ I } 6 Mofeshi.s Selfe.. deniall. and that this his daughter Thermuthis had no childe, and therefore having found Mofes, !bee fc:t her heart upon him, and feintd her felfe to bee with child, and kept Mofes hid, untill fuch a - timt as it might bee: thought ro bee her ownechild., to that end, that he might inherit her fathers crowne. And further hte tells us, that this daughter or Pharaoh was much beloyed of herfather,and that,in refpe~ho her, he loved Mofes alfo, which apveares in this relation that he hath. He faith that when Mg{es was a little one, Pharaohs Jaughttr brought him to her father, and put him into his armes,and he, to gratifie his daughter, tooke offhis owne di- ,adt"m,and fer it upon Mofes head. There wer\: likewife divers prognoftications that Mofes fuould hereafcer doe great things•. :Jo(ephus faith~ that .Amr11m ,Mo- (es his far her, had a fpeciall revelation conce-rningthis childe, that he fuoulJ be dt livered from the danger of being flaine, and that he fuould be a deliverc:r of his people. He tells qs 'likewife,tbat when Pharaoh put his diadem upon his head) he though but a little child,took it
M ofes his Selft-JeniAU. 7 it off, and fl:am pt it under his feete; · whereupon fome of his Magicians . would have had him put to death, faying that it was a. figr:e, that this childe ' in time would ca!t downe Ph~raohs Crowne. And one G~alrn'~~R a latter writer~ wri- Gualmin de J vit4 Mofis. ring of ~he life or Mofu, bath this re- p.I.z.xo.u , lat ion ; thac \vhen Mofes WJs three 1 yeares old, PharatJh mad .:: a great feaft, and his ~eene holdill~ hin1 by tht · right hand , and . his ·daughter together with Mofes by the left, his Nobles being bid to fit before him, Mofls before them all tooke Pharaghs Crowne from I1is head" and fecit upon his own, whereupon all being amazeq, on_e Balaam a Magician, put Pharaoh in minde of a dreame hee had had , which was this : 7 here flood before him'an ~ld man, / /;Jtt:ving tt pairc of(cales in his hand, and in _one 1{ the ~ales there appe~tred to him / I • • M if'a/J v£gypt, the children and wqmeii had heene in it, in the ~ther [cale hee jaw I ·Dnly one chtlde, which donme-w_eighed the 1 - whole Kingdom,and 11/l thatwt14 in the other ; {cAlt. This is Mofes >whofefoith) whofe I ftlfdc1Jiall isfetdown unto us thus glo- \· B 4 rious ~
8 -- f~ / Mofesbu Selfi-da;iall. - rious inthis Scrip~ ur,e , one who might have lived a moll brave life in the en. jo r m~nt of the highdt honours, the f wee tell plc:afures,the choifeft delights rhar heart could wilh,and yt:t this M~J(es rtjMfed to heecalled the (onne ifr>haraohs d11u~bter~ ThisM ofes ch1o(esrather tl fojfer ~tfflzCiions withthept'f'leof Gt1d;this Mo(ts is contented to be (c~rned & contemnedfor Chrift, hee ventures upon the wratk of the King, and endures it all. ' In this excellent argument of the felfe~ deniall of fuch a worthy of the Lord , we are to confiJer : Firft) what he rdufes, namely, 111 bee acc9unted the fonne of PharAfJhs daughter : for Mofes was generally reputed to bee her owne fonne, andhonouredasberown fonne, buthethoughtit a greater honour, to . be a fonne of Abrllhllm, to come of th~ promifed {eede, to have his pedigree from Gods people, this hee accounts more. noble, and this hce will rather glory in , though hee doth prejudice himfelfin great preferments dignities, and riches, and nl inde of outward glory that otherwife bee migllt have e.nioye<!:
Mofes his Stlft deniall. enjoyed : from whence the point is : That nfJbility ofbirth, and e~urt honours, - andall outward delights 4rt ,, he aenittl for Chrifl. · .Stcondl y, wee are to confider the · ! time when thi was, it wa·swhen he was j of full yeeres : the words in the odgi1 nall are, when he came to be greAt, and the ob{ervation fromthis is: I That it iJ thentrulyhtJNOt,AfJ!e imleed,to deny h~nours and pleaf#rtt, Jf1btn we h4vt ll opportttnitJ to enjoy tht111 to th~jHU, in the 1 ver7 prime of'"' time. · · Thirdly, wearetoconfiderthepriJt« ciple which canied him on, which was foith ~and from thence: the point is: That foith iJ thtpri11ciple,thAt mufleArl ry thnJugh, a~d make NDIItJIIrt~ble aN aChrifli4ns fujferings. For the firft. \ CH A P. I. SBcT. 1. 9 DoEI. DtJCI. Dofl. That nohilit1 of~irth, 11ntl ~tll h1n~urs Poi1111; ~nd de/t g hts What foever J Art to he atnitt/ fw Chrifl. IT muft be granted that nobility of · birch in it iafe ha bldling of God: · The
10 Mofes his Selfi-tln~y.all. --- The ehiltiren of NtJhles htSvt an h1nourlliJ/e mentilni• ScriptNre, Ecc/e.x o. 7. Blejfed ~t,rt thofl ()land, when thj King is the fo~ of Nohles. The chief, the Nobles in Ifrael, arc called rhe renowned in· the congregation~ N•rn. 1. 16. and Ifoy). I 3. that _which is tranflated honorAble men, is in the originall their gwy .. and fo by A riM MlntaTJIM, gl1ria ejtlf. The Nobility are the glory of a kingdome, and Iude 8. wheref ome a 're fai<t t@ f peak evil if dig- ' nities,the word isg/Qries,IOe~. Men in eminent places are,or {hould be,tbe glo- .ry of tho!e places., and of the whole countrey where they live. Soul~ nobility is the chief, yet I will not fay the foie nobility ; naturall nobility muil-, have its due refpelt It was a fpeech of/' _ ltJnAdab to AmrJon,· 2 Sam. x 3 -4· why art thlu,~lleing" Ki11gs forme,fo lean from day todA1? As if to be a Kings [on, were enoughtoallay any forrow,tomake any condition full of joy and content : feemeth it a [mal! m~tter { faies David ) I S4111.18. 13.111 !Jeal(ings fonin/4~ '? but o be bo·rn Qf the Kings of the earth is accounted more, this is the higheft no- _ bility;that which is under ir,birth from - other
Mofes his Se~fe deniall. other greatmen of the earth is honourable likewife. II This puts great thoughts into mens h~arts,this is an .honour in which men -doe much lory, yet this Mo es mioht have ha m t c: account of the world ut e tJ et tt ; or Go even th~ is to be demec • t was too high an exprdiion, f~wouringofffattery, that ;;tn ·orator making an oration, in the· pra ife Ortibi Deof ,IJ. h h d h fi 11 d f!Urtt immDr- 0 Con1.antine t egreAt, a ,t e · ru. an talium mugreateft gift ofheaven, was to be borne nws & ;rihappy,andas foonto bein the lifts of mumvi~etur c 1· · f · h h . &maxzmrtm 1e lCtty as o n~ture,meamog t e .a ppt- b~ tucem ftane.s of4 nohle h1rth: but though thts bee ttm (a:licem too much, yet we acknowledge it a- venrrc. Paa d . . 1 d neg)r.Co1ljt, . 1 mongu.ourwar pnvt e ges not to b/e · . 1one of the meandl:,but yc:t not fo great, but that there is infinite reafon it iliould be denied iri the caufe of Ch rift. For firft, though there be fofllething 1. in it, yet there is not much, not fo much as any fuould thinke it too greata thing to lay down for God. . For firft:,it is no fuch thing, but that the greateft enemies of God, hated of Rea{. 1~ him, and caft out for ever from him · have h1d it as well as others ; \Yhat a fucceffion
Iofeph. de ._ bello ludaieo.l. !;r._u. Mofes bls Selft-Jenyt~ll. . fucceffion of Prin&ts and1 Dr~kes ca~e from the loynes of E fo• '! thete reigned eight Kings in Eaom, befm e there was a King over the children of I{rttel; yea before the governmen~ of Mofts, and they fiourilhed till the daies of obttdiah no ldf~ then twelve hundred years, yea they lived to fee theruineofthe fecond Temple,aswefindeit rdated by ltJftphtis: whatfoever is common to wicked men, Gods enemies, furel y it bath no great e:xcdlency in it, neither fhould it - be in high dleeme with us. That is obfervable that we finde, Deut~z. 1 z. and v: z 2. 2 3. where the Lord would reach Ifraet not to infult upon their outward conquefis; he gives this reafon,becau!e · the1 were foch As hee hadgiven t8 Qtllers before them, who wa-e wi&ked. In S eir, faies the text,The Horims dwelt before time, and the fonnes of Efou poffeffed them, and deftroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their fiead,as ifrael did unto the land of his pofieffion:[tU I{rael ditl]lfraet had not yet poffdfed,but this is fpoke prophetically, as it was afterwards in the dayes.of lojhuA 5 as if God fhould fay,Thjs is a favour indeed towards
Mofes kis Selje-deNillll. 13 wards you to make you conquerours over your~nemies, ,togive t~e.ir coun.. tries into your poficffion, .th~s lS an honour put upon you, but It 15 no other favour,no higher honour, then wicked 1prophane Efim bath had .before you, therefore you have no greatcaufe robe puffed uo with ir_._ That which the Lord 1 faith here of conqudt, is true of parentage,of riches, of honour, of all outward ex.:ellencies, they are indeed favours ofthe Lord, but no fuch excellent things, but that they have been mlde common to the enemies of the . Lord; and theret<ne there is great reafon rhat our heal,ts lhould not be puffed up with them, but fit loofe from I them. Second! y ,there is no fuch great mat- Ru(. 2• . ta in it, btcaufe the birth of the grea- • 1 tdt is ddiled with finne, in the guilt : and uncleaor,tff~ of it, as well as rhe birth of the meanefi : the moll: noble blo~d upon. earth is tainted with high trea!on aga1nfi: the God of Heaven : wnatfoevcr your birth bee from men yet you are borne achildof wrath) ar~ enemy to God, lvathD~me and abominalle · -
nable before him, an heire of hell. When God would humble the !ewes who gloried much in their birth, hee . iliewes them the unclcat~ntj[e, the ba(e- . ])eptt'ttntt- .I?. •~"I · '- .1?: B 1_. l I busiUuve- Ht.J,eo 1 1 t,tn tn4t exprtpton, \!~rte 16. ni11,qui ante J~~r jMhtr is All .Amorite, ~nd JOUr mtJ- I me fecerunt tber ttn Hittite. I come of thofe parents damnttum, • . ' qttamnatum. fa1es Bernt~rd,by whom I was adamned Bern.inMe- creature before I was born: your birth dzt.,ap.,.. is fuch, .what ever it bee: in regard of outward f2reatndfe, as if there be not a fecood birth, it had been better for you that you had never been born, or rather that.you had been of the generation of D(agons, or the off-fpriflg of Vipers. Rea(. 3 • Thirdly, fuppofe it were not ddiled, yet it is an exceeding poore a'nd meane thing in the eyes of God : it may bee fomething before men, but before God it is nothing, for God is no TantU! refpeder ofperfons :fo much a man is quifque eft, worth,' as he is worth in Gods efteem: .quantus ejt ~tpud veum. when y O!J come to appeare before God, you muft ftand amongft the refi without any note of diftin6tion of Melchior A- what houfe you came. That which daminvita Pelican aGerman Divine faid concern- ~~ . . mg
IS ing his learning, may be faid .ofQU honour ofbirth. When I appearhefore God, faks he, I fuall not appeare as a Doctor, but as :an ordinary chriftian: ·. fo you fhall not appeare as ooble men :!f;:!~ when you come before God, but as O• efttnihilalither ordinary mbn. I prayte.ll me,faies ud cen~ . Chryfofiome, what is kindred ~ it is no- ;:::.-ue;,bi thing but the found ofa word, an em.. Mnnire i~ pty thing, which ig the Jaft-da.y yau f:=:;;,:'l fuall know very well. That ~ is obfer.. ille ditprob~ vable which we have, Exotl, 30. 15. (cietk.Cht-J[o when God requires a pricef:\lr.the ran- inMttt.l~. !ome of the foules of his people~ all H~l'n·S9· 1 mufi give halfe a ihekell, the rich 4ball 1 not give more, and thepoorefuall not I , give ldfe :when they ·gi. v.e an offering ~ to the Lord, tomakean atonement for · ~ 1 their foules, God doth not value.xhe . I rich more then the poore,nor the noble. . ore then the man ofmean · ,. Fourdll y, it is not much in the eJ.Reeme of men neither, who are wife, ' ~nd rationall : hence it is obfervcd by I o~e, ~ that wee never reade of any in fcnpture but three, who folemnized their birth dayes, and they were Pht~ ... raoh, Jer~boam, and Herod, by which they ----~=-~----~--------~-----~--
. Nemiil~m 'regun non · a {er"'i! cffo oriundwn, ' neminem fer- 'IJUm non ex regib114: omnia iftalonga "UarietMmif- &~l.it ($' {ur- (ztm dror{um fortU11a ver- ~u.u.:..._.a:x.u._t:l..-!-~~[!.!!;~..!!!;.1!!~~~ (avit. Sen. EpifT·-44·
Mofes h~s· set}e-denyaH~ g~<:atdl nobility, ~nd this defconds ro the honour of ~hlldren; but that no~ bility whitb thek things now put u~· pon men, herc:toforc MarryrdGm· was dl:ec:-rried to doe: and rherfore amongll Cht iLtians, in rbe primiti v~ times., child rep were wont tO gl cry. in their pa- ,,,17 rentage as nob I~ if they had been Mar-. ty fS : but y~r C hry(ojlome in his third fer- ~;~~]11~~t, mon upon La~riM labours to take off h4bco ~armen fron1 g loryin.g_. in this, bec~ufe it· iyrem ;·Alii {ua! filmilitt was not their own; he faits it is a frigid, viroJ' obijciempty, vaine boa£ting to boafl: of this, unt :frigida and givts,this reafon; for rhe vercue ofi {untiftaver~ b4.N ihiJ no-' ocherscannor per fed us. It is not ftom, 'his atiow hence a man com'es that is]lis tJ:Qe· rum: vin~ 1 .·. .' h ~h · ' · nd proiejfo vltor ; - ~-~t w at . e ts1 . w.hat_£pod let. Arifiip~ , hee o s. t ·as the exprdfion of a tJlt~e~, that he regarded no more his ' wickea diildrcn th~t came from him, . then bee would vermine thac.\ cam~ from his i:>ody ~· if we b:e wicked, w-ee· m.ay He a .dilgrac~ to our' ·ancc:ftours, . t~~y ca.tr~~n~) h,oqo'ur to us~ .AugtJ,. , jfti_l. ,c .t(.u- had-, tl)ree diUghters; who · w~re , lc:Wd, , arid heo ufed to call di"rfl · his··~Jiree ulcers· a~nd,J;ank~rs~ and .was 'rresv;,ml,ai , WOrlt tO C.f"j 0Uf;' f$h·~ th;g) J h'ari, ltVtil (/f C41CinO• ,;;, ,'- .. ...· . mata. ~ " ~!lm~W- ~ . \ ,
' 18 tlti11tl'l1% .ca:lebs vixiffom, aut orbtu periiJTrm. '"'"''rritd, or b~td dttd with~ut rhtldrrn. Although gold comes from the earth none dcfpiit;th it, and although drofie and rufi comes from the gold,none re.. gards it ; the vertuous coming from mtane parentage are honorable, and the vi~ious coming from noble. pa reo. tage arc.c~tewptlbk. This is the firfi Argume~t,l'bat there is not much in ""' nobility ot birth, that ,it iliould b( cou ,·~ted too great a thing to be laid down for God. . ·~ But fecondly, fuppofe there bee . fome great mat: er in it, yet God · is infinitely · worthy that ir"ihould be laid down for his honour: if there were ten thoufand times more honour in it then ind~ed there i<i, y~t the d~nying of all w~e not a fuHiocnt tdbmony ofthat refped you owe to the great and glori- : ou~ God. ~od is worthy that allthc ,Kings) Princes, Pottntates, great ones of the eanh, iliould come and bow~ and lye dow·ne fhtbdore him,abafed in . ·his prdt nee, that they iliould all bring their C rown~s, and pom.pe, and dignines, and caft them downe at his fcc:t, as· Rcvtl. 4· 10, u. the foureand twen-
Mote~ ht6 Sttfe-dtny!J!l. twcmy Elders fdl downc before hjm who fate upon the rhrone, and \vorfhipped him that livech for ever; and ca!t ' their crown-ts before the throne, faying, l hotf Artwo~thy, 0 L6rd, tl reC(i'VC glo17, 4nd hon~~tr, aN.d power, &c. Such wfinite d1ftance there is betwixt rh~ excdltncy' and greatneffe of the L'lrd, and all the nohles of the world, th:H it is a wonderfull favour of Gocl t9 them, that ifbe doe but appeare td rhcm, they may livebdorehim;it is rheir honour that thc·ir lives may bee prdervcd when Gcd makes lcnowne bis glory, as Exod. 24.Hl, r.t • .AnJ the1 {nvt he God of lfr4el &c. and up1n the noble's tifthe t:hJtdrtn of I{r~tel h~ lt~id not hiJ ha~Jd1 that is, (0 ddhoy them, but they \Vrre {uff:rcd ro live in his fight. , Thirdly, as God i,s wonhy in regard of his infinite excellency, fg it is due to h·m;bttaufe whatf oever excellency and honour th,ere is in the nobility ·of your birth, * it is he that bath made the difference between mea : the rainebdw is but a common vapour, it is the funile that gilds it, that enamels ic with fo many colours ; wee are but c~ a 19 . j. "Louge za::. tiq; iilat~tt4, eft magnifi~ tentia veftri. (upra terram; fed audite confitium, ftudett quod invobk eft lia11c gloria.t~Z . dd iUum re-- f"reaqu~ eft, fl no11 vultii eam perdue, aut certeperdi a.b ,e4. Ber. Epift.1o7.,. --------~--~----------~~~--~- ~
I ' · a vapour, it is the Lord that bath fhined opon us and our fathers houfe, and bath put more beauty, more luRre upon us, then upon other vapours. I may fay in this rdpeCl, as Saint PAt~l fai th inanother cafe; who makes thee to dif· fer r was not the lump ofall mankind in the hand of the Lord , as the clay in · the hand of the potter, to make one to this outward honour, and another to ·mt:anndfe and bafeneffe as he plea- · fdh: bee might have foordered things, as wee might have beerte, not one1 y ofthe moft beggcrly, and miferablc broo'd ,but might havc bc(n begotten a toade, or a {erptnt, or any other the . vileR: _creature that liveth upon tbe earth: that honour we have, God hath put uponus,aQd therefore it is his, the · glory of it is infinitely due unto him. Fourthly, there is no fuch way to addeg1ory to your nobility, as to bee w1lling to ufe it or deny it for God. This proceeds from a noble principle indeed, wherefoever it is. ltisnature that caufes the one' kinde of nobility~ ,butit is the grace ofGod, a fparkle of the divine nature, a ray of the w:ry glor~ .
21 , glory of God himfdtc,fhlniog imo the foule th lt i~ the caufe of the other. Ter r gratitM ei , fuit n~mtm tn0id11 faies of Auguj!tU, that the name pieJiflik qui ' of piety was more dl:eemed of him, pouftam. d Tertul. rtA- , then the name of power : an Hierom 1 d f. po.a ~. writing the praife of N~tr&tll• a noble g~mesa'·H· woman, fa yes of her; .that he will not Non pr.edimake memionof her family, nor the cabo iUuftre honour of her blo:>d what Proconfitls ftlm_iliam,. ' I" ' ' altt {a11guz- and other great men Qlc had eo her annis dccw, &' cdlors ; he faies hee would (naife no.. ftemmata h · b t h . b d r. ~r Procon- t :1ng u w at was er ~ w n~,an e1 pe- {ules & prtfctally hecpmmendshertnthls,that ihe : jeflosdwtrwas fo much rhe more noble, in as re11!ia: 1zibil h , . l d b"l " b . I inzlla laud.z- muc , as ne 1es an no~.. 1 1ty emgcon- . bo 1rifi quod temned, fhe was made the more noble propr!um~ft, in her povertie and humility ' & eo no,bz.. • lztu, quod · opibv.& ~no- ' _ ~ .. bilitate coNttmpd,faRa eft paupertate & hm11ilitate tu;bilior. Epift. td: Princzpiam virginem. MdruU~ Epitapb. . · Fiftly, Chrifi was~the glory of his S.• father, the lufi:re of his glory, the cha· ratter and engraven forme ot his i rnage, the only 'begotten Sonne of the Father from all eternity: he thought it no rob- .() bery to be equall with . God, hee was God blefted for ev~r, and yet how did : he emptie himfelfe! hi:e was xnade a · · C 3 fco.rn,
~--------~------------------~~-~ . Mofes hu Selfo-Je»iaH• . fcorne, hee was called the carpenters fonne,as o:1e rhat was cootemprible :he " · · made himklf<! <..'f no rtpu~:uicm, hee cam~ in the forme of a fervant, yea ot an evill fervant that W:lS to be beaten: yea he was made a curf(", as if hee had ~~id m~tgis in.lie;ninn, quildctefla11dumamplius, quid gravius puniendu~, quitm ut vi~ , dens Deum parvulum faCfum,homofc mttgnificet. IntoUerabilu impude~ttia eft, ut ubi (cfi:: cxiUAnivitmaje- (!M, ~erMicultiA infictur &' intume- .fi:.t.t.Bcm. fer. I . de ?tativ. 6. beene the vilefl: of m~n: and yet this was the glory of Chnfi himfclfe, becaufe ic was all for. God, and good of foules: who Is he then, 1 that knowes any thing ofJ~[usChriH·,that !lnll rhink much to ,lay down all the honour of nobilirieof birth" or any outward dignirie u'1dtr heaven for him~ I ~ is a n:•- ta~le ~xprdli3n that fJe.rn.crd i'n a Jcr~ mop upqn the binh,.,J>f Chd!l Jltth :. .:w.h_at ce1n ~mg.r~~uwgr hy..: \'d1?t · m or~ dtt~Jl~hJ~ ~.~v 11~\ dffervi n,g, !ll 1Je gr,ieyoll.~ ,fZunLQJ,men.rs__, tb~ n .t.bat. ~man ihould magnlfie himfelfe fter het ha rh I ktne ;od~fitlrr11, e:·.. ~ · tt iso1to Iierable ' it~ pudet~~~ . th~'"~c' r. . ~ h~J1 ~mr.w~~!§fd!~worme ili9tJ.ld be~ pu e3 ~~~na iwell!. _ · txfry;tt~eesee godly, God harh hono\]red us w:hh a higher btrth then what we have by blood from our ancdl:o: s ; God bath given us a l>1rth .· from
Mofes hi~ Selfe-deni41l. .2j. from a hove, he ha·h begort.:: nus of the imn1ortall feed of his Word, to be fons and daughters tn hi~ heire~, and CO· ! . 1 . heires with Jefus Chri!l: we areborn of God, and the glory of this birth !hould darken the other in' aur eyes : what great matter is it though the .glory of the other bee loll, leeing God ltath fo highly honoured yotl with this~ ~!his . birth h~t-~ gref!t dljcacie to. raife the . Nu?tquan~-'· .hearc tJ) htgh and 'f.onhy aettoos~ ~hol. I hum.ma ep~ · !oever knowes hir~felfc tabe the. foone I' r.~,_nir~bitztr. • ·: ·. ~·· • , q>~i{qrm(e ?f.G0q, never \VOnder~_ snore .at ,:\}ihat . cot.novrrii .ts huma.ne, fa yes Cyprtan, hec: 9eqafc:.s fit~~n:I>d: .hirnfelfc frorn the 'height of true gene- deJm.t fo de _ • culmme e,er.oufn~ffe _., who adl.nlres at any thtng nero~; .nowhdiJes God h~m~elfe. Thispirth .qu!-~~tari l • . d · - · 11. . · b'· 4lt quid paft;;t you roa,~ g, ory 10; an lt mutL not .ce 'Deum-poteft. denyed; tor tjlofe . who are thus borne cypr..1i&.deo_·~ againe, if they !hall be affraid or alba· (petta'· :'· ·· med ·eo ;tppeare in the wayes ot .godli:- nelff', . to manifdt thdnfdvcs what they are, they faH to a degree of fdfedrniall ( if I may {o call it) beyond . this of M1(es, but it is a curfed felfe· deny all. Mo{es refufes or denies to bee called the fonne ot PharA~hs datJghter, they refufc an<\, deny ~o bc:e called and C 4 a_ccounNolzdegenerare·~ p_r~tcelfii togitationib:u filiorum Dei,
. - M ofes /;u Stlfe~tiefJillll. a~counttd the fonnes of the ever living {?oc.L r ' ' .J C H -~ 'P • 1{., rr I I lfow externaU-Nd,our ttnd Jyokility is : to be de,nieJ. · -· ( ·' 12!!_eft I : V\·; 1 Herein 'riiufl: thofe Wh(i) are ·, ·· ·<··: . ' hi~herthen orhers in tl1ltir n6. : · .. 'Pilitle· of birth 'deny theq1fe!lve~) and ; · · i."duf~the hnnour ot it? 1 • • • , ;. 4.nfw. ~. .. ' ~ir~,pfb:eing' willtng to be- employ- , .~ ~' ·J ·~pirr'an ·y,evefl thep"ttantllfen,iccrhat : __ .. ·'G.oH cailsrhem to ; we'·mnfi rh111k no .t;~wulft o.. : \vor~~ of God to~· m~ane for us, btJt ~';:/{;~;,. willingI y f!lb~i'c to "ir, t11Pugh 'triiarkc-n pt{f~f/Ud:ra: 0Uf'hon'oursndvt'r f.o ·mudf lff theeieS; ' iFfir··~*~" of the world. Thus ·"' Hitrbm wri•es ro ~,· portes; · l:gn4 , · . . · •..: . . coilcidM1fo~ ~amachuu, a godly voung ·noble man, . cumCJ;ttfu¥, he wol1k!'have him be t·tes ro-thc- blind, .ztbi_ -.Ji?t~ul,h ~hands to rhe \Veak · fe:e£ to the lame yta uf?.i44P~ t;L:- • • l ? bifPI,Jt4, ub~ 1f need were to carry warer, ana cur fl.tg_cJI,a,. !tiJt ' wood.&c. Ancl \vhar art all rheCt(laies pttttbulum, h.. ·;. £c . · r. .' . · l . ubimrJrs. e) to Ollrrctings, ro tfWttngs, tow llp- . Ep.adPa- pings, and ro drarh. Conflantit'lm, ra. ttzfich . 1 · · • h J.,r; h E · I Ya(a/tv; Jtnttntan6Js, T ~a~tus, t rt't •mp : rou~s, Cbri1'1i· (~~l(:d thtmfdves the Vafials (j)~ Jc~ US L • , • • · ·_:.. __ · · · · Chnll,
Mofes his Stlft·dtniJl. Chrift,as Sg,r4tes reports of them.Th.eo"" . ;/1jius did manifdl: it indeed in the wor~ of his humiliation for his ftnne, in the whole Church, cafiing himfelf down upon the pavement, weepi~g, and .la~ menting for hisfinne in the face of the whole congregation , whi'h many haughty fpirits, though much inferiorto him, would have fcorn~d to doe. Meane offices, if in fervice to Prin~es, 1Jt•/ffllirt~ ~re. accouored honourAble: the mafier regnaruft. _of t'l!e horfe, thegroome ·of the fioole, they dl:eeme thefe offices an honoura· ble addition to their nobility, the chi~.,. · ·fell: of rhe nobility of a kingdom thittk themfelves not difgraced bur ho'noured by them : ··fball any fervice then, per.. formed in obedience to,for the honour ot the high arid.b1dfed God, bee .ac.. · . '?untc:d diilionourable,too low ~or_ the 1 htghefi on earth ~ - Secondly., they mull: den;y them"!' 2~ • [e lves in being willing to joyne with tbof<" Pf lower degree in any way of ,bo_~ounng God. Thus S. Paul, 1.1111 . ~ l· I 6 . c:xhorrs ro condifcena to me:n i of low d~gree: Saintlliertm~, in ~is for- I n1er Eptfile to PAmachi~~t, would . · · -· have
(i,£qutru pi!uperibus fnopun: cellMdignanur imrDeM~ Mof~s h!J Se/fo-JenyAil. have him equall himfrlfe with the poore, arid vtJuchfafe to goe into the cells ofthe netd y: tbe thoughts of no-. bilitie and dignity mu{t be latd ·downe, they mufi: be retufed, where God may ~ , b~e honoured, and fpir ituall goo::i at• tainc:d, in joyning .with thofe ~ hat are of an inferior ranke> wh(} it may bee . were in Chrift before us, and their ancefi:ors were more .godly then ours., who are far fllore hoRorabie in the des· of God, and his faints, then we: where greater graces fit belo_wus, lttt us tac:.. k~owledge thdr inward dignitie, as their inferiority does acknowledge our outward,emioencie. And when wee are willing to dpe thus, know that reafon, and religion, teacherh,thofe with whom we have to deale, to know and acknowledge that diftance, that G·od hath put bctweene us and them, never a w h~t the leffe to give uc; our due honours and refpeds, h•caufe wee are willing to lay them downe, and deny our fdvcs in them; they will looke on us with rhat refpett that Hier~m exprdies bimfelfe concerning PANt~ a virgin (whobyhc:rfa.. t~e~ • f
l ·· .· · Mofes his . selft-delliA-ll. . ther was dcfcended of c/.£11t.u, and the Ge,er~1fohi . noble houfe of the Gr11ccb;, and by h~r tu, (mRit&- mether of Aga11tem11011) faying fhe \Vas ft ~~itller. by. birth noble, but by gr~c~ more n~ ble; bu·t let it bee accounted injqftice, that outward worth fhould be refpeaed which is the meaner, and tha~ ~ee · thould notackrowledge inw~rd worth, _.which is the better. Thirdly, we mu(\:' deny our felves, . by being wjlling to fuffer the m.oft. difgracefult thing that can bee put up· ·on us f~r the_ caufe of Chrill:: though welhouldhave all our kindred frowne upon us, and call: us off, ·and fcorne, and ~ccount us as a difgrace unto them, we muft be wil ing to bee deprived of ritlesofhonour, ofall ourefi:ates, of all . that glory we have, that W('e are borne I unt!' , tobeimprifoned, to cndureany l ~inde of torture, or death that God lhall call us unto for his names fake: Rom4»11~ · that blelfed Martyr was of nob le birth, and yet endured extreame tortures f~r ~hrifr, when they whipt · hi.s'body "'itk coards rhat had lead~ at the end ofthem,fo a~ they tore his fdh, chat his very ~o~cls were feene, yet hee
28 Mofe;. his Selfi-Jenyall. hee cryed out to his rormer: tors, that they !hould n,'Jt ip1re him for his : rh,t~l:l.lib.i." noble birth. Theodcret repQtts of Hor- :~IP·l~· mifJAa nobleman in the King of Perji4 his Court, becaufe be would not deny Chrift, he was put into r~gged clothes, dtprived ofhis honours,and fc:tto keep the Cameh, after:a long time, rhe king teeing of him in that bafc condition he was, anJ remembring his formt r for· tunes, he pit tied 'him,and caufed.him to be brought into the palace, and to bee . loathed againe likea noble mao, and hen pefwades him to deny Chrift; he · ·prefentl y rends his filken cloathes, and fayes, If for thefe you thinketo ~a ve mee deny my faith, take them ~gaine : and fo with fcorne he \,Vas call out. · · l_t is report~d like wife of one S4mes 1Jifl.'r1'ip. t;b.to.c.p. a noble man., who had and maintained I... - a thqufand fer.vants of his owne, yet w~s d,eprived of all his eftate by the \ King ot Perfi.4, and was compelled to ferve one of the moft abje.:t and · bafe of his'owne fervants to whom the ~ing~ gaye .his l\~ife t~hat by this ~canes bee n)igl1t cauie him to deny ,". " "'' · ,, ·- · · · "· ~he
the faith~ but bee nor at all moved, kept his faith intire, 1 willingI y futfer... ing all this wrong and indignity for Chrifi:; we have divers later examples ofmen of noble binp, who have been willing ~o fuffer great things for Iefus Chrift, and in this hat·e lhewne the true greacndfe oftheir f pirits. As that truely noble Marquelfe of Tiel, MArtus GAltt~&ius, whole fiory is famous, and will make him honorable in all fucc~eding ages ; He was a . CourG tier to the Emperour ChArles the fifth, Nephew to P6pePAuJche fotuth MAT• IJIIe/{e1{ Yic1, whiCh is one of the para... dites ofN~tplts, Naples , ~~ .. paradife of Italy, and ltAiy of :&r1pe;·~ ENrfljJtof the.earrh; his father was not ondy a M~trqueffi, but was fo in favour with the Emperour,as he wasjoyncdequally in commiffion with the viceroy of Naples, to fway the Sc~ pter of that Kingdom; his mother was of honorable paren. tagc,her brother was PAJI the fourth 1; his Lady was the daughter to the Duke of Niceri4, one of the principall Peers · of lt11/y :yet being brought to hear a. Sermon of P~ter Mar~yrs, G·od pleafed·· Jo
J - jo . Moles h/6 Selft~dtlfit~U. ~ · fo to work upon his fpirit, that he be.. , gan to enter .into fcrious thoughts) r' whether his way were right or nor')', then to rake up a cdnfi~nt exertife of I reading the Scriptures, tben to change 1 his (ormer company; .and to make choi(c of better: his faiher ~as moved aginfi: him with fuarpendfe, his ladj wrought what the could ,by ·teares; complaints, imreaties~totake him off fi'om that way: the mo{~ pa.: t of the NO'- Me men, in, and about N~rpleJ, b~ing d. ther his kimed or familiar friends_ 1 they continually refoi,ted tQ him,to take him off eo follow their old pleafur~s rogether,yet at laft having turther light ltt into his foul, to fee riot only the necc ffity of fame tt.uths that he _undedl:ood ' not.befQre, but likewi~e of delivering himfdfe from th;lt id9latry th~t heapprehended himfdf de: filed with; there~ fore · his refolutions were ftrong. to l~ave court >and father , and honours, & inheritance, to ioyn hirnfelfe to a rrue Church of Goq ;and according to this his refolution he went away : much ' means were u!ed to cal! hi&n ba~~; greJt offers ofriches & preferments to cJra ~- him~ · , .
him;his childrc:n.hung about him with . dolefull cries, his friends fianding by with watry eyes, which fo wrought upon bis tender heard he being of a moi loving and iwecrdilpofition)thar,as he bath often faid, hetho~ght that all his bowd~ rouled about within him, and that his heart would have burft prcfrntly,and he fh.ould there iniautly have dyed: but hedenic:d himfclf in all, and chofe rather to live in amean condition where he might enioy God, and the peace ofhisconfcience, then .to have the riches, glory, .pleafurcs of li4!J ,and of che Emperours Court. The Hifiory of the Lord Cl~~~~~-, thatwehavein thebor~ kof.M_,rtJrs,is · famous iri this kind : he was a man of great birth, and in great favour with · King Ht11ry the fifth, fo as the Archbifuop Thlm111 AlrNIIde_ll, dutll not meddle with him till he knew the Kings mind: the King when he heard of ir, bad them have ref pctt to his noble fiock,and promifed to deal with him him le] f. & after he privately fent for hilil, adm~dilhing him fc:cretlybetw~en rhemfelvs,tofubmit to his holy mother the Church : unto
~nto who.rn he made this anrwer; M on w:or~hy Prince,1 am alwaies. P.rompt, and rea_dy .to obey, for as.much .as ! ~now you an appointed Minifier of God ,u,~to y~u(next _tb y ~~ernall G'd) l owe iri y_ whole ob~dience,and fubmit thereunto as I have do~e~ ~yer .ready at ~ll.times. tQ .fulfill ~hatfoev~r you iliall in the, Lord C9mmaqd me~ ;, .but as touching the Pope ~nd His. f p~~ituali:· ty, I owe t~em ,ncich~r fuire, ,nor fer.. · vice, for asmu<;Has l Iinow hi91 by F~~ Scriptu~e to , pe ~~e , gr.eat ·1ntifh(ift, : · the fonneofperdlnon,the opepad.yer- . ·fary ofGod, arid the,abomination fiaridinginthe holy pl~t~~ , r :' . 1 This was in the darkndfe of Pop~ry; · above two hundred years a:goe.~ : . 1'h~ I blood.. t.hirfry .Papifts never left till . ' they got his blood, prevailing widi the Kingtoconfentto his condemnation, ' and when the fentence of his condem.- nation was read, the ftory faith, That· this worthy noble tria n with a the are~ full counteflaN:e f pake after this man- !ler ;'Thou! ··.·. :y. e jud.ge my body, wh\cb l 1s but awre · ·ed tbmg, yet am I cer- , ' J tain• and Ui~, that you can dhar!~ • ----~~--~--~------~~--------
Mo'fes ~n Setfe-denyall. 33 . \' .ha.rme to my fouJe,no more then could S.1than to the foule of fsb ~ he~e were I nudy noble' fpirits indeede, fhewing their nobility by retufing of it) by be- . ing will1ng to deny it .for Jefus Ch~ift• Oh that God wo~ld ratfe up many noble fpirirs that fhall be thus willing to deny thrmfelves. Asludg.; ·9QMJ heart u towttrd thegovernours ~ftht 1eople, that offa·td themfelves wrOingly among the people : ble({e yee the Lord; the eyes and htarts ofGods people are ~fter you · rhe n~bles an~ ~overnours, if ye pffet your fdves w1lhogly , how lhall our hearts bee enlarged, and our members op:ned to bleffe :he Lord. ·As Igpatim , faiJ concerning Chrifl: ; my antiquity ·is Jefus Chrift : fo let us fay of him; our nobility is }:fus Chrift·, £hewing eAntiquitM mett, le{~ Cbrifteu,no::. bilitM no:. fir~, Ie{ur- (;hrifteu._ .this, that we indeede are of the royall feede, thlt wee are of trudy noble blood, t~at we have the blood ofJe- [lJS Chrill running in our veines, that raifes our fpirits t:1rre above whatfoever honour our naturall births have raifcd' us unto. ..· . . . . Itwereable1fed thing, ,ifthofe who are of noble pa~entage, yet in the ~aufc: D of • I I . I
I of Gvd~they would not looke at ~hat nature bath advancc:d them· unto; But wherein it is that they are begotten a. gaine by the almighty worke of the grac\! ofGod, by that heavenly pr_inci- · ple, the fparkle of ·that divine nature that is put into them ! That in tile caufe . of God it were w itA them,as it i$ (aid of Levi, he mufl:not know fother8rtrJ'Jtber. Wemufl:notfay as thof\.: Jewes, M&t.. · 3·9· We h"ve AbrAham tll¥rfather, wee are borne of noble parents; but as :John to them,fo I fay to you,bringforthfruit, or dfe the axeis /~id tithe root oft he tree: ftand not to much upon the blood wee · have,asuponrhegoodwedoe. Ifwe would glory in our parentage, efpeci - ally glory in our ancdl:ors., who have , be~n godl v , who have made themfdves noble indcede by the worthy . things they have done for God and his · people; and let ir bee our honour, ro continue th1s honol!lr to our family, ra. therrefolve ro lofe our life~ then to let this honour of our family die in us; that ir rnay 'not be faid, how did Reli- . . gion flouriili in iuch a nobh· ~amiiy, for · rwo or three or more fucceJiions ~ but · ,, now
,. 'I I I Mofes his Seife-defJya/1. ( 35 . . nowall is gone;ever fince ;·uch a fonnes time aUts gone, and th-ings are turned another way. It is a bldfed thing to ·have 'the glorious name of God kept ' ' up in fucc~: ffion inafarnily, P~trn. 71-. · ~ 7. we have a prophdie that the name of Chri!t fh~ ll contitu~e from generation to generation: the words are filiabi- , tllr nQmenej~s,it lhall be childed,lhall be .begotten from one to another ; the lirieall defcent of C hrifts narne, is more honourable then the lineall defcent of nobl e:- blood. Plinie rels us ·chat it was accounted a great honour, . e.ve;n the height offel ic,ity, that in oneboufeand race of the r urios, there were known ~o be three e.l{cellent Oratou.rs,one after an.. other' by de[ceiu from the father to the fon, and that the , Fahii affi1rded three · prefidents ofthe$ enat in courfe, one;itnmediatdy fucceecHng the other: if this fucceffion ~e fo hqnourable, {o happy, how honourable, how happy doth the fucceffi (,n of re_ligion make families to be '? We ~1 I or~, in our ancefiors, let our antefiorsbc maclr glorious in us: It lS het' e~, fair.s Chrjfojlom, that our parenr§ lh ,•uld glory iaus,"thenthat weiliould D i ·.. ..-: glory P/in.lib.7. _ fap.Jit. &:elitu eft ut-in te glo- · rientur p<t- , , rentes, quam ut tii in f'arentibru gto:..' rieris. Cbry{.· inMtt.-i.
Mofes hil St/ftienia/1. glory in our parents: we iliould do no- · thing unworthy of our ancdl:ors. · It is ·reported of Boltjlafl4 ttl~ tourqt1 King of Poland, that he u(ed to have the piaure ot his father hanging about his neck, fn a plate of gold, and when he was to fpeak, or do any thi ~ 1 g ofirnpor.: tance, hr took this pich1 re., and kiffing it)faid;Dcare father i wifh I may not do . any thing rct1)iffely, unworthy of thy name. Oh that nuny of our nobility, whofe ancdtors have hec;n famous for . - godlindfe, would often have {uch : thoughts as thde; that they would oft confider how unwonhy of ~he name of their noble ancc:fiors thofewaies art"", in which now thty .walke ! Certainly our parentage is a mighty engagement · Nihilailud umo us for noble{lnd vertuous actions~ video inn~- . l d fi d bilitate ap- I .ke not~ing to nobi iry to be t tre , · tetenfum,n~~ faies Hier~m, but that noble _men are ~e;~~~;;!z- confirainedJ>t~ ~kind ofnccdlity ~ not 'Nue..f/itatc to degenerare:trg_m the goodndfe ot conftringmz- their am:dton .'~:~y(' is the happindfe of tur,neaban- .Jf . ,. t. 1- .. d fc 1tiquorum 1 gou y {'<l, ents w~-~e~ t .:c:y. ye,, to ee probitate de- I hone oftheir godlindfe to Jive in their ' ge~crent: • children, to prcftfV\:'tht. lives of their Hrercu.z11. 'l 1 • h fc l l 0~ 'Epift. go(~ y parents m t ,em c: vcs. .Jmr;r';t I f 10 . I •
J M <,ft.:s hMS etfe-denittll. , I 37 ~ i-n his fun:::rall Oration up(;n Theodufitt~ l Theod•flzu ·[: . l . 1_ -' 1 t; b _. ; tanttn Impe- :n~s., that thoug 1 T r;eO:.~!J;ttU ·- gont", ra.tor rece(fii yet h ~~ is not wholly gone, for hce . .t nobu, fed hath le f~ Houoriu:~ with other of his 11011 totu: ~~- . · . h J (i fl' 1 . , celfit , relt ~uldren,tfl whom 1 .eoao ttuadl tves. ! quitenirn no" Oh that it miahr be faid of many of l bisliberos . q · b·1· .h 1 1 {u9s tn qui- our anc1ent rellg10us' no 1 1ty ,t at a • , btt& debem«& though they be gone, yet th.~y are ROt I eum agnofc~ whollyeone, fJrtl)ey have left their : rc•.Ambr.rn l . . ..., I · 1 1 h. 1 . . h 1 obzt. Tbeod. re ;g1ousrru y noo1e c 1 aren tn w om · ltilLchey 'live ·! b!.lt wve unto us , how nl'.lOY of tbem are gone, yea they are whoH y gone, nothint, ot rheir true no.. biliry is kfr remaining in th:ir fJmiJy, but onl v cm oty ri ~i fs. . ; Ifmeann,dft of ,parentage b-:a dilho... nour to a chUd, what di!honour then is 'the wick~dnefs :;; fchild rento noble pa· I rentage.lt wa-s the{ pr:ech ()f one bt it1g Mihidtduocohtemned for his mr: an birth, TD me, ri{u1litarmfa i. th he1rtJ1 parents 4-'r.e!l ~ ade lt£l:fkrate~b1,1t ;:~~!~ib:~ we are a difgrac~ l:lifA}our parents, and Meli~ eft which in our confciences doewe think de mrtem- • to be mo£leligible ? It is bette,r, faies ptibili eta- rum fieri , Chr1(. tO be famous fro~ . a COOtetn• qz;4mdecla:- . ·ptiblefamily, the£ltobe contemptible }'o gene~be. r:. · f.' • l . . ".t CQ1ztemptt z- •nOrrl a lamous tamtl 'j : f US 1S the pn.. lcm eJJe~ viledgeof a truly noble vertUOllS life~' chry(. iu p 3 ' that Mat. 4• --~----------~- ' ,
38 \ __________________ omile.sbi ; tharwef11alln.ot only havethq(~ wormajorcst~i. thiet;, from whom we have come by a (unt.. ,fi :ezllu natu rallline to be our ancell:ors but all gerudzgnum . ' . f h d ' sen.Ep.4 4 • th c. WHrth'eS o t e Lor , whofe ver- . · - · tues and noble' fer vices for God furvive in us, 91all be accounted. our ancefiors. What abundance of fervic~ might bed •ne f01 God, and qis trm h~ if the nobles and the greJ tones of the earth, did giye up themfel'les a1 d their ho·· nours to the fervice ofthe blc tf~d .God: . . . , v if they did encourage the hearts of their M zntme e- b h · · · · h l . . ,.1 · ~ e1 acce- ret 1entn Joynmg Wl t t 1c:m, In 'fo- , pto/pcrfon.a- ing or ftJfeting whatfoever ,God calls rum, ne(czo I for. I fay their brethren for fo wr: tamen quo 1 ' • . .• ' . • pa:Clo 'Virtru I have tt, Neht1t!~ ·1 o. 29. Certatnly in nobilipl~A l Chr:n will take it exceedingly well at •plau't, forte h · h d G d · · t' :quiaptv 4 cta- t ctr an s ; o ~s no a~cepter o ret:. -Ber~. ' pedons, yet I .know not httJW, faies "~ sopblam BertMrd, venue in a noble man does Ytrg. . 1 · r · b b r · · : . more p ea1e, tt may e, .· ccau~e tt. IS more cor;fpicuous. ·It is an obfervation of Hierom) that Saint John who \,,-as the '·· beloyed di~ciplewasofnfJbltjlock, and therefore the rather ~eloved, in which regard h~ faies he was fo'known· to the ~ tJigh 'Priefi, and did · not feare the . f :Jewu, fo as the or her Difcipht·k~ did ; · · . , ~{~l Hre . 'I (.
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