Goo Deu t.; z. Ill RulersCent by God topa n:fh the peo. plc. ;.Heg to. Godtheonely King, and Lord of all, Vpon the Saturdayafter which they were not to paflè. When themofl hgh God deuided to the nations their inheritance, whenhe f paratedthefannes ofvidam, heappointedthe bordersof thepeo- ple, aceordingt the number of thechildrenofIfrael. The Statue of 2Qbuehadriez.zar, which fignifiedtheEmpires ofthe earth, was but a Statue in a dreame , and fo vanifhed likea dreame. TheKings and Emperors ofthe earth, fome dye, others areborne ; are heere to day and gone to morrow, Hokeeft rex, er cras morietur. But Gods Empireendureth for euer. Pliny faith , That the c1c tionofTraiane may be a fufficientargamenr toprooue , That God fetterhvp Kings, not onely among Chriftians, but the Gentiles ; Suting with that of Homer, Ex loue,Reges. This truth being fuppofed, fomeman may aske are , How comes it then to paffe,that God places in that Citie where his name is calledvpon,wherehe bath his houfeand his Altar , thefe high Priefts, who afer they had decreed the deathof Chrift,did treatof killing Lazarus? Which diflicultie is the more augmented, becaufefor themoft part the go- uernoursof this world arenaughtie men; as wr:s to be feene in the Komar Em- pire. 7halesAI:left:a, the prime wife manof Greece, being demanded,what hee hadobierued in theworld to beofmoft difficultie r Anfwcred,Tyrannumfeuem, To fee aTyrant cometo be anoldman.lrenaue faith, That God fetrethvp fome, becaufethey areworthy tobeare rule, others, becaufethey are vnworthy. But where there is a good Gouernour, that Common-wealth hefauoureth. Phocas wasa malt cruell Emperour of Conftantinople ; wh reupon a holyMonke in a corner of Ids Cell , thus complaineth vnto God , Gurfecijli aim Imperaterem? Whydid"' shots makehimEmperour? Whohad no foonermade his mone, but he heard a voyce fromheauen, Paying, 2Kon irtueni peierem, Icould notftode awart. InThebes, there was a great Hypocrite, whichwas euen ready ro dieout of the great delire hehad to beaBifhop;who had Icarceobtained that dignitie,butthat he fell a fpoylingthe Common -wealth : hut anAngell toldhim , That hee was not made Bifhop becaufe he deferued to be a Bifhop , but becaufe that Com- mon-wealth deferued notabetter Bithop. According to that of lob, Hee caufeth theHypocrite to rei>;nefor thefinnes oftheland. Being all one with that which Jeremy faidof his people, Dabo eos inferuaremvniuerfisrtgnis terra?voter ManaJm,fili_ umEzechia. Ana/tafros reades ir, Per c 2Jlanaffim. For, as a goodKing is a great caufe, why God with agraciouseyedoth looke vponhis people ; foa bad king isthe meanes that he vfethforthepunifhingof them. Saint Gregorie,theArch- bifhopricke of Milanbeing void, wrot to the Clergie, that they would obliege God by prayer andby fatting, to glue thema good Paflor. For, as God is plea - fed with his people, fohe giues them Prelats accordingly. The Qieen of Sheba confideringrhe wifedome of Salomon,faid,Thatnothing didmoremanifeft Gods loue towards his people of If ad, and thedelireof their perpetuitie, than inha- uing giuenThemfo wifea Gouernour. And lofephue reporteth, That hebeingbut twelue year es ofage whenhe firft began togouerne, the peopleliftening to that fentencewhich he gaveat his firft fitting in iudgement,touching the twowomen that contefted about their child, Let the infant becut in twain; Many laughed at ir,dr eming it to be achildifh fentence; but afterwards wifelyweighing the dif- erect courfe that hee had taken in iuftifying the truth, without any further propesorteftimonies, theythencryedour,Dec«loelapfos, Ere King isfent vs down f am heauen. And albeitthe heauens, planers, and flames,areto mans fee- ming farte off, yet in regard ofrhofr influences which they caufe ininferiour bodies, they arc«cere at I and. And albeit they are incorruptible, yet doe they affoordgreat fauoursto corruptible things. Ifheauen beholdvswith a propiti- Ops
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