Praelium & praemium.  
THE CHRISTIANS WAR and reward.  
A SERMON PREACHED before the King's Majesty at Whitehall the 3. of May. 1608.  
BY  
DANIEL PRICE Master of Arts of Exeter College, and Chaplain in ordinary to the PRINCE.  
Vincenti dabitur.  
OXFORD, Printed by joseph Barnes. 1608.   

TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, THE LORD Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace, Primate and Metrapolitan of all England, one of his majesties most Honourable privy Counsel, & the right worthy chancellor of the famous University of Oxford.  
MOst reverend, religious, & rightly honourable, so small a present for so great a Patron is not tolerable by the rule of proportion, especially when so great weakness lieth open to the eye of so great worthiness. My apprehension at the first conceited me so strongly that I designed this to aternal oblivion & resolved that it should have died and been buried in the place it first breathed, but fearing lest an action of presumption would be commenced against me, for burying so poor an Orphan in so princely a place as the King's Chapel, I adventured to lay it in the grave of the press, wrapping it in these sheets, as in a Syndon, & mantling it on a sable letter, as in a hearse, and yet after four aates pressing to death, it revived, and is crept to present itself unto your Grace presuming that as you afforded it gracious attention at the preaching, so you will afford it gracious acception in the printing. If there be any thing worthy Patronadge in it, or in me, I humbly prostrate it, rejoicing much I may tender any observance unto him, whom his royal Majesty, the gracious Queen, my Princely Master, the noblest Personadges, the greatest scholars, both the Universities, the Church, Common wealth, arts and schools, do for his studies, conferences, labours, & employments, acknowledge, reverence, and prefer to the Confluence of all honour. I must confess it had many very honourable friends who desired after the preaching to be acquainted with it, but I was then doubtful whether I should publish it or no, sometimes dissolving it, sometimes resolving for it, till now at length I have adventured to let it see the sun. It is the first tender of my duty, and the first dedication from our University Press, since the time your Grace was pleased to entertain the protection of us. The Lord preserve your Grace to continue for many and many years, that the Church may long enjoy so worthy a Pillar, the Common wealth so wise a Counsellor, and this famous University so honourable a Chancellor.  
Exeter Coll. this 19 of June. 1608. Your Graces, in all humble duty DANIEL PRICE.   

The Text.  Revel. 2.26. 
He that overcometh, & keepeth my works to the end, to him will I give power over nations.  
THE whole book of God written by his finger, delivered by his power, inspired by his spirit, and revealed by his will, is as Cassiodore observeth, Schola coelestis, eruditio vitalis, auditorium veritatis, disciplina singularis, profitable to teach, to instruct, to reprove, to correct, that the man of God may be perfect in all good works: whatsoever is contained in this book, God hath revealed to man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, secretum, relatum, nay not only relatum but revelatum, The whole book from Genesis to the Revelation is the Genesis of a Revelation, here beginneth the Exodus the end, termination, complement, accomplishment of the Revelation. job may conceive Secreta Dei, job. 11.6. Daniel may observe abscondita Dei. Dan. 2.22. The Apostle may discern profunda Dei, 1. Cor. 2.10. And Paul wrapped up to the third heavens may hear arcana Dei, 2. Cor. 12.4. But now secreta, profunda, arcana, abscondita, be revelata. The Aenigma is disclosed, the knot unloosed, the mysteries interpreted, the vail removed, all things revealed, & he that was veiled in the flesh is revealed in the spirit, and in this book, is the manifestation of our God & of his will, of the Lamb, and of his life, of the spirit, and of his truth, of his seals, trumpets, angels, viols, thunders, lightnings, threatenings, judgements of heaven, hell, the earth, the sea, consumption, destruction, dissolution, desolation and final consummation of the world.  
If the whole Scripture may be called the Library of the holy Ghost, than this is the Closet of that library, if the Lantern of Jsrael, than this is the light of that Lantern, if the Alphabet of God, than this is then of that Alphabet, this is the end of his book, who is the beginning and the end, the last of his book, who is the first and the last, the Ω of his book, who is α and Ω, the Amen of his book, who is yea and Amen. The holiest place not more worthily called sanctum sanctorum, or the jubilee Sabbatum sabbatorum, or the Canticles Cantica Canticorum, or Empireum Coelum Coelorum, I say not more truly called so, than this Revelatio Revelationum, the Compendium and Epitome of all the works, wonders, secrets, depths, and mysteries of God, so that as a father well speaketh of the whole scripture, 
Hugo.  I may also in particular speak of this apocalypse, pascit miraculis, oraculis, figuris, verbis, mysterijs, 
Greg. Moral  And as Manna as Gregory observeth, habet omne delectamentum, & omnis saporis suavitatem, so I may speak of this book of the Revelation, (which is the hid Manna, kept long in the Ark, inter arcana, and now manifested among Revelata.) O then come, and see, and see hear, and taste how good and sweet this Manna is, it will give to every man his gust & relish, if ye be ignorant here ye may be instructed, if weak, hear ye may be strengthened, if fearful, here ye may be heartened, if fight here ye may be comforted, if triumphing, here ye may be crowned, and more than this, here is the greatest blessing pronounced that ever was to any book, Blessed is he that readeth, 
Revel 1.  & he that heareth, and he that understandeth, and he that keepeth the words of this book.  
Out of this book & out of that Manna of this book have I chosen this portion of scripture, as a portion of meat in due season, which if you will stay till I have prepared it for you, I will present it to be panem nostrum hodiernum, or rather, panem nostrum quotidianum. He that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end to him will I give power over nations. what subject more sit for Heroical spirits than an encitement to chivaltrie, nay what subject may speak of a fit subject before a most royal King, then of a kingdom. Behold both these in this He that overcometh etc. He that overcometh, here a christian is made a conqueror, and keepeth my works to the end, hereof a Conqueror he is made a Continuer, I will give him power over nations, hereof a Continuer he is made a king. He that overcometh here he is approved a Christian and keepeth my works, here he is a Catholic, I will giu● him power over nations, here he is Defender of the faith A Conqueror, a Continuer, a King, a Christian, Catholic, Defender of the faith. In a word in these words ye shall find, a Conflict, & a Conquest, Martyrs' misery, Saint's dignity, the state of servants, in this life laborious, the state of Saints in the life to come glorious, a precept to take up the Cross, a promise of the Crown, an exhortation from God to man, a Compensation for man from God. All this in these words he that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end I will give him power over nations.  
Observe briefly these 2 parts praelium & pramium, 
Divis.  praelium admortem; praemium advitam, a war, and a rewa●d, war to the end, the end of that end to be rewarded, In praelio, in the warrfare observe, 1 that the true Christian must overcome, 
Subdivis.  He that overcometh, 2. that he must continue, and keep my works to the end, in praemio, the reward, observe 1. the giver promising. I will give him. 2. the gift promised▪ power over nations ●hus you see the body and soul, the heaven & earth of my Text, the parts and particular circumstance, thereof, of all which in their order, and first of the first. He that overcometh.  
Man the Model of the world in respect of his misery, 
1. Obs.  hath his life compared to things most momentary. by Eschilus' to smoke, by Varro to a bubble, by Crates to hay, by Socrates to a journey, by Epictetus to a Torrent, by Pindarus to a shadow, by Plutarch to a Flower by Petrarch to a feather, by jacob to a Pilgrimage. Gen. 47.9. wherein is casualty by David to a span. Psa. 39.5. wherein is brevity by Hosea, to a cloud, Hosea. 13.3. wherein is mutability, by Paul to a Race. 2. Tim. 4.7. wherein is Celerity, by james to a vapour. james 4.13. wherein is inconstancy, & by job to a warfare. job. 7.7. wherein is much conflicting misery, God that is himself, a man of war, Exod. 15.3. made man also to be a man of war. Gen. 3.15. put enmity between the woman and the serpent, & between the seed of the woman and the feed of the serpent. In the 3. of Genesis you may see the beginning of this war, there was the first quarrel about the first broken head, 
Genes. 3.15.  he shall break thine head▪ and thou shalt bruise his heel. here upon the challenge was proclaimed, the Camp pitched, the battle fought, and the hatred continued even to this hour. Hereupon God provided for man an armour, knighted him a Christian, prepared the Cross for his ensign, blood for his Colours, Christ for his Captain, and taught his hands to fight, & his fingers to battle, so that now job may truly speak Militia est vita hominis super terram, non super coelum qui super coelum triumphant, non sub terra qui sub terra quie scunt sed super terram quia qui super terram pugnant Tsaba as the Hebrews read a continual dimication, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeks' a piracy by sea & a Conspiracy by land or a temptation, as the septuagint translate it, a Conflict, Combat, battle, a warring agonizing kind of life, in which all quoad maius & minus have their parts as Petrarch observeth, Hic in castris, ille in Rostris, in scholis, in memore an agro, in pelago, in palate so: hic ferro corpus, ille animum dolis, hic argutijs linguam armat, hic pedibus, ille equo, hic currit, ille navigat omnes militant. Many strive saith the Apostle but one receiveth the Crown, so many sight but there is but one sort of soldiers that receive the reward. Benaiah was honourable among thirty but he attained not to the first 3, And so many a Benatah may fight and yet in fight not attain to the holy warfare of the Trinity, which is the first three. Therefore as there is a So run that ye may obtain, so also is there so fight that ye may overcome, Non pugnanti, sed vincenti, Not to him that fighteth, but to him that overcometh the aim, the mark, the scope, the end, the Cynosura the Causa Causae of our fight to overcome. To him that overcometh. But is man able to overcome, hath he power to will, will to desire, desire to effect, effect to continue. Hath he strength to stand that is so weak, force to fight, that is so weary, means to overcome, that is so unworthy. The Pelagian and his heir apparent of that heresy Bellarmine in his 5. book de gratia & libero arbitrio, 
Bel▪ lib. 5. de gra. & lib. arb.  answer that man though he be feeble, weak, weary, unworthy, yet hath he liberty, and strength, and free will to run, & to continue and persevere, else were all precepts and exhortations and expositions and reproofs altogether in vain. For as the Pedestri senatores among the Papists ask what folly were it to exhort, or command us, to do that which is not within our power, or liberty to perform, it were as if a man should exhort one to run, which were fast enclosed in a prison. For answer whereunto I say Austin by anticipation in his book de gratia & libero arbitrio, answereth Bell. argument in his book de gratia & libero arbitrio. Ideo Deus, etc. Therefore God commandeth somewhat that man cannot do, that man may learn to seek ability of God to do it, Fides enim impetrat quod lex imperat, for faith obtains from God by prayer, what God prescribeth to man by law. So that the Imperative in God begets an Optative in man, not an Operative: and therefore when in David in one verse, 
Psal. 119.  we read Tu praecepisti, thou hast charged that we should keep thy commandments, he addeth utinam sic vie meae parentur, O that my ways were made so direct, that I might keep thy statures, his command excitants gratia, his assistance operans gratiam. Commandment may extend further than strength, but God's assistance stretcheth as far as his commandment. He hath not only in an Active commanded Revertere Return, but also in a Passive Convertere, be thou converted, and therefore man's power is never operant unless God be Cooperant. We are all as spring locks, shut we can of ourselves, not open, for our naturales Potentiae, 
Aquin.  as the schools speak, be become naturales impotentiae, and as S. Austin speaketh, Libero arbitrio male utens homo & se perdidit & ip sum. So that whosoever will ascend jacobs' ladder must acknowledge still Dominus super scalan, and howsoever the sword of the Lord and the sword of Gedeon may go together, yet the hand of Gedeon or the sword in his hand, or the edge on his sword is not able to pierce unless God give power, Non enim tam agimus quam à Deo agimur, 
Zanch.  saith Zanchius, for man is not so properly said to do good, as to be compelled to do it by the good spirit of God. And the Apostle teacheth, that it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth, but in God which enableth us, we can do all things. Austen endeth all this in his 3. book de lib. Arbit. 16. Esay. Deus & velle praecepit & posse praebuit et non impune nolle permisit. God commands all men to be willing, he giveth unto some his grace to be able, he permitteth others to remain unwilling but never to remain unpunished. And therefore our prayer must be as the same fathers is, Da Domine quod jubes & iube quod vis, give us O Lord ability to do what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt, for without thee our knowledge is ignorance, our power is infirmity, our sight is blindness, our light is darkness, our strength is weakness. But I have founded a retreat too long from my warfare, he that over cometh.  
The heathens had sundry times, at which they did especially practise military actions, and points of chivaltie, & had their Nemea, Istmia, Pythia, & Olympia, in which they did exercise striving, wrestling, running, fight, and other feats of Martialisme. The very sane exercises hath God appointed for his servants, he hath appointed them to run, 1. Cor. 9.24. per viam man datorum. Ps. 119.32. per viam patientiae. Heb. 12.1. he hath appointed them to resist. Eph. 6.13. in fide. 1. Pet. 1.9. In sanguine. Heb. 12.4. he hath appointed them to wrestle. Eph. 6.12. usque ad auroram. Gen. 32.35. adversus principatus, adversus potestates, adversus mundi d●minos. adversus spirituales astutias. Eph. 6.12. he hath appointed us to fight. job. 14.14. non secundum carnem. 2. Cor. 10.3. sed bonam militiam militare 1. Tim. 1.18. and in all these the life of a Christian is a busy, stirring, agonizing trade of life, a pressing to the mark a striving to enter in at the narrow gate, and a violent suprising of the kingdom of heaven. So the doctrine hence to be observed is this, 
Doct.  that Christianity is not a licentious, or a libertine like security but an earnest, painful, watchful, Conflicting, Combating life.  
And whosoever will undergo this & be contented to take press money in this warfaring life shallbe sure to have God still helping strengthening, encouraging, Comforting, and assisting, so that what is feignedly reported of Pindarus to be continually assisted by Apollo, Lycurgus by Pithia, Numa by Aegeria, Socrates, by his Genius, Phiddias by his jupiter, and Philemon by the Muses, may more truly be said of the Lord our God, who doth continually assist his servants to the last of their life to overcome.  
Many things are said to overcome, the word of God to overcome man, that word made man to overcome for man, man himself by repentance and prayer to overcome God, by faith, hope, & charity, to overcome all spiritual adversaries. The word of God powerful to overcome strong holds: and to cast down and overthrow every high thing, 2. Cor. 10.5. witness Niniveh imperious, insolent, intolerable Niniveh, Niniveh, the imperial commander of the Eastern parts, proud of her walls and bulwarks, Niniveh the mother City of Assiria, the Metropolis of the Country, the golden head of the picture, the glory of the earth, the seat of the Empire, the Lady of the East, and the Queen of the Nations, so strong, so potent, overcome with this word, yet forty days and Niniveh shallbe destroyed. The message▪ of their overthrow, overthrew the messsage saith Chrysost. the prophecy fell, the City fell not because her fall was prophesied, Vincit verbum. The word made man, overcame for man. Christ saith, joh. 16. I have overcome the world, witness, that bloody conflict, when Mount Calvary was the field, the Cross the bloody banner, his blessed body the weapon of his warfare, his anguishes his armies, My God why hast thou forsaken me, the Trumpet, his death, the life, his misery, the victory, his crucifying, the conquest, his Tortures the Triumph, Vincit Christus. Repentance overcometh. Affliction is said to overcome man, and Repentance is somewaie said to overcome God, for as Affliction causeth man to turn to God; so repetance causeth God to turn to man. Apostrophe in man from God breeds Apostrophe in God, from man, Epistrophe in man to God begets Epistrophe in God to man. Repentance in man begets Repentance in God, non per naturam sed per effectum, though the heavens be ready to plague us, the sun & moon to reign down blood upon us, the fire hot burning coals, the air I hunderbolts, the earth ready to swallow us, the water to drown us, hell to devour us: nay, all the hosts of the God of hosts, to overcome us, yet by faithful repentance we overcome them all. Vincit Penitentia. Prayer doth overcome. For it is not only Angelis solatium, 
Aug.  Daemonibus flagellum, animae praesidium, as Austin speaketh. But it is more, it is Eliahs' key, Moses' rod, jacobs' sword and bow, David's shield and spear, the most powerful of all the weapons of a Christian. I will fetch but one drop from the Ocean, to prove this. When Egypt was smitten, and Pharaoh plagued, and their waters, and rivers, and streams, and ponds, and pools, and vessels of stone, were filled with blood, and frogs, and louse, and botches, and sores, and hail, and thunder, and lightning, and grasshoppers, & morreine, and darkness, were sent upon the Country, By Moses praiet they were removed, dispersed, scattered demolished, utterly dissipated as the dust before the wind. Vincit Oratio, Oratio paenetrat coelum. So might I speak of faith, hope, and charity, which be most forcible, singular, effectual, powerful, energeticallie potent, I had almost said omnipotent in the trials, travils, battles, warfare, combats, conflicts, conquests, victories, triumphs, trophies of the Saints.  
To end this point God hath made man a Christian, and dubbed every Christian a knight, 
Eph. 6.  provided him the armour of God, nay God for his armour, given spirit to his sword, for it is the sword of the spirit, given safety to his helmet, for it is the helmet of salvation, righteousness for his breastplate, for it is the breast plate of righteousness, faith for his shield, for it is the shield of faith, verity for his girdle, for it is the girdle of verity, given him the Gospel of Peace for his feet, for his feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. This is now that Complete knight, Having on his feet spurs guilt with his blood, who took away the guilt of the law, on his head, a helmet salvation, on his heart, a breast plate righteousness, on his loins, a girdle verity, in his hand, a sword the spirit, on his whole body a rob, the seamless garment the Lord jesus Christ, and upon this garment putting on an armour, Armaturam Dei. nay more, Armaturam Deum, the whole armour of God, nay whole God for his Armour. Every man is this Christian, every true Christian must thus arm, watch, stand, run, wrestle, resist, strive, fight and overcome.  
The use of the doctrine is to incite all the servants of the Lord to be Martialists to be soldiers in this wicked world. Our life is militia, 
Use.  we have an oath sacramentum militiae, we have an armour Armaturam militiae we have a place locum militiae, we have a combat luctam militiae, we have a reward coronam militiae, our dangers diverse, our conflicts mighty, our adversaries many, 
Cic. pro Arch Poet.  Nihil horum ora vultus moverunt? within us guilty consciences oppressing us, before us traps for our destruction to ensnare us, behind us memory of sins past to torture us, over our heads, the wrath of God to terrify us, under our feet the dungeon of damnation, to entrap us, the flesh insulting, the world triumphing, the devil tempting, sin slinging, Nihil horum ora vultusque moverunt? Well my beloved at the length Arise, arm yourselves fight the Lords battles. Alexander the young Prince did more earnestly desire to learn, because Arist. the Prince of Philosophers taught him, And the soldiers did more streniously fight because that the renowned Alexander did lead them Beloved your Arist. is Alexander, your Alexander is Christ, he doth teach you to fight and doth fight to teach you, In him ye are Conquerors, by him ye are more than conquerors. Never did any Conqueror so victoriously, if you fight as ye have him for an example. The Philistin with his spear, the Israelite with his sling, the Indian with his dare, the Persian with his bow, the Schithian with his lance, the Mirmadon with his strength was never able to be so powerful in conflict as thou mayst be, And as the conflict is victorious so the victory is as glorious, never had Moses such a victory over the Caananits, joshua over 31. kingly Captains, Israel over the Philistines, David over the Amalekits, Alex. over the Barbarians, Themistocles over the Persians, Aemilius over the Macedonians, Marcellus over the Sithians, or Scipio over the Carthaginians, as thou mayst thyself obtain by thy Christ. O then who would not in a spiritual ambition desire so to triumph, so to Celebrat his Trophies. But yet if any will desire this, let him remember the tenor of his knight's service is the Cross, and as the Romans could not come to the temple of honour, but by the Temple of virtue, so he by no means can come to the Crown but by the Cross. He must come to fight before he fight to overcome. He must overcome the world, the devil, the flesh, in the world, he must overcome himself a little world, in himself he must overcome his tongue a world of wickedness, himself a little world in the great world, his tongue a great world in that little world, a world of wickedness. james 3.6. If he can overcome the world and himself, he shallbe able to overcome tribulation, anguish, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, life, death, angels, principalities, powers, things present, or things to come, height or depth, or any other creature especially if he be able to overcome & to hold fast till C. come. For the promise is made to him that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end, and so I end this point & come to show that we must overcome to the end.  
Not the hearers but the the doers of the law are justified. Rom. 2.13. 
2. Obs. 1. part.  Not the doers for a time but the continuers, beyond time, the faithful unto the death, Reu. 2.10 Many herd C who understood him not, so the vulgar jews, many understood him who believed him not so the Scribes & pharisees, many believed him who professed him not so the Hypocrite, many professed him for a time, but after fell away so the apostates. This answereth all jewes-scribes Pharisais' Hypocrites & Apostates, he that keepeth my works to the end. Not heareth but keepeth, not words, but works not for a time but to the end, he that keepeth my works to the end to him and to none but to him.  
It was a brutish speech of Brutus, 
Livy  Te colui virtus ut rem ast tu nomen inane es, that Piety, Honesty, Religion, be but names, for Christ here makes a sufficient explication of his will in these words, He that keepeth my works unto the end, giveth the name, and nature, the words, and works, affections, and actions, all that is to be performed. The in undation of hypocrisy hath almost drowned the world how many good words, in the world, how sew good works, how many be like Christians, yet no Christians, like Professors yet no Professors of whom the observation of Guicciardine may be true Caesar Borgia and his father Pope Alexander the 6 had a proverb fastened on them by the Italians of that time, 
Guicc. lib. 5.  that the one of them never thought as he spoke, and the other never spoke as he thought. Many are like to Panarches aenigma, to the Poet's Hermaphrodites, 
Athaen. Dipnosoph.  to the Grammarians Participles, to Banacles which are fish and no fish, foul and no foul: many are outward not inward Christians, extra mittendo, non intramittendo, by profession not by practice by sight not by faith.  
God requireth the extern and intern, soul & body, heart and face, words and works, he requireth that his servant should not only keep the ways of the Lord, Gen. 18.19. and the covenants of the Lord, 1. Kings. 11.11. and the commandments of the Lord, Neh. 1.5. and the Sabbaths of the Lord, Levit. 26.2. and the ceremonies of the Lord, 1. Kings. 2.3. and the judgements of the Lord, Esec. 18.19. the statutes of the Lord, Ps. 119.5. and the words of the Lord, Rev. 22.7. but here the works of the Lord which Hugo expresseth to be mandata the precepts, or as he expresseth himself the practice of the precepts of the Lord.  
In which words, to keep my works, he joineth faith & works together, to keep credendo my works. faciendo, to keep by believing, to express by practising. For the Gospel is not a doctrine of liberty, Epicurism or sensuality, but a Gospel of exact action & perfection, not a gospel of believing only, but of living, not of Theory only, but of practic, consisting not in hearing, but doing, not in affecting, but an effecting faith So that hence I observe this doctrine that true Christianity must be manifested in a lively, effectual, 
Doct.  powerful practice, otherwise our faith is no faith, our faith must differ from the only knowing faith of the Devils, for that is Historical, from the bragging faith of the jews for that is Pharisaical, from the bare faith of Hypocrites, for that is uneffectual, from the feigned faith of the Apostates, for that is but Temporal, from the false faith of the Papists, for that is fantastical.  
A doctrine very needful in these our times where in works are changed into words, walking into talking hands into tongues, hearts into ears, which hath caused the Roman faction to traduce us for a solyfidian profession, as if we did pluck up good works as weeds, and cast them out of doors: which how much contrary to our profession it is, any judicious & ingenuous may understand. So we that hold this against men & Angels, that a true, effectual, lively faith doth only justify, so that we remove not works from faith, but works from justifying. We grant works to be uta regni non causa regnandi, 
Aug. Aquin. Hil. Origen.  as Austin speaketh, and to be required, necessitate praesentiae, non necessitate efficientiae, for as Hilary in his Comment upon Math. teacheth, Fides sola justificat, and S. Austen on the 4. of the Rom. fides sola mundat, and as Origen on the same Chapter, fides sola sufficit. But then they reply out of S. james, ye see saith the Apostle, that of works a man is justified and not of faith only. Yea but saith S. Paul, we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the work of the Law. To reconcile both which places I say, that as we are justified by faith without the works of the Law, so by the works of the Law must our faith be justified. So that there is one righteousness imputed, another righteousness exercised, there is a justice of justification, and a justice of testification, the one acquitteth before God, the other approveth before men. Paul speaketh of the former of these two, james of the later. The one establishing a real, Christian, justifying faith, 
Aquin.  the other confuting a false, feigned, devilish faith, Aquinas in this one distinction ending this Christus justificat effective, fides justificat apprehensive, opera iustificant declarative, our works by faith, & faith by Christ doth justify us. Our works may claim a part in our faith, but not in our justifying, for in that great act of Canceling the handwriting, acquitting the conscience, pacifying God's anger, and presenting us blameless before Gods holy eyes, faith is wholly and solely employed, and our works not claiming any part therein.  
I speak not this to stop the blessed fountain of good works, I know that he that hath proclaimed of Mary Magdalen wheresoever this Gospel shallbe preached, mention shallbe made of this woman, he hath also promised that he that shall give to one of the lest the very lest gift, a Cup of cold water in his name shall not want their reward. And therefore if any have been to busy in this kind, I say to such, why cause ye the people to stay from their works, get ye to your burdens, lay upon the people the number of works which they did in the beginning diminish nothing thereof, for they be idle, let them work and work, & continue in working, that when Christ cometh to judgement he may find them working, and say, good servants and faithful ye have been faithful in a little, I will make you rulers over much, enter into your master's joy.  
Let the use of this doctrine move you all to consecrate your external, and internal, 
Use.  inward & outward actions, unto God, that ye may show forth the virtue of him that hath called you, if ye have only outward sanctity ye deceive others, if only inward, you deceive yourselves: if neither inward, nor outward, ye deceive God. But be ye not deceived, God is not mocked. S. Peter proveth, that if temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love be in you, you shall neither be idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ. 2. Pet. 1.8. Amor Dei saith Gregory, otiosus non est, operatur magna, si est, si operari renuerit amor non est, where the love of God is, it is not idle, and where it is idle it is not. Be earnest, zealous, religious, and be ye so religiously zealous, that you may continue to the end, for Nemini palma datur priusquam cursus conficiatur, & therefore God required not a working only, but a continuing persevering, keeping to the end. For the end of that shall be rewarded. O beloved shall not we continue, Tantum boni in bono quantum mali in malo? shall the drunkard continue so long as his lungs last, the adulterer so long as his loins last, the glutton while his skin, the proud man while his purse, the wicked man while his life, and shall not we continue? To the end that you may continue to the end, Remember that God in his Arithmetic requireth Multiplication, not Substraction, in his journeys progreds not regredi, in his Philosophy motum velociorem in fine quam in principio. Mistake me not, I say he requireth motum velociorem, not violentiorem, for I know violent motions be unnatural, and yet there have been lately so many violent motions in our Church, that had not the divine gubernation of our primum movens restrained the heat of inferior Spheres, our Church had been on fire & the clerolaical presbytery had brought among us a Cyclopical anarchy. But I need not to bring these in public. Theophilact upon Luke, observeth that Lady Philautia, Lady self love was married to the Pharisie in the Gospel. 
Theoph. in Luk.  The Pharisie I am sure is dead, she was then left a widow. The Anabaptists, Brownists, Barronists, and Humorists, are in competition yet for her, The Presbytery is corrival with them, they much torture themselves in the suit, we are not much troubled with them, and I hope, we shall be less. I come not hither to trample them, if there be any thing good in them I honour it, the exorbitancy I pity, I would they would remember that as knowledge without zeal is not religion, so zeal without knowledge is not discretion. They would not then be so violent and virulent.  
Our motions beloved, they must not be violent as these but natural, it must be a perpetual motion to the end, we may stretch out ourselves but not out stretch ourselves, run but not overrun, we must continue in a civil, sober, sanctified course, running our race, fight our fight, till we have finished our course, & we shallbe sure to find help in running, comfort in continuing, joy in obtaineing, a reward in triumphing, though all the world be against us, yet we shallbe as Mount Zion that shall not be removed, as Socrates who never changed countenance, or as the Cypress tree which never changeth colour. Troubles may assault the godly, but never insult over them, they shall have a refection in their affliction, and Consolation after desolation post praelium praemium, and so I come from praelium to praemium, my second part.  
I will give him power over nations, were there not greater reward for delightinging in the Lord then the delight of that delight, the joy of that joy, 
●. Pars.  the pleasure of that pleasure it were sufficient dilectionis nulla maior expetenda est remuneratio quam ipsa dilectio saith lo. But behold the bountifulness, mercy, liberality, munificens of our good god, he inciteth, and allureth, and heareth, and promiseth wages, yea promiseth to reward his own merits in us, by his own mercy on us. So true is he in his word, so faithful in his promises, man cannot object against God, 
ovid. Met.  as the Poet doth against man Mobilis Aesonide vernaque incertior aura curtua policiti pondere verba carent, He deserveth not to be called Doso as Antigonus was who promised much and performed little, he will not equivocate with man, as he did that promised centum oves & brought but centum ova, Austin witnesseth Deum fecisse Chirographum promissorum suorum, 
Austin.  non debendo sed promittendo. He oweth us nothing, because he never received any thing, and yet he maketh his promise his debt, his deed, his word, his work, & his mercy a merit, yet not our merit, for St-Paul- Paul anticipateth the doctrine of merits in the 2. Eph. 8. we are saved not of ourselves, not of our works, lest any man should boast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is the gift of god whereupon Bernard concludeth demeritis sufficit scire quod non sufficiant merita. 
Bern.  So that again I say he promiseth to reward his own merits by his own mercies, he promiseth this and he performeth this, his word, his deed, his promises, his reward, be not as the worlds be. In the world some promise what they cannot do as Satan to Christ Math. 4.9. some what they can do but mean not, as the sons of jacob to the sons of Sichem Gen 34 16. Some what they mean for a time but afterwards deny it, as Laban did to jacob, Gen. 29.23. Some what they promise willingly, but give unwillingly, as Herod Io. Baptists head. Mark. 6.16. Sun what they give willingly but afterwards repent, as joshua his grant to the Gibeonits. jos 9.23. But God's promises be performances, and therefore be to be believed, In spe, extra spem-supra spem, contra spem.  
And in this God hath done with man as the rulers of states, and makers of statutes, who have sought not only to punish the bad, and to provide some sharp & fearful tortures for them, but have ever a regard to encourage and reward the virtuous office of the God. So did Zoroaster among the Persians, Trismegistus among the Egyptians, Charondas among the Carthaginians, Minos among the Cretians, & Solon among the Athemans', that as in Hercul. Bivium they were 2 ways, the on via virtutis Non est ad astra mollis è terris via, the other via voluptatis, facilis descen sus Auerni. So there should be also diverse respects had for the followers of these two diverse ways, as Antishenes the Philosopher in Laertius and Achilles, that valiant martialist in Homer do testify. So God the life giver of all, these lawgivers, hath provided the one and the other for the wicked who will be warned by no warning, feared by no threatening, affrighted by no terrifying admonished by no exhorting, he hath provide fearful, and horrid and eternal pains, tumultuous horror, fiery Chains, flaming whips, scorching darkness, tormenting Devils, upon whom howling, roaring, lamenting, blaspheming, and eternal death gnawing on them, shallbe powered out, the full flood of God's wrath and the dregs of the unsavoury composition of the cup of God's displeasure.  
But for his servants (as in all other things he is a god of great mercy, magnificence, liberality, and princely munificence so) in this above all the rest, he is most munificent in rewarding his Saints, and servants, with many, and most infinite blessings, as he often promiseth & here expresseth I will give, out of which words I observe this doctrine, 
Doct.  that God is able and willing to reward his Saints that which he promiseth. The scripture giveth proof to this doctrine. God hath made promises before the beginning of the world. 1. Pet. 1.12. firm and stable promises. 2, Cor. 1.8. most great and precious promises. 2. Pet. 1.4. having a time of promise Act. 7 17. given a word of promise. Rom. 9.7. proclaimed a Gospel of promise 1. Tim. 1.9. purchased inheritances of promise Heb. 6.12. adopted sons of promise Gal. 4.28. drawn covenants of promise Eph. 2.12. appointed the spirit as the scrivener of these covenants of promise Eph. 1.14 and added yea and Anon as a seal to these covenants of promise. Cor. 1.10. So that a Christian may now be sure that all bands, bills, obligations, leases, Indentures, alienations, contracts, Covenants made never so curiously by the Meander of Lawyer's wit shallbe annihilated before the least of the promises shall fail, nay heaven and earth shall fail before the least jota of his promise.  
The comfort of this made St-Bernard- Bernard to be almost in a heavenly ecstasy, when he considered, Charitatem Adoptionis, Veritatem Promissionis Potestatem redditionis, God's love in adopting his truth in promising and his power in performeing, and surely it cannot choose but stir and incite every true Christian to a most fervent and earnest embracing, of these promises.  
Let the use therefore of this Doctrine be this, 
Use.  that we remove all misdoubting & unbelieving thought▪ from us that at no time there be found an evil mind in us, not crediting the promise of God. Let us assure ourselves that if we can credere & vivere believe and live after our belief, we shall surely receive the performance of this promise in due time. The bargain between God and us, is Crede quod habes & habes, like to Ithiell and Vcall. Ithiell signifieth God with us, Vcall is to prevail, so that Ithiell and Vcall must go together, if we prevail God is with us. It is double, a mutual, reciprocal, interchangeable duty, a twofold Indenture on our behalf, as well, as on Gods. If we overcome he hath promised, and having promised, he will perform, he will give to him that overcometh power over nations, & so I come in few words to the last & best words of my Text. 
Vlt Cir  I will give him power over nations.  
There is a power given, & a power usurped, a power given to man over God's creatures, given to the K. over men. A power usurped by the Devil over Christians, by the Tyrants over kingdoms, by the Pope over Kings; for the Pope hearing that the Devil hath power, he thinketh that he also may have a power, because he is the devils vicegerent in causes Ecclesiastical and Temporal: but in this the Pope is deceived for the devils patent is more potent, his power stronger & and longer than the Popes.  
Bellarmine in his 1. book de sumo Pontifice the 22. Chapter, and since Baronius in his letter to Paul the Venetian prove out of scripture, that the Pope hath special power, and is the head of the Church, out of the Acts, 10.13. Kil & eat. Bellarmine proveth it out of the word Eat, Baronius out of the word kill, a kill argument, I should think Bellarmine might rather prove him out of the word eat, to be the mouth then the head & Baronius might prone out of the word kill, that he is not the head, but the headsman of the Church. For out of the word eat, we may conclude him to be the mouth & I may say as Cato spoke to Lentulus, Dicam eos falli qui te negant habere os, I say they are much deceived, who deny him to have a mouth and a fowl one to. Even such a mouth as uttereth blasphemies. Whose lips have the poison of Asps. Whose tongue is sharpened like a Serpents. Whose teeth be like to Lion's teeth. And whose throat is an open sepulchre. Yea a devouring Sheol, hell itself. Thus he is the mouth. Now that he is not so much the head as the headsman of the Church, may be proved by those many stratagems, engines, tortures, burnings, broyling rackings, dilaniating, murdering, & massacring, whereby the Pope hath made the Church the shame & shambles of the world, as may be seen by the manifold floods of warm, reeking, gore blood, that he hath shed and by the souls of the Martyrs crying under the Altar, How long Lord jesus. Bellarmine and Baronius▪ in this are like to those wicked judges, found in a diverse tale, the one out of kill, the other out of eat, making him their head, and therefore they well deserving by him to be rewarded, the one by being his butcher, the other his cook, I could proceed further in the describing of this child of the devil and father of darkness, whose religion is rebellion, whose planters are supplanters, whose professors be Traitors, whose oracles be lies, whose miracles be straws. But I come to my Text. In that potestes data we must consider another 2 fold power, power in hoc seculo, power in futuro. That the Saints of God shall enjoy power over nations, In hoc seculo as the Gloss interpreteth in finali judicio as Lyra readeth, In utroque as Austin testifieth, 
Gloss. Lyra. Austin. Hugo. Hierom.  In this life to come super motus Carnales saith Hugo, & in this life to come super thronos iudicantes tribus Israel saith Hierome. So that here, and hence, in this life and that to come in earth and in heaven.  
Doct. The Saints shallbe sure to receive power over Nations the Doctrine is this that the Saints of God shall receive in this in God & in the life to come with God more true glory, and honour, and power, than ever any Monarch had upon the earth. I need not to prove this the very text promiseth to give power over nations. This power Christ calleth a kingdom, Luk. 12. Math. calleth it an heavenly, Mat. 21.24. Luke a blessed kingdom, Luk. 14.15. Peter an eternal kingdom, 2. Pet. 1.11. & because you shall not think it a kingdom without a Crown, C. hath promised a Crown, yea an immarcessible Crown 1. Pet. 5.4. and to the inestimable price, he hath added glory a Crown of glory, Esay. 28.5. and to this glory he hath added Righteousness, a Crown of righteousness. 2. Tim. 4.8 and to this righteousness he hath added life, a Crown of life. Revel. 2.10. Use. The use of this doctrine is to inflame the souls of the godly, and to stir them up to the seeking of this kingdom. All the world cannot afford more riches, honour, pleasure glory, power, and confluence of ioieful comfort, than this kingdom. O then strive, resist, wrestle, run the race, fight the finish the course that you may overcome.  
My most gracious sovereign let it not be offensive that I have been so bold in a time of such gracious and glorious peace to move this assembly to fight especially, seeing the Gospel, is a Gospel of peace, & we that preach that Gospel are bound to the peace by S. Paul.  
Seeing I have begun to speak, 
1. Tim. 3.3.  O let not my Lord the king be now angry, God hath chosen and appointed and anointed your Majesty, to fight his battles, he hath given you the head of Solomon, the heart of David hand of Gedeon, to make you able to overcome. He hath already given you power over nations, in the vanquishing of Heresy, Popery, Idolatry. He hath enabled your highness in this high work, to establish true religion in one kingdom, to confirm it in another, to found it in on, to find it in another, to plant it in the one, to water it in the other, and at the length to join both in on, so that male diut sum, is become bene coniunctum. O let these kingdoms never know that fallacy a bene coniunctis ad male divisa, Those that God hath joined together let no man put a sander.  
If ever the Lord verified that prophecy of Esekiell, Faciam eos ingentem unam, he hath now surely, they are one, and no more two peoples neither divided any more, so that your Majesty may say with Caesar veni vidi vici but I hope your Majesty will rather speak with (a more Christian Caesar then he was) Carolus Quintus whose words were vidi, veni, at Deus vicit, by him you live, move, breath, have being to be a King and Conqueror. For if ever God overcame for any, or ever any over came by God, your Majesty may glory in it, as much as ever any that breathed & I may say that God overcame more gloriously for you by a weak, small unimaginarie, characterical army then ever he did, by the sun against the Aramits by the fire against the Sodomites, by the stars against the Cananits, by the water against the Egyptians, or by the earth against the Murmerers, he overcame more powerfully, more miraculously for your highness in an army of letters, by a Schedule, schrole, paper gun of their own making, then ever be overcame for any since the first day of the world. As he hath overcome for your Majesty, so hath he appointed your Majesty to overcome for him, to overcome and Conquer all the monsters you find in this king doom, the Bethaven of Idolatry, the Gilgall of Heresy the houses of bribery, the Churches of Simony, the seats of injustice, and offices of oppression, the possessions of sacrilege the professions of Athessme, Matchavelisme, Anabaptisme, Barrowisme, Paganism, Papism, And this shall be the victory, whereby ye shall overcome even your faith, your Majesty is the defender of the faith, O be an overcomer in this faith, that so this land may obey you, your subjects may serve you your servants may pray for you, the whole world may honour you, the Lord may reward you. And there may never be wanting one of your royal seed to sit in holiness and happiness upon the throne of these kingdoms until Christ jesus come to judgement. Let all true Christian subjects say Amen.  
My Honourable Lords, ye oracles of our wisdom and Chariots of our Jsrael, seeing I have been bold to speak unto my Lord the King, let me find favour in your sight to show you, how you may find favour in God's sight Heaven is the haven whether ye desire to come, otherwise though now your state be honourable it will be most miserable. To heaven if ye desire to come here ye must overcome, yea you yourselves my thrice Hon: Lords must yourselves endeavour to overcome, though worthily you be employed in the greatest state of the kingdom, O forget not the state of the greatest kingdom, though ye be Domint Terrae, yet ye are but terra Demint, & though ye were the Lords of the whose world, yet the whole world cannot overcome for you. It is only your faith, this is the aim, the scope the mark, the armour, the complement, the weapon of your warfare, the victory of your combat even your faith. Not your wit, wisdom, honour, followers, not armies, not navies be able to overcome for you. Not wit, it is virtues wanton, judgements overthrow. Not wiscom it is the people's talk, the statist's opinion. Not eloquence, it is deceits councillor, hypocrisies advancer. Not honour, it is ennies object, cares subject. Not friends, they are but profits guard, affections we thercockes. Not armies, they are wraths executioners deaths pursuivants. Not navies, they are the Ocean's wrack, and the winds run aways. Not all the world and the power thereof, for the victory of that power, is but the sword's whetstone, and cruelties want. O then remember the weapons of your warfare are not carnal, but spiritual, & therefore take unto you the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to resist in the evil day, & having finished all things stand fast. Ye have lately celebrated the festivity of S. George's knights, with many laudable, honourable, and religious ceremonies. Long may ye so celebrate it to the glory of your God, joy of your King, honour of your nation, and eternal perpetuity of love among yourselves. Might I presume I could show your Honours another order of knighthood, not an new order, for I am sure it was the first that ever was in Christendom and in the scriptures heraldry you may find it emblasoned by the proper arms, robes, motto, Schutchion, that belong to this order, 
The order of S. Vincent.  it is the order of the Saint in my Text, Vincenti, the order of Saint Vincent. But it is such an order, that whosoever be knights of this order, must first be knights of the bath, they mustwash and bathe themselves as David did, and then they shall be dubbed and double knighted, and then God who is the sovereign of the order, and Christ jesus the Prince of Peace, the Precedent of the order, and the holy spirit, the Bishop of our souls, and Prelate of the order, and the Angels the guardians, and heavenly heralds of that order shall bring forth the under rob purity, the upper rob righteousness, the Helmet salvation, the sword the spirit, the Eschouchion a white cross, in a bloody field, under the Cross a Serpent latent and a Lion couchant, Death and hell, over the Cross a Crown triumphant, a laurel slorant honour and power, and the motto Vincenti dabitur. And this is the most honourable order of knighthood, he that is of this order of S. Vincent is not only a knight of the Bath, but a knight of S. Michael, for he hath overcome the devil, and a knight of Saint George, for he hath overcome the old Dragon, and a knight of the Temple, for he is the Temple of the holy Ghost, and a knight of the holy Ghost, for the holy spirit of God dwelleth in him.  
O that ye were such knights, such conquerors? I should now return again unto my Lord the King, to beseech his Majesty, to establish this order, but who am I, that should I presume so much? I fear me, I have already presumed to too much, I will go to my heaunely Lord the King, & beseech him to establish it in you all, that you may all overcome, & be all rewarded, & that what at this time ye have herd carefully, you may conceive rightly, believe faithful lie, discern fruitfully, and practise effectually, that at the length you may receive your reward in the Court of that celestial City, the gates whereof be of pearl, the streets of gold, the walls of precious stones, the Temple God, the light the lamb, the Cheer joy, the exercise singing, the Choir Angels, & the Hymn Haleluiah. Amen, Amen.  
FINIS.