A LEARNED AND GODLY SERMON, preached at Worcester, at an Assize: By THE REVEREND and learned, MILES SMITH, Doctor of Divinity. AT OXFORD, Printed by joseph Barnes, and are to be sold in Fleetstreet at the sign of the Turks head by john Barnes. 1602. TO THE RIGHT REverend father in Christ, Gervase L. Bishop of Worcester, my very good Lord, grace and peace be mult●…plied. MAny good Captains (Right Reverend and my very good Lord) think it, not their duty, to fight themselves, but only to give command to others: and Physicians without blame prescribe to others that which they apply not to themselves: but of the preacher of the word of God it is justly required, no less in life & practice, than in speech or writing, to express the soundness of doctrine, or, to speak it in Homer's words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. as by his doctrine he must preach to our cares, so by his example he must preach to our eyes: that so by both he might lay hole of our hearts, as by the light of the one he must direct us that we stray not, so by the footsteps of the other he must lead us that we stumble not, & by the harmony of both affect us that we slack not. Thus if he do, not only teaching, as Christ taught, but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. ●…. 19 living as he teacheth others to live, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven: he shall be ●…eckoned among the her●…s of the Christ●…an common wealth. By hid doctrine he shall win assent and obedience: by his example, imitation and love: and by both admiration and reverence. That the author of this learned and godly sermon is one of these, there is no need to prove: nor how his life and practice, as if it had been the other twin of the same mother, or the other hand of the same body, hath alway been answerable to the doctrine of humility, which in this sermon is handled at large, although I envy not that there are very many arguments to make this point plain: yet I could wish there were not so many by one: and that, seeing his humble and modest mind may & doth otherwise so easily appear, he would spare to show it, by his unwillingness to publish his learned labours: by which at this time others are forced to publish some part of them for him without making him acquainted therewith. As for the rest seeing it must be so, we are content 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ even until God shall put it into his mind, to stay for that for which he is in debt to us (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 1. 14. every man that hath received of God is a debtor to Christ in GOD and to the 1, Cor. 3. 22. 23. church in Christ) but for this little stream of the great river of his godly learning we hope at length we shall not only obtain pardon, for publishing it without giving him notice (for so heretofore it hath happened to many learned men, and as Possid●…s reporteth, even to Augustine in many of his works) but also deserve thanks of the whole Church of God, when the auctor by this experience in the lesser, guessing how his greater pains will be accepted, shall begin to dare to bring forth the ampler & more laborious fruits of his learned and religious study. As surely meet it is that he which is so well armed and provided should not fear to venture: and that the less the certainty and the shorter the continuance of the life of man is, the sooner the common wealth & Church should enjoy the life & virtue of him that is excellent. If we will use none but Pompey (saith Catulus in a deliberation of heaping employments upon none but Pompey) what if we lose Pompey, whom then shall we use? it is not good (said the Lacedaemonian captain that overthrew the Empire of the Athenians) that Grece should have but one ●…ie: and as the proverb tells us it is good to have more anchors than one for our ship to rest upon. For though it be good if there be any (though but one) to say with than Amazon in Virg●…l. Audeo, et Aenead●… promitto occurrere turmae, Solus: et intest as ac●…es contra obvius ●…re. yet it is better, if there be another to reply out of the same place in the Poet. Mecum partire laborem Better I mean, not only because if one die the other may succeed & fi●…sh that which he leaves vuperfect: as Homer notes it as a comfort to Protefilou●… his soldiers, after the death of their captain, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: But also that, if the one fall, the other, as it is in the 4. of Ecclesiastes might help him up: that as Euryalus. & Nisus, they might be mutual aid and comfort each to other: His amor unus era●…, par●…rque in bella ruebant: That as the two brethren in the same Poe●…, Panda●…us and B●…as so they might stand forth the one on the one side of the gate, the other on the other, jointly stopping the entrance & irruption of the common enemy. Daxtrâ et laeuâ pro turribus astent: Arma●…s ferro, et cr●…stis capi●… alta corusci. for, to say the truth neither can the quicksighted eye of the sun (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) be thoroughly circumspect in all things: nay he is not able to see round about any thing: whence it is said, Etiam capillus v●…us ●…abet umbram suam. neither was Hector's speech of Achilles' emulation or envy, rather than truth, when he told his soldiers, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He must be greater than any Achilles (for it is proper to God alone) which would be able to be alone. Even Adam in Paradise had need, and every creature hath need of a helper. I confess (the thanks be unto God) there are many helpers in our church, joining hand with him upon whom out eyes are chiefly fixed: even more than those 9 Peers, of whom, when Achilles ceased from war in his disconte, A●…ax makes boast to Hector: that without the hardy Achilles there was choice enough of one to encounter him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Yea, if our Latona had but two to maintain her quarrel ●…yet Latona's two would easily be sufficient against Niobe's never so many: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. But if the best among us continue thus diffident of their own ability (how confident of the cause soëver they be) it i●… to be feared, lest he which as yet hath, or may have many helpers, be at length either left alone, or without a fit helper. Such a one as this author (to speak without the dispr●…ise of any) sure would be. As he that is not partial even in this his godly Sermon may discern him: as he can know a I yond by his claw, and Hercules by his singer. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. as he that is not in turba may by feeling be found out by him that is blind. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. I speak even of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in this sermon appeareth: whether we consider the directnes of his method, & distinct ordering and handling of so many chief points of di●…ine meditation and singular use, or his zeal in affection, or his discreet moderation ●…n applying, or delightful copiousness in 〈◊〉. I speak the more sparingly of him because I speak as it were to his face: & because I speak to you (Right Reverend) which have known him so long▪ and ever since you knew him, have loved him so dearly. But I would his modesty would not forget herself in one thing, nor make him in judging of himself to attribute (almost against modesty) more to his own judgement, in which he is too severe to himself, then to your ●…ps. far more indifferent estimation. whose entireness of affection towards him, seeing it first arose from judgement, cannot be any better argument against the soundness of the judgement, than the sweetness of the fruit is against the soundness of the root. For why should he suffer his learned papyrs to be like the hidden riches of a covetous man, good for none until the owner's death? as if it were not with the works of learned men, that are published after the authors death, as with children which are borne after their father's death (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) or as if since falsehood now hath gotten so strong a head, the shamefast modesty of the learned were not to be content to s●…cken her bridle, and to suffer zeal to use the spur. It is not shamefastness nor her daughter silence, of which they now have need. Both of which, as they are excuses for me diocrity, so they are preiudices against excellency: as they are alway the wisdom of fools, so in such times as these are, they are the folly of the wise. Neither is it much more excusable, in such times of ne●…de, for the learned to hide themselves with Achilles, then for the unlearned to th●…st themselves forward with Thersites. As much as the one kind overshoo●…es by boldness, so much the other falls short by fearfulness, both of them are much amiss. And therefore Xenophon in his third book of Memorables, makes Socrater to ●…ke no less care to dissuade Charmides, the uncle of Plato the Philosopher, from refraining himself, then to dissuade Glauco, the brother to the same Plato, from thrusting himself forwards, to meddle in the business of the public state. The former of these was a man of very much worth, but of too little boldness: the later was a man of very much boldness, but of too little wor●…h. The fault of the later was more odious but the fault of the former was more hurtful, more reason to blame the later: but more need to blame the former. The later by to much contemning others, and magnifying himself, made himself contemptible: but the former by too much regarding others and contemning himself made himself unprofitable. The later by his boldness gained the dispraise which he might have avoided▪ but the former by his shamefastness avoided the commendation which he might have ga●…ed▪ as much as the one needed the bridle, so much the other needed the spur: the one for his own sake, that he might leave drawing on harm upon himself: the other for the common wealth's sake: that he might leave of with holding the public good. For so is every virtue and especially the godly learning of the chieffest among us: the honestum is proper, but the profit is common: it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is Thesaurus ecclesiae: I mean not for any In dulgences after they are dead, but for present use while they live. By how much the rather I hope, that every one which loves the truth (seeing himself also hath a part in every common good) will both by his grateful acceptance encourage, and by his prayer to God aid & further the reverend auctor of this godly sermon: that neither sickness, nor any other bar may hinder him from performing, for the advancing of the truth, far greater things, then as yet appear▪ for myself, as I could willingly, think of myself that I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: So I will alway pay him, & alway owe him all the duties of love▪ for which unto him ever since my childhood: and to you (right reverend) for these many years, I am very deeply engaged. Of your Lp●…. he could say, in his preface to a ●…n Gene●… most profitable work of yours▪ that he would be your remembrancer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The arguments which there he uses, with the whole comparison, in which he prefers writing before public preachig by word of mouth may be returned upon himself: with that which Pomponius in Plutarch, dehorting his son Numa from private obscurity, tells him▪ that it is God which calls him, & suffers not his gifts to sleep in him: that the meanager of public business is as it were the hand of God: that he must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, play the fugitive, or deny God such service as in off●…ng occasions and g●…uing abilities he requires: nor abandon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the field & matter of good actions▪ But my purpose is not to tell him what he should do, as indeed it beseems me not, but only to signify our desire con●●●ing w●…th your Lps. of whose desire, & 〈◊〉 desire I am not altogether ignorant: and by whose careful remembering him I hope at the length he will show himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that so we might be beholding to your Lp●…. not only for your own excellent labours; but in some sort also for his: as we are not a little to S. Hilary, and to Ctesiphon, to the one for stirring up S. Austin in the western countries, and to the other for stirring up S. Hieronym in the Eastern countries; against the spreading infection of Pelagius. this I hope hereafter to see. Mean while I have been bold to present this parcel of his learned pains to your Lordship: to whom I know it shall be right welcome, even for the authors sake, as to all that know him. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Thus commending your Lordship to the gracious goodness of the almighty, that you may long continue a principal instrument of his glory, and of the good of his church: I humbly take my leave. from Corpus Christy College in Oxford Nov. 12. 1602. Your Lordships in all love and duty most ready to be commanded ROBERT BURHIL. The chief points of matter severally & 〈◊〉 order handled and illustrated in the sermon following. 1. The words of the text▪ though spoken upon special occasion to the jews, have their use at all times, and among all nations. 2 Boasting is a very common fault. 3. The baseness of man, and liberality of God is a chief reason against all pride and boasting. 4. Pride hinders our knowledge & practice in Christian religion 5. Pride is a confluence of many sins. 6. As pride, so boasting as her daughter, is to be avoided. 7 Man's wisdom is not his own nor of himself, and therefore not to be gloried in. 8. In matters of learning it is very unperfect (God only being truly wise) and therefore also not to be boasted of. 9 In matters of state it is very uncertain. 10. Policy falsely so called, is not to be gloried in, but to be hated: as the cause of the corrupt execution of the business of the common wealth & of neutrality in religion. 11. Strength and might by making us prosumptuous oppressors use to set God against us▪ 12. Riches draw on enemies to spoil us. 13. There is no certainty in riches. 14. Riches commonly make not men better, but worse▪ 15. True joy and happiness is to know God a●…ight. A LEARNED SERMON preached at Worcester. IER●…MIAH CHAP. 9 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, neither the rich man glory in his riches. 24. But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth, and knoweth me, etc. THE Prophet ZACHARIH in his first Chap: hath thus. Your fathers. Zach. 1. 5. 6. Where are they? and do the Prophets live for ever? But did not my words, and my statutes, which I commanded by my servants the Prophets, take hold of your fathers? Meaning that they did take hold of their fathers, & would take hold of them also: except they repented. So 1. Cor. 10. the Apostle saith, 1. Cor. 10. 11 These things came to them for ensamples, but are written to admonish us, upon whom the ends of the world are come: Signifying that the judgements of God recorded in the word, and the whole word itself, was not ordained for the instruction only of them, in whose days it was written, but to be for the use of the Church in all succeeding ages. In a city of Egypt called Diospolis, in a temple Cle. Alex. ●…. 5. stromat there called Pylon, there was pictured a little boy, to signify generation, and an old man to signify corruption: also an hawk, a symbol of God (for the quickness of his sight) and a fish, a symbol of hatred (fish were an abomination to the priests of Egypt, as witnesseth lo. 2o.) & last a crocodile Herod. li. 2. to signify impudency. The whole devise being laid together importing thus much, and preaching thus much: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: that is, O ye that are young & con●…ing on, O ye that are old and going out of the world (O all together.) to you all be it known, that God doth hate impudency. This hath Clemens Alexandrinus in the 5. of his stromats. The like may be said of the present text, which I have in hand, that, albeit it be a part of a sermon, that the Prophet jeremy made unto the children of Israel a little before their captivity into Babylon (wherein he assureth them, that piety only, & no carnal sleights, or abilities, should be able to do them good in that fearful day) and so might seem to be proper to that nation, & to that occasion: yet for all that, if we will not mistake it, we are to take it for an everlasting sermon (there is mention in the Revelation of an everlasting gospel) & even Rev. 14. 6. for a general proclamation against all haughtiness & vain confidence of men, whether they be jews or Gentiles, young or old: even against all those, that do not set God before their eyes: making him their stay▪ but do boast themselves of the sharpness of their wit, or of the strength of their arm, or of the greatness of their wealth, which the Lord doth not account of. And that this general use is to be made of this parcel of Scripture▪ the holy Ghost himself, the best interpreter of his own meaning. doth plainly declare. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 31. Cor. 1. 31. & 2 Cor. 10. 17. to the which 2. Cor. 10. 17 places for brevity sake I do refer you. And here that observation of Tertullian Tertullian de spectaculis. in his book de spectaculis hath fit place: Specialiter quaedam pronuntiata generaliter sapiunt. cum Deus Israelitas admonet disciplinae, vel obiurgat, utique adomnes habet. Certain things uttered (in the scriptures) for one special purpose, or upon one specialloccasion, have yet a general drift or importment. when God admonisheth the Israelites of their duty, or findeth fault with them for neglect thereof, it concerneth all. So then as 3. ●…un. 2. the Apostle said to Timothy that he suffered trouble for the gospel sake unto ●…ōds, but the word of God was not bound: Heb. 11. And as it is said of Abel Heb. 11. That he being dead yet speaketh: so it may be said in some sort of the prophet jeremy, that though he were bound as touching bodily presence to his countrymen the jews, and though his bones are rotten long since: yet for all that his words remain lively in operation even to this day: and by the same he speaketh, and preacheth to us now here assembled. And what doth he speak unto us in the words of my text? In sum, and in gross thus much: to purge out the old leaven of arrogancy; and insolenci●…, that we may be a sweet lump of modesty and thankfulness unto the Lord. In particular these two points. First that we would wean ourselves from all carnal boasting, whether of our wit and cunning, or of our power and authority, or of our wealth and other abilities: this in the former verse. Secondly that we would entertain, & embrace a spiritual kind of rejoicing for God's great mercies, and favour toward us, & ●…amely for this, that he hath vouchsafed to reveal himself and his truth unto us: this in the later verse. Touching the former: many are deceived (beloved) concerning this matter of boasting. for neither is it proper to a few fools only, as some have imagined, (for these fools are found every where) neither is it a fault of vanity only or indiscretion, but even of iniquity, and sinfulness. If any doubt of the general spreading of the infection, & whether it be Epidemical, let him think but of two sayings: the one of Solomon, Pro●…. 20. 6. the other of Seneca. In the 20. of the S●…n ●…p 47. Proverbs Solomon saith, Many men will boast, every one of his own goodness; but who can find a faithful man? where he showeth the fault to be general, or as good as general. So Seneca epist. 47. speaketh indefinitely, Regum nobis induimus animos: every one of us heareth the mind of an Emperor: then we will not be far behind for boasting: this for sentences. As for examples: let me produce unto you but two out of hundreds, namely of Cato the elder, and of Tully. What a notable man was Cat●… the elder? He had that commendation given unto him by consent, which none in his time was thought to deserve, to be optimus orator, optimus senator, & optimus imperator (as Pliny reporteth) Plinius. to wit, a most singular orator, a most singular senator, or statesman, and a most singular general: and yet this so incomparable a man was so much given to boast himself, that his veriest friends were ashamed of him. As for Tully he was so excellently qualisied, that none but a Tully, that is, one admirably eloquent, is sufficient to speak of his worthiness. And yet this is not left unremembered by them, that were willing to conceal a small blemish in him, that his speech which flowed from him as sweet as honey, he made to taste as bitter as wormwood many times, by interlacing of his own praises. Thus as dead Eccle. 10. ●…ies corrupt the sweet ointment, as Saomon saith: & as desperate starvelings, that have nothing else to feed on, will fall to their own flesh, as Plutarch saith & Plutarch de ratione vel modo, quo quis se▪ ipsum laudet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1. ci●…a invidian. eat the brawns of their own arms: so for want of other boasters, many will fall to boast themselves, & though they offend God, and be offensive to men, yet they will do it. That such do offend God (not only are displeasing to men) may appear hereby. First for that God doth expressly forbid it, as in my text, and in divers other places of the scripture. Secondly for that he hath sharply punished this sin, not only in his enemies, as in olde-Babel, for boasting, and saying: I am, and none else, I shall be a Lady Esaie 47. for ever: & in new Babel, for her proud names of blasphemy, whereof this was one, as Hieron saith, Roma aterna, Rome Hieromim. Algosiae. quaest. 11. 2. Sam. 24. shall flourish for ever: but also in his dearest children, as in David, for numbering the people of a vain glorious mind: Esa. 37. and in Ezechias, for showing his treasures to to the ambassadors of the king of Babel, of the like bragging pride. Thirdly for that the saints of God have greatly abhorred this vice, & refrained it, as much as might be: as S. Paul to the Galath. God forbid, that I should Galat▪ 6. glory, but in the cross of our Lord jesus Christ: God for bid. And to the Corinthians. 2. Cor. 11. If I must needs glory, I will glory of mine infirmities: that is, I will be far from carnail boasting. lastly for that God hath wrought this instinct, or law of nature in the very heathen to condemn it. As namely Tully, whom I told you of even now, howsoever he fell in practice, yet when he spoke from his book, he cold say: Deform est de Offici. 1ᵒ. s●… ipso praedicare, falsa praesertim. It is an evil favoured thing to, make vaunt of ones own doings▪ specially if he lie never so little. And the Greek Orator Demosth. de co●…ona. saith: to speak of myself, (that which may sound to mine own praise) I take it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so odious nay so burdenous, & so irk some, that every necessity shall not enforce me to do it. These points might be enlarged by amplifications, and set forth with variety ●… colours, & strengthened with many reasons and proofs, you may easily gather. But as they that have a large journey to make, and but a short time allowed them, must make but short baits by the way, and cannot stand to take every acquaintance that they meet by the hand: and as they that are to paint or to print a pitched field within the compass of a sheet or two of paper, can make but few soldiers whole, or complete, but are fain to set down for the most their heads only or their helmets: So having many things to handle, & within the compass of a short hour, I must be contented to touch only the heads of the greatest part of them, and as for long discourses, I must let them alone. We have seen dear Christians by many signs and tokens that the vainglorious man is no way gracious with God: but chose very odious to him: but why he should be so odious to him, and so far out of his books, we have not seen. You shall understand therefore, that God hateth pride and all that pertaieneth to it, not of any emulation, for who can come near unto God, within any degree of comparison, that he should be afraid of him? (emulation is a kind of fear of the worth or rising of another, lest he should top us) but of pure justice, and for the due demerit of the sin. For shall the ax●…, or saw boast itself against him that useth the same? Esaie Chap. 10▪ shall the Esaie 10. pitcher exalt itself against the potter, or the thistle say I am not a thistle? Who Act. 17. made us of one blood to devil upon the face of the earth? Who took us up, when Ezech. 16. we lay polluted in our blood, even when we lay polluted in our blood, who took us up, and said unto us, live? who delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his Coloss. 1. dear son, in whom we ha●… redemption in his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins? who paid our ransom for us, when we were not worth a groat, cast his garment over us to cover us, when we lay stark naked? and which is as great a mercy or benefit, as any of the former, who passeth by our iniquities, & winketh at our faults, whereby we trespass against him daily, and hourly? I say who hath forgiven us, & given us so many things, and so many more, who but the Lord? Now this being our condition, and none other, and we being thus obnoxious to God, and defective in ourselves, is it for any of us to talk of his sufficiency, being over head and ears in debt? or to please himself in his beauty being blacker ●…ccles. 10. than a black moor? Why then art thou proud earth and ashes? why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not received 1. Cor. 4. that which thou hast? nay why dost thou not cover thy face for shame, because of the manifold pollutions wherewith thou art distained? Yet foolish man will be wise; naked man will be gay, filthy man will be pure, though man new borne is like a wild asses colt, as job job. 11. saith. Now when the Lord seeth this, namely, that for all the cost & charges that he is at upon us, yet we remain vile and beggarly, & for all our vileness and beggerlines, yet that we will not be acknown of it, but chose stout it with him, & beard him, & take upon ourselves stiff necks, & proud looks: is it any marvel, if the Lord hate pride which worketh this strangeness, and breach betwixt him, & his creatures? For but for pride which like the same albugo, or white spot in the eye, dimmeth our understanding, nay doubteth it many times (the similitude is not mine, but Gregori●… in his Pastorall●… and Greg. d●… cur. past. part●…. 1. but for self love the mother of pride, which maketh us poorblind at the least (Isidorus Pelusiota saith of the affection Isidorus Pelusiota in epist. that we bear to another that it is p●…re blind, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, how much more than is it true of self affection) we should know God, and the height of his favour, & the breadth of his love, & the worth of his pardon, & so be provoked to greater thankfulness towards him. Also we should know ourselves & the sum of our debt, and the depth of our misery, & so be stooped, & humbled, & urged to make supplication to our God. ●…o these two duties of humility, and thankfulness, the whole law & the Prophets, & Evangelistes, and Apostles, and whatsoever is written in the book of God, and whatsoever thence is to be collected may in some sort be referred: And therefore, for somuch as pride is such a special hinderance to the performance of these special duties, no marvel if the LORD have the same in special detestation. Add hereunto, that, as Tertullian calleth the commandment that God gave Adam in Paradise, matricem omnium Tertullian contra ●…udaeos. praeceptorum Dei: the very matrix, or womb of all the commandments of God, and as Theodorit calleth Moses Theodo. 2. the rape●…t. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a very ocean of all divi●…ty: & as some have called Rome epitomen universi, an epitome or abridge meant of the whole world: so it may be said of pride, that it is the sum of all naughtiness, & a very sea of it, & there is no sin almost but pride doth participate with it. It is a kind of idolatry, it maketh a man to bow to himself, & to burn incense to his own yarn, as the Prophet Habakuk speaketh. It is a Habak. 1. 1●… kind of sacrilege, it robbeth God of his honour, even of this honour of saving us Esay. 46. 9 & 26. 1●…. freely, & working all our works in us, as Esaie avoucheth. It is a kind of drunkenness, it maketh a man to err from a sound judgement, and to speak, and to do things absurdly: The proud man is Habak. ●…. ●… as he that transgresseth by wine: saith the Prophet. Fourthly it is a kind of murder, it slayeth the soul, while it maketh it to dote upon itself, even as the ape killeth her young one by clipping it to hard. Fiftly it is a very adultery, it coupleth us to another from the Lord, even to self conceit. If we say Aug. in johan. tract. 13. (saith S. Augustine) that we are any thing, & so not give the glory unto God: adulteri sumus, nos amari volumus, non spon sum, we are plain adulterers, we would have ourselves to be loved, & not the bridegroom. Sixtly a false witness, & a lying glass it is, making us believe that we are that, that we are not: fairewhen we are foul. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Love Theocrit in Bucoliast. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. (& self love much more) maketh those things, that are not fair to seem fair: it so blndeth the eye. Lastly it is most covetous, & most envious, hunting after praise, as after a pray, and not deining that others should come near them within many Leagues. Stand a part, Esa. 65. 5. come not near me, for I am holier than thou, said those proud Hypocrites in Esaie. Thus as Aristotle saith out of Aristotel. Ethi●… Theognis, that in justice all virtues are couched together (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) summarily: so it may be said of pride, that in it all vices are lapte up together as it were in a bundle. And therefore God hating every sin particularly, & by itself, and by itself, he must needs abhor pride, which is a confluence, and a collection of them al. Now as he hateth pride, which is the daughter of self love, as I told you: so he hateth all the daughters of pride, whereof boasting, & glotying seemeth to be one of the youngest & worst. Sorry crow sorry egg, said Gell. they that judged the controversy between Corax, & Tisias. Like mother, Ezech. like daughter saith Ezechiel: & so hateful mother hateful daughter may we say. When the Roman soldiers had Aurelius' victor. slain Maximinus the tyrant they made search for his son and slew him also: saying Epessimo genere ne catulum quidem Gen. ●…. relinquendum▪ of a vile litter not one whelp was to be saved alive. When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son Ham had done unto him he cursed even Hams son for Hams offence: saying, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be etc. Stasinus his verdict is remembered by Clemens Clem A●… Strom. 6 Alexandrinus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He that killeth the wicked parent, & spareth his ungracious brats is a very fool. This justice appeareth to be in God toward pride & her daughters▪ he hateth both the one, & the other: yea he hateth all them, that be in love with either. I shall not need to prove that vain glory is prides own daughter, for that were to prove a crab to come of a crab tree, or a black berry of a brier, or dross of the corruption of metal, or scum of the uncleanness of the meat. What is choler else, say they, them the froth of blood, spuma sanguinis? & so what is glorying else, but a very froth of pride? they froth out their own shame, while they boil up with their own praises: & if vaunting be in the branch, vanity is in the root, that is certain. All boasting therefore is to be avoided, and abhorred as bad, fruit of a bad tree: & if all boasting, then boasting of wisdom, or strength, or riches, as it followeth in my text. Let not the wise glory in his wisdom etc. Of boasting in general we have spoken enough already, now let us see more particularly, what be the things that he forbiddeth us to boast of▪ The prophet setteth down. 3. the first wisdom: the second strength, the third riches. Of these I am to speak in order. Quod gene ri attributum est etiam in species redundat, saith Tertullian. That which is true in the general, will be found true in the special, or particular with advantage. For as much therefore as I have proved already that boasting in general is unlawful, I shall not need to prove seriously or amply, that it is unlawful to boast of these particulars, wisdom, strength, or riches: only a slight skimming over the points may serve the turn. Of wisdom first this I have to say: that of all the gifts, wherewith the Lord doth beautify the soul of man, none seemeth to be comparable to it: sure I am none aught to be preferred before it. For it is the very stern of our vessel, the very sun of our firmament, the very eye of our head, the very heart of our body. Where wisdom sittteth at the stern there matters are ordered in a probable course to a laudable end. But where wisdom is wanting, there the sun goeth down at noon day (to use the Prophet's words) there the light, that is in us is turned into darkness, as Christ speaketh, & then how great is the darkness? So thought Lactantius. Vt sol Lact. l. 2. c. 8 oculorum, sic sapienti●… lumen est cordis humani. As the sun is the light of our eyes, so the light of our heart is wisdom: So thought the Poet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Phocylid Fields, towns, ships are all managed & governed by wisdom. Wisdom therefore is a most precious thing: that is certain: & the merchandise Pro. 3. thereof is better than silver, & the gain thereof is better than gold, as Solomon saith: but not to be boasted of for all that. And why? First because it is not our own, or of ourselves: as Cyprian saith: Cypriam. De nullo gloriandum, quia nostrum nihil est. We are to boast of nothing because nothing is our own, or of ourselves. And Augustine upon john saith: Christ said not, without me ye can do little, but with out me ye can do nothing. Where then is glorying? is it not excluded? For if it were lawful to boast of that, which is not our own, than the crow might have been justified for braving it with her borrowed or stolen feathers (furtivis coloribus) & the ass for jetting with the Lion's skin about him, & the ape for skipping up & down in his master's jacket. But now these were ridiculous in so doing, therefore we cannot reasonably boast of that which is not our own: except we will be like to these unreasonable beasts. Let this be the first reason against glorying in wisdom. The second this: Our wisdom is many ways unperfect, therefore, if we be wise, we will not brag of it. For will any brag of his lame leg, or his one cie? Indeed now I remember Agesilaus Plutarch. in Ages. et Sert. bragged of his clubfoot, & had never done bragging of it. Also Sertorius bragged of his one eye, and had never done bragging of it but by their leave I think this their bragging was but from the teeth outward, and rather to prevent, and forestall others from gibing, then of any delight they took there in themselves (bragging lightly breaketh not fourth, but some inward joy, or tickling helpeth it forward) and therefore it was like to the same Sardonius risus. And notwithstanding that exception, the proposition remaineth firm, that we boast not naturally or usually of our infirmities, or imperfections. But now our wisdom is unperfect, & very unperfect, why then should any boast of it? That it is unperfect S. Paul showeth. 1. Cor 13 We know in 1. Cor 13. part, and we prophesy in part. Again, Now we see in a glass darkly. Yea and that which an Egyptian priest said to a Graecian by the report of Plato, ye Grecians Plato in Timaeo. are always children: the same will be found true not only of the Grecians, but of the Egyptians themselves, & of the English and all; for understanding we are but children. I grant that in all ages, and in all nations some have gone away with the name of wisdom, as that Roman that was called Corculum (Nosica was so called) that Graecian that was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) Democritus Abderita was so called: that jew that was surnamed Hechachan, Aben Ezra was so surnamed: the Britain that was called the sage, Gildas was so called, Gildas sapiens, etc. Yet for all that to talk of wisdom indeed, The depth job. 28. 14. saith it is not in me, the sea also saith it is not with me, as job saith. Who ever satisfied others or himself, in delivering the cause of the overflowing of Nilus in the summer time? who ever could give any sound reason, why the loadstone should draw the iron to it as it doth, or direct or turn to the pole star so as it doth? who ever went about to give a probable reason why or how the little fish called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be able to stay or to stop, so great a vessel as it is reported to stay, and that being under sail too? And to omi●… these secrets of nature, who ever attained to that perfection in any art, but he left much for them that should come after both to invent better, and to devise a new? And as for points of divinity, (wherein I confess we have the greatest help through the benefit of the word of God, which is a light unto our Psal 119. feet, and a lantern to our steps) touching the same also it is a most certain truth, that the most acute & judicious divines have both acknowledged their ignorance (in some matters not so necessary to be understood) and deplored their oversight. What a good speech is that of Irenaeus? Some things in the Irenzus. scripture by God's providence are hard to be comprehended in this life (ut semper quidem Deus doceat, homo autem se●…per discat quae sunt à Deo) that God might have always somewhat to teach us, and that man might have to learn always those things that are of God. What a modest speech is that of Augustin? Quò Aug. contra Origenist. & Priscilian. me contemn as, quem magnum put as esse doct●…rem, etc. That thou mayest (no longer have me in admiration, but) contemn me whom thou takest to be so great a Doctor: I cannot tell what these same thrones, & dominions & principalitie●…, & powers do mean, nor wherein they differ. I will not trouble you with more quotations to this purpose. So then as Moses Exod. 39 30. caused it to be superscribed or graved upon the plate for the holy crown, Holiness to the Lord, meaning to the Lord only: and as S. Paul to Timothy asscribeth 1. Tim. 6. 1●… immortality to the Lord, to the Lord only (who only hath immortality) & as a king of this land contended, that the name of king was due only to the Canu●…us. king crucified jesus Christ: so surely the name of wisdom is due, and to be ascribe to God only, as being only wise. Why? it is so ascribed by S. Paul in express words in the forenamed epistle, unto the king immortal, invisible 1. Tim. 1. 17 unto God only wise, etc. Yea what say you if heathen men themselves, as arrogant as they were, have acknowledged no less. Laërtius writeth that certain Laertius in Thal●…c. young men of jonia standing upon the sea shore and beholding fishermen making of a draft▪ agreed with them a great for their draft, that what they should hale up to land in their net should be theirs. Now it was so by God's providence, that together with certain fish, they enclosed a certain piece of plate (which no man knew when it was sunk there) and dragged though same to land in their net. The same being claimed & seized upon by the young men, by virtue of their bargain, they cast between them how to dispose of it. But when they could not agree about the sharing of it, they sent to the Oracle for resolution from thence. They were returned answer from the Oracle to send it to the wisest. They send it therefore to Thales their cuntryman: a man of great note in those days for wisdom. But when it was brought to him, he disabled himself, and disclaimed the name of wise: and sent it to an other as being more wise than he was. The second also he would none of it, but sent it to a third, & the third to a fourth, etc. and so they posted it of from one to an other, until seven had it. The seventh & last Solon, he made no more a do but sent it to the temple at Delphi for a present to God, as acknowledging him only to be wise. A marvelous confession for heathen men to make touching the alone wisdom of God. And thus God, that ordaineth his praise out of the Psal. 8. mouths of babes and sucklings as it is in the Psalm, & made the dumb beast speaking 2. Pet 2. with man's voice to rebuke the madness of the prophet, as it is in the Apostle, made these men, which were but babes in Christ, nay even as beasts before him, being without God in this world, to set forth his honour and praise, and even to rebuke the mad arrogancy of many Christians in our days, Man's wisdom therefore touching matters of learning is unperfect, you hear by the confession of the wisest, and therefore not to be boasted of. So is it uncertain concerning matters of policy, & therefore this a third reason why it ought not to be gloried in. Prudens futuri tempo●… exitum caligino Horatius. sa nocte premit Deus, saith one. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindaius. saith an other. Thus it is, future things they are to be, they are not yet: therefore we cannot see them: they may fall out another way as well, as that way which we imagine: they be futura contingentia, therefore we may be deceived in them. The chirurgeon that dealeth with an outward wound seeth what he doth, and can tell whether he can heal it or no, and in what time: but he that is to make an incision within the Body, be it for the stone, or the like disease, he doth but grope in the dark as it were, & may as well take hoult of that which he should not, as of that, which he would. So the arti●…an, that worketh in his shop, & hath his tools about him, can promise to make up his days work to his best advantage: but the merchant venturer, that is to cut the seas, & had need of one wind to bring him out of the haven, an other to bring him about to the lands end, another peradventure to bring him to the place of traffic, where he would be, he can promise nothing neither touching his return, neither touching his making of his commodity, but as the wind, & the weather, & the men of war by the way, & as the honesty, & skill of them, whom he tradeth with, shall give him leave. Just so fareth it in these matters of prudence, and policy, they are conjectural, they are not daemon strative, therefore there is no science of them: they have need of the concurrence of many causes that are casual, of many men's minds that are mutable, therefore we cannot build upon them. Yea they are built many times upon the errors and negligence of our enemies, and they peradventure be awake as well as ourselves. Antigonus that wise Prince (he is reckoned among them, that having but one eye, were exceeding politic, and crafty) thought, & made certain account of it, to come upon his enemy Eumenes at vnawa●…es, and to take him napping, but he found ●…umenes as vigilant as himself, and so was fain to retire with a slay in his ear as wise as he came. This for matters of war So for matters of peace. Solomon the wisest of all thought that, if he might join in affinity with his neighbour princes, and take many of their daughters to be his wives and women, he should not only strengthen the kingdom in his own hand: but also establish it in his house long, and long: also he thought peradventure, that by occasion of his marriages, and affinities being great, many of the uplandish people would be trained, & won to the knowledging, and worshipping of the true God of Israel: but how was he deceived? His wives, and women turned his heart from the Lord: he could do little or no good upon them, or theirs; and as for the secret underminers of Salomon's state, & succession, where found they entertainment, but among Salomon's allies? Let 1. King. 11. me instance this point in one or two examples more. Constantine the great, that worthy christian, and great politician, thought, that, if he might build a city in the confines of Europe and Asia, that might be aemula Romae, a match to Rome, & place one of his sons there to keep his court, he should not only eternize his name, but also fortify the Empire no less than if he had invir●…ned it with a wall of brass. Also Phocas, and Pipinus thought, the one if he might dignify the Bishop of Rome with an extravagant title to be called universal bishop: the other, if he might lad the church of Rome with principalities, even with principality upon principality, they should deserve immortally well, not only of that sea, but also of the whole house of God. But the way of man is not in himself as jeremy jer. 10 23. saith: neither is it in man to foresee, what will fall out luckily, or cross. The building of new Rome was the decay of old Rome, so it proved, and the dividing of the Empire was the destruction of the Empire, & no less, as wise men know. Also the lifting up of the man of Rome, was the hoisting up of the man of sin, and the locking of him in the chair, even in the chair of pestilence. Thus there is no policy so provident, no providence so circumspect, but the same is subject to errors, and crosses: and therefore no cause why it should be trusted to: and therefore no cause why it should be glorified in. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, etc., If any wisdom might be boasted of, surely one of those kinds of wisdom that ●… erst reckoned up unto you, to wit, wisdom or skill in the arts, wisdom or knowledge in divinity, wisdom or policy touching matters of state but these, you have heard, are not to be relied upon, because they are uncertain, because they are unperfect etc. therefore much less are we to rely upon any such as is worse, or inferior to these▪ But yet the world is the world, it hath done so & doth so, yea and blesseth itself for so doing; therefore this wound had need to be searched & ransacked a little deeper. Homer I remember Home●…. crieth out against Eris or Discord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. O I would it were perished and thrown out of the company of the gods & men. So Cyprian against covetousness, o dete Cyprian. stabilis caecit as mentium▪ etc. o this same Hieronym. detestable blindness of men's minds. Hieronym against luxury, or lechery, o ignis infernalis luxuria, o Lechery a very hellish fire. Augustine against error or Augustine. mistaking, o errare, o delirare: o what a vile thing it is to be blinded with error etc. thus every one cried out against the sins wherewith their times were most pestered and po●…soned. Surely if I were appointed to touch the soar of the daughter of our people (we have many sores▪ from the crown of our head to the sole of our foot▪ we are little else but sores▪ & botches & biles) but yet if I were to touch that which doth most of all apostemate, and rankle, than I ought to cry out o policy, policy. Policy I mean falsely so called, but indeed cunning, & cudgeling. This letteth that the prince, & the ●…ealme many times cannot be so served, as they should be: nor justice administered in many places, as it ought to be▪ nor the Gospel of the son of God so propagated, as were to be wished many cold wish that in musters & presses, the likeliest men to do service, & not the weakest of friends, should be appointed: also that they were holpen to their right, that suffer wrong: also that the incorrigible were cut of by the sword of justice: also that these same deceitful workers crafty lie crept in, in pretence to advance the Romish faith, but indeed to supplant English loyalty, and faithfulness, that I sai●…e their goings out, and their come in, & their haunts were better marked: & so the danger, that is threatened by them, prevented▪ but yet, to put our hand to the work, every one to do some service in his place: as for example, constables to precept the ablest & fittest people for the wars: shirif▪ to make returns of indifferent ●…uries for the trial of rights: jurors to have God, & a good conscience before their eyes, & not to turn aside to by respects. etc. This we will not be induced to do: what letteh us? Policy▪ For we say if we shall be precise in our office this year, or in this action at this time, others will be as precise against us or ours another time, & then what shall we gain by it? & if we should not lean somewhat to such a person, & to such a cause, we should offend such a great one, & he will sit on our skirts. Thus policy overthroweth polity, that is the common weal: & thus the fear of man casteth out the fear of God, as the wise man complaineth. Another vanity, nay wickedness, I have noted under the sum, that is this: there be that have the door of faith opened to them, & have opportunity to hear words whereby they and their household might be saved: & the same also do consent in the inward man to the doctrine taught, & published by authority among us, that the same is the truth, & the contrary falsehood: & yet to give their names to the gospel sound, or to protest against popery & supper stition zealously they will not be drawn. what withholdeth them? policy, for they think continuing doubtful, nay though they should be enemies, if but secret ones, they shall lose nothing, the state holding as it doth. These be the times of mercy (though certain ungrateful men cry out against them as though they were bloody, for no other cause, but for that they are restrained from shedding innocent blood, as they were wont in the days of their tyranny) & if there should be a change, then their very doubfulnes & staggering would be remembered, & they advanced thereby. Thus as Demades said Plutarch. to his countrymen of Athens, when they paused to decree divine honours to king Demetrius, Take heed my master's least while you be so scrupulous for heaven, & heavenly matters, you lose the earth in the mean time, etc. So some seem to make no reckoning at all of their heavenly inheritance, so that they may uphold or better their state on earth. Call you this wisdom, policy, providence or the like? Then Achitophel was a wise man to prefer the expectance of honour at the traitor Absalon's hands, before the present enjoying of favour from king David, his anointed sovereign. Then Esau was politic Heb. 11. to esteem more of a mess of pottage, then of the blessing, which afterward he could not recover, though he sought it with tears. Yea briefly then that Emperor was provident (were it Nero, or whosoever else) that fished for menise & gudgeons with nets of silk & hooks of gold. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord what is the shadow to the body, the body to the soul, jerem. 23. frailty to eternity? What shall it advantage Matth. 19 a man to win▪ etc. or can any man save his soul that hath God his enemy? or can any man have God to be his friend, that doth stout with him? Be not deceived: as God is called Amen or true, in the revelation, & calleth himself truth in Revel. 3. the 14 of john: so he loveth truth, & sincerity in the inward parts Ps. 51. & with Psal. 51. out truth he loveth nothing that he jacob. 1. doth love A doubling man, or a man with a double heart (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) saith S. Iams is unstable in all his ways, & can such a one look for any thing at God's hands? Let them look to it whosoever among us play fast & loose, & blow hot and cold with the Lord, making bridges in the air, as the comical Poet saith, & making jer. 17. 5. flesh their arm, but in their heart depar●… from the Lord, which the Prophet doth so much cry out against. Surely such wisdom is not from above, but is earthly sensual, and devilish. And as jacob. 3. truly, as the reproach delivered by the Esai. ●…4. 20. Prophet Esay 44. in respect of their corrupt judgement is verified in them: He feedeth of ashes: a seduced heart hath deceived him, that he cannot deliver his soul? & say, may not I err? so the judgement denounced by the same prophet in an other place in respect of their worldly policy shall take hoult of them. Behold saith he you all kindle a fire, and Esa. 50. 11. are all compassed about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, & in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shallye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow. As if he said, your turning of devises, shall it not be as the potter's clay? shall it not break, & crumble between your fingers? Take counsel as long as you will, it shall not stand, make a decree, it shall Evil courses will not prosper. ●…om Odies. not prosper saith the Lord almighty. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the heathen man. He that soweth the wind shall reap the whirl wind▪ let him be sure of it. And let so much be spoken against glorying in wisdom, either rightly so called, or falsely so termed. Let us consider now of the second thing that we are forbidden to boast of, to wit strength. Nor the strong man in his strength. There have been many strong men C●…l. Rodig. l. ●… cap. 57 in all ages: strong of arm, as that Polydamas, that caught a wild bull by one of his hinder legs, & held him by force of his arm for all that the bull could do: and that Pulio (mentioned by Dio) that Dio in Augusto. threw a stone at a town wall, beseidged by Germanicus, with such might, that the batlement which he hit, and he which was on it came tumbling down, which made them▪ that held the town through wonderment at his strength to yield it up. Strong of hand, as that Treble. ●… Pollio. Marius (one of the 30. tyrants) that would turn a side a wain with one of his singers: and that Polonian of late in the days of Stephan Buther, that would knap an horseshee a sunder, were it never so hard between his hands. Strong of arm and head & body, and heart & all, as that Aristomenes mentioned by Pliny, who slew 300. Lacedæmonians Pliny. in fight in one day: and that Aurelian then or shortly after Emperor: Vopiscus of whom they made that song: mill mill mill vivat: qui mill mill occidit. Let him live thousands (of years or months) who stewae thousands of enemies. These were famous men in their generations, for strength & no doubt they were mervailously admired at by them, that lived in their times: Yet for all that neither wereothers to have gloried in them, nor they in themselves. Not others to glory in them: because Paul saith Let 1. Cor. 3. no man rejoice or glory in men (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) And again Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. 1 Cor. 10. Not themselves to glory in themselves, because strength is not to be compared to wisdom, & therefore wisdom being debarred from boasting (as you heard already) strength ought much more. That strength cometh short of wisdom Solomon showeth both by plain words and by an example. By plain Eccles. 9 14. 16. words as when he saith Eccles. 9 16. Then said I, better is wisdom than strength. By an example: as in the same chapter, ver. 14. A little city, and few men in it, and a great king came against it, and compassed it about, and builded forts against it. And there was found therein a poor & wise man, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Thus Solomon. Nature also hath taught as much, both in plain words: and by examples. In plain words, as Musaeus: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Mus●…. Wisdom or sleight is always better than strength. By an example as Sertorius for example. He caused a couple of horses to be brought before him, the one fat and fleshy, the other a lean carrion jade: also a couple of soldiers the one strong, & lusty the other a silly sickly fellow: to the lean horse he put the strong man, & he going roughly to work, and thinking to do the deed with dead strength, haled, and pulled, and tired himself, and was a laughing stock to the beholders: but the weak fellow using some cunning, for all his weakness did the feat, & went his way with the applause. Wisdom therefore is better than strength: and therefore this is one strong reason why strength should not be boasted of since wisdom is denied. another reason may be this: strength or force, be it equal to the strength of a Lion or Elephant, yet it is but the strength of flesh, never the less: and all flesh is frail, and subject to foil. When one cannot overcome, many may. Whom sword cannot pierce, shot will: whom shot doth not hit, sickness may arrest, time surely, and death widow be sure to make an end of. Now should a man be proud of grass, of vapour, of smoke, of a shadow, of a tale that is told, etc. whereto the whole life of man, and his glory, and consequently his strength & vigour, are compared? An horse is but a race, they say, and so the strongest man upon earth is but the push of a pike, or the clap of a pistol. Were not Abimelech and Pyrrhus, two judg. 9 most valiant princes, either of them killed by the hand of a woman? was not Totilas that noble conqueror, that had vanquished Rome, which had vanquished the whole world, was not he I say overcome, and slain by Narses an eununch, a semivir? what should I stand any longer upon this? God hath 1▪ Cor▪ 1. choose, as the foolish things of the world to confounded the wise, so the weak things of the world many times to confound the strong. And this may be a third rea son against glorying in strength, because God himself doth many times set himself against the mighty. Xenophon saw so much & faith thus. Xenoph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 6. God as it would seem taketh a pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That is, to exalt the base, and to pull down the mighty. And why so? Truly not of envy to their greatness (as it is written of Tiberius or Caligula) that he caused a goodly tall man called Colossus for his stature, & strength, of mere envy to fight, after he had done his law, till he was tired, & slain: And as it is likewise recorded of Soliman in our father's memory, that having a great German brought prisoner to him, of very envy to the Germane nation, he caused his dwarf a very Pygmy to take this Germane in hand (being a giant to look to) & to hack him & hew him being bound to his hand, & to have many courses at him (as if a child were set to thwite a tree a sunder) & at length with much a do to get him down, & so to potch him in & kill him. Oh no, God is of no such Esaie. nature: as he saith himself in Esay Anger is not in me. So it may be said most truly of him, envy is not in him. No he envieth no good quality in man, which is his own gift, neither hateth he any that he hath made, & redeemed: but loveth all, & would have us to love one another. Nether are the great, & mighty ones confounded, & brought down by reason of their folly, or for want of judgement, whereby they give advantage oftentimes to their enemies: albeit I am not Synesius epist 103. ignorant, that Synesius, that ancient, and learned Bishop saith, that strength and prudence seldom while concur: but he understandeth, I think, enormous strength in an huge vast body: otherwise his speech is not justifiable. for many strong have been exceeding crafty with all, as Aristor●…nes of old, of whom I spoke erewhile, & George Castriot of late (in comparison) of whom it is written, that they had the strength of a Lion, and wiliness of a fox. But here is the quarrel, and this maketh God an enemy very oft to the strong & mighty, because by their strength & power they think to bear out, & maintain whatsoever bad person, & whatsoever bad cause: and to break down, and to crush, and tread under foot the most righteous of the land, that stand in their way. This doth nettle God, & provoke him to displeasure. Id in summa fortuna Tacit. l. 15. aequius, quod validius. Let me have might, & I have right enough. Sua retinere privatae domus (saith Tiridates in the same place of Tacitus) de alienis certare regialaus. You would have me be contented with mine own: why? it is for base spirited men, for peasants, for boors, to seek but their own, gentlemen and mighty men they will law, and fight for that which is an other man's. juven. sa●…▪ 6 O de men's, it a servus homoest? saith one in ●…uvenal. You would have me use my servant well: ah fool, is my man a man? is my tenant my neighbour? is my neigh bor my brother? Doth Naboth refuse to 1. Kings. sell his vineyard to Achab, to king Achab? I will help thee to it for nothing, saith jezabel. Doth the senate deny my Master the consulship? Hic ensis dabit. This sword shall help him to it said Caesar's soldier. These be the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He●…iod. (as the Poet calleth them) which will have the law in their own hands: They lean upon their swords, & their right hand must right them, whether it be Ovid. 5. 〈◊〉. right, or no. Nec leges metuunt, sed cedit vi●…ibus aquum. Maestaque victrici iu●…a su●… ense jacent. Thus they covet fields, and take them by violence, and houses & take them away, so they oppress a man▪ & his house, even man, and his heritage Mich 2. And thus as the wild ass is the Lions pray in the wilderness Sirach. 13. & as Basil saith upon Hexaemeron ●…asil. Hom. 7 in Hexaem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: most fishes do eat one another, and the lesser is the food of the greater. So it is too true, that in too many places the weaker, & the simpler sort of men are a pray unto the great & mighty ones, & these eat up God's people, as a man would eat bread, as it is in the Psalm. But what saith Basil Psalm 14. in the same place? Take heed saith he thou oppressor, thou cruel hearted man, lest the same end betid thee, that doth befall those great devouring fishes: namely to be caught thyself by the hook, or in the net. Indeed as for the comfort of the needy, & the deep sighing of the Psalm. 12. poor: the ●…ord saith that he will up himself & set at liberty him, whom the wicked hath snared: So for the confusion of the unmerciful cormorant, he threateneth thus by job: He hath devoured substance, job. 20. 5. & he shall vomit it: for God shall draw it out of his belly. And by the Prophet Esay. Wo unto thee that spoilest, & wast not spoiled, etc. When thou ceasest Esay 33. to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled. There is no prince that can be saved by the multitude of an host, neither any mighty man delivered by much strength. Be you never so strong o ye mighty, yet he that dwelleth in the heavens is stronger than you, be you never so well lined or backed, or guarded, yet he, that sitteth between the Cherubin is better appointed. Therefore trust not in your own strength, much less in wrong, & robbery, make not yourselves horns by your own power. There is no power, no force, no puissance that can deliver from wrath in the day of wrath, the children of wrath, that is to say them, that hale down God's vengeance upon them by their unmercifulness. This might be easily vouched by sundry examples, but that the time being so far spent, it is time to come to the third special thing, that we are forbidden, to glory in, to wit riches. Nor the rich man glory in his riches. As I gave this for one reason, why strength should not be gloried in, because it is not to be compared to wisdom, which I had proved before might not be allowed to boast: so I may assign this for one cause why riches should not be boasted of, because they are not comparable to strength, which even now I excluded from glorying. For if the more excellent cannot be allowed his liberty, the inferior cannot require it by any reason: & the prophet seemeth to use the method of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & to exclude the better at the first, that that which is worse, might with less a do be removed, or rather with none at all. If you doubt whether riches be worse, or less to be esteemed then strength, you may be persuaded hereby, for that riches do toll-in enemies: but strength doth repel them from entering, and also expel them, if happily they be entered: also riches make the thief more ven●…nrous, but very seldom do they make the true man more hardy. That riches do tol, & draw in enemies, it is evident by all stories. For what brought the first conqueror into this Hand of Britain, but the pearls Suetonive. of Britain as Suetonius reporteth? what brought the Galls into Italy at the first, but the wines of Italy, as Plutarch Plutarch in Camill. witnesseth? So what brought the Carthaginians into Spain, the Grecians & Romans, one after another into Asia the lesser, but the riches of Asia, the gold and silver of Spain? So what brought the Turks over into Thracia, and after into Hungary, but the fertility of Thracia, the golden, and silver mines of Hungary? On the contrary side what maketh the Tartars ever to invade, & never to be invaded, but because they have no wealth, that others should cover after, & their neighbours have wealth, which their teeth do 〈◊〉 watering for. This for public invasions, and robberies, as for private spoilinges, and pillage the learned know what Q. ●…urelius got in the days of Syllae by his grange, that lay commodious to some great one, for love of the same he was attainted▪ and billed among them, that were to be put to death, whereupon he cried out when he saw his name in the paper, Fundus Albanus me perdidit: out alas it is my land that I have at Alba, & not any offence; that I have done, that is the cause of my death. So Pliny writeth of one N●…nius Plin. l. 37. cap. 6. a senator, that he was likewise proscribed, and condemned to die by Antony the Triumuir, for no other crime, but because he had a precious stone of a very great value, which Antony, or some of his followers had a great mind to. So Isocrates speaking of the times, when the Athenians were oppressed by tyrants (the officers that the Lacedæmonians had set over them) as I remember in his oration against Euthunus saith, that in those days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: It was more dangerous to have any wealth, than to commit any offence. I have told you already what Naboth got by his vineyard, and could tell you what one Taurus mentioned by Tacitus got by his garden, even Tacit. l. 12. an untimely & a bloody death. Pernicious therefore you see riches are many times to the owners, & therefore small cause why they should be boasted of: let this be one reason. Another this: they be not lasting nor permanent, but soon fleet away, & are gone. They may be campared to Maieflowers, which yield a pleasant savour for a few weeks, & then before we are jonah. 4. aware their beauty is gone. Nay like to Io nah his gourd, which yielded him content, & delight as it were this morning, & by the next day it was worme-bitt●… and withered. Nay like the same small creatures called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which in one and the same day are engendered, grow operfection, decay and die. Indeed Furipides saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Riches be not lasting, but epheme●…all, they last but for a day. And Solomon before him, Riches take themselves to their Prov. 23. wings as an ●…gle, and ●…lie into the air. Who ever could have thought that job from such wealth could have fallen upon the sudden into such misery? who ever would have thought that the king Dionysius must be fain to play the schoolmaster, & to teach petties before he die, to get his living? Who ever would have thought that king Perses son, and heir must be glad to learn an occupation, and to play the black smith to relieve his necessity? Who ever would have thought that the Emperor Charles the gross could want necessaries before he died? That the Emperor Henry the fourth (that victorious Emperor, that had fought 52. pitched ●…tailes) could fall into that extremity as to be a petitioner for a 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 in the church of Spira to maintain him in his old age? Briefly that king Geliner (before him) that potent king of the Vandals could be so low brought, as to be forced to entreat his friend to send him an harp, a sponge, and a loaf of bread (as Procopius writeth) Procopius. an harp to solace himself somewhat in his misery, a sponge to help to dry up his tears, and a loaf of bread to satisfy his hungry soul? What certainty then is there in worldly wealth, when kings, and potentates be so easily stripped of it, and left as naked as my nail? Yet for all that earthly minded men, as we are, we will still be miring of ourselves in the muck & pelf of this world, though we be no better than battles in so doing, as Basil saith: & we will trust in uncertain riches, & not in the living God, though S. Paul chargeth 1. Tim. 6. us not to do so: and if riches increase, we will set our hearts upon them though the Psalmist forbiddeth us to do so: and Psal. 62. 11. lastly we will be brag of that which we have and make our boast thereof, though the Prophet in my text doth expressly disallow it, and though myself have proved, that we have no more hold of our wealth, then if we had an eel by the tail. Well, as these be strong reasons why the rich should not glory in his riches, because they tempt thiefs, and enemies: and because they are of no certainty: so there is a third reason, as weighty as any of those, and that is, because they do not make us any whit the better. For can any man boast with any probability of that, which he cannot sa●…e, that he is the better for? Now thus it is, Talibus bonis non siunt homines boni, sed a liunde boni facti benè utendo saciunt, ut ist a sint bona, as Augustine saith. You call them goods, Augustin. ad prob●…m. but I tell you saith he by such goods men be not made good, but being made good otherwise, by using them well they usake them to be good, so Augustine. And as for bettering of men, it is too true, Livius that Asdrubal Haedus saith in Livy: R●…rò simul hominibus bona fortuna, bonaque mens datur: Goods and goodness do seldom times meet together. For who is there, except it be one among a thousand cui praesens faelicitas siarrisit non irrisit, (as Bernard speaketh) but if Bernard 2. de considerate. the world come upon him, he will be besotted by the world. Therefore Thucydides recordeth as a strange thing in the men of Chius, that they were Thucyd. l. ●… sober for all their prosperity: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And Evagrius ascribeth this as an especial praise to Mauritius the Emperor, that in his Evagrius. prosperity he retained his ancient piety. In our natural bodies it is thus: the more fat the lesser blood in the veins, and consequently the fewer spirits: and so in our fields abundance of wet breedeth abundance of tars, and consequently great scarcity of corn. And is it not so with our souls? The more of GOD'S blessing, and wealth, the more weeds of vanity, and carnality: and the more rich to the wo●…lde the less righteous to GOD commonly. What meant Apuleius to say that ubi Apuleius. uber, i●…i tuber? but to signify that pride & arrogancy are companions to plenty. And what made Solomon to pray against Pro. 30. fullness? but to show, that as they must have good brains, that will carry much drink, so they must have extraordinary souls, that will not be overcome of the world. Did not David in his prosperity Psal. 30. say that he should never be removed? did he not say or speak unadvisedly? nay did he not do lewdly and wickedly, defiling himself with his neighbour's wife: and embrewing his hands in his servitors blood, thus adding mur there to adultery? Did he attempt any such thing in the days of want, & adversity? No no, in his necessity he sought the Lord, & got himself unto his God right early: & offered to him the sacrifice of righteousness. And yet we grudge and repine, when we do not swim in wealth, when wealth through the corruption of our nature doth dull us, and taint us, and make us unapt to every good work. Again we shun poverty, as we would do a serpent, nay as the gates of hell, when yet poverty through the blessing of God doth kindle devotion, and kill sin in us, even as wormwood, or the like bitter things kill moths, or worms. This the time will not permit me to stand any longer upon: & therefore I come at once to the second verse, and will end the same in a word or two. Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth, & knoweth me. Man's wisdom, strength, & riches are vain, and not to be boasted of, thus much jeremy hath told us already, and I have proved to you by many reasons: but now if you would know; what is the thing, wherein we may take true comfort, & whereof we may safely glory, the same is no other thing but piety, and godliness, the true knowledge of God, 1. Tim. 4. the true service of God: this hath the promise of this life & of the life to come. this we ought to labour for, day, & night that we may attain it, and having attained it, we may rejoice with joy unspeakable, & glorious. This our Saviour Christ doth warrant us to do by his own Luk. 10. 21. example, Luk. 10. Who there is said to have rejoiced in the spirit on our behalf, because we had our minds illuminate to understand those things, that belong to the kingdom of God, & our salvation. Even as elsewhere he defineth the happiness of man to consist herein, namely to know God the only true God, joh. 17. and whom he hath sent jesus Christ. Agreeable Aug. ●…. confess cap. 3. whereunto Augustine saith. In foelix homo, qui scit illa omnia, te autem nescit: beat us auten quite scit, etiansi illa nesciat, etc. Unhappy is the man, that knoweth all those things (all secular learning) if he know not thee, but happy is he that knoweth thee, although he be ignorant of the rest. But he that knoweth thee, and the rest to, is never a whit the more blessed for the other things sake, but for thee only, if knowing thee he glorify thee as God: so Augustine. The knowledge of God therefore, that is the one thing, that is necessary, that maketh a man a Christian, that lifteth us up unto God, that coupleth us unto him, that justifieth, that saveth, that worketh all in all. Now by knowledge I understand, & the prophet in my text understandeth, not a bare apprehension or sense of the mind, that there is a divine power greater, and mightier than all, for so much the most barbarous heathen were not with out. they could say Deus videt omnia. Deo commendo, Tertull de test▪ animae▪ jacob. 2. etc. as Tertullian showeth, yea as Saint james saith the very devils beleene, & tremble (they have a kind of belief, therefore they have knowledge:) but also a consent (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Clemens 5. 〈◊〉. Alexandrinus calleth it) and persuasion of the heart touching both the providence of God, that he worketh all in all, and all for the best to them, that love him: also and especially touching his mercy, that he will grant pardon to the penitent, even to them, that crave it for his Son's sake, & lastly touching his bounty, that he will everlastingly reward as many, as are his, even as many, as believe in his name. This is that saving knowledge, which the world knoweth not, neither is it revealed by flesh, and blood, but by the spirit of the father, which is in heaven. This is that knowledge whereof the Prophet Esaie speaketh: By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify Esay 53. many, for he shall bear their iniquities. This is that knowledge, that precious Mat. 13. treasure which so soon as a wise man findeth, for joy thereof he departeth, & selleth all, that he hath, and buyeth the field. Briefly this is that knowledge, in Phil. 3. comparison whereof S. Paul counted all things lost, even dung, that he might know Christ, and the virtue of his resurrection, and the virtue of his afflictions, and be made conformable to his death. To conclude this is that knowledge, which whosoever seeketh is wise, whosoever getteth is rich, whosoever keepeth is strong, nay virtuous, nay happy, nay twice happy: happy he is in this world by faith, and happy in the world to come he shallbe by fruition. This knowledge the Lord vouchsafe to engraft in them, that want it, & increase it in them, that have it, & make it fruitful in all: to the purging of our con sciences in this life, & the saving of our souls in the day of our Lord jesus: to whom with the Father, and the blessed Spirit be all honour, and glory. Amen. FINIS.