Clavis mystica a key opening divers difficult and mysterious texts of Holy Scripture; handled in seventy sermons, preached at solemn and most celebrious assemblies, upon speciall occasions, in England and France. By Daniel Featley, D.D.

THE CHARACTERS OF HEAVENLY WISEDOME. A Sermon preached before his Grace, and di∣vers other Lords and Judges spirituall and temporall, in Lambeth. THE EIGHTH SERMON.

PSAL. 2.10.

Be wise now therefore, O yee Kings: be instructed yee Judges of the earth.

Most Reverend, Right Honourable, Right Worshipfull, &c.

THe mirrour of humane eloquence apologizing for his undertaking the defence of Murena against Cato the el∣der pertinently demandetha 1.1 who so fit a patron of a Con∣sull as a consull himselfe? The like may be said in the ju∣stification of King Davids lesson read in my text to Princes and Judges; a quo tandem aequius est doceri Reges quam a Rege? erudiri Judices quam a Judice? Who so proper to tutour Kings as a King? who might better give Judges their charge than the chiefe Judge and Soveraigne Justice in his Kingdome? Not onely nature and bloud, but arts also and professions make a kinde of brotherhood: and an admonition that commeth from a man in place to an∣other in like place and office, (that is, spoken by authority to authority) carrieth a double authority, and cannot but be entertained with due respect and carefull regard. Therefore God in his wisedome instructed the Pro∣phet David byb 1.2 Nathan a Prophet, reproved the Apostle Saintc 1.3 Peter by Paul an Apostle, informed John thed 1.4 Elder by an Elder, and here adviseth

Kings by a King. Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings: be learned yee Judges of the earth.

In this verse we have

• 1. A lesson applied,
  • Of wisedome to Kings.
  • Of instruction to Judges.
• 2. A reason implied in the words of the earth; that is,
  • Either Kings and Judges made of earth,
  • Or made Kings and Judges of earth.

Kings and Judges are but men of earth, earthly and therefore in subje∣ction to the God of heaven: and they are made Kings and Judges onely of the earth, that is, earthly and humane affaires, and therefore in subordina∣tion to divine and heavenly Lawes. For the order, first King David com∣mendeth wisedome to Kings, and then instruction or learning, viz. in the Lawes, to Judges. Kings are above Judges, and wisedome, the glorie of a Prince, above learning, the honour of a Judge. Kings make Judges, and wisdome makes learned: as the power of Kings is the source of the autho∣ritie of Judges, so wisedome is the fountaine of all lawes, and consequently of all instruction and learning in them. First therefore be wise O ye Kings to make good Lawes, and then be learned O ye Judges in these Lawes, and found

• Yee your wisedome,
• Yee your learning in humility:

for it is earth not onely upon which your consistory stands, but also of which you your selves consist. As the tongue is moved partly by a muscle in it selfe, partly by an artery from the heart: so besides the motive to these vertues in this verse it selfe, there is a reason drawne by the spirit to enforce these duties from the heart of this Psalme, ver. 6. which is like an artery con∣veying spirit and life to this admonition here: Yet have I set my King, &c. as if the Prophet had said, Behold, O Kings, a throne above yours set in the starres: behold, O Judges of the earth, a tribunall or judgement seat above yours established in the clouds. There is a King of heaven by whom all earthly Kings reigne, and a Judge of quicke and dead to whom all Judges of the earth are accountable.

e 1.5Regum timendorum in proprios greges, Reges in ipsos imperium est Jovis.

Kings are dreadfull to their subjects, God to Kings: Judges call other men to the barre, but Christ Jesus shall summon all Judges one day to his tribu∣nall,f 1.6 justissimè judicaturus a quibus est injustissimè judicatus, most justly to judge Judges by whom both in himselfe and in his members he hath beene most unjustly judged.

O Kings. The more excellent the office the more eminent the qualitie ought to be: no vertue so befits a Prince as religious wisedome, the Queen of all vertues: be wise therefore O yee Kings, excell in the grace which

excelleth all others: crowne your royall dignitie with all Princely ver∣tues, and chaine them all together in prudence with the linkes follow∣ing. Serve the Lord with feare, feare him with joy, rejoyce in him with love, and love him with confidence. First, serve him not carelesly, but sollici∣tously, fearing to displease him. Secondly, feare him, not servilely, but fi∣lially, with joy. Thirdly, rejoyce in him, not presumptuously, but awful∣ly, with trembling. Fourthly, Tremble before him, not desperately, but hopefully; so feare him in his judgements, that ye embrace him in his mercies, and kisse him in the face of Jesus Christ. Though he frowne on you in his anger, yet still seeke to please him: yea, though he smite you in his wrath, and kill you all the day long, yet put your trust in him and you shall be happie.

Be wise. Wisedome is the mindesg 1.7 eye, by which she pryeth into all the secrets of nature, and mysteries of State, and discerneth betweene good and evill, and prudently guideth all the affaires of life, as the helme doth a ship. No good can be done without her direction, nor evill bee avoyded but by her forecast. She is the chiefe of the foure cardinall vertues, and may rightly be stiled Cardinalium cardo, the hinge that turnes them all a∣bout. They advance not till she strikes an alarum, nor retire till she sound a retreat. What the Apostle speakes of the three heavenly graces, now thereh 1.8 remaine these three, faith, hope, and charity, but the greatest of these is charitie; may be in like manner affirmed concerning the preheminence of wisedome in respect of the other cardinall vertues, now there remaine these foure:

• 1. Wisedome to direct,
• 2. Justice to correct,
• 3. Temperance to abstaine,
• 4. Fortitude to sustaine;

but the greatest of these is wisedome. For wisedome informeth justice, moderateth temperance, and leadeth fortitude. Wisedome giveth rules to justice, setteth bounds to temperance, putteth reines on fortitude. With∣out wisedome justice hurteth others, temperance our selves,i 1.9 fortitude both our selves and others.

k 1.10Vis consili expers mole ruit sua.

Saintl 1.11 Bernard deriveth sapientia a sapore, sapience from sapour, because wisedome giveth a good rellish to vertue. Discretion is the salt of all our actions, without which nothing that is done or spoken is savourie. What doth pregnancie of wit, or maturitie of judgement, or felicitie of memorie, or varietie of reading, or multiplicitie of observation, or gracefulnesse of deliverie steed a man that wanteth wisedome and discretion to use them? In these respects and many more Solomon the wisest King that ever wore corruptible Crowne, in his prayer to God preferreth wisedome to all o∣ther gifts whatsoever. And indeed so admirable a vertue, so rare a perfe∣ction, so inestimable a treasure it is, that the heathen who had but a glimpse of it, discover it to be a beame of that light which no man can approach unto,

m 1.12haec est una hominis sapientia, non arbitrarite scire quod nescias: this is the chiefest point of mans wisedome, saith Tully out of Socrates his mouth, to have no opinion of his wisedome, but to know that undoubtedly he knoweth nothing, at least as he ought to know. Justinian, though a great Emperour, could not avoid the censure of folly for calling his wife by the name of Sapientia; because, saith Saint Austin, nomen illud augu∣stius est quam ut homini conveniat: because the name of wise, and much more of wisedome in the abstract, is too high a title for any on earth to beare. What greater folly then can be imagined in any man or woman to assume wisedome to themselves, whose greatest wisedome consisteth in the humble acknowledgement of their follies and manifold oversights? Therefore Lactantius wittily comes over the seven wise masters, as they are called, whom antiquity no lesse observed than Sea-men doe the se∣ven Starres about the North Pole. When, saith he,n 1.13 there were but se∣ven wise men in all the world, I would faine know in whose judgement they were held so, in their owne or the judgement of others; if in the judgement of others, then of fooles, by their owne supposition em∣paling all wisedome within the breasts of those seven: if in their owne judgement they were esteemed the onely wise of that age, then must they needs be fooles; for no such foole as he who is wise in his owne conceit. This consideration induced Socrates to pull downe his crest, and re∣nounce the name of a wise man, and exchange Sophon into Philosophon, the name of Sophister into Philosopher, of wise into a lover of wise∣dome, with which title all that succeeded him in his Schoole of wise∣dome contented themselves. When theo 1.14 Milesian Fishermen drew up in their net a massie piece of gold in the forme of a Table or planke, there grew a great strife and contention in Law whose that draught should be, whether the Fishermens who rented the fishing in that river, or the Lords of the soyle and water. In the end, fearing on all hands lest this Altar of gold should melt away in law charges, they deferre the judge∣ment of this controversie to Apollo, who by his Oracle answered, that it neither appertained to the Fishermen, nor to the Lord of the Mannor, but ought to bee delivered as a present to the wisest man then living. Whereupon this golden Table was first tendered to Thales the Milesian, who sendeth it to Bias, Bias to Solon, Solon in the end to Apollo, whom the heathen adored as the God of wisdome. By this shoving of the Ta∣ble from wise man to wise man, and in the end fixing it in the Temple of Apollo, they all in effect subscribed to the judgement of him who thus concludes his Epistle, Top 1.15 God onely wise bee glory for ever. And questionlesse, if wee speake of perfect and absolute wisedome, it must bee adored in heaven, not sought for on the earth. Hee alone knoweth all things, who made all things: hee comprehendeth them in his science, who containeth them in his essence. Yet ought we to seeke for the wise∣dome here meant as for treasure: and although wee may not hope in this life to be wise unto perfection, yet may we and ought we to know the ho∣ly Scriptures which are able to make usq 1.16 wise unto salvation. In these we find a fourefold wisedome mentioned:

1. Godly,	1. Godly wisedome is piety:
2. Worldly,	2. Worldly wisedome is policy:
3. Fleshly,	3. Fleshly wisedome is sensuality:
4. Divelish.	4. Divelish wisedome is mischievous subtlety.

1. Godly wisedome is here meant, as the words following make it evi∣dent, Serve the Lord with feare; and reason makes it yet more evident. For the Prophet needed not to exhort Princes to worldly wisdome, the point of Policie is too well studied by them: nor to fleshly wisdome, for they most∣ly take but too much care to fulfill their lusts, and maintain their Port, and provide for their temporall peace and safetie. As for divellish wisedome, which makes men wise to doer 1.17 evill, so holy a Prophet as David was would not so much as have taken it in his lips, unlesse peradventure to brand it with the note of perpetuall infamie. The wisedome therefore which he here commendeth to Kings is a godly, a holy, and a heavenly wisedome. A wisedome which beginneth in the feare of God, and endeth in the salva∣tion of man. A wisedome that rebuketh the wisedome of the flesh, and de∣spiseth the wisedome of the world, and confoundeth the wisedome of the Divell. A wisedome that advertiseth us of a life after this life, and a death after this death, and sheweth us the meanes to attaine the one, and avoid the other. Morall or civill wisedome is as the eye of the soule, but this wise∣dome the Spirit here preferreth to Kings, is the eye of the spirit. Ubi desi∣nit Philosophus ibi incipit Medicus, where the Philosopher ends there the spi∣rituall Physician begins. The highest step of humane wisedome is but the lowest and first of divine. As Moses his face shined after he communed with God, so all morall and intellectuall vertues, after we have communi∣on with Christ, and he commeth neere to us by his spirit, receive a new lustre from supernaturall grace. Prudence or civill wisedome is in the soule as a precious diamond in a ring; but spirituall wisedome is like Solis jubar, the Sunnes rayes falling upon this Diamond, wonderfully beautifying and illustrating it. Of this heavenly light, at this time by the eye-salve of the Spirit cleering our sight, wee will display five beames.

1. The first, to beginne with our end, and to provide for our eternall estate after this life in the first place. For here we stay but a while, and be our condition what it will be, it may be altered: there wee must a∣bide by it, without any hope of change. Here wee slide over the Sea of glasse mentioned in thes 1.18 Apocalyps, but there we stand immoveable in our stations: here we are like wandring starres erraticke in our motions, there we are fixed for ever, either as starres in heaven to shine in glorie, or as brandirons in hell to glowe in flames. Therefore undoubtedly the unum necessarium, the one thing above all things to be thought upon is, what shall become of us after we goe hence, and be no more seene. The heathen saw the light of this truth at a chincke as it were, who being demanded why they built for themselves glorious sepulchres, but low and base houses, answered, because in the one they sojourned but for a short space, in the other they dwelt. To this Solomon had an eye when hee termeth

the grave manst 1.19 long home; and a greater than Solomon, when he infor∣meth his Disciples that in hisu 1.20 Fathers house there are many mansions, that is, standing or abiding places. Such are many in heaven built upon preci∣ous stones, but none on earth: here we have onely stands for an houre, or boothes for a Faire, or bowers for a dance, or at the most Innes for a bait.x 1.21 There is a time, saith the wise man, to bee borne, and a time to die: what, and no time betwixt? sometimes none at all, as in those that are still-borne: if it be any, as sometimes it is, he makes no reckoning of it, but joynes death immediately to our birth, as if they were contigu∣ous, and our cradles stood in our grave. The space betweene our birth and death, be it extended to the longest period, is but a moment in respect of eternity, and yet ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas, upon the well or ill employing of this moment dependeth our eternitie. I will tell you a strange thing saithy 1.22 Seneca, Many die before they begin to live. I can tell you a stranger thing, many die before ever they thinke of the true life. These, howsoever they may carry the name of wise and great States-men, yet when it will be too late they shall see their folly farre to exceed that of the simplest Idiot in the world: when at the houre of their death fin∣ding that they have laid out their whole stocke of wealth and wit in pur∣chasing and furnishing a chamber in a thorough fare, and provided them∣selves no house in the Citie, where they are for ever to abide, shall cry out in the bitternesse of their soule, either withz 1.23 Severus, Omnia fui, & nihil profui; I have beene all things, and yet have done no good at all: or with Adrian,

a 1.24O animula vagula blandula hospes comes{que} corporis, quae nunc abibis in loca! &c.

O my pretty soule, the pleasant guest and companion of my bodie, in∣to what places shalt thou now goe, naked, cold, and trembling! or with the afflicters of the righteous;b 1.25 What hath pride profited us? or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? All these things are passed away like a shadow, and like a post that hasteth by. And as a Ship that passeth over the waves of the water, which when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot bee found, neither the path-way of the keele in the waves: Even so wee in like manner, as soone as wee were borne, began to draw to our end, and had no signe of vertue to shew, but were consumed in our owne wickednesse. I like well of his resoluti∣on who said, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I hate that wise man, whose wisedome reflects not upon himselfe, who is no whit bettered by his wisedome. Hee cannot bee wise who is not provident: hee is not provident who prepares not a place for his soule after shee is dis∣lodged of the bodie. Hee is no thriftie man who lavisheth out his time, and spendeth his strength in pursuing shadowes, when with lesse paine and cost hee might have purchased a substantiall and indefeisable estate: hee is no good husband who taketh perpetuall care for his temporall affaires, and taketh little or none at any

time for his spirituall and eternall; who gathereth treasure upon earth, where rust anda 1.26 moth doth corrupt, and theeves breake thorough and steale; and lay∣e•••• up no treasure in heaven, where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt, and theeves doe not breake thorough and steale: who drives a great and rich trade in forraine parts, and returnes no money by letters of exchange, sent by the hands of the poore, to be repaid him upon his return into his country in hea∣ven: who travels sea and land to dig into the bowels of the earth, yea and sometimes rakes hell also for unrighteousb 1.27 Mammon, and when he hath great store of it, makes no friends with it, that when he failes they may re∣ceive him into everlasting habitations.

2. The second precept is to informe our selves certainely how we stand in the Court of heaven, whether recti in curia or no: to know by the refle∣ction of grace in our soules, whether Gods countenance shine upon us, or there be a cloud betweene it and us. For as thec 1.28 Margarite or pearle hath such affinity with the skie, that if it be bred at the opening of the shell fish in a cleere morning, the colour thereof is cleere, and the stone most orient: but if in a duskie evening, or when the heaven is over-cast with clouds, the colour thereof is darker, and the stone lesse precious: so the hidden man of the heart is lightsome and cheerefull when Gods face shines upon him, but sad and dejected when heaven lowres upon him. Without assurance that we are in the state of grace, and reconciled to God in Christ, there is no com∣fort in life and death, because no sound joy, nor settled peace within. Neither is it so easie a matter as some imagine to get this assurance, or the know∣ledge thereof. For not onely the sicke patient, but also sometimes the skil∣full Physician is deceived in the state of our bodie, though all ordinary dis∣eases have their certaine symptomes by which they may be knowne, even to sense: how much more difficult a thing is it certainely to judge of the state of our soule? A man may set a good face on it, as Tiberius did, and brave it out, yea and riot also, who yet hath such a secret disease which will make an end of him in a few houres. Nay, a man may take infection, or receive some bruise inwardly, or spring some veine, and yet not know of it till it be too late to cure it: in like maner, a man that maketh great profession of Religion, and carrieth a great appearance of piety and sanctity, both at Church and in his owne house, feeling no inward gripe of conscience, may yet have taken some infection of Heresie, or have still in him some poyson of malice, or bruise of faction, or rupture of schisme, or corrupt humours of luxurie, and daily decay in grace, and be in a spirituall con∣sumption, and yet perceive it not. I have no commission to ransacke a∣ny mans conscience, nor to make privie search for concealed Idols, or masqued hypocrisie, or vailed impudencie, or closely conveyed bribe∣ry, or secretly vented luxurie, or statutable usurie, or legall simonie, or customary sacriledge. Onely I will bee bold to say the least breach which any of the above named sinnes make in the conscience, is like a small leake in the bottome of a Ship, which, if it be not stopped in time, will drowne the greatest vessell, fraught with the richest merchandise. Your experience sheweth you that Bristow and Cornish stones, and many other false gems, have such a lustre in them, and so sparkle like true jewels, that a cunning Lapidarie, if he be not carefull, may be cheated with them:

such are the enlightning graces which shine in hypocrites, they so neerly resemble the true sanctifying and saving graces of the Elect, that the eye of spirituall wisedome it selfe may mistake them, if it be not single, and looke narrowly into them. Are not repentance from dead workes, faith in Christ, peace of conscience, and joy in the holy Ghost, the proper characters of a regenerate Christian and an elect childe of God? Yet Esau counterfeited the first: (thed 1.29 Apostle saith that after he had sold his birth-right he sought it with teares.) Simon Magus the second: (St. Luke saith hee 1.30 beleeved.) The man possessed in the Gospell the third: (our Saviour saith all things were inf 1.31 peace in his house.) The Jewes the fourth: (the text saith theyg 1.32 re∣joyced at St. Johns preaching.) Here then is worke for spirituall wisedome to discerneh 1.33 a sented poyson from Balsamum, to distinguish tears of repen∣tance, such as Peters were, from teares of discontent and revenge, such as* 1.34 E∣sau's were: a temporarie faith, such asi 1.35 Simon Magus his was, from a justi∣fying, such ask 1.36 Zacheus his was: a feared conscience, such as thel 1.37 possessed man had, from a secured conscience, such as St.m 1.38 Pauls was: lastly, a sud∣den exultation of the spirit, such as then 1.39 Jewes was, from true joy in the holy Ghost, such aso 1.40 Davids was.

3. The third point of spirituall wisedome is, to consider what infirmities and maladies of minde our naturall constitution, state, place, or profession, or course of life maketh us most subject unto, and to furnish our selves with store of remedies against them; to mark where we lie most open to temptation, and there to have our ward readie. For Satan playeth alwayes upon advan∣tage, and for the most part boweth us that way to which we incline of our selves, through the weakenesse of our nature: he sailes ever with the wind. Is our knowledge in matter of faith deficient? he tempts us to error. Is our conscience tender? he tempteth us to scrupulositie and too much precise∣nesse. Hath our conscience like the eclipticke line some latitude? he temp∣teth us to carnall libertie. Are we bold spirited? he tempteth us to pre∣sumption. Are we timorous and distrustfull? he tempteth us to desperati∣on? Are we of a flexible disposition? he tempteth us to inconstancie. Are we stiffe? he labours to make obstinate Heretikes, Scismatikes, or Rebels of us. Are we of an austere temper? he tempteth us to crueltie? Are we soft and milde? he tempteth us to indulgence and foolish pitie. Are we hot in matter of Religion? he tempteth us to blind zeale and superstition. Are we cold? he tempteth us to Atheisme and flat irreligion. Are we moderate? he tempteth us to Laodicean lukewarmednesse. The Camelion when he lieth on the grasse to catch flies and grashoppers, taketh upon him the co∣lour of the grasse; as the Polypus doth the colour of the rock, under which he lurketh, that the fish may boldly come neere him without any suspi∣tion of danger: in like maner Sathan turnes himselfe into that shape which we least feare, and sets before us such objects of temptation as are most a∣greeable to our humours, naturall desires, and inclinations, that so he may the sooner draw us into his net. St.p 1.41 Gregorie long agoe noted this subtle de∣vice of the wily serpent, he hath, saith he, fit allurements for all sorts of men, as fishermen have baits for fishes: for the luxurious he baiteth his hooke with pleasure; for the ambitious, with honor; for the covetous with gain; for the

licentious with libertie, for the factious with schisme, for the studious with curiosity, for the vaine-glorious with popularity. Here then is our spiritu∣all wisedome seene to be strong alwayes, there where our enemie is like to lie in ambush, and where he goeth about to undermine us, to meet him with a countermine. To unfold this precept of wisdome even to the meanest ca∣pacity: Art thou by nature a lover of pleasure? bend thy whole strength against the sin of luxurie. Art thou of a fiery disposition? lay all upon it to bridle thy passion of anger, and desire of revenge. Hast thou too much earth in thy complexion, and art given to the world? furnish thy selfe continually with spirituall levers to lift up thy heart, and raise thy thoughts and affections to heaven and heavenly objects. Doth the eminencie of thy place bring thee in danger of high mindednesse? let thy whole study bee humility. Doth thy profession incline thee to contention? study peace: to dissembling and cousening? study honesty: to extortion and exaction? study charity, and practise restitution: to corruption and receiving the wa∣ges of iniquity? let all thy prayers and endeavours be for integrity.

Socrates was wont say, facile est Athenienses Athenis laudare, that it was no unpleasing argument to commend the vertues of the Athenians at Athens: neither will it seeme burthensome I hope to recommend yet more instructions of wisedome to you that are wise. God hath spread abroad the heaven and the earth as large samplars before our eyes, wherein every act of his speciall providence in governing the affaires of the world is as a flower or curious piece of drawne-worke, which a wise man ought to take out by observation, and worke it in his owne life by imitation.

4. The fourth lesson therefore which wisedome readeth to all those that have eares to heare, is to observe the carriage of all affaires in this great City of the world, and to set a marke upon Gods wonderfull protection and care over the godly, and his fearefull judgements upon the wicked. From the former spiri∣tuall wisdome gathereth the sweet fruit of comfort, from the latter the bit∣ter fruit of terror, from both the most wholesome fruit of instruction. The fruit of comfort she gathereth by using Jacobs ladder to rest upon, when she is weary, Hagars fountaine to quench her thirst, the widowes meale to sustaine her in famine, Jonah's gourd to shade her in heat, Jonathans hony to cleere her eye-sight, Hezekia's figs to heale her plague-sores, the Sama∣ritan's oyle to supple her wounds, and Christs Crosse to support her in all. The bitter fruit of terrour she gathereth when she maketh the drow∣ning of the old world a warning to her for security, the confusion of Lan∣guages at Babel for pride, the burning of Sodome for unnaturall lust, the pil∣lar of salt into which Lot's wife was turned for backsliding and disobedi∣ence, the plagues of Egypt for hardness of heart, the captivity of Israel and Ju∣dah for Idolatry, and the finall destruction of the City and Temple for in∣fidelity, and persecution of Christ and his Gospell. When the Divell offe∣reth us any forbidden fruit, seem it never so pleasant to the eye, let us thinke of Adam; when a wedge of gold, of Achan; when red broth, of Esau; when a pleasant vineyard lying neere to our house, of Ahab; when a bribe, of Ge∣hazi; when holy vessels to carouse in, of Belshazzar; when mony for the gifts of the holy Ghost, of Simon Magus; when the price of innocent bloud, of Judas; when a share in sacriledge, of Ananias. Let us learn by Adams fall

to shut our eares against evill counsell; by Noahs shame, to abhorre drun∣kennesse; by Davids adultery, to fly idlenesse; by Josephs swearing by the life of Pharaoh, to avoid ill company; by Peters deniall, to beware of presuming on our owne strength; by Pauls buffetting, to take heed of spiri∣tuall pride. Doe the students at the law follow all Courts, and are ready at all assizes with their table-books to note what passeth in all trials, to put downe the cases, and take the sentences of the Judges: and shall we neglect the judgements of the Almighty, and not write downe in the tables of our memories such cases as are ruled in the Court of heaven? There is nothing will more deject us in the opinion of our own wisdome, and stir us up to the admiration of Gods wisedome, justice, and power, than to observe how he compasseth the wise of the world in their owne wayes, and shooteth be∣yond them in their owne bow, and over-reacheth them in their highest de∣signes: how he chuseth the foolish things of the world to convince and re∣buke the wise; the weake things of the world to conquer the mighty; the ignoble things of the world to obscure the glorious; and the things that are not to confound the things that are. When we see him draw light out of darknesse, sweet out of sower, comfort out of misery, joy out of sorrow, and life out of death, how can we distrust his goodnesse? Again, when we see on the sudden how he turneth day into night, liberty into captivity, beauty into ashes, joy into heavinesse, honour into shame, wealth into want, rule into ser∣vitude, life into death, how can we but feare his power? When we see Scepters made of mattocks, and mattocks of Scepters; hovils of Palaces, and Palaces of hovils; valleyes raised high, and hils brought low, Kings cast out of their thrones to the ground, and poore raised out of the dunghill to sit with Princes; how can we be proud? When we observe the godly man like the Oxe that goeth to plow, worn out with labour and pain, and the wicked like beasts fatted for the slaughter, abound with riotous superfluity, how can we but be patient? When we see daily stars rise and fall in the firmament of the Church, how can we then but be solicitous? Lastly, when we see our wants as well as our wealth, our defects as well as our exceedings, our falls as well as our risings, our sorrowes as well as our joyes, our fasts as well as our feasts, our sicknesse as well as our health, our terrors as well as our com∣forts, our crosses and afflictions as well as those we call blessings worke for the best for us, how can we but be content? This rule of wisedome every man by his experience can easily draw out at length, and the time calls upon me to cut the threed of this discourse: wherefore in a word I will now deli∣ver that precept of wisedome in the last place which in practice must chal∣lenge the first, viz. that in all serious and weighty affaires, especially such as concerne our spirituall estate, we aske counsell of God, who among other glo∣rious attributes, described by the Prophet Isaiah, is stiled the wonderfullp 1.42 Counseller, who freely gives us that counsell which cannot be got by any fee from mortall man. Successe crowneth no great attempt which wisdome undertaketh not: wisdome undertaketh nothing but by the advice of coun∣sell, and no counsell safe in deliberations of this kind but from the spirit of God. The Israelites usually asked counsell of God by the Ephod, the Greci∣ans by their Oracles, the Persians by their Magi, the Egyptians by their Hirophantae, the Indians by their Gymnosophistae, the ancient Gaules and

Brittaines by their Druides, the Romans by their Augures or Soothsayers. It was not lawfull to propose any matter of moment in the Senate,q 1.43 prius∣quam de coelo servatum erat, before their wisards had made their observations from the heaven or skie. That which they did impiously and superstitiously, we may, nay we ought to doe in another sense piously, (viz.) not to imbark our selves into any action of great importance and consequence, priusquam de coelo servavimus, before we have observed from heaven, not the flight of birds, or houses of planets, or their aspects or conjuncti••ns, such fowle or star-gazing is forbid by a voice from heaven; but the countenance of God, whether it shineth upon our enterprises or not, whether he approve of our endeavours, projects, and designes, or dislike them: if he approve of them we need not feare the successe: for if it be not good for the present, it shall be good: if he dislike them we may not hope for successe; for if the issue be not bad for the present, it shalbe bad in the end. Tullies resolution is good;r 1.44 sa∣pientis est nihil praestare praeter culpam, a wise man is to looke to his intentions, and to answer for his actions, that they be without blame, not to undertake for the events. Let us make good our ends, and the meanes we use, and God will make good the issue, and turne all to the best. A Pilot, as Quintilian obser∣veth, cannot be denied his lawfull plea dum clavum rectum teneam, though the ship be cast away or drowned he is not to make satisfaction, so long as he held the sterne right, and guided it by the compasse: in like maner, though our actions and good intentions miscarrie in the event, we are not to be bla∣med if we steered our course by the compasse of Gods word: though the barke be cast away, as St. Pauls was, the lives of all in it shall be safe: and our tem∣porall losses shall alway turne to our spirituall and eternall advantage. Yea, but God is in heaven, we are upon earth, how may we come to have speech with him, or open our case to him, or receive answer from him? The Jewes had two meanes to receive answer from him, either by the mouth of the Prophets, when the spirit was on them, or from the Priests, when they had put on the breast-plate of judgement: we have no such meanes now to en∣quire the will of God, neither are visions nor dreames by which men in for∣mer times understood the pleasure of God, now either frequent, or undoub∣ted oracles of truth; yet have we still meanes to advise with God both by prayer and consulting the holy Scriptures. Of the former St. James spea∣keth;s 1.45 If any man lacke wisedome, that is, counsell and direction in his af∣faires, let his aske it of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shalbe given him. But let him aske in faith nothing wavering, &c. Of the second the Prophet David:t 1.46 Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellers; in the Hebrew, men of my counsell.

Having now composed the presse, what remains but to clap it to the sheets, and labour by a word of exhortation to print some of these rules in your harts? Be wise now, &c. Be wise, 1. In the choice of your wisdome: 2. Be instru∣cted in the means of your instruction, make choice of the wisdome that com∣meth from above from the Father of lights, not that which commeth from beneath from the Prince of darkness: receive instruction from the spirit, not from the flesh: from God, not from the world: so shall you be wise unto sal∣vation and instructed to eternal life. Be your selves clients and sutors to God before your clients and sutors have accesse unto you; ask counsel of him be∣fore

you give counsell to them: and content not your selves with the waters of the brooke or rivelet, but have recourse to theu 1.47 fountain. Now the foun∣taine of all law is the wisedome of God, as the wisest of the heathen Law∣givers in effect acknowledged it: Zamolxis ascribing the lawes (he delive∣red to the people) to Vesta, Zoroaster to Hormasis, Trismegistus to Mercu∣rie, Lycurgus to Apollo, Solon to Minerva, Numa to the Nymph Aegeria, Minos to Jupiter. If time be well spent in searching records of Courts, and evidences of conveyances, and titles of lands, how much better in searching the holy Scriptures which are the records of heaven, the deeds of Almighty God, and evidences of our salvation? Who would not search where he may be sure to find treasure? In Scriptures you may be sure to finde it, wherein all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid: the treasures of naturall Philosophy in Genesis; of morall Philosophy in Exodus, Deuteronomie, and Ecclesiastes; of the Politickes in the Judicials of Moses, and the Pro∣verbes of Solomon; of Poetry in the Psalmes; of History in the bookes of Chronicles, Judges, and Kings; of the Mathematickes in the dimensions of the Arke and Temple; of the Metaphysickes in the bookes of the Prophets and the Apocalyps. Doe you desire that the tree of your knowledge in the Law should spread farre and neere, and that all men should shade themselves under your boughes? Water the root of the tree which beareth up your lawes, and sendeth sap and life to all the branches thereof, and that is true religion: forx 1.48 the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome: and a good understanding and care have all they that follow after it. First, to look to the maine chance, and provide for their eternall estate in another world: next, to learne certainly that they are in state of grace here: thirdly, to observe where they are weakest, and there to strengthen themselves against the assaults of the enemie: fourthly, to make use of the historie of the world, and comment upon the speciall workes of Gods providence: lastly, to entertaine God his Pro∣phets and Apostles for their learned counsell, to direct them in all their suits in the Court of heaven, and managing all their weightiest affaires on earth: so shall they be sure to attain that which David so earnestly sought of God by prayer, saying,y 1.49 Guide me by thy counsell, and after that receive me to thy glory. To whom, &c.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Cic. pro Muren. A quo tandem Marce Cato ae∣quius est defen∣di Consulem quam a Con∣sule?
• b 1.2

  2. Sam. 7.3.5.
• c 1.3

  Gal. 2.14.
• d 1.4

  Apoc. 7.14.
• e 1.5

  Horat. od. car. l. 3. od. 1.
• f 1.6

  Cyp. de mortal.
• g 1.7

  Arist. Eth. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• h 1.8

  1 Cor. 13.13.
• i 1.9

  Horat. od. car. l.
• k 1.10

  Isoc. ad Demon. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• l 1.11

  Bernard. ser. 85. in cant. Sapien∣tia a sapore di∣cta est quia vir∣tuti velut con∣dimentum ac∣cedens sapidam reddit.
• m 1.12

  Cic. Tus. quaest.
• n 1.13

  Lact. ••. 4. divin. instit••. 1. Sicae∣ter•• omnes praeter ipsos stulti fuer••nt, ne illi quidem sa∣pientes, qu••ane∣•••• sapiens ve∣••e st••ltorum ju∣dicio esse potest.
• o 1.14

  Sphinx Philo∣soph. c. 7. Gryphus.
• p 1.15

  Rom 16.27. 1 Tim. 1.17. To the King immor∣tall, invisible, the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever.
• q 1.16

  2 Tim. 3.15.
• r 1.17

  Jer. 4.22.
• s 1.18

  Apoc. 15.2. And I saw as it were a sea of glasse.
• t 1.19

  Eccles. 12.5. Man goeth to his long home, and the mo••rners goe a∣bout the streets.
• u 1.20

  Joh 14.2.
• x 1.21

  Eccles. 3.2.
• y 1.22

  Sen ep. ad Lucil.
• z 1.23

  Carion. in Cron.
• a 1.24

  Sphinx Philos.
• b 1.25

  Wisd. 5.8, 9, 10.13.
• a 1.26

  Matth. 7.19.
• b 1.27

  Luke 16.9.
• c 1.28

  Plin. nat. hist. l. 9. c. 35. Coeli iis major socie∣tas est quam maris, inde nu∣bilum trahunt colorem aut pro claritate matutina sere∣num.
• d 1.29

  Heb 12.17.
• e 1.30

  Acts 8.13.
• f 1.31

  Luke 11.21.
• g 1.32

  Joh. 5 35.
• h 1.33

  Gib. in Cant. Qualis un∣guentorum ar∣tifex est satanas qui de mortis olla vitae vapo∣res exire simu∣lat, & venenum quasi balsamum facit sp••are!
• * 1.34

  Heb. 12.17.
• i 1.35

  Act. 8.13.
• k 1.36

  Luke 9.9.
• l 1.37

  Luke 11.21. When a strong man armed kee∣peth his Palace, his goods are in peace.
• m 1.38

  Acts 24.16.
• n 1.39

  John 5 ••5 Ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light.
• o 1.40

  Psal. 4.7.
• p 1.41

  Greg. l. 29. mor. in Job. c. 38. Prius consper∣sionem uniuscu∣jus{que} antiquus adversarius perspicit, & tunc tentationis laqueos appo∣nit, alius nam{que} laeti••, alius tri∣stibus, alius ti∣midis, alius cla∣ris moribus ex∣istit. Qu•• ergo occultus adver∣sarius facile ca∣piat vicinas conspersioni∣bus deceptiones parat. Quia e∣nim laetitiae voluptas juxta est, laetis mori∣bus luxuriem proponit & quia tristitia in i••am facile labitur, tristibus poculum dis∣cordiae porr••git, paventibus ter∣rores int••ntat, & quia ela os extolli laudibus conspicit, eos blandis favoribus trahit: singulis igitur hominibus vitiis convenientibus insidiatur.
• p 1.42

  Esay 9.6. His name shalbe called the wonderfull counseller. A••oc. 3.18. I counsell thee to buy of me gold, &c.
• q 1.43

  Cic. de Arusp. resp.
• r 1.44

  Cic. ep. ad Att.
• s 1.45

  Jam. 1.5.
• t 1.46

  Psal. 119.24.
• u 1.47

  Cic. de orat. l. 2. Tard•• est inge∣ni•• rivulos con∣sectari, fontes rerum non vi∣dere.
• x 1.48

  Psal. 111.10.
• y 1.49

  Psal. 73.24.