The Happiness of the Church, Biblical commentary 19
THE GOOD POLITICIAN DIRECTED.
MATTH. 10. 16.
Be ye wise as Serpents, and harmelesse as Doues.
OV… of eueryevery creature (simply considered) there is some good to bee learned. The diuine aDu Bartas. 1. day. 1. Week. fol. 6.Poet sweetly.
The World's a Schoole, where in a generall si…rie,
God alwayes reads dumbe l…ctures of his glorie.
It is a three leau'd booke, Heauen, Earth, and Sea: and eueryevery leafe of this booke, eueryevery line of eueryevery leafe, eueryevery creature in this vniuerse, can read to man, for whom they were made, a Diuinitie lecture. In a speaking silence they preach to vsus that Deitie, which made both them and vsus, and them for vsus. Secul…m Speculum: the world is a glasse, wherein wee may behold our Creators Maiestie. From the highest Angell to the lowest worme, all instruct vsus somewhat. For one and the same almightie hand, that made the Angels in heauen, made also the wormes on earth. bAug. Soliloq. cap. 9.Non superior in illis, non inferior in istis.
Besides this generall lecture, they hauehave all their particular schoole. cProu. 6. 7.Salomon sends vsus to the A…t to learne Prouidence. dEsa. 1. 3.Esay to the Oxe, to learne thankfulnesse Many beasts doe excell Man in many naturall things.
Nos aper auditu praecellit, a…anea tactu,
Vultur odoratu, Lynx visu, simia gustu.
The Bore excels vsus in hearing, the spider in touching, the Vulture in smelling, the Lynx in seeing, the Ape in tasting. Some hauehave obserued, that the art of curing the eyes was first taken from the Swallowes. The E… gles hauehave taught vsus architecture: we receiued the light of Phlebotomie from the Hippopotamas. The Egyptian bird Ibis first gaue to Physicians knowledge, how to vse the Glister. The Spider taught vsus to Weaue. Here the Serpent instructs vsus in Policie, the Doue in simplicitie.
Now we are falne among Serpents, stinging serpents, enemies to man: can wee fetch away any good from them? Yes, those very venemous and malicious creatures shall afford vsus Documenta, not Nocumenta: they shall teach vsus, not touch vsus. I may say of them, as it is sayd of the Iewes. Hostes sunt in cordibus, suffragatores in codicibus. They are our enemies in their hearts, our friends in their bookes. The malice of Serpents is mortall, their vse shall be vitall. So it may, so it shall, if our sobrietie keepe the allowed compasse. For our imitation is limited & qualified. We must not be in all points like Serpents, nor in all respects like Doues; but in some, but in this; Be ye wise as serpents, harmelesse as doues. Perhaps other vses might be accommodated. As the Serpent might teach vsus how with wisedome to dwell below on the earth: and the Doue with wings of innocence to flie vp to heauen aboue. We may in earthly matters keepe a serpentine and winding motion, but to heauen with the Doue we must hauehave a strait course. But I confine my selfe to the pith of the Text, and our Sauiours meaning. Be wise as Serpents, innocent as Doues.
The words may (not vnfitly) be distinguished into a
Perhibition.
Cohibition:
as it were the Raines, and the Curbe. The Perhibition, allowance, or Raines; Be wise as serpents. The Cohibition, correctiue, restraint, or Curbe; Be harmelesse as Doues.
They must goe hand in hand without disiunction. Vnited they are commodious, parted dangerous. There is a necessitie of their vnion to our peace: diuide them, and you loose your selues. Witte without innocence will offend others: Innocence without witte will not defend our selues. Prudentia sine simplicitate malitia: simplicitas sine prudentia stultitia. Witte without innocence is wickednesse: innocence without witte is foolishnes. Whosoeuer hath the one and wants the other, must needs be either guiltie of follie, or of dishonestie. Least we be too craftie, and circumuent others, let vsus keepe the innocencie of the Doue: least we be too simple, and others circumuent vsus, let vsus keepe the wisedome of the Serpent.
Let vsus first see from the Serpent, how we should bee wise: and then goe to the Doue for innocence. Sixe principall Lessons of Wisedome the Serpent may teach vsus.
1. Their first policie is by all possible meanes to defend their head. If they must encounter with danger, they expose their whole body to it; but howsoeuer they will safeguard their head. They write of them, that though all a serpents body be mangled, vnlesse his head be cut off, (which he cunningly hides) by a kind of attractiue power and vigor one part will come to another againe.
This is to vsus a singular document of Wisedome, to looke well to our Head. Christ is our Head; and the sinewes and nerues that knitte vsus to him, is our Faith and Hope: let vsus preserue these indanted, indamaged. We fight against an enemie, that seekes especially to wound vsus there. He strikes indeed at eueryevery place: he hath, sayth Ierome, no…ina mille, mille nocendi artes: therefore Paul chargeth vsus to eEphe. 6. 11.Put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against all the w…les of the Deuill: but especially the head. fVer. 16. 17.Aboue all take the shield of Faith, and the Helmet of saluation: saue the Head. Protect all parts, if it be poss…le: let not oppression wound thee in the hand, nor blasphemie in the tongue, nor wantonnes in the eye, nor couetousnesse in the heart: but howsoeuer shield thy head: loose not thy hope of saluation, thy faith in Iesus Christ.
Homo qui habet se, habet totum inse; said the Philosopher. He that hath himselfe, hath all in himselfe. But ille habet se, qui habet Christum, & ille habet Christum, qui habet fidem. He hath himselfe that hath Christ, and he hath Christ that hath faith. Whatsoeuer you loose, loose not this: though you loose your loues, though you loose your liues▪ keepe the faith. gIob. 13. 15.I will trust in thee, though thou kill me, saith Iob. h2. Tim. 4. 7.I hauehave kept the faith, saith Paul; though iGal. 6. 17.I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus. If insatiate death be let alone, to cutte vsus into pieces with the sword, to grind vsus into the mawes of beastes, to burne vsus in the fire to ashes: yet so long as our head Christ is safe, he hath the Serpents attractiue power to draw vsus to him. kIoh. 17. 24.Father, I will that they whom thou hast giuen me, be with me where I am. The more we are cut off, the more we are vnited: death, whiles it striues to take vsus from him, sends vsus to him. Keepe faith in the Head. With what mind soeuer Seneca wrote it, I know to good vse I may speake it. Malo mihi successum deesse, quam-fidem. I rather want successe, then faith. Fidem qui perdidit, nil habet vltra quod perdat. He that hath lost his faith, hath nothing els to loose. But it is the Lord, that preserues the head. lPsal. 140. 7.O God the strength of my saluation: thou hast couered my …ead in the day of battell.
2. The next Policie in Serpents is to stop their …ares against the noyse of the charmers. This is one of the similitudes which the Psalmist giues betweene the wicked and Serpents. mPsal. 58. 4. 5.Their poison is like the poison of a Serpent: they are like the deafe adder that stoppeth hor …are. Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so Wisely. This charming as they write, was invented in the Easterne countreyes, where they were pesterd with abundance of serpents. Which musicke the Serpent hearing, wisely distrusting his owne strength▪ thinkes it the surest course to stop his …ares. This he doth by couching one …are close to the ground and covering the other with his voluminous tayle.
The incantations of this world are as often sung to vsus, as those charmes to the Serpents: but we are not so wise as Serpents to avoyd them. Sometimes a Siren sings vsus the charmes of lust; and thus a weake woman overcomes him that overcame the strong Lyon.
Lenam non potuit, potuit superare Leaenam.
Quem fera non valuit vincere, vicit hera.
Sayes the Epigrammatist. nProu. 7-22-He goeth after her straight way: though over. 27-her house… the way to hell, going downe to the chambers of death. Sometimes Satan comes to vsus like a gold-finch, and whistles vsus a note of vsurie, to the tune of ten in the hundred; we are caught presently, and fall a dancing after his pipe. Sometimes like Alecto, he charmes vsus a Madrigall of revenge for private wrongs: instantly we are caught with malice, destruction sits in our lookes. Not seldome hee comes to a man with a drunken caroll (lay thy peny to mine, and we will to the wine) he is taken suddenly; he runs to it though he reeles from it. He sings the slothfull a Dormi securè and hee will sleepe, though his p2. Pet. 2. 3.damnation sleepeth not. Yea there are not wanting, that let him sing a song of blasphemie, they will sweare with him. Let him begin to raile, they will libell with him. Let his incantation bee treason, and they will answere him in gunpowder. Yea let him charme with a Charme, a witlesse, senceles sorcerie; and if a tooth akes, or a hog grones, they will admit it, admire it. Of such follie the very serpents shall condemne vsus.
But as open …ar'd as men are to these incantations of the Deuill and sinne; let the musicall bells of Aaron be rung, the sweet songs of Sion sung, they will not listen: they will not be charmed, with all our cunning. So that wee shall be faint to send them to the Iudgment seate of God, with this scrole on their forheads; Noluerunt incantari: Lord, wee hauehave done our best; but this people would not be charmed.
3. Their third Policie. They flie mens societie, as knowne enemies; and rather chuse a wildernes; seeking peace among bryers and thornes. And may they not herein teach vsus, with Moses, qHebr. 11. 25.rather to chuse affliction in a wildernes with the people of God, then to enioy the pleasure of sin for a season. Much hath bin, and may be said, to lessen mens dotage to the world; and yet one word I must adde; Non quia vos nostra sperem prece posse moveri.
Did euer any of you know what the peace of conscience, and ioy of the holy Ghost is? whiles that comfort and iubilation dwelt in your heart, I aske you how the world stood in your sight? Stood it not like a deformed witch, deuils sucking on her breasts; a shoale of vgly sinnes sitting like screechowles on her head; bloud and massacres besmearing her face; lies, blasphemies, periuries waiting at her backe; extortion and oppression hanging on her armes; wickednes and wretchednesse filling both her hands; the cryes, grones, and imprecations of widowes and orphans sounding in her eares; heauen thundring vengance on her head; and the enlarged gates of the infernall pitte yawning to entertaine her.
Is this your Paramour, O ye worldlings? Is this the beautie you hazard a soule to get? O munde immunde; euill fauoured world, that thou shouldst hauehave so many louers! rAugust.Ecceruinosus est mundus, & si… amatur: quidsi perfectus esset? Quid for…osus faceret, quùm deformis sic adoratur? If the world beeing ruinous so pleaseth men, what would it doe if it were sound and perfect? If it were faire and beauteous how would wee dote on it, that thus louelove it deformed? But how rare a man is hee, sAmbr. in Psal.Qui nihil habet commune cum seculo! that hath no communion with this world! That retires himselfe, like the Serpent; and doth not intricate his mind in these worldly snares! who does not watch with enuie, nor trauell with auarice, nor clime with ambition, nor sleepe with lust vnderunder his pillow▪
But for all this Vincet amor mundi: money and wealth must be had, though men refuse no way on the left hand to get it. We may charge them Nummos propter Deum expendere, to lay out their wealth for Gods sake: but they will Deum propter nummos colere, worship God for their wealths sake. We say let the world waite vponupon religion: they say, let religion waite vponupon the world. You talke of heauen & a kingdome; but Tutius h… c…lum, quod br…uis …ca tenet. That heauen is surest, thinke they, that lies in their coffers. As those two Gyants bound Mars in chaines, and then sacrificed to him: so men first coffer vp their wealth, & then worship it. Or if they suffer it to passe their locke & key, yet they bind it in strong chains and charmes of vsurie to a plentifull returne.
Enough is a language they will neuer learne, till they come to hell: where their bodies shall hauehave enough earth, their soules enough fire. There are foure aduerbs of quantitie: Parum, Nihil, Nimis, Satis. Litle, nothing, Two much, Enough. The last that is the best is seldome found. The poore hauehave Litle: the beggar nothing: the rich two much: but Cui satis? who hath Enough? Though they hauehave too much, all is too little; nothing is enough. Quid satis est▪ si Roma parum? What is enough, if all Rome bee too little; sayd the xLucan.Poet. But the world it selfe could not bee enough to such. Aestuat infoelix angusto limite mundi. The couetous man may habere quod voluit, nunquam quod vult, hee may enioy what hee desired, neuer what hee desireth: for his desires are infinite. So their abundance, which God gaue them to helpe others out of distresse▪ plungeth themselues into destruction: as Pharaohs Chariot drew his master into the sea. In the Massilian sea, sayth, Bernard, scarce one ship of foure is cast away: but in the sea of this world scarce one soule of foure escapes.
4. Their next Policie. When they swimme, though their bodies bee plunged downe, yet they still keepe their head aboue the water. And this lesson of their wisdome I would direct to the Riotous, as I did the former to the Couetous. Which vitious affections, though in themselues opposite: (for the covetous thinke Prodigum Prodigium, the Spender a wonder: and the prodigall thinke Parcum Porcum, the niggard a hogge) yet either of them both may light his candle at the lampe of the Serpents wisedome: and learne a vertue they hauehave not.
Though you swimme in a full sea of delights, yet bee sure to keepe your heads vp for feare of drowning. It is naturall to most sensit…e crea…res to beare vp their heads aboue the flouds: yet in the streame of pleasures foolish man commonly sinkes. If I had authoritie, I would here bid Gluttonie & Drunkennesse stand forth; & heare themselues condemned by a Serpent. If the belly hauehave any … let it heares & not suffer the head of the body …ch … the head of the soule Reason, to be drowned in a puddl… of riot. Multafercula, multos …. Many dishes many diseases. Gluttony was euer a friend to …. But for the throa…s indulgence. Paracelsus for all his Mercurie had dyed a beggar. Intemperance lies most commonly sicke on a downe bedde; not on a padde of straw. Ay me's, and grones are soonest heard in rich mens houses. Gowtes Pleurisies, dropsies, feuers, surfets, are but the consequents of epicurisme.
Qu… nisi diuitibus nequeunt conting…re ….Horat. lib. …. Satyr. 4.
A Diuine Poet morrally.
We seeme ambitious, Gods whole worke t' vndo….
Of nothing he made vsus, and we striue two,
To bring our selues to nothing backe: and we
Doe what we can, to do't as soone as he.
We complaine of the shortnes of our liues, yet take the course to make them shorter.
Neither is the corporall head onelyonly thus intoxicate, and the senses drowned in these deluges of ryot: but Reason the head of the Soule, and Grace the head of Reason is ouer whelmed. Rarum … …ine vitio … convitio. Reuellers and Reuilers are wonted companions. When the belly is made a Crassus, the tongue is turned into a Cesar, and taxeth all the world. Great feasts are not without great danger. They serue not to suff ce nature, but to nourish corruption. Luk. 2. Ioseph and Mary went vp to Ierusalem to the feast with Iesus: a Luk. 2. 4….but there they lost Iesus. Twelue yeares they could keepe him, but at a feast they lost him. So easily is Christ lost at a feast. And it is remarkable there. ver. 46. that in the Temple they found him againe. Iesus Christ is often lost at a banket: but he is euer found in the temple bVer. 12.Iude speakes of some, that feast without feare. They suspect not the losse of Christ at a banket. But cIob. 1, 5.Iob feared his children at a feast. It may be my sonnes hauehave sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Let vsus suspect these riotous meetings; lest wee doe not only swimme, but sinke. Let vsus be like the Deere, who are euer most fearefull at their best feeding. d Let vsus walke h…nestly as i… the d…y: not in ri…ting and drunkennesse, d Rom. 13. 13.that were to feast the world: not in chambering and want…esse, that were t… feast the flesh: not in strife and enuying, that were to feast the deuill.
I know therebe some, that care not what be sayd against eating, so you meddle not with their drinke. Who cry ou… like that German, at a great Tourneament at Court, when al the spec…ors were pleased: Valeant L…di …: farewell that sport, where there is no drinking. I will say no more to them; but that the Serpents he…d keepes the vpper hand of the waters, but d…nke g…ts the vpper hand of their heads. How … is this: Sobrij serpentes, … homines! Sober serpents, and drunken men. The Serpent is here brought to t…ch v… wisedome: and to bee sober, is to be wise. The Philosoph…r so deriues wisedome in his Ethick's. foreign …st quasi foreign. Or as another, quia foreign.
5. The fift instance of their wisedo… propounded to our imitation, is vigilancie. They …eepe litle: and then l…ast, when they suspect the … of danger. A pr…dent wo… ou… following: eEph. 5. 15.See that ye walke circ…spectly; not … fo…les, but as wise fEccl. 2. 14. The wisemans eyes are in his head.Carry your eyes in your own… heads; no…. Like those … in a boxe. Nor, lik… a … Prince, that is not suffered to see but through … spect…es. Be watchf…l, saith our S…iour: yo… … not wh… houre your master will come. 1. Pet. 5. 8. B… …, b… vigil…nt: because your aduersa…y the Deuil, a… a roaring Lyon walketh about, seeking whom he …ay deuoure.
Th…se are two m…ine motiues to watchfullnes. First our Landlord is ready to come for his rent. Secondly our enemy is ready to assault ou… fort. And let me adde; the Ten… we dwell in is so weake and ruinous, that it is … readie to drop downe about our eares. Hee that dwell… in a rotten … house, dares scarce sleepe in a tempestuous night. Our bodies are earthly decayed, or at least decaying Tabernacles: euerie little disease like a storme, totters vsus. They were indeed at first strong cities: but we then by sinne made them forts of rebells. Whereupon our o…ended Liege sent his Sariant death, to arrest vsus of high treason. And though for his mercies sake in Christ he pardoned our sinnes, yet he suffers vsus no more to hauehave such strong houses: but lets vsus dwell in thack'd cottages▪ paper walles, mortall bodies.
HaueHave wee not then cause to watch; least our house, whose fIob. 4. 19.foundation is in the dust, fall; and gMath. 7. …7.the fall thereof be great? Shall wee still continue sine …etu, perhaps sine motu dormitantes? It is a fashion in the world to let Leases for three liues: as the Diuine Poet sweetly.
So short is life, that euerie Tenant striues,
In a torne house or field to hauehave three liues.
But God lets none for more then one life: and this expired, there is no hope to renew the lease. He suffers a man sometimes to dwell in his T…nement hPsal. 90. 10.threesc…re and ten yeeres; sometimes fourescore: till the house be ready to drop downe, like mellow fruite. But he secures none for a monethmonth, for a moment. Other farmers know the date of their leases, and expiration of the yeares: man is meerely a Tenant at will; and is thrust often sedibus adibus, at lesse then an houres warning.
We hauehave then cause to watch. iCant. 5. 2.I sleepe, but mine heart waketh: sayth the Church. If temptation doe take vsus napping, yet let our hearts wake. kMark. 14. 37.Simon, Dormis? Sleep…st thou, …eter? Indeed there is a time for all things: and sometimes sleepe and rest is Dabile and Laudabile; necessary and profitable. But now Simon, when thy Lord is ready to be giuen vp into the hands of his enemies, when the houre and power of darknesse is instant, when the great worke of saluation is to be wrought; Simon sleepest thou? Thou that hast promised to suffer with me, canst thou not watch with me? Quomodo morieris, qui sp…ctare & expectare nonpotes? Beloued, let vsus all watch; that Iesus, who was then when Peter slept, ready to suffer: is now, though we all sleepe, ready to iudge quicke and dead.
6. The last generall point of Wisedome we will learne from them, is this. As they once a yeare slippe off their old coate, and renew themselues: so let vsus cast off the old man, and lIude. ver. 23.the garment spotted of the flesh (more speck led with lusts then the skin of any Serpent) and mEph. 4. 24.be renewed in our mind, to serue God in the holynesse of truth.
The Grecians hauehave a fabulous reason of this renouation of serpents. Once mankind stroue earnestly with the Gods by supplication, for Perpetuall youth. It was granted; and the rich tr…sure being lapped vp, was layd vponupon an Asse to be carried among men. The silly beast being sore thirstie came to a fountaine to drinke: the keeper of this fountaine was a Serpent; who would not suffer the Asse to drinke, vnles hee would giuegive him his burden. The Asse, both ready to faint for thirst, and willing to be lighted of his lode, condiscended. Hereby the Serpent got from man perpetuall youth. Indeed the serpent changeth his age for youth, and man his youth for age. And the Asse for his punishment, is more tormented with thirst then any other beast. The serpent may thus get the start of a man for this world; but when he dyes, he dies for e…er; life neuer returnes. But wee shall put off, not the skinne, but this mortall body: and so be clothed with im…ortalitie and eternall life aboue: we shall be young againe in heauen.2. Cor. 5.
Only death adds t'our strength: nor are we growne:
In stature to be men, till we are none.
Let this answer the Poet.
Anguibus exuitur tenui cum pelle vetustas:
Cur nos angust a conditione su…us?Tibullus.
Why do serpents repaire themselues, and man decay? The answere is easie and comfortable when there shall be new heauens and new earth, wee shall hauehave new bodies. They hauehave here new bodies, and we old bodies: but there we shall hauehave new bodies when they are no bodies.
But to our purpose. They write that the Serpent gets him to some narrow passage, as betweene two stickes, & so slips off his skinne. And this is called Sp… lium serpentis, or v…rnatio serpentis. If wee would cast off our old coate, which is corrupt according to deceitfull lusts, wee must passe through a nMath. 7. 13.narrow gate; as it were two trees; faith and repentance. Heauen is called oReu. 21.new Ierusalem: you cannot creepe through those new dores with your old sinnes on your backes. Be no Gibeonites: God will not bee cossened with your old Garments. Put them off, sayth Paul: put them off, and cast them away: they are not worthy mending. None are made of Satans slaues, Gods sonnes; but they must put off their old liuerie, which they wore in the Deuils seruice; the cognisance of Mammon. p2. Cor. 5. 17.Let him that is in Christ be a new creature. Old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new. I saw, sayth S. Iohn, Nouum Coelum &c. a new heauen, and new earth. For whom prouided? for new creatures.
Enuie this ye worldlings, but striue not in your lower pompes to equall it. Could you change robes with Salomon. and dominions with Alexander, you could not match it. But quake at your doome, ye wicked q…. 3…. 33.Top… is ord…ed of old. Old hell for old sinners. But which way might a man turne his eyes to behold this Renouation. Nil …i vid…, nil n…ui audio. The hand is old, it extorts: the tongue is olde, it sweares. Our vsuries are still on foote to hunt the poore: our gluttonies looke not leaner: our drunkennesse is thirstie still: our securitie is not waked. Old Idoles are in our inward and better temples. Our iniquities are so old and ripe; that they are not only alb… ad messem, white to the haruest: but euen sicca ad ignem, dry for the fire.
Not onelyonly Serpents, but diuers other creatures hauehave their turnes of renewing. The Eagle reneweth her bill, sayth the Prophet: our Grand-mother earth becomes new: and to all her vegetatiue children the Spring giues a renouation. OnelyOnly we her vngracious Sons remaine old still. But how shall we expect hereafter new glorified bodies, vnlesse wee will hauehave here new sanctified soules? rGal. 6. 15. 16In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auaileth any thi…g, nor …; but a new creature. And as many as w…lke according to this rule, peace be on them, and merciemercy, and vponupon the Israell of God.
I hauehave taught you, according to my poore meditations, some Wisedo… from the Serpent. Augustine giues 6. or 7. other instances, worthy your obseruation, and imitation; which I must pesse ouer in silence. The … chalengeth some piece of my discourse: for I dare not giuegive you the Raynes, and let you goe without the Curbe. And yet I shall hold you a little longer from it: for as I hauehave shewed you some good in Serpents, that you may follow it: so I must shew you some euill in them, that you may eschew it. The vicious and obnoxious affections of Serpents, hauehave more followers then their vertues. These instances are of the same number with the former.
1. The Serpent, though creeping on the dust, hath a loftie spirit; reaching not onelyonly at men, but euen at the birds of the aire. And here hee is the Ambitious mans embleme. He was bred out of the dust, yet he catcheth a… Lordships and honours: ransackes the Citie, forredges th… Countrey, scowres it through the Church; but his arrand is to the Court. He is the maggot of pride, Stultus in solio, Simia in tecto.begot out of corruption: and lookes in an office, as the Ape did when hee had got on the robes of a Senator.
2. Their flatterie or trecherie: they embrace, whiles they sting. They lie in … greene grasse, and vnderunder sweet flowers, that they may wound the suspectlesse passenger. Here I will couple the Serpent with the Flatterer; a humane beast, and of the two the more dangerous. And that fitly; for they write of a Serpent, whose sting hath such force, that it makes a man die laughing. So the fla…erer tickles a man to death. Therefore his teares are called Crocodile lacrimae; the Crocodiles teares. When h… weeps, he wounds. EueryEvery frowne he makes, giues his Patron a vomite: and eueryevery candle of commendation a purge. His Church is the Kitchin, his tongue is his Cater; his yong Lord his God; whom at once he worships, and worreys. When he hath gotten a lease, he doth no longer feare his master: nay more, he feares not God.
3. Their ingratitude; they kill those that nourished them. And here I ranke with Serpents those prodigies of nature, vnthankfull persons. Seneca sayes they are Se…. epist. 48.worse. Venenum qu…d serpentes in alienam pernici…m proferunt, fine s… continent. No… ita vitium ingr…itudinis continetur. The poyson which a Serpent casts out to the danger of another, he retaines without his owne. But the vice of ingratitude cannot be so smoothered. Let vsus hate this sinne, not onelyonly for others sake, but most for our owne.
4. Their voracitie; they kill more then they can eate. And here they would be commended to the Ingrossers: who hoord more then they can spend, that the poore might st…ue for lacke of bread. Such a man (if he be not … a Serpent, a Deuill then man) makes his Almanacke his Bible: if it prognosticate raine on Swithi…s day, he loues and beleeues it beyond the Scripture. Nothing in the whole Bible pleaseth him, but the storie of Pharaohs dreame; where the seauen leane Kine did eate vp the seauen fat ones. Hee could wish that dreame to be true eueryevery yeare; so hee might hauehave graine enough to sell. He cryes out in his heart for a deare yeare, and yet he is neuer without a deare yeare in his belly. Salomon sayes, the people shall curse him: and I am sure God will not blesse him: but hee feares neither of these so much as a cheape yeare.
5. Their hostilitie and murderous minds: they destroy all, to multiplie their owne kind. And for this I wil bring the depopulator to shake hands with serpents. For he cannot abide neighbours. If any man dwels in the Towne besides himselfe, how should he doe for elbow roome? There are too many of these Serpents in England: I would they were all exild to the wildernes; where they might hauehave roome enough, and none to trouble them, except of their owne generation, Serpents. They complaine eagerly against our negligence in discouering new parts of the world: but their meaning is to rid this land of Inhabitants. They hauehave done their best, or rather their worst: when as in my memorie from one towne in one day were driuen out aboue threescore soules: harbourlesse, succourlesse, exposd to the bleake ayre and vnmercifull world: besides those that could prouide for themselues. But the Lord of heauen sees this: the clamours of many poore debters in the Dungeon, of many poore labourers in the field, of many poore neighbours crying and dying in the streetes, hauehave entred the …ares of the Lord of hoasts, & he will iudge it. aPsal. 10. 14.Thou hast seene it, for thou beholdest mischiefe and spite, to requite it: the poore committeth himselfe vntounto thee, thou art the helper of the f…herlesse.
6. Lastly, their en…itie against Man, whom they should reuerence▪ which we sorely found, and cannot but thinke of, quoti…s … …picati p…i: as often as we remember that …ieapple. Aelia…s and Pl…e report, that when a serpent hath killed a man, he can neuer more couer himselfe in the earth: but wanders vp and downe like a forlorne thing: the earth disdaining to receiue into her bowels a man murtherer. The male doth not acknowledge the …ale, nor the female the male, that hath done such a deed. Since therefore they rebell against Man whom they should honour let me yoke with them Traytours, Seminaries, and Renegates, that refuse allegiance to their Lieges & So…algnes. Will they say▪ … Prince may loose Ius regni, the right of his kingdome, per … regnandi, by raigning with iniustice & …? and so they are absolued of their obedience? But how haps it that the Scripture neuer knew this distinction? Saul though guiltie of all sinnes against the first Table yet exsolo … …is ch…ctere, might not bee deposed: but Dauid cals him Christum Do…, the Lords Annointed. If the Prince be an offender, must they punish? Who gaue them that authoritie? No …cit … in …, quòd Deum expect… …. It is eno…gh for him, that he looke for God to bee his Iudge. O but when the Popes excommunication thund…rs, it is no sinne to decrowne Kings. So super st…tiously they follow the Pope, that they forsake Christ; and will not giuegive C…sar his due. They are the fire brands and bustuaries of Kingdomes; Serpents hidden in Ladies and Gentlewomens chambers: in a word▪ long spoones for traytors to feed with the Deuill.
You see also now Quid …. There is poyson in Serpents now told you, leaue that: there is Wisedome to be learned from Serpents before shewed you, studie that. EueryEvery vice you nourish, is a venemous stinging serpent in your owne bosomes. If you will hauehave hope of heauen, duplicate page duplicate page expell those Serpents. I hauehave read of a contention betweene Scotland and Ireland, about a little Iland: either chalenging it theirs. It was put to the decision of a French-man: who caused to be put into the Iland liuing Serpents. Arbitrating it thus; that if those Serpents liued and prospered there, the ground was Scotlands: if they died, Irelands. If those serpentine sinnes, lusts, and lewdnes, liue …d thriue in your hearts, Satan will chalenge you for his dominion. If they perish and die through mortification, and by reason of the pure aire of Gods holy Spirit in you, the Lord seales you vp for his owne inheritance.
I hauehave giuen you the Raines at large: let me giuegive but one pull at the Curbe, and you shall goe. The Cohibition is, Be harmelesse as Doues. In Doues there be some things to be eschewed, many things to be commēded: one thing to be followed. The Doue is a timorous and faint hearted creature. bHos. 7. 8.Ephr… is like a silly Doue, without heart. Be not ye so. In Doues there are many things commendable; but I will but name them, regarding the limits of both my Text and Time.
1. Beautie▪ By that name Christ prayseth the beauty of his Spouse. Thou art fayre my L…e, my Doue, &c. cCant. 4. 1.Thou …ast Doues … within thy l…kes. And the Church prayseth her Sauiour. dCant. 5. 12. and 1. …5.His eyes are as the eyes of Doues by the riuers of water, washed with milke, …d fitly set; as a precious stone in the foile of a Ring. A white doue is a pleasing sight, but not like a white soule.
2. Chastitie. Nescit adu…erij fla…am inte…erata Columba. The Doue knowes not the luxurious pollution of an adulterate bed. Who euer saw Doue sicke of that lustfull disease. Happie bodie that hath such continencie: and blessed soule which shall be e2. Cor. 11. 2.presented a pure virgin to Iesus Christ. fReu. 14. 4.They are virgines; and follow the Lambe whether s…euer he goeth.
3. Fruitfulnesse. Most moneths in the yeare they bring forth young. The faithfull are in this respect Doues: for faith is euer pregnant of good workes, trauels with them, and on all occasions brings them forth.
4. Amitie. They louelove their owne mates; not changing till death giuegive one of them a bill of diuorce. G…mit …urtur: the turtle groanes when hee hath lost his mate. Nature teacheth them, what Reason aboue nature, and Grace aboue Reason, teacheth vsus; to reioyce with the wiues of our youth.
5. Vnitie. They liue, feed, flie by companies. Many of them can agree quietly in one house. Euen teaching vsus, gPsal. 133. 1.how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie. That as we hauehave hEphe. 4. 4.one hop…, so to hauehave iAct. 4. 32.one heart. Therefore the holy Ghost came downe kMath. 3. 16.in the likenesse of a Doue, of all birds: and it was the lGen. 8. 9.Doue that would not leaue Noahs Arke.
But these are but circumstances; my C…nter is their Innocence. mBern. in die Purific.Columba simplex est animal, felle caret, rostro non l…dit. Other fowles hauehave their talons and beakes, whereby they gripe and deuoure, like vsurers and oppressors in a Common-wealth. The Doue hath no such weapon to vse, no such heart to vse it. They write that she hath no gall; and so free from the bitternesse of anger. Talem Columbam audi…imus, non talem hominem. We hauehave heard of such a Doue, not of such a Man. Who can say, he hath innocent hands, and a simple heart? Indeed none perfectly in Gods sight: yet some hauehave had, and may hauehave this in part, by the witnesse of their owne consciences. Samuel could chalenge the Israelites to accuse him; n1. Sam. 12. 3.Whose …xe hauehave I taken? Whom hauehave I defrauded? Of whose h…d ha…e I receiued any bribe? And Iob sweetly; My heart shall not condemne me for my dayes. oIob 31. 21. &c.If I hauehave lift vp my hand against the fatherles let it be broken. If I reioyced at the destruction of him that hated me. (For that is true Innocence, sayth Augustine, quae nec inimico nocet; that hurts not our verie enemie. If my land cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complaine. Let thistles grow in stead of wheat, and cockles in stead of barley. How few amongst vsus dare thus plead! So Dauid. O Lord, thou knowest mine innocenc….
O blessed testimonie. This is Munus a…eneus, a wall of brasse about a man. pSen.In … sper…re bonum, nisi innocens, n… potest. To hope for good in the middest of euils, no man can but the Innocent. He goes fearlesse of danger, though not secure. Impauidum ferient ruinae. qGreg. in MorNe… suspectus est pa…, quod se non … fecisse. He cannot looke to suffer that wrong, which he knowes hee hath not done. Innocence▪ sayth Chrysoft. is free in seruitude, safe in danger, ioyfull in bonds. Cum humiliatur, erigitur: …um pugnat, vincit: cum occiditur, coronatur. When it is cast downe, it is raysed vp: when it fights, it conquers: when it is killed, it is crowned.
This is that …elesnes which must be ioyned with the Serpents Wisedome. So Paul to his Romans. rRom. 16. 19.I would h…ue you wise vntounto that which is good, and simple concerning euill. This is an excellent mixture, sayth Gregor. sIn locum.Vt simplicitatem … ast…ia▪ serpentis instrueret: vt serpentis astut… simplicitas colu… …emperaret. That the wisedome of the Serpent might instruct the simplicity of the Doue: that the Doues simplicitie might temper the Serpents policie. So …eda on the first of Iob. Iob is sayd to be simple and vpright: simple in innocencie, vpright in discreet equitie. Simplex quia alijs non l…dit, rectus quia se ab alijs non corrumpi …. Simple in that he did not hurt others, vpright in that he suffered not himselfe to be corrupted by others. tIerom. ad Rust.Non mul…ùm distat in vitio, aut decipere, aus decipiposse. There is small difference in that vice, which either deceiues. or may be deceiued. The one is weakenesse, the other wickednesse.
This is that grace, to which the gates of heauen stand open, Innocence. But alas▪ where shall the robbers and workers of violence appeare?
What shall become of the vsurer? No creature in heauen or earth shall testifie his innocencie. But the sighes, cryes, and grones of vndone parents, of beggard widdowes and Orphanes shall witnesse the contrary. All his money, like Hempe seede, is sowed with curses: and eueryevery obligation is written on earth with inke and bloud, and in hell with bloud and fire.
What shall become of the Encloser of Commons? Who shall plead his innocence? Hedges, ditches, fields, Dat veniam coruis, vexat censura columbas. Iuven. sat. 2.and townes; the weeping of the poore, the very lowings of beastes shall witnesse against him.
Where shall fraud, cosenage, racking of rents, iniurie, periurie, mischiefe appeare? You may conceale your craft from the eyes of man; defraud the minister, beguile your neighbour, impouerish the Common-wealth, vnperceiued, vnpunished: but know that the Lord will not hold you innocent.
I conclude; Make you the picture of Innocencie, and hang it in your houses: but especially draw it in the table of your hearts. Let it bee a Virgin faire and louely, without any spot of wrong to blemish her beautie. Let her garments be white as snow, and yet not so white as her conscience. Let the teares of compassion drop from her eyes, and an Angell holding a bottle to catch them. Let her weepe, not so much for her owne afflictions, as for the wickednes of her afflicters. Let the wayes be milke where she sets her foote, and let not the earth complaine of her pressure. Let the Sun offer her his beames, the clouds their raine, the ground her fruits, eueryevery creature his vertue. Let the poore blesse her: yea, let her very enemies be forced to prayse her. Let the world be sommoned to accuse her of wrong, and let none be found to witnesse it. Let peace lie in her lappe, and Integritie betweene her brests. Let religion kisse her lippes, and all Lawes reuerence her. Patience possesse her heart, and humilitie sit in her eyes. Let all Christians make her the precedent of their liues; and studie the doctrine that her mouth teacheth. Let the Angels of heauen be her guardians; and the merciemercy of God a shield of defence vntounto her. Let her tread vponupon iniurie, and stampe the Deuill and violence vnderunder her feete. Let her greatest aduersaries, Oppression and Hypocrisie, flie from her presence. Let rapine, malice, extortion, depopulation, fraud, and wrong, be as farre remoued from her, as hell is from heauen. Let the hand of merciemercy dry her eyes, and wipe away her teares. Let those glorious spirits lift her vp to the place of rest. Let heauen adde to her beautie, Immortalitie set her in a throne of ioy, and Eternitie crowne her with glorie. Whether may all her children follow her, through the bloud and merites of that most innocent Lambe Iesus Christ.
Amen.