Works, Dedication 4 – Part 4
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, IOHN, LORDE. STANHOP, BARON OF HARINGTON, VICECHAMberlaine to the Kings most excellent Maiestie, and one of his Honorable priuie Councell, Grace and Peace.
RIght Honourable, Though Diuinitie as an Hand-maide, attende all other callings, (and by reason of her pouertie serues manie Masters) yet if shee were esteemed according to her worth, shee were worthie to become a Mistresse to the most. Her Conception is Celestiall, her Birth, in Paradise, her education in Canaan, her foode Mannah, her habite righteousnes, her Armes, the Lambe, her children Saintes, her kinred Angels, her habitation vponupon Earth, is the Church militant, and in Heauen the Church triumphant. This poore Ladie hath euer yet liued by milke, which being drawne out of the two dugs of the Olde and Newe Testament, is called the syncere milke of the word of God: after which all her true children doe thirst, as after that foode which must nourish their soules.
This Worde it was decreed by God the Father, preached by God the Sonne, inspired by God the holie Ghost, and by Angels, Prophets, Apostles, and Euangelists successiuely made knowne to the children of the Church. The Church of the Iewes knew it onelyonly for a time, there he thewed his wayes vntounto Iaakob, his statutes and ordinances vntounto Israel. The Church of the Gentiles shall know it for euer: he dealeth now graciously with eueryevery Nation, and the Heathen hauehave knowledge of his Lawes. True it is indeede, the Iewes hauehave the Bible, but by reason of that curtaine drawne before their eyes, they cannot see him, who is the ende of the Bible, there is a great diference betweene them and vsus.
They (as Hierome saith) hauehave the bookes, wee the worde of those bookes: they the Prophets, wee the vnderstanding of the Prophets: they are killed by the Letter, we are quickened by the Spirite: They hauehave Barrabas the murtherer deliuered: to vsus is deliuered CHRIST the Sonne of God. Iudas solde him, the Iewe bought him, the true Christian is the possessor of him, whom he findeth in this Word, feeleth in the Sacraments, and feedeth on in his heart by a liuely Faith. The antiquitie, necessitie, dignitie, and commoditie of Helie writte, if it were truely thought of as it should, would breede a greater louelove to the reading of it, desire to the knowledge of it, and care to the practising of it, then is now a dayes in the most of the worlde. For Antiquitie, it is in part as ancient as the first Adam, and in whole, as olde as the second, in whome all the Promises contained in this booke are, Yea, and Amen. For necessitie, as needfull as the true knowledge of God, whome to knowe is eternall life. For dignitie, so greas that it alone must be called the Law of God, yea, that law then which no man can shewe a better to serue God by, or by which hee may better knowe his dutie to man. Compare wee this our Christian lawe with those of Lycurgus, Draco, Solon, Zaleucus, Numa Pompilius, Romane twelue tables themselues, which Cicero preferreth aboue all the bookes of Philosophers, and the difference will bee as great as the light of the Sunne, to a candle, the Cedar to the shrub, and the little Ant to the great Elephant. … Augustine considering but one sentence of this booke, writeth thus: What disputations, what Epist. 3. ad Volus.writings of Philosophers, what lawes of any Cities, are to bee compared to these two Precepts vponupon which (as CHRIST saith) depend the Law and the Prophets; Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength, and thy Neighbour as thy selfe? Heere are Physiques, here are Ethiques, here is Logique; here is the la…da…l… gouernement of the Common-wealth, &c.
Againe, would we knowe the commoditie of the Word of God, Psalme, 19. 7 &c. Dauid saith, the Law of the Lord is perfect, conuerting the soule, the Testimonie of the Lord is sure, and giueth wisedome to the simple the Precept of the Lord is pure and enlighteneth the eyes. The feare of the Lord is cleane, and endureth for euer: the iudgements of the Lorde are true, and righteous altogether. They are more to bee desired then golde, yea, then much fine golde: Sweeter are they then the honie & the honie combe. By them also is thy seruant made circumspect, & in keeping of them is great reward. 2. Tim. 3▪ Paul saith the Scriptures make wise to saluation, & are profitable to teach, to reproue, to correct, & instruct, and to make the man of God, (that is Gods minister, who only in the Scripture is termed a man of God) perfect to eueryevery good work. And surely if men now a dayes could lay aside curiosity in searching after things not meet, affection in louing and hating men too much, ambition in seeking their owne glorie, selfe-louelove, in liking their owne opinions best, pertinacie in maintaining preconceited errors, and in a worde, preiudicate opinions of some mens gifts, and a popular following of most mens conceipts, and that bitter calumniation, which is vsed one against another; if men (I say) could lay aside these, and onelyonly hearken what God doth say in his Worde, there would bee an ende of many Controuersies, which till then will neuer be without controuersie. The Prophet that hath a dreame, will tell a dreame: he that hath Gods word, will speake Gods word, Ierem. 23. If once wee reiect the word of the Lorde, what wisedome is in vsus? I… 8. 9. I had rather heare what God saith by his Prophets and Apostles, then what all the Fathers, and Schoolemen, and Doctors, and Casuists in the world can say: though also I will be content to hearken vntounto them, when they also should hearken vntounto the Lord.
It is well obserued by Erasmus in his prefuce before Ireneus, that that holy father did onelyonly with the weapons of the Scriptures encounter with the whole troupe of heretickes. The sung of Dauid against Goliah▪ the sword of Goliah against the Philistines are not comparable to these weapons. The word of the Lord it is the sword of the spirit, wee must fight with it: the light of the soule, see by it: the guide of our life, walke by it: the fire of the Sanctuary, be warmed by it: the water of life be purged by it: the food of heauen, be nourished by it▪ the interpreter of Gods will, we must know him by it: the meanes of consolation be comforted by it: and that mallet to knocke out the braines of Antichrist▪ we must euer hauehave it in our hands: If euer the sonne of Perdition …e ouercome, it must be by this meanes.
To the reading of this word, the Fathers, especially Chrysostome, in many places exhorteth the people; and Erasmus in his preface to the new Testament, protesting his dissent from such as would not hauehave priuate persons to reade the Bible, saith, that the Sunne in the firmament is not so commō as the Doctrine of Christ. No man euer hated this light, but either he that wanted yes to behold it, or feared the light to discouer his workes of darkenes. O then let vsus reade this, and to reading adde meditation, to meditation prayer, to prayer humilitie, to humilitie an ayming at Gods glorie and our good, and to all a desire to turne Gods word into good workes. This eueryevery word of God is pure▪ and is to be preferred before the golde of Ophir. And to the ende wee might all delight in it, there is set downe in the Bible all such varietie of learning as may giuegive content to each seuerall Reader; Histories for the Temporist, Philosophie for the Naturalist, Ethiques for the Moralist, Mysteries for the Artist, and languages for the Linguist. Heere is a Flood for the great Elephant to swimme in, and … ▪ Foorde for the little lambe to walke in. Would wee be acquainted with the vanitie of the worlde? what better meanes hauehave wee then the booke of the Preacher? would wee know how to liue in the worlde? whence better can we hauehave it, then from the booke of the Prouerbes? and if we would powre out prayers to God, Dauid in his Psalmes hath a platforme of praying, which one little booke is the Epitome of the Bible. Caluin calls it the Anatomie of the soule: Another, the prayer-booke of the Church: Athanasius the definition of humane life: Basil the prediction of things to come: Nazianzene the sweete Companion of life: Augustine the common Treasurie of all good things: Ambrose the Medicine of Mans salutation: Chrysostome a Salue against eueryevery sore: Gregorie that Stone which killed Goliah: And Bernard saith, that whosoeuer faithfully and deuoutly doth sing the Psalmes, in a sort is in association with the Angels: without which deuotion, (what Quirister soeuer) shall sing them in the Church, I may say vntounto him as Augustine once saide to the singing men of his time, Plus placet Deo mugitus Boum, latratus Canum, grunnitus porcorum, hinnitus Equorum▪ quàm cantus Clericorum luxuriantium: The bellowing of oxen, the barking of dogs▪ the g…unting of swine, and the …eying of horses, doe more please God then the singing of luxurious Quiristers.
Now though eueryevery Psalme be of speciall Obseruation; yet this one is especially remarkeable. It was penned by King Dauid, that sweete singer of Israel, it hath in eueryevery verse a commendation of the word of God, it is artificially written, eueryevery eight verses beginning in the Hebrue tongue, with one Letter of the Hebrue Alphabet: and the longest Meditation that euer Dauid had, either concerning Gods word or workes, it seemeth hee had it when he penned this Psalme▪ which the Iewes vsed as a Catechisme for their children To the ende this Psalme might bee vnderstood of all▪ it hath beene expounded by many worthie men, especially by that worthie man of God, M. Richard Greenham, memorable in our Church. It is pittie that all his meditations on this Psalme come not yet to light, but that in former editions about fortie verses were left vnexpounded.
Now that godly man who hath the sale of his workes, was very desirous that there might bee an Exposition vponupon eueryevery verse, and to that purpose hath employed mee. And I finding the foure first verses expounded by a worthie Elisha, vponupon whom the spirite of this Eliah doth rest, was bolde to setM. Dod of Hanwell. downe the same as I found it: the rest I hauehave finished according to the grace giuen vntounto mee, and thus offer them to the Church of God.
I remember that an ancient Father saith, Iudicem aditurus▪ patr…num quaere, Must you appeareGregorie. before the Iudge, seeke a Patron. I am now to appeare before as many Iudges as Readers, I desire a Patron: and I finde none fitter then your Honor, who hauing for manie yeares post beene a bountifull Patron to my labours in the Church, will (I doubt not) vouchsafe to become a Patron of these labours for the Church. If euer wee must looke for a blessing from Counsellors, it is then when they consult with the Lord, and are not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ. Among manie such Honorable Senators in our Kingdome, we hauehave good cause to number your Honor. What Sabbath is there, which you passe ouer without the morning and euening sacrifice? what Minister is there who preacheth before you, whome you sende away without a blessing? what monethmonth is there, in which you once are not a Communicāt at the Eucharist? what day is there, that passeth ouer your head, in which you vse not both prayer and meditation? You were once gracious in the eyes of that Queene, then whome the Church neuer had a more nourcing mother: you are nowe gracious in the eyes of that King, then whom the Church will neuer hauehave a more nourcing Father: & in this honorable Parish wherein you liue, what good you do by your owne example, in frequenting Gods house, your liberalitie & bountie in maintaining Gods Saints, & your care, that your familie may be the Church of God, I had rather be silent, then say little. Your old age is a crowne of glorie, being thus found in the generation of the righteous. The consideration of your honorable respect to pietie and godlines, hath made me a long time to honour you in mine heart, and the consideration of your▪ fauour to mee a poore preacher, emboldeneth mee to publish these my labours vnderunder your Honorable name. If it please you to allow that your name, which I am perswaded is written in the booke of life, may remaine in this liuing and worthie booke, I hauehave that which I desire by this Dedication.
Thus crauing pardon, I humbly take my leaue, beseeching the Lord to continue you long, a trustie Counsellor to our most gracious King: your Honourable Ladie, the Ladie Margaret, a precious Iewell vponupon your right hand: and your hopefull and happie Children, as Oliue plants rounde about your Table. London: From Salisburie Rents, at S. Martins in the fieldes. Nouember the first. 1611.
At your Honors seruice, Robert Hill.