Exposition of Revelation 1-3, Dedication 2
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Sir Edward Montagu, Sir Walter Montagu, Sir Henry Montagu, and Sir Charles Montagu, Knights, M. Iames Montagu, Doctor of Diuinitie, Deane of his Maiesties Chappell, and M. Sidney Montagu Esquire, the Ladie Susan Sandys, and the Ladie Theodosia Capel, children of that right worthie and religious Sir Edward Montagu of Bowghton in the Countie of North-hampton Knight, and of the Ladie Elizabeth his worthie wife, sister to the right Honourable Sir Iohn Harington, Baron of Exton, and father to the vertuous Ladie the Countesse of Bedford, Grace and Peace.
RIght Worshipfull, as the Patriarch Iacob had aGen. 42.1 ….twelue sonnes, so Christ the Messiah had bMat. 10.1.twelue disciples: but as Ioseph was beloued aboue cGen. 37.3.all those sonnes; so Iohn was beloued aboue dIoh. 21.all the disciples. Ioseph was apparrelled better than the rest, and Iohn was inspired farre better than the rest. eGen. 41.38.Had it not been for Ioseph Egypt had wanted her food temporall, and had it not been for Iohn, the Church had wanted her food eternall. fGen. 41.25.The future state of Egypt was reuealed to Ioseph, and the future state of the Church was reuealed to Iohn. The one was gGen. 37.4.exiled, because his father loued him; and the other exiled, because his maister loued him. The place of his exile was into the hReuel. 1.9.Island of Pathmos, being before by Traian put into a vessell of iFasticulus temperum▪scalding oyle. But that God who shewed his visions to kGen. 22.12.Abraham in the mount, lGen. 28.to Iacob in the field, mGen. 40.to Ioseph in the stockes, nExod. 3.to Moses in Midian, oIer. 38.14.to Ieremie in the prison, pDan. 2.to Daniel in Babylon, qAct. 10.and to the Apostle Peter in the house of a Tanner, euen he sheweth his visions to Iohn in his exile.
He is not bound to persons, he can aduance whome he list, he is not bounden to place, he can reueale where hee list. For persons, hee can preferre rGen 4.Abel before Cain, sMal. 1.Iacob before Esau, t1. Sam. 16.Dauid before Eliab, uAct. 1.Matthias before Iudas. He can make wExod. ….10.Moses a Courtier, xIob. 1.1.Iob a Potentate, yAct. 7.Samuel a Iudge, z2. Sam. 2.1.Dauid a King, aProu. 1.1.Salomon a Soueraigne, b1. Kin. 19.19.Elysha a plowman,cAmos 1.1. Amos a Neat heard, dIerem 1.1.Ieremie a Priest, eDan. ….6.Daniel a Prince, fIsay 1.1.Isaiah of the bloud Royall, gMath. 9 9.Matthew a Publicane, hMatth 4.1….Peter a Fisher, iActs 1… 2. Nullum tempus occ…ri… Regi.and Paule a Tent-maker, to be penners and preachers of the word of God. For place, as no time can prescribe against the King of a nation, so no place can prescribe against this King of all nations. kIohn 5.The wind bloweth where it listeth, and the Spirit worketh where it listeth.
It pleased Christ, who is called in this Reuelation, a1. Reu. cap. 15.that faithfull witnesse, that first begotten of the dead, bV…rs. 8.that Prince of the kings of the earth, cVers. 18.Alpha and Omega, the first and last, dVe…s. 16.he that hath the keyes of hell and of death, eVers. 14.which hath that sharpe sword, fVers. 15.his eyes like fire, gChap 2.1.his feet like brasse, hChap. 3.1.the seuen Spirits of God, the seuen Starres in his hand, iVe…s. 7.the key of Dauid, who is called here kVers. 14.Amen, the beginning of the creatures of God; and in Daniel, hee that lDan. ….22.reuealeth secrets, it pleased this Christ to reueale secrets to Iohn. Not by dreame as to mGen. 28.Iacob, or apparition, as to nExod. 3.Moses, or by voice as oGen. 3to Adam; but partly by vision, and partly by voice, as he did when he turned pActs 9.Saule into Paule. This Iohn was Legatus à Latere, that embassadour who leaned on his Lords breast. He writeth Christs historie, there he sheweth his louelove to Christ: hee writeth the Churches historie,… Gospell. … Reuelation there Christ sheweth his louelove to him: especially in this, that he will doe nothing, which he doth not reueale to his qAmos 3 7.seruant this Prophet. For the Church in his time, wee may see how it stood, in the three first Chapters: and what condition it should hauehave for the time to come, it is plainely set downe in the rest of this booke.The co…te…ts of the whole Reuelation. If we respect the generall estate of the Church, after Iohn had described the authors of this Reuelation, which are God the Father, chap. 4. and Christ his Sonne, chap. 5. hee commeth to the workes of God, which are predictions, chap. 6. obsignations, chap. 7. indignations, chap. 8, 9. Predictions of things to come, obsignations of such as must be saued, and indignation on things to be destroyed. And for the more particular estate of the Church, hauing (chap. 10.) shewed his warrant to write, he commeth to her actions: first, in her Prophets: secondly, in her bodie. In her Prophets, their fighting, falling, rising, chap. 11. In her bodie, comparing her to a woman clothed with the Sunne, chap. 12. and describing her by her combats, conquests, triumphs: her combats defensiue, chap. 13. and offensiue in Christ, by words, chap. 14. threatnings, chap. 15. and iudgements, chap. 16. her victories gotten against that rThe Church of Rome.whore, chap. 17. and 18. the sThe Romane Emp…re.Beast, chap. 19. and the tThe d…ll.Dragon, chap. 20. And all that glorie which shee shall hauehave in the kingdome of God, is vnderunder the type of Ierusalem most comfortably set downe, chap. 21.22.
The things in this booke were (I grant) very darke to them that liued in the dayes of Iohn, as the Prophecie of Daniel was to them who liued in the time of Daniel. But as that Prophecie being fulfilled, wee can now tell what was foretold in it: so many things being fulfilled which were foretold in this booke, we may easily see what is meant by it: and the posteritie to come shall better vnderstand this booke than wee doe, because it may bee all things are not yet fulfilled. Neither is this booke like the cities of the uNum. 13.Anakims, or the wGen. 3.tree of knowledge which may not be reached to: for xReuel. 1.3.blessed is hee that readeth the words of this booke. But to come to these three Chapters written by Iohn surnamed the Diuine, and expounded by one a most worthie Diuine. The first Chapter is a Proeme or Preface to the booke: the two latter are Epistles dedicating this booke. The dedication is made to yReuel. 2.3.seuen seuerall Churches, and by name to the Ministers which are called Angels. In the word of God Ministers hauehave many excellent titles giuen them, (though now they are scarcely graced with titles) they are called zGen. 20.Prophets, a1. Sam. 9.….Seers, b2 Pet. 1.13.Remembrancers, cIsa. 58.1.Trumpets, dEx. 3.1.Watchmen, eCor. 3.Husbandmen, fLuk. 12.14.Stewards, gProu. 9.4.Maydens, hEzec. 47.Fishers, iMa…h. 23.24.Leaders, k1. Pet 5.1.Elders, lMar. 9.50.Salt, mDan. 12.2.Starres, n1. Cor. 11.10.Angels, and oEzec 14.2.Shepheards. Prophets to teach, Seers to foretell, Remembrancers to put in mind, Trumpets to sound, Watchmen to admonish, Husbandmen to plow vp, Stewards to distribute, Maidens to keepe pure the doctrine of truth, Fishers to catch men, Leaders to goe before, Elders to gouerne, Salt to season, Starres to giuegive light, Angels to declare, and Shepheards to feed: to feed (I say) soundly by doctrine, liberally by charitie, and religiously by life. By doctrine: for Sacerdos sine doctrina, est nauis sine velis, a Priest without knowledge, is a ship without sailes. By liberalitie: for aNaz. in ora. de pauper.Nihil habet homo adeò diuinum quàm benefacere, Man is in nothing more like God, than in doing good. By life: for cuius vita despicitur, eius oratio contemnitur: his words are not esteemed, whose life is not approoued. And that it may be said of them as it was of Origen: Quale habuit verbum, talem habuit vitam: as his words were, so were his workes. They must not be barren like mount b2. Sam. 1.21.Gilboah, but c1. Sa. 1.24.weaned as Samuel was, before they be offered vntounto the Lord They must be pure water if they will cleanse others, and more than whetstones, if they will sharpen others. They must bee in dGen. 19.integritie Abrahams, eNum. 12.3.in meekenesse Moses, fExod. 4.14.in knowledge Arons, g2. Cor. 11.23.in paines Paules, h1. Sam. 12.and in praying Samuels: and remember, that as Augustine sayd, Manus pauperum sunt gazophylacium Christi, The hands of the poore are the treasurie of Christ. I need not speake much of the dutie of a Minister: for eueryevery one will teach him his dutie, that will not bee ranged within any dutie himselfe.
These Churches were then like i1. Chr. 12.14.Dauids Worthies, excellent aboue all the Churches of the world: but because they lost their first kReuel. 2.4.louelove, lVers. 10.were not faithfull to the death, mVers. 14.maintained the doctrine of Balaam, nVers. 20.suffered women to teach, oCap. 3.1.bare a name onelyonly to liue, pVers. 8.had but a little strength, qVers. 16.were neither hote nor cold, and rCap. 2.21.repented not as they should hauehave done, of all their sinnes, they are reprehended by Iohn, threatened by Christ, and the Candlesticke of the Gospell is now taken away from them. Iam seges est vbi Troia fuit: Now Mahomet rageth, where Messiah did raigne. Are they reprehended? let vsus hearken: are they threatened? let vsus feare: are they fallen? let vsus labour to continue. From Iohns reprehension we see, that (as one said) hereof our Elders hauehave complained, hereof doe we complaine, Seneca.and hereof they which liue after vsus will complaine, that men waxe worse, and liue not according to the doctrine of Gods word. From Christs threatning we see, that God is mercifull, sDeut. 20 10.who first offereth peace before he fight against vsus, that we being forewarned, might be forearmed. And by the wofull downefall of these seuen Churches, let t1. Cor. 10.12.vsus that stand take heed that we fall not: for if God spared not the u2. Pet. 2.old world who despised Noah, the Sodomites who vexed Lot, wMat. 23.3….Ierusalem which abused the Prophets, xOrosius sayth that these cities for … cause, fell by an earthquake.Colossa, Hierapolis, and Laodicea, who reiected Paule, and these Asian Churches who did not grow in righteousnesse as they did in riches, how shall wee escape yHeb. 2.3.if we neglect so great saluation? and for this cause these Sermons are most worthie to be considered of in this present age. O then let vsus now zRom. 13.consider this season: aRom. 12.11.redeeme the oportunitie, bHeb. 3. & Psal. 95.not harden our hearts, but regard the time of our present visitation. As the day openeth and shutteth with the Sunne, so saluation openeth and shutteth with the Gospell. cHeb. 3.13.Whilest it is called to day let vsus heare his voice: dProu 10 5.He that laboureth in Summer is the sonne of wisedome, but he that sleepeth in haruest is the sonne of confusion.
All things in the world doe take their time, the bird to build her neast, the husbandman to sow his seed, the mariner to goe to sea, the gardener to set his trees, the sicke patient to take physicke, the cooke to season meats, and the dresser of the vineyard to gather his fruit. It will bee too late to build in Summer, to sow in haruest, to go to sea when the ship is launched, to transplant trees when they are old, to take physicke when we are dying, to season meates when they are vnsauorie, and when winter is come to gather fruit. The aMat. 25.10.fiue foolish virgines came too late, Diues bLuk. 16.in hell repenteth too late, the time present is onelyonly ours.Solum tempus presens est nostrum, Seneca. Is the figge-tree fruitlesse? it shall heare that sentence, cLuk. 13.Neuer fruit grow on thee any more. dEccl. 18.18.Get thee then righteousnesse before thou come to iudgement: vse Physicke before thou be sicke, and whilest thou maiest yet sinne, shew thy conuersion, as the wise man exhorteth eueryevery man. But alas, whereunto shall I liken this generation? We are like the Ephesians, wee hauehave eApoc. 2.lost our first louelove; or the Laodiceans, we are fApoc. 3.neither hote nor cold: or the twilight, neither day nor night: or the Autumne, neither faire nor foule: or one sicke of an ague, one day well, another ill: or a man in a Lethargie, neither aliue nor dead: or Hermaphroditus, neither male nor female: or to those creatures called foreign, which liue in water or on land: or the Lionesse, which the oftener shee breedeth, the fewer cubs she beareth: or the Mariner, who is onelyonly good in a storme: or the Marigold, that shutteth and openeth with the Sunne: or the Mermaids, which are halfe flesh, halfe fish. I would to God wee were either hote or cold: that as the hotest regions bring foorth sweetest spices, so most zealous people might be most fruitfull in good workes: that as the Sunne in the heauen is swiftest at her setting, so the sonnes of God might bee best at their ending. But is it so? no: the more wee are taught, the more ignorant are many; and the older we are, the colder in religion. We hauehave indeed many of vsus, as it was said of Aristogiton, Martem, or rather religionem in lingua, religion in tongue: but when triall is made of vsus, eueryevery gPlutarch in Ph…cion.Phoc…on can espie our halting: and then with hTheatrum Philos. lib. 5. cap. 30.Archilochus we thinke it better clypeum abiicere quàm interire, euen to cast off all religion, than to vndergoe the least disgrace for religion.
iTreatise of Apostacie, cap. 2.The Moone desiring to be apparelled as the rest of the Planets, answer was made her, That her diuerse chaunges could admit no kind of habite: and we desiring to be attired with the robes of Christians, it is to bee feared, that since we tread kApoc. 12.1. That is, all earthly vanities.not the Moon vnderunder our feet, we shal neuer be clothed as the Church was, with the lApoc. 12.1. That is, Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse.Sunne. mHo…. 14.10.Who is wise, and he shall vnderstand these things; and prudent, and he shall know them. Let vsus therefore labor to n1. Pet. 3.19.grow in grace, to abound in knowledge, to be full of good works, and to ouercome all the vnderminers of our future saluation. Then shall we oSee Reu c. 2.23eat of the tree of life, not be hurt of the second death, tast of the hidden Manna, hauehave power ouer nations, bee clothed in white, made pillars in Gods temple, and sit with Christ Iesus in the throne of his father. And though the p1. Sam. 22.7.sonne of Ishai cannot make vsus Captaines of thousands, yet that Sonne of Dauid will qGal. 3.27.make vsus the sonnes of God. That we may doe so, we must beleeue the Gospell, put on Christ Iesus, and bee renewed by repentance; The first is necessarie, the second comely, the third profitable. To come to the first; it is necessarie we should beleeue: for hee that rIoh. 3.18.beleeueth not, is condemned alreadie, he is condemned in the counsell of God, in the ministery of the word, and in his owne conscience, & he shall be condemned in the day of iudgement; for sIoh. 3.38.the wrath of God abideth vponupon him. The more I consider the fruits of faith, the more I see the necessitie of faith. tEph. 2.….Through it we are saued: uRom. 5.1.by it we are iustified: wHeb. 1.4.in it we liue. We are saued from Sathan, iustified before God, & liue in the Church. In the Church? nay, by it we liue in heauen: for xIoh. 3.16.hee that beleeueth in the Sonne of God, hath euerlasting life. Faith is that which yAct. 15.9.purifieth the heart, maketh the whole man to zPsal. 119.32.run the wayes of Gods commaundements, aRom. 5.2.giueth entrance to grace, bHeb. 10.3.accesse to God in prayer, cHeb. 11.made the Elders well reported of, and each Christian to d2. Cor. 1.24.stand to the profession of Christ. It is that eEph. 3.17.hand by which wee must apprehend Christ: that fEph. 6.16.shield by which wee resist all the fierie darts of the diuell: and that gMat. ….13.meanes by which we do good to others. hGal. 3.7.By faith we receiue the spirit: iRom. 8.1.are members of Christ: kCol. 3.12.we are risen with him: lEph. 3.17.he dwelleth in our hearts: mIoh. 6.35.we feed on him continually: n1. Pet. 5.8.resist Sathan: oIoh. 1.13.are the children of God: pHeb. 4.2.and the word which we heare becommeth profitable. And what shall I say? faith is of such a qualitie, that it qColos. 2.7.vniteth vsus to Christ, r2. Cor. 13.5. Rom. 8.maketh vsus certaine of our saluation, s1. Tim. 3.13.bold in our profession, ministreth tPhil. 3.28.true ioy, uMat. 15.28.giueth temporall blessings, wLuk. 17.19.sanctifieth our gifts, and maketh vsus refuse the xHeb. 11 24.pleasures of this present world. In a word, no sinne can condemne him who hath this true faith, and no vertue can saue him who wanteth it.
To come to the second, which is Christ, the obiect of faith. The most comely garment that euer we can weare, it is to be couered with the yRom. 13.13.robes of Christs righteousnesse. zGen. 27.15.Iacob was blessed by Esaus garments; and we are blessed by Christs garments. What wee see through a greene glasse, seemeth all to be greene: and what God seeth through Christ it is all amiable. We must put on this apparell, not as the Church in the Canticles: aCant. 5.3. How Christ is to be put on.I hauehave put off my clothes, how shall I put them on againe? or as a gowne, that wee cast off when we come to our home: but we must so put him on, that we neuer put him off againe. Wee must put him on by imputation, imitation, infusion, and profession: by imputation of his righteousnesse, imitation of his vertues, infusion of his spirit, and profession of his name. Thus we must labour to get Christ: for what though a man could command the earth with Alexander, the bExod. 14.sea with Moses, the c2. King. 1.fire with Eliah, and the dIos. 10.Sunne with Iosuah? What though he were as rich as e1. King. 4.Salomon, as wise as f2. Sam. 16.23.Achitophel, as strong as gIud. 16.Sampson, as swift as h2. Sam. 18.19.Ahimaaz, as beautifull as i2. Sam. 18.Absolon, as fortunate as kTheatrum Philos. lib. 2. cap. 33.Metellus, and descended as lPhi…. 3.8.Paul was of the bloud royall of Princes, yet hauing not Christ hee hath nothing. Yea say a man had the abstinence of Aristydes, the innocencie of Phocion, the holinesse of Socrates, the almes deedes of Cimon, the moderation of Camillus, the honestie, iustice, and faithfulnesse of both Catoes, all these out of Christ, were but mAugustine.splendida peccata, and to be esteemed as nPhil. 3.10.dung, in regard of Christ. For hauehave him and hauehave all things, want him and want all things: he is in, at, and after death aduantage. I come to the last, it is profitable to repent: for if we oIer. 4.1. Reasons of repentance.turne to the Lord, he will turne to vsus: and that wee may turne, consider his pRom 2.mercies in forgiuing, his qGen. 30.9.benefits in giuing, his rRom. 2.5.patience in forbearing, and his sIsa. 26.9.iudgements in punishing. tAct. 17.30.The word preached, u1. Pet. 4.3.sinnes committed, and that wLuk. 13.24.few shall be saued: xEccl. 12.1.the shortnesse of life, yPsal. 90.12.the vncertaintie of life, zHeb. 9.26.and the certaintie of death: a1. Cor. 2.9.the ioyes of heauen, bMat. 25.46.the torments of hell, the cLuk. 15.10.comfort of the elect, and that else wee can hauehave no dEccles. 41.1.comfort in death: eIer. 7.pray wee cannot vnlesse wee repent, and fLuk. 13 2. Act. 2.40.perish wee shall vnlesse we repent: but blessed shall we be if we do repent. But manum de tabula Magister adest: this discourse following will teach vsus these things: and it am I bold to present to your worships. Iohn sent his Reuelation to manie Churches; and I present his Epistles to manie worthie personages: and to whom may I better present them then to you. Iohn was a Disciple full of louelove, and you are brethren full of louelove. The Preacher of these Lectures was well knowne to manie, but to none better than to many of you, especially to those who were in my time worthie members of that most worthie gChrists colledge.Colledge with him. And the rather I do it, that times to come may reioyce in the Lord, that from one honourable roote hauehave issued so manie profitable branches to the Church. You are six brethren as pillars of your house, there were three sisters as fruitfull vines of the same: one is not, but is with the Lord, and her I knew a Ladie of admirable vertues:foreign Ale…a…der. The Lady Wray. the other two are, and long may they be so. You are all brethren by nature of one venter, nation of one country, grace of one spirit, affection of one heart, fortune in great fauor, and of one hope by your holy behauiour. And a1. Thes. 4.9.concerning brotherly louelove, I need not to write vntounto you: for you are taught of God to louelove one another. Your bWhich had … sonne…. Plutarke.Scilurus at his death need not to teach you concord, by giuing to each of you a sheafe of arrowes, which cannot well bee broken whilst they are conioyned: for you by your amitie make your selues inuincible. IfcThe…trum …. pag 294. Chilo the Lacedemonian died for ioy to see one sonne crowned at Olympus, and d…ul. Gel. lib. … ….Diagoras Rhodius did the like, when his three children got the garland at a wrestling: and eGen. 45.28.Iacob so reioyced to heare of his sonne Ioseph, to bee aduanced greatly in the kingdome of Aegypt: how might that happie father of yours reioyce, to see at one time, one son sitting as high Sheriffe of the shire, another preaching before the Iudges of Assize, and the third pleading as Councellor at the barre, and all the rest of great expectation in the kingdome? Thus fPro. 10.1.wise sons are a ioy to their parents, and all may gPsal. 133.1.behold how good and comely a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in vnitie. Aristotle could say, that parents were not blessed, vnlesse they were after their death blessed in their children.Lib. 10 …. And surely it is no small part of a fathers blessednesse, to see his children like to flourish when he is gone. Nay of all monuments that parents can leaue behind them, there is none (as one saith) like to a vertuous son. But all parents are not to be blessed.hGenes. 4. Adams two sonnes could not agree in one field, iGen. 21.9.Abrahams in one house, kGen. 25. …atrum gratia rar….Isaaks in one wombe,l2. Kin. 1. Dauids in one pallace, nor mLuk. 12.13.two brethren in the diuision of an inheritance. And though concord amongst brethren (especially such as deuide the inheritance) be very rare, yet do you, euen in this, most comfortably agree. You are not as Simeon & Leui, Romulus and Remus, Eteocles and Polynices, Atreus & Thyestes, Aeta and Perseus: but as Castor and Pollux, Dauid and Ionathan, Ioseph and Beniamin; and (as a true friend is described to be)nforeign. one soule in two bodies: It seemeth that as Agrippa the brother of Augustus was beholding to Salust for that one sentence, Small things increase by concord, but perish through discord: so you hauehave all learned the same lesson, as being persuaded, that as the members of a body being once dismembred, they cannot possibly be ioyned againe: so if naturall brethren be once vnnaturally disioyned, no glue will conioyne them fast againe. It were infinit to shew examples of brotherly louelove and hatred,oSee French Academ pag. 542, &c. and othe…s hauehave eased me of this paines. Now that good God, who hath brought you from one roote, placed you in one countrey, aduanced you to like credit, and giuen you one heart, giuegive you also one inheritance in the kingdome of heauen. Thus right worshipfull, I am bold to speake vntounto you, and the world knoweth I speake the truth, and the Lord knoweth I desire not to flatter. Go on therefore I beseech you, continue in louelove, bee setled in the truth, and labour to honour him who thus honoreth you. Be not caried away with the pLud…mur he … bla…d a fallentis imag…e mundi.shew of this world, but thinke religion the best nobilitie, and that as qPrudentius foreign.Prudentius sayd:
Generosa Christi secta nobilitat viros,
Cui quisquis seruit, ille verè est nobilis.
He noble is that comes of Christ his race:
Who serues this Lord, he surely is not base.
And this made Theodosius more to thanke God,H…st Eccles. that he was a Christian than a king; considering that hee must lose the one, hee could not lose the other. Now as to one of you I am bounden in parcicular, and by him, being a Minister, the despised ministerie is not a little graced: …o for him I pray,M. Doctor Montagu. that hee may be an aGen. 20.Abraham to our Abimelech, a b2 Sam. 12.Nathan to our Dauid, a c2. Kin. 11.Iehoida to our Ioash, dIer. 38.an Ebedmelech to Ieremiah, an e2. King. 4.1.Elisha to the widow of this Prophet deceased, a light in the Court, a trumpet in the Church, and that f…sther. 5.2.Ahashuerosh may long hold out his golden Scepter vntounto him: that by his meanes g… regis, deest regibus qu… verum dicat.great men may not want such as will tell them the truth: no hPlu. in vit… Alex. reports, that Iupiters Priests called Alexander by the name of Iupiters sonne.earthly Alexander accounted a sonne of Iupiter, and that no man may be more respected than a good iforeign. pag. 42.Pastor: and that he may euer remember that saying of wise Salomon: kProu. 22.11.He that loueth purenesse of heart, for the grace of his lips the King shall be his friend. His Cyrus will not be spoken to verbis bissinis in silken words, to his Alexander he needeth not speake foreign, either sweet words or no words. For if one Antiochus might bee surnamed holy, and another good Prince called the Good King: much more may he, whose religious knowledge surpasseth all the Princes that hauehave beene of this nation: and whose humilitie is such, that hee will hauehave his sonne to remember, lforeign. pag. 95. O dictum ver… regium.that hee differeth not in stuffe, but in vse from the rest of his people, and that by Gods ordinance. I am the bolder for that one to make choyce of all in the dedication of this booke: no man knew, loued, conuersed with, and respected this Author more than he. He resorted to him in his health, visited him in sicknesse, and preached a learned Sermon for him at his death. Concerning this author, as he sayd of Carthage, I had rather bee silent then say little, and his worthie labours doe speake enough for him, by name that his mProblem… Theologicum.Posthume, dedicated to his excellent Maiestie, by nMaister Samuel VVard, Fellow of Immanuel Colledge.an excellent Diuine. In a word therefore, whatsoeuer this man did, he desired to profit others by it: he thought (as it is written oAutor vit… B…r. l…. 2. cap. 4. & 7.of Bernard in his life) that hee was not his owne man, but deputed to the seruice of others. He was neuer idle, but as pHieron ad Marcellam.Hierome reporteth of Ambrose, and Bernard of himselfe, he did either reade, or meditate, or pray, or conferre, or counsel, or comfort, or write, or preach. And thus (as the qAliis in…er…i…s, meipsam consum….Embleme is of a faithfull Teacher) he, like a waxe candle, in giuing light to others, in a short time extinguished himselfe. Yet in this short time of his, what art was he not maister of? what vertue was hee not endued with? He was a complet Diuine, and hath his blessings in the Church, that no mans writings are read of all sorts, and in all countries with greater grace and profit than his. Hee was peaceable in the Church, patient of wrongs, and free from ambition. For as Ierome sayd of Nepotian, Aurum calcans, schedul…s consectabatur: hee regarded not his purse, but followed his booke, and as Bernard sayd, he liued in terra auri sine auro, in a kingdome of gold without gold. An excellent gift he had to define properly, diuide exactly, dispute subtilly, answere directly, speake pithily, and write iudicially: and how hee preached, if these Sermons doe giuegive a testimonie, what witnesse had they who often heard him themselues? I hauehave published of his now two Discourses, and I onelyonly did it, that these his labours might not perish: I hauehave no benefit by them, but exceeding great paines. And since I vnderstand that his other labours are in the hands of his friends, to make benefit for his children, I will ease my selfe of the like labour, and be a meanes that they may hauehave the benefit of the future impressions of this booke: the which, how faithfully I hauehave published, I appeale to the godly and indifferent Reader, and I hope no honest minded man will be hired to calumniate it. Thus as one desirous to be seruiceable in my calling, profitable to the Church, not forgetfull of my friend, and to testifie the happinesse of your house, which was in your fathers time, and is now (as it is sayd of Aurelian the Emperours,) Refertapi…s & Ecclesia Dei, replenished with the godly, and a Church of God, and withall to leaue a monument of my duty to you all, I hauehave as you see, published this exposition of seuen Epistles vnderunder your eight names, nothing doubting but it will bee as welcome to you, as by your countenance it may bee profitable to the Church. The God of heauen giuegive you all that blessing of blessings,Epist. ad Iulianum. which (if Ierome say true) few men hauehave, that you may transire à deliciis ad dilicias, go on from grace to grace, and be a long time happie in this life, and euer for happie in the life to come. London: Saint Martins in the fields, from my worshipfull friend Maister Oldisworths house,2. Tim. 1 16. by which familie (as Paul was by the house of Onesiphorus) in the time of this late (and I wish I may say) the last visitation, I hauehave receiued no small refreshing.
March. 12. 1604. Your Worships to command, Robert Hill: Fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge.