The Gods are Men, Title page – Dedication
THE GODS ARE MEN: OR, The Mortality of Perſons in places of MAGISTRACY.
As it was Explained and Applied in a SERMON Preached at the Aſſize holden at Hertford for that County, on March 15. 1656/7.
BY George Swinnocke M.A. late Fellow of Bailiol Colledge in Oxford, and now Preacher of the Goſpel at Rickmerſworth in Hertfordſhire.
Man being in honour abideth not, Pſalm 49.12.
PALLIDA mors aequo pulſat pede Pauperum tabernas Regum que turres. Hor. od. 4. lib. 1.
O that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end! Deut. 32.29.
Vivere tota vita diſcendum eſt: & quod magis fortaſſe miraberis, tota vita diſcendum eſt mori. Senec. ad Paulin. de brevit. vitae. cap. 7.
LONDON, Printed for N. VVebb, and VV. Grantham at the Beare over againſt the little North-door in Pauls Church-yard. 1657.
To the Worſhipful John Beresford Eſq. High Sheriff of the County of Hertford.
Honoured Sir,
It is*Camb. Eliz. reported of Queen Elizabeth (that Deborah of our Nation) that in a letter to the King of France ſhe ſhould uſe this expreſſion, That if there were any unpardonable ſin, it muſt be ingratitude. AndbPlut. in vita Pyrr. Plutarch relateth concerning Pyrrhus King of Epirus, that he took the death of Aeropus very impatiently, becauſe he was thereby cut off from all opportunities of requiting the courteſies which he had received from him. I think, Sir, there are few that have any relation to me, but know ſomething of my obligations to you. And though I cannot ſtrictly comply with the former, yet I bleſſe God I have not the ſame cauſe to complain with the latter. Notwithſtanding, the only requitall I am able to make you, is by theſe lines to give you a Bill under my hand that I am your debtor. I ſhall ever hold my ſelf engaged tocIngratus eſt qui beneficium accepiſſe ſe negat, quod accepit; Ingratus qui diſſimulat; Ingratus qui non reddit; Ingratiſſimus omnium qui oblitus eſt. Sen. de benef. lib. 3. cap. 1. remember the frequent and reall kindneſſe which your liberal ſelf and loving Conſort, have freely beſtowed on me and mine: For which I may ſay to you asdIdem de ben. lib. 2. cap. 25. Furnius to Auguſtus, Hanc unam Ceſar habeo injuriam tuam, effeciſti ut viverem & morerer ingratus, This is the only injury you have done me by your courteſies, to force me to live and die ungrateful.
Your voluntary cloſing with them in the Pariſh that ſeek to advance the power of godlineſs, your honouring them that fear the Lord, your diſeſteeming vicious perſons, your charitable contributions to the poor upon all occaſions, are certainly recorded in Heaven; and therefore; for the honour of God and encouragement of others deſerve reſpectfully to be mentioned on Earth. In teſtimony of my gratitude I now preſent to your eyes, what was lately preached in your ears, with the addition of ſome things then omitted, either through the defect of my memory or want of time. Acknowledging both the weight of the matter delivered, and my weakneſs in the manner of its delivery. It is very viſible that this Child is like its Parent, I mean my Book (if theſe ſheets may be called by that name) too too much reſembleth my body in infirmities. And indeed the conſciouſneſs of my own inabilities hath been the chief reaſon why I have not yet ſatisfied the deſires of ſome perſons of quality in Publiſhing two former Sermons compoſed on the like occaſion. OnelyOnly my reſpect to you hath cauſed this Sermon,eGen. 27.36. like Jacob to ſupplant its elder brother by getting away the birthright, and likefGen. 38.29. Pharez to make a breach upon hisgi. e. A Sermon preached at a former Aſſize on the former part of the Text, not yet printed. brother Zarah, and get into the world before him. But the Almighty God (who is a free Agent) often worketh great things by ſmall means. He can by the blowing of Rams horns cauſe the ſtrong walls ofhJoſh. 6.16. Jericho to fall down; with commoniJohn 9.6. clay he can make a precious ſalve to open the eyes of the blind: It pleaſeth his wiſdome by the k1 Cor. 1.21.fooliſhneſſe of preaching to ſave them that believe. lDr. Reynolds epiſtle before Meditat. on Lords Supper.Herein the ſoveraignty of the Goſpell is moſt excellently ſet forth, in that it leadeth the ſoul by the hand of a child, Iſa. 11.6. and is as truly though not as abundantly powerful from young Timothy as from Paul the aged, 1 Tim. 4.12.
The favourable and extraordinary acceptance which this Sermon obtained when it was heard, moveth me to hope that through the bleſſing of Heaven, it will be profitable when it ſhall be read.
Sir, In it you may diſcern thatmPſal. 119.96. there will be an end of, and that there is an emptineſſe in all earthly perfections. That death is the great leveller making all equall, ſeizing as boldly on, and dealing as hardly with the greateſt Emperour as the pooreſt beggar.
Diveſne, priſco natus ab Inacho,
Nil intereſt, an pauper, & infima
De gente, ſub dio moreris,
Victima nil miſerantis orci.
Omnes eodem cogimur, omnium
Verſatur urna: ſerius, ocyus
Sors exitura, nos in aeternum
Exilium impoſitura cymbae.
Hor. lib. 2. Ad Del.
That the rich mans wealthnProv. 10.15. which is his ſtrong City, and an high tower in his conceit, cannot ſecure him againſt the aſſault and battery of this grand adverſary.oTheir bones and skellitons have no Inſcriptions or Titles of honour remaining on them, Vines Eſſ. Fun. That the grave m…keth no difference between the duſt of Princes and Peaſants. That they which cannot be contented with much Earth while they live, will be contained in a little when they die. As thepK. Philip. Macedonian King having got a fall in the ſand, as he was wreſtling at the Olympick games, when he roſe again ſeeing the print of his body in the ſand, cryed out, O how little a parcel of Earth will hold us when we are dead, who ambitiouſly ſeek after the whole world whileſt we are living!qDan. 2.32. That Image in Daniel doth notably ſet out the frailty of worldly greatneſs; The head of it was of fine gold, (that ſpake the Chaldean Empire) the breaſt and arms of ſilver, (this that Empire of the Medes and Perſians) the belly and thighs of braſs (by theſe the Grecian Empire is underſtood) but the feet were part of clay. The feet of this Image were the ſtrength and foundation of the image, and ſpeak thus much to us, that all worldly pompe and majeſty will fail, all earthly power and dignity will fall; for the Image ſtands upon clay.rQ. Cur. Nudus paſcit aves, jacet en qui poſſidet orbem, Exiguae telluris inops. Claudian of Pomp. Mag. Cyrus therefore did fitly cauſe this Epitaph to be engraven on his tomb, O man whoſoever thou art that ſhalt come hither, know that I am great Cyrus, that firſt erected the Perſian Monarchy; therefore envy me not this little Earth that now covereth my body.
From it you may learn, That your greateſt care ſhould be to fit your ſelf for your laſt hour; your main work is to doe your laſt act well. The Roman Gladiators appointed to death, were very ſolicitous how they ſhould contrive their bodies ſo, as that they might fall handſomely and die modeſtly. Your buſineſs is ſo to furniſh your ſoul, that you may die piouſly,ſHujuſmodi comparandae ſunt opes quae ſimul cum naufragio enatent. to get ſuch riches as will ſwim out with you in a ſhipwrack, to betLuke 22.21. rich towards God,uJam. 2.5. to be rich in faith, to be rich*1 Tim. 6.18, 19. in good works (Alas how poor is that … who hath no other riches then what are at the courteſie of the thief, mo…, and death!) hereby you will lay up a good foundation againſt the time to come and lay hold on eternal life.
It will ſhew you, how abſolutely neceſſary an experimental knowledge of a crucified Chriſt is to a dying Chriſtian; that no weapon is more requiſite (for us to have and uſe) when we enter the liſts and encounter with our laſt enemy, then the ſhield of faith: O how cheering and comforting to a dying body will the warm blood of the Lord Jeſus be, being applied by a true lively faith to the ſoul! He and he only may look on the King of terrours without fear, that hath firſt looked on the King of Saints with the eye of faith.
It will acquaint you that a ſaving work of grace muſt be wrought, upon the heart, before death can be a paſſage to the weight of glory.A Painter may paint fire, but he cannot paint heat. A perſon civillized may attain to the outward actions, but cannot to the inward affections of a ſanctified Chriſtian. That all the godlineſs of an unregenerate man will die with him. That the lamp of profeſſion which ſhineth gloriouſly whilſt a man liveth, if it be not fed from oyl in the veſſel, true grace in the heart, a renewed nature, the image of God ſtamped on the ſoul, it will go out in a ſtink when he dieth, and not advantage him at all. And therefore Chriſtians ſhould not like ſome Tradeſmen live altogether upon their credit with others, but labour to find ſome teſtimony within them, that there is a real change wrought upon them.
It will tell you, that it highly concerneth you to be laborious for your ſoul, for your Saviour now you live, becauſe you muſt reſt when you die. That you ſhould be much in thinking highly of God, in ſpeaking humbly to God, in acting vigorouſly for God.*1 Cor. 15. ult. That you ſhould abound more and more in the work of the Lord. Saints muſt not*Joſh. 10.12, 13. Falſi illi ſunt, qui diverſiſſimas res expectant, ignaviae voluptatem, & praemia virtutis. Saluſt. Non incepiſſe ſed perfeciſſe virtutis eſt. Aug. ad fratr. in erem. like Joſhua's Moon ſtand ſtill, much leſs like Crabs goe backward; no, not like the Snail, creep forward; but like the Sun, rejoyce to run his race. The path of the juſt muſt be like the ſhining light, that ſhineth brighter and brighter to perfect day, Prov. 4.18.
Truth of grace is ever followed with growth in grace. though perfection be the honour and reward onelyonly of the Saints in Heaven, yet it is the deſire and endeavour of the Saints on earth. That you ſhould perſevere and encreaſe both by your pattern and precept, in diſcouraging the bad, and encouraging the good. That you ſhould improve all opportunities, employ every talent, your honour, riches, power, life, health, ſtrength, relations, intereſts, all you have, are or can be, to the utmoſt in his ſervice, and for his for glory, who (I hope) hath loved you, and waſhed you in his blood.Gen. 47.6. Pharaoh would have active men to be his ſervants; the great King of heaven is a pure act and he loveth moſt and liketh beſt thoſe ſervants that are moſt active for him. Hereby you will pleaſe the moſt high God, though hereby you will diſpleaſe prophane men. The world indeed whom the Spirit of God compareth toe2 Pet. 2. ult. His ſpeech ſavoured more of wit, then grace, who counſelled his friend not to come too nigh unto truth, leſt his teeth ſhould be beaten out with its heeles. dogs, if a man go ſoftly will be quiet; but if he ride a pace in the way to heaven, they will bark exceedingly, yea and bite if they can: do but hinder their progreſs in ſin, and like waters ſtopt at a bridge they will roar and make a noiſe to purpoſe: But ſurely the favour of God will bear up the heart againſt all the anger of men. Thoſe perſons which the wicked beſmear with calumny, and thoſe actions which ungodly men ſpeak of with ſcorn and contempt, God will entertain with an Euge and reward with glory:fMatth. 25.21. Well done good and Faithfull ſervant, thou haſt been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many Cities, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Sir, My hearts deſire and prayer to God for Rickmerſworth is, that it might be ſaved. And I hope the Divine providence wil ere long put a greater price into your hands then ever yet you had, wherein you may manifeſt your fear of his Majeſty, your zeal for his glory, your hatred of iniquity and your real love to the place of your Nativity: which that you may faithfully diſcharge at this day, and comfortably account for at the laſt day, and that you and yours,2 Cor. 5.1. when theſe earthly houſes of your tabernacles ſhall be diſſolved, may have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, but eternall in the Heavens, ſhall be the prayer of him whoſe deſire is to be
Rickmerſworth June 1. 1657. Your faithful ſervant in the work of your faith GEORGE SWINNOCK.