THese words , some yeares * * 1574. since ( as some of you may remember ) vppon this yearelie and happie occasion were most learnedly , largely , and effectuallie debated with you . In resuming the same againe , my purpose is not to venture flight with the Eagle , or to run with the Gyant , or any way to compare with that excellent man . Onelie , for good reasons mouing me there-unto , I haue rather chosen to sowe in a ground readie plowed vp to my hand , than to breake vppe a newe at mine owne choice .

Without more adoe , or farther impertinent prefacing , these woordes and the whole storie of the Queene of Saba is not only recorded * * 1. King . 10 here , but also word for woorde repeated againe in the latter booke of Chronicles , as a matter woorthy all memorie and admiration . 2. Chron. 9. For , that a woman and shee a Queene , and ( as our Sauiour noteth ) from the farthest partes of the earth , Mat. 12.45 onelie mooued with the fame of a wise man , should come so readilie to learne wisedome , is more than straunge , & deserueth euerlasting praise with all posteritie in ages succeeding , and shee shall rise at the last day of doome and iudgement to the condemnation of the maruelous sloth of some whole generations . Some other , Luc. 11.31 . her like , would haue dealt after a diuerse and a dislike sort , as for example , reasoning thus : I am a woman , by nature weake and can not ; a Queene , and neede not ; of soueraigne estate and it were vnseemelie to leaue my people at random and to uenture at auentures & to trauell abroad . The way is long and tedious : the iourney daungerous , full of cruell beastes , and of men woorse than beastes : the fame is but a report , and reportes are not alwaies true . But shee fore-casteth none of all these doubts and inconueniences , neither the vncertainty of the euent , nor perill of the way , nor tediousnesse of the iourney , nor dignity of her person , nor infirmitie of her sexe . She , as a faire type , and a timely first-fruite of the gentils , presenteth herself among the people of GOD , preferring the aduenture for wisedome , more , Prou. 3.15 . than for siluer , gold , or what euer thing else of richest price . And beeing nowe come to Ierusalem , conferreth at large with Salomon himselfe , and receiueth speciall aunswere in euery thing aboue expectation . After a while , she surueieth his buildinges , and taketh particular viewe of his whole house and gouernment , and when shee had considered all ; the order of his realme , the array of his seruiters , the manner of his waiters , their attire , their diet , their blessed roume and place whereby they enioyed the happy presence of so woonderfullie wise a Prince , that could aunswere to euery her question , demaund , and motiue that shee could make , she was all amazed , and her spirite was taken from her . And comming to herselfe againe , she breaketh forth no doubt , by the spirite of God into the woordes of my text : Blessed be the Lord , thy God which loued thee &c.

A blessed God and a louing , a blessed Prince , and a blessed people beloued of God .

A blessed God , to be praised and blessed for euer ( as the Apostle speaketh ) Amen . Rom. 1.25 . & 9.5 . But wherewith this Queene beginneth , namely , with the praise and blessing of God , God willing , we meane to interlace all , and end the whole . In the meane while , consider wee apart Gods blessings , 1 vpon Salomom , and 2 vpon Salomons subiects .

1 Salomons blessing , and louely estate is therefore termed so and so pronounced here because god placed him in the throne of regiment amongst his people . And in truth , to be a plant in the Lordes orchard , to bee the woorkmanshippe of his owne hands , toward the toppe , or in the midle , or neere the foundation , or where-about so-euer in the frame of his building , euen to bee the poorest doore-keeper in all his house , Psal. 84.10 . is no small benefit , or common blessing : yet is this more properly his doing , and hee alone chiefly planteth and placeth all that are allotted to chiefest roumes . The Sunne placeth not it selfe aboue the Moone and starres : The head setteth not it selfe vpon the shoulders : By * * Prou. 8.15 me ( saith the wisedome of God ) Kings raigne : as if it were saide , if by others , as it is complained in the Prophet Osce , Ose. 8.4 . then not by me , and therefore by me alone ( saith the wisedom of God ) Kings raigne : that is , they beare their scepters and weare their swordes and sit in their thrones , BY ME they raigne .

And , great reason wee thus iudge of Soueraigne authoritie . All thinges in the world : the least , the vilest , the least of account ; the leafe of a flower , the fall of a sparowe , the feather of a bird , the foode of rauens , the fodder of oxen , the brissell of a hogge ( as Augustine speaketh , ) the teares of our eies , and colour of our haire come all within the span and compasse of God almighties power-full doing , and particular direction . Nowe , he that careth for litle thinges , is he carelesse of the greatest ? He that careth for the haire , he can not but care for the body : and hee that careth for the bodie , careth for the head ; and he that respecteth the bodie , the head , the haire , the whole , the parts , great and lesse , principall and excrementall of priuate men , without all question regardeth much more the bodie politike and the heade of the common-wealth . Rom. 13.1 . 1. Pet. 2.13 . All autoritie is of God , and therefore kinglie most of all , euen as all the waters ishue from the Ocean , but more immediatlie the great riuers .

This speach were vtterly needlesse , were wee not fallen into the waining of the world , Iude 8. wherein S. Iudes reprehension may iustly take place : when men are not onely despisers of gouernours , as Shimei was of Dauid , 2. Sam. 16.5 but euill speakers and misconsterers of authoitrie it selfe and soueraigne gouernment in the highest degree . Treason against the Prince is no sinne against God , saith Euerard Hance , as you may reade in the wise and True report of the Arrainment and execution of the Popish Traitor . Euerard Hance , alias Ducket

Our present storie , of the enthronizing of Salomon informeth vs better , & teacheth vs a contrary lesson , and sheweth plainly , whence princely gouernment is deriues and doth depend . I know , Berzabe Salomons mother , Dauid his Father , Nathan the Prophet , Zadock the Priest , were all for Salomon . But Adoniah was the elder brother , and Salomon the yonger ; Abiathar the high priest annointed Adoniah , and not Salomon ; Salomons mother was a blemished woman , and Adoniah was in a kinde of real possession of the kingdom , and what humane meanes can we imagine then could hinder him and them , and helpe Salomon to remedie all ? Ioab a great man and a mightie for valour , cunning and courage , would venter limme & life , and had set his rest vppon the cause .

Wherfore Bennaiah when he saw how the world went , 1. Reg. 1.36 . yet on the contrary side perceiuing how Dauid was resolued that Salomon for al this shold succeed , wished from his heart it might be so : So bee it , said he , & not contented therewith addeth after in few but effectual words , praying : The Lord God of the Lord my king ratifie it . As if he should haue saide , Berzabe , Zadocke , Nathan , and I , yea Dauid himselfe would haue it so : but God say so to . For if God say no it can not be , but if he say so notwithstanding all vnlikelihoods , if God ratified it , it shall stande , and must be so .

A worthy and a wise and a true saying ( and to conclude this matter ) most agreeable to the Psalme : Promotion commeth neither from the East , nor the West . No , Psal. 75.6 . my brethren nor from the north , nor south . The Lord of Lordes and king of kinges and gouernour of all thinges , ruleth , ouerruleth al in al specially al these cases of regiment euen by his plenary power and at his owne and absolute pleasure : as hath beene vouched in generall and in particular is declared that his meere loue to Prince and people it was that placed Salomon , & disappointed Adoniah .

But in sooth , is it such a blessing so great a benefit proceeding all of loue to bee a king ? Howe saith one , that the Princely cloke is lined all within with pinnes and pricking needles ? An other that a crown is not worth the stouping for ? A thirde , that , if profer were made necessarily to accept either present death , or the Princely Diademe , he would make willing choice rather to go straitway to his graue , than any way to the chaire of estate . And because domestical examples touch neerest , & affect most , our soueraine & careful queene the Lordes annointed ouer vs , in an exhortation to her councell and iudges , for a due consideration ouer her people , among other words euer to be remembred of their honors , hath these of her selfe : I care not for my selfe , my life is not deere vnto me : My care is for my people . In. B. Iewels view of the Bull. I pray god who euer succeedeth me , he as care full as I am . They , who might know what cares I beare , would not thinke it so great a ioy to weare the crowne .

In the booke of Iudges the ninth chapter there is a parable and a storie to this purpose ; read you the story , Iudges . 9. I will touch onely the parable : In deede the sweete figge tree , the pleasant vine , the fatte oliue refused preferment , when it was offered . But ( beloued ) figtrees , vines and Oliues are geisen and rare , & grow not in euery ground . The scratching bramble , that is rife & common in euery hedge , redily accepteth the offer , & willed al the trees to come vnder his shadow without straining cursie at the matter . Generally , Adams children , some more , some lesse , & almost al , haue some desire to ride the horse they cannot manage . 2. Sam. 15. Absalon in this affection embezelleth the harts of the subiects from his own most louing father . Hester . 6.6 . Aman blown vp with this winde would needes ride the kingly horse , and weare the Princely robe and ring , with sound of trumpet & proclamation made in open sight . Thus shall the man be honoured whom the king will honor . Cyprian . de Ten. & Ierunio . Yea ambition ( saith Cyprian ) sleepeth ( and lodgeth ) in the bosom of Priestes . No , no , Cyprian , lodge it may , but where it lodgeth it can not sleepne maketh men wake when other men sleepe . Neither will I wander abroade for proafe hereof : It caused Yorke to striue with Canterburie , Cardinal Woolsey . and Canterburie often to struggle with the king , and Yorke againe of later yeares it made to bee against and for the Pope : and lastly to the end to be Pope himselfe he would venter all England , as the Pope doth alwaies al Christendome to maintaine his triple crowne . Philarchie lust for honour , and loue of imperie troubled not onely some single men , Nazian. ad Procop. but ( as in Nazianzens time ) whole councels were so sea-sick with this passion , that Nazianzenes quiet nature was fully resolued neuer to resort to such distem pered assemblies . But if it be thus in the priest hood , much worse it can not choose but be in their minds , whose life is a worldly glory & whose only desire is to be aloft , to be the monarks , if it bee but of a mole-hill : and yet some whole dominions are to litle for some , & sometimes meaner men of lower lot can dreame euen Iosephs dreame , Genes. 37. but not with Iosephes spirite : that al the sheaues of the field must stoupe to their sheaue , that the sun moon and starres , the Queene , Nobles and realme must bowe & bend before a stinking snuf , a Stukeley , Thomas Stukeley . a faithlesse person & periured beast , & yet the best instrument of holy fathers pride . But pride hath had hir deserued ruine . As Absolons fancifal heade was hanged in his own lockes , and Haman on his own gallowes , so Stukeley & Stukeleis like haue had their iust deserts , & drank the wine of their own vintage .

Notwithstanding all this , to vse Hamans words to a truer sense , most true it is : So & so and in greater , truer , & incomparably better sort shal he be honored , whom God will honor , with this most honorable calling of being a lawful prince to the end he be his own lieutenant , 2. Chro. 9.8 . to sit in the throne in his own stead , to be & bear the image of his maiesty , to haue the credit of kingdoms , & care of his people , to feed Israel , to guide Iacob , to gouern Iudah , to be a foster-father & a nursing mother vnto his Church ; to bee the instrument & angel of God , as the woman of Thecuah said to Dauid , to be the horse & chariot , the bones and strength ; to be the head , & the eie of direction , for iustice , equity & good order in a commonwealth . This is no small prerogatiue or common priuilege . And in one word , this was Salomons case : & was this no blessing ?

2 In the second place consider we the blessing & loue of God towarde Salomons subiects . As the wickednesse of the king bringeth the wrath of God vpon the whole realm Gen. 20.9 . so when wise & very wise men gouern , the gouermnent is stable , and they so gouerned are most happy . As when Salomon should build the temple , he cared litle for hey , for straw , for vntempered morter , for vnskilful workmen , he sent for Hyerā , & prouided ( as Dauid his father had done before him ) for the gold of Ophir , & cedars of Libanus : Euen so God in the edifice of his chosen peculiar people , for the greater benefite and beuty of the whole work , he chuseth no Nabal , no foole as Nabal was to be their ruser , but Salomon the wisest man that euer was . If the prince bee wise , the people be the wiser ; if he be blessed of God , they be most happy . Si caecus caeco praeierit : If the head be il , the members cannot prosper : if the blinde lead the blind , they both fal into the pit & the pit is bottomlesse : but if the ese be sound , the fish is sweet . A good neighbour ( as we say ) is a great commodity , a gratious prince hath no comparison to speake of . A candle lighteth a house , the sun the world : a wel is competent for a few , it is the stream that caseth the countries : one beame beareth an other , one peece of a bough feedeth another ; it is the foundation , it is the roote that vpholdeth the building & cherisheth the whole tree . Somway semblably in this case , Israel reaped mutual helpe ech of other , but the sun , the generall light , the streame , the foundation , the root of their blisse & whole repose next & immediatly vnder God depended altogether and rested most in hauing Salomon to be their prince . Vnder him , their peace and plenty was more than woonderfull , siluer was as common as ruble in the streetes , and euery man sate without any feare at ful ease vnder his vine . Were these no blessings ? No dout the Lords blessings & rare effects of his singular loue , wherein he blessed Salomon and by him them , powring the ointment on his head that it might descend & be deriued to the rest parts of the whole body of the common-wealth . Not the poorest woman , but had accesse , 1. Kin. 3.17 . and inioyed her right , as appeareth in the strife for the liue child , and whose the deade should be . So wise , so willing a prince was he , so happy a people were they , and ( which was all in all ) so louing a God was God vnto them both .

And heere I pray you haue resort your selues vnto , and view the story as it lieth in the Bible , and you shal perceaue I haue but tripped ouer things . And nowe , because I am desired to bee short , who neuer loued length , right worshipful and deere countrimen , looke wee homeward a litle , and as it were out of the looking glasse of this scripture by way of reflexion I beseech you consider what blessings also on vs God hath bestowed , by what meanes they haue been receiued , & what dutifulnes is due therefore . Flattery becommeth no place , but lest of al the pulpit . Be it spoken to the praise of God for it is a truth , and you , who knowe anie thing and haue a true tast of things , knowe I lie not ; God hath blessed her maiesty with a wise , a wealthy , a peaceable , and a godlie raigne .

THE time was , when Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and canceller of England , a wilier serpent than all his brethren , worse than Abiathar , and as bad as Achitophel laied his complot to preuent her preferment , and in deede vpon vaine surmises without all proofe or legall caling to question most wrongfully brought her Grace to that heauy and doleful plight , that for griefe of minde , and sorow of heart she heartily wished rather to haue beene a poore milkmaid in Woodstocke park than a Kinges daughter , and a Queenes sister , and heire apparent to sundrie Bealmes .

The Lorde William Howard & the Lord Williams , & some others could do no more than they could . In al the world she found no friend , no able friend , no firme hope or present help but in God alone , the sure rock of her foundation . Only he that is mighty magnified her and tooke her from the prison , as Ioseph from the stocks , and made her our Queene , and as it were a Martha to prouide for Christ in his members , and as a Marie to heare him in his ministers , and as a verie Debora , to execute iustice , equitie and trueth in this English Nation . And hee , that preferred her at the first , preserueth her still , ( and preserue her euer . ) But all this was , because he had a tender , a fauourable , and fatherly respect to her and our former troubles for euer more .

Since her happy raign , some unhappy persons ( as what field hath not some blasted eares ? ) haue sought ( & if they will needes be traitors , long may they seek but all in vain ) the ruine of the realme , and destruction of her person , but they haue not preuailed at al. The master of all misrule Pius the fifth , & his Bull which Harding and his felow procured , & Felton affixed in her principal city , Moortons conspiracy with Westmerland and his complices in the North , Daluies promised aide ; the great and popular man with all his potent endeuours , rumors and vauntings of the Duke of Florence and Don of Austria , what haue they effected ? haue they preuailed ? In late times and very lately of greene memory , Mendoza his trauels and treacherous embassay : his and his casting lots for our garments , Throgmortons beadroll of recusants , and kalender of Inglish helpe for the inuading of England , Ardens villanous desire , Somerfieldes dagge , and Ap-harries dagger , as Stories axe in former times , haue missed their wicked purposes all , and haue not preuailed . Forren enimies , home libellers and rebels mighty or weake , many or fewe , subtile or rash , secret or open , they haue vndone themselues , against vs , our Queene and contrary they haue not preuailed .

Herein it is not to be denied , her sacred Maiesty & her most honorable councell haue Argus eies ( or rather to speake in this place more religiously , & lesse profanely ) In great measure , wise hearts haue they , as Salomon had ; her friends are many & sure , her nobles trusty , her seruants true , & her subiects loyall , her people willing & her realme no begger . Siluer is not as plenty , as stones in the streetes , yet most men haue more plate now than their great grandfathers had peuter in elder age , & for general munitions , the like store of weapons , armour , shot , pouder , & people were neuer comparable in her ancestors dates , her nauy incomparably strong & the sea about vs a maine defence . But , but ( deere countrimen , & christians ) as I tolde you the other day , except God had watched & warded & kept our citie , except he had held his holy hand ouer vs , except he had risen vp like a Giant , & plesaded his , her & our cause against our , her , & his mortall foes , except he had bard our gates , & bared his arme and stretched it foorth for our defence ( Sanders warring ; Alen libelling ; the Iesuits finely lying , sophistically iugling , & doubtfully answering ; the Pope cursing ; the Guise practising ; the Spaniard vndermining , Ireland & the North rebelling , & pioners still working ) what had bin come of this litle realm ?

Notwithstanding , brethren , bee of good cheere , lift vp your heades , your hands and hearts ; lift vp your heades and bee of comfort , your handes to heauen & your hearts to God , the God and horne of our saluation , the Lord of hosts . The horse of Egypt is flesh & not spirit , their men but men & not God . The blast of a horne , Iosua . 6. Iudges . 7. the blaze & flash of a broken lamp , litle things in the eies of the world and lesse in their own conceit haue ouerturned cities , conquered countries , and vanquished giants when God so would . And one woman by the helpe of him , in whom she trusteth , euen ELIZABETH by the grace of God our gracious Queene is and shal be , and shal be reputed for euer , the terror of her foes , the comfort of her friends , the glorie of England , the Iewel of the world , and diamond of christendom . Euen so ( O Lord ) because of perfit loue thou hast loued her so .

In the meane time vnnaturally minded men , traitors to Ierusalem & enimies to Sion , hauing euill will to both commonwealth & church of ours , & thinking it best fishing when the water is trobled most , ban & curse , raue & take on like mad men , or losing mates & lost companions , not seeing so much as Balaam that sawe lesse than his Asse , and yet saw thus much and sayd accordingly , that for a house ful of gold he could not curse where God did blesse . Numb. 23.

But is there no remedy ? can no musicke assuage these passions ? Will Ephraim bee wilfull ? Wil Israell trust to a reed ? can Papists imagine that strangers will doe them good ? and deeme they that God wil prosper a cursing generation ? And what if their treacheries ( which god auert ) might take effect ? * he , Ose . 8.7 that soweth a wind , shall he not reape a whirle-wind ? do they remember , or haue they forgotten , or haue they not reade county Melunes most memorable counsel to our English nobles ? Mat. Paris . Radolph Niger . cap. 47. who , ( after that the barons of this realme , missed by fancy of their own , and faction of the Clergy and prouocation of the Pope at first had brought in Lodouik the French kings sonne , to be king of England , in king Iohns steede ) moued with conscience , falling deadly sicke at London , calleth certain of the barons vnto him & said : I lament your sorowful case , & pitie with my hart the destruction that is comming towards you and your country , the dangerous snares which are prepared for your vtter confusion are hidden vnto you : you see them not yet , but take heede of them in time . Prince Lodouike hath sworn no smaloth and sixeteen of his Earles and Nobles with him , that if he get once the crowne , he will banish & depriue them all of lands and goods , at least , if not of life , euen as many as hee proueth to haue gone against their liege king and his noble person . And ( saith the worthy Melune ) because ye shall not take this tale for a tale , I assure you on my soule ( lying now at the mercy of God , when it is no fitte time to lie ) that I was one of them which was priuy & sworne to the same . I haue remorse thereof , and therefore I giue you this caueat . I pitty poore England , which hath bin so worthy a nation that now it is come to so miserable extremity . And when with teares hee had blubbred a space he beginneth a litle while a fresh againe : my masters , I aduise you earnestly to prouide for future extremities in season , I forewarn you of good will and for my conscience sake , and so after a fewe words to like sense , hauing discharged & vnburdened his heauy soule for the matter , he gaue vp the Ghost .

Let English harts apply this story , I wil not amplifie . In the booke of Iosua the Gabionites for all their crouchings , Iosu. 9. old bottles finoed bread , and proffered friendship were made no better then wood-cleauers & water bearers , drudges and slaues to the vilest function . A foolishe & a desperate sheaf it is that when it hath brought in fier & sette the barne all in a flame can possibly suppose it selfe can escape . Experience doth tell the contrary ; reason , religion and scripture doe teach vs better : To wit : to forethinke our selues , to thinke reuerently of the Lordes annointed , & to thanke God for all his blessings . They who were weary of Salomon were wearied out with Roboam who succeded Salomon . But what speak I to deaf ears , which is , but to powder the flint , to plow the rocke and sow the sand , and so to loose both salt , seed , and labour ?

My brethren in christ , my natural and naturally affected Countrimen , I speake to you : we haue gods blessings , we finde and feele those bodily and ghostly commodities which our poore neighbors want , God help them . Neither are our desertes , better than theirs , for ought I see . Do we thinke we are priuileged without couenant of duty or prouiso of forfeiting our estate more than are others ? Security maketh fooles , and folly bringeth confusion , and perfite wanton or waiward vnthankfullnes maketh a perfite separation and diuorse betwixt vs and our God . The noble men of Israel , 2. Sam. 1. where they braued it most , and nothing remembred God , & lest thought of danger , in the hils of Gelboe lost their liues . God forbid that the mildnes of our Queene , the fatte of our Country , the plentie of the realm , the wisedome of our rulers , and the blessings of god should be our bane . Nay rather God blesse vs with the gift of his grace in thankfulnes to blesse him euer that he may blesse vs alwaies more & more , & as Bennaiah wished , so wish we al , euen god say so for euermore . The happy resolution of this time , the course of this great assembly , the conueniency of my text & al holy writ besides , iointly with this good example of the Queene of Saba & the Sacrament and Eucharist which now wee shal partake being the pledge of his good wil & paune of his fauor , and seal of his mercies to vs-ward , and likewise also on our partes to him being the prouocation and promise of our thankfullnes , and Sacrifice of praise , should moue al to laude and praise his holy name for euer more world without end .