two sorts of Bibles in their Synagogues and accordingly did they deliver both sorts down to the Christian Church the one in Hebrew the other in Greek but though they delivered down a double text of Scripture yet they delivered not down a double Canon of Scripture as Iosephus himself doth testifie lib. 1. contra Appionem quoted by Eusebius Eccl. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 10. who affirmeth That the Church of the Jews had but twenty two books for the ground of their faith the Masorites say twenty four books counting Ruth apart from Iudges and the Lamentations apart from Ieremy and those that accounted Samuel Kings and Chronicles each two books made the number of the Canonical books of the Old Testament full out twenty seven and these books saith he were all written before the time of Artaxerxes and as for those which were written after that time as all that we call Apocrypha he tells us they had not the same authority with the others because when they were written there was not so undoubted a succession of the prophets as had been ever before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that though those other books came down in the Greek Bibles if at least they were in them at that time which is very questionable yet they came not down as a part of the Canon for that was the peculiar priviledge of those books alone which had been written in Hebrew or Chaldee and deposited in the ark by the prophets And indeed we do not read that the Jews would hazard their lives for any one book of all the Apocrypha but towards the Canon they were so zealously affected that as they embraced it for the Book of God so they would not be divorced from it by any terrours of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb. l. 3. c. 10. It is inbred in all the Jews from their very nativitie to account their Testament the word of God to stick close to it and if need require willingly to dye for it To this Canon of Scripture it is that St. Paul here appeals calling it the Law and the Prophets for so Christ himself had called it before Saint Mat. 11. 13. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until Iohn and again S. Luke 16. 16. The Law and the Prophets were until Iohn that is they were the Canon of the Scripture until John but after that time there was to be another accession to the Canon it is clear that neither under the Law nor under the Prophets did our blessed Saviour comprize any of the Apocryphal books because none of them is quoted in all the New Testament as prophesying of Christ a truth not denied by those who stand most upon the credit of the Apocrypha for even in the Greek Bibles printed at Paris by the authority of Pope Sixtus Quintus at the end of the second volume there is an Index of all the testimonies alledged in the New out of the Old Testament and not one of them is taken out of any part of the Apocrypha But you will say if this division be good of the Old Testament into the Law and the Prophets what is become of the books of the Kings Chronicles Iob the Psalms and all Solomons works even of that whole third part of the Canon called by the Masorites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for in Gen. 16. 5. The Masor a divides the whole Testament into three parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law the Prophets and the holy writings I answer They are included in these for it is not imaginable that Saint Paul left them out of his Bible although here he doth not expresly name them and indeed the whole Canon of the Old Testament is sometimes called the Law onely sometimes the Prophets onely sometimes both together the Law and the Prophets 1. The Canon of the Old Testament is sometimes called the Law onely as Neh. 8. 8. so they read in the book in the law of God distinctly where by the Law must be meant the whole Testament unless we will say that the Jews in their captivity had contracted the heresie of the Samaritans whom they so much hated to admit onely of the five books of Moses for their Bible 2. The whole Canon of the Old Testament is sometimes called the Prophets onely as 2 Chron. 20. 20. Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper his Prophets that is his word as it is recorded in his Book 3. The whole Canon of the Old Testament is sometimes called both together the Law and the Prophets as Saint Luke 16. 29. They have Moses the pen-man of the Law and the Prophets that is they have the written word of God or Canon of the Text. And those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those other books of the Bible are no less comprised in these two by Saint Paul then they had been by our Saviour Christ before him for indeed this was the most usual way of citing the Old Testament to call it the Law and the Prophets and there is but one place in the New Testament that seems to confirm the Masorites division of the Old Testament into the Law and the Prophets and holy writings and that we finde Saint Luke 24. 44. where our Blessed Saviour saith That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning him where the Psalms are put for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof they were but one though a principal part The sum of all is this there is a difference betwixt the substance and the exercise of Religion that they may be separated in themselves but the difference is not so great that they may prudently and justly be separated by us either in our profession or in our practise for we see plainly that St. Pauls profession and practise contain in them the very substance of Religion so that it is impossible for any man that disesteems the exercise of Religion to have any high regard or esteem of the substance of it and it is observable in the first table of the Decalogue which wholly concerns our duty towards God that as the three first Commandments concern the substance of Religion so the fourth concerns the exercise of it The substance of Religion is nothing else but the knowledge and worship of God for Abraham being strong in faith gave glory to God Rom. 4. 29. whereby we may see and must confess that faith and consequently hope and charity do glorifie God as well as worship though perchance not so publickly yet sure as cordially for they glorifie God in the inner as worship and thanksgiving do glorifie him in the outer man wherefore in these consists the substance of Religion whose work it is to glorifie God either inwardly which is commanded in the first or outwardly which is commanded in the second and third commandments I say that as the three first commandments
the reason that so many men daily fall from the profession of the faith but meerly a twofold ignorance though they pretend to knowledge one of themselves another of their Saviour They are ignorant of themselves know not their spiritual state or condition know not when they are on the mount when they are called to the state of grace and therefore say not with Saint Peter Lord it is good for us to be here And they are ignorant of their Saviour acknowledge him not as the Captain of their salvation or they would never forsake his colours they look no further then the outworks of Religion look not into the foundation of it for if they did they would be unmoveable the foundation moves not no more can he be moved that sticks and cleaves to the foundation O thou which art the way the truth and the life the way wherein we should walk the truth to direct our goings and the life to reward us at our journeys end Forgive us our strayings and straglings out of thy way direct us in thy truth and never leave directing us till thou bring us to everlasting life to bless praise thee our most mercifull Redeemer with the Father and the holy Ghost world without end Amen Thus we see the necessity of being constant in our Christian profession if we will either hear St. Pauls doctrine or follow his example Let us in the next place observe the substance of that profession that we may be unshaken and unmoveable in our constancy For Religion is best when it comes nearest God as having holiness from his purity and peace from his unity so also having duration and perseverance from his enternity Accordingly St. Pauls Religion depends altogether on God and therefore in the profession and practice of his Religion we are sure to meet with nothing but with unquestionable true godliness for the substance of his profession is twofold professio cultûs professio fidei a profession of worship so worship I a profession of faith beleeving all things c. Concerning his worship it is evident he had the true Religion for he worshipped God and he had also the ancient Religion for he worshipped the God of his fathers His Religion was the true Religion in modo colendi in objecto cultûs in the manner of his worshipping and in the object of his worship First in the manner of his worshipping for it was with great fear and reverence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he which is a word derived from much trembling but whether it be so in the word or no is not material it must be so in the thing for it is the very nature of true Religion to fear God and therefore the one is expressed and explained by the other Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him if there be no fear there can be no service if there be no reverence there can be no Religion Unless the Centurion and they that were with him had feared greatly they had never honoured Christ by saying truly this was the Son of God S. Mat. 27. 54. A Religion without fear cannot pierce the heart to make room for God much less open the mouth to glorify him and therefore the prophet Jeremy calling upon the Jews to return to their Religion labours to fill their hearts with the fear of God Jer. 5. 22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence Secondly St. Pauls Religion was also the true Religion in objecto cultûs in the object of his worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I worship God Divineiy S. Aug. Quod colit summus angelus id colendum ab homine insimo what is worshipped by the highest angel that is to be worshipped by the lowest man angels then are fellow-worshippers with men not objects of their worship And as it is with Adoration so also with Invocation for they both alike tend to the acknowledgement of the Supremest excellency the one by Deed the other by Word the one by bowing to his Majesty the other by calling upon his Mercy And Bellarmine himselfe confesseth That the Invocation of Saints was no part of the Old Religion in the Old Testament because saith he the Patriarchs and Prophets before Christs death were not admitted immediately into glory In carceribus inferni detinebantur But is it not safer to say that Invocation being the highest honour we can give may not be given save onely to the most Highest by the Religion either of the old or of the new Testament for there is neither precept nor example nor promise for the Invocation of any but of God alone in all the book of God so that we cannot Invocate either Saint or Angel in Faith and whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. And if our Prayers be turned into sin which was a curse prophetically intended onely against the person of Iudas for betraying our blessed Saviour Psa. 109. v. 7. nor can we have share in the curse unless we have a share in the treachery I say if our prayers be turned into sin what shall we do to pray for the forgiveness of our sins if so be that we still sin in praying So neerly doth it concern all Christians to be sure that their Religion be as St. Pauls was true in the Object of their worship And by the same reason that his Religion was the true it was also the ancient Religion Doceant Adamum Sabbatizâsse was an excellent challenge against those who maintained the morality of the Jewish Sabbath Let them shew it was a part of Adams Religion or they will never be able to prove it ought to be a part of ours for the same religion that saved him must save us if it be the truest it will appear to the first so is it here with S. Pauls religion as it was the true so was it also the ancient Religion for he worshipped the God of his fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patrio Deo meo saith the vulgar Lat. My Fathers God and my God whereby he had both the credit and the comfort of his Religion First S. Paul had the credit of his Religion that it had been tryed by so long experience for so many years together and had justified it self in that tryal Religion like an aged-man requiring our esteem by being gray-headed and that practice of godliness being most venerable which is likest God in being the Ancient of dayes Dan. 7. 9. And we of this Church of England can have no better plea for our selves and ought not to use a worse then to say that our Religion is the same Religion with our Fathers though not the same Superstition with it wherein they had left their first Fathers the Apostles and the Primitive Christians therein onely have we left them for we profess with those Holy men Ezra 5. 11. We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and build the house that
or work of men hath in every age of the Church come to nought and so will to the worlds end but the counsel and work of God in the Christian Religion never yet was never shall be overthrown for the gates of hell might prevail against the Church of Christ could they prevail against the Christian Religion that upholds the Church But since chopping and changing in the profession and practise of Religion is now the great sin of many that would be thought the best Christians I will endeavour to shew that it should be also their shame no less then it is their sin for in vain is the pretence of Godliness in changing that which God hath ordained should partake of his own unchangeableness indeed in every respect that God himself is unchangeable Religion is so too now God is unchangeable in three respects essentiâ voluntate loco in his essence in his will in his place and Religion would fain also have this immutability First God is immutable in his essence Rev. 1. 4. Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come from him who always was always will be the same that he now is as if he had said From him that is wholly immutable in his essence that is from God for no man is the same either that he was or that he shall be and no Angel is the same that he was for there was a time when he was not and the first Council of Nice thought it a sufficient proof of the judgement of the Catholick Church concerning the Divinity of Christ in that they said she anathematized those who said There was a time when he was not which is all one as if they had said concerning him That he was God who was and is and is to come for God alone may be said to have an unchangeable Being who hath his Being from himself all creatures whatsoever have once changed from a not-Being to a Being and would again change from a Being to a not-Being did not the same hand which at first made them still preserve them for it is proper onely to the Creatour who alone is of himself to be alone unchangeable in himself and so is Religion unchangeable in its essence for being the service of God it must be like its master since by the rule of Relatives Change in the service cannot but proceeed from change in the master at lest from some change in his will if not in his nature and therefore the argument rather pleads against the worship of Angels which is alledged by Bel. l. ◠de beat can San. c. 14. then for it where he thus argues the Angels were worshipped before Christs incarnation by Abraham and Lot Gen. 18 and 19. but the Angel forbad St. John to worship him Rev. 19. 10. and 22. 9. ob reverentiam humanitatis Christi for the reverence he did bear to Christ now in the nature of man I answer That reason is more forcible against invocation which humbles the soul then it is against adoration which humbles the body since Christ took upon him as well the soul of man as his body and consequently if we may not adore the Angels without disparaging the humane nature in Christ much less may we invocate them without fear of that disparagement But because this answer doth not satisfie the argument but rather invert it if not retort it I answer secondly That therefore the worshipping of Angels cannot be made good Religion because it was not as good Religion in S. John as it is supposed to have been in Abraham For if it had been once good Religion it would have been so still and must needs be so for ever since it concerns the very object of worship which must be unchangeable and not the manner of it which may in some respects be capable of change For Religion is Gods service and knows no more how to change it self then how to change its master else serving the time would come to be good Divinity instead of serving the Lord which now is taken for a false reading of the text Rom. 12. 11. occasioned by short writing of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being enlarged by vowels might easily be turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore we must say that the same religious worship is commanded in Genesis and in the Revelation in the first and in the last book of Gods word and if the Angel might not lawfully be worshipped by S. Iohn he might not lawfully be worshipped by Abraham or by Lot that is to say not with a religious worship and therefore we must confess that their worship if religious was directed onely to the Son of God who then frequently appeared with the Angels as it were preluding to his own incarnation If not religious but either a civil or a moral reverence in acknowledgment either of the Angels government or of their excellency 't is improperly alledged as an act of Religion for if worshipping of Angels had been a duty of Religion either to Abraham or to Lot it must also have been so to S. Iohn and then the Angel would not have said See thou do it not but See thou do it And this is proof enough That worshipping of Angels is no part of Religion because it self is confessed to be a changeable worship but Religion cannot be denied to be an unchangeable service in its own nature and essence even as the God is whom it serves Secondly God is immutable or unchangeable in his will Vult mutationem non mutat voluntatem as saith Aquinas par 1. qu. 19. He wills a change but changeth not his will and accordingly God threatning destruction to the Ninivites and yet not destroying them may not be said to have changed his own will but to have willed their change For though in Promises and in Precepts Gods revealed will is a declaration of his secret will yet 't is not so in Threats or comminations of vengeance there God doth not so much declare what himself wills as what we deserve therefore threats may not be fulfilled and yet Gods will still be the same not so Promises or Precepts for God would not promise if he did not intend to perform nor would he command if he did not intend we should obey from his Promise we have an interest in his mercy for all good is clamable from his Precepts his Justice hath an interest in us for all evil is punishable and all transgression is evil so that God cannot promise or command what is not according to his will unless he should dispence either with his mercy or with his justice but in predictions of vengeance the case is otherwise God doth often threaten what he doth not will and therefore may change his threats and yet not change his will fór his threats shew not so much his will or his intent as our deservings that mischief is
nothing but what no body else can see your own holiness Come and see a Dead King ruling in his true Subjects souls whom whilest he was living you would not suffer to rule over your bodies but now he is dead you must and God grant onely you may I say you must expiate his death either with your eyes or with your hearts wash away the guilt of it either with your tears or with your bloud beleeve it all annals and among the rest some Dypticks or Church-Calenders will speak of him as a most glorious Saint but I will not tell how they will speak of you and now if you can come and call this doctrine Court-flattery which was preached not when the King was on his Throne but when he was going to the Bar and published now he is in his Grave then perchance it might have been thought Flattery when there was a Scepter to adorn it and a Sword to defend it but now that 't is so generally decried so publickly discountenanced so resolvedly detested and opposed it can be thought no other then a most divine soul-saving truth which forceth consciencious Ministers to hazard their temporal safety by proclaiming it because they see you hazard your eternal salvation by resisting it and yet to speak but the plain truth it is flattery at no time to say of Kings Ye are Gods for the Text avows it But 't is most desperate flattery at any time to say of Subjects Ye are Kings for the Text denies it and 't is not to be doubted but those men who have already flattered Subjects into Kings to make us slaves will as easily flatter those their Kings into Tyrants to perpetuate our slavery For my part this I will say boldly in regard of my calling as a Minister of the Church of England not in regard of my person who am the unworthiest of all the Ministry and I am not afraid of saying it before men because I am not afraid of saying it before God If I am deceived in this Doctrine of Allegiance and Supremacy 't is my Church hath deceived me and I humbly conceive the Church will yet further say for her self If I am deceived God hath deceived me Domine si decipimur a te decepti sumus Lord if I the now distressed Church of England or the poor Ministers who are truly of my Communion be deceived in the points of Allegiance and Supremacy 't is thou hast deceived us for we are deceived by thy holy Word and now let 's hear that Word speak for it self Eccles. 8. 2 3 4. ECCLES 8. 2 3 4. I counsel thee to keep the Kings Commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God Be not hasty to go out of his sight stand not in an evil thing for he doth what soever pleaseth him Where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him what doest thou ALlegiance and Supremacy do belong to Kings by the appointment and from the authority of the King of Kings 't is from him they have the right to govern 't is from him they have the inseparable Rights of Government to be above and over all which we call Supremacy to be truly and faithfully loved served honoured and obeyed of all which we call Allegiance two doctrines upon which Christians did heretofore more severely insist then other men and the Reformed Churches have hitherto more insisted then other Christians So that we cannot fall from them but we must fall both from the glory of the true Christian Religion and from the present most glorious part of that the Reformation we must turn Papists nay the worst of Papists Jesuited Papists and renounce our Reformation Doctrines both of a heavenly descent for had they risen out of the earth they would have been more agreeable with the tempers of men who had their original from thence and still have their affections there but now they are so opposite so repugnant to flesh and bloud corrupt flesh and bloud which is too proud and rebellious to endure a Supremacy over-awing it too unfaithfull and licentious to endure an Allegiance bounding and confining it that the most powerfull Doctour of the Gentiles writing of this Argument is observed to labour exceedingly for variety of expression as if his adversaries who before calumniated the weakness of his presence would now also in this calumniate the want of Power in his writings and not so much as say his Letters are weighty and powerfull though his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible 2 Cor. 10. 10. for though that blessed Apostle write very fully and expresly of all points of Divinity yet doth he seek out for demonstrations chiefly in these three Justification by Faith in Christ Resurrection from the dead and Obedience to the Civil Magistrate and he is particularly urgent and pressing in this latter to shew us that we ought most carefully to lay it up in our Consciences and most conscionably to practise it in our lives and conversations preparing and fore-arming the Church of Christ against those wolves in sheeps clothing those Godly seditious men which should arise after his departing and speak perverse things to draw away disciples after them Act. 20. 30. the like method did God himself observe in the Old Testament and I hope that we Protestants who take the Word of God onely for the Rule of our Faith will not at one time reject both the New and the Old Testament for least men should at any time among the Jews as stiff-necked a people as our selves either for Apostasie refuse or for hypocrisie dissemble or for timorousness conceal this heavenly doctrine which is so necessary for the salvation of souls he which before with Abraham did provide himself a sacrifice doth here with his posterity provide himself a Priest sends such a Preacher as can neither be seduced with Apostasie nor corrupted with flattery nor silenced with fear even his own holy Spirit to preach it in these words I counsel thee to keep the Kings Commandment c. Which words are not a Text but a Sermon concerning Allegiance and Supremacy due to Kings wherein you have these three parts First The Preacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. Secondly The manner of his Preaching I Counsell I counsel thee Thirdly The Doctrines of his Sermon and they are two 1. That of Allegiance to keep the Kings Commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God Be not hasty to go out of his sight v 2 3. 2. That of Supremacy where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him what doest thou v. 4. I will handle these in their order and First of the Preacher in this particle I and who this I is we may learn from the first words of the Book The words of the Preacher the Son of David King in Jerusalem that is the words of Solomon without question for no other Son of David was King in Jerusalem but
mouth and honoureth me with their lips calling for a Reformation but their heart is far from me for 't is full of rebellion O my blessed Saviour do thou first preach that to mine which thou wouldest have me preach to anothers soul lest I so preach as not to convert others or so convert others as to condemn my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Preaching soul I counsel thee I warn thee as a Preaching sinner I counsel thee as a preaching soul I warn thee as a preaching sinner who by wofull experience know the shaking palsies and convulsion fits that proceed from sin I counsel thee as a Preaching soul speaking that from mine own heart which I would have enter into thine yet this is not all I command thee as a Preaching Wisedom uttering no other then the truths of God must also come in concerning this doctrine of Allegiance to Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its other sense I command thee as a Preaching Wisedom It is said of our Saviour Christ S. Mat. 7. 29. he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes and the reason of his so teaching is intimated in that question of those who themselves could not teach so in that question of the Scribes S. Mat. 13. 54 whence hath this man this wisedom for Christ was indeed the the wisedom of God and this was the reason he taught in the Power and authority of God so is it with them that preach Christ whether it be as a Saviour or as a Law-giver for they who preach him but one of those two preach but half Christ the more of Gods Wisedom the more of Gods Power is in their Preaching as much as they have of the wisedom of this world whether it be in fancy or faction so much they have of weakness and impotency as much as they have of the wisedom from above so much they have of power and Authority and indeed this is the main thing pointed at in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a preaching wisedom to shew it was not Solomons but Gods Word and not so much Gods Word as Gods Wisedom and therefore not to be read or heard as the word of man but as the Word of God If we look upon this Sermon in the Text or any of the rest in the whole Book as the word of man though as the wisest of men for so was King Solomon we shall finde work for our wits to censure it if not for our wilfulness to contradict it for no one book in all the Bible hath been more upon the rack more stretched upon the tenter-hooks by all sorts of men then this but if we look upon it as the Word of God which is our duty not onely for this Sermon of Allegiance but also for all the rest contained in the Book we shall finde matter for our consciences diligently to observe and for our conversatious dutifully to practise and as concerning this particular Sermon of Allegiance and Supremacy here in these verses of my Text it hath a peculiar preeminence of perspicuity above any other in the whole Treatise so that he that runs may reade and he that reades must understand and he that understands cannot gainsay it whereas in many other doctrines of this Book there is something which through errour may be mistaken but more which through contumacy may be contradicted Insomuch as Aben-czra tells us that the wise men of the Hebrews had once a consultation of concealing this Book from their children because many things in it seemed to incline to a side or party and that an heretical party 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he instanceth in that place of cap. 11. v. 9. which though it carry much horrour in the conclusion Know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement yet it seems to open a gap to all manner of Licentiousness in the precedent concession Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but here our preaching wisedom is so very plain that there is not so much as a seeming concession though that be indeed the strongest prohibition for the least disloyalty against Kings either in thought word or deed all three are captivated under an absolute necessity of being true and faithfull The thought v. 2 because of the Oath of God for he knows the heart the word v. 4. who may say unto him what dost thou the deed v. 3. Be not hasty c. all which must needs recommend this doctrine to our great attention for the observation but much more to our good affection for the practise of it for we cannot but take notice that this Book which was penned of purpose to shew the vanities of all things in the world hath been abused by all sorts of men to the patronage of their several vanities onely the disloyal subject never yet brought a proof from hence for his disloyalty the whole book is nothing else but Speculum vanitatis a Looking-glass for men to see therein their vanities not onely the vanities of their possessions riches and honours but also of their actions and affections and administrations and the best of those too their actions and affections in the study of wisedom c. 1 v. 12. and performance of divine service c. 5. v. 1. and their administrations even whilest they administer justice saith Tremellius upon my Text Civilis administrationis vanitatem ostendit ex abusu Tyrannico administrantium he shews here the vanities of civil Government and Administration of Justice because of the Tyranny and Oppression of those that administer it But though we can willingly grant the discovery of Vanities in the administration of Government yet we cannot finde the least pretence for resistance against that administration no more then we can for defiance of wisedom and publick devotion because of our mixing vanities with both this very book that was made to shew men the vanities of their best actions hath in many others been alledged to maintain the vanities of their worst the solitary Monk from this omnia vanitas hath erected his exemption from common Offices of humanity under pretence of meditating onely on Divinity the inquisitive Schoolman hath from hence raised his doctrine of perpetual doubting from cap. 9. v. 1. to the great discomfort and greater destruction of souls the profane Libertine hath from cap. 3. v. 19. learned to scoff at the thought of the resurrection or eternal life and the stupid worldling from cap. 2. v. 14 15. hath learned to slight the thought of death and so we might instance in many more particulars Onely the sin of undutifulness and unfaithfulness to Kings never yet from any part of this Book hath obtained so much as a seeming defence which shews that our Preacher in this matter laboured to be a Preaching Wisedom not onely to the wise and learned