want of saluation proceedeth eyther of the lack of teaching or of the want of faith to beleeue rightly that which is taught The first of these is approued by the wordes which the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of this prophet last named thus my people are destroyed with lacke of knowledge c. The other by the testimonie of our sauiour Christ himselfe who sending hys Eleuen to preach and baptise sayth he that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be damned why went the rich man to hell but either for one of these causes afore named or for thē both that is to say because he neuer frequented the word of God whereby faith is begotten in the heartes of the hearers or if hee heard the same worde yet it was heard so carelesly that it tooke no roote at all and indeede that answere which Abraham made to his request seemeth to auer the trueth of that whiche I say for when request was made by that helhound that a messenger might go from the dead to his fiue brethren which were yet at his fathers house c. Abraham replied thus they haue Moses and the Prophetes Let them heare them for as Abraham sayth if that whiche Moses hath set downe in Gods iustice cannot better our brasen faces and heartes of Adament nor they vnualuable and moste assured promises made by Christ to his elect and recorded by his prophetes cannot driue vs from sinne and draw vs to himselfe Then there is no more hope of vs in hearing the worde of God then was of Symon and Iudas Though they heard the worde and receiued the Sacramentes for our life is no other waie reformed by a carelesse kinde of hearing then Ieroboam redressed the religion in Israel when hee set vp two golden Calues the one in Dann and the other in Bethel that the Israelites might worship them them or Nabuchadneezer in his kingdome when he destroyed Idols that he might be worshipped as God It is a matter so true that no man can so muche as imagine much lesse speake the contrarie without great offence that God hath done so much for his vine as by anie meanes might be in somuch that Dauid the king of Israel neuer hadde greater cause then the prince and people of England haue to say of the goodnesse of God hee hath not dealt so louingly with anie nation as with vs in giuing to vs so long vse of his lawes and yet he that compareth the pastors painfull preaching with the peoples little profiting in most places of this land shall finde iust occasion to thinke that the sonne of God hath pronounced that same curse vppon this Englishe vine which hee vttered against that fruitlesse figtree mentioned by Marke in these wordes Neuer fruite growe on thee henceforth God grant that there be not some men who measure the meate by the man like those proud Citizens whiche saide wee will not haue this man to reigne ouer vs and loathe the message because they like not the messenger like those skornfull Iewes that tolde Ieremie to his face the worde which thou speakest to vs in the name of the Lord vve will not heare it of thee but whatsoeuer we thinke good that will wee do but that they may knowe those men which labour among them and haue the ouersight of them in the land and not barely knowe them but also loue them for their good workes sake Thus hauing finished the former circumstances as compendiously as I promised I proceed to the next wordes the whiche containe in them the second part of a christian ministers dutie which is to minister the sacramentes rightly whereof one is set downe in his due order by the institutor Christ hymselfe when he saith baptising them in the name of the father and the sonne and the holy ghost Nowe because the worde Baptisme hathe diuers significations in the scripture I will heere set downe as manie of them as my memorie can recorde First the worde Baptisme according to the true meaning of the Greeke text Baptisma doth not signifie onely addicting but suche a dipping in the water as doth cleanse the partie dipped and for that the Primitiue Churche did vse to put the partie baptised quite vnder the water Therfore Paule writing both to the Romaines and Collossians vseth these wordes wee are buried then with him in baptisme into hys death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of the father So we also should walke in newnesse of life in the whiche wordes the Apostle sheweth what resemblance their baptisme hath with Christ hys death and resurrection Secondlie baptisme is vsed for a bare washing in whiche sense our Sauiour spake when hee saide to the Pharisies you lay apart the commaundementes of God and obserue the traditions of men as the washing of pottes and cuppes and manie suche thinges yee doe and in the same sense wee read in the Epistle to the Hebrewes when the authour saith that the olde Tabernacle consisted of manie washinges and ceremoniall rightes vntill the daie of reformation came Thirdly by baptisme wee may vnderstand affliction as our Sauiour Christ did in saying to Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Sebedeus can you be baptised with that baptisme wherwith I must bee baptised and to hys Disciples I must bee baptised with a baptisme but howe am I payned vntill I bee ended Fourthly baptisme is a liberall distribution of the graces of GOD as appeareth in these wordes Iohn baptised with water but you shall be baptised with the holy Ghost within these fewe dayes Fifthly the worde baptisme is taken for doctrine onely as in that place wherein the holie Ghost hauing occasion to speake of Apollo a Iewe of Alexandria sayth that hee was mightie in the Scriptures and did knowe but the baptisme of Iohn only And last of al Baptisme is taken for a reuerent order of ministring that Sacrament in the Churche and the whole sanctification of the parties baptised as in the wordes of this present part of Scripture baptising them c. But to speake of the Sacrament it selfe It hath beene vsuall with almightie God from time to time to confirme hys couenauntes with seales set to the same for example wee see that there is a Rainbowe in the cloudes the reason whereof is that GOD hauing in his iustice destroyed the olde worlde for sinne onely Noah and his famelie being excepted the same GOD in hys mercie made a couenant with Noah that hee would neuer destroy it so againe for confirmation thereof hee set the Raynbow in the Clowdes as a seale to that couenant betwixt himselfe and Noah So was circumcision giuen to Abraham as a seale of confirmation in that promise that in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed So that as manie as were circumcised were within the compasse of that
is a point of iudgement Secondlie in restoring the liuing childe to his owne mother whiche was a point of iustice And these partes of a Christian Magistrate duetie are so necessarilie lincked togeather that so often as one of them is wanting the lavv receiueth a maime at the hand of the Magistrate As when Pilate iudged Christ guiltlesse but yet put him to death and when Paules cause was heard and approoued yet hee was left in prison Therefore it is good counsaile and worthie to bee hearkened vnto which Dauid gaue vnto all Kings and Magistrates that they bee learned and wise for if the Magistrate be not wise words may carie the matter away As when Daniel when he was accused of dispising the decree of Nabucadnezer the King of Babilon Ieremie to bee an enemie to the common-wealth of Israell Elias to bee a troubler of the state Paule to be a factious seditious fellow Naboath to haue blasphemed God and king Ahab and as at the importunate crye of the Iewes Christ was put to death and Barrabas the murtherer set at libertie The speciall wisedome of God matched Moses the Magistrat with Aron the minister thereby gyuing vs to vnderstand that when the word the sword go together there can be none other but good gouernment As for example so long as the good priest Iehoiba the godly king Ioas liued together God was worshiped and his people guided according vnto his word for the man of God counsailed vertuously and the King practised carefully whereunto that saying of Solon doth verie well agree who being asked when the common wealth did best florish he answered when the people obey the magistrat and the magistrate obeyeth the law for lawes are better vnmade then vnkept no doubt there want not such as wilsay with those head strong people in Dauids daies let vs break their bonds in sunder and cast away their coardes from vs and our lawes haue bene a long time like to spiders webs so that the great buzzing bees break through the little feeble flies hang fast in them But admitte that you replye and saye they are made stronger then in the daies of our forefathers yet are they like vnto walled Citties in the time of warre at the which time bee your walkes neuer so strong they are beaten downe if they want men and munition so if your lawes wiselie made doe want Patrones to defend them they will soone be little worth therefore it was not the worst vvarning that Iethro gaue to Moses that he should make such magistrats as were men of courage For as Crisippus sayd somtimes so it is true at all times that if a magistrate ruleth amisse hee shall procure the displeasure of God if well hee shall be hated of men and herof it commeth that Valerius Maximus writeth to Antigonus the Emperour who vvhen he should put on his imperiall crovvn and roabes stepping vppon the cloath of estate vttered these vvordes vvith a very loude voice Oh cloath of more honourable then happie estate vvherewith if a man vvere so thorouglie acquainted that hee coulde number the cares that concerne thee â—hee woulde not stoope for thee though hee might haue thee for the taking vp for great and vvaightie is that charge vvhiche is layde vppon a Christian magistrate in common-wealthes affaires of no lesse continuance then care wherfore Haimo would haue euery magistrate to remember these 3. things 1. that himselfe is but a man 2. that he gouerneth men like to him selfe and 3. that he shall not alwaies bee a magistrate as the Prophet hath taught when he spake thus in the person of GOD I said you are Gods but you shal die like men and fall like one of the Princes and yet shall they not be so excused but must also giue accomptes of their gouernment as did that Steward mentioned by S. Luke It is good therefore not onely for those men that haue the election of Magistrats to make such choise of officers as Iethro inioyneth Moses and as God himselfe commaunded Israel when hee said you shall make him king whome the Lord our God shall chuse but also verie meete for those magistrates being so elected to haue a care that as they are in place aboue other men so in good life they go before the people for this was it that the Israelites desired God to graunt vnto Iosua beeing newly made their gouernour Namely a faithful heart to go in and out before them For said they euen as wee obeyed Moses in all things so will wee obey thee Onely the Lord thy God be with thee as hee was with Moses And it was a necessarie praier for howe fowle a fault were it that the man which is appointed to punishe adulterie should be more worthie of correction for the same kind of sin then the partie punishied Like vnto the whore-hunting Iudges of Samaria mentioned by the Prophet Ieremie in his fift chapter or that hee whiche is appointed to iudge according to lawe should doe anie thing contrarie to the law As angrie Ananias commanded that Paul should be smitten contrary to law in this point doth the Lord schoole the king of Iuda by his Prophet Ieremie who saieth heare the word of the Lord thou King of Iuda that sittest in thy kinglie seat of Dauid thou and thy seruaunts and thy people that goe in and out at this gate thus the Lorde commaundeth keepe equitie and righteousnes deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent doe not greeue nor oppresse the stranger the fatherlesse nor the widowe and shed no innocent bloud in this place and if you keepe these thinges faithfully then shall there come in at the doore of this house kings to sit vpon Dauids seate c. But if you will not be obedient vnto these commandements I sweare by mine own self saith the Lord this house shall be waste for example the same prophet speaking there of the wicked gouernement of Seluin the sonne of good king Iosias that gouerned Iuda sayth did not thy father eate and drinke and prosper well so long as hee dealt with righteousnesse from whence came this but because hee had mee before his eies saith the Lord. Nowe when Ieremy saith that Iosias had God before his eies hys meaning is all one with Dauids intent when he saith God standeth in the parliament of princes he is iudge among Gods to giue all Magistrates a Memento that God is present in all their assemblies and iudgeth them that iudge vnder him whereof they had neede to bee put in minde for oftentimes Mycheas prooueth too true a prophet in saying that the great man will speake what his heart desireth and the hearers must allowe it well of the whiche sorte of men the verie best is but as a thisle whiche a man can hardly touche vnpricked and the moste iust like a bramble wherevnto the sillye sheep seeking to be
shrowded frō the sharp showers is oftē forced to leaue hir fleece behinde whose vnworthy comming to their places Ioatham hath well described in the person of Abimilech when he saide the trees of the woode went to annoint a king ouer them and saide vnto the Oliue tree Reigne thou ouer vs but the Oliue tree answered shall I leaue my satnesse which both Gods and men praise in me and go to be promoted ouer the trees Then they came to the fig-tree and saide come thou and reigne ouer vs the fig-tree aunswered shall I leaue my sweetnesse and good fruit and go to be promoted ouer the trees They said vnto the vine Reigne thou ouer vs but the vine aunswered shoulde I leaue my wine wherewith I cheere God and men to be promoted ouer the trees then they said vnto the bramble wilt thou raigne ouer vs. Then saide the bramble if it be true indeed that you will submit your selues to my authoritie and put your trust vnder my shadow or else fire proceed from the bramble and consume you By this parable we are taught generally that euerie man is to be content with that estate wherin God hath placed him and that for the moste part the verie best worthie do refuse profered promotion and on their part well deserued whereas on the contrarie the moste vnfitly furnished with iustice and true iudgement and the least deseruing in a commonwealth are of al other most ambitious Such an one was Absalon who stole awaie the heartes of Israel with this flattering speech Oh that I were made Iudge in the land that euerie man whiche hath any plea or matter in the lawe might come to me that I might do him iustice but this is the iust reward of such as before conuenient time and apt occasion to be offered do ambitiously seek the seat of iudgment euen vntimely and vnnaturall death for Absolon was hanged by the hayre of his head a woman with a peece of a milstone dashed out Abymelechs brains though Absalon be absent Abimilech brained long since yet it is to be suspected that many mē get preferment by their practises cōming in such sheep skins as are fayre wordes and flattering speeches but God graunt that they proue not like vnto those iudges whome Zophonie feared not to liken vnto Lyons who finding their praie in the euening chop vp all not leauing so muche as the bones vntill the morning Salomon said wel that many would be accompted good doers but where shal we finde a faithfull man some men haue said well with Absolon before they came to preferment but they can nowe bee contented to see many men to sue seuen yeares for their right and yet suffer them to sustaine wrong because necessitie hathe no law forsooth Go to go to some body will answere for that one day A man woulde thinke that necessitie should haue the moste lawe because he hath least money fewest frends Magistrates might learne such a lesson of God himself as it being rightly practised they could not chuse but do iustice this is it when almigtie God intended to destroy Sodome and Gomora before he would do so thogh their sins were monstrous great he considered thus of the matter the crie of Sodome and Gomorrha is great and their sinne is exceeding greeuous I will go downe nowe and see whether they haue done altogether according to that crie which is come vnto me or not that I may know Lo let all magistrates learne by the example of God himslfe to go down and see that is to apply their eares to heare dilligentlie and their mindes to meditate iustlie of each mans matter if you aske me why I answere as God himselfe doth that they may know vidz that they may discerne betwixt truth and falshood right and wrong this is that question which Dauid demanded of Saules counsellors that egged him on to hurt him that neuer harmed them are your mindes set vpon righteousnes O ye congregation and do you iudge the thing that is right O yee sonnes of men saith he the same prophet in all his troubles desiring God to stand on his side against his oppressors thought it as conuenient to craue of God the consideration of his cause as to aske his aid against his aduersaries and therefore prayeth thus Ponder my words O Lord consider my meditation c. So Magistrates haue not onelie authoritie to make and establise good lawes but also to determine betwixt men according to the same vnto whose sensor the subiect must submit himselfe as the Apostle prooueth to the Romaines when hee saith let euerie soule submit it selfe vnto the authoritie of the higher powers for all power is of God wherefore whosoeuer resisteth that power resisteth the ordinance of God and purchaseth vnto himselfe damnation For Magistrates are not to bee feared of them that doe well but of them that doe nill wilt thou not feare do wel then so shalt thou haue praise for he is the minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doest euill then feare for hee beareth not the sworde for naught but is the minister of GOD to take vengeance vpon them that doe euill where it is to be remembred that the ciuill magistrate who beareth the sword is called the minister of God as well as that spirituall magistrat that preacheth the woorde and that no doubt to the intent hee might take care as well to maintaine true religion as to minister deserued discipline for it standeth with all diuine and humaine reason that if all maisters fathers ought to haue a more thē ordinarie care to instruct and helpe forward their families in Christian religion so much as in them lyeth much more ought the magistrate to meditate by all meanes possible to performe his dutie therein who is a father ouer all families I cannot set this forth in any playner speach then Dauid hath done in this short saying kisse the sonne least hee be angrie and so you perishe in the right way by which speache the prophet teacheth that God cannot be honored by any other means then by that which Christ his sonne hath taught who saith himselfe in the fift of Iohn hee that honoureth the sonne honoreth the father hee that dishonoureth the sonne dishonoureth the father so that hee meaneth in this place that if you worshippe not the sonne as he hath commanded then you dishonor him if you dishonour him then you anger him if you anger him he casteth you off if he casteth you off then you are from the right waye and if you are from the right way then you perish For the auoyding whereof all godly Magistrates haue had a speciall care to meditate in the lawe of the Lord such were Moses Iosua Dauid Salomon Asa Iosophat Isachias c. Of whose good example God grant all godly magistrates to make good vse Amen Psalm 98. 10. With righteousnesse shall hee iudge the world and the