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A11602
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A sermon preached at the last generall asise holden for the county of Sommerset at Taunton. By William Sclater Batchelar in Diuinitie, and minister of the word of God at Pitmsiter
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Sclater, William, 1575-1626.
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1616
(1616)
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STC 21843; ESTC S100966
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16,115
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34
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Recusants the brethren as they would be called of the vnbrotherly separation a sort of prophane I know not whether I may say Recusants or Negligents men that our of a godlesse disposition in very contempt of all Religion a Heb. 10.25 forsake our assemblies The liuing God is scarce serued with such deuotion in his Temple on the dayes of assembling as Bacchus the Idoll of the heathen by these men vpon their Ale-bench I beseech you that haue to deale by way of information of all others let not these profane persons be forgotten We wonder much without any cause of wonder at the multiplying of Recusants Know this for a rule Poperie hath a naturall issue out of prophanenesse And wee haue no reason to maruell that men should fall from atheisme to superstition from prophanenesse vnto Poperie Its Gods iust iudgement on them that haue not b 1. Thess 2.11.12 receiued the loue of the truth to send vpon them strong delusions to beleeue lies that they all might be damned that beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Lastly that no sort of men may lacke their portion are they Gods Vice-gerents that are authorized to iudgement Mee thinkes then they should tremble that haue to deale by way of aduocation or pleading to giue patronage to an euill cause How true it is I say not but it s vox populi that Lawyers in their couetousnesse are of Absoloms minde in his ambition c 2 Sam. 15.3 Euery mans cause is good it lackes but indifferent audience It s an ill cause they say that admits no colour that findes no aduocate a rough stone sure that some men cannot make smooth But d Isa 5.20 woe to him saith Isay that speakes good of euill or euill of good and e Pro. 17.15 He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemnes the righteous euen they both are abomination to the Lord. Proceed we now in the text And yee are all the children of the most high There is a childe by generation the expresse character of his Fathers person so Christ the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnigena the f Ioh. 3.16 onely begotten Sonne of God There are sonnes by creation and specially of resemblance in puritie so are Angels called g Iob 1.6 the sonnes of God Sonnes by adoption and regeneration so all the h Ioh. 1.12 faithfull it were comfortable if so were also all Magistrates Children by semblance of maiestie and glory as Gods liuely i 1. Cor. 11.7 images in authoritie so Magistrates and whomsoeuer God hath inuested in the glory of ruling power Are they all in this sense sons of the most high What say wee to the case of impietie Suppose them impious said * Quaestion Armenic lib. 10. cap 4. Amarcanus All title to dominion hath foundation in the grace of iustice and charitie therefore impious men haue no lawfull dominion but by impietie make forfeiture of their authoritie Thus wee distinguish Its prouidence not grace that disposeth ciuill titles grace not prouidence that makes them comfortable It is true in a sense impious men are all vsurpers in whatsoeuer they enioy the aire they breath in the earth they tread on the meat they eat the clothes they are warmed with k 1. Cor. 3.22.23 are not theirs I meane by spirituall right that can giue them comfort before God yet haue they a title indefeisible amongst men by birth-right succession election or if there bee any other course that prouidence hath chosen thereby to deuolue such titles vpon them Therefore wee say as Austin truly * Augustin de Câ—â—â—â—at Dei lib. 5. cap. 1. Qui dedit Mario ipse Caesari hee that gaue the Empire to Marius gaue it also to Caesar hee that to Augustus the same to Nero hee that to the Vespasians the father and sonne those sweete Emperours the same to that most cruell and bloudy Domitian And in a word hee that to Constantine the Christian the same to Iulian the Reuolt l 1. Tim 2. Pray for Kings saith Paul yea though they were such as * 〈…〉 gentilitèr vixerunt said Optatus Mâ—â—euitanus What say we to the case of tyrannie Suppose them tyrants retaine they still their honourable title and function Answere If by tyrannie they meane vsurped regiment perhaps its true that Albertus hath subiection may bee performed quoad sustinentiam needes not bee performed quoad obedi ntiam our patience may beare their tyrannie our conscience seemes not bound to yeeld them obedience If by tyrannie they vnderstand ordinate power degenerating into crueltie by abuse howsoeuer Papists and some other Diuines giue libertie with cautions to throw off the yoke yet vetera vera m 1. Sam. 26.10.11 The Lord shall smite him or his day shall come or he shall descend into battell and perish But God forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lords anointed saith Dauid of Saul a tyrant by abuse of power though not by vsurpation Their vnction makes them sacred the hurtfull touch of their persons makes the subiect sacrilegious They are flagella Domini as is said of Ashur the Lords n Isa 10.5 Vers 12. rods to chasten the securitie and disobedience of his people yet so his rods that the Lord onely hath authoritie to cast them into the fire What thinke wee of the state of incorrigible heresie attended with excommunication Popish diuinitie is knowne the subiect they say is absolued from his allegeance I meane not to enter the question whether Kings be subiect to that censure it s probably disputed both wayes Yeeld that Ambrose did iustly with Theodosius in that * Theodoret. â—â—st Ecclesiast lib. 5 cap. 18. abstention for I professe I am yet to learne whether it were a compleat excommunication but yeeld it ex abundante The sentence of our Sauiour is direfull Sit tibi sicut Ethnicus o Mat 18.17 Let him be to thee as an heathen or Publican Grauius est saith Augustine * 〈…〉 1. c p. 17. It s more then if a man were slaine with the sword or consumed with fire or cast to wilde beasts to be deuoured yet is it but a tanquam not a plusquam It make them as Ethnickes not in worse case Suppose them therefore in case of Ethnickes being excommunicate is not loyaltie to bee performed to Ethnicke Kings What was the state of Emperours and Kings when the Apostles gaue those precepts of subiection but heathenish yet is it their constant rule p Rom. 13.1 Be subiect to the higher powers And saith the Lord by Ieremy q Ier. 29.7 Seeke the peace of the Land whither I haue caused you to bee carried captiues and pray vnto the Lord for it And who but he that hath sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of God dares teach that excommunication makes parricide lawfull to the childe or that children are absolued from duty to parents lying vnder the sentence
Heâ—iâ— Ieiunio cap. 17. Bibamus pro salute imperatorum qui non biberit sit reus in deuotione Let vs drinke to the health of the King who so pledgeth not his health let him bee culpable in point of deuotion O obsequie of pious deuotion saith Saint Ambrose ironically or rather ô foolishnesse of men that thinke drunkennesse a sacrifice to God as if the God wee serue were as Bacchus the Idoll of the heathen to be propitiated with intemperance g 1. Tim. 2.1 Oremus pro salute Regum pray for the health and saluation of Kings that 's Pauls deuotion If such be your liues this your obseruance of that God that hath so highly aduanced you take heed it proue not your portion at the last that the wise man hath Potentes potentèr tormenta patientur mighty men shall bee mightily tormented One thing more let mee adde on this ground as more neerely concerning your Lordships Analogie you haue in dignitie to the great God of heauen and earth I beseech you be carefull in your executions to maintaine the proportion Iehoshaphat hath particularized it in his charge to the Iudges of his time vpon this ground either of analogie or deputation h 2 Chron. 197. Ye iudge not for men but for the Lord therefore let the feare of the Lord bee vpon you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts The charge runs often for impartialitie in iudgement ye shall iudge the small as well as the great and haue no respect of persons in iudgement not feare the face of the mighty nor esteeme a poore man in his cause not fauour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty Know it for suretie iniquitie dwels not all in cottages but findes entertainment in sieled houses I would they were not some of them as it s said of Shinar i Zech 5.11 the land where wickednesse is setled as vpon her owne base Ieremy in the search hee made in Ierusalem for a man found goodnesse as rare among k Ier. 5.5 the great ones as amongst the vulgus The state of our time and Kingdome is not much vnlike My counsell is this onely Let neuer cauillers haue cause to say of our lawes as Anacharsis spake tartly of those of Scythia they are as spiders webs the great flies breake thorow the smaller onely are holden For gifts how professeth the great Iudge that herein requires your imitation a holy scorne of them l Mic. 6.7 Thousands of Rammes and ten thousand riuers of oile none of these so precious in his eyes as is the preseruation of iustice Let the same minde be in you What Peter speakes to Simon Magus say you to corrupting bribers m Act. 8.20 Thy money perish with thee that thinkest so sacred a thing as iustice may be peruerted by money Withall forget not what Augustine admonisheth that there is something equiualent to a bribe as much tainting the soule with guilt of iniustice whether it be done prece or pretio timore or amore the sinne is the same Pilate perhaps could wash his hands of bribes not therefore of Christs bloud The feare or fauour of Caesar suggested by the people n Ioh. 19.12 Thou art not Caesars friend was equiualent to a bribe and swaied him against iustice to condemne an innocent The o 1. Reg. 21.9.10.11.12.13.14 Iudges of Israel that sentenced Naboth to death wee reade not to haue beene corrupted with bribes but there was something equiualent for which their soules to this day frie in hell except they repented whether it was feare of Iesabels violence or hope of fauour and preferment by her that procured their cruell obsequiousnesse to her bloudy mandate My Lords hee that said yee are Gods requires you in iudgement to put off all partiall humane affections and to frame your proceedings to those of the great Iudge of heauen and earth so doing his promise is to be p 2 Chro. 19.6 with you in the cause and iudgement Giue leaue now a little to direct my speech to those of inferiour ranke imploied in this seruice they haue also their meditations naturally affoorded from consideration of your dignitie Consider it seriously beloued Christians you that haue to deale whether by way of information or testimonie or howsoeuer They are Gods by office and deputation before whom ye stand and the great God of heauen and earth q Psal 82 1. protesteth his presence in the assembly of his Vicegerents Know for a suretie yee haue God a spectator a witnesse a Iudge of all your proceedings The obligation of an oath is sacred wherein you r 2. Cor. 1.23 contest the diuine Maiestie and engage your soules to his wrath in case you deale falsly or fraudulently before his Deputies Let the feare of the Lord be vpon you Tremble to play with the name of God in an oath before his Vice-gerents The sinnes of the Country you cannot be ignorant of they are growne clamantia and the sinners of no lesse then Sodomiticall impudencie Å¿ Isa 3.11 They declare their sinnes like Zodom and hide them not The modestie of Pauls times is long since worne out of vse It was wont to be said t 1. Thess 5 7. They that are drunken are drunken in the night and the speech was once prouerbiall He that euill doth u Ioh. 3.20 hates the light Deeds of darknesse are now done at noone-day and gluttonie is now no longer matter of x Rom. 13.13 chambering the very streets are filled with filthy vomitings I could wish it were matter of inquirie by your Law the horrible dalliance with Gods name in vaine swearing and can but wonder how in a Christian Kingdome a sinne of so great impietie hath so long wanted restraint by penall lawes The names of Princes wee are iustly tender of and the reproachfull traducing of their persons is in some cases capitall For my part I could wish Moses Law reuiued Who so blasphemes the Ruler of the people shall be put to death but withall cannot but lament that the dreadfull name of the Lord of hosts should be so freely permitted to the prophane abuse of euery godlesse miscreant and shall neuer thinke the Kingdome secured from Gods wrath till such time as wee haue learned to y Eccl. 9.2 feare an oath Because of oathes z Ier. 23.10 the Land mournes And questionlesse that damned crue of mercenarie periuers issueth out of this damnable crue of common swearers Through too much familiaritie with oathes Gods name is growne into contempt and whilest men make no conscience of swearing vainly they grow at length to make as little of swearing falsly That of Recusancie I know is commonly matter of inquisition and yet to this day the seuerall sorts of Recusants are either vnknowne or winked at There are besides our superstitious Recusants the Papists and the curious