the spring-head of grace the Lord Jesus Christ who by them conveighs much of himself into the soul Joh. 1. 16. Suffer no uncircumcised Philistines to poyson those wels of salvation Isa 12. 3. Let no Elephants puddle those springs because they cannot endure to see their ugly bodies let them see by your practise and punishment that the Harts do not more bray after the water-brooks then your hearts breath after the living God in the enjoyment of Ordinances Psal 42. 1 2. V. The Ministers of God those legati a latere legeir Embassadors that lye to keep peace between heaven and earth 2 Cor. 5. 20. those dispensers of mysteries 1 Cor. 4. 1. the Mercuries from heaven that bring you glad tydings Rom. 10. 15. Christs Paranymphs and spokesmen to woe and win souls to him Joh. 3. 19. In a word the very saviours of your souls instrumentally 1 Tim. 4. 16. do you save them succour them support them supply them do for them whatever lies in your place and power it was one of the main ends of the institution of Magistrates at first Exod. 4. 16. Thou shalt be to him in stead of God It was a noble speech of a Prince to his Minister T◠me calamo ego te gladio Defend me with thy Pen and I will defend thee with my Pike Be you Protectors to us and we will be Preachers for you as well as to you VI. The People of God Those Columbae and Columnae of the world of whom the world is not worthy Heb. 11. 38. The saviours of Nations Job 22. 30. the apples of Gods eyes Zech. 2. 8. the Commanders of God Isa 45. 11. the glory upon which shall be a defence Isa 4. 5. Take them to your care custody compassion You are called the shields of the earth Psal 47. 9. that you may shelter and safeguard Gods Hephzibahs You are nursing fathers and mothers Isa 49. 23. that you should dance Gods darlings in your arms and dandle them on your knees Give me leave to back this Use of Exhortation with some Motives Motive 1. God hath exalted you from very low to very high places he hath lifted you up as nature did Saul higher by the head and shoulders then the rest of your brethren hath put you into his seat placed his Name on you called you Gods commanded all your brethrens sheaves to bow before you and obey you that you may say as Iphicrates the Athenian Captain in all his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from what am I raised to what am I exalted Arist Rhet. lib. 1. cap. 9. May not a little inversion of Davids words agree with you Ps 113. 7. He hath raised up the poor out of the dust and lifted the needy out of the dunghill and set you with Princes even with the Princes of his people Or else the words in the Magnificat Luke 1. 52. He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree What strong engagements are these upon you to exalt him that hath exalted you to act for him that hath put you into his place to improve those talents of place and power for his interest who hath intrusted you it would be horrible ingratitude as bad as the Jews thus to requite the Lord as to scoff his Word crucifie his Son prophane his day pollute his Ordinances slight his Ministers abuse his people Mot. 2. The great good you might do if you would live Judge defend as Gods what golden yea what glorious opportunities and prizes are put into your hands if God would give you hearts to employ and improve them If the Magistrates of England would make Religion their businesse and not a design how easily might they suppresse sin and prophanesse advance the power of godlinesse exalt Christ and his Ordinances to their place power and purity encourage and increase those that are sincere and godly take off the disguises and vizards of hypocrites I dare boldly say there is nothing needfull honourable creditable comfortable for the bodies souls estates names liberties consciences of the people but they might easily attain it either by their Precept President or Punishment 1. By Precept How easily might they stop the muse-holes in good Laws through which drunkards swearers c. do use to creep What holy and wholsom Laws might the Protector with his Parliament make and see observed for suppressing all manner of loosenesse and lewdnesse and encouraging purity and holinesse against scoffers and scorners They might make such Laws as should make the proudest and prophanest in the Land to stoop to their Scepters and so reform Old that it would become New England How prosperous were the Heathen Magistrates as Numa Lycurgus Solon in this way of new making their Country and why might not Christian Magistrates be much more What made the Israelites be so highly esteemed by the Canaanites for a wise and understanding people but the keeping of those righteous Laws and Statutes And what made the Israelites keep those good Judgements but Moses and succeeding Magistrates pressing and perswading yea perforcing them to observe them Deut. 4. 2. By President There is a very great magneticall power and vertue in the examples of godly Magistrates when they are good all their followers relations acquaintance neighbours will be either seriously or seemingly good they will be either out of subtilty or sincerity like the Ruler The primum mobile causes all the other spheres to move and the Sun draws many flowers to be followers of him so people are much guided and directed by their Magistrates Ethelbert a Christian King of Kent made that whole Kingdom godly by his being godly and countenancing of such as were godly And Cassiodore tels us the like story of Theodabad But why should I trouble you with humane when Divine story abounds with instances of this nature both in the time of the Judges as also of the Kings who made that of the Poet true Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis 3. By Punishment Those who will not by fair perswasion nor sweet example be brought on to godlinesse must be by severe means forced to compliance David found many of Sauls old Courtiers so wedded to their old sins and superstitions that he found in them Immedicabile vulnus Ense recidendum which made him protest Psal 101. 8. that he would early destroy all the wicked of the land and cut off all evil doers from the City of God and so will every godly Magistrate do Prov. 20. 26. A godly Magistrate scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheel over them Those who strike with the fist of violence Isa 58. 4. he will strike them with the sword of Justice Rom. 13. 4. We account it a glory for Magistrates to be attended with a great train here on earth how much more glory would it be to see them attended with a train to heaven Mot. 3. The great expectations of Gods people When David was exalted to the throne after
Elijah who told Ahab the truth when he had killed Naboth and took possession of his vineyard 1 Kings 21. 19. In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood even thine Or John Baptist who told Herod plainly it was not lawfull for him to have his brother Philips wife Mark 6. 18. though it cost him his head Or Ambrose who tartly reproved Theodosius for his sins and took away his vain excuse of Davids example with a Quem sequutus es errantem sequere paenitentem Oh let us tell them that Justice ought to be the rule of their wils and not their wils the rule of Justice That the people should grow rich by them and not they grow rich by the people That if they do worse then their predecessors that God will do worse with them then with their predecessors In a word that God will deal severely with them that have not dealt sincerely with their God 2. Information To the people 1. It informs the people the Divine original of Magistracy Government of men over men is from God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tenendum est illud principium Magistratûs officium esse a Deo Calv. in 1 Tim. cap. 2. 10. Joh. 34. 35. Is it not written in your law I said ye are Gods If he called them Gods to whom the word of the Lord came Cui venit speciale dominandi mandatum An expresse Commission from heaven for some men to Rule on earth Surely then blasphemous is the assertion of Anabaptists and Socinians that Magistracy is from the devil And grossely erroneous is the opinion of the Papists who according to Aquinas affirm Dominium esse jure humano It is a strange riddle how the Pope should be Jure Divino and the Emperour who made him so should be but Jure humano 2. It informs the people how great and grievous a sinne rebellion against the Gods must needs be To walk yea to warre Antipodes against Government or Governours is as bad as witchcraft and deserves as much to be punished by the Judges I. It is a gyants sinne such persons are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takers up of arms against God Rom. 13. 2. Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God If those that resist then much more they that rebell against the highest Powers rebell against the highest God II. It is a sinne proper to reprobates Prov. 17. 11. An evil man seeketh only rebellion And Sheba who sounded a trumpet to stirre up the people to rebell against David is called a man of Belial 2 Sam. 20. 1. III. It is a sinne God hath severely punished even in this life as in Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. 32. an unheard of punishment to shew how grievously God is offended with rebels sad judgements we reade came on Athaliah Absalom Zimri Sheba for this sin IV. It is a sinne for which God will certainly damn men if they do not repent Rom. 13. 2. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Let Atheists Papists Levellers Quakers and such like of the devils litter resist authority but let no people fearing God Rebellion is no fruit of the Gospel it is an apple of spiritual Sodom which like Sodom apples toucht with the mouth fill it with cinders and ashes I speak the more that we may never have any more Sheba's to blow the trumpet of rebellion amongst us but let us render unto Magistrates due obedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good as God the bad for God as Basil gives sweet and savory advice 3. It informs the people that seeing Magistrates are but dying perishing men how vain they are who build all their hope and happinesse in being in their favour Alas they that build their hopes on Magistrates are like those who build houses on mud-wals which will certainly lay the building in the durt Psal 146. 3 4. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man in whom there is no help his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth Isa 2. 22. Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of 4. Shall wicked Magistrates be sent among devils let this inform the people not to envy the pomp power prosperity of such persons they are dealt withall by God as the cockles are by the Eagles tolluntur in altum Vt lapsa graviore ruant To make them the better prey Could you see where Caligula were who wished all Rome had but one neck that he might cut it off with one blow or Nero who reading that of the Tragedian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I dead let every thing be mingled with fire cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea whilst I live which he did endeavour setting Rome on fire in divers places and singing for joy to see it burn such have fire and fury enough you would not have their places on earth to have their places in hell 3. Information to Magistrates 1. What good encouragement they have to proceed both in civil criminal and capital causes they have not only Gods Warrant for it but also Gods Word to be with them 2 Chron. 19. 6. The Lord is with you in the judgement Deus Nobiscum is encouragement enough to carry you on Frederick Duke of Saxony being doubtfull whether he might proceed so farre in punishment of offences as to death being much disheartned by Popish doctrine had Luthers book De jure Magistratus put into his hands which when he had read and weighed he lift up his eyes and hands to heaven blessing God he saw that state was so pleasing to him and profitable to men 2. Are Magistrates but men It informs them how vain those conceits of theirs are that think they are targetted against death Deaths spear can strike through those that have the most iron sides Proud and prophane Herod swelled up with the conceit of an immortal Deity from the peoples hum and clamour of vox Dei upon his eloquent Qui modo immertales c. Euseb Oration yet was suddenly eat up with worms Acts 12. v. 23. God may suddenly and will certainly bring you to the grave and cause you to remain in the tomb Job 21. 32. 3. Information What great cause Magistrates have to act presently and speedily You are living Gods yet you are but dying men you are but Gods pro tempore therefore act ex tempore Eccles 9. 10. Whatsoever thy band findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Act. 13. 36. David when he had served his generation by the will of God fell on sleep i. e. David was carefull before he died to do the work of his generation Let this be as good a warning to you as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to Philip King Plut. of Macedon 4. Information
i. e. the cause that was dark difficult and dubious he would examine witnesses and weigh circumstances that he would find veritatem in profundo the truth in the bottom It was a great stain to David that he gave away Mephibosheths living upon the false information of Ziba 2 Sam. 16. 2. 3 4. And it 's horrible injustice if true what I have heard of the Turks that they will put a man to death and then enquire whether he justly suffered Judges must be carefull that Writs of Error be not sued upon them of this kind 5. God judgeth speedily and swiftly after full knowledge of the truth Joel 3. 4. Swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence è vestigiò while you can say what is this How quick was he with Sodom and Gomorrha Gen. 19. How speedy with Corah and his complices Numb 16. So ought Judges after examination fall upon execution and that with expedition Ezra 7. 26. And whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the Law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him whether it be unto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment I will early destroy all the wicked of the land Psal 101. 1. Summo manè I will do morning justice Festinantèr so Genebrad I will hastily do it Justice shall be on the wing delaies are very dangerous and injurious To delay Justice is worse sometimes then to deny justice 6. God judgeth valiantly couragiously he is not afraid of the multitude or might of malefactors The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly Psal 118. 15. It 's right-hand Justice which wounds the hairy scalps of them that go on in wickednesse You have God challenging as a valiant champion Isa 27. 4. Who would set the briars and thorns in battel against me I would go thorow them I would burn them together Gods justice against sinners is as fire to briers and thorns which easily and speedily consumes them And this is the reason the Holy Ghost gives why the whore of Babilon shall be so irresistably and irrecoverably consumed Because strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Rev. 18. 8. So ought Judges to be very valiant and couragious When Joshua came into the place of Magistracy God laies a charge three times in the 1. chap. 6 7 9. on him to be very couragious Solomons throne which is called Gods throne was supported with Lions to shew that in execution of judgement Magistrates should have the hearts of Lions of all beasts the most magnanimous The Athenian Judges sate in Mars street to shew they had Martiall hearts and did not bear the sword in vain Rom. 13. 4. Timidi nunquam statuêre trophaea cowardly and timorous Judges will never set up monuments of their victories over sin and prophaness It is very sad when we may say of our Judges as the Heathen did of Judges in his time they were very good Si audeant quae sentiunt if they durst but do what they ought Cic de Mil. to do Thirdly Defend as Gods the things of God 1. The Book of God 2. The Son of God 3. The Day of God 4. The Ordinances of God 5. The Ministers of God 6. The People of God 1. Defend and maintain the Book of God I mean the Scriptures those Epistolas omnipotentis Dei as Greg stiles them let not those two brethren in iniquity Papists and Quakers dare to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Bible is a great libell or call Evangelium Aven-gilion the Gospel of life the Gospel of a lie or use the scoffing phrase of Bonners Chaplain his pretty little Gods-book Silence those expressions of the black Gospel the inky Divinity c. Oh do you own and honour it as a great expression of Gods love to you and make you expressions of your love to that Psal 119. 97 103 105. David through the whole Psalm shews large affections to the Word of God Corn. à Lapide reports of Robert King of Sicily that he was wont to say of the Scriptures to Petrarch that they were dearer to him then his Kingdom and that if he must want one of them he had rather want his Diadem then the Scriptures Much such a story doth Speed in his Chronicles relate of that Queen of famous memory Q. Elizabeth upon the presenting of a Bible to her by the City of London II. The Son of God of whom we may better say then they of Titus Delitiae generis humani The Saviour of the world the desire of Nations the Head of the Church the Beloved of the beleevers soul let none scoff him with a crucified God but make all to kisse the Son Psal 2. 12. If you neglect this shall not the Heathen Judges rise up against you in judgement I mean the Athenian who put Socrates to death for an irreverent speech concerning their Plutareh in vit Nic. gods How many irreverent yea irreligious speeches are belched out against the only wise God Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 1. 17. and yet our Magistrates have no hearts to hate no hands to punish it were well if they had no houses to entertain such blasphemers All that I shall say is consider what a dreadfull curse is denounced against such men and Magistrates 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha III. The Day of God which is Gods holy day Isa 58. 13. the Christians market day for their souls Isa 55. 1. Christs Coronation day Rev. 1. 10. the Beleevers Sabbath and day of rest Heb. 4. 9. the Regina dierum as Ignatius religiously cals it do not suffer that pure day to be so prophaned that pious Ministers and godly people may have as just cause to speak with shame and sorrow what Alstedius did of the Germans Sabbath it was dies daemoniacus non Dominicus the day of the devil according to peoples observation of it and not the day of Jesus Christ Let Nehemiahs example spur you up to do your duties Neh. 13. 17 ad 23. Give me leave to present you with five things from the words 1. He begins with the great ones the Nobles of Judah were not so high but he made the Law to reach them vers 17. 2. He presses them by undeniable arguments as the judgements their fathers brought upon the Nation by prophaning the Sabbath v. 18. 3. He begins the sanctification of the Sabbath over night and makes the people keep in over night that both preparatory duties might be done as also their bodies refreshed with sleep might be freed from drouziuesse in the service of God v. 19. 4. He set his own servants as spies to see how the law was observed v. 19. 5. He commanded the Levites to do their duties for the sanctifying of the Sabbath Oh that all our Magistrates would do likewise IV. The Ordinances of God those canales gratiae those golden pipes which lye at