Agents in euery and therefore euen in sinfull actions Gods h Rom. 9.11.15.18 c. free election of those whom hee purposeth to saue of his owne grace without any motiues in or from themselues The immutabilitie of Gods i Ioh. 13.1 Rom. 11.29 5.9.10 8.35.38.39 Loue Grace towards the Saints and their certaine perseuerance therein vnto Saluation The k Rom. 3.28 Iustification of sinners by the imputed righteousnesse of Christ apprehended and applyed vnto them by a liuely faith without the works of the Law These are sound and true and comfortable and profitable and necessary doctrines And yet that impudent Strumpet of Rome hath the forehead I will not say to slander my Text alloweth more to blaspheme God and his Truth and the Ministers thereof for teaching them Bellarmine Gretser Maldonate the Iesuites but none more than our owne English Fugitiues Bristow Stapleton Parsons Kellison and all the rabble of those Romish hell-hounds freely spend their mouthes in barking against vs as if we made God the author of sinne as if wee would haue men sinne and be damned by a Stoicall fatall necessitie sinne whether they will or no and be damned whether they deserue it or no as if wee opened a gappe to all licenciousnesse and prophanenesse let men beleeue it is no matter how they liue heauen is their owne cock-sure as if we cryed downe good workes condemned charity Slanders loud and false yet easily blowne away with one single word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These imputations vpon vs and our doctrine are vniust but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them that thus mis-report vs know that without repentance their damnation will be iust §. 8. With the Causes It would be time not ill spent to discouer the grounds of this obseruation and to presse the vses of it something fully But because my ayme lyeth another way I can but point at them and passe If seldome Truth scape vnslandered maruell not the reasons are euident On Gods part on Mans part on the Diuels part God suffereth Man rayseth the Diuel furthereth these slanders against the Truth To begin ordine retrogrado to take them backwards First on the Diuels part a kinde of Contrariety and Antipathie betwixt him and it Hee being the a Ioh. 8.44 Father of lies and b Eph. 6.12 Prince of darknesse cannot away with the Truth and with the Light and therefore casteth vp slanders as Fogs and Mists against the Truth to belie it and against the Light to darken it Secondly on mans part And that partly in the Vnderstanding when the iudgement either of it selfe weake or else weakened through precipitancie preiudice or otherwise is deceiued with fallacies instead of substance and mistaketh seeming inferences for necessary and naturall deductions Partly in the Will when men of corrupt mindes set themselues purposely against the knowne truth and out of malicious wilfulnesse against the strong testimonie of their owne hearts slander it that so they may disgrace it and them that professe it Partly in the Affections when men ouercome by carnall affections are content to cheate their owne soules by giuing such constructions to Gods Truth as will for requital giue largest allowance to their practices and so rather chuse to crooken the Rule to their own bent than to leuell themselues and their affections and liues according to the Rule Thirdly on Gods part who suffereth his owne Truth to be slandered and mistaken Partly in his Iustice as a fearefull Iudgement c 2 Thess. 2.10.11.12 vpon wicked ones whereby their hard hearts become yet more hardened and their most iust condemnation yet more iust Partly in his Goodnesse as a powerfull fiery triall of true Doctors whose constancie and sinceritie is the more d 1 Cor. 11.19 approued with him and the more eminent with men if they e Ioh. 10.12 flie not when the Wolfe commeth but keepe their standing and stoutly maintaine Gods truth when it is deepliest slandered and hotliest opposed And partly in his Wisedome as a rich occasion for those whom hee hath gifted for it f 2 Tim. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to awaken their zeale to quicken vp their industrie to muster vp their abilities to scowre vp their spirituall armour which else through dis-vse might gather rust for the defence and for the rescue of that g 1 Tim. 6.20 2 Tim. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that precious truth whereof they are depositaries wherewith he hath entrusted them §. 9. and Corollaries thereof These are the Grounds The Vses for instruction briefly are to teach and admonish euery one of vs that wee be not either first so wickedly malicious as without apparant cause to rayse any slander or secondly so foolishly credulous as without seuere examination to beleeue any slander or thirdly so basely timorous as to flinch from any part of Gods truth for any slander But I must not insist This from the slander §. 10. OBSER IV. Euery slander Obserue fourthly how peremptorie the Apostle is in his censure against the slanderers or abusers of holy truths Whose damnation is iust a Ambrosius Lyra Piscator Pareus c. Some vnderstand it with reference to the Slanderers As we be slanderously reported and as some affirme that wee say Whose damnation is iust that is their damnation is iust who thus vniustly slander vs. b Chrysostomus Caietanus Erasmus c. Others vnderstand it with reference to that vngodly resosolution Let vs doe euill that good may come whose damnation is iust that is their damnation is iust for the euill they doe who aduenture to doe any euill vnder whatsoeuer pretence of good to come of it Both expositions are good and I rather embrace both than preferre either I euer held it a kinde of honest spirituall thrift where there are two senses giuen of one place both agreeable to the Analogie of Faith and Manners both so indifferently appliable to the words and scope of the place as that it is hard to say which was rather intended though there was but one intended yet to make vse of both And so will we Take it the first way and the slanderer may reade his doome in it Here is his wages and his portion and the meed and reward of his slander Damnation And it is a iust reward He condemneth Gods truth vniustly God condemneth him iustly for it Whose damnation is iust If we be countable and wee are countable at the day of Iudgement for c Math. 12.36 euery idle word we speake though neither in it selfe false nor yet hurtfull and preiudiciall vnto others what lesse than damnation can they expect that with much falshood for the thing it selfe and infinite preiudice in respect of others blaspheme God and his holy Truth But if it be done of purpose §. 11. Whether malicious and in malice to despight the Truth and the Professors thereof I scarce know whether there
to vs or to our Church but vse all good meanes we care to draw them to moderate courses and iust obedience although they better deserue to be despised than the Weake Romanes did they being truely Weake ourâ— Obstinatâ— they Timorous ours also Contemptuous §. 25. We despise not our Brethren Now these differences are opened betwixt the Case in any Text and the Case of our Church wee may the better iudge how farre forth S. Pauls aduice heere giuen to the Romanes in their case of eating and not-eating ought to rule vs in our case of conforming and not-conforming in point of Ceremonie And first of not-despising then of not iudging The ground of the Apostles precept for not despising him that are not was his weakenesse So farre then as this ground holdeth in our case this precept is to be extended and no further And we are hereby bound not to despise our Non-conforming Brethren so farre forth as it may probably appeare to vs they are weake and not wilfull But so farre forth as by their courses and proceedings it may bee reasonably thought their refusall proceedeth from corrupt or partiall affections or is apparantly maintained with obstinacie and contempt I take it we may notwithstanding the Apostles admonition in my Text in some sort euen despise them But because they thinke they are not so well and fairely dealt withall as they should be §. 26. Their grieuances propounded Let vs consider their particular grieuances wherein they take themselues despised and examine how iust they are They say first they are despised in being scoffed and flouted and derided by loose companions and by profane or popishly affected Persons in being stiled Puritanes and Brethren and Precifiâ—â—s and in hauing many iests and fooleries fastened vpon them whereof they are not guilty They are secondly despised a All benefit of Law being denyed them they debarred of other meanes by conference or writing for their Defence Def. of Ministers reasons part 1. pref to Reader We doe accuse the Reuerend Bishops in the sight of God and Man for their hard and extreame dealing towards vs. Remouall of imputations pag. 40. they say in that when they are conuented before the Bishops and others in Authority they cannot haue the fauour of an indifferent hearing but are proceeded against as farre as Suspension and sometimes Depriuation without taking their answeres to what is obiected or giuing answers to what they obiect Thirdly in that many honest and religious men of excellent and vsefull gifts cannot bee permitted the liberty of their Consciences and the free exercise of their Ministerie onely for standing out in these things which our selues cannot but confesse to bee indifferent To their first Grieuance we answer §. 27. and answered The first that we haue nothing to doe with those that are popishly affected If they wrong them as it is like enough they will for they will not stick to wrong their betters wee are not to be charged with that let them answer for themselues But by the way let our Brethren consider whether their stiffe and vnreasonable opposing against those lawfull Ceremonies we retaine may not bee one principall meanes to confirme but so much the more in their darknes and superstition those that are wauering and might possibly by more ingenuous and seasonable insinuations bee woâ—ne ouer to imbrace the truth which wee professe And as for loose persons and prophane ones that make it their sport vpon their Ale-benches to rayle and scoffe at Puritanes as if it were warrant enough for them to drinke drunke talke bawdy sweare and stare or doe any thing without controll because forsooth they are no Puritanes As wee could wish our Brethren and their Lay-followers by their vncouth and somtimes ridiculous behauiour had not giuen prophane persons too much aduantage to play vpon them and through their sides to wound euen Religion it selfe so wee could wish also that some men by vnreasonable and vniust othersome by vnseasonable and indiscreet scoffing at them had not giuen them aduantage to triumph in their owne innocency and persist in their affected obstinacie It cannot but be some confirmation to men in error to see men of dissolute and loose behauiour with much eagernesse and perulancie and virulence to speake against them Wee all know how much scandall and preiudice it is to a right good cause to be either followed by persons open to iust exception or maintained with slender vnsufficient reasons or prosecuted with vnseasonable and vndiscreet violence And I am verily perswaded that b Many by their factious behauiour were driuen to be Papists The K. Maiesty in Confer at Hampt pag. 98. as the increase of Papists in some parts of the Land hath occasionally sprung by a kinde of Antiperistasis from the intemperate courses of their neighbour Puritanes so the increase of Puritanes in many parts of the Land oweth not so much to any sufficiencie themselues conceiue in their own grounds as to the disaduantage of some Prophane or Scandalous or Idle or Ignorant or Indiscreet opposers But setting these aside I see not but that otherwise the name of Puritane and the rest are iustly giuen them For appropriating to them selues the names of Brethren Professors Good men and other like as differences betwixt them and those they call Formalists would they not haue it thought that they haue a Brotherhood and Profession of their owne freer and purer from Superstition and Idolatry than others haue that are not of the same stampe and doing so why may they noâ— be called Puritanes The name I know is sometimes fastened vpon a Of late our English Aâ—minians haue got the tricke to fetch in within the compasse of this Title of Puritanes all orthodox Diuines that oppose against their Semipelagian subtilties of purpose to make sound truth odious and their owne corrupt nouelties more passable and plausible those that deserue it not ask all people will call any man that beareth but the face of honestie a Puritane but why should that hinder others from placing it where it is rightly due §. 28. The second To their second Grieâ—ance I answer Publique meanes by Conferendâ—s Disputations and otherwise haue beene often vsed and priuate men not seldome afforded the fauour of respite and liberty to bring in the allegations And I thinke it can be hardly or but â—aâ—ely instanced that euer Depriâ—ation hath beene vsed but where fatherly Admâ—nitions haue first beene vsed and time giuen to the Delinquents to consider of it and infoâ—â—e themselues better This course vsually hath beene taken though euery priuate particular man hath no reason to expect it The Reverend Fathers of our Church wee may well think◠〈…〉 much other imploiment cannot be solvâ— thrifty of their good houres as to lauish them out in hearing contentious persons candem cantilenam sing the same note a hundred times ouer and require farther satisfaction after so many publique and vnanswerable satisfactions already
the mischiefe of it the Sinne in the Doer the Iniurie to the Sufferer the Mischiefe to the Common-wealth Euerie false report raised in iudgement besides that it is a lye and euerie lye is a sinne against the truth a Wisd. 1.11 slaying the soule of him that maketh it and b Apoc 22.15 excluding him from heauen and binding him ouer vnto c Apoc. 21.8 the second death it is also a pernicious lye and that is the worst sort of lyes and so a sinne both against Charitie and Iustice. Which who so committeth let him neuer looke to d Psal. 15.1.3 dwell in the Tabernacle of God or to rest vpon his holy Mountaine God hauing threatned Psal. 50. to take speciall knowledge of this sinne and though hee seeme for a time to dissemble it yet at last to reproue the bold offender to his face e Psal. 50.19 21. Thou fatest and spakest against thy brother yea and hast slandered thine owne mothers sonne These things hast thou done and I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I was euen such a one as thy selfe but I will reproue thee and set before thee the things that thou hast done §. 14. 2. from the Wrong And as for the Iniurie done hereby to the grieued partie it is incomparable If a man haue his house broken or his purse taken from him by the high way or sustaine anie wrong or losse in his person goods or state otherwise by fraud or violence or casualtie he may possibly eyther by good fortune heare of his owne againe and recouer it or he may haue restitution and satisfaction made him by those that wronged him or by his good industry and prouidence he may liue to see that losse repaired and be in as good state as before But hee that hath his Name and Credite and Reputation causlesly called into question sustaineth a losse by so much greater than anie theft by how much a Pro. 21.1 a good name is better than great riches A man may out-weare other iniuries or out-liue them but a defamed person no acquittall from the Iudge no satisfaction from the Accuser no following endeuours in himselfe can so restore in integrum but that when the wound is healed hee shall yet carrie the markes and the scarres of it to his dying day §. 15. 3. from the mischiefes Great also are the mischiefes that hence redound to the Common-wealth When no innocencie can protect an honest quiet man but euerie busie base fellow that oweth him a spite shall be able to fetch him into the Courts draw him from the necessary charge of his family and duties of his calling to an vnnecessarie expence of money and time torture him with endlesse delayes and expose him to the pillage of euerie hungrie officer It is one of the grieuances God had against Ierusalem and as hee calleth them abhominations for which hee threatneth to iudge her Ezek. 22. Viri detractores inte a Ezek. 22.9 In thee are men that carrie tales to shedde bloud Beware then all you whose businesse or lot it is at this Assises or hereafter may be to be Plaintiffs §. 16. An exhortation to auoid the fault Accusers Informers or anie way Parties in anie Court of Iustice this or other Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall that you suffer not the guilt of this prohibition to cleaue vnto your consciences If you shall hereafter be raisers of false reports the words you haue heard this day shall make you inexcusable another You are by what hath beene presently spoken disabled euerlastingly from pleading anie Ignorance eyther Facti or Iuris as hauing been instructed both what it is and how great a fault it is to raise a false report Resolue therefore if you be free neuer to enter into anie action or suite wherein you cannot proceede with comfort nor come off without iniustice or if alreadie engaged to make as good speedie an end as you can of a bad matter and to desist from farther prosecution Let that golden rule commended by the wisest a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Stob. serm 2. Idque per praeconem cum aliquem emendavet dici iubebat Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris Quam sententiam vsqueadeo dilexit vt in Palatio in publicis operibus praescribi iuberet de Alex. severo Lamprid. in Alex. Heathens as a fundamentall Principle of morall and ciuill Iustice yea and proposed by our blessed Sauiour himselfe as a full abridgement of the b Matt. 7.12 Law and Prophets be euer in your eye and euer before your thoughts to measure out all your actions and accusations and proceedings thereby euen to doe so to other men and no otherwise than as you could be content or in right reason should be content they should doe to you and yours if their case were yours Could anie of you take it well at your neighbours hand should he seeke your life or liuelyhood by suggesting against you things which you neuer had so much as the thought to do or bring you into a pecke of troubles by wresting your wordes and actions wherein you meant nothing but well to a dangerous construction or follow the Law vpon you as if hee would not leaue you worth a groate for euerie pettie trespasse scarce worth halfe the money or fetch you ouer the hip vpon a branch of some blinde vncouth and pretermitted Statute He that should deale thus with you and yours I know what would be said and thought Griper Knaue Villaine Diuell incarnate all this much more would be too little for him Well I say no more but this Quod tibi fieri non vis c. Doe as you would be done too There is your generall Rule §. 17. and the Causes thereof But for more particular direction if any man desire it since in euery euill one good step to soundnesse is to haue discouered the right cause thereof I know not what better course to prescribe for the preuenting of this sinne of sycophancy and false accusation than for euery man carefully to avoyd the inducing causes thereof and the occasions of those causes There are God knoweth in this present wicked world to euery kinde of euill inducements but too too many To this of false accusation therefore it is not vnlikely but there may be more yet we may obserue that there are foure things which are the most ordinary and frequent causes thereof viz. Malice Obsequiousnesse Couerture and Couetousnesse The first is Malice §. 18. which are 1. Malice Which in some men if I may bee allowed to call them men being indeede rather Monsters is vniuersall They loue no body glad when they can doe any man any mischiefe in any matter neuer at so good quiet as when they are most vnquiet It seemeth Dauid met with some such men that were a Psal. 120.6.7 enemies to peace when hee spake to them of peace they
our prouling Informers like those old Sycophants in Athens or the Quadruplatores in Rome doe they aime thinke you so much at the execution of good Lawes the punishment of offenders and the reformation of abuses as at the prey and the booty and to get a piece of money to themselues For let the offence bee what it will deale but with them and then no more speech of Lawes or Abuses but all is huisht vp in a calme silence and no harme done To remedy this as Iohn Baptist said to the souldiers in Luk. 3. d Luke 3.14 Accuse no man falsly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word there too and be content with your wages so if you would bee sure not to accuse your neighbour falsly content your selues with your owne estates and couet not e Exod 20.17 his oxe or his asse his land or his money or any thing that is his Reckon nothing your own that is not yours by faire and iust meanes nor thinke that can prosper with you and yours that was wrung from another by Cauill or Calumny I haue now done with you that are Accusers §. 22. The Iudges duty Not to receiue a false Report whose care must be according to the Text-reading not to raise a false report But the Margent remembers me there are others whom this prohibition concerneth besides you or rather aboue you whose care it must be not to receiue a false report A thing so weightie and withall so pertinent to the generall argument of this Scripture that some a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag Non suscipies voâ—em mendacii Vulg. edit Thou shalt not receiue a false report Geneu hunc sensum sequitur Chaldaeus Vatabl. Translations haue passed it in the Text. And the Originall word comprehendeth it For albeit the Raiser indeed be the first taker vp yet the Receiuer taketh it vp too at the second hand As it is commonly said of stolne goods There would bee no theeues if there were no receiuers and therefore some Lawes haue made the b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phoc. Receiuer equal theefe with the Stealer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so certainly there would bee fewer false reports raised in iudgement if they were more sparingly receiued And therefore in this case also the Receiuer must goe pari passu with the Raiser who if he giue way or countenance to a false report when he may refuse or hinder it by being an Accessarie maketh himselfe a Partie and becommeth c Non solùm ille reus est qui falsum de aliquo profert sed is qui citò aurem criminibus praebet Isid. lib. 3. de summo bono guiltie of the same sinnes the same wrongs the same mischiefes with the first offender the false Accuser Dauid as he inueigheth against Doeg in the d Psal 52. Psalme for telling so hee e 1. Sam. 24.9 elsewhere expostulateth with Saul for hearing vniust reports of him The Raiser and Receiuer are both possessed with the same euill spirit they haue the same f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. apud Stob. serm 40. Diuell the same Familiar Only here is the difference The Raiser hath this Familiar in his tongue the Receiuer in his eare Whosoeuer then sitteth in the place of Magistracie and publike Iudicature in foro externo or is by vertue of his calling otherwise inuested with anie iurisdiction or power to heare and examine the accusations of others I know not how hee shall be able to discharge himselfe in foro interno from a kinde of Champertie if my ignorance make mee not abuse the word or at leastwise from misprision of Calumnie and vniust accusations if he bee not reasonably carefull of three things First let him beware how he taketh priuate informations Men are partiall §. 23. Whereunto a threefold care is requisite 1. in receiuing informations and will not tell their owne tales but with fauour and vnto aduantage And it is so with most men the a Pro. 18.17 Est vitium cuius si te iâ—munem sentis inter omnes quos noui ex his qui Cathedras ascendunt sedebis me iudice solitarius Facilitas credulitatis haec est cuius callidissimae vulpeculae Magnorum neminem comperi satis cavisse versutias Bern. 2. de consid in fine first tale possesseth them so as they heare the next with preiudice than which there is not a b inde eis ipsis pro nihilo irae multae inde innocentium frequens addictio in de praeindiria in absentes Bern. ib. sorer enemie to right and indifferent iudgement A point so materiall that some Expositors make it the thing principally intended in this first branch of my Text c Lyran. hîc vt non audiatur vna pars sine aliâ saith Lyra. Suiters will be impudent to forestall the publicke hearing by priuate informations euen to the Iudge himselfe if the accesse be easie or at leastwise which indeed maketh lesse noise but is nothing lesse pernicious to his seruant or fauourite that hath his eare if hee haue anie such noted seruant or fauourite He therefore that would resolue not to receiue a false report and be sure to hold his resolution let him resolue so farre as he can auoid it to receiue no report in priuate for a thousand to one that is a false one or where he cannot well auoid it to be readie to receiue the information of the aduerse part withall eyther d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demost. de cor both or neither but indeed rather neither to keepe himselfe by all meanes equall and entire for a publicke hearing Thus much hee may assure himselfe there is no man offereth to possesse him with a cause before-hand be it right be it wrong who doth not eyther thinke him vniust or would haue him so §. 24. 2. in examining causes Secondly let him haue the conscience first then the patience too and yet if hee haue the a The righteous considereth the cause of the poore but the wicked regardeth not to know it Prou. 29.7 conscience certainly he will haue the patience to make search into the truth of things and not be daintie of his paines herein though matters be intricate and the labour like to be long and irksome to finde out if it be possible the bottome of a businesse and where indeed the fault lyeth first or most It was a great ouersight in a good King for b 2. Sam. 16.4 Dauid to giue away Mephibâ—sheths liuing from him to his Accuser and that vpon the bare credite of his accusation It had beene more for his honour to haue done as c Iob. 29.16 Iob did before him to haue searched out the cause he knew not and as his sonne d 3. Kin. 3.23 Salomon did after him in the cause of the two Mothers Salomon well knew what hee hath also taught vs Prou. 25. that it was e Prou. 25.2 the
TEN SERMONS PREACHED I. Ad Clerum 3. II. Ad Magistratum 3. III. Ad Populum 4. BY ROBERT SAVNDERSON Bachellor in Diuinitie sometimes Fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford 1. Cor. 3.8 He that planteth and he that watereth are one LONDON Printed for R. DAWLMAN at the signe of the Bible in Fleet-street neere the great Conduit 1627. THREE SERMONS AD CLERVM PREACHED AT THREE SEVERALL VISITATIONS AT Boston in the Diocesse and County of Lincolne The Third now first published By ROBERT SAVNDERSON Batcheller in Diuinity and somtimes Fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford ROM 14.19 Let vs follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another LONDON Printed by R.Y. for R. Dawlman at the Signe of the Bible neere the great Conduit in Fleet-streete 1627. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God GEORGE Lord Bishop of London my singular good Lord. My good LORD I Had euer thought the interest of but an ordinary friend might haue drawne me to that whereto the despight of a right bitter foe should not haue driuen me till the Fate of these Sermons hath taught me my selfe better and now giuen me at once a sight both of my Errour and Infirmitie The improbitie of some good friends I had out-stood who with all their vexation could neuer preuaile vpon me for the publishing of but the former of them when loe at length the restlesse importunity of hard censures hath wrung both it and the fellow of it out of my hands So much haue we a stronger sense of our owne wrongs than of our friends requests and so much are we forwarder to iustifie our selues than to gratifie them How euer if by Gods good blessing upon them these slender labours may lend any helpe to aduance the peace quiet of the Church in setling the iudgments of such as are more either timorous than they need be or contentious than they should be I shall haue much cause to blesse his gracious prouidence in it who with as much ease as sometimes hee brought light out of darknes can out of priuate wrongs work publike good In which hope I am the rather content to send them abroad though hauing nothing to commend them but Truth and Plainenesse Yet such as they are I humbly desire they may passe vnder your Lordships protection whereunto I stand by so many deare names engaged By the name of a Visitour in respect of that Society wherof I was of late a member when founded by your Lordships godly a Richard Flemming and Thomas Rotherâ—am Bishops of Lincolne Predecessors hath had plentifull experience of your Lordships singular both Care and Iustice in preseruing their Statutes and maintaining the rights of their foundation By the name of a Diocesan in respect of the Countrey wherein it hath pleased God to seate me which hath found much comfort in your Lordships religious and moderate gouernment By the name of a Master in regard of that dependance I haue vpon your Lordship by speciall seruice Which as it putteth a boldnesse into me to tender this small pledge of my thankefulnesse to your gracious acceptance so it layeth a strong Obligation vpon me to tender my best prayers vnto Almightie God for the continuance and increase of his blessings vpon your Lordship to the good of his Church vpon earth and your eternall crowne in heauen Booth by Paynell Linc. Nouem 20. 1621. Your Lordships Chapleine in all dutifull obseruance ROBERT SAVNDERSON AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER GOod Christian Reader vnderstand that in the deliuery of these Sermons because it was fit I should proportion my speech as neere as I could to the houre I was forced to cut off here and there part of what I had penned which yet now together with that which was spoken I here present to thy view distinguished from the rest with this note against the lines Thus much I thought needfull to aduertise thee because I see men are capâ—â—â—us more than enough leâ—t I should be blamed of vnfaithfulnes in either adding any thing vnto or altering any thing of that which I deliuered which I haue auoided as neere as the imperfection both of my Copies and memory would permit Reade without gall or preiudice Let not truth fare the worse for the Plainenes Catch not aduantage at Syllables and Phrases Study and seeke the Churches Peace Iudge not anothers seruant Let vs all rather pray one for another and by our charitable support helpe to beare the burdens one of another and so fulfill the Law of Christ. Amen Amen The Texts of the seuerall Sermons I. AD CLERVM 3. LEt not him that eateth I. Rom. 14.3 despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth pag. 1. And not rather as we be slaunderously reported and as some affirme that we say II. Rom. 3.8 Let vs doe euill that good may come Whose damnation is iust pag. 50. But the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withall III. 1. Cor. 12.7 pag. 96. II. AD MAGISTRATVM 3. I put on righteousnesse and it cloathed me IIII. Iob 29.14 my iudgment was as a roabe and a diademe I was eies to the blind and feet was I to the lame 15. I was a father to the poore 16. and the cause which I knew not I searched out And I brake the iawes of the wicked 17. and plucked the spoile out of his teeth pag. 147. Thou shalt not raise a false report put not c. V. Exod. 23.1 c. pag. 199. Then stood vp Phinehes and executed iudgement and so the Plague was staied VI. Psal. 106.30 pag. 238. III. AD POPVLVM 4. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee VII VIII IX 3. Kin. 21.29 because he humbleth himselfe before me I wil not bring the euill in his daies but in his sonnes daies will I bring the euill vpon his house pag. 283. Brethren let euery man wherein he is called X. 1. Cor. 7.24 therein abide with God pag. 401. Some Aduertisements to the Reader Know Christian Reader THat one speciall reason I had to induce mee to print these Sermons was the irkesomenesse I had found in transcribing copies of some of them at the request of some friends that had desired it by my facility in yeelding to whose desires therein I had so farre prouoked others that thought they had some interest in mee to request the like that I had now no other way left to put them off and to redeeme my selfe from an endlesse drudgery in that kinde than this of sending them to the Presse Sundrie mens importunities I haue staied hitherto for a good space by promising to print those they desired and haue now so farre satisfied by doing it at last That the Aduertisements prefixed before the two first Sermons once before printed concerning the meaning of this marke before the lines in some places ought to be extended to the
quasi digressionem tractando haec Caietan hîc step a little out of his way for it as might bring scandall to the Truth he had deliuered When we preach and instruct others we should not thinke it enough to deliuer positiue truths but we should take good care also as neere as we can to leaue them cleare and by preuention to stop the mouthes of such as loue to picke quarrels at the Truth and to barke against the light It were good we would so farre as our leisure and gifts will permit wisely forecast and preuent all offence that might be taken at any part of Gods truth and be carefull as not to broach any thing that is false through rashnesse errour or intemperance so not to betray any truth by ignorant handling or by superficiall flight and vnsatisfying answers But then especially concerneth it vs to bee most carefull herein when wee haue to speake before such as we haue some cause before-hand to suspect to be through ignorance or weakenesse or custome or education or preiudice or partiall affections or otherwise contrary-minded vnto or at leastwise not wel perswaded of those Truths we are to teach If the wayes be rough and knotty and the passengers feeble-ioynted and darke-sighted it is but needfull the guides should remoue as many blockes and stones out of the way as may bee When we haue gone as warily as we can to work Cauillers if they list will take exceptions it is our part to see wee giue them not the aduantage lest wee helpe to iustifie the Principals by making our selues Accessories Those men are ill aduised how euer zealous for the Truth that stirre in controuersed points and leaue them worse than they found them b Aut animo demas aut viribus addas Dictum Archidami ad filium Stomake will not beare out a man without strength and to encounter an aduersary are required c As Zuinglius said of Carolostadius whom hee iudged too weake to vndertake the defence of the Truth against Luther in the point of Consubstantiation Non satis humerorum habet Sleidan Shoulders as well as gall A good cause is neuer betrayed-more than when it is prosecuted with much eagernesse but little sufficiencie This from the method §. 6. OBSERV II. The Slander of the Ministers regular doctrine is more than an ordinary Slander Obserue secondly the Apostles maner of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Translators render it As we are wrongfully blamed As we are slandered As we are slanderously reported And the word indeede from the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Originall importeth no more and so Writers both Prophane and Sacred vse it But yet in Scriptures by a Specialtie it most times signifieth the highest degree of Slander when we open our mouthes against God and speake ill or amisse or vnworthily of God that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and properly the sin wee call Blasphemy And yet that very word of Blasphemy which for the most part referreth immediately to God the Apostle heere vseth when he speaketh of himselfe and other Christian Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we are slandered nay as we are blasphemed A slander or other wrong or contempt done to a Minister quà talis is a sinne of a higher straine than the same done to a common Christian. Not at all for his Persons sake for so he is no more Gods good creature than the other no more free b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 14.15 Iam. 5.17 from sinnes and infirmities and passions than the other But for his Callings sake for so hee is Gods c 2. Cor. 5.20 Embassadour which the other is not and for his workes sake for that is Gods d 1. Thes. 2.13 message which the others is not Personall Slanders and Contempts are to a Minister but as to another man because his person is but as another mans Person But Slanders and Contempts done to him as a Minister that is with reference either to his Calling or Doctrine are much greater than to another man as reaching vnto God himselfe whose Person the Minister representeth in his Calling and whose errand the Minister delivereth in his Doctrine For Contempts Saint Paul is expresse elsewhere e 1. Thes. 4.8 He that despiseth despiseth not Man but God And as for Slanders the very choice of the word in my Text inferreth as much The dignitie of our Calling enhaunceth the sinne and euerie Slander against our regular Doctrines is more than a bare Calumnie if no more at least petty f We haue heard him speake blasphemous words against Moses and against God Acts 6.11 blasphemie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As wee are slandered as wee are blasphemed That from the word §. 7. OBSER III. The best truths are subiect to Slander Obserue thirdly the wrong done to the Apostle and to his Doctrine Hee was slanderously reported to haue taught that which hee neuer so much as thought and his Doctrine had many scandalous imputations fastened vpon it whereof neither hee nor it were guilty As we are slanderously reported and as some affirme that we say The best truths are subiect to mis-interpretation and there is not that Doctrine how firmely soeuer grounded how warily soeuer deliuered whereon Calumny wil not fasten and stick slanderous imputations Neither a Matth. 11.17 18 19. Iohns mourning nor Christs piping can passe the pikes but the one hath a Diuell the other is a glutton and a wine-bibber Though b Matth. 5.17 Christ come to fulfill the Law yet there bee will accuse him as a destroyer of the Law Matth. 5. And though he decide the question plainely for Caesar and that in the case of Tribute Matth. 22. c Mat. 22.21 Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars yet there be that charge him as if hee d Ioh. 19.12 spake against Caesar Ioh. 19. and that in the very case of Tribute as if hee e Luke 23.2 forbade to giue Tribute vnto Caesar Luke 23. Now if they f Mat. 10.25 called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of his houshold If Christs did not thinke wee the doctrine of his Ministers and his Seruants could escape the stroke of mens tongues and bee free from calumny and cauill How the Apostles were slandered as Seducers and Sectaries and vaine babblers and Heretiques and broachers of new and false and pestilent doctrines their Epistles and the booke of their Acts witnesse abundantly to vs. And for succeeding times reade but the Apologies of Athenagoras and Tertullian and others and it will amaze you to see what blasphemous and seditious and odious and horrible impieties were fathered vpon the ancient Christian Doctors and vpon their profession But our owne experience goeth beyond all The Doctors of our Church teach truely and agreeably to vnanswerable euidences of Scripture the g Act. 17.28 Esay 26.12 effectual concurrence of Gods will and power with subordinate
vs that are of the Clergie §. 4. The explication of the words By manifestation of the Spirit here our Apostle vnderstandeth none other thing than hee doth by the adiectiue word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first and by the substantiue word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last verse of the Chapter Both which put together doe signifie those spirituall gifts and graces whereby God enableth men and especially Church-men to the duties of their particular Callings for the generall good Such as are those particulars which are named in the next following verses a Vers. 8-10 the word of wisdome the word of knowledge faith the gifts of healing workings of miracles prophecy discerning of spirits diuers kinds of tongues interpretation of tongues All which and all other of like nature and vse because they are wrought by that one and selfe-same b Vers. 11. Spirit which diuideth to euery one seuerally as he will are therefore called c Vers. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall gifts and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit The word Spirit though in Scripture it haue many other significations §. 5. By Spirit is meant the Holy Ghost yet in this place I conceiue to be vnderstood directly of the Holy Ghost the third Person in the euer-blessed Trinitie For first in vers 3. that which is called the Spirit of God in the former part is in the later part called the Holy Ghost a Vers. â— I giue you to vnderstand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Iesus accursed and that no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Againe that varietie of gifts which in vers 4. is said to proceed from the b Vers. 4-6 same Spirit is said likewise in vers 5. to proceed from the same Lord and in vers 6. to proceed from the same God and therefore such a Spirit is meant as is also Lord and God and that is onely the holy Ghost And againe in those words in vers 11. c Vers 11. all these worketh that one and the selfe-same Spirit diuiding to euery man seuerally as he will the Apostle ascribeth to this Spirit the collation and distribution of such gifts according to the free power of his owne will and pleasure which free power belongeth to none but God alone d Vers. 18. who hath set the members euery one in the body as it hath pleased him Which yet ought not so to bee vnderstood of the Person of the Spirit as if the Father §. 6. not as excluding the other Persons and the Sonne had no part or fellowship in this businesse For all the Actions and operations of the Diuine Persons those onely excepted which are of intrinsecall and mutuall relation are the ioynt and vndiuided workes of the whole three Persons according to the common knowne maxime constantly and vniformely receiued in the Catholike Church Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa And as to this particular concerning gifts the Scriptures are cleare Wherein as they are ascribed to God the Holy Ghost in this Chapter so they are elsewhere ascribed to God the Father a Iam. 1.17 Euery good gift and euery perfect giuing is from aboue from the Father of Lights I am 1. and elsewere to God the Sonne b Ephes. 4.7 Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes. 4. Yea and it may be that for this very reason in the three verses next before my text these three words are vsed Spirit in vers 4. Lord in vers 5. and God in vers 6. to giue vs intimation that c Ne gratia donum diuisum sit per personas Patri Filij et Sp. Sancti sed indiscretae vnitatis naturae trium vnum opus intellâ—gatur Ambros in 1. Cor. 7. ca. 61. these spirituall gifts proceed equally and vndiuidedly from the whole three Persons from God the Father and from his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and from the eternall Spirit of them both the Holy Ghost as from one entire indiuisible and coessentiall Agent §. 7. but by way of appropriation But for that we are grosse of vnderstanding and vnable to conceiue the distinct Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead otherwise than by apprehending some distinction of their operations and offices to-vs-ward it hath pleased the wisedome of God in the holy Scriptures which being written for our sakes were to be fitted to our capacities so farre to condescend to our weaknesse and dulnesse as to attribute some of those great and common workes to one person and some to another after a more speciall manner than vnto the rest although indeed and in truth none of the three persons had more or lesse to doe than other in any of those great and common-workes This manner of speaking Diuines vse to call a V. Aquin. 1. qu. 39 7. Appropriation By which appropriation as Power is ascribed to the Father and Wisedome to the Sonne so is Goodnesse to the Holy Ghost And therefore as the Worke of Creation wherein is specially seene the mighty power of God is appropriated to the Father and the worke of Redemption wherein is specially seene the wisedome of God to the Sonne so the workes of sanctification and the infusion of habituall graces whereby the good things of God are communicated vnto vs is appropriated vnto the Holy Ghost And for this cause the gifts thus communicated vnto vs from God are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall gifts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit Wee see now why spirit but then §. 8. What is meant by Manifestation why manifestation The word as most other verballs of that forme may be vnderstood either in the actiue or passiue signification And it is not materiall whether of the two wayes we take it in this place both being true and neither improper For these spirituall Gifts are the manifestation of the spirit Actiuely because by these the spirit manifesteth the will of God vnto the Church these being the instruments and meanes of conueighing the knowledge of saluation vnto the people of God And they are the manifestation of the spirit Passiuely too because where any of these gifts especially in any eminent sort appeared in any person it was a manifest euidence that the Spirit of God wrought in him As we reade in Act. 10. that they of the Circumcision were astonished a Act. 10.45 46. When they saw that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost If it bee demanded But how did that appeare it followeth in the next verse for they heard them speake with tongues c. The spirituall Gift then is a b Id est Donum spiritus quo dono spiritus suam in homine praesentiam declarat Metonymia effecti Piscat in schol hîc manifestation of
the weary to drinke and thou hast with holden bread from the hungry But as for the mighty man hee had the earth and the honourable man dwelt in it Thou hast sent widowes away empty and the armes of the fatherlesse hast thou broken Being thus shamefully indeed shamelesly §. 2. Scope vpbraided to his face without any desert of his by those men a Etsi ego dignus hac contumeliâ At tu indignus qui faceres tamen Terent. who if he had deserued it should least of all haue done it his b Psal. 55.12 14. neighbours and familiar friends can you blame the good man if to remoue such false aspersions hee doe with more than ordinary freedome insist vpon his owne integritie in this behalfe And that hee doth in this Chapter something largely wherein he declareth how he demeaned himselfe in the time of his prosperitie in the administration of his Magistracy farre otherwise than was layed to his charge When the eare heard mee then it blessed mee and when the eye saw mee it gaue witnesse to mee Because I deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon mee and I caused the widowes heart to sing for ioy in the next immediate verses before these And then he goeth on in the words of my Text I put on righteousnesse and c. It seemeth Iob was a good man as well as a great and being good hee was by so much the better §. 3. Summe by how much he was the greater Nor was he only Bonus vir a good man and yet if but so his friends had done him much wrong to make him an Hypocrite but hee was Bonus Ciuis too a good Common-wealths-man and therefore his friends did him yet more wrong to make him an Oppressour Indeed he was neither one nor other But it is not so vsefull for vs to know what manner of man Iob was as to learne from him what manner of men wee should bee The grieued spirit of Iob indeed at first vttered these words for his owne iustification but the blessed Spirit of God hath since written them for our instruction to teach vs from Iobs example how to vse that measure of greatnesse and power which hee hath giuen vs be it more bee it lesse to his glory and the common good So that in these words we haue to consider as layed downe vnto vs vnder the person and from the example of Iob some of the maine and principall duties which concerne all those that liue in any degree of Eminencie or Authoritie either in Church or Common-wealth and more specially those that are in the Magistracie or in any office appertaining to Iustice. §. 4. and Diuision of the Text. And those Duties are foure One and the first as a more transcendent and fundamentall dutie the other three as accessorie helpes thereto or subordinate parts thereof That first is a Care and Loue and Zeale of Iustice. A good Magistrate should so make account of the administration of Iustice as of his chiefest businesse making it his greatest glory and delight Vers. 14. I put on righteousnesse and it cloathed mee my iudgement was a robe and a diadem The second is a forwardnesse vnto the workes of Mercy and Charity and Compassion A good Magistrate should haue compassion of those that stand need of his helpe and be helpfull vnto them vers 15. and part of 16. I was eyes to the blinde and feete was I to the lame I was a father to the poore The Third is Diligence in Examination A good Magistrate should not be hasty to credit the first tale or bee carryed away with light informations but he should heare and examine and scan and sift matters as narrowly as may bee for the finding out of the truth in the remainder of verse 16. And the cause which I knew not I searched out The Fourth is Courage and Resolution in Executing A good Magistrate when hee goeth vpon sure grounds should not feare the faces of men bee they neuer so mighty or many but without respect of persons execute that which is equall and right euen vpon the greatest offender Vers. 17. And I brake the iawes of the wicked and plucked the spoyle out of his teeth Of these foure in their order of the first first in these words I put on righteousnesse c. This Metaphore of cloathing is much vsed in the Scriptures in this notion §. 5. The Opening of as it is applyed to the soule and things appertaining to the soule In Psalme 109. Dauid vseth this imprecation against his enemies a Psal. 109.29 Let mine aduersaries be cloathed with shame and let them couer themselues with their owne confusion as with a cloake And the Prophet Esay speaking of Christ and his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof chap. 11. thus describeth it b Esay 11.5 Righteousnesse shall bee the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reynes Likewise in the New Testament St. Paul in one place biddeth vs c Rom. 13.14 put on the Lord Iesus Christ in an other exhorteth women to d 1 Tim. 2.9 c. adorne themselues instead of broydered haire and gould and pearles and costly aray with shamefastnesse and sobriety and as becommeth women professing godlinesse with good workes in a third furnisheth the spirituall souldier with e Eph. 6.14 c. shoes girdle brestplate helmet and all necessary accontrements from top to toe In all which and other places where the like Metaphore is vsed it is euer to bee vnderstood with allusion to one of the three speciall ends or vses of apparell For we cloath our selues either first for necessitie and common decency to couer our nakednesse or secondly for security and defence against enemies or thirdly for state and solemnitie and for distinction of offices and degrees Our cloakes and coates and ordinary suites wee all weare to couer our nakednesse and these are Indumenta knowne by no other but by the generall name of Cloathing or Apparell Souldiers in the warres weare Morions and Cuiraces and Targets and other habiliments for defence and these are called Arma Armes or Armour Kings and Princes weare Crowns and Diadems inferiour Nobles and Iudges and Magistrates and Officers their Robes and Furres and Hoods and other ornaments fitting to their seuerall degrees and offices for solemnitie of state and as ensignes or markes of those places and stations wherein God hath set them and these are Infulae Ornaments or Roabes It is true Iustice and Iudgement and euery other good vertue and grace is all this vnto the soule seruing her both for couert and for protection and for ornament and so stand both for the garments and for the armour and for the roabes of the soule But here I take it Iob alludeth especially to the third vse The proprietie of the very words themselues giue it so for he
is it true of publike Magistrates and in matters of iustice and iudgement by how much the men are of better note and the things of greater moment But in difficult and intricate businesses couered with darknesse and obscuritie and perplexed with many windings and turnings and cunning and craftie conueiances to find a faire issue out and to spie light at a narrow hole and by wisedome and diligence to rip vp a foule matter and search a cause to the bottome and make a discouerie of all is a thing worthy the labour and a thing that will adde to the honour I say not onely of inferiour Gouernours but euen of the supreme Magistrate the King i Prou. 25.2 It is the glory of God to conceale a thing but the honour of Kings is to search out a matter §. 15. and reasons thereof To vnderstand the necessitie of this dutie consider First that as sometimes Democritus said the truth lyeth a Cic. 1. Acad. quaest in fine Inuoluta veritas in alto latet Sen. 7. de benefic 1. in profundo and in abdito darke and deepe as in the bottome of a pit and it will aske some time yea and cunning too to find it out and bring it to light Secondly that through fauour faction enuie greedinesse ambition and otherwise innocency it selfe is often laden with false accusations You may obserue in the Scriptures how b 3. King 21.13 Naboth c Ierem. 37.13 Ieremie d Act. 24.5 25.7 Saint Paul and others and you may see by too much experience in these wretched times how many men of faire and honest conuersation haue been accused and troubled without cause which if the Magistrate by diligent inquisition doe not either preuent or helpe to the vtmost of his endeauour hee may soone vnawares wrap himself in the guilt of innocent blood Thirdly that informations are for the most part partiall euery man making the best of his owne tale and he cannot but often e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand apud Stob. serm 44. erre in iudgement that is easily carried away with the first tale and doth not suspend till he haue heard both parties alike Herein f 2. Sam. 16.3.4 Dauid failed when vpon Ziba's false information he passed a hastie and iniurious decree against Mephibosheth Salomon saith g Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his owne tale seemeth righteous but then his neighbour commeth and searcheth him out Prou. 18. as wee say commonly One tale is good till another bee told Fourthly that if in all other things hastinesse and precipitancy be hurtfull then especially matters of iustice would not bee hudled vp hand ouer-head but handled with mature h Take heede what you doe 2. Chron. 19.6 deliberation and iust and diligent disquisition i Senec. l. 2. de Ira c. 23. Cunctari iudicantem decet imo oportet saith Seneca he that is to iudge it is fitt he should nay it is necessary he should proceed with conuenient leisure Who iudgeth otherwise and without this due search hee doth not Iudge but ghesse The good Magistrate had need of patience to heare and of diligence to search of prudence to search out whatsoeuer may make for the discouery of the truth in an intricate and difficult cause The cause which I knew not I searched out That is the Magistrates third Duty there yet remaineth a fourth in these words I brake the iawes of the wicked and plucked the spoile out of his teeth §. 16. The opening of Wherein Iob alludeth to rauenous and saluage beasts beasts of prey that lye in waite for the smaler Cattell and when they once catch them in their pawes fasten their teeth vpon them and teare them in pieces and deuoure them Such Lyons and Wolfes and Beares and Tygers are the greedy a Qui pote plus vrget pisces vt saepè minutos Magnu comest vt aues enecat accipiter Varro in Margopoli factus praeda maiori minor Sen. in Hippol. act 2. great ones of this world who are euer rauening after the estates the liuelihoods of their meaner neighbours snatching and biting and deuouring and at length eating them vp and consuming them Iob here speaketh of Dentes Molares Teeth and Iawes and hee meaneth the same thing by both Power abused to oppression But if any will be so curiously subtle as to distinguish them thus he may doe it Dentes they are the long a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cuert sharpe teeth the foreteeth b Psal. 57.4 Dentes eorum arma sagittae saith Dauid Their teeth are speares and arrowes Molares à molendo so called from grinding they are the great double teeth the iaw-teeth Those are the Biters these the Grinders these and those together Oppressours of all sorts Vsurers and prouling officers and sly Merchants and arrant Informers and such kinde of extortioners as sell time and trucke for expedition and snatch and catch at petty aduantages these vse their teeth most these are Bìters The first and I know not whether or no the worst sort of them in the holy Hebrew tongue hath his name from biting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naschak that is to bite and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neschek that is Vsury Besides these Biters there are Grinders too men whose teeth are Lapides Molares as the ouer and the nether mill-stone Depopulators and racking Landlords and such great ones as by heauie pressures and burdens and sore bargaines breake the backes of those they deale withall These first by little and little c Esay 3 15. grinde the faces of the poore as small as dust and powder and when they haue done at length d Psalm 14.4 eate them vp one after another as it were bread as the Holy Ghost hath painted them out vnder those very phrases Now how the Magistrate should deale with these grinders and biters Iob here teacheth him he should break their iawes and plucke the spoyle out of their teeth that is quell and crush the mighty Oppressour and e Eripite nos ex faucibus eoâ—uÌ„ quorum crudelitas Crass. apud Cic. 1. dâ— Oratore deliuer the Oppressed from his iniuries For to breake the iaw or the cheeke bone or the teeth is in Scripture phrase as much as to abate the pride and suppresse the power and curbe the insolency of those that vse their might to ouerbeare right So Dauid saith in the third Psalme that God had saued him by f Psal. 3.7 smiting his enemies vpon the cheeke bone and breaking the teeth of the vngodly And in Psalme 58. he desireth God to g Psalm 58.6 See also Prou. 30.14 Ioel 1.6 breake the teeth of the wicked in their mouthes and to breake out the great teeth of those young Lyons In which place it is obseruable that as Iob here he speaketh both of Dentes and Molares teeth and great teeth and those wicked great ones according as Iob
wee say of the fearefull Magistrate in the hands of a Coward to doe iustice and hee hath no heart You that are Magistrates remember the promise God hath made you and the Title he hath giuen you You haue an honourable Promise e 2 Chron. 19.6 God will bee with you in the cause and in the iudgement 2. Chron. 19. If God bee with you what need you feare who shall bee against you You haue an honourable Title too f Psalm 82.6 I haue said yee are Gods Psalm 82. If you bee Gods why should you feare the faces of men This is Gods fashion hee g 1 Pet. 5.5 giueth grace to the humble but hee resisteth the proud hee h Luke 1.52 exalteth the meeke and lowly but hee putteth the mighty out of their seates If you will deale answerably to that high name he hath put vpon you and be indeed as Gods follow the example of God lift vp the poore oppressed out of the mire and tumble downe the confidence of the mighty and proud oppressour when you i Psal. 75.2.4 receiue the Congregation iudge vprightly and feare not to say to the wicked be they neuer so great Lift not vp your horne So shall you vindicate your selues from contempt so shall you preserue your persons and places from being baffelled and blurted by euery lewd companion §. 20. 3. of the Offenders Courage in the Magistrate against these great ones especially is thirdly necessary in respect of the offendours These wicked ones of whom Iob speaketh the longer teeth they haue the deeper they bite and the stronger iawes they haue the sorer they grinde and the greater power they haue the more mischiefe they doe And therefore these great ones of all other would be well hampered and haue their teeth filed their iawes broken their power curbed I say not the poore and the small should be spared when they offend good reason they should be punished with seuerity But you must remember I now speake of Courage and a little courage will serue to bring vnder those that are vnder already So that if meane men scape vnpunished when they transgresse it is oftener for want of care or conscience in the Magistrate than of courage But here is the true triall of your Courage when you are to deale with these great ones men not much inferiour to your selues perhaps your equalls yea and it may bee too your Magistracie set aside men much greater than your selues men great in place great in wealth in great fauour that haue great friends but withall that doe great harme Let it be your honour that you dare be iust when these dare be vniust and when they dare smite others a Esay 58.4 with the fist of violence that you dare smite them with b Rom. 13.4 the sword of iustice and that you dare vse your power when they dare abuse theirs All transgressours should bee looked vnto but more the greater and the greatest most as a shepheard should watch his sheepe euen from Flyes and Maukes but much more from Foxes most of all from Wolues Sure hee is a sorry shepheard that is busie to kill Flyes and Maukes in his sheepe but letteth the Wolfe worry at pleasure Why one Wolfe will doe more mischiefe in a night than a thousand of them in a twelue-moneth And as sure hee is a sorry Magistrate that stocketh and whippeth and hangeth poore snakes when they offend though that is to be done too but letteth the great theeues doe what they list and dareth not meddle with them like Saul who when God commanded him to destroy all the Amalekites both man and beast slew indeed the rascality of both but spared the c 1 Sam. 15.3 9. greatest of the men and the fattest of the cattell and slew them not The good Magistrate should rather with Iob here breake the iawes of the wicked and in spight of his heart plucke the spoyle out of his teeth §. 21. The Inferences of all Thus haue you heard the foure duties or properties of a good Magistrate conteyned in this Scripture with the grounds and reasons of most of them opened They are 1. a loue and zeale to iustice 2. Compassion to the poore and distressed 3. Paines and Patience in examination of causes 4. Stoutnesse and Courage in execution of iustice The vses and inferences of all these yet remaine to be handled now in the last place and together All which for order and breuities sake wee will reduce vnto three heads accordingly as from each of the foure mentioned Duties or Properties or Rules call them which you will there arise Inferences of three sorts First of Direction for the choyce and appointment of Magistrates according to these foure properties Secondly of Reproofe for a iust rebuke of such Magistrates as faile in any of these foure Dutyes Thirdly of Exhortation to those that are or shall be Magistrates to carry thēselues therin according to these foure Rules Wherein what I shall speake of Magistrates ought also to bee extended and applyed the due proportion euer obserued to all kindes of Officers whatsoeuer any way appertaining vnto iustice And first for Direction S. Paul saith a Rom. 13.1 The powers that are are ordained of God §. 22. The First of Direction for the choyce of Magistrates yet S. Peter calleth the Magistracie an b 1 Pet. 2.13 humane ordinance Certainly the holy Spirit of God which speaketh in these two great Apostles is not contrary to it selfe The truth is the substance of the power of euery Magistrate is the ordinance of God and that is S. Pauls meaning but the Specification of the Circumstances thereto belonging as in regard of places persons titles continuance iurisdiction subordination and the rest is as S. Peter tearmeth it an humane ordinance introduced by Custome or positiue Law And therefore some kindes of Magistracy are higher some lower some annuall or for a set time some during life some after one manner some after another according to the seuerall Lawes or Customes whereon they are grounded As in other circumstances so in this concerning the deputation of the Magistrates person there is great difference some hauing their Power by Succession others by Nomination and other some by Election As amongst vs the supreme Magistrate the King hath his Power by succession some inferiour Magistrates theirs by Nomination or speciall appointment either immediately or mediately from the King as most of our Iudges Iustices some againe by the elections and voyces of the multitude as most Officers and Gouernours in our Cities Corporations or Colledges The Directions which I would inferre from my Text cannot reach the first kinde because such Magistrates are borne to vs not chosen by vs. They doe concerne in some sort the second but most neerely the third kinde viz. those that are chosen by suffrages and voyces and therefore vnto this third kinde only I will apply them We may not thinke because our
voyces are our owne that therefore wee may bestow them as wee list neither must wee suffer our selues in a matter of this nature to bee carryed by fauour faction spight hope feare importunity or any other corrupt and partiall respect from those Rules which ought to leuell our choyce But wee must conferre our voyces and our best furtherance otherwise vpon those whom all things duly considered we conceiue to bee the fittest and the greater the place is and the more the power is wee giue vnto them and from our selues the greater ought our care in voycing to bee It is true indeed when wee haue vsed all our best care and proceeded with the greatest caution wee can wee may be deceiued and make an vnworthy choyce For wee cannot iudge of mens fitnesse by any demonstratiue certaintie all we can doe is to goe vpon probabilities which can yeeld at the most but a coniecturall certainty full of vncertainty Men ferè maxima pars morem hunc homines habēt quod sibi volunt Dum id impetrant boni sunt sed id vbi iam penes sese habent Ex bonis pessimi fraudulentissimi sunt Plaut in Capt. 2.1 Omnes candidatos bonos viros dicimus Senec. Epist. 3. ambitious and in appetite till they haue obtained their desires vse to dissemble those vices which might make a stop in their preferments which hauing once gotten what they fished for they bewray with greater freedome and they vse likewise to make a shew of that zeale and forwardnesse in them to doe good which afterwards commeth to iust nothing Absolon to steale away the hearts of the people though hee were euen then most vnnaturally vniust in his purposes against a father and such a father yet hee made shew of much compassion to the iniured and of a great desire to doe iustice d 2 Sam. 15.4 O saith hee that I were made a Iudge in the Land that euery man that hath any suite or cause might come vnto mee and I would doe him iustice And yet I doubt not but if things had so come to passe he would haue beene as bad as the worst When the Roman Souldiers had in a tumult proclaimed Galba Emperour they thought they had done a good dayes worke euery man promised himselfe so much good of the new Emperour But when he was in he proued no better than those that had beene before him One giueth this censure of him e Tacit. lib. 1. histor Omnium consensu capax imperij nisi imperasset he had beene a man in euery mans iudgement worthy to haue beene Emperour if he had not beene Emperour and so shewed himselfe vnworthy f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictum Biantis apud Aristot. 5. Ethic 3. Magistratus indicat virum is a common saying and a true Wee may ghesse vpon likelihoods what they will bee when wee choose them but the thing it selfe after they are chosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch in Cicerone sheweth the certainty what they are But this vncertainty should bee so farre from making vs carelesse in our choyce that it should rather adde so much the more to our care to put things so hazzardous as neere as we can out of hazzard Now those very Rules §. 23. according to the said foure Properties that must direct them to gouerne must direct vs also to choose And namely an eye would be had to the foure Properties specified in my Text. The First a Zeale of Iustice and a Delight therein Seest thou a man carelesse of the common good one that palpably preferreth his owne before the publique weale one that loueth his a nec vulgi cura tyranni Dum sua sit modò tuta salus Valer. Flace 5. Argonant ease so well that hee careth not which way things goe backward or forward so hee may sit still and not be troubled one that would diuide honorem ab onere bee proud of the honour and title and yet loath to vndergoe the enuie and burthen that attendeth them set him aside Neuer thinke that mans roabes will doe well vpon him A Iusticeship or other office would sit vpon such a mans backe as handsomely as b 1 Sam. 17.39 Sauls armour did vpon Dauids vnweildy and sagging about his shoulders so as he could not tell how to stirre and turne himselfe vnder it Hee is a fit man to make a Magistrate of that will put on righteousnesse as a garment and cloath himselfe with iudgement as with a Robe and a Diadem The second Property is Compassion on the poore Seest thou a man destitute of counsell and vnderstanding a man of forlorne hopes or estate and in whom there is no helpe or one that hauing either counsell or helpe in him is yet a churle of either but especially one that is sore in his bargaines cruell in his dealings hard to his Tenants or an Oppressour in any kinde Take none of him Sooner commit a flocke of sheepe to a c O praeclarum custodem ouium vt aiunt lupum custosue vrbis an direptor vexator esset Antonius Cic. Philipp 3. Wolfe than a Magistracie or office of iustice to an d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iamblich apud Stob. Serm. 41. Oppressour Such a man is more likely to put out the eyes of him that seeth than to be eyes to the blinde and to breake the bones of the strong than to be legges to the lame and to turne the fatherlesse a begging than to be a father to the poore The third Property is Diligence to search out the truth Seest thou a man hasty and rash and heady in his owne businesses a man impatient of delay or paines one that cannot e Prou. 29 11. conceale what is meet till it be seasonable to vtter it but poureth out all his heart at once and before the time one that is easily possest with what is first told him or being once possest will not with any reason bee perswaded to the contrary one that lendeth eare so much to some particular friend or follower as to belieue any information from him not any but from him one that to be counted a man of dispatch loueth to make an end of a businesse before it be ripe suspect him Hee will scarce haue the Conscience or if that yet not the wit or not the patience to search out the cause which hee knoweth not The last Property is Courage to execute Seest thou a man first of a f degeneres animos timor arguit Virgil. 4. Aeneid timorous nature and cowardly disposition or secondly of a wauering and fickle minde as we say of children wonne with an apple and lost with a nut or thirdly that is apt to be wrought vpon or moulded into any forme with faire words friendly inuitations or complementall gloses or fourthly that dependeth vpon some great man whose vassall or creature hee is or fiftly a taker and one that may bee dealt withall for that is now the
make them serue to giue colour to one of the strongest accusations they had against them This second kind of Report is false as deuoid of Ingenuity §. 10. 3. by pressing the letter of the Law with rigour The third way is when taking aduantage of the Law wee prosecute the extremitie thereof against our brother who perhaps hath done something contrary to the letter of the Law but not violated the intent of the Lawgiuer or offended either against common Equitie which ought to bee the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet apud Stob. serm 143. nos legeÌ„ bonam â molâ nullâ aâ—ia nisi naturali normâ diuidere possumus Cic. lib. 1. de legib Quod fit iniusiè nec iure sieri potest Non enim iura dicenda sunt vel putanda iniqua hominum constituta Aug. l. 9. de Ciuit 21. measure of iust Lawes or against the common good which is in some sort the b Atque ipsa vtilitas prope iusti mater aequi Horat. 1. serm 3. ex ae quo bono ius constaâ— quod ad veritatem vtili tatem communom videtur pertinere Cic. ad Herem lib. 2. measure of Equitie In that multitude of Lawes which for the repressing of disorders and for the maintenance of peace and tranquillitie among men must needes be in euery well gouerned Commonwealth it cannot be auoyded but that honest men especially if they haue much dealings in the world may haue sometimes iust and necessary cause to doe that which in regard of the thing done may bring them within the compasse of some Statute or branch of a statute yet such as circumstances duly considered no wise and indifferent man but would well approue of Now if in such cases alwayes rigour should bee vsed Lawes intended for the benefite should by such hard construction become the bane of humane societie As Solomon saith c Pro. 30.33 Quitorquet nasum elicit sanguinem Hee that wringeth the nose too hard forceth bloud Guilty this way are not onely those contentious spirits whereof there are too many in the world with whom there is no more adoe but a Word and an Action a Trespasse and a Processe But most of our common Informers withall Sycophants you may call them for that was their old name like Verres his d Canes venatici Cic. in Verrinis saepè bloud-hounds in Tully that lye in the winde for gaine and if they can but trip anie man vpon anie breach of a penall Statute there they fasten their teeth and tugge him into the Courts without helpe vnlesse he will dare offam Cerbero for that is it they looke for give them a sop and then they are charmed for that time Zacheus besides that he was a Publicane was it seemeth such a kind of Informer e Luk. 19.8 Si quid cuiper calumniam eripui apud Tert. 4 cont Marc. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word Luke 19. if I have played the sycophant with anie man if I haue wronged anie man by forged cauillation or wrung anie thing from him by false accusation A report of this third kind is false as deuoid of equity But it may be thought I iniure these men in making them raisers of false reports §. 11. A Cauill remoued and am my selfe a false accuser of them whilest I seeke to make them false accusers of others when as they dare appeale to the world they report not anie thing but what is most true and what they shall bee well able to proue so to be At once to answer them and cleare my selfe know that in Gods estimation and to common intendment in the language of Scripture it is all one to speake an vntruth and to speake a truth in vndue time and place and manner and with vndue circumstances One instance shall make all this most cleere Doeg the Edomite one of the a 1. Sam. 21.7 seruants of the house of Saul saw when Dauid went into the house of Ahimelech the Priest and how Ahimelech there entertained him what kindnesse he did for him of all which he b 1. Sam. 22.9 c. afterwards gaue Saul particular information in euerie point according to what he had seene Wherein though he spake no more than what was true and what he had seene with his owne eyes yet because he did it with an intent to bring mischiefe vpon Ahimelech who had done nothing but what well became an honest man to doe Dauid chargeth him with telling of lyes and telleth him hee had a false tongue of his owne for it Psal. 52. c Psal. 52.2 4 Thy tongue imagineth wickednesse and with lyes thou cuttest like a sharpe rasour Thou hast loued vnrighteousnesse more than goodnesse and to talke of lyes more than righteousnesse thou hast loued all words that may do hurt O thou false tongue Conclude hence hee that telleth the truth where it may do hurt but especially if he tell it with that purpose to that end that it may do hurt he hath a false tongue and he telleth a false lye he must pardon vs if we take him for no better than the raiser of a false report §. 12. Reasons of the Prohibition taken We see what it is to raise a false report let vs now see what a fault it is The first Accuser that euer was in the world was a false Accuser and that was the Diuell Who as he began betimes for hee was a a Ioh 8.44 lyer from the beginning so he began aloft for the first false report he raised was of the most Highest Vniustly accusing God himselfe vnto our mother Eue in a b Gen. 3.1.4.5 few words of no fewer than three great crimes at once Falshood Tyrannie and Enuie He was then a slanderous accuser of his Maker and he hath continued euer since a malicious accuser of his c Apoc. 12.9 10. Brethren Sathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. hee hath his name from it in most languages Slanderers and Backbiters and false Accusers may herehence learn to take knowledge of the rock whence they were hewen here they may behold the top of their pedigree Wee may not denie them the ancientie of their descent though they haue small cause to boast it semen serpentis the spawne of the old Serpent d Ioh. 8.44 children of their father the Diuell And they doe not shame the store they come of for the workes of their Father they readily doe That Hellish Aphorisme they so faithfully practise is one of his Principles it was hee first instilled it into them Calumniare fortiter aliquid adhaerebit e Ier. 18.18 Smite with the tongue and be sure to smite home and then be sure eyther the griefe or the blemish of the stroake will sticke by it A Diuellish practice §. 13. 1. from the Sinne hatefull both to God and Man And that most iustly whether we consider the sinne or the iniurie or
made themselues ready to battell Take one of these men it is meate and drinke to him which to a well-minded Christian is as gall and wormwood to be in continuall suits b Virg. Eclog. 3. Et si non aliquà nocuisset mortuus esset he could not haue kept himselfe in breath but by keeping Termes nor haue liued to this houre if he had not bin in Law Such cankered dispositions as these without the more than ordinary mercy of God there is little hope to reclaime vnlesse very want when they haue spent vndone themselues with wrangling for that is commonly their end and the reward of all their toyle make them hold off and giue ouer But there are besides these others also in whom although this malice reigneth not so vniuersally yet are they so farre carried with priuate spleene and hatred against some particular men for some personall respect or other as to seek their vndoing by all meanes they can Out of which hatred and enuy they raise false reports of them that being in their iudgements as it is indeed the most speedy and the most speeding way to c Quare solent inimici mentiri vt potentiam cuiusque minuant de quo mentiuntur Aug. in Psal. 65 doe mischiefe with safety This made the Presidents and Princes of Persia to d Dan. 6.3.4 seeke an accusation against Daniel whom they enuied because the King had preferred him aboue them And in all ages of the world wicked and prophane men haue been busie to suggest the worst they could against those that haue beene faithfull in their callings especially in the callings of the Magistracy or Ministery that very faithfulnesse of theirs being to the other a sufficient ground of malice To remedy this take the Apostles rule Heb. 12. e Heb. 12.15 Looke diligently lest any roote of bitternesse springing vp trouble you and thereby many bee defiled Submit your selues to the word and will of God in the Ministery submit your selues to the power and ordinance of God in the Magistracy submit your selues to the good pleasure and prouidence of God in disposing of yours and other mens estates and you shall haue no cause by the grace of God out of malice or enuy to any of your brethren to raise false reports of them §. 19. 2 Obsequiousnesse The second Inducement is Obsequiousnesse When either out of a base feare of displeasing some that haue power to doe vs a displeasure or out of a baser Ambition to scrue our selues into the seruice or fauour of those that my aduance vs wee are content though wee owe them no priuate grudge otherwise yet to become officious accusers of those they hate but would not be seene so to doe so making our selues as it were baudes vnto their lust and open instruments of their secret malice Out of that base feare the a 3 King 21.11 Elders of Iesrael vpon the Queenes letter whom they durst not displease caused an accusation to be framed against innocent Naboth And out of this base Ambition b 2 Sam. 22.9 Doeg to picke a thanke with his Master and to endeere himselfe farther into his good opinion told tales of Dauid and Ahimelech To remedy this remember the seruices and offices you owe to the greatest Masters vpon earth haue their bounds set them which they may not passe c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pericles apud Agell 1. Noct. 3. Vsque ad aras the Altar-stone that is the Meere-stone and Iustice hath her Altars too as well as Religion hers Goe as farre then as you can in offices of loue and seruice to your friends and betters saluis pietate iustitia but not a step farther for a world If you seeke to d Gal. 1.10 please men beyond this you cannot bee the seruants of God Couerture is the third Inducement §. 20. 3 Couerture And that is when either to make our owne cause the better we seeke to bring enuy and preiudice vpon our aduersarie's by making his seeme worse or when being our selues guilty we thinke to a Scelere velandum est scelus Sen. in Hippol Act. 2. couer our own crimes and to preuent the accusations of others by getting the start of them and accusing them first As b Gen. 39.17 Potiphars wife accused Ioseph and the c Dan. 13. Elders Susannah of such crimes as they were innocent of and themselues guilty An old tricke by which C. Verres like a cunning Coult often holpe himself at a pinch when he was Praetor of Sicily as d Cic. in Verrinis passim Cicero declareth against him by many instances and at large For sithence the Lawes in most cases rather fauour the Plaintiffe because it is presumed men should not complaine without grieuance wee may thinke perhaps to get this aduantage to our selues and so rather chuse to be Plaintiffes than Defendants because as Salomon saith e Pro. 18.17 hee that is first in his owne tale seemeth righteous To remedy this Doe nothing but what is iust and iustifiable be sure your matters be good and right they wil then beare out themselues well enough without standing need to such damned shifts for support §. 21. 4 Couetousnes But the fourth thing is that which causeth more mischief in this kinde than all the rest That which the Apostle calleth a 1. Tim. 6.10 scelerum mamatrem Claudian 2. de laud. Stillic Inde fere scelerū causae Iuuenal Satyr 11. the roote of all euill and which were it not there would not be the hundreth part of those suites and troubles and wrongs which now there are done vnder the Sunne Euen the greedy worme of Couetousnesse and the thirst after filthy lucre For though men be wicked enough and prone to mischiefe of themselues but too much yet are there euen in corrupt nature such impressions of the common principles of iustice and equitie that men would not often doe great wrongs b Maximam partem ad iniuriam faciendam aggrediuntur nonnulli vt adipiscantur ea quae cōcupiuerunt In quo vitio latissime patet auaritia Cic. l. 1. de offic Sic vita hominum est vt ad maleficium nemo conetur sine spe atque emolumento accedere Cic. pro Sex Roscio pars vlcisima rerum Certamen mouistis opes Lucan lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diphilus apud Stob. serm 8. gratis and for nothing If Zibah slaunder his Master falsely and treacherously it is in a hope of getting the liuing from him And it was Naboths Vineyeard not blasphemy that made him guilty Those sinners that conspired against the innocent Prou. 1. c Prou. 1.11 13. Come let vs lay waite for bloud let vs lurke priuily for the innocent without a cause Let vs swallow them vp c. they had their end in it and what that was the next following words discouer We shall finde all precious substance we shal fill our houses with spoyle And most of
Kings businesse who hath entrusted you with it he is scarce a good subiect that slacketh the Kings busines or doth it to the halues Nay it is the Lords busines for d 2 Chro. 19.6 yee iudge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the cause and in the iudgement and e Ierem. 48.10 Cursed is hee that doth the Lords businesse negligently That you may therefore doe all vnder one your owne businesse and the Kings businesse and the Lords businesse with that zeale and forwardnesse which becommeth you in so waightie an affaire lay this patterne before your eyes and hearts See what Phinehes did and thereby both examine what hitherto you haue done and learne what henceforth you should doe §. 20. 1 Personally First Phinehes doth not poast off the matter to others the feruency of his zeale made him willing to be himselfe the Actor He harboured no such coole thoughts as too many Magistrates doe Here is a shamefull crime committed by a shamelesse person and in a shamelesse manner pity such an audacious offender should goe vnpunished My heart riseth against him and much adoe I haue to refraine from being my selfe his executioner rather than hee should carry it away thus But why should I deriue the enuy of the fact vpon my selfe and but gaine the imputation of a busie officious fellow in being more forward than others A thousand more saw it as well as I whom it concerneth as neerely as it doth me and if none of them will stirre in it why should I Doubtlesse my vncle Moses and my father Eleazar and they that are in place of authority will not let it passe so but will call him to account for it and giue him condigne punishment If I should doe it it would be thought but the attempt of a rash young fellow It will bee better discretion therefore to forbeare and to giue my betters leaue to goe before mee Such pretensions as these would haue kept off Phinehes from this noble exploit if hee had beene of the temper of some of ours who owe it to nothing so much as their lukewarmnesse that they haue at least some reputation of being moderate and discreete men But true zeale is more forward than manerly and will not lose the opportunity of doing what it ought for waiting till others begin Alas if euery man should be so squeamish as many are nothing at all would be done And therefore the good Magistrate must consider not what others doe but what both he and they are in conscience bound to doe and though there should bee many more ioyned with him in the same common care and with equall power yet hee must resolue to take that common affaire no otherwise into his speciall care than if hee were left alone therein and the whole burden lay vpon his shoulders As when sundry persons are so bound in one common bond for the payment of one entire summe coniunctim diuisim euery one per se in toto infolidum that euery particular person by himselfe is as well lyable to the payment of the whole as they all together are Admit loose or idle people for who can hold their tongues shall for thy diligence say thou art an hard and austere man or busiest thy selfe more than thou hast thanke for thy labour First that man neuer cared to doe well that is affraid to heare ill a Eccles. 11.4 Hee that obserueth the winde saith Salomon shall not sow and the words especially of idle people are no better Secondly Hee maketh an ill purchase that forgoeth the least part of his dutie to gaine a little popularity the breath of the people being but a sorry plaster for a wounded conscience Thirdly what a man by strict and seuere execution of Iustice loseth in the breadth he coÌ„monly gaineth it all and more in the weight and in the length of his Credit A kinde quiet man that carryeth it for the present and in the voyce of the multitude but it is the more solide and the more lasting praise to be reputed in the opinion of the better and the wiser sort a Iust man and a good Patriot or Common-wealths-man Fourthly if all should condemne thee for that wherein thou hast done but b Regium est cum rectè feceris audire malè well thy comfort is thine owne conscience shall bestead thee more than a thousand witnesses and stand for thee against tenne thousand tongues at that last great day when c 1 Cor. 4.5 the hearts of all men shall be made manifest euery man that hath deserued well shall haue praise of God and not of man §. 21. 2 Speedily Secondly Phinehes as hee did not poast off this execution to other men so hee did not put it off to another day Phinehes might haue thought thus Wee are now in a religious worke humbling our selues in a publique solemne and frequent assembly before the face of God to appease his iust wrath against vs for our sinnes a Virgil. Eclog 9. Et quod nunc instat agamus It would bee vnseasonable leauing this worke now another time may serue as well to inflict deserued punishment vpon that wicked miscreant But zeale will admit no b Qui tardè fecit diu noluit Senec. 1. de benef 1. put-offs it is all vpon the spurre till it be doing what it conceiueth fit to be done There are no passions of the minde so impetuous and so impatient of delay as c Odit verus amor nec patitur moras Senec in Here. sur act 2. Loue and d Dum poenas â—di per vim festinat inulto Horat 1. Epist. 2. Anger and e Nunc ira amorque causam junxêre quid sequetur Senec. in med act 4. these two are the prime ingredients of true zeale If any man should haue interposed for Zimri and taken vpon him to haue mediated with Phinehes for his repriuall I verily thinke in that heate he might sooner haue prouoked his owne than haue prorogued Zimries execution Delayes in any thing that is good are ill and in the best things worst As Waxe when it is chafed and Iron when it is hot will take impressions but if the seale or stampe bee not speedily put to the heate abateth and they returne to their former hardnesse so the best affections of the best men if they be not taken in the heate abate and lessen dye In the administration then of Iustice and the execution of Iudgement where there is Zeale there will be Expedition and the best way to preserue Zeale where it is is to vse Expedition I am not able to say where the want is or where specially but certainely a great want there is generally in this Kingdome of Zeale to Iustice in some that should haue it if that complaint bee as iust as it is common among men that haue had suites in the Courts that they haue beene f Saepè causas
I will gather thee vnto thy fathers and thou shalt be gathered vnto thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place vers last Indeed euery man should haue §. 22. with the Reason and euery good man hath an honest care of posterity would reioyce to see things settled well for them would grieue to see things likely to goe ill with them That common speech which was so frequent with a Dio. lib. 57. Liberius was monstrous and not b Illa vox scelerata atque in humana Cic. 3. de finib Vox magna et detestabilis Senec. 2. de Clement 2. sauouring of common humanity c Everso juvat orbe mori Dictum Râ—ffini apud Claudian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When I am gone let heauen and earth be jumbled againe into their old Chaos but hee that mended it with d Nero. apud Sueton. in Nerone cap. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea saith he whilest I liue seemeth to haue renounced all that was man in him Aristotle hath taught vs better what reason taught him that e Arist. 1. Ethic. 11. Res posterorum pertinent ad defunctos the good or euill of those that come after vs doth more than nothing concerne vs when we are dead and gone This is true but yet f Terent. Andr. 4.1 Proximus egomet mî though it were the speech of a Sharke in the Comedy will beare a good construction Euery man is g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neerest to himselfe and that Charity which looketh abroad and seeketh not onely her owne yet beginneth at home and seeketh first her owne Whence it is that a godly man as he hath just cause to grieue for posterities sake if they must feele Gods judgements so hee hath good cause to reioyce for his owne sake if he shall escape them and he is no lesse to take knowledge of Gods Mercy in sparing him than of his Iustice in striking them §. 23. and vses therof the first This point is vsefull many wayes I will touch but some of them and that very briefly First here is one Comfort amongst many other against the bitternesse of temporall death If God cut thee off in the middest of thy daies and best of thy strength if death turne thee pale before age haue turned thee gray if the flower be plucked off before it begin to wither grudge not at thy lot therein but meete Gods Messenger cheerfully embrace him thankfully It may bee God hath some great worke in hand from which he meaneth to saue thee It may be he sendeth death to thee as he sent his a Gen. 19.16.17 Angel to Lot to plucke thee out of the middest of a froward and crooked generation and to snatch thee away lest a worse thing than death should happen vnto thee Cast not therefore a longing eye back vpon Sodome neither desire to linger in the plaine it is but a vallie of teares and miserie but vp to the mountaine from whence commeth thy saluation lest some euill ouertake thee Possibly that which thou thinkest an vntimely death may bee to thee a double aduantage a great aduantage in vshering thee so early into Gods glorious presence and some aduantage too in plucking thee so seasonably from Gods imminent iudgements It is a fauour to be b non mehercule quenquam audio hoc anno ereptum qui mibi non a lâ—iis immort ereptus ex his miseriis ex iniquissimâ conditione vitae videretur Cic. 5. epist. 16. Fuit hoc luctuosum suis acerbum patriae graue bonis omnibus sed ii tamen Remp. casus secuti sunt vt mihi non erepta L. Crasso à Diis Imm. vita sed donata mors esse videretur Non vidit flagrantem c. Id. 3. de Orat. Fortunatus illius Hortensii exitus qui ea non vidit cum fierent quae praeuidit futura sed illum videtur felicitas ipsius quâ semper est vsus ab eis miserijs quae consecutae sunt morte vindicasse Id in Bruto taken away betimes when euill is determined vpon those that are left Secondly here is a Warning for vs §. 24. the second to take consideration of the losse of good or vsefull men and to feare when they are going from vs that some euill is comming towards vs. The Prophet complaineth of the too great and generall neglect hereof in his times a Esay 57.1 The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come Esay 57. When God sendeth his b Gen. 19.16 Angel to plucke out his righteous Lots what may Sodome expect but fire and brimstone to be rained down vpon them When he plucketh vp the fairest and choysest flowers in his garden croppeth off the tops of the goodliest poppies who can thinke other than that he meaneth to lay his garden wast and to turne it into a wilde wildernesse When he vndermineth the maine pillars of the house taketh away the very props and buttresses of Church CoÌ„monweale sweepeth away religious Princes wise Senatours zealous Magistrates painefull Ministers men of eminent ranck gifts or example who can bee secure that either Church or Common weale shall c Periturae vrbis aut malorum imminentium vel futurae labis hoc primum indicium est si decidaÌ„t viri consultores Ambros de Cain Abel c. 3. stand vp long and not totter at least if not fall God in Mercy taketh such away from the euil to come we in wisedome should look for euil to come when God taketh such away §. 25. the third Thirdly here is instruction for Worldlings to make much of those few godly ones that liue among them for they are the very pawnes of their peace and the pledges of their securitie Thinke not yee filthy Sodomites it is for your owne sakes that yee haue been spared so long know to whom you are beholden This a Gen. 19 9. fellow that came into soiourne among you this stranger this Lott whom you so hate and maligne and disquiet hee it is that hath bayled you hitherto and giuen you protection Despise not Gods patience and long-suffering yee prophane ones neither blesse your selues in your vngodly waies neither say Wee prosper though wee walke in the lusts of our hearts This and thus wee haue done and nothing hath beene done to vs God holdeth his hand and he holdeth his tongue at vs surely b Psal. 50.21 he is such a one as our selues Learne O yee despisers that if God thus forbeare you it is not at all for your owne sakes or because he careth not to punish euill-doers no he hath a little remnant a c Luke 12.13 little flock a little handfull of his owne among you a d Reu. 3.4 few names that haue giuen themselues vnto him
Credimus esse Deos Vario See Plat. de leg Cic. 3. de Nat. deor Senec. de prouid Aug. 3. de lib. arb 2. Menand apud Stob. Serm. 104. heathen to see good men oppressed and vice prosper it made them doubt some whether there were a God or no others nothing better whether a prouidence or no. But what maruell if they stumbled who had no right knowledge either of God or of his prouidence when Iob and Dauid and other the deare children of God haue beene much puzzled with it Dauid confesseth in Psal. 73. that c Psal. 73.23 his feete had welnigh slipped when hee saw the prosperity of the wicked and certainty downe he had beene had hee not happily stepped d Ibid. 17. into the Sanctuary of God and there vnderstood the end of these men Temporall euills though they be sometimes punishments of sinne yet they are not euer sent as punishments because sometimes they haue other ends and vses and are ordinabilia in melius and secondly they are neuer the onely punishments of sinne because there are greater and more lasting punishments reserued for sinners after this life of which there is no other vse or end but to punish since they are not ordinabilie in melius If we will make these temporall euills the measure whereby to judge of the Iustice of God wee cannot secure our selues from erring dangerously Gods purposes in the dispensation of these vnto particular men being vnsearchable But those euerlasting punishments are they wherein Gods Iustice shall be manifested to euery eye in due time at that last day which is therefore called by S t Paul Rom. 2. e Rom 2.5 the day of wrath and of the reuelation of the righteous iudgment of God Implying that howsoeuer God is just in all his iudgements and acts of prouidence euen vpon earth yet the Counsells and Purposes of God in these things are often secret and past our finding out but at the last great day when f Ibid. 6. he shall render to euery man according to his workes his euerlasting recompence then his vengeance shall manifest his wrath and the righteousnesse of his iudgement shall be reuealed to euery eye in the condigne punishment of vnreconciled sinners That is the second Certainety Temporall euills are not alwayes nor simply nor properly the punishments for sinne If any man shall be yet vnsatisfied §. 6. the third certainety that all Euills of Paine and desire to haue Gods Iustice somewhat farther cleared euen in the disposing of these temporall things although it be neither safe nor possible for vs to search farre into particulars yet some generall satisfaction we may haue from a third Certainety and that is this Euery euill of Paine whatsoeuer it be or howsoeuer considered which is brought vpon any man is brought vpon him euermore for sinne yea and that also for his owne personall sinne Euery branch of this assertion would be well marked I say first Euery Euill of Paine whatsoeuer it be whether naturall defects and infirmities in soule or body or outward afflictions in goods friends or good name whether inward distresses of an afflicted or terrours of an affrighted conscience whether temporall or eternall Death whether euills of this life or after it or whatsoeuer other euill it be that is any way greiuous to any man euery such euill is for sinne §. 7. â—owsoeuer considered I Say secondly euery euill of paine howsoeuer considered whether formally and sub ratione poenae as the proper effect of Gods vengeance and wrath against sinne or as a fatherly correction and chasticement to nurture vs for some past sinne or as a medicinall preseruatiue to strengthen vs against some future sinne or as a clogging chaine to keepe vnder and disable vs from some outward worke of sinne or as a fit matter and obiect whereon to exercise our Christian graces of faith charity patience humility and the rest or as an occasion giuen and taken by Almighty God for the greater manifestation of the glory of his Wisedome and Power and Goodnesse in the remoueal of it or as an act of Exemplary iustice for the admonition and terrour of others or for whatsoeuer other end purpose or respect it be inflicted §. 8. are for the siâ—ne I say thirdly Euery such euill of paine is brought vpon vs for sinne There may be other ends there may be other occasions there may be other vses of such Euills but still the originall Cause of them all is sinne a Psal. 39.11 When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sinne It was not for any b Ioh. 9.2.3 extraordinary notorious sinnes either of the blinde man himselfe or of his parents aboue other men that he was borne blinde Our Sauiour Christ acquitteth them of that Ioh. 9. in answer to his Disciples who were but too forward as God knoweth most men are to iudge the worst Our Sauiours answer there neuer intended other but that still the true cause deseruing that blindenesse was his and his parents sinne but his purpose was to instruct his Disciples that that infirmitie was not laid vpon him rather than vpon another man meerely for that reason because he or his parents had deserued it more than other men but for some farther ends which God had in it in his secret and euerlasting purpose and namely this among the rest that the workes of God might be manifest in him and the Godhead of the sonne made glorious in his miraculous cure As in Nature the intention of the c see Arist. 2. Phys. End doth not ouerthrow but rather suppose the necessity of the Matter so is it in the workes of God and the dispensations of his wonderfull prouidence It is from Gods Mercy ordering them to those Ends he hath purposed that his punishments are good but it is withall from our sinnes deseruing them as the Cause that they are iust euen as the raine that falleth vpon the earth whether it moisten it kindly and make it fruitfull or whether it choake and slocken and drowne it yet still had its beginning from the vapours which the earth it selfe sent vp All those Euills which fall so daily and thicke vpon vs from heauen whether to warne vs or to plague vs are but arrowes which our selues first shot vp against heauen and now drop downe againe with doubled force vpon our heads Omnis poena propter culpam all Euills of paine are for the euills of sinne §. 9. of the sufferer I say fourthly All such Euils are for our owne sins The Scriptures are plaine a 1 Pet. 1.17 God iudgeth euery man according to his own workes b Gal. 6.5 Euery man shall beare his owne burden c. God hath enioyned it as a Law for Magistrates wherein they haue also his example to lead them that c Deut. 24.16 not the fathers for the children nor the children for the fathers but euery man should be put to death for his own
meant it so For taking the word Calling in that extent wherein he treateth of it in this Chapter if that were his meaning he should consequently teach that no single man might marry nor any seruant become free which are apparantly contrary both vnto common Reason and vnto the very purpose of the Chapter But taking the word as we haue hitherto specially intended it and spoken of it for some settled Station and Course of Life whereby a man is to maintaine himselfe or wherein to doe profitable seruice to humane society or both is it yet lawfull for a man to change it or is he bound to abide in it perpetually without any possibilitie or liberty to alter his course vpon any termes I answer it it Lawfull so it be done with due caution It is Lawfull first in subordinate Callings For where a man cannot warrantably climbe vnto an higher but by the steps of an inferiour Calling there must needes be supposed a lawfulnesse of relinquishing the inferiour How should we doe for Generalls for the warres if Coronells and Lieutenants and Captaines and Common Souldiers might not relinquish their charges and how for Bishops in the Church if beneficed men Colledge-Gouernours were clench't and riuetted to their Cures like a naile in a sure place not to be remoued Nay wee should haue no Priests in the Church of England since a Priest must be a Deacon first if a Deacon might not leaue his station and become a Priest But S. Paul saith a 1. Tim. 3.13 they that haue vsed the office of Deacon well purchase to themselues a good degree and so in lower Callings it is that men should giue proofe of their worthinesse for higher It is lawfull secondly yea necessary when the very Calling it selfe though in it selfe good vsefull doth yet by some accident become vnlawfull or vnusefull As when some Manufacture is prohibited by the State or when some more exact deuice of later inuention hath made the old vnprofitable It is lawfull thirdly when a man by some accident becommeth vnable for the dueties of his Calling as by age blindnesse maime decay of estate and sundry other impediments which daily occurre It is lawfull fourthly where there is a want of sufficient men or not a sufficient number of them in some Callings for the necessities of the State and Countrey in such cases Authority may interpose and cull out men from other Callings such as are fit and may bee spâ—red to serue in those Not to braunch out too many particulars it is lawfull generally where either absolute Necessity enforceth it or lawfull Authority enioyneth it or a concurrence of weighty circumstances faithfully and soberly and discreetly laid together seemeth to require it But then it must be done with due cautions §. 46. So it bee done with due cautions As first not out of a desultory lightnesse some men are euer a Nullam mentem animi habeo vbi sum ibi non sum vbi non sum ibi est animus Plaut in Cistel restlesse as if they had Wind-mills in their heads euery new crotchet putteth them into a new course But these rowling stones carry their curse with them they seldome gather mosse and who proue many Conclusions it is a wonder if their last Conclusion proue not Beggary If thou art well b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Stob. serm 1. keepe thy selfe well lest thinking to meet with better thou finde worse Nor secondly out of the greedinesse of a couetous or ambitious lust Profit and Credit are things respectiuely amongst other things to be considered both in the choice and change but not principally and aboue all other things certainly not wholly and without or against all other things Thirdly nor out of sullennesse or a discontentednesse at thy present condition Content groweth from the minde not from the condition and therefore change of the Calling the minde vnchanged will either not affoord content or not long Thy new broome that now sweepeth cleane all discontents from thee will soone grow stubbed and leaue as much filth behinde to annoy thee as the old one thou flungest away Either learne with S. Paul in whatsoeuer state c Phil. 4.11 thou art to be there withall content or neuer hope to finde content in whatsoeuer state thou shalt be Much lesse fourthly out of an euill eye against thy neighbour that liueth by thee There is not a baser sinne than enuy nor a fouler marke of enuy than to forsake thine owne trading to iustle thy neighbour out of his Nor fifthly out of degenerous false-heartednesse That man would soone dare to bee euill that dareth not long bee good And he that flincheth from his Calling at the first frowne who can say he will not flinch from his conscience at the next In an vpright course feare not the face of man neither 1 Eccl. 10.4 leaue thy place though the spirit of a Ruler rise vp against thee Patience will coniure downe againe that spirit in time onely if thou keep thy selfe within thy circle But sixthly be sure thou change not if thy Calling bee of that nature that it may not be changed Some degrees of Magistracy seeme to be of that nature and therefore some haue noted it rather as an act of impotency in Charles the fifth than a fruit either of Humility or Wisedome or Deuotion that hee resigned his Crowne to betake himselfe to a Cloister But our Calling of the Ministery is certainely such There may be a change of the station or degree in the Ministery vpon good cause and with due circumstances but yet still so as that the maine Calling it selfe remaine vnchanged This Calling hath in it something that is sacred and singular and different from other Callings As therefore things once dedicated and hallowed to religious seruices were no more to returne to common vses for that were to prophane them ipso facto and to make them vncleane so persons once set apart for the holy worke of the Ministery e Act. 13.2 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.1 separate mee Paul and Barnabas and inuested into their Calling with solemne collation of Ioh. 20.22 the holy Ghost in a speciall manner if any more they returne to be of that lumpe from which they are separated they do as it were puffe the blessed breath of Christ backe into his owne face and renounce their part in the holy Ghost Bethinke thy selfe well therefore before-hand and consider what thou art in doing when thou beginnest to reach forth thine hand towards this spirituall Plow know when it is once there it may not bee pulled backe againe no not for a Dictatorship That man can bee no lesse than disorderly at the least that forsaketh his Orders You see I do but point at things as I goe which would require further enlarging because I desire to haue done This then §. 47. but importeth 1. Contentednesse that we should perseuere in our Callings vntill
for this cause pay we tribute and other duties vnto you who are Gods ministers euen because you ought to be attending continually vpon this very thing to approue your selues as i Rom. 13.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 22.25 the ministers of God to vs for good Oh that wee could all superiours and inferiours both one and other remember what wee owed each to other and by mutually striuing to pay it to the vtmost so endeauour our selues to k Rom. 13.8 fulfill the Law of God! But in the meane time wee are still iniurious if either wee withdraw our subiection or you your helpe if either wee cast off the duty of children or you the care of Fathers Time was when Iudges and Nobles and Princes delighted to bee called by the name of Fathers The Philistims called their Kings by a peculiar appellatiue l Gen. 20.2 26.1 Psal. 34. in titulo Abimeleob as who say the King my Father In Rome the Senatours were of old time called Patres Fathers and it was afterwards accounted among the Romans the greatest title of honour that could bee bestowed vpon their Consuls Generalls Emperours or whosoeuer had deserued best of the Common-wealth to haue this addition to the rest of his stile m sed Roma parentem Roma patrem patriae Ciceronem libera dixit Iuvenal Satyr 8. patrem patriae appellauimus vt sciret datam sibi potestatem patriam quae est temperatissima liberis consulens suaque post illos ponens Senec. 1. de Clem. 14. Pater patriae a Father to his Countrie Naamans seruants in 4 Kings 5. call him Father n 4 King 5.13 My Father if the Prophet had commanded thee c. And on the other side Dauid the King speaketh vnto his Subiects as a father to his children in Psalme 34. o Psalm 34.11 Come yee children c. and Salomon in the Prouerbes euery where My sonne euen as Iob here accounteth himselfe a father to the poore Certainly to shew that some of these had and that all good Kings and Gouernours should haue a p Vt eos quasi filios cernaret per amorem quibus pater praeerat per protectionem Gloss. interl hîc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Philo de creat Principis fatherly care ouer and beare a fatherly affection vnto those that are vnder them §. 11. and extent thereof All which yet seeing it is intended to be done in honum vniuersitutis must bee so vnderstood as that it may stand cum bono vniuersitatis stand with equity and iustice and with the common good For a Prou. 3.3 Math. 23.23 Non auferat veritas misericordiam nec misericordia impediat veritatem Augustin sent 110. apud Prosperum Mercy and Iustice must goe together and helpe to temper the one the other The Magistrate and Gouernour must bee a father to the poore to protect him from iniuries and to relieue his necessities but not to maintaine him in idlenesse All that the Father oweth to the child is not loue and maintenance he oweth too Education and he oweth him correction A Father may loue his childe too fondly and make him a wanton he may maintaine him too highly and make him a Prodigall But he must giue him Nurture too as well as Maintenance lest he be better fed than taught and correct him too as well as loue him lest hee bring him most griefe when hee should reape most comfort from him Such a fatherly care ought the ciuill Magistrate to haue ouer the poore Hee must carefully defend them from wrongs and oppressions hee must prouidently take order for their conuenient reliefe and maintenance But that is not all hee must as well make prouision to set them on worke and see that they follow it and he must giue them sharpe correction when they grow idle stubborne dissolute or any way out of order This he should do and not leaue the other vndone There is not any speech more frequent in the mouthes of beggars wanderers wherewith the Countrey now swarmeth than that men would bee good to the poore and yet scarce any thing so much mistaken as that speech in both the termes of it most men neither vnderstanding aright who are the poore nor yet what it is to be good to them Not he only is good to the poor that deliuereth him when he is oppressed nor is hee onely good to the poore that relieueth him when he is distressed but hee also is good to the poore that punisheth him when he is idle Hee is good to the poore that helpeth him when hee wanteth and he is no lesse good to the poore that whippeth him when he deserueth This is indeed to bee good to the poore to giue him that almes first which he wanteth most if hee be hungry it is almes to feed him but if he be idle and vntoward it is b Non solùm qui dat esurienti cibum sitienti potum verumetiam qui emendat verbere in quē potestas datur vel coercet aliquâ disciplinâ in co quòd corripit aliquâ emendatoriâ poena plectit eleemosynam dat quia misericordiam praestat Aug. in Enchirid. c. 72. almes to whip him This is to be good to the poore But who then are the poore wee should be good too as they interpret goodnesse St. Paul would haue c 1. Tim. 5.3 widowes honoured but yet those that are widowes indeed so it is meete the poore should be relieued but yet those that are poore indeede Not euery one that begs is poore not euery one that wanteth is poore not euery one that is poore is poore indeede They are the poore whom wee priuate men in Charitie and you that are Magistrates in Iustice stand bound to relieue who are old or impotent and vnable to worke or in these hard and depopulating times are willing but cannot be set on worke or haue a greater charge vpon them than can bee maintained by their worke These and such as these are the poore indeede let vs all bee good to such as these Bee wee that are priuate men as Brethren to these poore ones and shew them Mercy be you that are Magistrates as Fathers to these poore ones and doe them Iustice. But as for those idle stubborne professed wanderers that can and may and will not worke and vnder the name and habit of pouerty rob the poore indeed of our almes and their maintenance let vs harden our hearts against them and not give them doe you execute the seuerity of the Law vpon them and not spare them It is St. Paules Order nay it is the Ordinance of the Holy Ghost and wee should all put to our helping hands to see it kept d 2. Thess. 3.10 He that will not labour let him not eate These vlcers and drones of the Common-wealth are ill worthy of any honest mans almes of any good Magistrates protection Hitherto of the Magistrates second
Dutie with the Reasons and extent therof I was eyes to the blinde and feete was I to the Lame I was a Father to the poore Followeth next the third Duty in these words The cause which I knew not I searched out §. 12. The opening of Of which words some frame the Coherence with the former as if Iob had meant to cleare his Mercy to the poore from suspition of Partiality and iniustice and as if he had said I was a father indeed to the poore pitifull and mercifull to him and ready to shew him any lawfull fauour but yet not so as a Ne crederetur quòd faueret eis nimis in preiudicium iustitiae subditur â—ausam Lyran. hîc in pity to him to forget or peruert Iustice. I was euer carefull before I would either speake or doe for him to bee first assured his cause was right and good and for that purpose if it were doubtfull b Ne fortè motupietatis in discretae condescenderem ei in praeiudicium iustitiae Lyran hîc I searched it out and examined it before I would countenance either him or it Certainely thus to do is agreeable to the rule of Iustice yea and of Mercy too for it is one Rule in shewing Mercy that it be euer done salvis pietate iustitiâ without preiudice done to pietie and iustice And as to this particular the Commandement of God is expresse for it in Exod. 23. c Exod. 23.3 Thou shalt not countenance no not a poore man in his cause Now if we should thus vnderstand the coherence of the words the speciall duty which Magistrates should hence learne would be Indifferency in the administration of Iustice not to make difference of rich or poore far or neare friend or foe one or other but to consider only and barely the equity and right of the cause without any respect of persons or partiall inclination this way or that way This is a very necessarie dutie indeed in a Magistrate of iustice §. 13. The Magistrates third Duty Diligence to search out the truth and I denie not but it may bee gathered without any violence from these very words of my Text though to my apprehension not so much by way of immediate obseruation from the necessitie of any such coherence as by way of consequence from the words themselues otherwise For what need all that care and paines and diligence in searching out the cause if the condition of the person might ouerrule the cause after all that search and were not the iudgement to bee giuen meerely according to the goodnesse or badnesse of the cause without respect had to the person But the speciall dutie which these words seeme most naturally and immediately to impose vpon the Magistrate and let that bee the third obseruation is diligence and patience and care to heare and examine and enquire into the truth of things and into the equitie of mens causes As the Physitian before he prescribe receipt or diet to his patient will first feele the pulse and view the vrine and obserue the temper and changes in the body and bee inquisitiue how the disease began and when and what fits it hath and where and in what manner it holdeth him and enforme himselfe euery other way as fully as he can in the true state of the body that so he may proportion the remedies accordingly without errour so ought euery Magistrate in causes of Iustice before he pronounce sentence or giue his determination whether in matters a Omnia iudicia aut distrabendarum controuersiarum aut puniendorum male ficiorum causâ reperta sunt Cic. pro Cecinna iudiciall or criminall to heare both parties with equall patience to examine witnesses and other euidences aduisedly and throughly to consider and wisely lay together all allegations and circumstances to put in quaeres and doubts vpon the by and vse all possible expedient meanes for the boulting out of the truth that so he may do that which is equall and right without errour §. 14. with some instances A dutie not without both Precept and President in holy Scripture Moses prescribeth it in Deut. 17. in the case of Idolatrie a Deut. 17.2 c. See also Deut. 13.14 If there be found among you one that hath done thus or thus c. and it bee told thee and thou hast heard of it and inquired diligently and behold it bee true and the thing certaine that such abomination is wrought in Israel Then thou shalt bring forth that man c. The offender must be stoned to death and no eye pitie him but it must be done orderly and in a legal course not vpon a bare hearesay but vpon diligent examination and inquisition and vpon such full euidence giuen in as may render the fact certaine so farre as such cases ordinarily are capable of b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. 1. ethic 1. certaintie And the like is againe ordered in Deut 19. in the case of false witnesse c Deut. 19.17 c. Both the men between whom the controuersie is shall stand before the Iudges and the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition c. And in Iudg. 19. in the wronged Leuites case whose Concubine was abused vnto death at Gibeah the Tribes of Israel stirred vp one another to doe iustice vpon the Inhabitants thereof and the method they proposed was this first to d Iudg. 19.30 consider and consult of it and then to giue their opinions But the most famous example in this kind is that of King Salomon in 3. King 3. in the difficult case of the e 3. King 3.16 28. two Mothers Either of them challenged the liuing child with a like eagernesse either of them accused other of the same wrong and with the same allegations neither was there witnesse or other euidence on either part to giue light into the matter yet Salomon by that wisdome which he had obtained from God found a meanes to search out the truth in this difficultie by making as if he would cut the child into halfes and giue either of them one halfe at the mentioning whereof the compassion of the right mother betrayed the falshood of her clamorous competitor And wee reade in the Apocryphall Storie of Susanna how Daniel by f Dan. 13.61 examining the two Elders seuerally and apart found them to differ in one circumstance of their relation and thereby discouered the whole accusation to be false Iudges for this reason were anciently called Cognitores and in approoued Authors g Si iudicas cognosce Sen. in Med. 2.2 Cognoscere is asmuch as to doe the office of a Iudge to teach Iudges that one chiefe point of their care should bee to know the truth For if of priuate men and in things of ordinarie discourse that of Salomon be true h Prou. 18.13 See Sirac 11.7 8. He that answereth a matter before he heareth it it is folly and shame vnto him certainly much more