that Idolators and Idolatry might have beene rooted out together Iebu was well enough pleased to take away the Idolators that he might seize upon the spoyle but for Idolatry he was as fond of the Calfe as Ahab had beene of Baal both derogatory to Gods glory Qui fuit vindex pietatis contentus fuit praeda He that should have established Gods worship set upon the prey that is all hee looked after Calv. in log To conclude this point you see how Gods just revenge upon the house of Ahab in the hands of Iehu was by Iehu's corruption turned to a sinne which lay heavy upon his owne house to teach us all beloved that good wherein our soules must rest not so much the doing of an outward act as the honest disposition of the heart to doe it well not for our owne ends but for the maine end of all the glory of God we may doe good as here Iehu did and neither hallow Gods Name nor doe his Will but onely honour our selves and establish our owne purposes but let us take heed lest while his Name be not glorified by us in the devotion of our hearts truly bent to his service hee bee glorified of us in our destruction as he was here of Jehu to whom for not rightly doing what was commanded him vengeance is denounced in the Text which is the fifth thing in these words Gods revenge upon Iehu Vpon Jehu The Text speaketh not of this Jehu having now beene long dead and this a prophecy of evill to come yet will it not be amisse to consider out of the history what happened unto him and that but in a word or two Jehu was no sooner established in his kingdome but it is said in those dayes God beganne to cut Israel short and Hazael the Syrian smote them 2 King 10. 32. Observe how blood followed Jehu at the heeles hee that entered into his reigne by murther to punish others was all the time of his reigne prosecuted with the murther of his subjects that himselfe might be punished it is the wise dispensation of God to punish sinners in the same kinde wherein they have offended This Law himselfe enacted among the Israelites life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe Exod. 21. 23 which law was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to his owne course hee taketh many times with men thus did he direct the Israelites to cut off the thumbes and great toes of the lord of Bezek when they had taken him whereupon he confefled Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs great toes cut off gathered their meat under my Table as I have done so God hath requited mee Iudg. 1. 7. here was a just remuneration which did ad amissum aequipperare Gâ—l l. 20. c. 1 and in librili perpendere as Favorinus speaketh the skales were even his cruelty in the one his reward in the other The Egyptians sought to root out the Israelites by causing them to drowne their male children a plague lighted upon them in proportion themselves were drowned in the red Sea whereby the Wise-man Wisd 11. 7. for a manifest reproofe of that commandement whereby the Infants were slaine Thou gavest unto them abundance of water by a meanes which they hoped not for Ahab caused Naboth to be put to death and for it had this doome of retaliation In the place where the dogges licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs licke thy blood also 1 King 21. 19. This course God observeth in punishing for these two ends 1. To declare his owne goodnesse who might judge of the fact according to the infinite object against whom it is committed and so inflict infinite mischiefes upon the offendor but he taketh a milder course in paying him in his owne kind Cont. Faust Man l. 9. c. 25 lex talionis nonfomes sed limes furoris saith Saint Augustine this allayeth his displeasure rather than kindles it 2. To convince the wicked man that himselfe shall have no exceptions against Gods judgements but confesse them to be just Quae enim obsecrote ista acerbitas 〈◊〉 est si idem fiat in te quod tute in alio feceris saith hee in Gellius This David sheweth Psal 9. 16. The Lord is knowne by the iudgement that hee executes when the ungodly is suared in the workes of his owne hands I say no more of this point but onely this for application Let no man say when hee findeth Gods hand heavy upon him why doth God thus unto mee but let him rather acknowledge God is just and I am wicked if his punishments bee so fitted as by some likenesse they put thee in mind of thy sinne thou hast what to confesse if they be of another straine yet know assuredly hee striketh not unprovoked ransacke thy heart where judgement is at the doore sinne is certainely in the house if God avenge himselfe upon Iehu Iehu hath offended God And so I come to the last thing in my Text Gods revenging Iehu's murther upon his house The house of Iehu That is the posterity of Iehu those that were of his line and proceeded from him Now God punished the house of Iehu by taking away the kingdome of Israel from it and giving it unto a stranger His promise to Iehu was that for his service done his children should to the fourth generation fit upon his Throne This promise God made good but would not enlarge it any further Within a short time after this Prophecy the fourth man of his seed being King was slaine by a Traytor who usurped the kingdome into his owne hands this was the end of Iehu's house the cause of which end is here in the Text attributed to the blood of Iezreel As Iehu had a reward for his worke done that foure of his sonnes should reigne so had hee also a punishment for the bad doing of it that his children should no longer sway the Scepter thus doth God visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children as himselfe speaketh Exod. 20. 4. and payeth home the sinnes of the predecessors into the bosome of their successors Ier. 32 18. The blood of Iezreel shed by Iehu came with a full course upon Zachariah his grandchilds grand-childe A strange thing a man would thinke and scarce to be beleeved in Gods just administration of all things that a man should Grynist hist 307 p. after many yeeres be punished for that sinne which was committed it may be before the birth of his great grandfather It was counted a cruell tricke in the great Cham of Tartary that when hee condemned any of his subjects to death the punishment extended to all his issue male but how much more cruell may this seeme here in the Text that the offenders scape unpunished and hee that is not yet in rerum natura to have the least participation of the offence should after the fourth generation abide the
the dayes of his dispensation upon earth who finished the worke which his father gave in to doe and in Moses of hom it was witnessed that he as faithfull in all the house of God Heb. 3. 2. This faithfulnesse supposeth Talents given they were receivers first who were now called faithfull and it hath these ingredients to make it perfect 1. Industry the Talent must be imployed the slothfull servant is vnfaithfull because he frustrateth his Lord of the one of his gift hee gave it theâ— that from thee it should be derived to the helpe of others thou keep it to thy selfe the dâ—ner is injured Synefius speaks De Dion some who having a treasure abilities in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would as soone part with the harts as their meditations so there are many of all profeâ—ons who let their gifts like Churles money lye rusting them by which meanes tâ— become unfaithfull the caâ— of their great skill shall bâ— witnesse against them and the treasuring up of learning they treasure up to themselves guilt and sorrow Better it is by farre to have a little knowledge and use it rightly than to have a vast braine full of windings and turnings wherein much knowledge is with great perplexity tossed to and fro but can never finde a doore of utterance 2. Prudence to discerne what is to bee distributed for all men whom wee deale with are not alike if we will use our talents right we must give to every maÌ„ that part which belongeth unto him As for Example In the exercise of Iustice some mens sinnes are open and with a clamorous voice goe before unto judgement these must have those kindes of punishments which the ancients Gel. 6. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exemplary â—nd for terrour some are slips â—nd must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such instrumeÌ„ts as serve for admonition whereby the offender may be moved better to look to himself afterward he that punisheth great transgressions with whips and light with halters cannot bee faithfull in that hee doth not proportion the sentence of Iustice to the sault committed 3. Frugality non incassum expendere saith Chrysostome Hom. 78. in Mas. not to waste our talents without cause It is too common a fault in the world that many who have quicke wits and ready tongues spend them oft-times to small purpose even where there is no probability they shall prevaile or if they prevaile it shall overthrow equity Love of profit and hope of gaine swalloweth up men faithfulnesse they will take the defence of a bad cause and set a good face upon the foulest matter with as much earnestnesse as if they contended for the truth of the Gospell to which end I dare say they doe not thinke God either gave them their wit or tongues but to stretch the one and shorten the other for the upholding of just and righteous cases I know not how they salve the matter but I take the conclusion of the Schoole for sound That it is unlawfull for any to co-operate to the doing of mischiefe and therefore though they conceit they have done well quantum ad peritiam actus in shewing their skill they surely offend grie vously quantum ad iniustitiam voluntatis in voluntary abusing their Art unto unrighteousnesse But let us all learne fidelity my brethren in our severall rankes because the time will come e're long when honest dealing shall more availe than house and land full bagges and large possessions when it shall bee tenne thousand fold better for us to heare God calling us faithfull servants then now to have the world admire us for our getting money oâ— fawne upon us because wee are rich So I have done with the compellation the last thing observable in Gods entertainment of the doer I come to the commendation of his doing fidelis fuistisuper pauca thou hast beene faithful over a few things where wee have both testimonium facti God's witnesse of his deed Thou hast beene faithfull and latitudinem facti the object whereunto the deed extendeth few things 1. The Testimony God before gave him a double Title of good and faithfull yet now affirmeth of one onely his fidelity not thereby excluding the other but re-iterating the immediate cause that which iâ— ncarest to the effect of trading for good advantage so that goodnesse may bee repeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast beene good and faithfull The words seeme to occasion a question how God who is veritas truth it selfe and cannot bee deceived who is verax true in his speeches and cannot deceive should here apprehend his servant as good and faithfull and call him so whereas weeread Mat. 19. 17. There is none goed but God no not one Psa 14 2. And Quis est fidelis Mat. 24. 46. Who is the faithfull servant hee rightly asketh as being well advised that if the whole earth be searched a faithfull servant cannot be found if then none good none faithfull how this servant I answer there is a two-fold goodnesse Originall in God alone by participation this in many God giveth us leave to kindle our candles at his light as all naturall things have heat from the Sunne This derived goodnesse is either that which should bee perfect and without all admixtion of evill so no man good or imperfect in degree though sincere and sound such as viatores men in this life are capable of this in the Saints The like wee may say of fidelity though there be no man who can give an exact account pro omnibus articulis temporum for the whole time of his trading with his Talents yet such an account as God in his mercy doth accept of many doe give and so God calleth them good and faithfull 1. propter propositum boni their full ayme and endevour is good though they swarve sometime because David swore to keepe Gods righteous judgements Psal 119. 108. hee was a man after Gods owne heart though fouly overtaken Saint Austin faith Nullus vivit sine peccato nec cessat tamen bonus esse quia affectu tenet pietatem 2. Comparative they are good and faithfull compared with the rabble of unfaithfull men as those which study are called learned in comparison of such as know not their letters though yet they be ignorant of many things Saint Paul saith Let us which are perfect bee so minded Phil. 3. 15. Whereupon Ambrose Comparatione eorum qui res Divinas negligunt perfecti dicendi sunt qui pietatis iter ambulant 3. Denominatione facta a meliori parte the regenerate man consists of flesh and spirit hath in him the Law of the members and the Law of the mind Rom 7. 23. hee is called good and faithfull from the better part as man is said to bee reasonable in respect of his soule though his body be unreasonable and not snow alone is white but even linnen also which hath upon it some aspersion Certaine
a present to Esau that he might find favour in the sight of his lord Gen 33. 8. yet is not the fact of those made good by this parallell who give bribes to such as are Iudges in their causes the actions are not sutable Esau was an enemy and might bee pacified with gifts but it is unlawfull by gifts to blinde the eyes of a Iudge 3. The party to whom must be like Those that have an evill eye at the Churches possessions her glebes and tithes though they favour Saint Pauls Doctrine never a whit yet can propound his practise to us readily that in Preaching to the Corinthians he made the Gospell of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without charge 1 Cor. 9 18. and would have us doe so also they cannot endure wee should reap where they have sowne but woldhave us Weaver it Taylor it Cobler it they care not what worke wee did so our hands might not be in their Dairies and fields but our answer is we doe not so for neither did Saint Paul so to all hee preached indeed gratis to the Corinthians because of their poverty but tooke largely of other Churches so that hee is said to rob them 2 Cor. 11. 8. and should wee follow this instance of theirs wee should doe wrong at least to our rich parishioners in giving way to their sacrilegious humour to let them devoure that which is holy contrary to Saint Pauls precept Gal. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth him in all his goods 4. The time must bee like for every thing hath his season and what profitech now may hurt anon Some of old held Aug. ep 5 this position Semel recte factum nulletenus esse mutandum once well done and ever well done but Saint Augustine denyes it affirming that though they say what was right before cannot bee right if it be changed yet indeed it cannot be right except it bee changed Hee instanceth in Vindicianus a learned Physician who prescribed a potion to a young patient which hee would not after give him being old Ego ills aetati hoc nunquam eram iussuries Divers yeares require divers kinds of Physicke 5. The ends must bee like David used direfull imprecations against his enemies and cursed them with an heavy curse yet we must not doe so his example is no warrant for fell and bitter men to banne and execrate those which anger them The reason is In reuna quam faciunt non eadem est causa propter quam faciunt as â—o 48. ad Vincent Saint Augustine speaketh they doe the same thing to another end His maledictions were predictions his optations prophetations what hee uttered came a spiritu praevidentis non voto optantis rather from foresight of what should bee than simple wishing that it might bee but these men are wholly ignorant of the event onely their malice carrieth them to desire it may be evil and unfortunate Since then there are so many wayes of going amisse in imitation that a man may easily wander when hee thinkes hee is right Nehemiah did wisely in this regard that he followed not examples but professeth here I did not so 2. If the example bee alike and a man bee to doe the same thing yet not ideo hee is not therefore to doe it because another hath done it but there is a common rule which both guideth Sempronius in doing well and directs Titâ—us in doing that which Sempronius did The reason of the action must enforce imitation not the action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. Rhet. ad Ac. c. 9 saith the Philosopher when wee apprehend the reason of things then wee yeeld to follow them O imitatores servum pecus they are beasts without understanding and have not the spirit of men who magnifie and sticke unto customes as they are customes without respect of right and honesty Nehemiah when hee looked upon others to see what they did observed the rule whereby they did it making that his guide not the Example I did not so And this surely is the best way for all men to goe to worke not to regard so much what others have done as what they ought to doe especially Nehemiah and men in authority who are in the Common-wealth as Pilots in a ship and therefore wisedome is most of all required in them they must have their synosura their starres to direct them in their judgoments in the carriage of their affaires without which in hoysing up sailes to teach others they may split against the rockes and be wracked Among the rest they must especially take notice of three constellations ius Divinum ius humanum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law of God the kingdome Equity 1. The Law of God that giveth wisedome and understanding and must therefore bee a light unto their feet and a lanthorne to their pathes Liber Legis a Copy of the Law was to be with Josuah Jos 1. 8. and the Iudges must determine according to the sentence of the Law Deut. 1 â— 11. they are to judge pro Domino saith Ieheshaphat 2 Chron. 9 6. for the Lord and must therefore judge secundum Dominum as the Lord hath enjoyned It is a great fault among men learned in other professions too much to neglect Divine Writ I thinke the reason is because as they exalt themselves above Divines whom they justle into the kennell so they would advance their profession also above Divinity and turne Sarah into the Kitchin the place of Hagar But these Achitophels though wise in their own eyes are but fooles indeed the Prophet hath concluded against them Ier 8. 9. The wise men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken to they have reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them What if there be any it is lux vespertina that dim light which twinckleth in the night of nature not lux matutina Psa 8. 20 the cleare light shining in the day of grace Nehemiah who did not so as others did did so as the Law of God commanded and therefore punished those which transgressed against God Neh. 13. â—7 2. The Law of the Nation and kingdome wherein wee live for though the Law of God be the spring from whence flowes righteousnesse yet the good and wholesome lawes of men be as rivers which if a governour take along with him they will bring him to the Sea of Iustice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle Pol 3â— c. 26 hee that is taught by the lawes judgeth rightly A brave thing it is for a Iudge to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living and a speaking law but to determine causes without law is too great liberty The Law is to a ludge as the bankes to the Sea Huousque hither must hee goe and no further Nehemiah who did not so in following examples did so in looking to the Law hee told the builders the Kings words which hee had spoken to him Neh. 2. 18. 2.
because of his two-leaved shel Bas htâ—em bom 7 watcheth when he opens these doores against the Sunne and casteth a stone into them that they cannot shut then hee thrusts in his claw and devoures him So the cunning Lawyer greedy of a rich mans money and seeing him peaceably disposed unwilling to wrangle seeketh all occasion to see his Evidences and in them puts such rubs that the good-man cannot but thinke his neighbor hath done him wrong and eares not what he spends to recovera feigned right Some like the Polypus take the colour of any Rocke they cleave to frame themselves to the humour of the Client make him beleeve his Cause is good though it be starke nought that they may have a prey 2. Many make no conscience of an honest businesse undertaken but use such delayes commit such errors follow the Cause so negligently play so on both hands that as Charondas was wont to say of going to Sea Se non mirari Stapl. mor. do 2. post pent quisemel mare ingressus sit sed qui iterum so wee may say of going to Law A man is not to bee wondred at for suing once but hee that sues the second time after he hath seene the dangers and difficulties of it The common voyce is that these things are so with some Lawyers but doe not you so because of the feare of God Consider well the saying of the Wise-man Prov. 20. 17. Bread of deceit is sweet but afterward the mouth shall bee filled with gravall 3. My speech shall be directed to the Iurors upon whole integlity both the lives and goods of men are cast Though many neither feare the oath oâ— God nor regard right and wrong but desire so to give their verdict as their owne sacrilegious and unjust actions may for time to come receive no preiudice yet doe not you so because of the feare of God Yea if there chance to be but one good man of the twelve who seeing the combination of the rest in iniquity resolveth against the same let mee encourage him to hold fast and not to bee drawne from his honest purpose because of the many opposites but as Liberius Bishop of Rome once answered the Arrian Emperour Constantius when he asked him What so great part of the world hee was that he beleeved contrary Theod. hist lib. 1. c. 7 to others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faith is never the worse because I alone professe it So if it bee Remanded how thou darest withstand the opinion of eleven tell them Iustice is never the worse though I alone practise it Set the feare of God before thine eyes it will make thee bold as a Lion not to doe â—o as they periuriously 4. To accusers in criminall Causes to Plaintiffes in Nisi prius To Accusers Some there are who upon malice and envy have hunted after the lives of men and brought them to the barre trotting about Towne and Countrey to finde faults where they knew none suborning false witnesses and knights of the post to sweare untruly not caring what course they tooke so those whom they hated might bee brought to ruine but doe not you so because of the feare of God Evldence of wicked facts desire to have ungodly persons taken away lest the whole Countrey smart for them Zeale for the glory of God these should move a man to prosecute an offendor not anger notspleene not defire of revenge God forbid these should bee found in Iacob if the feare of God bee in you you will not doe so To Plaintiffes many give themselves to undermine the state of others seeke out quiddities and nice trickes to spoyle their brethren who will have an Action for another mans Goose grazing in their grouÌ„d enemies to peace and all tranquillityâ— wranglers contentious oppressors who thinke with their purse to beggar a poore neighbour if he will not part with his Inheritance or stoope to them at their pleafure A kind of men these are of whom we may say as the Historian of Mathematicians Talâ—â— 6. 7 Genus hominum quod in nostra Republica et vetabitur sensper et retinebitur alwayes they are cryed against and still they grow the Countrey swarmes with them but doe not you so because of the feare of God If there bee any question in the Titles of land it is honest to have them tryed If wrong be done you the Law is open and there are Iudges implead one another fairly and peaceably but well it were if they were cut off that trouble the Countrey and chased away from the Iudgement-seats which they abuse not onely to the satisfying of their owne wrangling spirit but to the detriment of such as dwell nigh unto them 5. To Witnesses In all ages there have been some who for feare of their great Masters for mony or favour would give any testimony not regarding the opening of the Truth but clearing or condemning of such as they would set at liberty or destroy Our Saviour had then oft against him and David iâ— his time Psal 35. 11. but do not you so because of the fear of God Art thou called to as Oath sweare in truth in iudgment in righteousnesse Ier. 4 2. Let not thy tongue speak contrary to that thy hart knoweth for it is an abomination tâ— God who tooke order Deut 19. 19. that the false witness should be punished lege taliâ—nis thou shalt doe to him â— hee thought to have done untâ— his brother 6. And lastly to us all We are not ignorant of the cryin sinnes which reigne inthis land prodigious drunkennesse who ring swearing killing thee ving pride aspersion whicâ— are come to that height thaâ— they know no bounds so which God hath a controversi with the land and hath alread smitten us for them May we not say of England as hee once of Rome Nunquam mag is Ta hist l. c. iustis iudici is approbatuâ—â— est non esse curae Deo securitatem nostram esse vindictam God hath manifestly declared that as he hath hitherto watched over us for good so now hee watcheth over us for vengeance And yet what sinne puls in his hornes Men are as briefe in all kind of lewdnesse as ever But oh beloved let not us doe so because of the feare of God If before wee have beene guilty let us now repent and doe so no more if we have beene free from these enormities let us goe on in a right course still The feare of God calls upon us for it the feare of God commanding that we be not rebels against him the feare of God revenging lest he come in fury and destroy us We never had greater cause to feare Gods anger than now I wish our care to please him may be answerable that wee may truly say with Nehemiah Though the whole world lyes in wickednesse yet so doe not we because of the feare of God Deo gratias qui aperuit nob is ostium Sermon is These two Sermons were preached
willeth us when we are reviled not to revile again when we suffer not to threaten because Christ himselfe also did so 1 Pet. 2. 23. In the latter we are to imitate him by similitude translating that unto our spirituall life which he did as Mediator thus his dying teacheth us not to die the death of the body but of sinne to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof and his rising againe teacheth us not to come out of the graves when we are buried alas it passeth the strength of all humanity but to arise from sinne the death of the soule Behold then apish man who art ready to follow every fashion a patterne worthy the looking upon an example worthy the following even thy Saviour rising Oh be thou a Saint and rise with him Dye he might but could not be overcome of death and therefore loosed the sorrowes of it So howsoever thou hast sinned yet bee not over-ruled by sinne suffer it not to reigne in thy mortall body Voluntarily went hee once into the darke bowels of the earth and there remained three dayes necessarily through the corruption of thy nature and voluntarily also through the depravation of thy will hast thou fallen into the depths of sinne and there hast laid three daies the day of thy conception for thou wert shapen in wickednesse the day of thy birth for thou wert polluted in thine owne blood the day of thy life hitherto for thou hast beene a stranger from the womb from the wombe hast thou erred as therefore thy death of sinne hath beene like unto Christs being in the grave so let thy rising from sinne bee comformed to the similitude of his Resurrection now the third day breake forth into the light throw away thy grave-clothes the workes of darkenesse and put on the apparell of a man the armour of light It was that they say which made Alexanders souldiers so willing to attempt desperate matters that what he would have them doe himselfe first beganne and therefore was wont to say Eamus faciamus what you see mee doe doe you the same likewise Wee have here the same encouragement which they had Christ our head is risen before us to lead the way and shew us how wee should rise Et nos ideo surgamus de tumulo terrae saith Saint Ambrose having so good a President for our direction let us also rise 2. Christ is the cause of our rising by way of efficacy for by vertue of his Resurrection hath hee derived grace and strength to us all Mr. Calvins note is good upon this place That wee are not here invited onely by the example of Christ risen to follow newnesse of life sed eius fieri virtute docemur ut regeneremur in iustitiam this Text teacheth us that our regeneration is from the vertue of his Resurrection To small purpose had it beene for Christ to have gone before us in that which we could not doe unlesse he had enabled us also that we might doe it To teach a cripple how to goe or a dumbe man how to speake is a fruitlesse thing but to strengthen the feet and ankle-bones of the one to untye the strings of the others tongue this is the way to make them goe and speake So fareth it with us all my beloved wee were like that man possessed with Divels who abode among the graves sinne had so wounded us that we were cut off from the land of the living being dead in trespasses Ephe. 2. 1. what could it then have benefited us if one whose life was within him should walke and stirre that Christ who was quickened by the Spirit could come out of the grave surely nothing unlesse he that raised up Christ from the dead had also quickened our benummed soules then and not otherwise could wee arise it was therefore requisite that to his example set before us Christ should adde the communication of vertue to us that we might rise with him And this is that which the Apostle Paul speaketh Ephesians 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath quickned us together with Christ giving him the Spirit of life whereby he was raised from the dead and withall to us the life of the Spirit that we might rise from sinne And this is that medicinalis convenientia of Saint Austins wherby the Example of Christs rising is made effectuall namely the applying of medicines to out infirmities purging out all humours whereby we might be stayed in our corruptions and strengthening the vitall faculties for the exercise of spirituall things for as Christ dyed to take away from sinne the guilt the punishment and dominion which it got over man so that man might be said to be dead to sinne because hee no longer lived therein so did he rise againe to furnish man with all gifts and graces necessary for his soules salvation and every faithfull man is partaker as of Mortification by vertue of Christs death so of Vivification by vertue of his Resurrection For fuller perceiving wherof we must know that Christ is as the head his Saints the members Christ the root his Saints the branches as therefore the motion of the members and governing them in their actions proceedeth from the head where is the motive faculty in greatest vigour so doe the members of Christ his mysticall body derive from him the influence of grace whereby they are enabled to performe their functions de plenitudine eius Ioh. 1. 16. from him we draw of him we receive Now Christ is the head of his Church as Mediator and by his workes of Mediation most of all diffuseth life and motion and that sweetly in an analogy to the worke so his death giveth a motion to corruption the corrupting of the old man and his Resurrection a motion to quickening the quickening of the new man these two like maine channels convey whole streames of graces from him into the Church neither doth the disproportion of soule and body hinder this conveyance at all Christ rising in his body onely the soule of man being the proper subject of grace for it is not the vertue of the body raised that maketh this diffusion but the Divine vertue raysing the body scattereth abroad his graces per actionem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this wonderfull act of God-man his resurrection and thus as Augustine Ser. 181. de temp observes Resurrectio simplex format resurrectionem duplicem Christs rising in his body causeth in his Saints a double resurrection the one of their bodies at the last day because his flesh is of the same masse with theirs the other of their soules continually because hee is the head of the whole man Behold then the vertue of Christs resurrection as Saint Paul calleth it Phil. 3. 10. the raysing vertue giving to him that was downe through infidelity saith to beleeve and stand up aright to him that was fettered in malice and could not stirre charity to walk in good workes because Christ lives therefore shall his
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moderation a vertue commended by Saint Paul Phil. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let your equity bee manifest Mor l 5. c. 14. and by the Philosopher who gives the reason of it Lawes being made for generall cannot fetch in all particulars which are infinite there may then a cause come to hearing which may in equity be right and yet against the Law here the good Iudge doth not urge the Law to the worse but so pronounceth as the Law-giver himselfe would have said if he had beene present But I stay not upon this point it may be I am out of mine Element I once heard at a Sessions the Preacher in the Pulpit pleading for this quity and hee that supplyed the place of the Iudge conâ—â—mning both him and it I will goe no further in it than Beza doth and so farre I dare say I 1 Tim. 1. 3 may goe Hoc accipe de eo iure de quo remittere aliquid possunus where the Iudge may â—ake from the rigor of the Law â—n cafe of equity there hee ought to loose the cords of it or this is the end of lawes and â—udges that every maÌ„ may have his right be maintained in a just cause over throwne in a bad Thus have wee seene in Nehemiah the first thing which he did not not make examples the â—ule of his actions whereunto hath been referred the affirmaâ—ive what it is that hee and all in his place must bee guided by 2. Nehemiah went crosse to â—ad examples So did not I. Those that were before him did not as they ought to dâ—â— and had hee imitated them he might have done as ill as they but hee detested the wronâ— which they offered and professeth he did not so The ill dealing of his predecessors is specified in two particulars 1. The having abundance oppresseâ— and sucked the blood of thâ— poore and needy people whom they should rather have releeâ—ved had the people been rich they might well have required a floece for their maintenance for what Shephear watcheth over a flock and doth not sheare them but they were Tonderâ— not deglubere not to flea the sheepe because their wooll was thinne So did others but so did not hee 2. Their servants domineered and bare rule over the people hee meaneth not the Minister of Iustice and such as they put in office for these are to rule and men must submit themselves unto them 1 Pet. 2. 13 â—ut their under-servants and very one which had dependance upon them these would â—ee Masters and carry themselves as if they were more than some body A common â—ault in great mens retinues and â—n offices Spirituall and Lay where every hang-by will look loose upon a right good man â—nd a proud boy demeane himselfe malepertly to his betters Nehemiah thought the Goverâ—ours to blame who suffered his in their Courts and Famiâ—ies and therefore here proâ—esseth he did not so The point that I observe from henee shall be generall Magistrates must not follow the naughty courses of their Predecessors There are certaine vices which Divine Learning hath pointed out as rockes which Governors ought to take heed of which vices are noâ— idea's and abstracted formes Esse in esse but have had their seat in meâ— of authority there is no evil in the world which some maâ— hath not beene guilty of nâ— sinne belonging to a Magistrate but some Magistrate hath offended in The godly Governour when hee seeth that other have stooped to wickednesse must resolve against it himselfe that hee may bee able to say with Nehemiah But so did not I. The maine evils not to bee done by Magistrates are these 1. Vnjustice judging contrary to right and equity both in distributive and emendative Iustices 1. In distributive the good Iudge must neither justifie the wicked nor condemne the just for both these are abomination to the Lord Prov. 17. 15. Not justifie the wicked by suffering him to breake through the Lawes as great â—yes through cobwebs when hee ought to bee holden of â—hem for the power beareth â—ot the sword for nought Rom. â— 3. 4 but as God hath so must â—ee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a revenging eye over them that doe wickedly He must bee a Iosuâ—h to clense the land from the Iosh 7 1 King 2 theft of Achan a Solomon to take away the innocent blood shed by Ioab from the kingdome yea in this a Saul to 1 Sam. 28 cut off such as have familiar spirits and wizzards from among the people In capitall crimes the offender must dye by the sentence of the Iudge and in sinnes which the Law hath not said so heavy a punishment upon as drunkennesse swearing whoring the crying sinnes of our dayes though the committers of them thinke them to be nothing no more than Aetius the hereticke accounted of fornication penna aurem scalper Epiph. bar 76 to rub his care when it itche yet ought the honest Iudge dâ— the best hee can by all severiâ— and even by that which oâ— loose times call cruelty to taâ— them away or if that be in possible yet to chase the Birds of the night into tâ— night againe and to restrain if not the being yet the roariâ— of them It is now no time spare when the bankes of in quity are full and ready eveâ— day to runne over to drown the world Againe hee must not coâ—demne the just hee that is nâ— an offendour must be protectâ— not punished by the lawes Gâ— appointed Cities of refuge fâ— such as had transgressed again their wils but a mans own innocency should be his refugâ— when he hath not transgresse at all Wilt thou stay the rightâ—ous with the wicked saith A braham to God that bee farre from thee shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right Gen. 18. 25. And wilt thou condemne the guiltlesse may I say to an honest Iudge that bee farre from thee shall not hee that sittâ—th in the seat of the righteous God doe right It is surely unjust as I have said to assoile a lewd person but of the two farre better it is to free a man as harmelesse who hath done mischiefe than to condemne a man as mischievous who is harmelesse David sung it of Solomon Psal 72. 14. and it becomes every man in place of Iudicature He shall redeeme the innocent from violence and deceit and precious shall their blood be in his sight 2. Emendative Iustice the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 12. 14 Iudge must not doe unjustly but give to every man that which is his owne he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a right divider betweene man and man taking from the one what hee hath got of anothers and giving it to the other whose it is The good Magistrate cannot as the Popes Parasites say he can de quâ—drato facere rotundum make something of nothing and nothing againe of something as
the cause is so must he judge it that Iuel p. 37â— every man may sit under his owne Vine and his owne Fig-tree in peace This is the maine evill which a Magistrate musâ— not doe not doe unjustice 2. There are two things tending to this unjustice which hâ— must not doe The one as the way to it the other as the cause of it 1. The way to it partiâ—â— all hearing opening the earâ— to one party shutting it to another The avoyding of this waâ— a great part of Moses charge Deu. 1. 16. I charged your luâ—ges at that time saying heare thâ— causes between your brethren yâ— shall not respect persons in iudgement but shall heare the small as well as the great If two Rivers be fed by the same Spring and the passage to the one bee free to the other dammed up the one may well abound with water the other be dry If two men bee to claime their right before the Iudge and the one have countenance audience the other frownes and snibbs a man may soon conceive which way the streame will runne though not in the right channell Iustice must let the one skale have his due as wel as the other and then lift both up fairely that that may carry it which is heaviest 2. The cause of unjustice taking bribes A gift doth blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous Deut. 16. 19. Some there are that thinke it is but an act of kindnesle to give and of courtesie to receive and what hurt in this But as one said raine is good and ground is good yet ex eorum conjunctione fit lutum if they bee mingled Stapl dom 2 post pent they make dirt So giving is kind and taking is courteous yet the mixing of them makes the smooth pathes of Iustice foule and uneven As sands and shoales hinder the current of the water so doe gifts the course of Iustice which should runne downe as a mighty river Amos 6. 4. When the Emperor Zeno had defloured a womans daughter shee prayed saith the Legend to the Virgin Mary to bee avenged the Virgin appeared to her and said Credâ— mihi mulier ultionem tuam sae erat sp c. 175. Stapl. dom 1. post pent pe facere volui sed manus eiu prohibuit me his hanâ— will not let mee be revenged of him shee spake it of his giving hand in that hee was liberall to the poore but it is true also of the bribing hand many a time a Cause might have an end and be rightly determined but manus prohibet a gift in the hand puts a barre unto it Samuel therefore when hee purged himselfe demands this question of them whom hee judged Of whose hands have I received a bribe 1 Sam. 1 2. 3. and the people answer Thou hast taken none Every good Magistrate must bee able to say as much and to professe Whatsoever others doe yet so doe not l. This is the first thing in the Text Nehemiah's dealing the ground of his dealing is the second thing Why did he not doe so Because of the feare of â—â—od God is propounded in Scrioture as one to be feared Who would not feare thee O King of Nations Ier. 10. 7. Feare yee not me saith the Lord Ier. 5. 22. Feare in it selfe is a naturall passion but feare with this obiect God the feare of God is dy 22. q. 19 donum saith the Schoole a gift of the Spirit spiritus timoris Domini Esa 1 1. 2. the spirit of the feare of the Lord. This gift of feare respects God two wayes 1. Mandantem as hee commandeth and so it is filiall fearem feare of offending 2. vindicantem as hee revengeth transgressors so it is servile feare feare of being punished It were to bee wished that the hearts of all men were filled with chast feare the feare of displeasing God for this indeed proceeds from love and becommeth children who the more they love the more are afraid to offend This feare shall abide in patria when we come to heaven it endureth for ever Psal 19. 8. our charity being perfected our feare shall also hee that hath this feare in him now hath in himselfe the kingdome of God already And how should wee then hunger after this feare but because man in corruption is like an unbrideled horse and will not bee ridden unlesse hee have the bit it is something for a man to attaine to servile feare to be afraid of God in regard of his judgements both because this feare will be a restrainer hold him backe from iniquity and also because it is seta as Saint 〈◊〉 Epist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Austine speaketh the needle which draweth after it the love of God as the thred If any aske which of these feares was in Nehemiah I answer Filiall feare surely was predominant in so excellent a servant of God but it was not altogether without feare of punishment and therefore in Aquinas Secunda sccundae q. 19 art 22 terme it was a compound of them both which hee calleth initiall because it is the beginning of much good Nehemiah rendereth it as the reason why he did not evill as others did because of the feare of God for where the feare of God is it is not idle but active honesty flowes from it as from a fountaine It is a Probleme in Aristotle why men are credited â—â— â— Ar. probl s 3. 9. 6. more than other creatures The answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man alone reverenceth God therefore you may trust him Hee that truly feareth God is like unto Cato of whom it is said He never did well that he might appeare to doe so sed quia aliter facere non potuit hee could not doe otherwise The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome Psal 111. 10. The beginning of wisdome saith one not as it is cognoseitiva standing in speculation but as it is directivaâ—vitae guiding the actions and life of man faith is the beginning of wisedome according to the essence of it and the feare of God according to the effects as it is operative The foundation is the first in architecture there the workeman sets on to build and the feare of God the first in a just course it is the maine wheele which sets all the rest on going In which regard Saint Augustine saith Timor primum Ser dom iâ— montâ—â—â— 9. p 1104 locum tenet ascendendo ultimum descendendo If you looke upon the order of man Working the feare of God is first thence all the frame of the action riseth if you looke upon the worke wrought the feare of God is the last into it all is resolved It is so in generall the feare of God makes all men doe honestly and it is so in the matter we have in hand the feare of God maketh a Magistrate upright and therefore this feare is especially required in him Iethro's Iustice must bee a man fearing God Exod. 18. 21. And the