ordinary negotiations and conversation amongst men Now I come to the next point the subject of Soveraignety a righteous man whence I briefly and plainely ground this point Doct. Those that rule should be righteous or thus men in Authority should be righteous men That you may understand a right what I meane by righteous take notice of a double righteousnesse first imputed second inherent Inherent two-fold first morall second religious By imputed I meane the glorious justice of IESUS CHRIST purchased by his blood and obedience and imputed as his owne most sure for ever to a truly humbled sinner wherewith being richly and compleatly arrayed from top to toe as with a Royall and everlasting Robe he stands thereby acquit justified and accepted at the strictest Tribunall of the ever-living GOD world without end and so ipso facto as they say becomes ever after favourite to the mighty LORD of heaven and earth one of his jewels as the apple of his owne eye the dearely beloved of his soule a Royall Diademe in his hand for so are GODs Children though vilified by the world yet stiled in the World This righteousnesse is required in Rulers and such as are placed above their brethren to wit that themselves be reconciled unto GOD in IESUS CHRIST For sense of this alone is able to beget that right noble and well-composed temper of spirit those high and unshaken resolutions which onely are fit to make a Magistrate and create earthly Gods as Iudges are called Psal. 82.1.6 Without this righteousnesse assuredly whatsoever faire pretexts and representations to the contrary may dazle and deceive the worlds eye yet all is rotten at the heart-roote And the executions of their places though they may carry things smoothly and palliate with much art and pollicy yet questionlesse in case of strong temptation great advantage rising and enriching themselves gratification of some great one hazard of temporall happinesse c. will be exorbitant and yeelding and at the best but formall The cry of that happy soule which leanes and hath taken up his everlasting resting place upon the rocke of eternity is constant and still the same in all cases and causes Vt fiat iustitia ruat coelum Let right be done and a good conscience discharged and then come what come will Let me not onely loose my place and the favour of the times but let even the heavens fall and they will all is one to me by the mercy of GOD I shall stand upright under the ruines and rejoyce in the testimony of a good conscience amidst the confusions both of heaven and earth But to speake in Scripture phrase for the other was the speech even of an honest heathen Ever when standing on the better side and keeping a good conscience threatneth danger and disgrace he growes into Hesters happy resolution well whatsoever comes of me I will take GODs part and if I perish I perish But not to perish so is to perish everlastingly and so to perish is to be eternally saved But now on the other side he which hath not made his peace with GOD nor hath any part upon good ground in the Person Passion and promises of CHRIST will most certainely especially in stormy times and such tryals which search whether he be steele to the backe or no manifest and make plaine by his practise that in the height of his counterfeit courage his heart did hold in earnest that pestilent principle It is better to sleepe in a whole skin then with a good conscience If he be put unto it indeed for alas no heavenly strength as yet doth steele his spirit he will warpe winde-out one way or other and shrinke in the wetting Againe it is a cause of great comfort and matter of much joy to have a favourite to the highest Majesty and one whom GOD accepts graciously in his Sonne to sit in a high place and beare sway over others It is a goodly sight right pleasing unto GOD applauded of Angels amiable and admirable in the eyes of all good men And thrice happy is that people which breathes under the influence of such a blessed Authority and all those who are judged ordered and over-ruled by him be he Iudge Iustice of Peace Minister or Magistrate in any kind whom GOD ownes for his servant who entered into his office Benefice Bishopricke or any other publicke employment in GODs Name and not by bribery symony flattery temporizing or any other base and unblessed meanes and afterward in every passage of his place aimes principally at GODs glory and not at his owne particular to advance the Kingdome of CHRIST and not his kindred and outward estate And it is the better with them and they are the more blessed besides many other in these two respects First He that growes into familiarity with GOD by the favour of IESUS CHRIST besides an universall and impartiall integrity in the managing and discharge of the particulars in his publike calling may comfortably and with a good conscience presse daily to the Throne of grace and bring downe abundance of blessings both upon himselfe and those that are under him He doth not onely watch over his owne heart but also wrastle with GOD continually by prayer for himselfe that he may not disparage the Majesty of his place by any personall lightnesse or make his person odious by partiality in his publicke deportment that he may neither poyson his people by any scandalous example or plague them by private revenge that he neither lessen his Authority or loose good mens love by serving the time or servile yeelding or swell over the banks of patience and moderation with selfe-wild sowrenesse and unseasonable severity In a word that he may doe just so as GOD would have him and therefore begs not onely generall ability to weld aright the great body of his publick charge but also speciall direction and resolution in every severall affaire which passeth his hand that it be ever carryed faire and never crookned to his owne ends For his people that he may ever preferre his peoples spirituall welfare before the wealth of the whole world Now whether doe you thinke were it more happy and comfortable living under that Minister Magistrate or man of Authority whatsoever who thus acquaints himselfe with GOD and walks with him as with his friend or under that fellow who is an alient and meere stranger to any such precise mystery and might of prayer who never thought with comfort of comming to this place it being empoysoned unto him as he knowes full-well himselfe though he tell no body with basenesse or indirection never aimed so much in the discharge of it at GODs glory and the good of his people as at his owne particular his rising enriching or revenging is so far from discharging Samuels duty in constant praying for those commited to his charge that he prayes not even in his owne family constantly not in private to any purpose was never feelingly humbled
for heaven the world shall stand no longer but the heavens shall shrivell together like a scrole and passe away with a noise the whole frame of this inferiour world shall be turned into a ball of fire the Imperiall Crownes of the greatest Monarchs upon earth shall flame about their eares you that carry now all before you and wallow impenitently in the glory pleasure applause and wealth of the world shall tire the rockes and mountaines with bootlesse cries and intreaties to fall upon you the Trumpet will sound and we shall all come to the Iudgement of that great and last day This serviceablenesse and subordination of all Imperiall Regall and inferiour power whatsoever to the Kingdome of CHRIST King Iames of famous memory clearely intimates and acknowledgeth in his Royall remonstrance when he speakes thus To that GOD that King of Kings I devote my Scepter at his feeete in all humblenesse of spirit I lay downe my Crowne to whose service as a most humble homager and vassall I consecrate all the glory honour splendor and lustre of my earthly Kingdome And what will become of all the power pollicy that opposeth the people of GOD we may see in the second of Daniel ver 34 35 44 45. Those foure strongest Monarchies and mightiest States that ever the Sunne saw shaddowed by Nabuchadnezars great Image setting themselves against the servants of GOD were beaten upon and blasted by the curse of divine wrath and so sunke in their severall times into the jawes of ruine and irrecoverable desolation They blustered a while like mighty winds with much threatning and impetuous rage but presently breathed out into naught and vanished for ever That stone saith the Text which was cut out without hands smote the Image upon his feete that were of yron and clay and brake them to peeces Then was the yron clay the brasse and silver and the gold broken to pieces together and become like the chaffe of the Summer threshing flower and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them And so let all the implacable enemies of IESUS CHRIST perish to the worlds end Selah Thus you see what is the maine end of Magistracy which necessarily requires righteousnes in Rulers For A wicked Magistrate or Minister entering into this place not by GODS doore but by the Devils window as they say which is ordinary with men of ill conscience if they be of a medling and malignant humour sense of his guiltinesse in comming in basely and at a backe-doore enraging him or the curse of GOD for his Symony or bribery justly hardning his heart it is his wont to vexe and fall soule upon honest men to stand for rotten causes to take the worse part without repentance all the dayes of his domineering But if he be of a duller and more unactive spirit and given to the world he is resolved to medle as little as he may to live reservedly make a shew grow rich and there is an end of what temper soever they be if they feare not GOD they are so farre from seeking his Kingdome and righteousnesse in the first place that it is least and lowest in their thoughts Nay doth not every spirituall eye see that they are upon the matter close Agents or publicke acto urs against the power and holy precisenesse of it Their seeking is themselves their serving is the time their heaven is their high place But now give me a godly man indeed and as he would rather lye in the dust all the dayes of his life and dye in obscurity then be advanced by any wicked or unworthy meanes So being pulled into any place of publicke employment his holiest and highest desire ambition is to be as a refreshing comfortable shower in a great drought to every honest man but as a terrible tempest upon the face of every sonne of Belial and hairy-pate of every one that hates to be reformed to stand no longer in his slipery place then he may continue an upright industrious instrument to advance GODs glory promote good causes protect good men ever most willing rather to part with the highest promotion in the world were it crowned with the riches and revenewes of all the Kingdomes upon earth then with a good conscience It was aright noble worthy answer and exemplary of Benevolus to Iustina an Arrian Empres Dike of Cons. pag. 140. offering him preferment to be an instrument in some vile service what saith he do ye promising me a higher place for a reward of iniquity Take this away and welcome which I have already so that I may keepe a good conscience and thereupon threw at her feete his girdle the ensigne of his honour Thus undoubtedly will a good conscience trample under foote the highest preferment to preserve its owne integrity Secondly The righteous man onely will be thorowly and universally resolute for he knowes full well and feeles that he cannot possibly have any higher preferment then IESVS CHRIST whom he already happily possesseth in the armes of his faith nor any greater crosse then a wounded conscience and therefore he dare by no meanes either hurt the one or hazard the other Hence it was that Moses casting the eye of his faith upon the recompense of reward refused to be a favourite in Pharohs Court and that Ioseph did so invincibly withstand the impure and impudent sollicitations of his wicked and wanton Mistresse he clearely foresaw what horrour was like to scaze upon his heart by so sinning against his GOD. Now the reason that the righteous man is so resolute is the sense of his reconcilement to GOD and the clearenesse of his conscience and the cause that every wicked man is a coward and will so conforme to the current of the time is his ill conscience The wicked flee saith Salomon when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a Lion Prov. 28.1 The word in the originall signifies a young Lion which as a Lion feares neither man nor beast great nor small he turneth not away for any Prov. 30. But as young by the fresh and furious boyling of his abundant native heat is more audacious and undaunted for any adventure then other Lions so lion-like bold should every Magistrate be for he must pull the prey out of the Lions mouth and rescue the oppressed from the man that is too mighty for him he must not be afraid either of mortall or immortall adversaries he must not feare the face of man or frownes of greatnesse the losse of preferment present or promised he must hold to the death such principles as these Let Iustice be done and let the heavens fall if I perish I perish Should such a man as I flee and bee faint-hearted lively-hood liberty life and all for a good conscience c. And so bold can a Ruler never be unlesse he be righteous and reconciled unto GOD. It is the comfort of a good conscience alone which is able by a secret and
muddinesse imperfection and infirmity Who doubts then but when we spy these last muddy streames to crosse the current of the divine Law we must have recourse unto the well-head Divine Lawes do bind the conscience primarily as they say properly and by themselves GOD is the LORD of the conscience and onely able to damne and save the soule for the breaking or keeping of his Lawes and therefore he alone hath an absolute and soveraigne power to binde the conscience If humane Lawes even that are just doe any way it is by the power and precept of divine Law See Rom. 13.1 c. I meane meerely humane For that is false which Bellarmine hath De laicis Cap. 11. Par. 5. that every just Civill Law is either a conclusion or determination of the divine Morall Law Iunius as all along in his Animadversions so here he hath also nobly conquered and confounded him And therefore as we would preferre the keeping of a good conscience before the sleeping in a whole skin and the feare of him which can destroy bondy and soule in hell fire before him that can onely kill the body let us cleave unto the commandements of GOD against the contradictions of the whole world Yet notwithstanding the mis imployment and the errour in the exercise of it Authority is still venerable in the originall and to be reputed GODs creature else had Daniel never spoken thus to Nabuchadnezzar an ungodly King and scourge of Nations Dan. 2.37 Thou O King art a King of Kings for the GOD of heaven hath given thee a Kingdome power and strength and glory And hence it is also De Civitate Deili 5.6 21. that Austin that renowned Father tells us Hee that gave Soveraignety to Augustus gave it also to Nero. Hee that gave it to the Vespasians father and sonne sweetest Emperours gave it also to Domitian that bloody monster In a word saith he hee that gave it to Christian Constantine gave it also to Iulian the Apostata That infinite wisedome of GOD which hath distinguished his Angels by degrees which hath given greater and lesse light and beauty to heavenly bodyes which hath made difference betweene beasts and birds created the Eagle and the Flye the Cedar and the shrub and among stones given the fairest tincture to the Ruby and the quickest light to the Diamond hath also ordained Kings Dukes or Leaders of the people Magistrates Iudges and other degrees amongst men Reason 2. Secondly Government is the prop and pillar of all States and Kingdomes the cement and soule of humane affaires the life of society and order the very vitall spirit whereby so many millions of men doe breath the life of comfort and peace and the whole nature of things subsist Let the heart in a man surcease from the exercise of its principality prime motion and the wholebody would presently grow pale bloudles and livelesse If that glorious Giant in the sky should retire his light into himselfe and through a languishing faintnesse stay his course and the Moone should wander from her beaten way whom GOD hath appointed rulers over day and night the times and seasons of the yeare would blend themselves by dis-ordered and confused mixture This goodly frame of the world would dissolve and fall into confusion and darknesse Proportionably take Soveraignety from the face of the earth and you turne it into a Cockpit Men would become cut-throats and Canibals one unto another Murder adulteries incests rapes roberies perjuries witchcrafts blasphemies all kinds of villanies outrages and savage cruelty would overflow all Countries We should have a very hell upon earth and the face of it covered with blood as it was once with water Reason 3. Thirdly It giveth opportunity by GODs blessing for the free exercise and full improvement of all humane abilities to their utmost worth and excellency Trades traffike lawes learning wisdome valour policies of State religion all Arts and excellencies thrive and flourish with much happinesse and successe under the wings and warmth of a godly government Some shadowes of these notable and worthy effects appeared even in the Heathenish State as in that of the Romanes to what a matchlesse noone tide of earthly glory and greatnesse to what an incredible and uncomparable height of humane felicity did that people aspire by managing their mysteries of State and guiding the raines of their commanding power by a faire ingenious and noble hand and that out of the meere illuminations of reason and principles of naturall policy But I must tell you by the way they were notably assisted in this Imperiall rise by their strict and severe lawes against those two grand impoysoners of the strongest See Godwin de Ro. Leg. pag. 161. and most flourishing States first Bribery secondly basenesse in comming to high roomes They had many lawes De ambitu de pecunijs repetundis If a Senatour were found to have used unlawfull meanes for the attaining of any Office he was to suffer ten yeares banishment and so proportionably of bribery No Kingdome under heaven harbouring these two cut-throates can stand long without basenesse or ruine If Government then hath such power and workes such wonders in Pagan Kingdomes what heavens upon earth what worlds of happinesse by GODs mercy may be comfortably expected when it is seasoned and sinewed with the truth of Religion and power of Christianity which is the chiefest top and well-spring of all true virtues even as GOD is of all good things For all other ornaments and excellencies of Nature Art Pollicy are as but a dead and livelesse carkasse except they be animated and quickned with the true feare of GOD and religious forwardnesse for his glory Nay a gracelesse Magistrate is a grievous plague for when he followes the publique administration of Iustice onely as a trade with unquenchable and unconscionable thirst of gaine and attaining his owne ends being not in heart perswaded that Iustice is GODs owne worke and himselfe his Agent in this businesse the sentence of right GODs owne verdict and himselfe his Minister to deliver it Formalities of Iustice doe but serve to smoother right and that which was necessarily ordained for the common good is through shamefull abuse made the cause of common misery which is too manifest by too many wofull experiences See Bacons aduancement pag. 3â— But now for instance of those happy fruits and excellencies springing by GODs blessing out of Government sanctified by the effectuall and powerfull Majesty of true Religion I will goe no further then our owne State since that peerelesse Princesse Queene Elizabeth of sweetest and dearest memory the happiest instrument of GODs glory of her sexe since the most blessed Virgine I say since she rose into the Imperiall throne what a deale of glory and light admiration and honour what miracles of unparalled deliverances and preservations have crowned this famous Iland To say nothing of temporall felicities for which purpose instance might be given in some
for his owne sinnes or the abominations of the Kingdome in any day of humiliation Give me an Angell upon earth and an incarnate Devill a faire coole shaddow under a goodly tree in a sweltring heate and a scurvy thorny-bush to which the poore sheepe never flies for succour in a storme but looseth some of her fleece a showre of raine in a great drought upon the new Moone-grasse and the scorching Sunne upon a dry parched heath an Obadiah and a Shebna GODs dearling and the Devils drudge and you have made the difference Secondly Consider the difference of the Kings eye I meane in respect of anger and amiablenesse cast upon a desperate Traitour and his nearest Favourite proportionably but with infinit more loathing or liking the aspect of GODs pure eye is diuersified looking upon an enemy to the power of Godlinesse and profession of the Saints and that happy one who hath made his peace with him and is cloathed with the righteousnesse of his Sonne that glorious eye of his which is ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne and cannot looke on iniquity doth cast downe a direct perpendicular raye as it were upon every wicked man without any diversion or retraction that I may so speak of its fierce edge and fiery pointednesse and therefore sees him in his colours a very vile sinnefull cursed loathsome beast though he seem to himself and the great of the world a brave and jolly fellow abhorred of GOD and man heaven and earth and by consequent as an object of infinite indignation and hatred But he ever lookes upon his owne Child through the meritorious sufferings and satisfactions of the Sonne of his love in whome all his discontents against him are done away and drowned for ever and so beholds him such and so lovely as the blood and righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST hath made him Even as to a man looking through a red glasse all the world appeares red and orient in his eye So to the eye of GOD the Father looking from his throne of mercy upon a godly man through the bleeding wounds of his blessed Saviour he is rendered and represented right faire and ruddy deeeply impressioned with an heavenly dye of acceptation and grace Now tell me whether a people be liker to prosper under him upon whom the mighty LORD of heaven lookes amiably or angrily 2. By morall righteousnesse I meane all those perfections and possibilities of civill honesty and upright dealing attaineable by the light of naturall understanding generall notions of right and wrong and practice of morall precepts inlarged improoved and husbanded to the height hereby many ancient Heathens went farre and did many admirable and excellent things even such and so worthy that may justly make the best of our meere civill honest men hang downe their heads and be horribly ashamed For instance Fabricius that famous Roman was so precise that as it is reported of him it was easier to turn the Sunne from his course then to draw Fabricius from just and honest dealing King Pyrrhus could with no gold or gifts no not with promise of the fourth part of his Kingdome possibly corrupt this man And yet how many miserable men in this very mid-day of the Gospell will be easily drawn by a secret bribe office honour preferment some earthly favour to doe villanously to betray a good cause a good man and a good conscience to shame himselfe for ever grow odious to GOD and man and goe to hell In these dissolute and formall times would it not be deemed to draw towards too much strictnesse if a Minister should presse this duty upon Lawyers that every time before they goe out of their doores to plead at the Barre they should prostrate themselves in private and besides other passages pray unto GOD that he would so guide their tongues that day that they may speake nothing but advisedly and to the purpose And yet Pericles that famous Oratour of Greece who for the excellency of his eloquency and mightinesse of his speech was said to thunder and lighten at the Barre out of the very principles of nature and naturall sense of of a Deity ever before he went to plead a cause as Plutarch tells us in his life intreated his GODs that not a word should fall from him besides his purpose which he practised no doubt out of conscience of Platoes principle in Tim. See Hooker pa. 63. That in all things we goe about GODs helpe by prayer is to be craved In the administration and execution of Iustice many of them though led onely and inlightned by the conduct of reason were extraordinarily exact and of admirable integrity See sir Walter Rauleigh lib. 2. pag. 549. Tit. A. C. ad Leg. Ful. Repetund Carion Chron. pag. 89. Zaleneus made a law that every adulterer should loose his eyes his sonne was first taken in the fact least that law should be violated he was content to part with one of his owne eyes and his sonne was punished with the losse of another Cambyses King of Persia having detected the corruption of a Iudge in his Kingdome commands him to be put to death his skin to be plucked off and spread upon the Iudgement Seate as a Carpet his sonne to sit in the fathers throne so adorned that he and all posterity might feare for ever to pervert Iustice and to deale untruly in judgement Mount Essa pag. 479. The Egyptian Kings solemnely and usually presented this oath to their Iudges Not to swarve from their consciences what cōmand soever they should receive from themselves to the contrary The Roman lawes called the lawes of the twelve Tables See Vol. lib. 2. pag. 668. Aemilius Paulus his love to the publicke and Hannibals also D.p. 570. And also that of Canutus See Drexel Infernus Rogus Epi. Dedicur so often magnified by Tully appoints That if a Iudge or any other in Authority for that purpose should take money in the point of administring Iustice he should die for it If any should beare false witnesse hee should be throwne downe from the Tarpeian rocke Thus you heare in a few particulars that Morall righteousnesse guided onely by the light of naturall conscience goes farre and yet it comes farre short of that righteousnesse required by my Text and in Christian rules it is many wayes defective First There wants a right roote Faith in IESUS CHRIST and therefore all its productions famous atchievements and excellencies were stiled by the Fathers but beautifull abominations having no better grounds then selfe-love vaine glory rules of policy naturall notions at the best they all withered and came to nothing Secondly There wants speciall grace as the soule and life to quicken and sanctifie it in every passage and particular circumstance to Christianize it that I may so speake and crowne it Thirdly There wants supernaturall principles and divine light to irradiate enlarge and fortifie it Fourthly There wants the right end GODs glory Liberty and immortall
sacred influence not onely to fill the body with marrow and fatnesse inspire the affections with a calme and composed sweetnesse but also begets in the spirit that strong and heavenly vigour which inkindles and keepes in life all such true courage and noble resolution There may be a brazen-face and much foole-hardinesse without grace but never a brave mind indeed and spirit of steele A wicked man advanced and hoisted into some high place may looke bigge domineere and give foule words Nay to be plausible and please he may doe many good things stand to it stoutly a good while but bring him once to a strong temptation or tryall put him upon the push of the Pikes and he will presently pull in the hornes and start a side like a broken bow He that is a slave to his lusts and slavishly serves the time will be sure to hide his head at the rising of every storme and ever turne true coward when his temporary happinesse is hazarded And cowards as a worthy Divine hath characterized them are slaves to their superiours fellow-fooles to their equals tyrants to their inferiours and wind-mills to popular breath not being able to any of these to say so much as No. Thirdly unrighteous Rulers are the onely men to ruine a Kingdome wicked Magistrates and Ministers are able in a short time to dissolve the sinewes of the strongest State in Christendome and to bring the most flourishing Church of the world into confusion Many wayes is the measure of a peoples rebellion made up and full ripe and ready for the Sicle of GODs vengeance and beesome of utter destruction by many abominations is the LORDS indignation set on fire against a Nation but I know not whether by any more set Idolatry aside then by perverting of Iustice when judgement is turned away backward and Iustice standeth a farre off when truth is fallen in the street Alas for pitty where so many passe by and not put to their helping-hand and equity cannot enter O the LORD the righteous Iudge of all the world is extremely angry when judgement goes not forth and Iustice is turned into gall when those that sit in his place either judge not at all or judge unjustly punishing the innocent which should be cleared and clearing the guilty who should be punished When private men do wrong the sinne is their owne it is their personall offence and they must answer it with their heads but if private mens enormities and abominations passe unpunished be borne with or boulstred out by authority if the wicked be justified and the just condemned if execution be not done upon Achans if he be saved whom GOD hath appointed to dye if publicke power be villanously abused to private revenge profit or pleasuring of great ones if good Lawes be not executed for the protection of the innocent and punishing of the wicked In a word if publicke Tribunals and seates of Iustice be any wayes corrupted if Iustice that glorious ciment of all societies be neglected or perverted if truth fall in the streete and equity grow lame I say then the offence growes publicke even the sinne of the whole Kingdome and causeth GOD to enter into judgement not with the Elders of his people and Princes alone but with the whole Land even with the State in generall Heare the Prophets of old expressing GODS mind herein Esayah 59.14 15 16 17. Let us take notice and tremble Iudgement is turned away backward and Iustice standeth a farre off for truth is fallen in the streete and equity cannot enter Nay truth faileth and be that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a prey and the LORD saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgement And he saw there was no man and wondered that there was no Intercessour Therefore his arme brought salvation unto him and righteousnesse it sustained him For hee put on righteousnesse as a brest-plate and an helmet of salvation upon his head and he put on the garment of vengeance for cloathing and was clad with zeale as a cloake Ier. 5.27 28 29 30 31. As a cage is full of birds so is their houses full of deceit He meanes wealth hoarded up by dishonest gaine therefore they are become great and waxen rich They are waxen fat they shine yea they overpasse the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause of the fatherlesse yet they prosper and the right of the needy they doe not judge Shall I not visite these things saith the LORD Shall not my soule be avenged on such a nation as this as if he had said I will be most certainely and severely revenged of it A wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the Land the Prophets prophecy falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so And what will you doe in the end thereof Mich. 3.9 10 11 12. Heare this I pray you ye heads of the house of Iacob and Princes of the house of Israel that abhorre judgement and pervert all equity They build up Ston with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity The heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money yet will they leave upon the LORD and say is not the LORD amongst us None evill can come upon us Therefore shall Sion for your sake be plowed up as a field and Ierusalem shall become heaps and the mountaines of the house as the high places of the forrest Unrighteous Ministers also as well as wicked Magistrates doe a great deale of mischiefe to a State and hasten captivity Their unjust dealings in their place are by so much the more pestilent by how much the condition of their calling is of its owne nature most excellent Degeneratio optimi pessima See the perniciousnesse of their unrighteous ruling in two or three passages First when they take temporary things from their people but make no conscience take no care to give them spirituall The blood of those soules which perish under the unconscionable and cruell negligence of an unfaithfull Pastour pierceth the heavens with a more horrible crye then the lowdest thunder able to pull downe plagues and dreadfull judgements upon a whole Land especially where such bloody sloath is pleaded for and not punished O but will some say when the Sermon is done these are great words indeed swelling phrases c. Projicit ampullas sesqui pedalia verba No no that is not it it is the true and piercing sense of these honest words meeting with your galled and guilty consciences which makes you rage and stampe and rayle I assure you if we were able to compose words of thunder and lightnings they would be too weake to awake a great number out of their cursed cruelty of horred blood-shed in this kind Secondly When Ministers like those dawbers with untempered mortar and pillow-sowers under mens elbowes Ezech. 13. make the heart of the righteous sad whom GOD hath not made sad
to civill honesty and conscionable dealing with our Brethren none shall ever see the LORD Thirdly I meane not the superstitious Puritane who out of a furious selfe-love to his owne will-worship and sencelesse doting upon old Popish customes thinkes himselfe to be the onely holy devoid man and all forward professours prophane You shall heare a knot of such fellowes speake Esa. 65.5 Come not neere to me for I am holyer then thou Fourthly I meane not the Pharisaicall Puritane characterized to the life Luke 18.11 12. Who being passingly proud of the godly flourish of out-side Christianity thinkes himselfe to be in the onely true spirituall temper and whatsoever is short of him to be prophanenesse and whatsoever to be above him to be precisenesse Now these kinds are true Puritanes indeed for they thinke themselves to be the onely men and all others hypocrites whereas poore soules they were yet never acquainted with the great mystery of grace but are meere strangers to that glorious worke of conversion pangs of the new birth wrastling with inward corruptions breaking their hearts and powring out their soules every day before GOD in secret open heartednesse and bountifull doles to distressed Christians and the poore members of CHRIST selfe denyall heavenly mindednesse walking with GOD c. Fiftly I meane not the true Catharists pestilent heretikes about the yeare of our LORD 253. See Hosâ—cent 3. lib. 3. cap 8. pag. 163. c. See Epiphapa pag. 222. See Euseb. Hist. Eccles lib. 6. cap. 42. pag 79. See Hos. Cent. 4. lib. 2. ca. 25. pag. 173. c. See Hos. Cent. 4. ibid. pag. 17. They were also called Novatians of Novatus their Authour but Cathari from their opinions and profession who wickedly denyed to the relapsed reception into the Church upon repentance c. and called themselves pure Sixtly I meane not the African Donatists about the yeare of our LORD 331. who were also called Circumcelliones Circuitores Paermeniani Montanistae Montenses Seventhly Not the furious Anabaptists of our times who are as like the ancient Donatists as if they had spit them out of their mouth Eightly Not the giddy Separist Ninthly Nor the unwarrantable Opinionist quâ talis as ungroundedly disopinionated I speake thus because I am perswaded good men may differ in things indifferent without prejudice of salvation or just cause of breach of charity or Disunion of affections If I see the power of grace soundly appeare in a mans whole carriage and a constant partaking with GOD good causes and good men he shall for my part be ever right deare unto my heart though he differ from me in some indifferent things By Puritanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then I meane onely such as IESVS CHRIST his owne mouth stileth so Iohn 13.10 and 15.3 The same word is used here but in a more blessed sence that Eusebius hath to describe equivocally the cursed Sect of the Novatians You are all pure or cleane saith CHRIST by the word which I have spoken unto you I meane then onely CHRIST 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the powerfull worke of the Word hath regenerated and possessed with purity of heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. holinesse of affections and unspottednesse of life to whom he promiseth blessednesse Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart And to whom alone his beloved Apostle promiseth the blessed vision of GOD in glory 1 Iohn 3.3 Now that the name of Puritanes which is as you may conceive by that which hath beene said a very equivocall terme is put upon such as these in contempt See Disc. of True Happines pag. 193. and reproach is more then manifest by a thousand experiences and by the testimony of a great Doctour at Saint Pauls Crosse. And yet I date say the greatest opposites to these derided wayes of purity if he dye not like drunken Nabal would upon his bed of death give ten thousand worlds And I prove it out of Bish. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Abrahams Tryall pag. 72. to have lived as one of them And through the name of Puritane by a malicious equivocation they strike at the very heart of grace and the power of godlinesse Puritanos Puritanos inclamant vociserätur at per puritanorum latera orthodoxam vuâ—nerant veritatem Secondly I adde thorow the sides of this Nickname they have laboured to wound and lay wast the truth of our blessed Religion as pure as any since the Apostles time c. Heare what I heard Doctor Abbots Professour there complaine of at Oxford Act. What Doctor Hackwell saith of Carrier Thus those whom we call Papists he calls temperate Protestants and those whom we call Protestants he calls State Puritanes Epist. Dedicator He concludes it by good consequent that by Carriers assertion Harlwell against Carrier pag. 104. our greatest Bishops our wisest Counsellours our gravest Iudges and our Soveraigne himselfe must be accounted the great masters of Schismes And now I come to tender my counsell to men in Authority and all those who are or may be hereafter put into any place preferment or publicke employment over their brethren that they may governe righteously and make the people rejoyce In the first place let them be sure to get possession of IESUS CHRIST and assurance upon good ground that the all-sufficient GOD is their owne Else say or doe what ye will men will be ambitious covetous sensuall they will hunt after preferments profits honours precedency or whatsoever will adde to their outward happinesse But plant once the eye of faith in the face of the soule which will utterly darken with its heavenly brightnesse the eyes of sence and carnall reason as the presence of the Sunne obscures the starres and then and then alone and never before we shall be able to looke upon the world set out in the gandiest manner with all her baites and bables of riches honours favours greatnesse pleasures c. as upon an unsavoury rotten carrion For all true Converts desire and endeavour and have in some good measure the world crucified to them as they are to the world IESVS CHRIST embraced in the armes of their faith so fills and satisfies the soule that so they may please him they are at a point for any worldly preferment except it comes fairely by good meanes and his allowance Here then it will be very seasonable to give some light for tryall whether you have IESUS CHRIST already or no if not how to get him for both which purposes know that that blessed LORD of life is brought into the soule by such saving workes of the Spirit such degrees and acts as those described in my booke of Comforting afflicted consciences Secondly Let them enter into their Offices Benefices preferments high roomes in GODs name I meane not by money or any wicked meanes not by Symony bribery flattery temporising not by any trickes over-reaching undermining supplanting competitours imployment in any vile service not by any basenesse or iniquity at