to be obeyed as Gods Vicegerentes and Liuetenantes on earth to whose Maiestie they owe their allegiance and to no earthly creature to whom the Lord hath giuen an authoritie immediate from himselfe whose authoritie who so resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God Rom. 13. as sayth the Apostle This duetie Christ practised his Apostles euen when as euill and tirannous Princes ruled Tiberius Nero. as euer commaunded on earth From the breach of this the primatiue Church euer freed themselues in all their practises and apologes and the contempt of Magistracy hath the Lord seueerely punished as may appeare in Absolom Zimri most famous in the example of Zedechia for his rebellion against the king of Babel as doth appeare in the history and particularly in the 17. of the Prophet Ezechiel where the breaking of this oath though made to a heathē prince is so oftē vrged against him But in these wordes the Rings law there is a farther thing to be considered for by this Law heere mentioned is especially meant the edict for the finishing of the Temple and setting vp the seruice of the Lord heing in deed the decree of God himselfe which the King calleth also his law because he hath ratified it by his authority So as heere is an example for all Christian Princes to make Gods law their law Gods cause their cause Gods wrong their wrong Gods honour their honour and Gods enemies their enemies Such holy zeale hath often been seene in religious Princes who haue so highly esteemed of Gods honour that they haue made their dignity to stand or fall with it and this is a speciall end of the aduauncements of Princes by Almighty God into his throane to raigne as Kings in his stead as the Queene of Saba speaketh to Salomon to cause obedience to be giuen to him 2. Chro. 9 and to see that his law be not contemned heere on earth And how needfull this is our dayly experience teacheth vs. For be the word neuer so faythfully preached if good lawes want there is still disorder and rebellion against God Hitherto we haue heard of the offendors who they are now followes the iudgment that should be executed vpon them in which the action to be done is generlly set downe and afterward distributed into particulars with the generall there are two circumstances annexed of the persons and of the time the persons whosoeuer the time without delay This execution of Iudgement is the bond of all the life and edge of the Law without which it is a dead letter For lawes though neuer so good without due execution are like Iupiters Blocke throwne among the Frogges at the first feared for his greatnesse and afterward despised for his stilnesse like Shot without Bullet like a Scar-crow or like the Sword of Goliah wrapt in a cloth and layde behinde the Ephod The want of execution of iustice giues encouragement to the euill doers This the first argument the wicked vse to perswade others to ioyne with them we will do it say they freely or without punishment and as it is in the fiftie Psalme I helde my peace and thou thoughtest I was like vnto thee Impunitas magna est pecandi illecebra No such tentation to euill as impunitie the best are drawen to vertue by loue but the most must be compelled by feare Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae The two chiefe bands to keepe men in is either feare of God or feare of Law but where conscience is not nor law executed of all such it may be sayd as Abraham sayd of the house of Abimilech Gen. 20. The feare of God is not in this place and they may kill me for my wiues sake If the Magistrate punish not he beares his Sworde in vaine The Magistrates Sword is defensiue to the good and offensiue to the ill and it is iust that they that will offende the Law should be offended by the Law The doing execution vpon the wicked dooth establish the Princes throane as Salomon sayth Take away the wicked from the King his Throane shall be establisht in iustice and therfore a wise King scattereth the wicked and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them Doing of iustice on the wicked putteth the rest in feare that they dare not offende as it is in the 17. of Deut. They shall heare and feare and do no more presumptuously And this execution o◠iustice is not crueltie as wicked licentious persons affirme no more then in a Surgion to dissect and cut off an incurable member which being let alone would endanger the life of the whole body or the killing of noysome and hurtfull beastes cutting off vnprofitable branches or plucking vp weedes that would choake and destroy the good corne Exod. 32. Moses the mildest man that euer was on earth yet did Moses commaund the Leuites to do execution on their brethren that had committed Idolatrie 1. Sam. 15. 2. Sam 12. Samuel a good man yet did he heaw Agag in peeces Dauid a good King yet did he put the enemies of God vnder Sawes and vnder yron Harrowes and vnder Axes of yron Nay it is crueltie to the innocent when their oppressours be suffered vnpunished and it is therfore called crudelis miserecordia and contrariwise God is sayd to be mercifull in doing execution on his enemies Psalm He slew mighty Kinges for his mercie endureth for euer for there is misericordia puniens et crudelitas parcens punishing mercy and sparing crueltie Neither do I thinke it lesse worthy commendation in Salomon to put Schimei to death though he was the first of all the house of Iemini that met his Father then for Dauid to shew kindnesse to the house of Berselay the Gileadite that releeued him in his extremitie For as want of recompence doth many times loose a friende so want of punishment encourageth an enemie yea doing iustice vpon euill persons procureth oftentimes as much loue as the aduauncing those that are good the regarde whereof who so neglecteth will neither be loued of his friendes nor feared of his enemies Nay which is greater the wrath of God is many times kindled for not doing iustice as in the examples of Saul and Ahab did appeare and pacified by the execution thereof as the putting to death of Achan hanging vp of Saules sonnes throwing Ionah into the Sea doth confirme I graunt this extremitie of doing iustice is not allwayes to be vsed Micha 6. and that louing of mercie is as needfull and behoouefull as the doing of iustice and that Summum ius is summa iniuria difference therefore is to be made in the offendours and as it is else where worthily sayd The former and by-past behauiour of the party is especially to be considered For some offende of weakenesse as did Aaron in making the golden Calfe some of ignorance as did Ionathan when he tasted the Hony contrary to his fathers rash vow some by too much cleauing to those they loue as
A Sermon preached before the Kinges Maiestie by I. Hopkins one of his Highnesse Chaplaines EZLA 7.26 27. And whosoeuer will not doe the Law of thy Gods and the Kinges Law let him haue iudgement without delay whether it be vnto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goodes or to imprisonment Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers which so hath put in the Kings hart to beautifie the house the Lord that is in Ierusalem Imprinted at London by W.W. for Thomas Manne 1604. Ezra 7.26.27 The edict of the King The offenders against God against the King their punishment set downe in general the thing itselfe the circumstances of the persons of the time distributed into particulers greater Death banishment smaller in goodos in libertie The thankesgiuing of Ezra the thing person to whom attribute the cause the roote the fruite action subiect A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE KINGES Maiestie by I. Hopkins one of his Highnesse Chaplaines EZRA 7.26 27. And whosoeuer will not do the Law of thy God and the Kings law let him haue iudgement without delay whether it be vnto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goodes or to imprisonment Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers which so hath put in the Kings heart to beautifie the house of the Lord that is in Ierusalem A Speciall duetie required in a Minister of the Gospel is to apply himselfe in his teaching to the present time and occasion in handling such poyntes of doctrine as may be fittest for the hearers from which ground I haue made choyse of this Scripture consisting of these two partes 1 The foote or conclusion of a Commission graunted by Artashashte the Persian Monarch to Ezra the Priest for the stablishing of Religion and punishing of offenders 2 A thankes giuing of Ezra for this great benefit that God had so mooued the heart of the King to haue such care of his Church The words of the text are so plaine they need no farther interpretation I wil therefore endeuour to collect and gather such profitable instructions as will directly arise out of the same for our edification It appeares by all this Edict that this Heathen King had a speciall regard care for the seruice of the great God of heauen which care of his though hee were a heathen man came not of a heathen spirit but by the spetiall direction of the spirit of God and no doubt recorded by the holy Ghost to be an example and mouing president to all Christian Princes to looke vnto this poynt as a principall dutie required at their hands of the Lord by whom they raigne of whoÌ„ they hold their crownes namely to aduance the glory of God in setting vp and maintayning his worship and seruice and to correct and punish the contomners and transgressors of the same And as their loue vnto God hath drawne godly and good Princes to this care so hereunto are all the promises of happines tyed Iosu 1.8 Iosua being commaunded to obserue and do according to all written in Gods law was promised thereby to haue his way prosperous and thereby to haue good successe When the Lord promised the Kingdome of Israel to Ieroboam 1. Kin. 11 38. the Prophet speaketh thus to him from the Lord. If thou hearken to all that I commaund thee and wilt walke in my wayes and do right in my sight to keepe my statutes my commaundements as Dauid my seruant did then will I be with thee and will build thee a sure house as I did to Dauid and will giue Israel to thee So as all this prosperitie to him and to his seede was ptomised vnder this condition of practising the Statutes Commaundements of God 2. Chr. 26 2. Chr. 27 The storie reporteth of Vzziah that he sought God in the daies of Zachariah the Priest who vnderstood the visions of God and when he sought God God made him to prosper Iotham also became mighty because he directed his wayes before the Lord whereto agreeth the saying of our Sauiour If any man serue me Ioh. 12. him wil my father honour Now as al these blessings were thus promised performed so the falling from this course hath bin the ouerthrow of many great Princes with their houses as appeareth in the examples of Saul Ieroboam Ioas with many other Seeing therfore this dutie is both commaunded of almighty God graced blessed with promises of happines and the neglect thereof hath been so fearefully punished these can not be but strong and powerfull motiues to perswade euery one to the true care and practise therof But it is commonly graunted of all that haue any sparke of true religion that Gods honour in the establishing of his worship is to be sought and put in practise but in the performance thereof what slouthfulnes there is euery place yeeldeth too many examples yea those that haue otherwise good graces and largely tasted of the heauenly light herein are too slacke finding excuses as did the people in Hagges time Hâ—g 1.2 who denied not to build the Lordes house but layd it was not yet time to do it They haue their excuses with the Spouse who though she knew it was her beloued that knocked yet makes this answere I haue put off my coate how shall I put it on Cant. 5.3 I haue washed my feete how shall I defile them Exod. 4. Like Moses who though he knew well he ought to obey God yet makes manie excuses and delayes as appeareth in the 4. of Exodus But if we obserue the order of our text we shal finde that this being set in the first place teacheth vs that it should be the first care and practise of all worthy and Christian Princes as the true ground-worke foundation of all future happines yea the first care and practise of euery one of what calling or condition soeuer And this order Almighty God hath obserued in giuing vs his Law placing the duties of his seruice in the first table as first and principally to be respected and obeyed The like order our Sauiour hath giuen vs in our Prayers teaching vs to pray for the sanctifying of his Name glory of Kingdome obedience to his Will before all or any earthly or spirituall benefite to our selues Vnto this also agreeth that coÌ„maundement of our sauiour Christ Mat. 6. First seeke the kingdome of God c. This therfore being Gods order commandement must of necessitie be our practise whereto also we are prouoked specially Kings Princes that are Gods Leiutenants vpon earth by many famous memorable examples recorded in the holy Scripture Gideon being appoynted of the Lord the deliuerer of his people from the Midianites Iud. 6 27. the first Commaundement he receiued which he also first put in practise was to destroy the Alter of Baal 1. Chr. 29.3 Hezechia the first yeere and first moneth of his raigne opeâ—ed the Temple dores 2 Chr. 34.3 Iosia being
happines of them to our posteritie which if our sinnes do not hinder good things from vs shall no doubt be accomplished For now the two peeces of wood so long disioyned mentioned in the 37. of Ezech. wee also may say are made one in the hand of our Soueraigne Now is that made one in gouernment which Nature had made one in situation now the two brethren Ioab Abishai may helpe one another Nay which is more we are that threefold gable which being well twisted will not easily be broken and these are great causes of thankfulnesse Further in the person of our Soueraigne we haue as great cause to praise the Lord in that not onely his Maiestie indued with excellent morall vertues but a zelous embracer and professor of the trueth and sinceritie of the Gospell from which neither hopes feares or perswasions could euer remooue him but as God had ordained him to be so we doubt not but he euer will be a true and worthy defender of the Christian fayth And now lastly for the time will not serue me to repeate all causes of thankfulnes this goodnesse of God in the middest of so great iudgment to remember mercie and to stay the hand of his striking Angell that so lately hath executed the sentence of death vpon so many of our brethren both in the head Citie of this kingdome and in many other partes of this land they were all by Nature as good as wee bought with the same price and we haue no lesse offended God then they The staying then of this iudgement should mooue vs all to thankfulnes that our liues and the liues of our brethren that remaine are yet pretious in the eyes of the Lord neither can we yet be secure considering the fire of Gods displeasure is not so quenched but that we may feare a kindling againe of the same a fresh for the wrath of the Lord is not wholly turned away but his hand is stretched out still because the people returneth not to him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord so that we may iustly feare least for our vnthankefulnesse the seconde iudgement be greater then the former And herein the example of Ezechia would not be forgotten who hauing receiued great fauour from God did not render to the Lord againe according to the benefite so that wrath came vpon him 2. Chron. 32.25 The Lord sanctifie our harts that these thinges may be better remembred and regarded then they haue been and this longer time of repentance that the Lord hath giuen vs may be thankfully acknowledged and layde hold on to eternall life This thankesgiuing may be distributed into two partes To whom it is giuen and for what In the first we see what hath euer been the practise of the godly who when they haue receiued any great benefit haue neither their eyes like children alwayes fixed on the gyft nor like carnall men on the meanes by which it was giuen them but their fayth rayseth their considerations higher namely to the Lord from whom all good things do come Wherein they consider of Gods loue towards them which stirreth vp in them loue to him againe his hearing their prayers which doth animate them to pray Psal 116.1 and his trueth in his promises for the strengthening and encreasing of their fayth And hereof is it that Ezra calleth the Lord the God of our Fathers in regarde of his couenant made with them So as by this maner of speaking it appeares he lookes to the promise the Lord made with the Fathers for their returne from captiuitie the setting vp againe of his worship amongst them which in this edict of the King he saw so fully perâ—ited and accomplished And surely the consideration hereof is much worth and of holy edifying in our meditations of heaueÌ„ly things to confirme our assurance of Gods promises hereafter to be accomplished to vs by the experience of his faythfulnesse and goodnesse past as of preseruation in affliction strength for perseuerance the resurrection of our bodyes and whatsouer promises remaine yet accomplyshed But these thinges are so playne they neede no further enlarging It followes in the Text which hath so put in the Kinges hart Heere is the roote whence this benefite came next followes the benefite it selfe Pro. 21.1 The Kinges hart sayth Salomon is in the hand of the Lord as the riuers of water he turneth it whither soeuer it pleaseth him For if we can not thinke one good thought without the motion of Gods spirit much more are purposes of such great and wonderfull consequence as the beautifying of Gods house and furthering of his worshippe and seruice the speciall worke of God himselfe In which poynt I would note a double vse one for our selues that we knowing how many tentations Princes are subiect to by reason of these two great faculties of sinne wealth and authoritie should make it our continuall practise to pray for our Soueraigne Psal 72 1 Psal 20.1 that the Lord will giue him his iudgement and righteousnesse that the Lord will put in his Maiesties hart all good motions purposes and resolutions for the aduancement of his glory and good of his people and that his hart may neuer be corrupted either with pleasures or flatterers the bane of many Princes to choake those good seedes before they can come to ripenesse of perfection Neither should the great hopes we haue in good and vertuous Princes make vs carelesse herein For Salomon had many excellent vertues yet wealth and pleasure had welny wholly extinguished them Ioas being alwayes trayned vp in religion had a hart well disposed till he was drawen away by the Princes of Iuda as appeares in the 2. of Chro. 24.17 The seconde is that Princes themselues should consider what purposes they haue had heretofore for the good of the Church of God and to take heede they suffer not such motions of Gods spirite to be quenched in them For if in their lower estate with Dauid they haue made vowes and promises which no doubt the Lord did put in their hartes he will now looke at their handes for the payment of them For when God hath graunted the suite he lookes for the performance of the promise I might enlarge this poynt but to the wise a word is sufficient The next poynt in our text is the benefite for which Ezra is thankefull namely the beautifying of Gods house an vnspeakable speakeable comfort which the Church of God receiued by this Monarke In which wee may obserue ere wee come to the maine poynt that Ezra is first thankefull for the good of the Church before hee mention the fauour and preferment done to himselfe An argument vndoubtedly of zeale and loue to the Church of God as esteeming more the Churches good then his owne This affectionate zeale was in Moses who rather then the Lord should cast off the Iewes desired to be blotted out of the Booke of life And in the Apostle Paul that wished himselfe