ranne at him and slew him in the midst of the presse for not regarding to doe him justice when he complained unto him of an injury done by one of the Peeres of the Realme And therefore if Magistrates would not make themselves guilty of the peoples sinnes if they would not aimate and embolden people to sinne if they regard the credit of their Countrey or their owne oath or safety then they must execute the Lawes upon transgressors Now 3. As Magistrates must execute the Lawes 3 They must be just in judgment so they must be just in judgement administring the Law equally and justly without respect of persons As there were two Pillars before Solomons Temple viz. 1 Kin. 7.21 2 Chr. 3.17 Iachin id est God will establish nad Bohaz id est Strength which two Pillars were set up to behold the porch of the Temple So there are two Pillars which uphold our Church and State viz. Religion of which by and by and Iustice true Religion upholding the Church Psa 122.3 4 5. and Iustice the Common-wealth and therefore they may more fitly be learned The sword and buckler of the Common-wealth then Fabius and Marcellus were The King saith King Solomon By judgement and justice establisheth the Land Prov. 29.4 Ps 72.1 For which cause his Kingly father desires the Lord to give these unto the King And therefore Magistrates must administer just judgement without respect of persons Anacharsus said that Lawes did rightly resemble the Spiders web because they take hold of little Flyes and Gnats which fall into them but the great ones will breake and runne through them at their will But indeed this is neither the fault of the Law nor Law-giver but of the Magistrate who doth administer it with partiality and respect of persons which should not be For as the Sun is not one to a poor man and another to a rich but common alike to all So a Prince and Magistrate ought not to respect the person but the matter Tatius the fellow King of Rome with Romulus Plutarch for not doing justice in punishing certaine of his friends and kinsfolkes and had robbed and murdered certaine Embassadours which came to Rome was so watched by the kindred of the slaine that they slew him as he was sacrificing to his gods because the could not obtaine justice at his hands Malum consilium consultori pessimum as evill counsell is often worst unto him who gives it so is neglect of justice to him who should administer it And therefore all Magistrates who desire the safety of themselves and the preservation of the State ought to judge with righteous judgement And 4. 4 They must be magnanimous As Magistrates must be just and upright in the execution of the Lawes so must they also be magnanimous and couragious in the administration thereof For it behooveth a Prince or Ruler to be of such zealous and godly courage that hee alwayes shew himselfe to be as a strong wall for the defence of his people Religion and Lawes Yea it is requisite for all those who have rule and governance in a Common-weale under their Prince to know the bounds of their State and the full effect of their dutie Lactantius that by a couragious and undaunted executing of justice they may be feared and by shewing mercy they may be loved Magistrates must be so magnanimous that they omit not the execution of the Lawes for feare of any and so resolute that nothing may hinder them from the administration of Justice The Naturalists observe that although the great Owle bee in shape like other Owles yet in bignesse and in sharpe talents she ressembles the Eagle but no withstanding her bignesse and talents shee wanteth courage and is a very cowardly bird And such are evill and timerous Governours who being armed with authoritie doe not or dare not bend their force for the suppressing of evill and resisting of common enemies Magistrates must not onely have a good inclination but also a religious resolution in the executing of their places For otherwise 1. Importunity of friends and suiters will overcome them if they be mutable weake in resolution And 2. Rewards gifts and bribes will corrupt them if they be covetous And 3. Love or hatred or anger will blind them if they be passionate and partiall Judges And therefore it is necessary that being armed with authority they should be also with magnanimity courage resolution and constancy and adorned with purity equity moderation impartiality and circumspection and free from all vice avarice and impurity And 5. 5. They must governe according to the word As Magistrates must be couragious and resolute so they must rule and governe according to the word and will of God Here observe that there are two sorts of lawes namely permissive and preceptive Now although humane lawes often permit those things whch are not warranted by the word of God as Moses permitted unlawfull divorces and our Land permits usury for the avoyding of some great inconveniency yet they must never command any thing to be done whch is contrary to the word and Law of the Lord. Caius a Romane Emperour sent Petronius into Syria with commandement to bid battle unto the Jewes Iosephus if they would not receive his image into their Temple which they refused with these words They had rather die then turne from the Lawes of God And as all godly Christians should say thus That they had rather die then doe any thing contrary to the Law of God so all good Magistrates should thus say That they had rather die then command subjects to doe any thing contrary or not according to the will of God or not governe according to that rule which is the square and patterne of all pious and perfect government And 6. 6. They must defend Religion Talmud Cholin 62.1 As Magistrates must be carefull to governe according to the Lawes of God so they must carefull protect and maintaine Religion and the true worship of God The Iewes in their Talmud say That the Grapes in Babell sent upon a time to the Vine leaves in Iudea desiring them to come and overshadow them otherwise the heat would consume them and they should never come to maturity And thus if Religion be not sheltred by those who are in place of government or if they cast not their shaâ—dow over it it will soon decay but where they favour and protect it it prospers Licurgus reformed the State of the Lacedemonians Numa Pompilius of the Romans Solon of the Arhenians and Deucalion of all the Grecians generally by making them devout and affectionate towards the gods in prayers oathes oracles and prophecies through the meanes of feare and hope of the divine nature which they imprinted in them And certainely if all our Christian Magistrates would make it their principall care to advance Religion and to compell men to worship and serve the Lord both by their precepts
City set upon a hill seene by others famous amongst and before many others and for our peace and prosperity envied almost by all others To some men their Countrey is their shame and some are the shame of their Country Wee need not be ashamed of our Nation it being for the circuit of it I thinke in all things second to none or very few under the coape of Heaven and therefore take heede that wee doe not by our lewd lives and corrupt conversation become a shame unto our Nation a Cleobulus illam Rempublicam maxime dixit bene compositam esse ubi Cives magis infamiam quam legem metuunt Plutarch in convivio 7. Sapient Oh let us never turne our glory into shame our reputation into reproach our fame into infamy and disgrace our sincerity into superstition and our true profession and profession of truth into Popery or any other erroneous religion lest that we which have long beene an admiration and rejoycing unto our friends and an emulation and envie unto our encmies become through the judgements of God effused upon us a griefe and cause of sorrow to those who love us and an exultation for our misery to those who envie us An Italian Traveller reported that he had seene in England Pulchrū Regē a goodly King in France Pulohrum Regnum a goodly Kingdome In Spaine Pulchrum Senatum a goodly Counsell Let us adde a fourth and make it good namely Pulcbrum populum let us be in the eyes of all who see us and in the eares of all who heare of-us not onely a goodly but a godly people and then wee shall bee the beautie of the whole earth and as the apple of the Lords eye and as the fignet upon his right hand So be it The second Proposition being thus briefly finished I proceed unto the third to wit Proposition 3. That all changes chances mutations maladies alterations ruines and eversions which fals upon any Church or State Countrey Kingdome or Common-wealth come not by chance but from God himselfe the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and Supreme Governour of all the world If we would see how that point ariseth from the Text How the Proposition springs from the text wee must then observe these five things therein namely 1. What the Prophet David doth He prayes 2. For what For preservation and deliverance out of distresse 3. For whom For himselfe and his people or for the Israelites 4. To whom he prayes To the Lord verse 1. And lastly why hee prayes unto him Namely because their misery calamity and distresse came from him As the Poet saith Nam qui mihi vulnera fecit Solus Achilleo tollere more potest Those who were wounded by Achilles could bee cured by none but by him so the Prophet here knowes that the Lord that cast them downe and it is hee that must raise them up hee hath broken them and hee must bind them he hath scattered them and he must gather them he hath plagued them and it is hee who must pitie them or else no mercie deliverance or reliefe can bee shewed unto them And therefore our Princely Prophet doth thus petition the Lord. Vers 2.3.4 Oh God thou hast cast us off thou hast scattered us thou hast beene displeased with us Thou hast made the earth to tremble thou hast broken it Thou hast shewed thy people bard things thou host made us to drinke the wine of astonishment And therefore seeing all our maladies and miseries come from thee and that for our evill of sinne committed against thee thou inflictest this evill of punishment upon us Save us oh God with thy right hand aud heare mee I must say of this point as the Stagge saith in the Embleme Inopem me copia fecit plenty of proofes will make me poore of proofes For the Scripture experience and all Histories do so abundantly testifie the truth thereof and all Christians so undoubtedly and readily assent and subscribe thereunto and this very Psalme verses 1.2.3.6.7.8.12 so clearely confirmes it that I should but light a Taper to the Sunne at high noone to spend time to prove it The point proved by Scripture and Examp. If proofes should not readily accurre to the memory of any Reader then let him view and confider these few for many Psalme 74. the whole Psalme and 75.7.8 Ierm 27.5 Daniel 4.25 Acts 17.26 and withall marke well these examples to wit of the foure Monarchies Daniel 2. 31. c. And of the cutting off and casting out of the Canaanites Hittites Hivites Moabites Jebusites Perizites and the rest mentioned in Numbers Deuteronomy Ioshua and Iudges And of the division of Israel 1. King 11. and desolation thereof 1. King 17 and of the captivitie and destruction of Iudab 2. Chron. 36. And these testimonies and examples may sufficiently suffice for the proofe of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the point that it is thus That all changes and chances mutations and maladies which fall upon any Chnrch or State come from God Now for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereof the Poet saith well Felix qui potuit rerune cognoseere causas that is He is a happie man who doth not onely know the things which are done but the causes why they are done But I will not now much enquire wherefore the Lord doth thus change crosse and afflict Churches Kingdomes and Common-wealths For that we showed amplie in the prosecution of the former proposition but I will now principally show the signes and symptomes and externall and moving causes of the decay ruines and desolation of a Common-wealth First Fahar in Psalme 60. 135. Nine causes of the decay of a Common-wealth Fabritius showes and proves that the causes of the translation mutation and maladies of a Common-wealth are these nine namely 1. The contempt of the worship word and Ministers of God and contrarily the love of lyes and lying Prophets And 2. Idolatrie and superstition And 3. Tyranny injustice and unjust taxes and exactions in Magistrates And 4. Pride in apparell And 5. Covetousnesse in Superiours And 6. Sedition and seditious practices against the ordinary Magistrate ordained and appointeed by God And 7. A generall supine carelesnesse and carnall security in all And 8. An inundation of iniquity i.e. when all of all sorts are so wicked that one winkes at anothers faults And 9. The prophanation of the name of God Secondly Plautus saith Plantus in Persa Ten causes of the ruines of King domes that there are these ten causes of the ruine of a Republicke to wit 1. Treachery 2. Theft 3. Covetou snesse 4. Envie 5. Ambition 6. Back-biting and slandring 7. Perjurie 8. Idlenesse 9. Injuries and wrongs 10. Notorious wickednesse or an impudent audaciousnesse in sinning Thirdly Cyprian saith Ex Anton. part 1. tit 5. cap. 3. Sect. 8. Twelve things Pernicious to a people and land that there are twelve abuses in a Common-wealth whereby it is endangered and harmed as namely
lastly the maine cause of the destruction of a Nation is sinne and spirituall rebellion Now when I consider the nature and number the quantity and quality of our sinnes in this Land I cannot but acknowledge that if the Lord should enter into judgement with us hee might justly bring a totall subversion and desolation upon us for our many great and clamorous sinnes And therefore this branch concerning us so nearly and in so high a nature I will crave leave of my Reader to enlarge my selfe therein a little more than in any of the former And let me intreat every Christian who reads this to observe with mee that when I say Sinne is the cause of the subversion of a State it may either be understood of sinne in generall or of particular sins First 4 Sinne. this may be understood of sin in generall or of a generall sinning and herein wee must note that a generall impiety or an universall iniquity or an epidemicall maturity and ripenesse in sin is the cause signe and sure Fore-runner without true and unfained repentance of a generall and totall destruction Iohn 4.39 And therefore it doth stand us in hand to consider how this belongs and how neare it comes unto us in this Land certainely Rev. 14.16 the Region is white unto harvest and wee have cause to feare that the Lord will command his destroying Angel to thrust in his Sicle and to cut us downe For let us look which way we wil or to whom we will and we shall find sin in full weight and measure First Wee have sinned against all the Commandâ—… if wee looke unto the Law of God and compare our selves with his commands we shall returne but a wofull reckoning For 1. If wee looke upon the first Commandement we finde little or no love in us towards God but every one following his owne affections and loving his owne Helena some making their craft their God and some their gold their God and some their pleasure their God and some their belly their God and some their drunkennesse their God And 2. If wee looke upon the second Commandement wee shall see the Papists labouring with tooth and naile to raze it out of the Decalogue and superstition creeping into the bosomes of many Protestants who long with the Israelites after the flesh-pots of Egypt Exod. 16.3 Ier 44.16 Act. 7.39 and desire againe to sacrifice to the Queene of Heaven and to submit their necks once more to the tyranny of Rome And 3. If we looke to the third Commandement Isa 58.13 we shall heare swearing in young and old rich and poore high and low And 4. If we loke to the fourth Commandement wee shall see the Lords day prophaned slighted and despised by many and truely sanctified onely by a few And 5. If wee looke to the fifth Commandement wee shall see the Magistrates despised those who are in dignity and authority blasphemed and every mans will serving for a Law And 6. If we looke to the sixth Commandement wee shall see charity waxen cold yea amongst the most starke dead and instead thereof ariseth injuries revenge and hatred towards equals and hard-heartednesse against the poore And 7. If wee looke to the seventh Commandement wee shall see an Ocean of sinnes viz. in some pride of apparell in some gluttony in many drunkennesse in as many fornication and uncleannesse and wanton and lascivious words and all manner of filthinesse And 8. If wee looke to the eighth Commandement we shall see how it condemnes some of oppression some of covetousnesse some of usury some of injustice some of thefts some of fraud and deceit and some of undermining and over-reaching of others And 9. The ninth precept will convince infinire many of us of lying equivocating and teaching our servants and children to lie And 10. If wee looke unto the last precept of the Law wee shall finde that wee all yea the best of all are most miserably faulty for internall concupiscence is every where and few or none any where are content with their condition but every one thinkes other to bee happier then himselfe Now Secondly All degrees and orders of men have sinned if wee looke unto the orders of men or unto their severall degrees rankes and qualities wee shall finde that sinne hath every where deceived many For 1. If wee looke into the Court we shall see many transported with flattery ambition coverousnesse pride swearing and divers other sinnes 2. If we looke into the Citie wee shall see many mis-led by worldlinesse deceit in weights and measures swearing drunkennesse hypocrisie lying and what not 3. If wee looke into the Countrey we shall see in the most a kinde of Atheisme and contempt of Religion 4. If wee looke upon old men wee shall see them for the most part to bee more intent upon temporall things then spirituall to regard gold more then grace and earth more then heaven and to refuse to bee taught as though they were too old to learne Religion though not to learne new sinnes 5. If we looke upon young men we shall finde the most to bee men in sinne but very babes yea blocks in Religion 6. If we looke upon women the weaker vessels we shall finde many of them to bee strong in brawling scolding cursing adultery drunkennesse and what not except in discretion and religion 7. If wee looke upon little children wee shall finde them to bee froward averse crosse and learning to ly and sweare assoone as they can speake Now Thirdly The degrees of sinne if wee looke upon the degrees of sinne we have good cause to tremble For 1. All sinne and that in many things and many times And 2. To continue in finne is the fault of the world for how few every where are turned from their sinnes by the preaching of the Gospel Esa 5 3.1 3. To bee hardned in sinne is both the staine and bane of the world for wee are now like deafe Adders which will not heare and wee harden our hearts against God having neither any sense of sinne nor of his wrath 4. How many are there amongst us who deride and contemne the reproofes of the word and the Ministers of the word yea the Law of God it selfe while they excuse plead for and stand to maintaine and justifie their sinnes Let us all in this Land confesse our sinnes and give glory to God Let us acknowledge that many sins are committed amongst us and that often and with a high hand and by some of all rankes degrees qualities sexes and ages that wee may the more readily and willingly turne generally unto the Lord lest for our generall and universall sinnes he inflict upon us some generall and universall plagues And thus I have done with the first particular viz. sinne in generall Secondly when I say that sinne is the cause of the subversion of a State it may bee understood of particular sinnes The particular sinnes which hasten
as Magistrates list but according to the Laws of the Land And 2. As those who are admitted to places of power and authority 2. They must be learned in the divine Lawes ought to be learned in the humane lawes of the place where they are to exercise their authority so also they ought to be instructed in the Divine Lawes of God Lev. 9.7 Moses being the Law-giver and supreme Magistrate and Judge of the people prescribed unto Aaron what sacrifices should be offred both for himselfe and the people wherein he may be a patterne of Rulers Deut. 17. That they should not be strangers in matters of Religion And hence the King was commanded to study and to read continually the Law of God And Constantine said to the Bishops of his time Vosintra Ecclesiam Euscb lib. 4. de vita Constant ego extra Ecclesiam a Deo Episcopus constitâ—eus sum You within the Church and I without the Church am of God appointed a Bishop Euseb ib. 4. Eccles hist cap. 3. So also Theodoret Rcrum coelestium desiderio teneri earam discendarum studio duci pium Imperatorum cum primis decet It chiefly becometh a godly Emperour to be possessed with the desire of heavenly things and led with the study of them But of this more by and by And 3. 3. They must deliberatly under take the Magistracy Although a man be indiferently and competently furnished both with the knowledge of humane and divine Lawes yet hee must enter into the Magistracy with great deliberation For as he who goes leasurely and deliberatly into a river receive no harme but hee who violently and rashly plungeth himselfe or fals therein is in danger of drowning so those who suddenly and unadvisedly come unto the Magistracy often repent their rashnesse but those who are fairely and freely called thereunto and enter thereinto with mature deliberation and discharge their places with-moderation and wisedome shall neither grieve others nor have cause of griefe in themselves And therefore if wee wish well unto our State it is our cutie both publikely and privatly to pray unto the Lord to give alwayes such Magistrates unto us as are wise understanding and learned men both in humane and divine matters and who ambitiously seeke not after preferment And thus much for the three things which are required in those who are to be chosen or admitted unto the Magistracy Now Secondly The du of those who are Magistratee is twofold Ad beneesse Ad esse simpliciter there are Magistrates in Facto or Actu who are already admitted unto the Magistracy and are actually Magistrates Now if these desire that the Church and State may thrive and prosper under their hands then many things are required of them and in them I will ranke the severall duties of Rulers and Governours into two rankes to wit The things requite in Magistrates some things are requisite in them Ad bene esse for the more profitable discharging of their functions The things requisite in a Magistrate and some things Simpliciter ad esse are simply necessary for every Magistrate in his place Now of these severally First Ad bene esse if Magistrates desire that they may much profit and advance and promote the good of that Church and State wherein they are placed in authority and power then these things are to be observed by them 1. 1 Not to have too many places That they have not too many Irons in the fire or too many offices either in Church or Common-wealth As a governour of a Shippe doth some things with his owne hands and somewhat by others so in a Common-wealth one ought not to have all offices ingrossed in his hands but one ought to have one and another another for both things are done better which are done by the advices and judgments of many and also he who hath but one place to discharge must needs execute it better then if he had two And therefore when and where there are able man enough it were good for the Common-wealth if one had more but one place of office to looke unto Indeed I know that many places are of that nature that an intelligent industrious and diligent man may discharge two and therefore I put this particular under the head Bene esse and not Esse simpliciter because a man may be a good Magistrate and Governour and yet execute two places 2. 2 To love honour the good It would much promote and advance the glory and good of a Common-wealth if Magistrates and Rulers would prize esteeme love and encourage the godly and those who are worthy of respect and honour As our Saviour saith A Prophet is not respected in his owne Countrey so Erasmus said Men of desert are ordinarily least esteemed of in their owne Lands and this is both a blemish Stob. 6. ser 41. de Repu and a blot unto a bane of the Common-wealth Solon was wont to say That that City would certainely flourish In qua viros bonos honoribus affici contra autem improbos poenis mos fuerit where good men were honoured and the wicked disgraced and punished Theophrastus being asked Quidnam Rempublicam conservaret How a Common-wealth might flourish answered Praemium et paena by encouraging and rewarding the good and by punishing the evill Plutarch in Lacon And thus Agesilaus saith the office of a Magistrate is Erga rebellanies audacia erga subjectos benevolentià uti according to that of Virgil the duty of a Magistrate is Parcere subjectis et debellare superbos to exalt the obedient and to humble the stubborne For Virtus laudata creseit extoll exalt dignify and prize those who are good and doe well and it will both encourage them and others in well-doing Now a Magistrate I grant may execute the Lawes and discharge his place with some profit to the Common-wealth and yet not in affection and action thus look upon and love principally those who are religious and holy but certainly if he did so he would advance religion and righteousnesse in a State of much the more and therefore I place this particular also under the head Bene esse and not Esse simpliciter 3. If Rulers and Governours in their places desire to benefit that Common-wealth wherein they live 3 To governe with a gentle heart then let them hold the reigne of government with a gentle hand As wine doth first serve and obey the drinker but by little and little mixing it selfe with the bloud in the veines doth over-rule the drinker so he that comes to the government of a Common-wealth by first applying himselfe in meeknesse and gentlenesse to the disposition of the people doth afterwards draw them to his purpose and in all willing subjection And therefore Solomons old grave and experienced Counsellors thusadvise King Rehoboam 1 King 12.7 If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day and wilt
serve them and answer them and speake good words to them then they will be thy servants for ever And the goodnesse of this counsell appeared by the event for the refusing to follow it and giving a rough and ragged answer unto the people ten of the twelve Tribes revolted and fell from him Agesilaus could say that Magistrate governes best in a Common-Wealth that governeth the subjects people under him as father his children I know that a good Magistrate may ought to be severe in punishing offenders reforming of vices but I conceive that he generally shall to most good in a Common-wealth which although he be not remisse in his calling or in the execution of his place yet doth rule and governe those who are under him with a gentle hand a mild and soft temper and a sweet government And therefore I place this particular also under the head Bene esse not Esse absolute And 4. 4 To be holy and religious If those who are in place of authority and government desire to doe good in their places to that Church and State wherein they live then it is very requisite that they should be holy upright unblameable and Pious And therefore that all Magistrates may be moved hereunto let them consider a particular or two namely 1. Mat. 5.14 That they are like Cities set upon a hill and consequently their sinnes can hardly be concealed but will easily be made conspicuous unto the world And therefore if Magistrates regard their owne reputation and credit they must labour to be religious immaculate and holy And 2. Let them remember that as of all sinnes theirs are seene soonest so of all sinnes theirs are the greatest because they are not onely hurtfull to themselves but to others also and that both in regard of their conversation and also of the administration of the Common-wealth That is if Magistrates be wicked they are both examples of wickednesse unto others and also for the most part doe obliquely governe the Common-wealth Now by the evill examples of superiours many are infected and mis-led as follows by and by and by the evill administration of the Common-wealth the whole body politicke is endangered and harmed â— Pro. 28.15 16 29 2 4. Pccle 10.16 Pharoah that wicked Aegyptian King hurt his people by his life in giving them an example of his disobedience and obstinacy and by his administration of the Common-wealth in uniustly oppressing the people of God Solomon infected his people by his life and manners in marrying so many Idolatrous wives and infected them by his administration of the State in introducing idolatry amongst them and so wee might instance also in Rehoboam and Ahab and others but I passe them by concluding this particular thus if Magistrates would not bee the worst of men nor the greatest of sinners nor of that number for whom the severest plagues and punishments are reserved then it concernes them and that not a little to labour to be pure and unspotted in the eyes of God and men And 3. Let all Rulers and governours remember that their lives being exemplary a godly conversation seene perceived in them will be an excellent meanes to make a good and godly Common-wealth Pittacus being asked which was a well and a right governed Common-wealth answered a cuius gubernaculis mali removentur that which keepes wicked men from all rule and governement and this answer was not given without iust cause the life of a Magistrate being the rules square frame and forme of an honest life according to the which subjects and inferiours frame their lives For although it was said of old Vivitur legibus non exemplis Men live by lawes not by examples yet now adayes people or subjects do rather take their patternes and examples from the lives of Princes and Magistrates then from their lawes as may appeare by an instance or two Fline lib. 18. Cap. 27. As the Hearbe Heliotropium doth alwayes looke towards the Sunne and when it it is hid doth gather in the flower so many yea the most looke unto Superiours and Rulers and addresse themselves to whatsoever they see them inclined Plato being broad-brested all his Scholers wore pillowes under their garments that they might seeme to be like him Aristotle stammered in his speech and therefore his Scholers would stut and stammer that they might be like their Master Because Ennius the Philosopher was so given to drunkennesse that he was seldome sober therefore his Pupils would goe reeling and staggering in the streets And therefore seeing subjects looke more to the lives then laws of Superiours if they desire that they may be well ordered under them they themselves must labour to be religious and holy yea as they exceed others in place and dignity so should they also in zeale and piety according to the saying of Alphonsus Panormit lib. 6. de rebus gestis Alphonsi Those Qui aliis praeessent tanto privatis hominibus meliores esse oportere quanto honoribus dignitate aneccellerent The greater that a Magistrate is in power above others the more ought hee in vertue to excell all others The King of Calecut is chiefe of his Religion and for this cause goeth before the other Kings of India in dignity and is called Samory that is to say God on earth And indeed if all amongst us would labour to excell others as farre in zeale vertue purity and Religion as they excell them in power and dignity and that the higher any one is either in Church or Commonwealth he were the more eminent and singular in godlinesse and grace then people would honour them as the Lords Vicegerents on earth and as earthly Gods and would strive to tread in their steps and be fearefull of doing what is evill lest they should thereby incurre wrath and punishment and consequently the common-wealth would quickly bee much reformed The stalke I know is a different thing from the graine of corne althoughit support it and beare it up and a Magistrate may be profitable to the Common-wealth and yet be no saint in life and therefore I put this particular also under the head Bene esse not Esse absolute But Omne tulit punctum That Magistrate who is a good Magistrate in regard of the Common-wealth and a good man yea a burning and shining lampe in himselfe shall have praise both with God and man and be profitable both to himselfe and others And therefore if we wish the peace aud prosperity of our Church and State then let us saithfully and fervently call upon our God that he would be pleased to enable all our Rulers and Governours to execute profitably and to discharge religously those places and offices wherein they are and to sanctify them by his only Spirit and to make them holy and lovers of goodnesse and good men and mild meeke and gentle in their government and rule And thus much for those duties which are required in Magistrates
purity and zeale both in Church and Common-wealth For wee having not onely ten but many true many fifties of righteous men inour Land and the Lords Name being truely called upon by us and his true worship maintained amongst us wee may bee certainly assured that if we joyne in faithfull and fervent prayers unto him for this our Church and Land wee shall be heard 2. Sinne being the cause of the deprivation of good things and the infliction of evill wee must therefore with strong cryes beseech the Lord of glory to pardon the many and great sinnes of our Land and to turne away from us ah those many and great evils and plagues which wee have deserved for our wicked deeds Orig. tract in Maâ—… and to give and continue those blessings unto us which we stand in need of but have not at all deserved And 3. Wee should pray for unity and concord 3 Wee must pray for unity and coacord For as Musicke doth not delight the hearers except there be concord so God is not delighted with any Common-wealth or Church except there be unity and consent among them When there was a confusion of languages the building of Babel was of necessity given over so when dissention discord schismes and rents raigne in a Church or State then neither can Religion prosper or florish nor can the Lord be pleasingly worshipped or that Church or State it it so continue be preserved from confusion and ruine And therefore wee had need pray that love unity concord unanimity and a sweet accord may be planted and rooted in us and be so firme and fixt amongst us that with one heart one mind one soule yea one end vour wee may seeke the glory of God the peace of the Church the advancement of Religion and the prosperity and good of the Common-wealth And 4. Wee must pray unto God for preservation from our foes 4. For preservation from our foes both domesticall and forraine Isoerates prayed god to save and keepe him from his friends rather then his enemies saying That he could be aware of his enmies Psal 127.1.2 Psal 90.11 because he trusted them not but be could not be so of his friends because he relyed much upon them I dare not say thus because I know Except the Lord keep the bouje and City the watchman watcheth but in vaine and all humane helpes and means are vaine but this I may safely say That as we ought to pray unto God to preserve us from relying and depending upon any feigned friends who do not cordially affect our Church or State but in their hearts wish cry Down with it downe with it even to the ground so we ought also to pray unto him to protect defend us from all our proffessed foes who wish and intend evill unto and against us And 5. 5 For the preaching of the word We should heartily and zealously pray for the continuance of the preaching of the Gospell unto us and that it may be encouraged promoted advanced and propagated more and more Wee must rememoer that the preaching of the word is 1. rofitable to teach us our naturall condition and the condition and contamination of our nature Preaching is profitable in many regards and the estate and condition wherein by nature we are The word let us see our sinnes and sinfulnesse and move us both to acknowledge our iniquities and to grieve for them and to repent us of them and truly to turne from them Esa 58.1 Iercm 4.9 Ezech. 3.4 and 33.1 and 2. Timoth. 4.1 And 2. Ioh. 17.3 1 Cor. 2.14 and 2 Cor. 6.6 The preaching of the word is profitable for the attaining unto the knowledge of God Wee are by nature ignorant of the knowledge of the true God or at least of that true knowledge of the true God which is life eternall But by the word and the preaching thereof we are instructed in the knowledge of him 2 Cor. 5.19 And 3. Preaching is profitable for the publication and demonstration of our reconciliation with God by Christ the Mediator of this our reconciliation And 4. It is profitable for us in crosses and afflictions for by the word we are directed how to beare afflictions how to be eased under them and releated from them Psal 19.9 And 5. The preaching of the word is profitable for the instruction and teaching us our duties both toward God and men whether supericurs inferiours or equals And 6. It is profitable for the bringing of us unto heaven and the obtaining of life eternall Psal. 1.2 and 1 Timoth. 4.16 And therefore I may safely and dare holdly conclude That whosoever is no friend to preaching is neither friend to Church nor Common-wealth and the lesse friend that a man is to preaching the lesse cordially stands hee affected either to Church or Common-wealth and whosoever endeavours to put powne and silence preaching doth endeavour as much a in him lyes to put out the eyes of Church and Common-wealth and to make both blind and miserable The Papists say Ignorantia mater devotionis Ignorance s the mother of Religion Wee say of Rebellion and we know that it is the powerfull and plentifull preaching of the Gospell which holds men in obedience both to God and Governours And therefore let us pray fervently for the long continuance and pure preaching thereof amongst us and for grace to practise what is preached and then our Church Commonwealth shall certainly long flourish And 6. 6. Wee must pray for peace August Wee must in the behalfe of our Church and Common-wealth pray for peace it being as Augustine saith in a Stte like harmony in Musicke When Bees hum most or make most noyse in their Hives and seeme most tumultuous then they are in best case but it is not thus with a Church or Common-wealth for they are best when they are most quiet and peaceable Plutarch Plutarch maketh mention of a maid who had many suiters who fell to such contention amongst themselves for her thaâ— they did teare her all in peeces And thus Nimium altercando admitâ—…tur veritas many disputations andiscentions in a Church or State doth quickly teare it in peeces and therefore it is necessary to pray for the peace of both That is to wish and desire in our selves and to beseech of the Lord that 1. Neither the devill nor any of his instruments may hinder either the progresse of Religion or the preaching of the word And 2. That we may by his power and providence be saved and preserved from all persecutors enemies and externall foes And 3. That neither our Church nor Common-wealth may be corrupted with any superstition or by any sinne but that our Ecclesiasticall and Spirituall Rulers may so smite with the sword of Discipline and Excommunication and our Civill and Politike Governours may so use the sword of Justice that sinne superstition and schisme may be supplanted and restrained and vertue Religion and
workes of Religion For as a Traveller after that hee hath rested himselfe and eaten beginneth to feele ease and is so refreshed and strengthned that hee can walke further even so prayer which is the spirituall food of the soule is the cause of new fortitude and strength to walke in the wayes of the Lord. As Sampson was without his haire so is a man without prayer but by prayer wee become strong and vigorous as Sampson was when his haire was growne And therefore if wee desire to be filwith with all spirituall and temporall blessings then let us pray And 3. Prayer is profitable against Sathan As a City which is not compassed and fenced about with wals Chrysost li. 2. de â— at easily commeth into the subjection of enemies so the devill easily bringeth that soule under his dominion which is not fenced and guarded with prayer On the contrary As the roaring of a Lion affrighteth the beasts of the forest so the prayers of the faithfull drive away sathan according to the saying of the Latine Father August â— Math. 6. Oratio oraniti est subsidium Deo sacrificium daemonibus autem est flagellum Prayer is a sure and and safe Sanctuary unto him that prayes prayer is a pleasing sacrifice unto God to whom wee pray and prayer is a prevalent weapon against sa than whom wee pray against And hence our Saviour and his Apostles so often teach us to pray against this evill one and enemie of mankind And therefore if wee desire to bee preserved from sathan wee must pray And 4. Prayer is prevalent against God or it appeaseth the wrath of God according to that saying Flectitur tratus voce rogante Deus although God be angry with us yet faithfull prayers wil pacifie and appease him And therefore wee are commanded to kisse the Sonne lest he grow angry Psal 2.20 and so wee perish in his wrath that is wee must labour to reconcile our selves unto our God by powerfull and penitent prayers And therefore wee must pray both for the pardon of our sinnes and the aversion of Gods judgements And 5. Prayer is prevalent against our enemies and this is the principall weapon that David fighteth withall against his Let our enemies be forraine or domesticall spirituall or temporall such as desire the ruine of our Church or of our State or whatsover they are prayer is a powerfull weapon against them Moses qui cum taceret clamabat Ambrose cum otiofus staret praeliabatur sed etiam de hostibus quos non contigerat triumphabat c. Moses cryed when hee held his peace hee fought against his soes as he stood idle he triumphed over them although hee never touched them to wit by faithfull and fervent prayer Hence the same Father faith Longius vulnerat quam sagitta prayer will wound an enemie farther off then an arrow and overtake those who are off from us The Romanes in their warres against Hannibal were driven to such want of weapons that they were forced to goe to the Temples and to take thence the weapons which were consecrated and fighting with those weapons against their enemies they prevailed and became victorious And thus the weapons wherewith we must principally preserve our selves must be divine and holy such as Ezechias drave away Senacherib withall to wit prayer and such as the Christians in the primitive times principally used namely Preces et lachrymae prayers and and teares for these are both the safest and sharpest weapons we can use against any enemies If Samuel pray against the Philistims the Lord will smite them with a great slaughter And if we pray against our enemies we may expect both protection from God for ourselves and correction and destruction upon our enemies A Lady of this Land persecuting Master Knockes did say she could not but persecute him and yet she feared his prayers and the supplications of those who prayed for him more then she should feare an army of 20000 men And indeed all the enemies and persecutors of the faithfull have cause to feare their Weapons being mighty and their Protector Almighty although themselves be infirme and weake as is evident from Psalm 27. from 7. verse and so forward 6. Num. 15.38.29 Prayer is profitable for us because it draweth downe God unto us or because thereby we mount up unto God The Jewes were commanded to weare frienges upon their garments for which cause they were called Calcoth Tephilim Garments with wings and hence Elisha was called Elisha cum alis Elisha with wings because he wore the coate of remembrance which had foure fringes hanging downe at the foure wings of it Arbham eamphah Foure wings and this garment was called Talith A winged coatc Because hee used still these wings to put-him in mind of prayer which are the golden wings of the Dove say the Rabbins which carry us up to heaven Prayer is the chaine whereby intending to draw God unto us we are drawne unto him even as the rocke drawes the Marriners unto it when they pull with all their force the Anchor being fastned thereunto as though they would hale it unto them Or suppose there were a chain reaching from earth to heaven and fastened in heaven he who would climbe up thither thereby must draw the chaine as though he would pull heaven downe unto him when the truth is it is he who is raised higher drawn nearer unto heaven even thus we by prayer labour to draw downe God unto us but are indeed thereby drawne unto God And thus we see how and wherein prayer is profitable for our selves Now 2. Faithfull fervent Prayer is profitable for others and pure prayers are profitable also for others or others are sometimes benefited by the prayers of the faithfull I dare not here goe so farre as the Papists goe who tell us that the prayers of Gods children are effectuall for the dead and give us proofe thereof in Saint Dunsiane who understanding that the soule of King Edwine was to be carried into hell never gave over praying for him untill he had freed him from that danger and transferred him into the coast of penitent soules I dare not I say say thus but I dare boldly say that prayer is profitable for the living and that in diverse regards as for example 1. The faithfull by their prayers have procured raine for other Iustin Martyr tels us that when Antonius the Philosopher had by the prayers of the Christians obtained a plentiful rain for the releeving of the army over which he was he writ a letter unto the Senate of Rome that the Christians had most powerfull and prevalent weapons to wit prayers unto God and therefore he perswads the Senate to desist from the persecution of the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. lest saith he they fight against with these potent weapons And thus we see Elias procures raine for Ahab by prayer unto God And 2. The faithfull by their prayers sometimes procure health unto the sicke according to that of Saint Iames the faithfull prayers of the Saints shall save the sicke And I conceive that the Apostles in their mirrculous Cures used prayer And 3. Bartholomew the Apostle Marullus by his prayers restored the distracted daughter of Polemius King of India to her former sences And. 4 The faithfull have benefited some by their prayers by procuring thereby the destruction of their enemies Thus King Oswald a Christian by Prayer unto God obtained victory against Cadwallo and Penda the Britaine Kings who came against him with a mightie host And hereby he benefited both himselfe and his army Aurelius Antonius the Emperour in his expedition against the Germanes had in his army a legion of Christians who by their prayers unto God obtained raine for the refreshment of his army when it had almost perished for lacke of water and not onely raine for the good of their friends but also fearefull thunder and lightning upon the head of their enemies whereupon the Emperour ever after called that band The thundring band And Lastly Genes 20. â—… the faithfull by their prayers have preserved others from the wrath and judgement of God Abraham by his prayer preserves Abimelech Moses by his prayers often delivers Pharoah from the judgements of God And when the Plague was begunne among the Israelites Numb 16 by the prayer of Moses and sacrifice of Aaron it was staid But above all remarkeable to this purpose is Exod. 32.10 God threatents to destroy the stubborne and superstitious Iewes but Moses prayes for them whereupon the Lord saith Let me alone that I may destroy this people Dei potentiam servi preces impediebant The prayers of Gods Children saith Hierome abate the edge of his power Ligatum habent sancti Dominum ut non puniat nisi eum permiserint ipsi The Saints saith Bernard sweetly have the hands of God so fast manacled by their prayers that he cannot powre out those judgements upon the wicked which they deserve except they will give him leave by ceasing to pray for them And therefore seeing our prayer is prevalent and powerfull both for our selves and others Philip. 4.6 Let us in every thing by prayer and supplication make our request knowne unto God as Saint Paul commands us and Pray for the peace of Sion Psal 122.6 and the prosperity of our Church and the preservation of our Common-wealth all crying with one tongue and one heart either with the Prophet here in my text Psal 28.9 Save us O Lord with thy right hand and heare us or with the sam Prophet elsewhere as it is put in English meter Thy people and thy heritage Lord blesse guide and preserve Increase them Lord and rule their hearts That they may never swerve Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Imprimatur Thomas Wykes R. P. Episc Lond. Sacellanus Domest Novemb. 19. 1640.