and fire-works which have most unworthily at one time or other beaten upon and blasted all the Imperiall and Regall Thrones of Christendome Nay a fellow in the Counsell of trent did fiercely labour to confute that passage of de Ferrieres Oration That Kings were given by GOD as hereticall and condemned by the Extravagant of Boniface the eight Vnam sanctam if he did not distinguish See Hist. of the Coun of Trent pag. 275. and Spalat pa. â—25 that they are for GOD but by mediation of his Vicar Thus it was in that Conventiele of scarlet Fathers The Romish Locusts did very furiously * Ibid pâ— 766. as appeares obtrude 13. Articles for the reformation of Princes all pâ—ring from Imperiall Crownes to patch up the most unjust usurpations of their shavelings I will trouble you with one or two As you may see Ibid. p. 769 770. that you may take notice how justly King Iames out of a pang of Royall indignation after a survay of that most grievous yoke of miserable bondage to which the Crownes of Christian Kings are made to stoope by that man of sinne That GOD in whose hands the heart of Kings are poysed and at his pleasure turned as the water-courses that mighty GOD alone in his good time is able to rouse them out of so deep a slumber to take order their drowsie fits once over and shaken off with heroicall spirits Against 〈◊〉 pag. 289. that Popes hereafter shall play no more upon their Princely patience nor presume to put bits and snafles in their noble mouthes to the binding up of their mighty power with weake cords of scruples like mighty Bulls led about by little children with a small twisted thred Thus speakes his Majesty in his Answer to the French Cardinall for which booke and that other premonition to all Christian Princes especially the ages to come shall call him blessed I say the childe unborne shall blesse King Iames his golden pen which hath given such a blow to that beast of Rome that howsoever they may have some lightning before their small ruine by the mercies of GOD he shall never be able to stand upright upon his foure legges againe One of the Articles is this that the Ecclesiastikes shall not be forced to pay taxes gabels tiths passages subsidies though in the name of gift or loane either in respect of the Church goods or of their Patrimoniall c. Another is this Hist. of the Counsell of Trent p. 77â— that neither the Emperour Kings or any Prince whatsover shall make Edicts or Constitutions in what manner soever concerning Ecclesiasticall causes or persons nor meddle with their persons Causes Iurisdictions or Tribunals c. The rest also sound the same way and all tend to the * Ibid. p. 237. shaving of Imperiall Crowne but these two are sufficient to represent to the weakest understanding the unsufferable indignity and villany offered to Regall Soveraignty by these Antichristians sith in those Kingdomes where the Pope doth tyrannise and domineere almost the * Kings Premonit p. 21. third part of subjects and Territories is Church-men and Church-livings Porrò uâ—esse Romano Pontifici omni humane creature declaraâ—us dicimus definimus pronunciamus omninoesse de necessitate salutis Extra cap. vnam sanctam de major Obel See also Bâ—ll de Eccl milit lib. 3. ca. 2. sect Nostra autem sentencia pag. 195. Nay more then this from the ground of that fellowes reply to the fore-named passage of de Ferrieres Oration concerning the Articles for the reformation of Princes I doe not see how any true Papist either Ecclesiasticke or Laicke can possibly be a true subject to any monarchicall Soveraigne my reason is this at this time Boniface the eight guided as they dreame and damnably lie by an infallible spirit pronounceth peremptorily in the fore-cited Extravag unam sanctam that it is altogether of the necessity of salvation to be subject to the Pope of Rome How then is it possible that any one of those mighty swarmes of stinging * Against Pâ—â—son pag. 255. Locusts and busie waspes which lye at ease in the bowels of this Kingdome ready and addrest when time serves to cut the very heart strings of it should be a sound subject to King Charles sith upon paine of damnation and as they would be saved in the Romish Church they must be absolutely subject to a forraine Antichristian and sometimes Sodomiticall and Atheisticall Priest of whom as they * Hist. of the Councell pag. 775. See Mortons dissert adversus Bell pa. 84. say he immediatly holds his Crowne and who may for many causes depose and butcher him Bellarmine names six De officio Chr. Principis One of them is If he offer injury to the Pope who many times will complaine without cause so that if King Charles perhaps should refuse to kisse his cursed toe a thousand times more worthy to trample upon his triple Crowne he might lye open to the bloody stroke of some Clement or Ravillac Nay and had not CHRIST IESUS given this power to that holy father saith the Glossator upon the fore-named Extravagant prodigious blasphemy he should have beene undiscreet Nam non videretur Dijs discretus suisse ut cum reverentia loquar nisi unicum post se talem vicarium reliquisset qui haec omnia posset These are the words for he would not seeme to have beene discreet to the Gods that I may speake with reverence unlesse he had left one onely such Vicar behind himselfe who could have done all these things Besides the Romish Locusts falling foule upon Government upon all Imperiall Royall and Princely power by debasing the originall of it by disroabing it of that native reverence due attributions and obligations of State which divine ordination and purest times appropriated unto it by teaching acting and approving the bloody killing of crowned Potentates as appears before There is another monstrous engine of Popish imposture hammerd in the heads of those hellish firebrands which if it were generally entertained were able in short time to cut in pieces and dissolve the sinewes and ciment of all humane society I meane Equivocation and mentall reservation Many cunning shifts and evasions have they coined from time to time to cousen the State and delude the Magistrate in their oaths and answers before our just Tribunals They have vainely laboured to dawbe over and still their consciences against their lyes and perjuries sometimes first by the supposed benefit of popish dispensation 2. Somtimes by a wicked conceit of our Magistrates incompetency 3. Or pretended unauthenticalnesse of our Bibles in English upon which they sweare Fourthly but at this day they rest most upon this last Iesuiticall strategem which was wont to be confined to Courts of Iustice and more publike cases but now the Popish Casuists by their Conclusions begin to convey this damnable Doctrine and accursed poyson of mentall reservation into the common passages of
every wretch that goes on rebelliously in his sinne and hates to be reformed upon the Drunkard Whore-master Swearer Usurer Bribe-taker and fellowes of such infamous ranke and victoriously to beate downe the Bulwarks of the Devill But he now makes it serve his turne to tumble down into the dust the Imperiall Crownes of Orthodox Princes Whereupon his Majesty tells them Pag. 177. in his Royall Answer to Cardinall Person That the sacred heads of Kings are more churlishly uncivilly and rigorously handled then the common hoods of the meanest churles For excommunication should vexe none in his temporall State That spirituall sword say our Divines deprives of spirituall rights that concerne the Kingdome of heaven deprives none of his civill rights which he hath as a member of civill societie See Sclaters Assize Sermon pag. 27. Tilen Synt p. 2. p. 287 art 26 And that learned and famous Spalatensis a man throughly verst in Popish Doctrine sayes For civill and humane commerce no excommunication can hinder it and our Ecclesiasticall Constitutions runne in the same straine The excommunicated person shall not be excluded from civill negotiations See Resor Leg. Ecclesiast de excommunicatione cap. 10. fol. 82. and usuall businesse by which things necessary to humane life are supplyed Now shall not a private person be hurt in his outward estate by excommunication and shall a King loose all Here is a pure Popish mercy indeed I need not trouble you with any Popish Authors for proofe of the point this traiterous tenent of deposing Princes is every-where current in their Schooles they are so farre from being ashamed of it that every shaveling insults in the Catalogue of dejected Crownes the Popes practise must now prove the principle and his fact his right To this very purpose Azorius tell us p. 2. Inst. mor. lib. 10. cap. 2. Sect. Hac sententia That Gregory the seventh deposed from the Empire Henry the fourth Alexander the third Frederick the first Innocent the third Otho the fifth Innocent the fourth Frederick the second Clement the sixth * I have corrected Azor. by Bellarm. See in the same sence Gregorius de Val lom 3. lisput 1 q. 12. pa. 2. Sect. Quinto prohatus And Bel. lib 5. de Rom. Pont. 6.8 Lewis the fourth I will onely here justifie that which a little before I said of Aquinas where I called him the fountaine of much Popery and rebellion I say againe of rebellion also For all the Schoole spiders See advancement of learning fol. 18. their workes are like spiders-webs they also sucke feede upon and vomit venome have sucked a great deale of poison in this point from his position 22. q. 12. art 2. which is this As soone as a Prince is denounced excommunicate for Apostasie ipso facto his subjects are freed from his Soveraignty and absolved from the Oath of alleageance by which they were bound unto him Now his Schollers Bannes and Valentia tells us See Blackwels examination pag. 3 4. that not onely totall Apostasie but partiall also as heresie is here meant so that any Protestant Prince in their interpretation is here concluded * Whatsoever Gregory pretēdeth to the cōtrary professing here that he treads in the steps of the Saints his holy predecessors yet it is true that Sigibert saith that this was the first Pope that ever presumed to depose any Emperour This Pope excommunicated Henry the 4. Anno 1076. See Field li. 5. pa 348. K. Iam. Ans. to Card. Person But marke I pray you the sinew of this mans Assertion He first brings against himselfe the authority of Ambrose telling us that Christian Souldiers obeyed even Iulian the Apostate he might have added also an excellent speech of Austin to the same purpose in Psal. 124. quoted by me before He alledges other good reasons besides but when he comes to resolve and define he overthrowes all with a Sed contra Gregorius septimus Gregory the seventh is of another mind and he quotes him out of the puddle of the Popish Canon-law Decret Par. 2. cap. 15. q. 6. cap. Nos Sanctorum And who I pray you was this Gregory the seventh it was Hildebrand the scourge of Emperours the fire-brand of warre the scorne of his age So that a base Pope being a party and in his owne cause setting his foot upon the necke of Henry the fourth must contervaile and over-weigh the authority of GODs Word two of the worthiest Fathers that ever former times enjoyed Reason Conscience Nature grounds of common sence every thing any thing for he is a Pope forsooth and therefore an infallible Vicar upon earth Fourthly At length in the fourth place they are arrived at the very height of that prodigious and transcendent rage that makes it very probable that the Pope is that purple whore arrayed in scarlet colour Rev. 17.4 and drunken with blood ver 6. And it is more then a miracle that Christian Kings suffer that bloody beast to sit so long upon the seven hills they are now come I say first to the killing of Kings secondly to teach the killing of Kings thirdly to defend the killing of Kings For that last starting hole and evasion of Cardinall Peronius See the Kings answer to Person p. 212 213. and 126. See also Mouline booke of Faith p. 548. and other Iesuites is ridiculous That they kill not Kings in Esse but first they un-king a King and then kill a King when he is not a King but a private person upon this very point King Iames breakes out most justly out of a Royall indignation of his noble spirit O hell-hounds Pag. 127. O diabolicall wretches O infernall monsters And tells them that in comparison of their religion and holinesse all the impiety that ever was practised among the Infidels and all the barbarous cruelty that ever was perpetrated among the Cannibals may passe hence-forth in the Christian world for pure clemency and humanity It is not enough for that man of sinne and stigmaticall strumpet to be drunke with the blood for she is said Rev. 17.4 and 6. both to bearrayed in scarlet and to be drunke with blood of the deare and precious soules of many thousands of her owne children who being by her conceived and brought forth in spirituall adultery and after nurst up and nuzled in ignorance and superstition have lived and dyed in Popish darknesse But she is also thicke-cloathed with the crimson and crying blood of infinite Martyrs of Iesus nay and now in her dotage being growne a deformed Hag and left by most of her lovers she labours to repaire the decayednesse and ruine of her painted beauty with the richnesse of attyre so that she is not now content onely with garments of baser and inferiour dye but of late is new clad even with a robe of blood Royall deepely and double dyed in the sacred blood of Kings In displaying this whore in her bloody colours I might tell you of those Seas of
TWO SERMONS PREACHED AT NORTHAMPTON AT TWO SEVERALL ASSISES THERE The one in the time of the Shrevalty of Sir Erasmus Dryden Baronet Anno Domini 1621. The other in the time of the Shrevalty of Sir Henry Robinson Knight Anno Domini 1629. By Robert Bolton Bachelour in Divinity late Minister of Broughton in Northampton-shire and sometimes Fellow of Brasen-nose Colledge in Oxford Published by E. H. LONDON Printed by GEORGE MILLER dwelling in the Blacke-Fryers 1635. TO THE READER THe ancient Imperiall Lawes gave to an Overseer of a Will F. de Administ Tutor li. 1. §. 1. not onely a protection over it but an Action for itin case of abuse If I had not had this interest in the last will of this Author yet as a * Est ille cujus fidei legatum vel relictum committitur Ant. Koberg in Vocab utâ—iusque Iuris Fidei Commissarius to him and specially intrusted by him for the publishing these two Assise-Sermons I durst not but performe this trust to my deare friend I neede not assure the Reader that these Sermons are truely his owne for when hee shall observe how they are cloathed and apparrelled hee will quickly discover who was their Father Besides there are hundreds of people yet living who heard him preach them and can with me sufficiently attestate their legitimation But I cannot say so for some other Sermons that are audaciously vented under his Name For I must say that the Booke called the Carnall Professor printed for R. Dawlman 1634 is none of Master Boltons neither Quoad materiam nor quoad formam as they say in Schooles I goe not about to question it or to draw any party into punishment and therefore I will not ventilate a question in the Civill Law whether * D. de Dolo l. 2. C. eodeâ— tit Actio de dolo doth not lie in this case I onely note the injury and protest against it In the former Workes of this Author you may observe his Eloquence for GOD In this for his Prince in vindicating the Soveraignty of Kings as the immediate Ordinance of GOD against those proud usurpations upon them by that Man of sinne and in extolling Piety which is then set in the highest place when it wisely rules and directs in the hearts and wayes of righteous Governours I will say no more of this Worke nor of the Workeman for neither he nor it stand in need of my praise it onely contents me that I have lived to see him live againe to performe his will to execute his trust committed to me though it might have beene better done by another if hee had so pleased The law of reason and right pardons some aberrations in the Worke where there is a necessity of Doing and I doubt not but a loving Reader will performe this right to me that am content thus to expose my selfe for his sake From any other I expect it not it being a common humour with men that live at ease to censure other men as too busie though they worke for the publike of whom I may say as Erasmus spake of the Friers in his time Erasm. Coll de Fra. Francise They are more then men at their meate and lesse then women at their worke And as I contemne the flouts of the one so I covet the good will and desires of the other Let me enjoy this and I have done Middle Temple Aprill 24 1635. EDW. BAGSHAWE AN ASSISE SERMON PROV 29.2 When the righteous are in authority the people rejoyce but when the wicked beareth rule the people mourne EVen as the Sunne in the Spring by his beames and influence doth revive and quicken with new beauty of life as it were things here below makes the face of the earth to flourish a fresh and smile the birds to fill the ayre with much melodious sweetnesse and so proportionably all other treatures in their severall kindes lying within the Sphere of his springing warmth to enlarge themselves into exultations and mirth so a good man graced with Authority doth marvellously refresh all gracious hearts But as a bitter tempestuous storme doth with its unresistable impetuousnesse and violence beat downe and teare deface and bruise So a Shâ—bâ—a or Haman unworthily mounted on horse-backe and haled by the cords of corruption against the haire into some high place undoes all by his domineering fastens the bloody fangs of cruelty and hate upon the face of the fairest vertues and which is an inexpiable villany makes the hearts of honest men to bleed And that which is an equall mischiefe sets the sonnes of Belial on foot and causes good fellowes as they call them I meane brethren in iniquity Ale-houses hunters drunkards and such refuse and riffe raffe of the Devil to lift up their heads It is incredible to consider what a deale of hurt is done and mischiefe many times wrought insensibly and unobservedly when a wicked wit and wide conscience welds the sword of Authority For it is easie to a man so mounted by Legall sleights and pretence of deeper reach to compasse his owne ends either for promotion of iniquity or oppression of innocency For the latter there is some truth in that Hyperbolicall speech of a great Moralist Let any man present me saith hee with the most excellent and blamelesse action I will oppose it with so vicious and bad intentions all which shall carry a face of likelihood What may he do then who besides the habituall malice of his owne heart and wit at will hath power a pretended mystery of government to plague a man with in this kind Especially sith he knowes himselfe backt with that principle in pollicy It is not safe so to reverse transactions of State though tainted perhaps with some manifest impressions of miscarriage errour Woe therefore to those empoysoned stirrops by which so many such servants rise aloft and climbe so high I meane bribery simony flattery temporizing base insinuations and such vile meanes But I hope this Gangreu of going into Offices Benefices and high roomes by corruption is not unhappily crept into this famous and florishing State which if it should it will eate so farre into the hearts and sinewes of the State that no wit of man can foresee into what basenesse and degenerations this noble Kingdome would fall in the next age It would be the cause that many vines olive-trees and sigtrees should wither away in obscurity and brambles brave it abroad in the world wallow and tumble themselves in the pleasures splendour and glory of the times But let such alone this is their day When they have blustered a while like mighty and boisterous winds they breath out into naught Their breath is in their nostrils stop but their nose and they are dead Their big words are but as a vaine foame c. If they be not humbled in their place and repent and turne the edge of their sword the right way there is a day comming upon them wherein they
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 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
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