the reconciliation would be easily effected as to what concerns Gods interest were it not impeded and hindred by our own Hence it is also that many under a pretence of settling and regulating Religion do indeed disturb and disorder it and in stead of rightly guiding the Christian do indeed misguide him whiles they stand so much upon ceremonals which are of their own making as that they much more neglect morals which are Gods undoubted commands and so desire to have their converts be some of Paul some of Appollos some of Cephas as they little regard and less care to see they be truly all of Christ. And yet amidst all these grand miscarriages of men which no Rhetorick can sufficiently express no repentance can sufficiently bewail though we finde much that may trouble us in the practise of Religion yet we finde nothing that can excuse us if we practise it not for there is matter enough uncontroverted on all sides to engage the whole soul of man if we would take notice of that engagement Satis ampla pietatis exercendae materia est in iis rebus de quibus utrinque convenit nam de side in Christum mortuum resuscitatum pro nobis collocandâ de charitate Deo proximo exhibendâ controversia nulla est at in his duobus capitibus pietatis summa consistit saith the most judicious and pious Cassander in his book De officio pii viri What pitie is it that there should be the greatest defect where is the least controversie amongst Christians This made the forenamed Authour profess that he was nothing at all satisfied with those men who pretended that the contentions of Christians hindred their progress in Christianity for saith he There is matter enough for the exercise of piety which is quite exempted from all controversie for all sides agree that we must be saved by faith in Christ crucified for our sins and raised again for our justification and by the love of God for his own sake and of our neighbour for Gods sake and in these two heads saith he of faith and charity is comprised the sum of all true Christianitie Saint Paul had said no less before him 1 Tim. 1. 5 6. The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience and of faith unfained which Aquinas thus proves most substantially Omnes enim virtutes de quarum actibus dantur praecepta ordinantur vel ad purificandum cor à turbationibus passionum sicut virtutes quae sunt circa passiones vel saltem ad habendam bonam conscientiam sicut virtutes quae sunt circa operationes vel ad habendam rectam sidem sicut illae quae pertinent ad divinum cultum haec tria requiruntur ad diligendum Deum nam cor impurum à Dei dilectione abstr ahitur propter passionem inclinantem ad terram conscientia vero mala facit horrere divinam justitiam propter timorem poenae fides autem ficta trahit affectum ad id quod de Deo fingitur separans à Dei Veritate 22 ae qu. 44. art 1. All the vertues whose acts are commanded in the Law directly tend either to the purging of the heart from the disturbances of the passions as those vertues which teach us to order our affections or they tend to the getting and keeping of a good conscience as those vertues that concern our works and operations or they tend to the getting and keeping of a true Faith as those vertues which immediately concern the worship of God and all these three are required to the true love of God 1. A pure heart for that else will cleave to the earth by its impurity 2. A good conscience for that else will run from God because of its guiltiness 3. an unfained faith for that else will follow a fiction in stead of God and falsities in stead of his truth This being taken for granted which cannot rationally be denied the meanest man that is will finde little cause to be discouraged or disheartened in the Christian Religion by reason of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all which S. Paul so exceedingly dehorts S. Timothy that there are amongst Christians so many strifes about words and so many vanities and novelties and emptinesses in those strifes for if he will have a diligent care of his own heart that it may be pure of his own conscience that it may be good and of his own faith that it may be unfained he will not dangerously neglect his duty either towards himself or towards his neighbour or towards his God but will always finde matter enough to busie his soul here and take a sure course to save his soul hereafter it is evident from the ensuing words that none but they who swerve from these three scil a pure heart a good conscience and a faith unfained do turn aside unto vain janglings And for this cause our blessed Saviour chides not onely the Scribes and Pharisees but also the meanest of the common people for not following and embracing the undoubted truth though there were at that time as great contentions in the Jewish as are now in the Christian Church S. Luke 12. 54 56 57. And he said also unto the people Ye hypocrites can ye discern the face of the sky and of the earth But how is it that ye do not discern this time yea and why even of your selves judge ye not what is right He chides them for being quick-sighted in matters of earth but as it were pur-blinde in the things of heaven that they could of themselves judge rightly of the seasons for their profit not so for their amendment and notwithstanding he professeth that he came not to give peace on earth but rather divisions such as should divide the nearest and dearest relations from and against themselves yet he gives no writ of ease to any man that he should leave off being a judge in matters of his salvation for if divisions hinder them not from judging what is right in husbanding their lands why should they hinder them from judging what is right in husbanding their souls To apply this to our present purpose since 't is not in our power to doubt either of Christian faith or Christian Charity as necessarily required and immediately conducing to salvation why should it be in our will to neglect them both for this is in effect to proclaim that we had rather with Martha be troubled about many things then with Mary choose that good part which shall not be taken from us it is in effect to declare that we will have a Religion rather to serve our selves then to serve our God rather agreeable with mens present humours then with Gods eternal truth otherwise our whole labour would be to conform our selves to that eternal truth in our understandings by faith in our wills by charity which two would make us
that call evil good and good evil Isa. 5. 19. here is truly the reprobate minde in its sin for it calls evil good and good evil and in its punishment for it is under a curse Wo unto them So again Prov. 17. 15. He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just whether Person or Thing or Action for the adjunct is put without any one of these particular subjects to shew it belongs alike to all even they both are an abomination to the Lord Their sin is in their own false judgement their punishment in Gods true judgement who judgeth them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing profane unclean abominable not to be endured by God or man Let me then pray that I may cordially and sincerely study not onely the knowledge but also and much rather the practise and exercise of the true Christian Religion lest the neglect of the practise and exercise bring me to the dislike and contempt of my Religion and I begin to finde fault with my Church when I should finde fault with my self all men being apt to condemn that which they do neglect that they may justifie their own neglects for to finde fault with the true and laudable exercise of Religion is to call good evil which was all we did at first and then it will be just with God to deliver me over to so much Irreligion as to call evil good which is that we do now CHAP. 2. The certainty of Religion may be without the assurance of it by reason of our Hypocrisie profaneness and perversness though scarce by reason of our ignorance and that perversness is the way to the worst kinde of Irreligion or Atheisme REligion may be sure in it self and yet may not be sure to us It is in it self the certainty of all certainties yet it is often in too too many men the more is the pity if against their will the more is the shame if with their will one of the greatest uncertainties in the world For there may be a certainty of the object or of the thing when there is little or no certainty of the subject or of the person that is in plain English the certainty may be great yet the assurance little or none at all and so it is in this case for Religion hath without doubt the greatest certainty of the object or or of the thing because that wholly depends upon Gods immutabilitie or unchangeableness there is the greatest certainty but it hath ofttimes the least certaintie of the subject or of the person because of mans great hypocrisie and greater inconstancy there is the least assurance for this is the common bane of Religion that men do profess it hypocritically and therefore cannot profess it constantly they seek a Religion that will rather save their estates then save their souls and consequently will more settle their conditions then their consciences thus they are first hypocrites and then they cannot stick to be apostates for there is in hypocrisie Simulatio sanctitatis defectus sanctitatis saith Aquinas first the pretence of Religion and then also the defect or want of it for what is meerly in pretence is certainly not in being and Religion could not be pretended were it not wanting onely in hypocrites the pretence appears first but at last also the want or defect of godliness so that were their Religion unfeigned it would not be inconstant but because they have hypocrisie so far as to profess religion out of custome they cannot have constancy so far as to persist in their profession out of conscience we have the pattern of both kinds of professours real and formal in the first chapter of Ruth The one in Ruth the other in Orpah For the pleasure the delight of this world saith unto us all as Naomi said to her two daughters in law Go and return each to her mothers house and the formal professours do as Orpah did leave their mother the Church the onely true Naomi because she is Gods delight when she is in distress Orpah non Religione sed humanitate socrum secuta est saith Iunius Orphah followed her mother not out of Religion but meerly out of common courtesie therefore she turns back again so do all those that are of any Christian Church rather for good manners then for a good perswasion rather for custom then for conscience but the real professours who have followed Religion out of conscience and therefore have their consciences established in Religion are ready to say to their Church as Ruth said to her mother Naomi Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my God As if she had said I will never leave the land of Israel nor the communion of the God Israel for so Aben Ezra glosseth her words Thus she resolves verse 16. and she strengtheneth her self in this resolution verse 18. for so it is in the Hebrew she strengthened her self which we fitly translate she was stedfastly minded for they who most strengthen themselves in good resolutions are most stedfastly minded and will not be guilty of unstedfastness and thus do all they strengthen themselves who have not onely a speculative but also an affective knowledge of Religion who do not onely know what they do in the worship of God but also love what they know They taste and see that the Lord is good Ps. 34. 8. and by that spiritual gust know themselves to be in the way of blessedness and consequently will not be diverted or turned out of that way Thus we see there may be a certainty of Religion without an assurance thereof but if there be so the fault is our own that we are Hypocrites or formal professours looking after the outside rather then the inside of Religion that is looking more after the form then after the power of godliness for the form of godliness may happily direct us to a conformity with men which is like to be as changeable as their humours but it is the power of godliness alone that directs us to a conformitie with Christ and makes us as it were unchangeable conforming us with our Saviour and confirming us in our selves that is to say in our own consciences wherefore from the form we must go to the power and that will make us pass from conformity to conscience not so as to loose the conformity but so as to keep the conscience for which cause the school Divines do teach that divinity is not onely a speculative science in teaching the knowledge of God there 's for the conscience but also a practical science in commanding and ordering the actions of men there 's for the conformity and as it is a science so it hath in it self that certainty which belongs to sciences nay it hath a greater certainty saith Alensis then any other science whatsoever for asking this question An modus sciendi in Theologiâ sit certior quà m in
no sin and therefore could have no guiltiness nor shall we need to say That the Israelites had but their due from the Egyptians for making so much brick and building so many cities although that be an answer recommended to us by great antiquity for so Irenaeus lib. 4. advers IIaeres cap. 49. Labores enim quos pro Egyptiis immeritò pertulerunt Israelitae precium rerum acceptarum excessêrunt for Gods will being the rule of justice 't is evident ' that whatsoever he wills is just because he wills it therefore since he willed the death of Isaac it could be no murder and his willing the spoiling of Egypt made it no theft for murder or theft he cannot will because either is intrinsecally evil but he can make that no murder or that no theft which else would be so by giving one man authoritie over anothers life or property as being himself supreme and absolute Lord of all for that rule of law and reason so much insisted upon against tyrannical governours Pars est justitiae Rectoris servare leges à se latas It is a part of justice in a Governour to keep his own laws is true onely amongst men where making a law is not an act of absolute dominion proceeding from the power to dispose of life or property or liberty but an act of government for the preservation of good order in them all but in God the making of a law is an act of absolute dominion and he can by his absolute power and authority so dispose of libertie or property or life that to take away libertie may be no oppression to take away property may be no stealing to take away life may be no murder and it is more proper to say that God wills the alteration making that which otherwise had been evil not evil and consequently not forbidden then that he wills the dispensation making that which is forbidden not evil for if God wills any thing it cannot possibly be evil but is therefore good and just because he wills it nor needs there any other proof or reason of his justice even as there cannot be any other reason of his will so that Johanan and his fellow captains might without any scruple of conscience or staggering of faith say unto Jeremiah Whether it be good or whether it be evil we will obey the voice of the Lord our God Jer. 42. 6. for the command of God could not but make that good which otherwise might happily have been evil Hence the Apostle answers this objection Is there unrighteousness with God no otherwise but by his will Rom. 9. 14. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and he that will not take this answer is looked upon as a very foul disputant as one that denies principles therefore not to be disputed withall v. 20. Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God as if he had said Here I dare not dispute and how darest thou sure we are he had the Spirit of God who gave this answer and therefore if we have the same Spirit we cannot but take it but yet in the 21 verse the answer is not onely to the person but also to the thing and it is fully resolved into Gods Power Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour If he hath not power he cannot do it if he hath power we in vain dispute against his doing it whether it be potentia absoluta his absolute power which respects jus dominii his right of soveraignty and dominion to do with his creature what he will or potentia ordinata his ordinary power which respects jus imperii his right of government to do with his creature what is just it is in effect all one for his will is the rule of justice and his power is the measure of his will We can never overthrow his power by our disputations but we may turn it into mercy by our submission and sure if we look to come to blessedness we must follow their examples who are in the state of bliss and they in all their hymns do still ascribe power unto God Rev. 19. 5. Allelujah that is Praise the Lord for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth they thankfully acknowledge the power of his kingdome and as willingly submit unto that power to teach us that there is no fruition of his mercy without submission to his power for his power is the activity of his will as his will is the result of his wisdome and as his will is a sufficient reason of his power in working for who hath resisted his will so his wisdome is a sufficient reason of his will in ordering his works for who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his counseller Wherefore we must always take this for a sure ground that the will of God as it is with power so it cannot be without wisdome and consequently not without justice which is the dispensation of wisdome and this will either instruct our ignorance that we may be sure to dispute for God or over-rule our perversness that we may be silenced from disputing most seraphically Bonaventure in 1. sent dist 41. Cavendum est nè dum voluntatem Dei magnificare volumus potiùs voluntati ejus derogemus si enim non esset alia ratio quare Deus istum elegit illum non nisi quia placet certè non jam occulta dicerentur divina judicia sed manifesta cùm quilibet hanc rationem capiat nec dicerentur mirabilia sed potiùs voluntaria c. We must take heed lest whiles we seek to magnifie the will of God we rather derogate from his will for if there be no other reason why God elected this man and not that man but onely because it pleased him surely the judgements of God would not be called secret but manifest for every man understands this reason nor should we say that his judgements are wonderfull but rather that they are wilfull I will conclude this debate with the pious determination of S. Augustine Iudicia Dei secreta esse possunt injusta non possunt The judgements of God may be unknown but they cannot be unjust for he cannot will without his wisdome and therefore not without his justice as he cannot work without his will he that is not unwise in his will cannot be unjust in his will and he that is not unjust in his will is much less unjust in his work and so briefly in defence of Gods universal ustice Again it is objected against Gods particular justice that he blesseth Edom and afflicteth Israel 'T is answered Edom may have temporal success but that 's no blessing for there is no greater unhappiness then for a man to prosper in his sins whereby his eyes are blinded and his heart is hardned and therefore the prosperity of the wicked as it begins not in a blessing so it ends
unto Abraham and other Patriarchs of delivering his people the Children of Israel out of the heavy bondage which they sustained many hundred years under the oppressing hands of the Egyptians but he assured Moses that now he was about to compleat that promise in their deliverance and hereby God insinuated to Moses that the Name Jehovah signifies him qui constans sit in omnibus promissis suis omnia promissa sua quasi facit subsistere who is constant and faithfull in the performance of all his promises the duties and comforts which from this sacred Name may flow into our lives and consciences are divers First From that expression of God to Moses by my Name Jehovah c. we may infer that they onely know God to be Jehovah who doubt not of his good or fatherly will towards them and have found by a joyfull experience or felt in the quiet peace and calm of an undisturbed conscience that he is true and faithfull in the fullfilling of his word in that by a gracious pardon he hath abolished the guilt of their sins and by the powerfull work of his spirit upon their souls abated the strength of their imbred corruptions and all this in and through the Lord Christ in whom God hath manifested and declared himself to be Jehovah in promissis verax constans so saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 20. speaking of Christ our Saviour In him all the promises of God are yea and amen i. e. have their compleat perfection per Christum habent suum implementum Grot. Secondly as the principal scope or end of this revealed Name Jehovah is not onely that hereby we acknowledge God to be the Lord who created all things out of nothing and gave them a being but also to teach or minde us of this truth that all his promises both of the things of this life and that which is to come shall by him be certainly compleated because that he who hath promised is most faithfull besides powerfull and true in his performance from hence our Christian duty is to exercise our faith by an humble and patient reliance on his promises expecting a joyfull issue of them and an undoubted performance whilest we argue thus with our selves The Lord our God the great Jehovah is omnipotent or almighty he can do what he will do and he will do what he hath promised it is he who hath chosen us before all worlds to salvation by Christ Jesus it is he who hath in great mercy promised to all believers the remission of all their sins and with it regeneration of our corrupt natures protection in the midst of dangers help in adversities sustenance in this life by a constant and fresh supply of all good things for our support and comfort perseverance in faith and well-doing and lastly a full possession of eternal life even the beatifical vision in heaven which is our essential happiness he hath sealed up those blessings by a gracious promise to us he who once promised to Abraham above 400 years before to redeem his people out of Egypt and to bring them into the promised Land of Canaan a type of heaven and at last when all things were desperate when their bondage was great and grievous when they groaned under their heavy burthens and were mightily oppressed with their task-masters then he awaked out of the sleep of his connivance and made good his ancient promise by destroying their enemies and delivering them out of bondage whereby he declared himself to be indeed Jehovah a God keeping his promises how then can we doubt but that he will do the same or more for us by performing what he hath promised and that with a solemn Oath to us i. e. to save our souls by translating them by Christ to heaven when they are released by death out of the prison of our bodies he can do this for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he will do it for he is our faithfull Creatour our Lord Jehovah therefore though our flesh rebels within us with fears and doubtings though the world without us assault us with afflicting troubles though the devil that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Naz. calls him that unwearied implacable restless enemy begirt and infest us with divers temptations though our sins speak discomfort and beget horrour in us nay though an Angel should teach or preach the conttary to us yet ought we not to fear by distrusting Gods faithfulness and truth which like himself is immutable and infallible and changeth not upon this rock of his fidelity we ought to build our faith beleeving that what things soever he hath decreed and promised whether they be temporals or spirituals the good things of this life or the other we shall receive them at his merciful hands if we perform what is required on our parts the condition of the new Covenant viz. Faith and Obedience resigning up our souls wholly to God in an humble submission to his will and waiting with patience for that word he hath promised and is yet to come Thus David waited upon the Lord Psa. 40. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I waited patiently upon the Lord c. this waiting on God which implies a patient expectation of what he hath promised to us hereafter in his word together with an humble resignation of our wills to his it requires a great measure and strength of grace such as was in Abraham and that First In regard of the things waited for which are far beyond or transcend any thing which we can hope for in this world Secondly In regard of that long day or that long period of time which God hath taken and prefixt before he will compleat his promise Thirdly the tediousness of delay which results from the former Fourthly the many oppositions troubles crosses afflictions and disappointments which in our way in this life we meet with Fifthly the scandals or offences received from them which are in high esteem for Religion when we see them fall into enormous sins we are apt to question Gods promise of perseverance made unto us where he says I will never leave nor for sake you Adde to all these a sixth and that is the untoward peevishness of our fainting nature apt to sink under the least discouragement In these respects there must be more then an humane spirit to hold up the soul and carry it along to the end of that which we wait for and they that with the Prophet David Psa. 62. 1. truly wait upon God from whom they expect salvation they are thus spirited thus quickned with divine grace though they be cast into the place of Dragons Psal. 44. 2. or whales overwhelmed with the sea of calamities and covered with the shadow of death though with Jonah they lye in the midst of the whales belly in a place of darkness and in the deep yet their faith in the great God whose Name is Jehovah will then and there shew it self lightsome and full of life
possess this world as to hazard their interest in the next it being S. Pauls express Maxime they that resist much more if they impenitently persist in that resistance shall receive to themselves damnation here then is a Looking-glass for the good Subject to see his duty the bad his guiltiness the one to receive the comfort of a good the other to feel the burden of a bad Conscience the expressions were at first plain and the method easie upon force because a Countrey-auditour may easier be posed then instructed and they ought to be no other now upon choice because a censorious Reader may sooner be instructed then ashamed The discourse was at first abruptly broken off with the Kings life but 't is since compleated in regard of length though in no other respect would the malice of bloud-guilty and bloud-thirsty men which is already compleat in all other respects were also compleat for the length and duration of it But O my soul come not thou into their secret and God keep them from coming into thine for in their anger they slew a man yea more then a man a King and in their self-will they digged down a wall enough to make an everlasting breach in this distracted Kingdom cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruel I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Gen. 49. 6 7. when and where Simeon and Levi Laity and Clergy are partners in such a grand iniquity then and there this is Gods sentence against them and must be his Churches Prayer but I have nothing to say to them onely hope they will not be angry with me if I still pray for their conversion though I may not quietly preach for it This small Tractate speaks to and of those onely who still keep the old true Protestant Religion of the Church of England and with it their Allegiance and their Conscience and the spokes-man verily perswades himself that he is the meanest not of seven but of seventy seven thousands of Israel the true Sons of the Church that have not bowed their knees unto Baal Baal Berith that is Baal for a Covenant in his holy pretensions but since turned into Baal-Peor that is Baal for the mount Peor to over-top all through the pride of his spirit or Peor in the other sence to corrupt all through the Libertinism of his flesh in his unholy performances Baal Peor he is without question though beyond example for all that have joyned themselves to this Baal have not onely eat the offerings of the dead Psa. 106. 28. but also of the Living and 't is most notorious that those of that unhappy City which first began these troubles and that they might do it with some colourable pretence commonly called the most Orthodox Divines Baals Priests are now themselvs by the just judgement of God made Baals bondslaves and those of the Ministry who were most defamed with that ignominious and false aspersion are by the mercy of God the chiefest if not the onely men of their order who would rather lose all then be Baals Chaplains they were frightned with the consideration of that Text which once made Origen break out with tears and speak rather with his eyes then with his tongue in the Pulpit Psa. 50. 16 17. verses Lord how many dumb Sermons should we have now adays by those who would be thought the onely Preachers if they would as he did lay that Text unto their hearts but unto the ungodly saith God why dost thou preach my Laws and takest my Covenant in thy mouth whereas thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behinde thee when thou sawest a thief thou consentedst unto him c. See who they were that most hated a Reformation amongst us even they who though they did cry it up yet did practise it down they who did see a thief yea such a thief as impudently answered the Prophets question Mal. 3. 8. will a man rob God and put it out of question and yet consented unto him no wonder if such men have let their mouth speak wickedness and with their tongue have set forth deceit no wonder if the next verse also concern many of them thou satest and spakest against thy brother yea and hast slandered thine own mothers son her truest her best her eldest Son and withall most of her true younger Sons but 't is not a slander can frighten them from their Religion who fear God rather then men Illi mors sibilus cui plausus vita they served not God as hypocrites and therefore have not fallen from his service as Apostates such men are still of the same Church though they cannot so publickly profess it and of the same Religion established in that Church and to them this Treatise belongs which though it be not elegant enough to be their Mothers the Churches Apology yet 't is true enough to be the Churches doctrine for that never taught other then true Allegiance to Gods on earth then true Conscience to God in heaven and never thought that the one could be without the other so that the true Church of England may still with Bishop Jewell in his Apology give solemn thanks to Almighty God Quòdin Angliâ Regia Majest as non minuitur but it must be with relation to its Religion not to the men that have pretended it the Religion of the Church of England is for Obedience and Faithfulness to Kings in the highest degree though some outward professours of that Religion have been as highly for disobedience and unfaithfulness much more then we could have imagined because much more then others ever practised but let not any man say that to be an Apostle hath Treason in it because one of the twelve was a Traitour especially since our Defender of the Faith hath also defended the true professours of our Church in that his Seraphical Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most unquestionable image of himself of his Piety of his Patience and of his Charity a book infinitely above the spirit of any man but a King and as much above the Piety of any King but such a Christian King so throughly conversant with Christ not onely in his doings but also in his sufferings not onely in the innocency of his life but also in the persecutions of it Eâ—pectore mult is tribulationibus macerato prodiêre Psalmi saith Musculus The Psalms of David the sweetest of devotions flowed from the bitterest Marah the bitterness of his soul so our David could not have made such Cherubical ditties fitting the best of Angels had he not been persecuted and reviled by the worst of men this discord gave occasion to that heavenly Musick but I shew my defect of Allegiance whiles I thus labour to express it that book is above all the acknowledgements of Allegiance and can stoop no lower then the Conscience Come and see a Miracle here all ye whose eyes are so wide open to see
to inspiration but rather advanceth it For God is with him and he shall prevail first over himself to settle his own conscience then over others to rectifie theirs O God endue thy Ministers with this righteonsness that so thou mayest make thy chosen people joyfull joyfull in the love and practise of their Allegiance that they may be joyfull in the testimony of a good Conscience knowing that no man who is bound to be subject for Conscience sake can at the same time be a bad subject and yet have a good Conscience Thus our Preacher of Allegiance and Supremacy here hath six names and not one of them but well befits both his office and his doctrine and yet he prefixeth not so much as one of them to the title of his Sermon chiefly sure to teach us that the doctrine was not of his own invention but of Gods Inspiration Like as the ancient Fathers in the first Nicene Council would not set any date under the confession of their faith lest it might be thought to be of their own making Haereticorum tantùm consuetudo erat edere professionem fidei Chronologiâ temporum consulum consignatam saith Binius in Concil Chalc. p. 416 417. edit colon so the Preacher here would not put too his own Name that he might not be thought to preach his own words and indeed the Hebrew Title of the Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly shews as much which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a he but a she Preacher that is not a Preaching man but a Preaching soul or a Preaching wisedom and such is our Preacher here a preaching soul or Conscience to himself a preaching wisedom to others or a preaching soul in setting forth humane frailties and falsities for this Book was the publick testimonial of his repentance and a preaching wisedom in setting forth the divine power and truth And according to the Preacher is the manner of his preaching which is my second general part he preacheth by a grave judicious consciencious advice or counsell I counsel thee Indeed in the Hebrew Text there is no such word expressed but yet by the propriety of that language 't is necessarily to be understood I to keep the Kings Commandment that is I warn thee or I counsell thee or I command thee to keep the Kings Commandment So Aben-ezra fills up the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning of this particle I saith he is this I warn and counsell thee or I command thee And since King Solomon was a most notorious sinner before he was this Preacher or Preaching soul or Preaching wisedom we may thus gloss upon his words First I warn thee as my self a sinner sent to preach to my self and others there 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek Title Secondly I counsell thee as a Preaching soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pouring out mine own conscience Thirdly I command thee as a Preaching wisedom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 setting forth Gods Truth which two last make up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrew Title of this Book and all three are admirably consonant with this doctrine of Allegiance in the best times much more in these our wicked days which are the last and the worst of this wicked world the earth growing weary of it self now it is near its dissolution First I warn thee as a Preaching sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels happily can best teach us because they are Intelligences pure understanding spirits but surely men can best admonish us who have been and are under the same infirmities of the body under the same distresses of the soul Dives could say S. Luk. 16. 30. If one went unto them from the dead they will repent It is so here one from the dead comes to preach repentance one who had been so long dead in sin that he was certainly at hell-gate but the hand of an extraordinary mercy pulled him thence one whom others that looked more upon his sin then upon his repentance painted hanging betwixt heaven and hell as being doubtfull of his salvation such a one as this comes here to warn us to take heed of disloyalty and disobedience himself a sinner adviseth us to repent us of our sins that he may keep us from those plunges of conscience which himself hath sustained the memory of his own sins is grievous unto him and that makes him remember us of ours he accounts his own burden intolerable and therefore labours to diminish and lessen ours we were best give him audience here is an expertus loquor in the Text better see our sins in his admonition then in our own consciences better see them in our own consciences here to condemn us then hereafter to confound us better men shew them us in the time of mercy then God shew them us in the time of wrath Ego peccator I am a grievous sinner which have been guilty of much disloyalty and disobedience against the King of Kings my dread Soveraign Lord I warn thee to keep thy Kings Commandment and that in regard not onely of the Oath but also of the wrath of God Secondly I counsel thee as a Preaching soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its first sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I counsel thee as a Preaching soul pouring out mine own conscience that I may have some influence upon thine that Sermon comes nearest to the soul of the hearer which comes first from the soul of the Preacher In other arts the best words but in Divinity the best thoughts are the most powerfull Oratory Conscience is the best Eloquence the most perswasive arguments are neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the affection of the hearer nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the excellency of the speech but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the conscience of the speaker God having spoken to the Preachers conscience makes him speak to the consciences of those that hear him nor is there a greater curse upon earth then an hypocritical Ministery that pretend zeal of Religion and want integrity of Righteousness for if the Shepherd be smitten the sheep will be scattered S. Mat. 26. 31. if hypocrisie get into the Pulpit 't is no wonder to finde it in the pew If the Clergy once place Religion in fine words and fair pretences no wonder if the Laity forsake all Religion to seek after a Reformation Therefore our Saviour first saith ye hypocrites to the Scribes and Pharisees and after that to the common people S. Mat. 15. 7 8. Ye hypocrites well did Isaiah prophesie of you you Doctours of the Law that give false expositions upon the fifth Commandment v. 5. 6. and prefer your Corban before your Obedience Isaiah did first prophesie of you that were the seducers and after that of them who were seduced by you saying truly of both but primarily of you this people draweth nigh unto me with their
of the souls affection yet not so quick as at any time to go without its errand Secondly It is to honour them and that not cursorily or meerly for fashion sake but with the engagement of the soul to know them distinctly and to perform them diligently there is an outward honour in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in eye-service or the service of the man but there is moreover an inward honour in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in soul-service or the service of the minde the first is in all manner of serving and the second is peculiarly in observing Thirdly and lastly It is to obey them for observation is vain where it is not active and idle where it is ineffectual which makes our Saviour joyn observing and doing both together S. Mat. 23. 3. that observe and do and consequently the Preacher here bids us so observe the Kings Commands as to be sure not to leave them undone for then our observation will but make us guilty of the greater contempt the wise Historian sets those down for little better then a mutinous rabble of whom he saith Interpretari magìs quà m exequi they were more ready to interpret then to execute all commands truly to observe a command is to love honour and obey it and not onely so but also with the greatest patience as 't is serving with the greatest diligence as 't is observing with the greatest patience as 't is serving for what more tedious then wholly to attend upon anothers will and pleasure yet this you must do if you are bound to serve for that is to wait and with the greatest diligence as 't is observing for wherein can you be negligent if you may not once close much less turn away your eye yet this you may not do if you must observe for that 's to watch as then this word intimates waiting it requires all possible patience and as it intimates watching it requires all possible diligence and yet neither patience nor diligence can be so great as is the reason of them both in the next words and that in regard of the Oath of God where Aben-Ezra's gloss is most admirable a Jew writing to the admiration yet much more as the case now stands with us to the shame of Christians the Preacher saith he useth two such arguments as are both unresistable the one is the word of the Kings mouth the other is the word of thine own mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for what hath proceeded from the Kings mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for what hath proceeded from thine own mouth that is to say because he hath commanded and because thou hast covenanted so to do sc. to be true and faithfull to thy King and the same Doctour goes on as admirably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a King among men will not acquit him that rejects his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and much less will the King of truth the King of Kings hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain here is a probable conjecture that among the Jews there was some kinde of Oath made unto their Kings not unlike to our Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy there is mention made of a League or Covenant that King David made with the Elders of Israel in Hebron before the Lord when they came to anoint him King 2 Sam. 5. 3. which Covenant was reciprocal without question that David should not molest them for making Ishbosheth King for two years and after Sauls death yet staying five years longer before they came to anoint David King over them saith Kimchi and consequently that they should play no more such pranks with him be no more false to nor averse from his Soveraignty though mention is made onely of David in the Covenant as of the chiefest party yet the Elders did swear too by Kimchi's own confession though he record not the words of their part of the Oath and indeed it were strange if a Nation instructed in the Law of God should against that Law be forward to binde it self under an Oath not to do good to such or such a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philo of his own Countreymen and not be much more forward to swear homage and allegiance to their Kings which that Law did oblige them to but 't is sufficient for us that the Jews did think themselves bound without any peculiar Oath by vertue of their general Covenant with God To be true and faithfull to their Kings for that the fifth commandment was one of those ten to which they had vowed their obedience nay it was indeed the first commandment of promise and they looked by their obedience to inherit the promisedland and if that nation did think so religiously of the obligation of an Oath or Vow as to pretend that for an actual breaking of a commandment as it was answer enough for them why they did not relieve their father or mother to say they had sworn by Corban by the gift on the Altar not to do it Mat. 15. 5. what will become of us who have sworn to the keeping of this commandment to the honouring of our Father and rather then keep the commandment will break our Oath Jews Pharisees and Sadducees that deny the resurrection shall rise up in judgement against this generation and shall condemn it for they made the keeping of an Oath their pretence for breaking the fifth commandment but we have nothing save the breaking of an Oath or rather of many Oaths to alledge for our selves in that we have so shamefully broken it and can onely say we have made our selves guilty of perjury that we might be guilty of rebellion what have we not as great hopes as had the Jews have we not as great Promises as they had why then should we have a less obedience To be undutiful is not the way to obtain our inheritance in earth much less in heaven especially since God looks upon this grand undutifulness to kings as if it were unto himself And we may challenge all Christendom to shew us any nation or people that is not fully as defective in Conscience as it is in Allegiance Jannes and Jambres that first withstood Moses Gods immediate Vicegerent though not to them and then resisted the truth having left this unhappy legacie to all their followers that as they are men of corrupt minds for want of obedience so they are reprobate concerning the faith for want of a good Conscience God will not so far countenance rebellion as to let the true Religion long continue and much less thrive under it and 't is the general observation of all sound Divines that the Scripture doth most commonly joyn the fear of God with Obedience to Kings as 1 Pet 2. 17. Fear God Honour the King not supposing the one possible without the other and to shew it is not they are both joyned together in one act of Fear Prov. 24. 21. My son Fear God and the King and meddle not with them
keep his Oath in slaying those who brought him the head of Ishbosheth so carefull was God of David and David of himself that though he were made King yet he made not his own way to the possession of the kingdom nay yet more after another persecution he is still the same man 1 Sam 26. 8 9 10 11. and will rather flie for the safety of his own life then seek to destroy his Sovereign he was afraid to go a King-catching for fear that might teach him to go a King-killing therefore he saith There is nothing better for me then that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 27. 1. and at last when the Amalekite had done this horrid act of killing King Saul for no Israelite would do it the Armour-bearer that was not afraid to kill himself was afraid to kill his King 1 Sam. 3. 4 5. you see how David punished him for doing it caused him to be put to death and said unto him Thy bloud be upon thy head for thy mouth hath testified against thee saying I have slain the Lords Anointed 2 Sam. 1. 14 15 16. and moreover cursed the place where it was done v. 21 The mountains of Gilboa must have no more dew nor rain because upon them had been spilt the Kings bloud and He bids not tell it in Gath nor publish it in the streets of Askelon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoyce lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph v. 20. He looks upon this act as the reproach of Israel though it were done by an Amalekite how much more if the Israelites themselves had done it and in truth they were very much guilty of it for it was their not destroying Amalek within that made God leave Amalek without to destroy them for as this Amalekite had not been left to kill King Saul if Saul had obeyed Gods commandment of utterly destroying Amalek 1 Sam. 15. 3. so questionless If Israel had destroyed the spiritual Amalek for warring against them which is the reason why Amalek was to be destroyed 1 Sam. 15. 2. That is the sinfull lusts of the flesh which warred against the Spirit and made them in their hearts return into Egypt God had not suffered Saul to spare the temporal Amalek without them 't was once in their power to have destroyed Amalek but now 't is in Amaleks power to destroy them and they may pronounce that as a sentence which their brethren afterwards pronounced onely as a wish or imprecation His bloud be upon us and upon our children 't is our not destroying the spiritual Amalek hath given the temporal Amalek power to destroy both our King and us and our childrens children In all these particulars of Samuels mourning of Davids relenting lamenting and weeping of Sauls perishing not by an Israelite but by an Amalekite of the Amalekites being put to death and mount Gilboas being put out of heavens blessing the Word of God doth as it were make Proclamation in the name of the King of heaven That it is it can be no other then a fire from hell that cannot be quenched but by a Kings bloud But what should the Preacher talk of hell to Amalekites that look not after another world so they may enjoy this Let us therefore see what success of disloyaltie he bids them expect even in this world and sure 't is like to be none of the best for there is upon earth a Power if not a Person left to punish it even the very same power which such men abuse and therefore will not be tardie may not be sparing 1. their punishment as it follows in the next words For he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him Be not hasty to go out of his sight much more Be not hasty to put him out of thy sight stand not in this evil thing For he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him This doctrine of Allegiance is inforced by reasons that concern both the inward and the outward both the spiritual and the carnal man that if it work not upon us as called to the inheritance of another world yet it may as loving the inheritance of this The Preacher sets down both reasons The first concerns the spiritual man who looks after his conscience to him he pleads the Oath of God The second concerns the carnal man that looks after his interest to him he alledgeth the power of Kings For he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him And this is S. Pauls method after him who writes the most demonstratively of all the Apostles in all the doctrines of Christianitie yet in this doctrine doth he after a sort strive to go beyond himself for in this he doth not onely use demonstrative or convincing arguments taken from the nature of the cause but also prevailing or perswading arguments taken from the condition of the Person this great Doctour in other doctrines thinketh it enough to use those prooofs which we call argumenta ad rem but in this he is moreover industrious to apply those proofs which we call argumenta ad hominem not onely fit to prove the thing but also fit to reprove and charm the man that gainsays it In other documents of Christianity he preacheth by the demonstration of the spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. But in this he useth another kinde of demonstration which we may call A demonstration of the flesh for so he argues Rom. 13. 4. He is the minister of God to thee for good as if he had said If not for Gods sake yet for thine own sake thou must be subject if not for thy Conscience yet for thy convenience if not for the good of thy soul yet for the good of thy body if not for thy everlasting salvation yet for thy temporal preservation Thus after the confounding arguments of resisting Gods Ordinance and receiving damnation to work upon the Conscience he brings his perswading argument He is for thine own good to work upon the man He is the minister of God to thee for good and the same method that he useth in his preaching he useth also in his praying 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and for all that are in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Nor are these very words In all godliness and honesty an argument to work onely upon the conscience but also upon the condition or the person of the man who though he may cast away the practice yet is loth to cast away the repute of godliness for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is honestie properly Honesta quaedam morum gravitas quae reverentiam conciliat saith Beza so then he that will be godly or will be thought godly must zealously pray for Kings he that will have the power of godliness in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the form of godliness in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reason will extend to