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
fame saith Austin were the aime in the Actors of those admirable things amongst the Romanes Adde then these and we have Thirdly religious righteousnesse which ever strikes the stroke doth the deed and goes through stitch indeed in all comfortable Christian government It onely steeres aright in all publicke employments stands upright in all stormes and is steele to the backe Either there must be an addition of Religion to reason piety to policy counsell out of GODs Booke to the light of naturall conscience sanctified righteousnesse to civill honesty or as tho preferred party himselfe though otherwise of never so good parts never so universally and excellently enriched with all endowments of all kinds naturall morall politicke learned is but as a dead man a rotten carrion stucke over with flowers so certainely with whatsoever outward flourishes and formalities he may seeme to dazle the eyes of underlings he will poyson his place by preferring his owne particular and private ends by putting sometimes hatefull businesse into good language for his owne advantage and further advancement and ever by temporizing rather then hazard his temporall happinesse Heare what judicious Master Hooker did happily let fall from his pen to this purpose So naturall saith he is the union of Religion with Iustice that we may boldly deeme there is neither where both are not For how should they be unfainedly just whom Religion doth not cause to be such or they religious which are not found such by the proofe of their just actions If they which employ their labour and travaile about the publicke administration of Iustice follow it onely as a trade with unquenchable and unconscionable thirst of gaine being not in heart perswaded that Iustice is GODs owne worke and themselves his Agent in this businesse the sentence of right GODs owne verdict and themselves his Priests to deliver it formalities of Iustice doe but serve to smoother right and that which was necessarily ordained for the common good is through shamefull abuse made the cause of common misery It is no peculiar conceit Note but a matter of sound consequence that all duties are by so much the better performed by how much the men are more religious from whose abilities the same proceede This explication thus premised I come to confirme the point first by Scripture And first take notice of GODs owne words to King David 2 Sam. 23.3 The GOD of Israel said the Rocke of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the feare of GOD. And why a Rocke upon purpose to intimate give assurance of an all sufficiency and omnipotent arme for protection in such cases And why so because all that set themselves to governe graciously and as GOD would have them shall be sure to be mightily set against by all the powers of darkenesse all the Devils in hell and all their wicked instruments upon earth Magistrates that are no medlers as they say but onely seeke themselves and a name and an honour in their places neede no Rocke The Governour of a Corporation who will suffer himselfe to be intreated for the erecting and supporting of those bloody dens of swinish drunkards schooles of misrule and nurceries for the gallowes resolves to take no notice of those sonnes of Belial who belch out their blasphemies in the street against that blessed law provided in such a case is willing to be accessary to all those sinnes through his whole yeare which out of cowardlinesse or connivency he left unpunished I say such a one is like enough to sleepe in a whole skinne he needes no Rocke The negligent and unconscionable Minister which never goes about to stirre the Devill in the ignorant prophane and those that hate to be reformed but is well enough content that so he may rise and jovialize it in the meane time to treasure up the bloody cries of so many murdered soules against the day of wrath he shall not have so much as a drunkard to open his mouth or wag his finger against him he needes no Rocke The idoll Iustice that onely hunts after plausiblenesse and popularity and for the good word of all the good-fellowes about him to serve his owne turne for some intents when the time serves and for that purpose upholds as much as he can for shame or dare for law all prophane sports rotten Ale-houses I say there where the Iustice of Peace is milde and the drunkard merry as they say there is mischiefe enough he needes no Rocke But now that man of Authority who in love to the LORD IESUS and out of the Lion-like boldnesse of a good conscience dare and will draw the sword of Iustice against the proudest Nimrod if neede require sets his breast from the beginning to the end of his yeare with impartiality and resolution against all the flouds of Belial bends himselfe with such an universall sincere severity against all sinne that he is now become the drunkards song c. That man of GOD which being sensible of the horrible sinne of killing soules dares not but discover unto his people the damnablenesse of their state all kinds of hypocrisie all sortes of unregeneration the whole counsell of GOD and so dwell upon their bosome sinnes with terrour and truth and still beate upon those barres with the hammer of the Word which keepes them from CHRIST untill the Devill be driven out of them Which you know what a world of ungodly opposition bedlam rage and railing it will raise against a faithfull Minister The Iustice of Peace which resolves to be serious and reall to doe his Country good indeed and to discharge a good conscience undauntedly without all feare or faction and lookes upon blasphemers drunkards whore-masters railers against Religion c. as the North winde upon raine c. I say such as these and in a word all who deale uprightly and rule in the feare of GOD have neede of a Rocke against the rage of all ungodly oppositions And such a Rocke will the GOD of Israel be unto them all that set against them shall set their shoulders against a Rocke all their cunning and close projects and open base practises of all prophane opposites and underminers the plausible politicke tyrannise of those that sit in the gate all the scurrill dunghill rimes and railings of deboist Bilial drunken jesters All that man or Devill can any wayes doe against them shall all be but like so many proud and swelling waves which dash themselves against a strong impregnable rocke which the more boisterously they beate against it the more desperatly are they dissolved and broken into a vaine sonne or froth The ever glorious Princesse of sweetest and dearest memory Queene Elizabeth is a most memorable and matchlesse instance of protection in this kind The mighty arme of GOD was as a Rock of brasse to beate backe from her sacred and Royall person See Raâ—ot lib. 2. pag. 432. defending the Gospell of IESVS CHRIST such variety
worthy of advancement then those who hunt most eagerly after it that those who ambitiously seeke an office or honour doe ipso facto by that very Act discover their extreme unworthinesse and that of all other men they deserve it not Nay the very light of sounder reason led Tamerlane to a right conceit herein as I told you before And Mornay tells Henry the fourth of France that such have laid their â—â—â—t already and most certainely seeke the place foâ— their owne profit not for the publicke good Excellently then doth our Law exclude such fellowes not onely from that office they so greedily gape after but also from all other It is great pitty so goodly a body should want a soule And it must needs be so by that observation from men of best conscience greatest worth and deepest understanding and noblest parts if truly sanctified unto them are most unambitious loth to rise and fearefull ever to enter upon and undertake any publike charge A modest under-valuing of themselves an ordinary attendant upon true worth sensiblenes of the burthen doubtfulnes of a thorow discharge of the place fearefulnesse of being ensnared and overcome by temptations a right apprehension and fore-conceit of the great account c. easily take them off from too much forwardnesse coole their courage for over eager pursuit and quite extinguish all ambitious heate nay many times thereupon they draw backe and retire A rare thing in this age but former times afford many examples It is reported of father Austin a man of more incomparable learning then thousands that thinke themselves worthy of a Bishopricke that he would runne from those Cities which wanted Bishops least they should lay hold upon him Nazianzen having all the voyces heaped upon him stoutly refused the advancement and at the length saith the story very hardly after many intreaties and perswasions of the Emperour yeeled Great Basil was hald into the Bishoprike with much adoe * See the Argument before Chrysost. De incerdotâ—o Chrisostome hid himselfe and desired to be excused And this their practise is answerable to the principle intimated before That men of honesty and sufficiency are more sensible of the burthen carefull of the charge and apprehensive of the account then affected with the honour or in love with standing in a slippery place These Fathers that feared these great charges were resolved to preach every day twice a day sometime thrice a day and they did take to heart aforehand that account they must give for the soules commited to their charge the terrour of that commination saith Chrisostome Heb. 13.17 For they watch over your soules as they that must give account makes me quake and tremble From such grounds as these men of innocency and true worth especially enjoying the comforts of a good conscience and communion with IESUS CHRIST are well enough content to continue in a private estate and would not willingly stirre except by a direct and comfortable calling GOD would have them to doe him service in a more publicke employment and higher place and they ordinarily undertake them with much feare selfe-distrust and extraordinary prayer Full little doe you know who in the meanetime stop the cries of your guilty consciences with gold good-fellowship or great place what the pleasures of an appeased conscience are had you ever truly tasted their sweetnesse and soundly smarted with the anguish of a troubled one in conversion I dare say you would not by your good wills wound it for a Kingdome for a world A good conscience saith one well is of the same mind with the trees in Iothams Parable Iudges 9. It will not with the Olive loose its fatnesse nor with the Fig-tree loose his sweetnesse nor with the Vine its wine of chearefulnesse to have the fattest and sweetest preferments and pleasures of the world no though it were to raigne and domineere over all the trees in the forrests Onely the Bramble as you know the most base and contemptible a dry saplesse kexe and weed will needs up into a high roome Weake and worthlesse men ordinarily are the onely men old excellent as they say most active and pragmaticall to serue themselves by bribes and base tricks into benefices Offices and other undeserved places of preferment For they want honest wit to conceive fore-see the waight of the charge and conscience to discharge it faithfully their onely aime and aspiration out of an ambitious itching humour is to advance their owne particular private ends although they be many times as empty of all true worth as the vainest Idoll yet they desire to sit aloft and be adored above others Though they may take some directions and motives from the grounds of reason and light of naturall conscience to deale honestly and ingeniously in their places yet for a thorow universall unshaken stoutnesse and integrity in the discharge of them let them principally be enlightned guided quickned by the supernaturall principles of divine truth and dictates of a conscience sprinkled with the blood of CHRIST and sanctified by speciall grace The ordinary temptations to which the profession of Lawyers is sometime subject are such as these Iust as advocatus injustus ciuisas nullo mo lo suscipit Greg. Hom. 8. in Ezechi First Patronage of bad causes which they know out of their Legall skill and in their owne consciences are rotten at the roote and will prove naught at the last 2. Pleading against the right 3. Mercenary silence 4. Wire-drawing their Clients suites for their owne advantage using causes as unconscionable Surgeons doe sore legs hold them long in hand not for the difficulty but for the gaine of the cure 5. Taking unreasonable fees 6. Tampering about their Law buisinesse upon the LORDS day 7. Receiving the fee and not speaking in the Clients cause The last of which I could never yet beleeve of any because in my conceit for any thing I know he might as well take their swiftest horse and keenest sword and lye by the high-wayes for a rich usurer or wealthy clothier what to sell so much as in them lyes to a poore man the ruine of his lively-hood for his owne peece of gold where is the valuable consideration so much talked of nay unvaluable is the wrong whereas if they had not trusted in him he might perhaps have prevented the mischiefe But for my purpose to instance in two of them pleading for a bad and against a good cause are both upon the matter and in plaine English lying against the truth Now if any palliate and pretend that an officious lye especially accompanied with so much gaine is no such great matter Let them looke then upon the light of sounder reason which inforced the very heathen Philosopher Aristotle to affirme that a lye is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evill per se in it owne nature and therefore no consideration circumstance or Religion can possibly legitimate it but it is still a base and loathsome vice But principally let
shall eate the fruit of their owne way and be filled with their owne devices I have intimated now upon purpose which way I would goe upon this latter part of the verse When the wicked beare rule the people mourne Because I shall not bee able at this time to reach it with a full discourse I returne to the first branch wherein I will rest When the righteous are in Authority the people rejoyce In these words we may behold Magistracy Authority Soveraignty like a precious Diamond set in gold I meane resting upon a righteous man sparkling out as its proper effect amiable noble and sweetest affection that ever seaz'd upon the heart of man joy contentment a pleasant sweetnesse of mind Marke therefore three points in the proposition First Authority secondly its proper subject A righteous man thirdly rejoycing its native and kindly effect Soveraignety is sacred in it selfe Authority even abstracted is orient and illustrious A ray and representation of that great Majesty above It also ennobles the subject that receives it with a remarkable splendour and a kind of divine character I have said you are Gods Psal. 28.6 That is See Sclater pag. 8. first by Analogy secondly Deputation thirdly Participation For you well know that besides that Imperiall Majesty which is originally and individually inherent in the person of a Monarchicall Soveraigne there are also by derivation or deputation some markes and impressions of that princely endowment stampt and shining in the face and presence of every subordinate Magistrate which makes them venerable especially those who give life and vigour to the execution of their places with the noblenesse of a free spirit and clearenesse of a good conscience Lastly it shining in it proper subject a rightteous man the true Sunne of Soveraignety it dispels sadnes of heart in which all objects of lightsomenesse are drowned The spirit of a man is broken as Salomon saith Prov. 15.13 As the beauty of a Pearle is dissolved in vineger and begets joy in a world of people which is one of the richest and royall donation which this wide world can afford nay and that which makes the effect more excellent this affection of joy is by warrantable propriety and true interest onely peculiar and proper to honest and holy hearts This jewell is onely for such gracious and golden Cabinets No wicked or unregenerate man hath any true cause at all to rejoyce laugh or be merry I will make it plaine in a word even to the scorner Suppose a great man convicted and condemned for treason going towards the place of execution a mile off and let there a table be furnished all along with variety of dainties let him tread upon violets and roses cloth of Arras cloth of gold or what you will all the way let him be attended on both sides with most exquisite musicke and honourable entertainments doe you thinke all this will make him laugh heartily carrying this in his heart that he must loose his head at the miles end I trow not As farre lesse true cause hast thou to laugh whosoever thou art that goest on impenitently in thy sinnes in swearing drunkennesse bribery coveteousnesse pride scorning godlinesse or any other way of death as a temporall death is easier then endlesse torments for he is but going to loose his head and thou art going towards hell Now then I collect in the first place this Doctrine Doct. Doctr. Government is a goodly thing I conclude it thus out of the Text by good consequence Whatsoever is illustrious in it selfe ennobles the subject wherin it resides and is attended with such an excellent effect is a noble glorious and goodly thing See Rawleigh pag. 151. But Soveraignty or Authority exercised for so we find it in the Text and therefore I call it government is such and so therefore it is a goodly thing my Doctrine is the conclusion of a Categoricall Syllogisme wherein something in the Text is the medium therefore soundly collected I proceed to the reasons See Whites Sermon at Pauls Crosse. pag. 18. First reason It receives the prime honour and excellency from GODs owne institution By me Kingsraigne and Princes decree Iustice By me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Iudges of the earth Pro. 8.15 16. There is no power but of GOD. The powers that be are ordained of GOD Rom. 13.1 * See Moulins book of Faith pag. 557 558. See him also upon Psa. 124. pag. 709. So that it is GODs royall and goodly creature And if it were visible to our bodily eyes it would farre out shine the fairest and most glistering Imperiall Crowne that ever sate upon any Caesars head It is so soveraigne and certainly from GOD that in case of Antinomy that is when Authority countermands where GOD hath commanded we must refuse the will but still reverence the power of a lawfull Magistrate If the sword of Soveraignety the exercise and execution of power be bent against GOD we must lay hold upon the Apostles Principle Whether it be right in the sight of GOD to obey you rather then GOD judge yee And good reason GOD is a Creator man a creature and in his hands are onely life and death but in GODs heaven and hell Between the Creatour and creature there is no proportion no comparison Philosophy tells us that betweene something and nothing there is an infinit distance the two ends if I might speake of infinite things of which immeasurable distance can never be brought together but by an infinite being Nothing can produce something of nothing but an Almighty nature And therefore as there is an infinite distance betweene something and nothing so there must also needs be an immeasurable disproportion betweene the Creating power and that something created of nothing And so by consequence the excellency power bindingnesse and soveraignety of the Creatours Law must needs surpasse and transcend above all degrees of comparison and measure of proportion that of the creatures You that are conversant in all parts of divine learning and all those that are employed in the incomparable worke of the Ministery ought to endeavour thereafter For Ministers had never more need of learning then at this day considering with what variety and strength the truth of GOD is opposed on all sides by Atheisme by Popery that Hydra of all heresies and other brainelesse exorbitancies about matters of Religion I say those that looke into Casuists and Schoole Divines know how many degrees and kinds of lawes they make First There is the Law Eternall resident in the pure glorious infinite mind of GOD which is that order which GOD before all ages hath set downe with himselfe for himselfe to doe all things by 2. Then the Law of Nature 3. Then the Law of Nations Fourthly then Humane Lawes The first is the cleare fountaine of all excellencies order and equity as pure as GOD himselfe these last passing thorow the polluted channell of mans braine are capable of
against that I have said he must turne Atheist and prove Scripture is false and that there is no GOD no heaven no hell which would be a brainelesse and bootelesse taske of the most desperate and prodigious incarnate Devill upon earth Secondly 2 Vse For Instruction to teach us whensoever we have any power to dispose of any place or preferment to bestow any office and Benefice c. and whensoever we are called to give our voyces in the election of any Magistrate or other man to be publickely employed for the good of the Country any way let us ever be sure to cast our eye upon the worthiest and without all feare or favour or faction impartially and resolutely to pitch upon him who as we are perswaded in our consciences is most able and is best furnished with those properties which GODs Spirit requires in a Ruler mentioned before And let friend kinsman neighbour favourite money letters Land-lord Lord or any man alive say what they will if the Land-lord or Lord or whosoever take the right way and stand for the best sticke to him and welcome and blesse GOD for so good a guide Let the current of the times runne never so boistrously a contrary course let the event and successe be for thee or against thee as GOD would have it c. thou shalt have more honour and comfort in doing as the holy Ghost directs and as an honest man should then if thy voyce were able to purchase for thee the riches of both the Indies or advance thee as high as heaven And furthermore consider if thou shouldst have thy hand in the preferment of any wicked and unworthy man to a place whether thou hast not thy hand also in some sort in all the miseries and mischiefes which may fall out and follow upon his ill discharge of the place Doe you not thinke for the purpose if a Patrone should preferre corruptly to a living an idle dissolute Minister a selfe-preacher temporizer enemy to GODs people c. that he should not in some measure be accessary to the blood of all those soules which should perish by the default and under the cruell hand of such a negligent unconscionable fellow Vse 3. Thirdly For Exhortation to all Rulers and whosoever take into their hand the raines of Government over others in any kind that they would be righteous that they would first furnish themselves with Imputed 2. Morall 3. Religious righteousnesse with those seven-fold fore-mentioned endowements in a good Magistrate That they may behave themselves as GOD would have them which that they may comfortably and conscionably doe let them take good counsell and amongst many other directions doe as I now advise Let them 1. Get IESUS CHRIST 2. Enter into their places purely in GODs name 3. Be illightned directed and quickned to a thorow and constant discharge of them principally by the divine light and heavenly motions of GODs holy truth 4. Keepe ever a cleare conscience both in respect of their personall walking and right managing all the particulars of their publicke charge 5. Have an eye still upon that last and dreadfull Tribunall at which they must shortly give a strict account for all things done in the flesh But here before I enter upon the particulars give me leave to prevent an exception remove a scruple which may perhaps arise already in some mens hearts and so dull their attention and blunt the impression of the ensuing points What may some say here is nothing but IESUS CHRIST pure preferment holy truth divine light I know not how many kindes of righteousnesse cleare conscience sad fore-thoughts of the last day c. All for any thing I see tending wholly to Puritanisme I thinke he would have us all so * A derivative from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extitis rēdred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the septuagints Ioh. 4.17 righteous that we should turne Puritans c. Before I speake to the point let me tell you that I am right glad that I have now in mine eye such an honourable noble judicious and understanding Auditory who I know will doe me right were there now before me a number of drunkards whore-masters deboist swaggerers scorners of Religion sensuall Epicures Stigmaticall scurrill jesters O how would they take on stampe and play the Bedlams how they would rage raile and cavill though by the mercy of GOD they should be no more able to overthrow by any sound reason what I say then to remove the mightiest rock when they are reeling drunke either with wine or malice Now upon this occasion let me acquaint you with the truth about this unhappy imputation ordinarily laid by Protestants at large upon the power of godlinesse Now a dayes See Nazian pag. 552. and 308. every boisterous Nimrod impure drunkard and selfe-guilty wretch is ready with great rage to fly in the face of every professour with the imputation of puritanisme if he doth but looke towards Religion labour to keepe a good conscience in all things he is presently a Puritane and through this name many times by a malicious equivocation they strike at the very heart of grace As M. G. well said See Boys post pag. 579. and power of godlinesse at GODs best Servants and the Kings best subjects For there is none of them all but in their sence with all their hearts they would be the stricktest Puritanes in a Country upon their beds of death I meane that their consciences should be enlightned and they not sealed up with the spirit of slumber like drunken Naball for a day of vengeance But let none here out of humour malice faction or mistake straine and wrest for I meane not First the naturall Puritan intimated Prov. 30. 12. There is a generation c. You shall finde many of these especially among the common and ignorant people charge them with sinne in generall and they will confesse and yeeld but descend to particulars and you can fasten nothing upon them they are true Iusticiaries presse one of these with the first Commandement and how he stands in his carriage towards it oh he is infinitely free he never served any GOD but one c. with the second Images I never worshipped any Images in my life I defie them c. They are excellently layd out in their colours and to the life by that reverend man of GOD pag. 343 c. Master Dent in his Plaine mans Path-way to heaven They are a kind of people who yet lye in the darknesse of their naturall ignorance and dung of their owne corruption and yet with their owne testimony confirme themselves in a great opinion of their owne integrity Secondly I meane not the morall Puritane who thinkes himselfe as safe for salvation by the power of civill honesty as if he were already a Saint in heaven whereas it is cleare Heb. 12.14 without addition of holinesse