to be sober in the Horse and drink no more then will do us good being Unchast or Lacivious in the Dove and know no woman but out own Wifes being Cruel or Unnaturall in the Storke and to maintain our Parents Children Freinds that if we do such things we are worthy of death Worthy of death of death temporal so Draco by the light of nature appointed Death for all great Transgressions but that is not all our Apostle here means but worthy of death eternal too and this the very Gentiles knew by assigning their Elisyan fields to some sinners and Hell or their Stygian Lake to other sorts of sinners Take you and I therefore heed of all sorts of sins and do with every sin as David did with his water which his Worthies brought him with hazzard of their lives powre it them on the ground and say God forbid we should commit these sins because if we do we are worthy of Death of Death Temporal and Death Eternal Especially take we heed that we delight not that we take not pleasure in that we applaud not them that do them For this is desperate impiety the hight of and the great aggravation of the Gentiles sin here used by this great Apostle which is my second consideretion They do not only do them Psal 2. Put also take pleasure in others for doing the same Some read it Consent so Lyranus Tolet and others and make the Aggravation lesse But Theophylact Paraeus Piscator and others read it Patrocinantur favour delight take pleasure in yes Applaudunt Applaud and defend them that do such things and so make the Aggravation greater either way It is bad enough Alexanders murthering of Clytus was not the lesse though Anaxarchus the Epicurian Phylosopher told him All was lawful that Princes did though Aristander the Stoical Philosopher told him it was Fate and Destiny Davids murthering Uriah was not the lesse though the Ammonite slew him 2 Sam. 12.9 because he commanded it Achitopels killing of Absolom was not the lesse because his Counsel brought him to his death 2 Sam. 16.21 Saul was not lesse guilty of St. Stephens death Act. 7.59 though the Jews stoned him Act. 22.20 because he consented to it Achab was not lesse guilty of Naboths death though some Sons of Belial bare false witness against him and others condemned him Reg. 21.13 and others stoned him because he authorized and countenanced it with his Seal Esau was not the lesse guilty of Jacobs destruction though Forreigners Obed. 11.12 carried him away captive because he did not rescue him All the Tribe of Benjamin was not guilty of the Concubines Death and Rape in the Act of it Jud. 19.22 Jud. 20.13.14 yet they were guilty of the sin because they sheltered the Actors and Doers of it The Modern or latter Jews were not the less guilty of the old Prophets death Mat. 23.34 though their Fathers and Grand-Fathers slew them because they were Heire as well of the Murthers as of their Fathers Nor were they less guilty of King Charles blessed King Charles the first his death who brought him to the Block though others chopt off his head because they then withstood it not nor ever since called any of them to account for doing of it Nor are you or my self the loss guilty of that sin which another man commits if lying in our power we do not hinder it if we do not reprove it if we counsell'd it if we consented to it if we commanded it if we concealed it if we entertain'd the Actors of it and gave them applause or took pleasure in them for doting of it I end this second part with Prayer O God we have much guilt of our own too much if thy mercy be not the greater suffer us not we beseech thee to partake of other mens sins or communicate in other mens guilt but give us Courage to hinder it Zeal to reprove it Power to forbid it Wisdome to dispraise it Anger to discountenance it Strength to resist it Hearts and Tongues to declaime against it The burthens of others miseries give us Charity to bear but the burthens of other mens sins give us piety to forbear and the burthen of our own sins do thou ease and the guilt of our own sins do thou forgive for his sake who hath borne that burthen and washt away that guilt by his pretious and invaluable blood Jesus Christ Amen And now I come to the last part I proposed That if the Apostle were now living Pars 3. he would certainly further aggravate this sin upon the English Christians then he did upon the Romane Gentiles who have out-stript and exceeded their doing these sins themselves and their delighting in those that do them by commanding all others and compelling many to do the same by 1. An Engagement 2. An Oath of Abjuration 3. A subscription of Opposition against the Common Enemy whom they at least some of them I am sure one of them with the Approbation if silence gives consent declared to be Charles Stewart whom we acknowledge to be Charles the second King of England Scotland and Ireland and for whose return we do and will pray with Power from above to recover his own Rights with mercy from above to forgive his Rebellions Subjects and with Wisdome from above to lettle this Church of God and his three Kingdomes in Peace and Truth untill the second comming of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen That Engagement with the Covenant was the first 1. Engagement and either of these bad enough since there is not one Engagement in the whole Book of God save those of the Rebels Corah and his Complices Absolom and his Conspirators Shaba and his Peufellowes nor is there one Covenant in that whole book but they were all given and taken by the Kings Authority not a Covenant amongst them all and they are but six in number imposed without much less against the Kings Authority and besides they were all meerly Religious Covenants not one Politick or state Covenant amongst the whole six Joshua 24.25 The first of which six was made by Joshua with the people The second was made by Jehojada the High Preist in behalf of the young King Joash with the people 2 Reg. 11.4 the sum of which Covenant was that the people should be true to God 2 Cron. 15.12 the King and the Church The third was made by King Asa with the people to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soul The fourth was made by King Hazechiah with the people when they were in great distress for want of Religion and therefore said the King I have purposed to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel that he may turn his feirce wrath from us This was the Kings Covenant and Engagement with God for the people 2 Cron. 29.10 not theirs against him The
dimittis Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart Philip. 1. so did St. Paul Cupio dissolvi I desire to be dissolved But yet did ever any man desire to be hanged I do not think Judas senior did who betrayed his Master nor Judas junior neither who condemned his Soveraign True They both hanged themselves but for all that I do not believe that either of them desired to be hanged If I must die let me die any Death rather then a shameful then an accursed Death and yet the Apostle doubles that word upon Christ Philip. 2.8 Christ suffered death mortem autem crucis yea the death of the crosse i. e. He suffered the most shameful and accursed of all deaths For as all Lifes are not equally comfortable so all Deaths are not equally miserable the Cottage is not like the Pallace for life nor is the Water like the Halter for Death The Jewes had four kindes of Death for Malefactors Sword Fire Stone and Towel the Towel was the easiest yet there was Dolor Pain in that the Sword was next yet there was sanguis Blood in that Fire was worse then the Sword for there was scandalum shame in that Stoning was worse then all three yet there was not maledictum a curse in that but crucifying was worse then all Four Colos 1.14 Act. 2.24 Gal. 5.11 Gal. 3.13 for it was Bloudy and therefore called the Blood of the Crosse For it was painful and therefore called the Pain of the Crosse For it was shameful and therefore called the shame of the Crosse For it was cursed and therefore called the curse of the Crosse To dye by Age no man is against It is a Natural Death a Debt we owe to Nature to die by War no Soldier is against It is an honourable Death so that they die pro Rege et Lege for their King Country but if against their King it is Rebellion and damnable to die for Religion no good Christian is against It is a glorioas Death the Death of Martyrs But to dye the Death of the Crosse violently untimely penally cursedly Oh this goes against the haire It strikes to the heart This Cursed it was That is without all question Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree Deut. 21.23 Galat. says St. Paul by way of Transcript from Moses's Original Untimely it was For he was now in the prime of his Age about thirty three years old not more by any ones account that I remember His Body most Active now and now his Soul most contemplative both most vigorous Violent it was For they nail'd him and stab'd him spikt His Hands Feet that he might neither shew a nimble pair of heels nor a valiant pair of Hands and last of all they pierced him thorow the Heart the very Fountain of Life least peradventure he might have recovered after three hours crucifixion Painful it was For it is a pain to prick a Vein a greater pain to boar the Hand and peirce the Heart yes a cruel pain it was the cruellest of pains and thence as I take it are Dolores acermi called cruciatus A pain it was when He bled in Gabbatha where they scourged him with Rods and Crown'd him with Thorns more painful it was in Golgotha where they printed his Hands and Feet with Nails and Spikes and peirced his Heart thorow with a Spear and the more long the more painful It is some ease if Gravis be Brevis but if it be Acuta too Oh then it is painful indeed Add but to this the Blood he lost in Gethsemane the Blood of his Soul and without all question you will confess that if this Text had run but in mortuus est He dyed It had been hard enough But Death may still be suffered a painful and shameful Death may but when cruelty and malice are joyned to the shame and Pain Oh then it is hard indeed Indeed hard it is to say whether cruelty or shame have the upper hand Saul chose rather to fall upon his own Sword 1 Sam. 31.4 then to die shamefully by the han's of the Philistines Well but what shame did Christ suffer or rather what shame did he not suffer 1. He suffered first the shame of the whip which was a punishment only for Slaves and Bond-men then amongst the Romans and for Vagrants and Wanderers now amongst the English so it was once answered by a Freeman when he was threatned with a whip Loris saith he Liber sum Whip me Do if you dare I am a Freeman Acts 16.37 and St. Paul himself intimates so much saying After they have beaten us openly uncondemned being Romans they have cast us into prison and now would they put us out privily and more expresly afterward Acts 22.25 Is it lawful for you to scourge one that is a Romane and not condemned 2. He suffered secondly the shame of contempt and disgraceful usage Herods white Sheet ct Pilates blew Livery were put upon him so St. Luke and St. John describe his Apparrel Herod with his men of war despised Jesus and mocked him and arrayed him in white Luk. 23.11 says St. Luke And the Souldiers Pilats Souldiers platted a Crown of Thorns and put it on his Head and they put on him a purple garment says St. John And then they hood-winkt him John 19.2 playd at blind-man-buff with him pull'd him by the hair and spet in his Face 3. He suffered thirdly the shame of despight and malice In the depth of his distresse they would not afford him a dragm of compassion but railed reviled scoft scorn'd derided him in his very prayers and in his extream thirst denied him that which was never denied to any but the damned in Hell John 19.36 A drop of Water and instead thereof offered him a Spunge dipt in Vinegar He suffered fourthly the shame of shames For to make the world believe His Death was an Act of Justice they add the Solemn formality of a new erected and never before heard of Court of pretended High Justice For they knew too well That no Legal Court of true Justice could take away his Life In a word Had it been Occidistis You have killed him though by Assasination It had not been so much because that Act would have workt all honest men to pitty his condition but it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trucidastis you have impetuously without any judicial proceeding but that of pretence and formality and cruelly without any Relenting and Compassion saving that of Hypocrisie and Dissimulation killed him i. e. in plain English murthered him and if you will believe Mr. Beza and in this you may believe him though he was Dr. of the Chaire at Geneva Trucidare is more then Occidere For Occidere is but to Kill It implies neither shame nor cruelty but trucidare is guilty of both And therefore the Poet expressing the shame and cruelty and subtlety and malice and Revenge to boot which
the Greeks used towards the Trojans gave it by this very word saying Fit via vi rumpunt aditus Aeneid primosque trucidant By this time I believe your Intellectuals are weary of so sad a Theam and rueful Discourse I shall now speak a word to your Affections If it prove sad there too you may not think much of it since it was upon the Prince of Life which is my second Consideration In Quis Who was killed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Prince Pars. 2. the Author of Life 1. The Author of Life who gave life to us 2. The Prince of Life who preserves life in us Corporis anime et utrinsque tám conjunctim quám seperatim The Prince and Author of all our Animal Life For by him were all things made and without him was not any thing made that was made John 1.1 Acts 17. says St. John For in him we live we move and have our being says St. Paul The Author and Prince of our spiritual life I live now says St. Paul Gal. 2.20 yet not I but Christ liveth in me and that I now live in the flesh I live by Faith in the Son of God who hath loved me and given himself for me and so he speaks of us as well as of himself Eph. 2.1 saying You who were dead in sins hath he quickened together in Christ by whose grace ye are saved The Prince and Author of our eternal life and that three ways 1. By Preordination Eph. 1.5.2.6 He hath decreed it to us from all eternity He hath predestinated us to be adopted thorow Jesus Christ to sit together in heavenly places 2. By Purchase He hath bought it for us and us to it by the price of his blood 1 Cor. 6.20 Ye are bought with a price says St. Paul and so bought and with such a price as neither Man nor Angel did administer any help in the Satisfaction Torcular calcavi solus says the Prophet Isaiah in the Person of Christ Isa 63.2 I have trodden the Wine-presse of my Fathers wrath alone and of all the people there was not one with me and so bought and with such a price that neither man nor Devil can hinder us from the fruition of it Nec sublimitas nec profunditas says St. Paul Neither height nor depth nor life nor death nor sword nor peril nor any other thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 8.39 For 3. He is the Author and Prince of our Eternal life by Donation were it put upon our Desert Merit we might not only doubt of it but utterly despair of it For all our works whether of Obedience or Patience come infinitely short of it and therefore said one Father Etiamsi millies servirem Though I could should serve God unreproveably a thousand years yet should I not thereby deserve to be one half hour in Heaven and therefore said another Father Etiamsi millies paterer Though I could and should patiently suffer all the pains of Hell for ten thousand years yet should I not thereby deserve to be one minute in Heaven But being that Heaven and eternal Life is Gods gift we may rest assured that no thing Man nor Devil is able to take it out of his hands and therefore we shall have it But oh for Tantus so great an Essence so good an Essence as the Prince of Life of our corporal Life of our spiritual Life of our Eternal Life should be made Tantillus so little a thing as never was lesse Agnus a Lamb Jer. 11.19 Psal as the Prophet Jeremy calls him pittifully slaughtered Vermis a Worm as King David calls him spitefully trod upon me thinks is able to melt Stones into Tears and Hearts of Rock into Hearts of Flesh To see a Lamb lye pittifully bleeding it is a pittiful spectacle To see a Worm scornfully trod upon is a sorrowful sight But Lambs were made to be slaughtered and Worms to be trampled on Be it so But yet for a Man to be made a Worm and no man for a Lion to be made a Lamb and no Lion and that without any demerit of his own To see an Innocent and a Noble person suffer to see a great and a gracious King to be trucidated to see God the Prince and Author of our Life to be killed certainly it is a heavy a very heavy spectacle and enough to make our Bowels yearn The Sun was asham'd of it and therefore withdrew his light the Temple was afeard of it and therefore rent it self in twain the Farth trembled at it and therefore fell into an Ague And shall not we be moved at it to them it appertained not For he came not to Redeem Sun Temple or Earth but to Us it doth For he was killed for us Justus pro injustis He for us The Righteous for the Unrighteous and he by Us Justus ab Injustis The Righteous was killed by the Unrighteous which is my third consideration Qui Pars. 3. Who killed him Vos Ye If you charge his death upon Judas the Traytor who sold him for thirty pence or upon Caiphas the High-Priest who accused him of Envy or upon Pilate the Lord president who condemned him of cowardise and against his conscience you take your aime amiss We wretched sinners that we are were the principal They but the Accessary Instrumental Killers of Christ The Executioner doth not Kill the Man He doth but execute the Sentence The Judge doth not Kill the Man He doth but pronounce the Sentence No Solum peccatum est homicida only sin is the Murtherer so then the true Construction of this Text is this You have killed the Prince of Life i.e. Our sins or we by our sins have killed the Prince of Life And upon the thought of this Can we do lesse then weep Can we see the Sun asham'd and cover his Face and our selves not blush Can we see the Temple rent in two and we not rend our Hearts Can we see the Earth quake and our selves not tremble Can we see Christ pati suffer for us and we not compati suffer with him and if need be for him too Can we see his soul heavy to the death and hear him complain of it too Marke 14. My soul is exceeding heavy even to the death and our souls be light with and delight in sin Can we see Christ Trucidatus killed at and transfixus peirced through the Heart and we not be compunctus prick't at the Heart Can we see the Jewes spet upon his Face that did when he pleased out-shine the Sun and we not wash our Face With Tears Can we see them buffet him on his Face and we not smite our Breasts and cry out God be merciful unto us miserable sinners Can we see his Head Crown'd with Thornes Crown'd to deride him Crown'd with Thornes to torment him and we not cover our Heads with
In Corah the first in Absolon a second in Sheba a third in Bigthan a fourth Rebellious person It is much feared they all went from the sweet of Sin to the smart of Pain from the Darkness of Sin to the Darknesse of Hell I speak of Principals 2 Sam. not of Accessaries many of them go in the simplicity of their Hearts and for them I pray with my Saviour Father forgive them Luk. 23.34 but for the rest They that commit these sins wittingly wilfully malitiously to them I sear belongs the Epilogue of Rebells Damnation because their Prologue was Resisting the higher powers which is a wilfull Perjury in the breach of their Allegiance if St Paul speak Scripture when he said Rom. 13.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that resist the higger powers shall receive to themselves damnation They may fear it and let them pray Acts 8.22 whom it concerns and Repent if perhaps God may forgive them And for our selves though we are not maliciously concerned in this sin yet because we are cowardly concerned in this sin I pray God Almighty deliver us from the punishment of it Pestilence Famine and Sword in this world and from damnation in the world to come and assure us thereof by an holy conformity of our lives to his Law all our dayes and by an holy perseverance in our obedience to himself and to his Annointed King Charles the Second whom God restore unto and establish in his Fathers Throne brough Jesus Christ Amen Amen Amen January 30. 1649. ACTS 3.15 The Prince of Life whom ye killed BUt that I know and am sensible of the occasion I would read the following words whom God raised from the dead and then I should tell you This Text were Janus like and looks two wayes Uisione reflexâ backwards upon Good-Fryday last Visione rectâ forwards upon Easter-day next As it looks backward it speaks nothing but Passion Ye have killed the Prince of Life and makes the Sermon Funeral As it looks forward it speaks nothing but Resurrection Whom God hath raised from the dead and makes the Sermon Nuptial But alass I am only for the Passive part of this verse and look upon these words positively and personally as they intend April 4. 1649 years since and Jesus Christ the Prince of Life whom ye then killed and I look upon these words again Relatively and yet personally again as they relate to January 30. 1648 and King Charles a Prince of life whom ye killed Well Look upon the words either waies either Litterally and possitively or Relatively and personally They will require Tears Tears being commonly the Followers if not the Friends of Funeralls and whatsoever the Followers do the Friends will weep And indeed whether to speak or weep my time out upon this Text I could willingly question since we in it commemorate the Exequie◠both of Jesus Christ and one very like him as ye heard the last year King Charles of Great Brittain and Ireland the first And can we follow these to the Grave without a Tear It was done upon Good-Fryday personally on Christ 1649. years since the first Good-Fryday that ever was and that day the streets below were hung with Blacks and the Heavens above with blackness For no Sun was seen in Jury for three hours but only the Sun of Righteousness whom the Darkness comprehended not That day both the Heaven above and the Earth beneath were astonished if not ashamed at the Apprehension condemnation and execution of Jesus Christ And shall not we follow the Son of Man Nay the Son of God to the grave with a Tear The Poet pointed out the Spectacle of sorrow when he said Hinc ille Lachrymae and wept when it may be he aimed at the Tombe certainly at the Tormentor But now that Spectacle of sorrow may question Undè haec lachrymarum indigentia whence proceeds this want of Sorrow whence this Drynesse Is it from Obedience to that command Weep not for me but then why do we not weep for our selves Is it not rather from the hardness of our hearts which dams up the moisture of our eys Can you see a King killed and not Weep Why behold Princeps trucidatus The King is killed Can you see a Good King killed and not weep Why behold Princeps vitae trucidatus The Prince the King of life is killed That King that Prince of life of whom we said Under his shade we should live in peace he is killed Can you see that Good King that Prince of Life whom your selves have killed and not weep Why behold Interemistis trucidastis vos Ye have killed the Prince of Life And upon these three parts I shall spin my Discourse Division 1. Quid What was done Killing 2. Quis Who was Killed Princeps vitae the Prince of life 3. Qui Who killed him Vos ye you and myself I begin with the first Quid What was done upon April 4. Good Fryday An. primo salutis nostrae In the first year of our redemption Killing upon Jan. 30. Anno 1648. salutis nostrae In the thousand six hundred forty eight year of our Redemption Killing 1. Had it been only Passus est He suffered It had been an hard word For it is an hard thing to suffer especially for great Persons such as Christ was and all Kings are If great Persons do great things it is no wonder Their very Genius does naturally incline them to it But to suffer yes any small thing for them is more then to do many great things Doing is good if it be well doing but suffering is hard though we suffer well for well doing yea though doing be sometimes hard labour yet suffering is harder of the twain yet Christ suffered so in the Creed he suffered under Pontius Pilate So in St. Peter 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ suffered for us 2. Had it been Mortuus est He Died It had been harder Add shame to Death and then it is harder yet For as I take it shame and Death are the hardest things that can be suffered nothing so precious to us as our Life unlesse it be our Reputation and nothing therefore so hard to suffer as the losse of both these Life and Reputation But Christ suffered both Death and shame both The Crosse cost him his Life and the shame of the Crosse bereft him of his Honour viz. with the Jewes He put his Shoulders to the Cross and endured it to the losse of his life Hebr. 12.2 He set his Feet upon the shame and despised it to the losse of his Honour Of the Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 five terribles Death is the most terrible and what Christian be he as strong as a man or weak as a women what will not He or she suffer in Physick or Chirurgery in Purging Vomiting Cutting or Cauterizing so that they may not suffer Death But Death many a man may suffer and desire it too Simeon did Luk. 2.29 Domine nunc
to lavish but with the High-Priest and certainly the King is higher then the High Priest St. Paul would never have said The Lord smite thee thou whited wall if he had known the man to whom he speak Act. 22.3 5. had been the High Priest But this place because is may be extended to Rulers in General and therefore may meet with some colourable evasion I shall give you some other Texts concerning Governours in particular and especially and namely Kings Eccl. 8.2 3. viz. I Counsel thee says Solomon to keep the Kings Commandement and that in regard of the Oath of God Be not hasty to go out of his sight stand not in an evil thing for he doth whatsoever pleaseth him where the word of a King is there is power and who may say to him What dost thou Mark the words Beloved and deal truely with your own Souls as you will answer it at the dreadful great and fearful day of Judgment I Counsel thee I that have more Wisdom then ever any man had before me or shall have after me I that am Directed by the Holy Ghost I Counsel thee i.e. I Command thee from God To keep the Kings Commandement i.e. Whatsoever he Commands thee so it be not against the Word of God And what did the late King Command thee He Commanded thee to assist him with men mony and Ammunitions He Commanded thee not to furnish an Army that was raysed against him by what Power soever under whose Conduct or Command soever with either men mony or Ammunition And Could any of you doubt whether you were bound to observe and obey that Command Solomon told you then you were and tells you now you are and tells you the reason why you were and are Even in regard of the Oath of God And what is that Oath of God Why it is that Covenant thou didst make with it is that Oath thou didst enter into to thy late Sovereign Lord King Charles viz. The Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy But it may be thou wilt say This was the Oath of man It was so but withal It was the Oath of God too For thou didst make and take these Oaths to the King by and with Gods approbation Thou didst call God to be the Witnesse of thy true Intention Endeavour and Resolution to perform those Oaths and assure thy self If thou dare so far to sin against thine own Soul for any by-respect whatsoever either for fear of plundering and undoing by Death or Torment or for hope of keeping thy Estate and getting more by Life and preferment thou shalt find God to be a severe punisher of thee Exod. 20.7 God will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his Name in vain He that uses Gods Name to vanity is damnable and in a possibility of Damnation and therefore He that uses Gods name to Perjury is damned and in a certninty of Damnation Be not hasty to go out of his sight i. e. says Tremelius Né ab obsequio illius te subducito animo perturbato Do not draw thy neck out of this yoak withdraw not thy self from his the Kings Allegiance in an angry mood or discontentednesse of Spirit Stand not in an evill thing i.e. Imperturbation et Rebellione quae tibi malum allatura erit In thy fullinesse in thy peevishness in thy discontentedness in thy Rebellion If thou doest stand out and refusest or neglectest the Kings offer of Grace and Pardon This thy standing out will at last bring mischief and evil upon thee For He the King doeth whatsoever pleaseth him i. e He hath a long hand and though for a while thou be sheltred from him yet at last He will reach thee and condemn the to the Gallowes if thou bear Arms against him if thou contributest to maintain a War against him Where the word of a King is there is Power Power to break a Loyal Subjects heart into Duty and Power to break a Rebels heart into Death and Confusion For a while The word of a King like the word of God may be slighted and resisted but in the end it will appear to be a word of power and shall be suffered with Death where it was not obeyed with Duty And who may say to him the King What doest thou i. e. Questiones affirmativas resolvendo negativè by the old Rule None may say unto the King what dost thou ot call him to account None may not the Judges of his Bench not the Captains of his Host not the Grooms of his Stool not the Masters of his Horse not the Nobles and Gentlemen of his Chamber nor yet his Great Council None whatsoever may say it It is not fit says Job not fit for any man whosoeoer Job 34.18 nor fit for any sort of men whatsoever to say to a King Thou art wicked or to Princes you are ungodly and Solomon gives you the reason of it saying Against the King there is no rising up Pro. 30.31 Nemo qui insurgit says Junius No man that rises up against him now Nemo qui insurgat says Clarius No man that may rise up against him hereafter No man either Clergy or Layety No man either privat Persons or Representative Body None either Lords or Commons Amen say I I would to God there had been none of late against King Charles I. If there may be none hereafter against King Charles II. If there be they will find Power in his word to punish those who resisted the word of his Father and that when come to passe they will find Answer enough against all Objections they can raise agafnst this last Passage Thirdly Lastly for I will not burthen you with many though I could with a whole Volumn I present you with that of St. Paul even that which some Anti-Royallists because they cannot evade it countercolour it and excuse it do scoffingly and contemptuously call our great and Goliah Text viz. Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers Rom. 13.1.2 for there is no power but of God The Powers that be are ordained of God whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Here again let me advise you to deale ingenuously sincerly and truly with your own Soules and here give me leave to ask you or rather do you seriously ask of and enquire and Catechise your own Soules who or what doest thou think is meant by the Higher Powers Doest thou canst thou think That nothing is meant hereby but a Naked Authority as Mr. Burrowes would have thee believe 2 Thess 2.11 Take heed thou be not given over or givest thy self over to believe a lye Take heed I say take heed of such a construction of such an Exposition for admit that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did signisie Power in the Abstract or the Power of the Law without relation to the Person that made the Law yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must
our Preserver from Sin and Danger from the Sin of Rebellion which was this Day acted to purpose and from the Danger of Rebels which for this Dayes Rebellion will ere long be executed on them to the purpose as our Judge according to the Clearness of our Hearts and Cleanness of our Hands we are then Blessed Spe in Regno Gratiae by Hope in the Kingdom of Grace because we have the Forgiveness of our sins and are thereby assured that therefore we shall be Blessed Re in Regno Gloriae by way of Possession in the Kingdom of Glory because then we hall have Everlasting Life And this is the upshot of all Blessedness And this Blessedness will not be had until we be Dead nor can it be had unless we Dye in the Lord. It is my next Consideration 2 a. 1 ae my Secunda Primae proposed thus Who are Blessed And disposed thus The Dead They are the Subject of this Object The Dead are Bessed and their Qualification is If they Dye in the Lord. By Dead here is not meant St. Pauls Dead which he speaks of to Timothy 1 Tim. 5.16 The wanton Widow who is Dead whiles she lives she is not Blessed because Dead but therefore Cursed because she is Dead whiles she lives For howsoever she drawes in the Life of Nature yet she never breaths out the Breath of Grace And this I prove by those three parts which are the best Indications of a Dead or Living Body The Pultse the Heart the Mouth If a mans Pultse beat If his Heart pants If his Mouth speaks or breaths we are sure he lives but if all these are silent and stir not we conclude He is Dead 1. Now for the Pultse of a wanton Widow the Pultse of her Soul her Conscience If it beat at all yet it beats unevenly and out of tune either too high by Desperation and Presumption or else too low by Security and Supiness And by this we know she is sick For the most part It beats not at all It gives no warning before It starts not at the temptation to sin It gives no Remembrance after It checks not at the Commission of sin and by this we conclude she is Dead And so her Heart too If that pants at all It is after sensual Pleasures and things forbidden like the Harlots in the Proverbs Come and let us take our fill of love Prov. Broken Cisterus that can hold no water It is not after the Fountain of living waters like Davids Come and let us go into the house of the Lord. Psal 3. And so her Mouth too That speaks not the Language of Canaan and such as becometh Saints but the Language of Ashdod and such as becometh Devils By which it appears she is Dead but not Blessed Nor by Dead here is meant those Dead which Christ speaks of Let the Dead bury the Dead i.e. The Deal in sin bury them that are Dead for sin As elsewhere He speaks to the Jews Yee shall dye in your sins And they that are so Dead Dead in their sins while they live or so Dye Dye in their sins when they leave this life They that give sin leave to reign in them while they are here and over them when they depart hence They that obey the commanding power of it now and sink under the Condemning Guilt of it then They are not Blessed though Dead but Cursed Cursed in their finishing of sin because that sin brings forth Death as St. James speaks i.e. Eternal Death Jam. 1. But by Dead here is meant not Universally All but Indefinitely Many Those that Dye in the Lord It is my next Consideration my Tertia Primae And here I shall shew you first What it is to dye in the Lord by way of Doctrine and Explication And secondly How we may dye in the Lord by way of Use and Application And first 3 a. 1 ae What it is to dye in the Lord Why To dye in the Lord or To dye in Christ or To dye in Faith for all these are Synonima is either To suffer Death for Christ like a Martyr or To end our life in firm Faith in Christ as a Confessor The Romanists contend earnestly for the Former and will have the Text to be understood of Martyrs onely and so they take In for Propter To dye In the Lord is To dye For the Lord. Now be it That the Martyrs are here Specially meant yet sure I am That they arc not here onely meant For I do not read Luk. 16. That Abraham was a Martyr yet I read That he was Blessed in Heaven with Glory nor do I read That the Thief upon the Cross died for Christ Luk. 23. yet I read That he was Blessed in Paradice with Christ He whosoever he be that doubts of the Martyrs Blessedness His that dyes for Christ is scarce worthy himself to have any part in Christ It is a thing so little doubted That Saint Augustine sayes Injuria est He does the Martyr wrong that prayes for him For by praying for him he doubts of his Salvation and Christ himself sayes He that looseth his life for my sake shall find it And certainly Mat. If he wrongs the Martyr that prayes for him then he that grieves for him wrongs him much more For he either doubts of his welfare or repines at his happiness To see Clouds in the Clergies face for the departing of our late most reverend Father in God William Laud Arch-bishop of Canterbury To see Furrowes in the faces of the remaining Greenvills Smiths or Boules To see water in the eyes of the surviving Cavendishes Lyndseies or Gardiners To hear Plaints from the Tongues of the being Bourcheris and Yeomans Tompkins and Challoners for the not being of their Fathers Sons Brothers Kindreds and Friends is equally to doubt of their being Martyrs and therefore Blessed as of our Enemies being Rebels and therefore Murtherers which for mine own part I no more doubt of either then of success in the End or mine own Salvation It hath been questioned I know by the Church-men of Rome Whether Souldiers may be Martyrs and their Reason is Quia bonum Reip. licet maximum inter bona humana non potest esse Causa Martyris sed solummodo Divinum Yet I know withal It is resolved by them again Quod bonum humanum officitur Divinum si referatur ad Deum est Causa Martyris Aq. 2.2 q. 124. Ar. 5. ad 3. a Subjects fighting and dying for their King or King fighting and dying for his Subjects did Fight and Dye for God they did it of late For of late Gods and the Churches and the Kings Cause consentred in one The King endeavoured to maintain that Religion and that publicly Service of God which Gods own right hand planted and his blessed Martyrs watered watered with their Blood and therefore blessed because they have so done Etiam dicit Spiritus so sayeth the Spirit blessed are
the Dead which dye in the Lord. Had it been onely to maintain the publick Service of God established by Law even that alone would have made them Martyrs For not a Tittle of it but it was by the Dictate of the Holy Ghost and I should think my self accursed if I were not able to maintain it and would now if it were not beside my Text and Purpose yet blame not my holy Zeal if I do vindicate that saving-Book against the Schismaticks greatest Exceptions And that is in the Office of Marriage That Office consists of Substance and Ceremony The Substance Prayer The Ceremony a Ring Look you upon both and first the first Prayer in that Office It beseeches Almighty God to bless the Couple to be married As Isaac aâ—d Rebecca whence I aâ—gue thus This Prayer was dictated by the Holy Ghost to the Composers of the Common Prayers or made by those Composers without the Dictate of the Holy Ghost But not by them without his Dictate Therefore by his Dictate to them If by them without him then they would have made it according to Humane Reason and so have said bless them O Lord as thou didst bless Abâ—aham and Sarah or as thou didst bless Jacob and Rachel and they had humane Reason for it for Abraham was Gods fiâ—st Friend Jacob was Gods great Favourite But sayes the Holy Ghost Not so nor so but let it be bless them as Isaac and Rebecca and there is no Humane Reason for this but a Divine Reason there is and that is this Abraham had his Hagar in Sarahs time and this Keturah afterwards Jacob had his Leah his Zilhah and his Bilhah but Isaac had none but his Rebecca and therefore sayes the Holy Ghost let it not be Bless them as Abraham and Sarah Bless them as Jacob and Rachel for then people may be apt to think they may have many Wifes at once if not some Concubines but let it be Bless them as thou didst bless Isaac and Rebecca let them know One man should have but one Wife especially at one time Then secondly look upon the Ring The Ring must be round without end and the Ring must be of Gold without mixture so must the Husbands love be to his Wife perpetual and to be terminated onely by Death and withal his Love must be pure and not given or imparted to any other but to his Wife onely Certainly therefore Blessed they which dye in maintaining that Service-book which can without contradiction father the very Ceremonies of it upon the Holy Ghost But add to this Obedience to the King Unity to the Church Liberty to the Subject and many more commanded by God and deny He that can or dare Blessed is William Laud Archbishop for dying for the Churches Unity Blessed are Cavendish Greenvile c. for dying for Obedience and to keep the Kings Crown upon his Head Blessed is King Charles the first for dying for both and to preserve the Subjects Liberties And if they are Blessed why then do any mourn as if they were lost But alas Nature will have her course and on Gods Name let it but let Nature give you bounds to Natures course stillate volo non currere let your Eyes drop Tears like pretious water out of a Still not run like common water out of a spout So said Seneca from Nature Yes Nature hath taught it not onely by Speech but also by Example what else meant that Heathen Priest who so soon as be heard of his Sons Death presently put off his Crown and vented his Sorrow by his Tears but hearing withal That his Son died Valiantly he assumed his Crown again and finished his Sacrifice So you B. hearing your Friends death lay aside your Crowns and melt your selves into Tears but knowing They died for God for the Church for the King for the Countrey for the glory of God for the Unity of the Church for the Honour of the King for the Lawes of the Countrey and that the King himself was Murthered and Martyred for all these Put on your Crowns again and finish your own Christian course with Joy Give not back though you are bur few Fall not back though Gods the Churches the Kings and your Enemies have got the Trophees you know not whether God hath chosen for his Gedeon a Reserve that his own Glory may be the greater and your own blessedness as sure by Dying In the Lord as your Friends that have dyed For the Lord. Their blessedness is not doubted They that dye For the Lord They that seal the Truth of Gods VVord and Religion with their blood Nor Catholique nor Papist call their blessedness into question They that were slain in the late quarrel And certainly their blessedness too your own needs as little doubt who are resolved to dye In the Lord you who lead a holy life and believe in the Lord Jesus and will continue therein to the end They are you are blessed For questionless St. John is blessed though he died in his bed and was but banished as you are as well as St. Peter though he died upon the Cross and was put to Torment as our glorious King and many of our Friends were And it is to you as well as to them to you that are but Confessors as well as to them that were Martyrs that Christ speaks Come ye blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning Mat. 25.34 But this for my part shall make no quarrel between Rome and England or Amsterdam If they will yield to us in some Substances we will easily yield to them in this Circumstance Let them decline to the killing of Kings and we will soon yield That Martyrs onely are blessed and so by consequence They onely dye in the Lord But with this Proviso That they take not nor understand this word Martyr in the common use of speech secundum vulgus For so it is one that seals his witness to the Gospel with his blood and suffers death for Christ but in the Grammar sence secundum Cleres For so it means but a Witness One that lives and dies in Faith as the Apostle speaks All these Abraham Isaac Jacob and many more died in the Faith i. e. They were all Martyrs Heb. 11.13 or they were all Witnesses to the truth of Christs Religion both in their Life and Death They died in the Lord. And thus you see what it is to dye in the Lord or who may be said to dye in the Lord Now for Application of this Point How may we dye in the Lord Appl. And that I shall tell you plainly and quickly If you would Dye in the Lord you must Live in the Lord Live in him you must by a Faith that purifies your hearts and then Dye in him you may by a Faith that justifies your Souls Live in him you must by the Faith of water to Sanctification Act. 15.9 and then Dye in him you may by
the Faith of Blood to Justification We may not with Balaam desire to dye the death of the Kighteous and live Covetously Nâ—â—b but we must with David lead the life of the Righteous and dye Comfortably If we would dye in the Lord and receive the end of our Faith which is the Salvation of our Souls we must first Live in the Lord by laying the Foundation of Faith by doing the Act of Faith and by bringing forth the Fruit of Faith 1. Fundamentum autem Fidei quid But what is the Foundation of Faith Why it is Cognitio Dei nostri the Knowledge of God and of our selves The Knowledge of God the Father and our Fall He made us upright and we found out many inventions He made us in his Image and we defaced it The Knowledge of God the Son and our Redemption we were lost and He sought us we were sold and He bought us 1 Cor. were slaves and He enfranchised us The Knowledge of God the Holy Ghost and our Sanctification by Him Such we were Druâ—kards Revilers Fornicators c. But we are sanctified by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. This is the Foundation of Faith and it must be laid by Knowledge 2. The Act of Faith and it must be effected by Applying Actus autem Fidel quid And what is the Act of Faith Why it is Fiducia A perswasion that God the Father so loved me Joh. 3.16 that he gave his onely begotten Son for me A perswasion that God the Son so loved me That he came in the similitude of sinful flesh Rom. 8.3 and for sin condemned sin in the flesh A perswasion that God the Holy God so loved me that he hath baptized me into the death of Christ and hath thereby made me the Temple of Himself a Member of Christ and the Child of God In a word 1 Tim. 1.15 when I believe Though I am the greatest of all sinners yet Jesus Christ came into the world to save me 3. Fructus autem fidei quid And what is the Fruit of Faith Why it is Charitas Charity Charity to God by Prayer Charity to my self by Fasting and keeping my Body under Charity to the Poor by Almes These These are the precious Fruits that grow upon the precious Tree of Faith Faith believing in God thorow Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost to be saved does therefore pray to God against sin and keeps the Body under from sin and gives Almes to the Poor And when we do this why then as Christ saies you shall know the Tree by his fruit we live in the Lord and therefore we shall dye in the Lord. The word of my Text is not Qui vivunt They which live but Qui exeunt They that dye in the Lord Nor did I say this to deviate from my Text but to tell you How you may fulfil the Text and dye in the Lord and no way for this but by living in the Lord for otherwise the Lord may be said to Dye in us we cannot be said to Dye in the Lord. Nor yet did I say this That the man that lives not in the Lord cannot dye in the Lord For God can fetch water out of the flinty Rock but to tell you That ordinarily Few dye in the Lord that do not first live in the Lord They that live in sin may dye in the Lord and such A course may speed But it is a dangerous and indiscreet pare to venture a Soul upon such an hazard This course is sure to speed ' They that live in the Lord do alwayes dye in the Lord. It is storied that the French ad judged certain ground to the Irish against the Scotch because Spyders Toads and such poysonous Creatures did presently dye if they were put there So you may be our own Judges and know to what Master you belong If siâ—ful lusts words and works dye when they come upon the Ground of your Souls you belong to the Lord He lives in you and you shall dye in him Once more Would you dye in the Lord Why then as St. Paul saâ—es Dye daily i. e. Master your Lusts Subdue your Wrath Humble your Pride Resist all Temptations v.g. more plainly Suppose Covetousness were now breeding in my heart and Money perswaded me to become another Judas to betray my Soul my Saviour my King my Countrey Yet remember I it is but a sad bargain I am about No profit to gain the whole world and loose mine own Soul And what I say of this sin I say of all sin Take them while they are but little ones Mat. even but Temptations and dash them against the stones Against the stones of Mortification and Repentance Obey the Precepts of God and resist sin Believe the Promises of God and relye on Christ and so you shall live in the Lord Continue in this Obedience to the Law Persevere in this Belief of the Gospel and though you do sometimes fall and God forgive us all for who falls not often yet Rise again by Repentance and at the Hour of your Death Then six your Faith upon the Mercies of God in the Merits of Jesus Christ and you shall Dye in the Lord And Dying so you shall be blessed Etiam sic dicit Spirius For so saith the Spirit It is my second General Pars 2. I called it the Witness to assure the Deposition to confirm the truth of the Proposition and I must tell you It is beyond all exception Etiam sic dicit Spiritus For so sayes the Spirit But of this I shall not need to speak much For I hope in Christ There is no Athist here to deny the Truth of God or of his Word No Schismatick or Heretick here I hope to deny this Book of Revelation though penned by St. John to have proceeded from the Spirit Not any Carnal or Private Spirit not any Giddy or worldly spirit but the Holy and Blessed Spirit and therefore I forbear to prosecute this Point and thank your Piety for saving me the pains Nor shall I dare to trespass upon your Patience Pars 3. in speaking much of my Third General This Depositaries Exposition of the Proposition And yet least I should injure your Expectation I shall venture upon a word or two If any one askes wherein are the Dead Blessed They that dye in the Lord wherein are they blessed Loe The Spirit makes answer and sayes They are blessed two wayes 1. In Relaxation They rest from their Labours 2. In Retribution Their Works follow them They are two Blessednesses and two such Blessednesses as this world cannot afford Ease and Glory both In this world If sometimes we have Rest in our Studies by Divine Contemplation yet there we have no Glory we are but poor Schollars still And if sometimes you have Glory in the Court by Royal admission yet there you have no Rest you are but Observing Courtiers still But in Heaven Both you and we shall have
be accursed and saies Origen propter hoc Ecclesia ab Apostolis Traditionem accepit etiam parvulis dare Baptissimum Rom. 6. Because we are all conceiv'd and born in sin the Church hath received a Tradtion from the Apostles to Baptise Children and saies St. Austin Consuetudo matris Ecclesia c. The Custome of our Mother the Chu ch in Baptizing Infants is not to be slighted because it is an Apostolicall Tradition De Gen. ad li. c. 23. That 's a ninth Invention 10. If we believe and have Faith It is no matter for good VVorks or how we live a meer Invention this For saies St. James faith without work is dead and saies St. Paul Jac. 2. neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but Faith which worketh by Love That 's a tenth Invention He is gone to Hell For he dyed of the Plague A meer Intention This For many of Gods dear Servants do dye of the Plague 2 Sam. 24. David was desirous to dye of it when he prayed Let thy hand I pray thee be against me and my Fathers house but sure he would not have been so desirous to dy of the Plague if he must have gone to Hell for it That is a 11th Invention Subjects may take up Arms against their King For the King is Universis minor though he â—e singulis major Lesse then the Collective Body though greater then any particular Person If he be a Tyrant If he be Sacrilegious If he be an Idolater He may be Resisted He may be Deposed A meer Invention's this For Saul was greater then all the People because he was their King and Saul was a Tyrant a sacrilegious person an Idolatar a Consulter with Witches and yet David durst not resist him durst not depose him and only for this cause Because he was the Lords Annointed and therefore the Lords Annointed because the King And this hath been the Judgement of all Divines until of late and therefore This is another twelfth Invention Bishops and Presbyters are of equal Authority They are all one For Bishops are called Presbyters in the word of God A meer Invention This and a false Conclusion For Presbyters are never called Bishops either in the Book of God or in any other book unlesse in the Books of Hereticks or Schismaticks And that is a Thirteenth Invention A King may be Deposed by an High Court of Justice and unjustly sentenced to death as a Tyrant Traytor and Murtherer and Publick enemy by severing his Head from his Body A meer Invention This though pronounced by John Bradshaw Lord President so called Oliver Crumwel L. General Henry Ireton Commis General Col. Hardresse Waller Col. Harrison Col. Whaley Col. Pride Col. Ewer Lord Gray of Grooby Sir John D'Anvers with many more who are not worth the remembring unlesse Dr. Dorislaus and Justice Aske Councellours for the Common-wealth Cook Sollicitor General Broughton and Phelps Clarks to the Court Danby Mace-Bearer Humphrey Sword-Bearer and King Cryer And this was an Invention beyond all the Jewes Inventions And a great many more Inventions yet have we found out but I have tyred you and my self already with these and by these though there were no more I am sure we have provoked God to wrath for the Plague is broken in upon us It is my fourth and last consideration in resolving that Question What is the fruit and effect of these Inventions Pars. 4. of these Provocations The Plague brake in upon them Irruit It brake in Magno impetu invasit It came with a mighty violence and could not be resisted Tanquam aqua exundas like a suddain Flood of water Maltiplicata est in eis ruina A multiplyed destruction came upon them Factis est in eis gravis ultio God took an heavy and grievious revenge upon them twenty four thousand of the common people and Princes were slain and this tells you what Plague it was is here meant It was not the Plague of Pustules or the Plague of the Pestilence or as the common people call it the Plague of Gods Tokens or as we of late have had the Plague of the Guts which was never heard of in any Kings Reign but only in the first Reign of a President and in the second Reign of a Protector but it was the Plague of a Civil commotion raised by the Madness of the people for a former madness of their provocation and the small number of the slain then but 24000 shews and proves their provocations to be lesse then ours because the Plague of an Uncivil civil war amongst us hath slain many score of Thousands some Hundreds of thousands and proves our provocations to be greater then theirs However I wish not the rest of the Rebels may either Hoyle or Phane themselves I wish them not confusion here or Damnation hereafter The worse that I wish is That God would be pleased to take them as the Rods of his Justice into the Hands of Mercy and bring in King Charles II. with power to recover his own Dominions and to sit upon the Throne of his Father King Charles Is the Royal Martyr of blessed memory who upon this day January 30. Anno Dom. 1648 was murthered by barbarous hands for seeking to preserve the Churches Rights and the Peoples Liberties and Reign over us and our childrens children in peace and prosperity thorough Jesus Christ Amen GOD Save King CHARLES II. Anno Dom. 1658. ACTS 13.28 And though they found no cause of death in him yet desired Pilate to kill him THere are not many steps betwixt Princes Prisons Graves Mat. 2. Christ was the King of the Jews so confest by the Magi and the People would have proclaimed him so But Pilate the Lord President and Cajaphas the High Preist having Him delivered into their hands by the Treason of Judas for a far less price then 200000 l. even 30. pieces of Silver and though they found no cause of death in him unless it were Negatively because he had not Ahab-like took away Naboths Vineyard or plundered any of his Subjects Illegally nor Jesabel-like took away Naboths life or put to death any of his Subjects Extrajudicially or Affirmatively had healed their sick cured their lame and their blind ear'd their deaf raised their dead delivered them all from the Kings Evil and made them happy to their Enemies Envy and their Friends Admiration yet they desired Pilate to kill him That 's my Text and in it I observe two parts and they are these 1. A VVonder they found no cause of death in him for a VVonder it is that a King who hath so many Prerogatives and Advantages to Blaspheme to Rob to Rabe to Murther to Idolatry and more causes I find not to kill any man should have no cause of death found in him 2. A Murther and a monstrous Murther Yet they desired Pilate to kill him for a monstrous Murther it is that Subjects who have so many tyes of Obedience upon them
charged us we cannot deny but that we are therefore Reprobates we hope not For what we have done hitherto we have done ignorantly we knew not our sins to be so Capital and we trust God will wink at our sins of ignorance Nay says St. Paul you cannot plead ignorance For you know the Law of God and that they which do such things are worthy of death and yet you did them Yes truly they reply we have committed those sins against our knowledge but what then must we needs be damn'd for that will not God pardon the frailties of our youth though we have not done these ignorantly yet we have done them of infirmity Nay says St. Paul by your leave that you have not neither For if you had committed these sins by way of infirmity in your selves you would then con demn them in others but you not only do them your selves but you also take pleasure in them that do them Before I proceed give me leave to wish that those Inditements were not as justly chargeable upon a great part of English Christians as they were upon the Roman Gentiles not upon all no there are many Chast Plous Religious Meek Patient and Loyall Souls amongst them who are not liable to any of St. Pauls enditement in this Chapter nor yet upon the Parliament neither that long Parliament no God forbid I should have or haâ—bour such a thought of Parliament of a true Parliament which represents the blessed Trinity in Power Wisedome and Sanctity where the King as Head directs the Lords Spirituall and Temporall as heart enlivens and the Commons as the inferiour Members put all things into execution I speak only of a Faction in that Parliament who by their Serpentive sedulity and subtlety engros'd the power of all cut off the Head of the Head the Kings Head and voted down or rather out the Heart of the Hearts the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and did not only do these things themselves Malignity Murther Deceipt Debate but also took pleasure in them that did them and vent one degree further commanded others to do them too In which words the Apostle 1. Accuseth them for doing things worthy of death 2. Aggravates that fault And were blessed St. Paul now living he would further aggravate it 1. From their knowledge of Gods Law 2. By delighting in others for doing the same 3. By Commanding all others and compelling many to do the same witness the 1. Engagement 2. Oath of Abjuration 3. Subscription against the common Enemy King Charles the second I begin with the first Agravation so the Accusation is too plain indeed too plain that who so runs Psal 1. may read it and the Observation thence is this Knowledg Aggravates Sin Joh. 9.41 For saies Christ If yea were blind yea should have no sin i. e. Nullum non simpliciter sed nullum Comparative None not simply but no sin Comparatively and when Christ extenuates their sin that crucified him he prays thus for them Father Luke 25. forgive them for they know not what they do and if I if you am that Servant which knew my Masters will and prepare not my self to do according to his will I yes and you yes and they whosoever they are shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12. If Christ had not come and spoke to you and them and me Joh. 15.22 we had not had sin but now because Christ hath spoke to us all we have no Cloak for our sin If you and they Joh. 4.17 and I know how to be good and do it not know how to abstaine from sin and abstaine not to us it is sin If I sin of Ignorance only I want both knowledge and good will having a will only to the deed not to the sin but if I sin willingly I want both good will and inclination to leave my sin having a will at once both to the deed and sin and therefore the more sinfull because when I knew the deed to be sin yet I would do it More sinfull therefore I am then other men because my knowledge makes my sin a willfull neglect of Gods Authority He is the immediate Law-giver and hath revealed it to me as well as to Adam and Eve as well as to Moses and Aaron as well as to the Prophets and Apostles More sinfull therefore I am then ignorant people because my knowledge makes my sin a Prophane Contempt of the Law-givers Authority and He hath revealed it more to me and you and them then to the Gentiles Yet may no man hence more prophanely in far welcome Ignorance for though ignorance lessors both Sin and Damnation yet it makes not my sin to be no sin and it is but a miserable comfort for a Soâ—omite to think that a Capernaise is worse then himself when he is in the burning Lake for he too is damned everlastingly Luk. 12.46 though less tormented Science in the knowing sinner shall have the more stripes yet no more stripes then his sciene is capable off Ignorance in the unknowing sinner shall have fewer stripes yet no fewer then his Ignorance is capable off As the tender and soft flesh is more sensible of the sharpness by incision or stripes then the tough and hardned flesh yet they both have enough though not equally the same Nessire to be invincibly Ignorant is damnable simplicity Nolle scire to be wilfully Ignorant is hainous Impiety Scire et nolle facere to know good and not to do it is intollerable Obstenacy or scire et contra facere to know good and yet to do the contrary against the light of that knowledge is a very near borderer upon that unpardonable sin the sin against the Holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven This is the Aggravations of the Gentiles sins they knew those severall acts to be sins yet they did the sins Now before we go on let us examine whether some of our English Christians did not know the Dethroning the deposing the killing the Murthering of King Charles the first were not a sin and a great a very great sin Certainly they did know it they knew it 1. By the Law of God they knew it 2. By the Example of Christ they knew it 3. By the Native Positive and Statute Lawes of this Kingdome all which they were bound and sworn to observe to follow and yet against their knowledge and Oath both They quod horrendum est dicere quod infandum est renovare They dethron'd him depos'd him kill'd and Murthered him 1. They knew it by the Law of God It is expresly said Thou shalt do no murther but this it may be is too generall what think you then of that particular prohibition Nolite tangere Christis meos Touch not mine Annointed Doeth not this concerne Kings in particular For they were Annointed or rather doth it not concerne you in particular that howsoever you touch other men yet you would forbear to touch Kings i. e.